Numb

The next day would be nearly unbearable. Prying eyes and whispered conversations would follow each of them to an extent that only Harry was really used to. Susan had concluded that there was nothing to be done at this point, except to avoid doing anything incriminating and hoping something else attracted the gossip mills attention, and soon.

Harry, despite having far more experience being the victim of the Hogwarts gossip machine, was still surprised at the viciousness that had been directed upon them. Harry himself had been the target of many glares from envious boys- including Zacharias Smith, Michael Corner, Dean Thomas, and many more who he only barely knew. He was grateful that none of them tried to confront him. Even Neville had seemed shaken when Harry had greeted him earlier.

The reaction from the girls of the castle confused Harry the most. Mostly it was gossip, murmurs, speculative looks that flittered away the moment he turned his attention to them (he wouldn't have even been aware of those if not for Ginny and Hermione's perspective). This was coupled with an almost total avoidance of him. This was taken to the extreme by some- such as one of the Gryffindor fourth years (he wasn't sure of her name until Ginny had helpfully provided it- Emily). He'd merely been walking by her table in the library when a book had toppled to the floor. Harry had picked up the book and handed it to her, something which should have resulted in a simple 'thank you'.

Instead, Emily had blushed and startled backwards when she'd noticed who he was. "I'm not interested!" She protested.

"Er, what?"

"My mum warned me about guys like you, I'm not interested in you or anything you have to say!" The girl proclaimed a tad hysterically. Uhg, this was sure to attract Madam Pince's attention, he should leave.

"Okay, cool." He told her and made a swift exit before Pince had the opportunity to descend on them with a vengeance. Ginny had found the situation hilarious, though Harry, once he'd had time to process their interaction felt slightly offended that the girl had apparently assumed he was out to have sex with every girl in the castle.

There were a few girls who did confront Harry. Pansy Parkinson, for instance, had gone out of her way between classes to tell him she'd never degrade herself by sleeping with him. Harry had been unprepared for the barb and had responded inelegantly with "Er, sure. Sounds good." Pansy had the gall to be offended by his response as a sneer marred her face. Susan, at this point, intervened on his behalf, sniping "You sound jealous, Parkinson. I don't blame you, what with Draco being all…" She held her thumb a forefinger apart to indicate a rather unimpressive length "You know."

Pansy turned puce and sputtered in rage "How dare you! Draco is a pureblood! Far superior to the likes of you, Potter!"

"I'm gutted." Harry said in monotone. "Are we done here?"

Needless to say Ginny had been left in peels of laughter from overhearing that exchange.

Cho tried twice to corner Harry, but he had managed to duck away and join the girls each time. He had no idea what she wanted, but he wanted no part in it regardless. After learning how she'd treated Luna for so long, Cho was dead to him.

But as bad as he'd had it, the girls were receiving the worst of it. The boys leered and jeered in public, while the girls drew their knives in private. Luna hadn't said much, but Harry just knew that Cho and the other Ravenclaw upper years were being absolutely vile to her. Demelza and Ginny's roommate, Samantha, had the audacity to tell them they were both sluts and that no decent man would want to be with them now.

Any time Pavarti was in the same room as Hermione, a litany of passive-aggressive jabs would come the brunette's way- even with the emotional support from Harry, Hermione had been near tears at one point, until Katie had swooped in and shepherded her away. When Lavender had gotten Hermione alone a few hours later, she'd been bracing for the same treatment, but instead the blonde offered her a fist-bump, congratulated her, and asked for details. Ginny was terrified of her mum sending her a howler, but thankfully it seemed that Ron had kept his mouth shut so far. Ginny wasn't the least bit moved by this small mercy. He was the reason they were in this situation in the first place, the fact that he wasn't actively spreading it further didn't matter much to her at the moment.

Harry was not surprised to receive a letter from the headmaster, asking to speak with him alone that afternoon. They'd planned for this, Susan and Hermione had at least, and had worked out a strategy.

There was wide agreement that he most definitely would not be going alone. Susan had insisted on being the one to accompany Harry. Ginny had, at first, tried to plant herself into that role, but it'd been Hermione who had defused that argument. She and Ginny were always with Harry in a way, but Susan was the most politically astute of all of them.

Harry's gratitude didn't need to be said, even to Susan, who didn't have the advantage of having a private connection to his mind. He reached out instinctively, and he found his hands clasped in Susan's, who gave him a wavering smile. She was nervous too, he realized. He squeezed, and did his best to return it. Don't worry, Harry. Hermione affirmed. We've got a plan. He can't touch us.

Susan's presence did more than just soothe his nerves, it empowered him. As long as he had people he loved by his side, he felt like he could do anything. Even stand against the man he once admired.

"Let's do this."

-----

While Susan was accompanying Harry, the other girls cloistered themselves in the room of requirement.

"This is a disaster." Demelza bemoaned. "All my friends… the entire school…"

"Has turned into a bunch of gits." Ginny sneered "Or rather, they've all shown their true colors."

Katie put her arms around Demelza's shoulders comfortingly "If they turned on you that quickly, they weren't real friends."

Demelza nodded, but wasn't cheered by Katie's advice. "I can't believe how nasty they can be."

"Believe it." Hermione said "Look at how they treated Harry last year, or the year before, or in our second year." She rolled her eyes, while the others might have been able to put their heads in the sand about it, she'd had a front row seat to the school's complete dysfunction when it came to Harry.

"Gits." Ginny grumbled.

"I pity them." Luna added suddenly "I think most of them are very unhappy. They're just taking it out on us."

"That's… actually quite perceptive, Luna." Hermione praised.

"Most of them are sexually repressed, hormonal, and frustrated." Katie agreed "All those blokes simultaneously calling us sluts while they're desperate to get some." She rolled her eyes.

"Or all the girls who go out of the way to say how they'd never associate with a scoundrel like Harry, but can't keep their bloody eyes off him." Ginny smirked.

Katie chuckled "They all want what we're having but won't let themselves have it. So they punish us instead."

"Its only a matter of time before some of them pop." Ginny mused "I'm sure some guys are gonna start begging Harry for tips once they get over their pride."

"And then there's Vane." Katie added darkly. "Have you noticed how she's been looking at Harry?"

Ginny and Hermione exchanged a glance. "Yeah." They admitted simultaneously.

The way she'd been looking at Harry was actually downright disturbing. It was certainly a step up from the flirtatious glances she'd been sending him earlier in the year. Now her gaze was… darker. Lingering. It was almost as if she was working up to something. Neither girl wanted to point it out to Harry, but the worry had wormed its way into the back of their minds regardless.

"I'm sure everything will work out with us around." Luna reassured "Oh! I could try introducing her to some Wrackspurts."

"What, do Wrackspurts stop people from being creeps?" Demelza asked "Because if so, I got another couple dozen people on the list."

Luna giggled, and explained that Wrackspurts simply made people less focused.

"Hm, so maybe the entire school needs some, then." Demelza speculated.

"I've tried." Luna shook her head sadly "But unfortunately Wrackspurts haven't been able to stop people from being mean to me."

Ginny frowned, and pulled Luna into a hug "Its like Katie said, now we know who our real friends are." Luna brightened immediately, and happily returned the hug, cuddling into Ginny.

It was at that moment that Hermione and Ginny both reeled back, clutching their heads in pain.

"That… that…" Hermione seethed.

"Fucking… bastard!" Ginny finished, her eyes flashing with rage.

-----

"Professor, you asked for us?" Harry prompted.

"Well, to be precise, I asked for you, Harry. But I certainly don't mind speaking to one of your accomplices as well."

Harry couldn't put his finger on what, but something seemed off about the Headmaster. In public, he seemed to be the same, quirky, lemon drop loving old man, but something unsettled Harry about his former mentor.

Hermione, however, had known exactly what Harry was talking about, and had warned him before the meeting. It's his aura, Harry. She told him. I don't know if its always been like that or if it's a new thing, but it seems… corrupted.

How? Harry asked.

How am I supposed to know? Its not like the horcrux, not as dark, but still… Hermione's tone urged caution. Her worries seemed to be prescient- Dumbledore was starting to show a side of himself Harry hadn't seen before.

"That implies that rules were broken, or that a crime was committed, Professor." Susan said, mustering her bravery.

"Indeed. Intimate relations on grounds are indeed punishable under school rules, and dark rituals are certainly against the law." The Headmaster countered "And I'm afraid that you and your friends are guilty of both."

"Then I suppose you have evidence implicating us of these actions?" Susan responded.

Dumbledore's eyes were on Harry's, he tried to avoid the Headmaster's gaze, but it was too late. He felt the Headmaster dive into his mind, a blur of images rushing past.

Ten year old Harry, being locked in his cupboard by Uncle Vernon.

Learning magic was real at eleven.

Doing homework with Ron and Hermione as first years.

Ginny's body, cold and pale in the Chamber of Secrets.

Dumbledore seemed to latch onto the memory and followed it to other, related memories.

He and Ginny kissing for the first time in the common room.

Ginny, in tears, refusing to give up on him.

Ginny telling him of the ritual.

Their first time, skin on skin, pleasure rising…

NO! Harry thrashed instinctively at the invasion of privacy, and a wave of magic burst out from him. Several nearby magical instruments were thrown backwards, the Headmaster too was thrown back into his seat, his concentration broken. Susan, however, was unaffected, save for a slight ruffling of her hair.

Harry stumbled and gasped for breath as Dumbledore's concentration broke, and he withdrew. He distantly recognized Hermione and Ginny's furious thoughts over Dumbledore's invasion of privacy. Harry felt his own anger rising but tempered it. Losing his cool now wouldn't do any good. Instead he looked back up into the Headmaster's eyes unflinchingly, broadcasting his judgement.

The Headmaster's actions seemed to incense Susan, who tore at him fearlessly "I'm certain that you could look through our minds and find all sorts of examples of 'intimate activities'" She used her fingers to air-quote that particular phrase "But legimancy isn't admissible as evidence in court. In fact, it's downright illegal to use on a minor! If anything, we have more evidence on you, than the other way around."

Harry decided to help Susan out a bit "Professor, if you're going to start using legimancy to find if students are guilty, I'd recommend you start with Malfoy and his friends for something more serious, like being an actual Death Eater." That had been a point of contention between he and Dumbledore over the course of the year. Harry still didn't quite understand why the Headmaster was being so lenient on Malfoy.

"Dark rituals are no frivolous crime, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore's tone dropped. "Legimancy may not be admissible in court, but veratiserum certainly is."

"Then call the aurors. Arrest us. Right now." Susan declared "I wonder what the minister would do with the case if Harry promised him his public support? And for that matter, a trial would lead to Harry being questioned in public, under veratiserum. I wonder what sensitive information might be let slip if the wrong question were asked? The Horcruxes, perhaps, or the Prophecy? Heck, it'd be virtually impossible to not mention the horcrux in Harry if he was asked about the ritual." Susan was on a roll and seemed fearless as she tore into the Headmaster "Face it Headmaster. You aren't going to take legal action."

"And if I chose to expel you?"

"That would need approval by the Board of Governors. Who I'm sure would be very interested in hearing why Harry Potter is being expelled. Besides" Susan added "There are other schools we could attend. Beauxbatons has nice weather, I hear. Durmstrang… not so much, but they aren't too picky if their students have allegedly gotten caught up in a 'dark ritual' or two."

"I could even pay for private tutoring." Harry added. Susan had given him that helpful factoid "I'll soon be of age, Headmaster, and then I can do whatever I want with my life. If I wanted to, I could go to America or Australia…" He left that statement hanging in the air a moment "I feel too much responsibility for this war to do that, Headmaster. I'm committed to fighting this war. Working with you or not."

Dumbledore eyed Susan shrewdly for a few moments, surprised at how this schoolgirl had managed to poke holes in every threat he'd been planning on making "Ms. Bones, I can understand Ms. Weasley's and Ms. Granger's willingness to die on this hill, but are you absolutely certain you want to dedicate yourself to this cause? Its not too late for you to make another choice."

Susan was almost insulted at Dumbledore's offer "With all due respect, Headmaster." She said in a tone that indicated just how little respect she felt was due. "I'm doing this to save Harry's life. I can think of few causes worthier of my dedication. I think you'll find that every single one of us is willing to die on this hill."