Harry Potter and the Heir of Slytherin

Extracting a memory was a most unusual experience. It was very hard to describe the sensation he felt as it was taken from him. It literally felt like the memory was being pulled directly from his brain and into Amelia's wand, and when the memory was fully extracted, Harry could not even recall the memory from his mind.

Now that was disconcerting. While there were many memories that Harry possessed that he sometimes wished he could forget, those memories and the experience he had gained from them were a large part of what made him who he was. He would not exchange or erase them for the world.

"I hope that when you finish viewing my memory, you'll return it to me," Harry said to the monocle wearing female as she placed the silvery whisp-like memory inside of the Pensieve. He did not like the idea of not being able to remember something he knew happened to him. It was far from pleasant.

"Don't worry," Madam Bones told him in a slightly placating tone. "Once I finish viewing the memory, I will give it back to you."

A sigh of relief escaped Harry's lips as he watched Madam Bones put a finger into the Pensieve. It was interesting to watch. There was no major change. It wasn't like the monocle wearing woman was suddenly sucked into the liquid. However, the way her eyes glazed over and began rapidly fluttering back and forth, as if she were watching something only she could see, was very telling.

Figuring it would take a while for Madam Bones to review his memories in their entirety, Harry turned his body slightly so that he was partially facing Susan.

"Are you alright, Sue?" he asked, the question seeming random and startling the young girl he was questioning. "I noticed during dinner that you were rather quiet... well, quieter than usual that is."

"It's... It's nothing," Susan said softly as she looked down at her hands on her lap. The action caused Harry to frown. It was one of her tells that he had discovered a while ago. Whenever Susan was embarrassed or wanted to speak but was afraid to, she would look away from the person she was talking to, often looking down.

"Susan," he said again, getting her attention. "We're friends, right?"

"Ah... O-Of course," Susan stuttered, both started and embarrassed by the sudden topic change.

"And you know that as your friend you can tell me anything, right?" Harry continued, disguising his frown well. He was still getting used to all his friends quirks and how to properly get them to open up to him. It was difficult because he was so used to Lisa, who usually only required a hug to get her talking. Unfortunately, he didn't think hugging Susan would work like it did with Lisa. "I'm not going to make fun of you, or laugh at you. I..." Harry paused. It was for barely a second, but it was there. "I want to help."

Susan looked at him, her eyes taking on a strange quality. They weren't quite piercing. Nothing like his own eyes could be. It was more like they had become more perceptive of their surroundings. A strange change from their normally nervous look to be sure.

"I... I guess I'm just... envious of you," Susan finally admitted quietly, her shoulders slumping as if she were ashamed of herself.

"Envious of me?" Harry knew there were a number of people who were jealous of him. If not for his status as the Boy-Who-Lived or his top grades than for his wealth and title as heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter. Envy and jealousy were something he lived with every day.

Still, he had not expected Susan, sweet, shy Susan of all people to be jealous of him.

"Why?"

"Because of how easy everything is for you," Susan said, still not looking at him. "Even now, I watch you sitting around and talking with my aunty like it was an every day occurrence, like she isn't one of the most powerful women in Magical Britain. It's just..."

"Frustrating?" Harry offered as Susan trailed off. The red head gave him a nod.

"Yes."

"I think I understand," Harry said slowly as he tried to place himself in Susan's shoes. It was hard because he did not have any experience with what she was feeling. "Your Aunt casts a very big shadow, doesn't she? And you're trying to live up to the expectations people have of you for being her niece, but you're afraid you'll fail. And then you meet me, and I just sort of came in out of nowhere and took center stage, as it were. Is that about right?"

"It's not just that," Susan finally looked at him, and for the first time, he could see how frustrated she was. "It's that you always seem so... so perfect. You're always the first to get a spell right in class, the first to finish your homework, then you help all of us finish our homework. You made the Quidditch team in your first year and bought all of the teams new brooms. And now, here you are, talking to my aunt, who just so happens to be one the most powerful woman in the Ministry of Magic like an equal! I just sort of wish that I could be like you... maybe if I was..."

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