michael & susan
Who: Susan and Michael
When: Monday afternoo
Where: Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes: Diagon Alley branch
What: Susan pops by the joke shop to have a chat & winds up with surprises.
Rating: PG




Strolling through Diagon Alley, Susan mentally went through her to-do list. It was nice to be up and about again and actually get something done, especially since she would have to move into her apartment soon and she still had two rooms to finish. Fortunately it was a sunny day, even though the wind could be surprisingly cold at times and Susan was beginning to shiver a bit. Maybe she would stop for a bit and have something to drink. It had been ages since she'd tasted a good Butterbeer. Moving her bag over to her other hand to give her arm some rest, she smiled as she spotted the tell-tale "W" of the joke shop in the distance. She had been surprised when she had been accepted into the Healer program, and even more so when she had made an offhand remark about using Weasley products to cheer up the patients and her superior had actually been enthusiastic about it.

Reaching the door of the shop, Susan opened it with one hand and awkwardly tried to enter, holding the the heavy bag up to her chest. The bell above the door made a loud tingle and Susan resisted the urge to blast it off. It wasn't the bell's fault she hadn't thought to shrink her bag instead of dragging it through Diagon Alley like the stupid person she was. Finally inside, Susan let out a relieved breath and smiled apologetically as she approached the counter, putting down her bag as soon as she was able to. "Hi, Michael. Everything okay?"


It still surprised Michael that he enjoyed his clerk job at the shop. For years, he had plans of joining the Ministry, but once his faith in it had been shaken more than once, he had decided he needed some time to figure out what he wanted from life. He had never thought of going pro for Quidditch. He loved the game, but he wasn't anywhere near good enough for the big leagues. Hence, when Fred randomly talked of his need for help, Michael had jumped at the opportunity. His father didn't really see it as one since it was something Hogwarts students took on holidays, but Michael tried to remain undaunted, doing his best at it. There was opportunity for advancement and, besides, he had just finished school. He was plenty intelligent and had much time to find a career. Or so he kept telling himself.

When the bell sounded, Michael looked up from the display he had been arranging. He noticed his old fellow DA member and smiled. "Susan? Hello!" He abandoned the cardboard cut out he had been fixing on the floor surrounded by products in favor of going to personally greet their new customer. "Don't tell me you have a practical joke to play?"

Susan could definitely understand where Michael was coming from. Having idolised her aunt Amelia from a young age, it had always been her dream to join the Ministry, and in some ways she was glad for the Ministry's change of policies. Not because it was a good change, obviously, but it had opened her eyes and had allowed her to think about her future instead of doing what she had always expected to do. Joining the Healer program had been a good decision. Just the few hours she had spent there so far has made that clear to her. She liked helping people, she was good at it, and what better way to start your career than by doing something you love?

Glancing briefly at the cardboard cut out, Susan smiled as Michael stood up to greet her. "Not exactly," she said with a laugh. Practical jokes weren't really her thing, and she was rather ashamed to admit she had never set foot in this particular store before today. "No, I am here on a mission." She raised an eyebrow comically, aware of how ridiculous that sounded. "Do you remember what you said the other day about sending my patients here?"

Michael caught her quick look toward his display. "It shoots the products out when you touch," he said proudly. "My idea. I don't think the Weasleys thought I had it in me." After all, he had been the whiny, stuffy Ravenclaw who couldn't hack it with Ginny. But, still, Mike enjoyed a good laugh too. "Laughter therapy," he said in response to her question. He beckoned Susan toward the counter, trying to make it seem like he wasn't overly enjoying her visit. He had to remain professional and all. "You took me seriously?" He kept back the "really" that he almost added. He wasn't sure anyone would take him seriously when working in a joke job, least of all someone smart like Susan.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Susan did a double-take at Michael's explanation, eyeing the display with considerably more suspicion. For a minute she had forgotten she had entered a joke shop, and she made a mental note to be careful about touching anything. You never knew with the Weasley twins. Turning her attention back to Michael, she noticed he looked a lot happier than he had when she had seen him last. Despite being in the DA with him, Susan had never really took the time to get to know him, and he'd always seemed a bit... she didn't know how to explain it. In any case, clearly his new job agreed with him, and it was nice to see him passionate about something. Stepping towards the counter, Susan ran a hand through her hair, a nervous gesture she still hadn't been able to lose. "I thought it had potential," she explained. "So I mentioned it when I went to St. Mungo's for my formal introduction, and the Healer I spoke was very enthusiastic about it." She sounded a bit surprised herself, pleased as she was by this development.

High strung might have been the word Susan searched for. Uptight even. Cocky? But war destroyed many things about a person. Rarely a day passed in which Michael didn't think about that horrible day at Hogwarts. Two, if one counted the night Malfoy let the death-eaters in. He didn't talk about it; instead, he left his anxiety for his nightmares. For the world, he appeared relaxed. He didn't speak of his fallen dreams or worries. What good would it do?

"Don't be silly!" He dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand. "There are charms that won't let any moving object...or, rather, person, get struck." However, he was much more interested in her latter statement. "Well, good Rowena! This could be brilliant for the pair of us, yeah?" His mind started running, thinking about all the potential.

The word Susan had been looking for was in fact not as negative as Michael might have expected. Despite the deaths in her family and despite being hesitant to trust if she didn't know someone very well, Susan always tried to see the good in people. One might find it odd that that bit of innocence -- in some cases you might even call it naivety -- had stayed with her for so long, but Susan wouldn't be Susan if she didn't believe that somehow, some way, everything would be all right.

After Michael's explanation Susan relaxed noticeably. Of course there would be safety regulations to abide by. The Ministry was everywhere, after all, even in places it shouldn't be. "Who would have thought we were actually on to something, no?" said Susan, beginning to gain confidence now she was sure Michael was still interested in the idea. "Apparently in the muggle world they even have clowns that come into the hospital to cheer up the patients."

Michael, for one, had come to appreciate an optimistic attitude. Where he might have deemed it naive once, he found it refreshing. Who couldn't do with a bit of that in a post-war world? He started pulling out various samples and ended with pushing a catalog toward his old classmate. "Hm, who says we can't learn from muggles then? I, for one, would love to see a Weasley twin in a clown suit." He winked at Susan. "Maybe if you pay handsomely..."

Opening the catalog, Susan eyed the first page with interest before looking up again as Michael began to talk. She laughed. "A Weasley in a clown suit? Now for that I'd pay good money to see indeed." Flipping through the pages, she stopped as her eye fell on a rather odd object that looked like a square box with a question mark on it. "What does that do?" she asked, pointing at the page. For a moment she let her imagination run wild. She didn't know half of what people were able to do with magic, and even less about the things muggles did without it. Maybe if they combined the two they could come up with a whole new way of treating patients.

Michael's eyes lit up as she pointed to that box. "Hold on." He rushed to the back of the store, searching the aisle for his desired item. Finding it, he tucked it under his arm and hurried back to Susan. He placed it on the counter, grinning widely. "Try it," he insisted, pointing to the golden lever. He couldn't wait to see her face when stuffed pygmy puffs jumped on her shoulders and started singing obnoxious, but funny songs.

Susan hesitated and looked up at him. It wasn't like he'd give her anything dangerous, would he? Besides, he'd just told her there were regulations to abide by. Carefully pulling the lever, she jumped as the box suddenly sprang open and something small and woolly torpedoed itself towards her face only to settle on the tip of her head, while a second one moved to sit on her shoulder. Trying - and failing - to look at the thing located on her head, she instead turned to look at the one on her shoulder, who right that moment chose to blow a raspberry against her cheek and began to sing in a very high-pitched voice. As the second one joined in she began to giggle helplessly, and by the end of the song Susan had to reach up to wipe a tear from her eye.

Michael found working at the shop let him relax in ways he never thought a job could. During school, he had worried about perfect grades and perfect Quidditch matches, but he discovered he had a knack for funny business. It was sort of scary to think he loved it so much since his father found it a ridiculous pursuit, but Michael couldn't help the satisfied feeling he got when he helped someone find that perfect product.

He tried to keep a grin from his face; a salesman showing his cards was foolhardy, no? Still, it was Susan and he lost the battle of not smiling quickly. "Seeeee?" He crossed his arms, a smug gleam in his eyes.

"Maybe I should get a pet," said Susan, only half joking, as the pygmy puffs calmed down and her laughter had subsided. The one on her shoulder snuggled against the side of her neck and let out a soft murmur, and Susan reached up to pick up the other one and put it back on the counter. "I think this is exactly the kind of cheer-up many patients need. Especially the children. They would love these tiny darlings, I'm sure." She had been a bit apprehensive at first, since the Weasley brothers were especially famous for their jokes of the exploding kind, but this little demonstration had convinced her that there were definitely some options here.

"Oh, do it! Do you want me to show you who we have?" When he started regarding the little creatures as something other than things was anyone's guess, especially Michael's. "We have some who need homes."

"They aren't alive, are they?" asked Susan, somewhat taken aback, and she glanced at the one she had just put on the counter. It looked up at her and frowned, as if it could actually understand what she was saying.

Laughing, Michael shook his head. "Of course not! No cruelty here! Well, for the little guys anyway. I meant would you like to see our real ones? Please? For me?" He batted his eyes.

"Oh! Right!" said Susan, relieved to find out they didn't actually put living creatures in boxes and sold them as products. "I'd love to see them," she then said, carefully lifting the remaining pygmy puff from her shoulder and putting it down next to its friend. Perhaps she could do with a new pet. Edward, her owl, wasn't the youngest anymore and these days he preferred to be left alone, and unfortunately she had had to leave her hamster behind when she moved out.

Michael swept an arm out, indicating she should follow him to the back where they kept the little things. "Here we are," he said, sticking his hand in one cage to play with the bright colored creatures. "Be good," he warned the animals, "She might take one of you home."

"Oh, wow. They are so cute!" blurted Susan, somewhat embarrassed at how utterly girly she sounded. The tiny creatures blinked back at her curiously as she watched. "Can I hold one?"

Had they still be at school, Michael would have asked her if she was trying to cut glass with that screech, but his salesman skills told him to shut up. Heck, he might have even been growing up for he actually found himself amused at how happy Susan appeared. "Of course. Any in particular?" He pointed to the green one. "He's my favorite."

"How so?" she asked, studying it before pointing towards a white one that sat ducked away in one of the corners. "Can I see that one? Or do you think it's too shy?"

"He's the friendliest in the bunch." He patted the little green head. "See?" He added. "Some are just skittish." Nonetheless, he reached an arm in, patting his hand around until he managed to get the white one. "Shhh, no. She likes you. Impress her!" He turned back to Susan. "Cup your hands," he instructed.

It was probably a bit silly to think, but the green was pretty, well, Slytherin. Nonetheless, it did seem particularly chipper compared to some of the other pygmy puffs. Cupping her hands together carefully, Susan watched as Michael picked up the tiny white one and put it down in the palm of her hand. "Hello," she said softly, before frowning as the creature looked up at her with big scared eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you, you know," she said, trying to comfort it. She kept her hands very still so it could get used to her first. "Why are you so scared?"

"Maybe the green one tried to play." Michael shrugged. "I swear they eat other sometimes." He looked into the cage again, wagging a finger. "No fighting!" He looked at Susan and the little white fluff. "He is adorable though. You are doing a good job."

Susan cast a look at the green one, which blinked back at her innocently as if to say "Who, me?" Lifting a hand, she began to move it closer towards the white one, going slow so she wouldn't startle it. Finally she was able to pet it, and after a moment or two it let out a soft noise of contentment. "Apparently I'll do," she said, laughing a bit. "And as for you, no scaring the others, do you hear me?" she admonished the green puff, which was still eyeing her curiously.

"Hey, no yelling at him." Michael found he was protective of his creatures, but it wasn't like he could take all of them home..."He just wants to play!"

By now Susan was looking from one pygmy puff to the other. They were all so cute. How would she be able to choose? "Do you think they would get on?" she asked hesitatingly, indicating both the white and the green one.

Michael looked at her curiously. "Though you didn't like him?" He gently used a finger to rub the white one's head. "Good boy, yeah, there you go."

"I do, I was just trying to teach him some manners," she said, blushing a bit. Truth to be told there was just something about that curious stare that intrigued her, just like she had noticed the white one because it had been trying not to be noticed.

"Would you like to try holding him then?" Michael held his own hands out then, indicating he'd take care of the little white guy.

"Why not." Carefully moving the white one over to Michael's hands, she lifted her hand out to the green one instead. It seemed to vibrate with enthusiasm now it was finally getting the attention it had been craving, and Susan couldn't help but smile. "It is pretty friendly," she conceded.

Michael tried to keep the white one calm in switching holders. He stroked the fur, keeping it close to his chest. "It's up to you," he told Susan, performing his job well even if he'd miss the little guy. "Which fits your lifestyle better? Or can you handle both?" He rattled off all the normal questions.

"How much attention would they need?" she asked, always one to take her responsibilities very seriously. "Megan is moving in with me, so I don't think they would have to be alone very much. And she'd adore them, I'm sure." She'd never been very good at making choices, and right now, with the tiny woolly creatures staring at her hopefully, she was even less sure what to do. "Tell you what," she said finally. "It might be best if I talk to Megan first. I would hate to have to bring them back. They don't deserve that."

The practical part of Michael said he was losing a sale, but the part that cared about the little guys said they were losing a good home too. "Megan? She'll love them! She's Megan!" He held the white one up. "Look, see, look at his eyes! Who cannot like those?"

Susan wavered, but in the end it didn't take much to convince her. They were just too adorable. "Oh, why not," she said, smiling softly. "But if I have a question or something's wrong with them, I can ask you, right?" It was obvious how much Michael cared about the little creatures, and she wanted to make sure she could give them the care they needed. How she'd ended up buying not one, but two pets, while she had only come into the shop to inquire about something completely non-related, she didn't know, but hey, that was life.

Oh, Michael would make sure she had their catalog to show her colleagues, but, in the meantime, he not only made a sale, but got sweet creatures a home. All in all, Mike did good if he did say so himself (and he did). Too bad his dad couldn't see him. "I'll give you a whole guide on them," he promised. "And you can write me or bang on my head should you need a thing." He pulled out a smaller cage. "This is on us since you just made two little guys really happy."If he did have to say goodbye to his green friend, he was glad it was for someone he knew. "You'll be brilliant. I have an instinct, you know."

"All right," said Susan, relieved now she had come to a decision. And if Michael had helped her along a bit, well, that could only mean he couldn't blame just her if she were to mess up. But, with his support and the promise of a guide on how to take care of them, Susan felt a lot more confident she and Megan would be able to manage. Of course, now she had to tell her friend about their new room-mates. "I'll certainly do my best," she said, taking the cage from him when he had put both of the pygmy puffs inside. "I should probably be going soon, though, because I'm keeping you from work." Technically selling her stuff was work, but that wasn't what Susan meant.

Michael did know, but since he made a sale (with the prospect for more) he didn't mind at all. Not to mention, he really did enjoy catching up with her. They were bonded even if they weren't close mates. The DA did that. "Here, make sure you take the catalog and let me know if you or anyone at the hospital have any questions at all."

"I will," she said, smiling. "Thanks for your help. I'll have a chat with the staff and maybe we could meet up some time when you're not working to work out the details. You'll probably have to talk to Fred and George first, anyway."

Michael nodded. "Indeed. Have to check in with the boss people." He smiled more. "But meeting up sounds brilliant. Just shoot me an owl or a message." He waved her off. "Go, have fun with the little guys."

"All right," Susan said, gathering her bags together. "I think that's everything. I'll talk to you soon, yes?" Giving him smile and a wave in goodbye, she slowly turned to walk out of the door, looking back for a moment as it closed behind her. It was nice catching up with him. She should really do that sort of thing more often.