I'm glad you guys like the story...school just started for me, and I'm
trying to write this story and another novel or mine, plus sports and
schoolwork. Bear with me!
Chapter 12 A Quick Escape
Left standing stupefied with the Malfoys, Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Ron immediately walked back to the Leaky Cauldron. There they found Mrs. Weasley enjoying a tall goblet of some sparking red drink. She didn't seem surprised to hear that Cordelia had gone off with Snape. In fact, she seemed rather happy to hear that Professor Snape had been there.
Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Ron were silent until they had reached Twelve Grimmauld Place. They spent the rest of their evening, and most of the night talking about the events that had occurred in Diagon Alley.
"You know, we're not getting anywhere just making wild assumptions about Cordelia," Ginny said exasperatedly. "It's just like when we first met her."
"Drop it, Ginny," Ron said. "It's clear whose side she's on. Did you see the way she looked at all of us? The way she looked at Harry when she spoke? That girl's darker than dark. She's probably Voldemort's special apprentice."
"Ron's right," Harry jumped in. "She seemed more than eager to turn her back on us. That's the last chance she got with me."
Ron nodded his head in agreement.
"Oh stop! Both of you!" Hermione shouted suddenly. Everyone looked at her in awe. It was a rare thing that Hermione yelled anyone without reason. And this wasn't an exception.
"You aren't paying attention to the important things. Firstly, she was scared when she saw the Malfoys. Really scared. I heard what she said to you, Harry. And believe me, she meant it."
"What did she say to you, Harry?" Ron asked.
"She told me not to let her go with the Malfoys under any circumstance." Harry replied, remembering the way Cordelia's body trembled when she spoke.
"I don't care what you say, Ron. She wasn't faking that fear. Secondly, she went off with Snape when she had the opportunity to leave with the Malfoys. If she was really dark, she would have left with them."
"Why didn't she just stay with us then?" Ron asked hotly.
"Don't you get it?" Hermione said, still upset. "She was protecting herself, and us. She couldn't let on that she knew us. She's not supposed to know us. If her mum is a Death Eater, they must assume that she's dark as well. And since she isn't- and don't even try to say that she definitely is- being around us causes a lot of questions and problems."
"That makes sense," Harry said slowly.
"I suppose," Ron said, looking unsure.
"On with other things," Hermione said, turning behind her and grabbing a box. "Happy Birthday, Harry!"
Though it seemed entirely impossible, with all of the commotion of the past week, Harry had forgotten his own birthday. "I'm happy that someone remembered." Harry said, laughing.
"Luckily for you, we did" Ginny said cheerfully. "Open mine first."
Harry opened the medium sized box and discovered a bundle of sweet. Chocolate Frogs, Sugar Quills, Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans, Fizzy Foaming Fruits (tiny sweeties that disintegrate into fruity, sugar foam in your mouth) and tons of other sweets that Harry loved.
"Thanks Ginny!" he said, beaming.
"Okay, mine next," Ron said, placing a rather large box in front of Harry.
Harry ripped off the paper and discovered a box labeled Deluxe Firebolt Upgrade Kit. It contained broomstick polish, instructions on updating braking and acceleration systems, twig clippers/sharpeners, ways to update cushioning and maneuvering charms and a large volume called Classic Quidditch: From Quick Quaffles to Sneaky Snitches.
"Wow, thanks Ron! This is great for my Firebolt."
"And last, but not least, mine." Hermione was grinning.
Harry unwrapped the first of two packages. It was a volume titled Defense and Capture: The Life of an Auror. The second package was a volume titled Olde Magic: Knowing What Others Don't.
"I figured this was a good way for you to start the year," Hermione said.
"It is," Harry replied, flipping through the book. "I can't wait to start them."
The four of them headed downstairs, all in visibly good moods. Mrs. Weasley had baked a birthday cake for Harry, and to Harry's surprise, members of the Order had returned for the occasion as well. It was a great, loud celebration, and Harry went to sleep feeling happier than he had in months. As a matter of fact, he didn't even think about why the room across the hall was still empty.
~~~~**~~~~**~~~~
Harry awoke to the sound of something large crashing. And then the painful sqwak of some bird. And an angry voice.
"What in the hell went on?" Angry voices rang out. "And where are you taking her?"
"To Professor Dumbledore," a greasy voice replied. "His orders. It's no longer safe for her to stay here. He was quite insistent on getting her away as quickly as possible."
"But I thought this possibility was taken well into account."
"Something happened," a new voice said. "He must know more than we thought."
"Albus said that it's imperative that she stay as far away from us as possible," the greasy voice Harry now recognized as Snape said. "And that's all I know, Remus."
"She's just upstairs finishing her packing," Mrs. Weasley said. "I hope she'll be all right wherever she goes."
"I'm sure she'll be fine Molly," Remus said reassuringly. "I just wish she'd tell us what she saw."
Harry was getting out of his bed and moving toward the door when it suddenly opened. Cordelia walked into the room and closed the door behind her. She didn't seem surprised at all to see that Harry was awake.
"Please don't be upset with me," she said softly, not looking at Harry.
Harry's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing in here? Why shouldn't I? You're a perfect stranger who came here and began to cause trouble. You walk around like you've belonged here all along, probably telling all of your dark family and friends any little information about the Order that you can. Oh yes, and to top it off, you're Malfoy's cousin. There is nothing more I want to say to you, Cordelia. I think it would be better if you just left."
There was a long pause. "I'm glad that you've vented," she said finally.
"That's just the beginning."
"When I said all of those things earlier, it was to protect us, you know."
"How's that?"
"It's complicated. I don't have enough time to explain."
Harry laughed sarcastically. "What a convenient answer."
Cordelia gave a tired sigh. Harry noticed how tired and weary she looked. Her face, which had glowed earlier in Diagon Alley, now seemed dark and weary. Her face was that of someone who knew things much too early, of someone bogged down by some greater force. He also noticed that she had silently begun to cry.
"Dammit," he said gruffly.
Cordelia wiped the tears from her eyes. "Okay, you can still be mad at me. Be a stupid git, I don't care. I just wanted to apologize to you and say 'Happy Birthday'. So, I'm sorry for what I said, and how I acted earlier." She gave a quick sniffle. "And here's your birthday gift."
Cordelia handed Harry a small book that looked like a journal. On the front in gold stencil were the letters HP in loopy script. Harry opened the book and discovered that it was filled with pictures. Pictures of himself, his parents, Sirius, Remus, and more people that he vaguely recognized, and some that he didn't. The album was similar to the one Hagrid had given him at the end of his first year. The only strange thing about the pictures was that they all seemed to glow with eerie silver light that made the movement within the picture ghost-like. Harry felt as though he could fall into the pictures. He could almost imagine being sucked into the pictures. As perplexing as all of his emotions were, it was an extraordinary gift.
"Where did you get these?" He asked her, watching his mother waving while feeding what looked like a young version of himself.
"They're mine," she said, smiling weakly. "Well, actually now they're yours, but I thought you'd like them. The best thing about them has to do with the glow. The pictures"-
"Cordelia, let's go now!" A voice whispered loudly up the stairway.
"I have to go now," she said to Harry. "I just didn't want to leave with you upset at me."
Harry looked at her for a minute before deciding that despite what his mind told him, in his heart he couldn't be angry at her. The desperation in her eyes made it too hard. She confused him to no end, aggravated the hell out of him, and left him feeling unnaturally vulnerable, which Harry loathed. But none of it mattered at that moment. "I forgive you, Cordelia. And, thank you for the pictures."
"You're welcome, Harry. I'll see you later."
Harry took a step forward. "Um, send me an, uh, owl from where ever you are. You know, just to let me know you're okay."
Cordelia smiled sadly. "I can't," she said softly. "But you'll know if something happens to me." And she closed the door, and left Harry with more questions to mull over.
Chapter 12 A Quick Escape
Left standing stupefied with the Malfoys, Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Ron immediately walked back to the Leaky Cauldron. There they found Mrs. Weasley enjoying a tall goblet of some sparking red drink. She didn't seem surprised to hear that Cordelia had gone off with Snape. In fact, she seemed rather happy to hear that Professor Snape had been there.
Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Ron were silent until they had reached Twelve Grimmauld Place. They spent the rest of their evening, and most of the night talking about the events that had occurred in Diagon Alley.
"You know, we're not getting anywhere just making wild assumptions about Cordelia," Ginny said exasperatedly. "It's just like when we first met her."
"Drop it, Ginny," Ron said. "It's clear whose side she's on. Did you see the way she looked at all of us? The way she looked at Harry when she spoke? That girl's darker than dark. She's probably Voldemort's special apprentice."
"Ron's right," Harry jumped in. "She seemed more than eager to turn her back on us. That's the last chance she got with me."
Ron nodded his head in agreement.
"Oh stop! Both of you!" Hermione shouted suddenly. Everyone looked at her in awe. It was a rare thing that Hermione yelled anyone without reason. And this wasn't an exception.
"You aren't paying attention to the important things. Firstly, she was scared when she saw the Malfoys. Really scared. I heard what she said to you, Harry. And believe me, she meant it."
"What did she say to you, Harry?" Ron asked.
"She told me not to let her go with the Malfoys under any circumstance." Harry replied, remembering the way Cordelia's body trembled when she spoke.
"I don't care what you say, Ron. She wasn't faking that fear. Secondly, she went off with Snape when she had the opportunity to leave with the Malfoys. If she was really dark, she would have left with them."
"Why didn't she just stay with us then?" Ron asked hotly.
"Don't you get it?" Hermione said, still upset. "She was protecting herself, and us. She couldn't let on that she knew us. She's not supposed to know us. If her mum is a Death Eater, they must assume that she's dark as well. And since she isn't- and don't even try to say that she definitely is- being around us causes a lot of questions and problems."
"That makes sense," Harry said slowly.
"I suppose," Ron said, looking unsure.
"On with other things," Hermione said, turning behind her and grabbing a box. "Happy Birthday, Harry!"
Though it seemed entirely impossible, with all of the commotion of the past week, Harry had forgotten his own birthday. "I'm happy that someone remembered." Harry said, laughing.
"Luckily for you, we did" Ginny said cheerfully. "Open mine first."
Harry opened the medium sized box and discovered a bundle of sweet. Chocolate Frogs, Sugar Quills, Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans, Fizzy Foaming Fruits (tiny sweeties that disintegrate into fruity, sugar foam in your mouth) and tons of other sweets that Harry loved.
"Thanks Ginny!" he said, beaming.
"Okay, mine next," Ron said, placing a rather large box in front of Harry.
Harry ripped off the paper and discovered a box labeled Deluxe Firebolt Upgrade Kit. It contained broomstick polish, instructions on updating braking and acceleration systems, twig clippers/sharpeners, ways to update cushioning and maneuvering charms and a large volume called Classic Quidditch: From Quick Quaffles to Sneaky Snitches.
"Wow, thanks Ron! This is great for my Firebolt."
"And last, but not least, mine." Hermione was grinning.
Harry unwrapped the first of two packages. It was a volume titled Defense and Capture: The Life of an Auror. The second package was a volume titled Olde Magic: Knowing What Others Don't.
"I figured this was a good way for you to start the year," Hermione said.
"It is," Harry replied, flipping through the book. "I can't wait to start them."
The four of them headed downstairs, all in visibly good moods. Mrs. Weasley had baked a birthday cake for Harry, and to Harry's surprise, members of the Order had returned for the occasion as well. It was a great, loud celebration, and Harry went to sleep feeling happier than he had in months. As a matter of fact, he didn't even think about why the room across the hall was still empty.
~~~~**~~~~**~~~~
Harry awoke to the sound of something large crashing. And then the painful sqwak of some bird. And an angry voice.
"What in the hell went on?" Angry voices rang out. "And where are you taking her?"
"To Professor Dumbledore," a greasy voice replied. "His orders. It's no longer safe for her to stay here. He was quite insistent on getting her away as quickly as possible."
"But I thought this possibility was taken well into account."
"Something happened," a new voice said. "He must know more than we thought."
"Albus said that it's imperative that she stay as far away from us as possible," the greasy voice Harry now recognized as Snape said. "And that's all I know, Remus."
"She's just upstairs finishing her packing," Mrs. Weasley said. "I hope she'll be all right wherever she goes."
"I'm sure she'll be fine Molly," Remus said reassuringly. "I just wish she'd tell us what she saw."
Harry was getting out of his bed and moving toward the door when it suddenly opened. Cordelia walked into the room and closed the door behind her. She didn't seem surprised at all to see that Harry was awake.
"Please don't be upset with me," she said softly, not looking at Harry.
Harry's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing in here? Why shouldn't I? You're a perfect stranger who came here and began to cause trouble. You walk around like you've belonged here all along, probably telling all of your dark family and friends any little information about the Order that you can. Oh yes, and to top it off, you're Malfoy's cousin. There is nothing more I want to say to you, Cordelia. I think it would be better if you just left."
There was a long pause. "I'm glad that you've vented," she said finally.
"That's just the beginning."
"When I said all of those things earlier, it was to protect us, you know."
"How's that?"
"It's complicated. I don't have enough time to explain."
Harry laughed sarcastically. "What a convenient answer."
Cordelia gave a tired sigh. Harry noticed how tired and weary she looked. Her face, which had glowed earlier in Diagon Alley, now seemed dark and weary. Her face was that of someone who knew things much too early, of someone bogged down by some greater force. He also noticed that she had silently begun to cry.
"Dammit," he said gruffly.
Cordelia wiped the tears from her eyes. "Okay, you can still be mad at me. Be a stupid git, I don't care. I just wanted to apologize to you and say 'Happy Birthday'. So, I'm sorry for what I said, and how I acted earlier." She gave a quick sniffle. "And here's your birthday gift."
Cordelia handed Harry a small book that looked like a journal. On the front in gold stencil were the letters HP in loopy script. Harry opened the book and discovered that it was filled with pictures. Pictures of himself, his parents, Sirius, Remus, and more people that he vaguely recognized, and some that he didn't. The album was similar to the one Hagrid had given him at the end of his first year. The only strange thing about the pictures was that they all seemed to glow with eerie silver light that made the movement within the picture ghost-like. Harry felt as though he could fall into the pictures. He could almost imagine being sucked into the pictures. As perplexing as all of his emotions were, it was an extraordinary gift.
"Where did you get these?" He asked her, watching his mother waving while feeding what looked like a young version of himself.
"They're mine," she said, smiling weakly. "Well, actually now they're yours, but I thought you'd like them. The best thing about them has to do with the glow. The pictures"-
"Cordelia, let's go now!" A voice whispered loudly up the stairway.
"I have to go now," she said to Harry. "I just didn't want to leave with you upset at me."
Harry looked at her for a minute before deciding that despite what his mind told him, in his heart he couldn't be angry at her. The desperation in her eyes made it too hard. She confused him to no end, aggravated the hell out of him, and left him feeling unnaturally vulnerable, which Harry loathed. But none of it mattered at that moment. "I forgive you, Cordelia. And, thank you for the pictures."
"You're welcome, Harry. I'll see you later."
Harry took a step forward. "Um, send me an, uh, owl from where ever you are. You know, just to let me know you're okay."
Cordelia smiled sadly. "I can't," she said softly. "But you'll know if something happens to me." And she closed the door, and left Harry with more questions to mull over.