FAN FICTION AU AND TIME TRAVEL
Flipped
Summary
Female Harry Potter (Juniper) wins the war but the cost is too much so she performs a ritual and performs dimension travel after much research when she is 24. Her counterpart is Cordelia Faye Black, the daughter of Altair Black and Adelaide Malfoy. Has memories of both the worlds. Lives in France. When Juniper (Harry) seeps into consciousness, she is 14. Born on Beltane. Thus even though she is a girl, she has a high standing among the Blacks. Has gone to Beauxabatons for her first three years. Born on May 1, 1927. Start school in 1938. Goes to Hogwarts in 1942. Meets Tom Riddle. (Romance and power play)
Disclaimer: The characters and the world in the story belong to J.K. Rowling. I am not earning any profit from it.
Note: I have been a fanfiction reader for quite a lot of years before I gave this fic a shot, so if you see any ideas seeping in that I do not openly acknowledge, just let me know and I will add the credits. I have read too many to keep a track of them but I will try my best.
1) The idea of totems belongs to Catsarecool who is writing A Maurader's plan.
2) The basic idea of dimension travel comes from Hollow Thunder, Vital Lightning by Aariya07. You will see quite a few similarities in the first couple of chapters but it diverges after that.
3) This is a gender bender. Harry was born a girl as Juniper Anastasia Potter. Everything is as it is in canon except for her romances. This is not because I don't read slash or like it. You will see a lot of them in my favorites but because I don't think that I could do justice to that genre and because I want to do this. If you do not like such fics, do not read. Please do not flame. I will welcome criticisms, I know I am not perfect, just don't meaninglessly bash me for nothing
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For your references
"Talk"
"Thought"
"Parseltongue"
Chapter 6: A hug can go a long way
Cordelia's POV
Tom and she were partnered up for potion next week starting Monday and both had decided to fix the arrangement unless one of the other people needed their expertise.
"I have never understood why they publish substandard recipes." Tom muttered, as he added the lacewing flies, few good minutes before they were supposed to according to the book.
Cordelia stirred it with a glass rod in an obscure pattern that only people who understood the intricacies the potionery would appreciate, "I wondered the same and grumbled a lot until the day I saw Cousin Sebastian on a cauldron." She smiled without looking up from the potion. "After second year, I saw him literally destroy a simple pepper up potion, all the while reading the most basic instructions. Texts do not necessarily contain the best recipes for the potions, but they contain the easiest ones. I hardly think anybody could complete this at the pace we are."
"Does not mean I have to like it?" He added a little sullenly.
"True that, which is why we are using our innovation." She shrugged, "I do not think Slughorn would dare to object. "
"Dumbledore does not appreciate when we scurry ahead. He tries to hide it but.."Riddle began as he added another ingredient while lowering the flame.
"I do not like him much either." Cordelia said wryly.
Riddle looked surprised, "I did not think that he disliked you."
"He does not, in fact, he seems to think I am a perfect angel." Cordelia murmured, "But that does not change the fact that he looks so dubiously at the rest of Slytherins including you. I do not think we have, as a house, done anything to acquire his displeasure. I mean he tries to be discreet about it but to a well trained eye, the act is obvious. Just because he makes an exception for me does no good. In fact, I seem to think he is treating me as 'innocent until proven guilty', you know! I have no business making amends with a man who is prejudiced towards a whole house on the basis of a dogma." She looked a bit irritated and there was an angry glint in her eyes.
She gave the potion a final stir.
"Done." Tom said lightly without making a comment on her remarks on Dumbledore.
"Spare 20 minutes. That reminds me," She rummaged through her dragonhide bag and pulled out a journal and handed it over to him.
He curiously opened it and saw Cordelia's neat Calligraphy.
It was her notes on parseltongue, annotated with book name, page numbers and editions and brief summary of her experimentation with it.
"The green ink is for the ones I have tried. The red is for the one which my reading or my discussions with elders warned to take slowly or later when I had more knowledge. You can keep it for now. I am looking for a good duplication spell but I have not had any luck. I am currently busy finishing the warding text father has sent, so I am not in urgent need of it. If I require it, I will borrow it from you." She gave him an expectant look.
Riddle did not say anything, just nodded. There was a thoughtful look on his face.
"I am not trying to trick you." She said softly. In fact, her expression looked stricken.
Tom shook his head, "Thank you Cordelia. I did not mean to stay silent otherwise. It is extremely generous of you to give me free reign over your notes. I was just pondering on how rare such gestures are. I did not mean to offend." He offered a smile.
"You do not have to say that. You are right to be cautious. Many of the Slytherins would have hand you over to their families on platter if you had not taken appropriate oaths. Many would like to defeat you lest you threaten the positions their families are and some will gain your favor only because of your family name. But I am hoping that one day, you won't need to be so cautious around me." She smiled sadly at him.
And then the bell rang.
Tom's POV
Later in the week, All the fourth years in Slytherin who studied Ancient Runes were heatedly discussing their ideas of the runic circle that they were supposed to come up for the term project.
Cordelia had been lightly giving out her opinions but she was distracted. She was the only women in the class and it seemed that Professor Foster was mighty pleased with her for even opting for the course.
Well, Juniper had studied wards in great depth post the war and Cordelia was no slouch either, so Runes and Arithmancy both came to her naturally.
"Corrie, come, we are heading down for dinner.'' Abraxas' voice came from in front of her.
She nodded absent mindedly but did not move an inch. The runic circle just lacked one small thing and Cordelia could not remember it.
Abraxas gave a low chuckle. Orion also shook his head. Tom also looked amused. Looking at the perturbed look of Rosier and Cordelia's cousins, he said, "Go ahead, I will bring your cousin to her dinner."
He ignored the sullen expression of Renatus.
Tom's POV
He waited for about 10 minutes and watched Cordelia's facial expression morph from frustrated to keen, to irritated and on. She scrunched up her nose or widened her eyes or bit her lips slightly. The common room was empty, the fourth years had been the last to leave.
He finally decided to intervene. "Cordelia," He called out, she did not listen. He finally went up to her and gently placed a hand on her journal.
She looked startled and looked at him with widened eyes.
Cordelia's POV
"Dinner?" He inquired. She immediately cast a tempus.
"Oh, I am terribly sorry Tom. I did not realize it was this late. I cannot believe I am missing something small when I made the entire runic circle compatible with each other." Her lips grimaced.
"Am I right to assume that you will continue the tirade when we are eating in the hall?" Riddle asked delicately.
Cordelia opened her mouth, but one finger from Riddle on her lips silenced her. "I know you sufficiently to determine that. So, may I take a look and perhaps I could be of some assistance?"
She looked sheepish and handed him the journal. He placed it carefully on the desk and stood beside her.
Riddle took her quill and drew the missing link. "Does that help?" He asked her.
She took one look at it and gave such a large smile, larger than the one she had given when she had received the letter about Binns. Tom was basking in it.
And before Tom realized or had time to think, Cordelia had flung her arms around his neck and embraced him tightly. "Thank you Tom, I owe you one."
Tom froze. Cordelia noted it. But before she left his embrace, he gingerly wrapped her arm around her waist.
He swallowed tightly but by then Cordelia had lifted her head from his shoulder. She left her arms wrapped loosely around his neck but she gave him a concerned look. Then, she shuffled her feet and as she was starting to ask something, Riddle cut her off, "I am not angry, Cordelia." He paused. She relaxed in his arms. He continued, "I..."He again swallowed.. "I… Nobody has ever embraced me before. I was just surprised, that's all." He finished it with great hesitance and he never looked at her. Probably ashamed.
He looked so vulnerable in that moment but his eyes widened as her arms tightened and she once again flung her head over his shoulders.
Tom's POV
This hug was tighter than before.
Cordelia was trying hard to hold back her tears. It was with great modicum that she did not cry.
Riddle tightened his hold over her waist too. He felt her nose on his neckline and he too decided to plunge in the experience and buried his head in her hair. She smelled distinct. It was not flowery. He could not quite pinpoint it.
"Well, we will have to remedy that," She murmured softly in his neck and sniffled.
Tom did not say anything.
She did not pity him and she did not seem put off by it. He basked in his first hug.
"We should get to dinner." Cordelia said slowly after what was minutes.
He slowly and reluctantly released his hold on her and she also stepped away from him.
She gave him a small, reassuring smile and then with a glint of mischief, she took both of his hands in hers and begun pulling him along with her, " Let's go and eat in kitchens. I don't fancy eating in great hall. I don't want people to annoy me out now."
Tom's POV
The dinner was relatively quiet. Turned out, Cordelia in her month here had not just endeared herself to him, but to the entire brigade of house elves as well.
She requested them for the dinner that was being served in the great hall and some quiet.
There was a small, cozy table and they both ate dinner in silence.
Cordelia occasionally spoke about house elves though, telling hilarious stories of how they created a racket over their orders.
He did not miss the concern in her eyes though. She smiled and took things lightly but her eyes told a different story.
Somehow, that night increased his respect for her. She was likely confused, worried sick about how casually he said he never was hugged in his life. She made them come to kitchen so that he could avoid the crowd and people. But she did not pester him, asking him to explain, elaborate or to open up.
People did that too often. She respected his space, gave him room, but she watched him like a hawk for the rest of the night until he went up to the common room, even when they were back in the common room, but subtly.
He could not sleep at first that night, memories of orphanage and the loneliness crept unto him, but then he remembered her arms around him and he closed his eyes to remember it properly and immediately drifted off into a deep slumber at the thought of her warmth.
Cordelia's POV
It was two days later at breakfast that they got around to a proper conversation. Her Quidditch practices had her worn out and she had decidedly spent the day with Lucretia and Dorea. She did see him, smiled at him and they shared a conversation or two, but understandably, she was busy too. Though she did make it a point to hug him good night, on both days.
She had another journal out. It seemed a new one, it was less worn, but she had managed to fill quite a few pages in it too.
"What are your thoughts on the chamber of secrets?" She quietly asked.
They were both early for breakfast. Nobody was around.
Riddle raised a delicate brow. "Oh, I know you would be searching for it. If you are not, we should begin that now. It could give you access to a fair bit of Slytherin family history. But I meant as in the beliefs around it. The whole monster and purging dirty blood propaganda in Hogwarts: A History." She said without looking up from her journal.
"I am not sure I believe anything in the story." Riddle said carefully, "The only reason I even buy into the whole legend of the chamber is that a legend has to have some basis in fact. The only thing I am certain of is there must be chambers of all the founders somewhere. I understand that the vault system of Gringotts might have taken over and stored every possession but there has to be some sign, some insignia of the founders, some legacy that they left behind in the school beside the sorting hat."
"Gringotts began in 1474. Everything from the founders was either in their personal manors or here at School. Now, the difference might be that somebody from school with knowledge of those chambers or artifacts deposited them in the bank. Slytherin does have a vault. About 40% of school's revenue goes into the separate vaults of founders. That is 10% of each year's revenue. Hogwarts does not earn much but 10% each year, untouched for about 500 years, gaining interest would be quite a sum of money. Maybe, the journals and artifacts are there. But I still think Chamber of Secrets is worth looking for. Slytherin valued cunning, I think he would have ensured that the person to receive his life's work has the qualities he admired. But it is just a thought." She mused.
"I have not had any luck as of yet." Riddle admitted.
"I will add it to the list." She concurred.
"You have a list." Riddle looked amused.
She passed him a journal. It was blank.
"I permit Tom Marvolo Riddle to see the contents." She intoned. Text appeared.
It read Goals.
Goals till Christmas
Find Secret passages in the castle. (It had 2 checkpoints and the word House elves in a different ink)
Learn advanced transfiguration in the family ability. (Ask for more books.)
Family abilities and magic. Learn more about the totems and how they work.
Research on Animagi.
Complete the warding requirements for a novice.
Prepare significant potions and a way to increase their portability.
Complete the anatomy texts of Healing. Pester Mediwitch for a more hands on approach.
Vat Heir Potter and Heir Prewett for cousins.
Get Ian to increase his grades.
Tell Mr. Riddle about the parseltongue ability without hurting anybody.
Get Binns fired.
Catch the snitch. Win quidditch.
Find a Unicorn.
Talk about Slughorn to Uncle.
Keep Alphard in line. Keep an eye on Walburga.
Learn advanced defensive magic. Try to rope in Riddle for duelling practice.
Research more spells and more into spell creation.
A letter of Gringotts asking for due procedure for inheritance testing for a lost line.
Founder artifacts or remains. (Take Tom's help)
Emancipation (Research. Take Tom's help. Not to disclose to anyone in family)
Slytherin Family totem or magic. (Wait for inheritance or attempt it before? research)
Work towards these goals by the second term
Possibility of a Hogwarts Court- Ask Tom
Slytherin Heir rooms in the dorm. (How will they open for Tom? Family Magic? Heir Ring? Lord ring? Research!)
Find more about the Gaunts. (Ask Uncle Hyperion to tell those awful stories of the Wizangomot evictions)
Vet other Slytherins for their purpose to align with Tom. Ensure loyalty to the House.
Improve the reputation of Slytherin.
Make friends in other houses. Make Hogwarts a family. Check for the authenticity of the rivalry with Gryffindor. We need support if we have to change the way things are run.
What does Dumbledore want?
It had side notes from her and each goal had two paged dedicated to it. Quite a few were blank but quite had small annotations of books, page numbers, reports, or notes from other sources.
"That is quite a list." Tom managed. He was overwhelmed, the woman had not just been sitting idle. She had set targets, and in spite of everything else she had added, she had remembered and care enough to add goals to help him out and then showed it to him.
"I assure you it is not a tactic to gain your trust. My intent is on delivering on what I promised." She said wryly as if reading his mind, the other half, which he was refusing to listen to.
"What do you want?" It slipped out of his mouth, Cordelia was sure. He looked on guard.
She left the quill with which she was writing and looked at him, "I want to change the world Tom, make it a better place where dark and light don't divide people, where children do not instantly hate each other because they have different dominant traits. I want to be free, to make my own choices and not get hindered or questioned, just because I am a woman. I want people to see that noble houses are humans too, not pompous, overzealous gits, I want people to find that muggleborns are humans too, just scared and baffled at a new world that they are thrust in and that they just cling to what they know best, muggle wisdom. I was not sure how I am going to do that. I still am not. I had not thought that I would begin at school. I just wanted to learn as much as I can. I had not thought about encountering somebody else with skill and power to match mine and somewhat similar goals. I am considered a prize in the wizarding world. I am not sure if you have heard the rumors or not, they say I am the most beautiful creature to walk in wizarding world for centuries. People don't see me, they see my beauty, or my power, or that I am a daughter of the House of Black and House of Malfoy. I am a person beside all that. People fail to value me intrinsically which is why I made it a point to be with people, just talk to them, value them. When I saw you, perhaps I was presumptive, but I thought people did not see you, they saw the heir of Slytherin with muggle roots. Some wanted to take advantage, some were hopeful that you would lead them against the tyranny of light, some wished to groom, some to help. But I did not want to see the heir of Slytherin, I respect the title, I respect your power, but I would rather value you for you than something that is added to the real you. I felt a kinship and I thought I would have a real friend. But that friend needs help, to find his roots and to find people who are genuine. And he could help me too, he is the only one who does not discriminate against me because I happen to be a girl. He distrusts me as he would distrust a man from my background and abilities." She shrugged, a hint of smile towards the end.
"Treating people as people?" His voice had a questioning edge, "That could be interpreted in various ways, at the most fundamental interpretation, it depends on who you categorize as people."
"I lay my heart out to you and you question me, you wound me, Tom, you wound me." She said with mock hurt.
Riddle looked at her as if she had grown another head.
"Addition to list, Make Tom appreciate humor. "She muttered under her breath in exasperation.
Then she looked at him, gave him a sheepish smile, "I would be delighted to engage in that conversation, however, we are late for creatures. During Lunch?"
Riddle narrowed his eyes at her, but nodded.
Tom's POV
Tom missed lunch due to the idiosyncratic buffoon Lestrange.
Okay, Lestrange was not a complete idiot. He understood the pureblood politics and he was cunning. But he was vain and too arrogant.
He was in Tom's circle because he hoped to get Tom under the thumb of House Lestrange.
Tom appreciated the ambition of the plan but he grew weary of the lack of cunning and subtlety. Tom had hence planned around Lestrange's plan to gain more power. Lestrange did not realize but he was a pawn.
But what was interesting was Lestrange hated Cordelia. He had trying probing the exact matter, subtly of course, but Lestrange just grew redder at even her mention and proceeded to call her unflattering names, none of which seemed to suit her.
Cordelia was extremely fair, not a snooty witch like Lestrange implied. Nor was she a veela, pulling people in her lure. Nor was she a leech. She talked to muggleborns too, ones who had no family name. She had treated him fairly. Nor was she ungrateful, in fact she was extremely gracious. She was not an irritating witch who did not know her place. Cordelia was very intelligent, sometimes he thought more than him, who understood matters that quite a few teachers failed to. She was not tactless, she kept secrets, he had yet to take an oath from her, but she had not revealed anything to anybody. He was sure she would give one readily but he was sure she would get sad that he did not trust her.
He did not like it when her smile lost the happiness. He did not understand it but he knew he trusted her. Somehow, he just did.
And that worried him. He had never felt things apart from anger, disgust for people, if ever he got beyond to looking at them as possible pawns in the game he wanted to play in.
She interested him and then there was this strong urge to see her smile all the time. He could not afford to engage in such sentimentalities.
But Renatus was a fool if he thought he could make Cordelia look bad. She seemed to be honest and upfront, at least. She had been kind, so kind and she had made it clear that people were out to use him. She had not denied that she wanted to use him too but she wanted friendship as well, mutually helping each other.
He was not so sure that he could do that.
So here is the next chapter. As promised. I am living a very hectic schedule right now. Don't worry, I will update as usual but I probably won't be able to get back to the reviews. I will respond back to each one after 16th passes over. But that does not mean that you do not leave a review at all. They are all that I look forward to in the next week, so please help by reviewing and curse midterms into the seventh heaven.
Also, people are getting worried about too many interludes. There won't be any now till 11th chapter, as far as my opinion goes. So, enjoy tons of Corrie and Tom for a long while.
Also, Tom is gradually going to soften up to Cordelia. She is being very patient with him and is too sweet. Let me know if the change seems abrupt, I will try and do something about it.
And yes, welcome new readers and thank you old ones.
