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.
For your references
"Talk"
"Thought"
"Parseltongue"
Previously…
"That's okay. You need to sneak out or you will be late." Tom informed.
She just nodded, releasing her tight hold on the bedcover and getting out of the bed. She had a match to play and win.
Chapter 10: The Seeker and Mind Arts
Tom's POV
It was one and half an hour later that Tom was sitting in the Quidditch stand along with Dorea, Lucretia, Walburga a few members of the court waiting for the game to begin.
The match was against Gryffindor. Tom had met Charles Potter, a chaser for the Gryffindor right alongside Dorea. They both had wished him luck despite the house rivalry. Though Charlie did ask Dorea about where Cordelia was. Tom had replied that she won't be sitting in the stands for she was detained elsewhere.
The entire school had no idea. Cordelia was with the rest of the Slytherin team in the changing rooms.
Cordelia had rushed to her room in the morning and both of them had walked down to breakfast in casual robes. The newspapers were filled with outrage on last week's dementor attack on Hogwarts. There were talks about strengthening the Hogwarts wards. Cordelia had barely contributed to the conversation, she had eaten a couple of sausages and gulped it down with Pumpkin juice and ran away. She left a good 15 minutes before the team left, maintaining the facade.
His sly, little Slytherin.
The commentator had begun announcing, "The second match of the Inter-house Quidditch cup is underway with Gryffindor versus Slytherin."
There was a loud roar in the audience. The rivalry, albeit still friendly and harmless went into a full drive mode when the two houses went down in the Quidditch pitch.
Tom grinned. He had never take much pleasure in the sport but he could not control his anticipation for today. He just wanted to see the face of the prim and proper Gryffindor captain McGonagall and Charles Potter's face, as for the rest of the school, especially Dumbledore.
He was not even sitting. He and Dorea were standing right in the middle of the absolute front of the stand.
Dorea wanted to see Charles' face as well.
They were arguing friendly about who would have the most ridiculous reaction.
She had bet on Dumbledore and he had bet on Charles, but then they both had exclaimed that they did not really care as long as the reactions were amusing. Cordelia had bet the funniest reaction to Sebastian. Tom mentioned that and Dorea had let out a delighted laugh.
"The Team of Gryffindor entering from the right flank, with Captain and chaser McGonagall, Chasers Potter and Longbottom , with Keeper Longbottom, Seeker Fawley and Beaters Weasley and Prewett. Easily one of the strongest teams at Hogwarts." The Commentator was a rule stickling Hufflepuff who was keeping it to minimal.
"Slytherins entering from the left flank though they seem a member short. Hogwarts has been long wondering who is going to be the Slytherin seeker since Burke has taken up the role of the third chaser. We have Captain and Keeper Flint, Beater Black, Chaser Malfoy and Black, Beater Zabini and Chaser Burke from left to right. Quite an unusual arrangement."
Tom smirked, his hands wanting to clap in his exhilaration. The tempo build and build, and then Abraxas and Orion parted and out came the seventh member, an innocently smiling Cordelia clad in a Slytherin green robe and white pants with a sleek black Silverarrow in her arms.
The stadium just burst. There was chatter everywhere, loud yelling and general conundrum.
Sebastian and Charles had dropped their jaws and they were complaining with a sputter. McGonagall, the only female in the Gryffindor team had narrowed her eyes. The girl was too competitive and if Tom's binoculars were right, Dumbledore's twinkle had died down considerably. Slughorn was nudging the bearded Professor bashfully with a loud laugh. Tom was smiling so much that he felt his cheeks would burst.
The Commenter drowned the chatter with his loud monotone, "And it seems that Ms. Black, Slytherin transfer from Beauxabatons will be joining the team as the seeker which is a new for Slytherin. They have been an all-male team since forever."
No shit, Sherlock, she was. Tom rubbed his hands in anticipation. Not even a whining Renatus could kill his fun because Tom had gotten annoyed by his first five sentences and send a silencio at him.
Sir Murphy also looked a bit shocked but he quickly called the game in order.
"Alright, the game begins, Slytherin in Possession, Malfoy, Black, Burke, Black and they score."
The Slytherins roared.
Cordelia was keeping a low profile for the first five minutes of the game, quietly hovering.
"Slytherin 60 Gryffinor 50. Gryffindor in possession. And Seeker Black breaks their formation" The commentator sounded confused, "and hits the ball with the tail of her broom. Slytherin in Possession, Malfoy, Black, Burke, Female Black and Burke and Slytherin scores."
She continued that for the next 5 minutes, working with the chasers efficiently and then she went into a dive as if she had spotted the snitch.
"It seems Seeker Black has spotted the snitch, Fawley follows." The commentator began, "It looks like they are going to crash, but Black pulls up. The Slytherin seeker Black just pulled a very successful Wronksi feint in her first match. Fawley crashes."
Yep, that was one monotonous way to comment about a move that came with great difficulty to players in the world league though to be fair, the commentator did sound a little shocked.
Slytherin roared again. Cordelia smiled a cheeky smile towards Sebastian and Charles who looked confused and then she flew back to the Slytherin goalpost.
The competition was neck to neck. Slytherin was still faring better. The Gryffindor team were too shocked and dazed and were being sloppy but they were getting back in rhythm.
After some time, Tom saw Cordelia fly high and high.
"What is she doing?" Dorea asked with a little worry.
Tom was not that worried but his nerves were beginning to tingle too.
And then she dived straight towards the Gryffindor stands, Fawley who was back on field after getting his arm reattached still looked out of it and before anyone knew, Cordelia literally scampered a couple of second year Gryffindor boys when she literally caught the snitch from behind them.
"It seems like Seeker Black spotted the snitch in the Gryffidor stands. Quite an unusual strategy. 350 to 160. Slytherin wins." The Hufflepuff finally lost the monotone and said in a surprised whisper.
The stadium burst even loudly. Tom was laughing right alongside Dorea, who had turned to hug Lucretia and glare at Walburga who looked a bit shocked and Renatus, who was giving everyone an ugly look. Tom was smiling, Cordelia showed the snitch by raising her right arm but before Abraxas, Orion or Alphard could reach her, she flew straight towards the Slytherin stands and before Tom realized what was happening, he found himself crushed in two feminine arms as Cordelia wrapped herself around her with a delighted laugh. He buried his head back in hair with an equally delighted laugh, wrapping his arms around her and gently pulling her off her broom which Abraxas grabbed as he hugged them from behind and soon the entire Slytherin team surrounded Tom and Cordelia in a group hug. Slytherin was hoarse from giving out happy yells and the rest of the stadium was silent at looking at the laughing and happy Slytherin. They usually never let their masks down.
Cordelia was passed around in individual hugs to all the them and then to Dorea and Lucretia . She even tightly wrapped herself around Walburga who looked reluctant but returned the hug.
Cordelia then grabbed her broom and flew towards the Gryffindor team, and hugged Ian from behind, muttering an apology for the shock and a congratulating on a good game.
Sebastian turned around with a weak smile but he quickly let out a laugh at her excitement and removed her from the ground like he usually did and mussed up her hair to which she wrinkled her nose.
She proceeded to hug the life out of Charles as well and shook hands with the rest of the Gryffindor team. The Slytherin team followed Cordelia down to grounds and shook hands. Flint and McGonagall did it reluctantly but the rest of them were soon laughing together.
Cordelia's POV
The party in Slytherin was in full swing, Cordelia had sent home an owl to ask for food in advance, roped in Abraxas to sneak off food from the elves. Since they had went to Hogsmeade a week ago, there was a lot of food.
Tom was, for the first time, actively participating in the festivities and enjoying it. He usually participated out of a sense of duty.
Cordelia was lounged by his side, nibbling on a Treacle tart. She really loved them, her smile had not died since the evening.
"We are getting low on butterbear." Abraxas said loudly over the noise as he slunk across them.
"Who fancies a midnight adventure?" Cordelia had a mischievous look on her face.
"I am game." Anastius shouted, as he came from their side.
Abraxas shrugged.
"Let's get some butterbear then." She gave Tom a look that said 'Don't worry' and crossed the entire crowd of people with the two teammates to the entrance gate, but he still followed. He could use some quiet.
She gave Tom a look but didn't say anything.
Tom's POV
She quickly cast disillusionment on Anastius and Abraxas as Tom applied it on her and him.
"Where are we going?" It was Zabini who asked.
"Hogsmeade." Cordelia said.
"The gates of Hogwarts get closed." Abraxas asked question.
"We are not using the gates." Cordelia said a little pointedly.
"How are we going then?" Anastius asked.
"Don't tell me you guys have been in Hogwarts for four and three years respectively and have not found a way outside Hogwarts?" Cordelia asked rhetorically.
"Err..." Abraxas stared at her.
"Thought so." She piped immediately. "You guys are so dull, thank God I have Tom to keep me company." She gave the duo an unimpressed look and then looked straight ahead to the stairs "We are using a secret passageway that opens right into Honeyduke cellar."
"Under that hag?" Tom questioned. She had told him about it on Wednesday in passing.
Cordelia nodded absent-mindedly.
"Come on." Tom said as he matched steps with Cordelia.
Tom's POV
"I can't believe the fact that, this man will not report us to Dumbledore. What is his name?" Abraxas asked as they came out of Hogshead.
"Aberforth and no, he won't. Because he hates Albus Dumbledore." Cordelia said.
"How do you know?" Anastius Zabini.
"Anastius, have you ever met my Aunt Cassiopeia?" Cordelia asked rhetorically.
"That explains it." Abraxas nodded immediately, "She has dirt on everyone."
Tom looked doubtful
"No, Abaraxas and I mean it quite literally. She has this set of diaries and everything. I wished Burga was half as resourceful as her." Cordelia told Tom, who chuckled.
Cordelia quickly shrunk the bottle crates, "I am taking a walk by the village boundary. You guys go ahead. I could use some quiet."
"Not alone, no" Abraxas shook his head immediately.
"I will stay with her. I am not that fond of parties and I think I have had my share for today unless you mind Cordelia." Tom offered promptly.
"Nope, stay." She smiled as she sat down on a bench, "You both remember the way, don't you?"
Both of them nodded and stashed the pockets with the shrunken crates and left.
Tom came and sat down beside her on the bench, "You were great out there today. I think you made me glimpse the Slytherin that I had always wanted."
She let out a light laugh, "I was just being my cheeky self. It has always helped me take the men of my house a notch down on the grim scale so I assumed it would work here too. Thank you, for your faith, it would not have mattered if you did not actively put me up for the team. Flint would have all been for it and then would have just let me go because it was against tradition. And thank you for last night, I think I needed that speech."
She thanked him with such an ease, as she looked at him. Her pale complexion standing out to her shiny black hair of which the full moon reflected back, her green eyes shining.
"I only did what…a friend would do. I daresay it is very less in comparison to what you have been doing for me." Tom said a little hesitantly.
"It might take less effort on your part, but I 'daresay' it means a lot that you don't treat me like a trophy that most people do, even my family, at times." She said slowly, looking at him. They remained silent for a bit.
"I guess both of us are just too fucked up." She said a little morbidly, and then began equally seriously, "I meant to ask you something. I suspected it two days ago after I was chatting to Brendon. He was telling me a story about Dumbledore and his genius. It's shocking and disturbing but much harder to prove than the case we are building for Binns but actually proving it is an afterthought for me."
Tom looked at her in trepidation and nodded, giving her a go to go ahead.
"Have you come across two arts called Leglimency and Occulumency in your readings?" She asked instead.
"They are familiar. Mind arts, but I would not know the details. I had planned to read it on the second half of this year." He informed.
"I had been meaning to recommend Occulumency to you. It is the art of closing or clearing one's mind to others, but it helps with nightmares and night terrors. It also gives better organization of thoughts and your mind. It slipped my mind but after my conversation with Brendon, we might need to start it sooner than your plans anyway. It also helps prevent Leglimency, which is reading the mind. Blacks are well known publically for the mind arts. I began learning the first as a mere toddler and the latter, I self-taught myself, with a little help from my elf as a subject. " Cordelia begun speaking and she had a dead serious face, "Now when I heard about Dumbledore, I thanked my family for forethought. There was a confusion in Gryffindor about who was the thief, you heard about that…"
He nodded, immediately recalling the scandal where a lot of artefacts and books of the members of that house had gone lost. There were two suspects.
"Dumbledore looked the two in the eye and waved his wand and he knew. I guess the Gryffindor purebloods present, all of them were below fourth year, have yet to be acquainted with the principles of mind arts or else they would have known. Leglimency requires eye contact and considering Dumbledore and his omniscient personality, I connected the dots very clearly. He uses it on people even though it is illegal without consent. It is a violation. He could land in Azkaban." Cordelia was outraged by the end.
"I suspected. He was the instructor who came to me for my introduction to the Wizarding World, and he just knew some things that I had been afraid that he would discover. I had the opportunity in my hand and I was counting every wrongdoing that I ever did in my head that could prevent me from going and he somehow knew. He has never liked me since. I have been careful about not meeting his eyes since I read up a bit on Leglimency but he seems to distrust me further after that. I guess he thinks I have something to hide now that's worse." Tom said, looking at her.
"You asked him about parseltongue." It was not even a statement.
Tom nodded, "I think that gave further validation to his 'reading' of me. He never told me what it meant, or could mean. I discovered that on my own…"
"He left you to the snakes..." Cordelia's voice was deeply sad and then she said abruptly, "I need some air, walk with me."
They trailed silently for a while.
Tom did not like the frowns on her face that were getting deeper and deeper.
"I assume you were behind the idea of your entry today." He began randomly.
She nodded, not getting where he was going.
"You know you would do well as a dramatist. That was quite theatrical. Slughorn would love you." He began airily and stopped when an elbow dug playfully in his ribs and he let out a laugh.
"You!" She raised her fists and though Tom was sure that she was not going to hit him too hard, he ran away from her.
And soon, they were playing tag, laughing in the cool pre-winter air.
Tom's POV
Tom was woken up sometime after noon by a chirpy Cordelia. He groaned and snatched his blanket back.
"No, no, wake up. I woke up an hour ago and even took a shower. I have news." Cordelia was quite persistent and very excited.
"I liked you better when you pretended to be courteous around me." Tom complained.
She let out a loud guffaw.
Tom gave her an irritated look that set her off again.
"Aww...I promise the news makes up for it. Come, get cleaned up. I am going down to great hall and I will see you there within 20 minutes or order an elf to wake you up." She looked at him seriously with a sugary, evil smile.
"You are evil." He muttered.
"I am." She agreed, "I told you last night, you were the one who did not believe me."
"We slept at four." He reiterated.
"That was eight hours ago. It is sufficient. You can go to sleep early tonight. I promise, in fact, I pinkly promise" She argued, with her hands folded in front of her breasts.
"What's a pinky promise?" Tom sneaked out a look from under his pillow.
"Who cares? I promise and when have I not kept one?" She made a face, 'Tom!" She jumped in his bed, "Come out or I will tickle you."
"I am not ticklish." He smirked.
"Of course you are not!" She muttered under her breath.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tom looked offended.
"Puppy Look" She said decisively after a moment, avoiding his question.
"What's that?" He looked confused now, but curious. He discovered it a second later, when Cordelia widened her already large green orbs and pulled a very convincing innocent expression, "Please..."
"You look like a small baby." Tom said flatly, but he got out of his blanket.
"That was kind of the point. A puppy is the baby of canines." She said in deadpan humor.
"I don't get you sometimes." Tom said wryly, but a hint of a smile was sneaking on his face.
"You get me sometimes? That's great, even I don't get myself at all." She continued her deadpan humor.
Tom sighed a deep sigh and said pointedly, "I will see you at lunch Cordelia."
"Good." She smiled immediately, jumped on him, wrapped her arms around him from back, plopped a kiss on his cheek and left.
No, Tom didn't for a moment think that their friendship qualified for what was appropriate for purebloods or their muggle counterparts. But he quite liked where he was with her.
First of all, Sorry about the late update. But I could not help it. I was stuck in a hospital. But here it is now, so do not curse me.
To all the reviewers, thank you. I diligently read all of them, but my health did not allow me to respond. I am grateful to each one of you. Also, I am doing fine, at least for now, so don't worry.
Addressing one issue: SIDDHARTH. Don't worry about him so much people. It is a Tom/Harry primarily. Siddharth is going to come up in Flashbacks mostly. His arrival to this world is a plot point/arc that I am still dubious about. But Cordelia is going to love Siddharth no matter what. But she loves Tom more and she would choose him over everything. It might be a Cordelia/Multi pairing in that case. She is allowed to have a harem too. Just because she is a woman does not mean otherwise. Tom will just have to deal with it if it comes to that. But Tom always comes first.
TO Kassie Jean:
1)She literally did lock away her emotions with a ritual. It is just a metaphor for shutting your emotions in crisis. It will not work. The spell is going to fail and she will be attacked with memories. That is just my style, I guess.
2)She is MOD. That does not mean that she can call/talk to her family or friends because they were not even born in this world and might never be. Her presence is shifting the timeline.
3)It might be a giant mess but when is reality not messy. Like I said, Siddharth is a far away thought for Cordelia. If she wanted to be with him, she would not have travelled worlds to be with Tom. But he is an important part of her.
4)I know readers prefer the story to be a certain way but I am trying to use old plots to do something new. How I do it is my expression! I appreciate feedback, but I am not somebody who takes too many reader's suggestions or preferences for plots. If I need a poll or something, I will ask for it. Disgruntlement with plot is not something that I can help with. I write for myself not for others. So, this story is going to go as I write it or feel it should go.
I WILL TAKE FEEDBACK FOR WRITING STYLE, GRAMMAR, FACTUAL ERRORS, TYPOS ETC. I WILL ALSO APPRECIATE REVIEWS THAT TELL ME IF THERE ARE LOOSE ENDS IN THE PLOT OR IF IT IS UNREALISTIC. Other than that, I am afraid I cannot accommodate much.
ALSO NOTE: The bit about exorcisms in the previous chapters was a complete work of fiction. I know nothing about them apart from what I have seen in sitcoms or movies. I just believe that they traumatize people. I just cooked it up so do not take it as a given knowledge about a particular religion.
Cheers! Please Read and Review!
