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) 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"
Chapter 25
Happy Yule
Tom's POV:
Cordelia and he had spent the morning in Diagon Alley along with Abraxas and Orion. And though Orion and he had returned an hour ago, Cordelia and Abraxas were still to be seen.
They had all gone for last minute Christmas shopping. In Tom's case, the only Christmas shopping he ever did. But thankfully, he had good taste and Cordelia had advised him before they had left in the morning.
He was anxiously waiting for her to come back.
Tom had been expecting her to be a little tired but otherwise to be in a decent mood. What he was not expecting her to be was in raving mad delirium where she was muttering curses under her breath.
He glanced towards Abraxas for some hint of what had caused it as the three of them stood in his chambers.
Abraxas shrugged.
"Abraxas, leave us." Cordelia commanded in the next second.
"As you say, my lady." Abraxas did a mock bow, hoping perhaps to amuse her and left through the door.
She did not even glance at him and shut the door as he left her.
"What is wrong?" Tom asked.
"I…" She began but stopped.
"Lia…" Tom asked persuasively.
She did not say anything but she pulled out a thick gold chain of sorts from her satchel, pulled his hand forward and placed it in his arm.
"This rightfully belongs to you." She muttered.
It was the Slytherin locket. Tom had read descriptions in the Gaunt books and even seen one sketch.
"Did you meet a Gaunt?" Tom immediately asked.
Cordelia shook her head faintly.
Tom decided to give her some time.
"I was in Borgin and Burke's." She said.
"The Dark arts shop in Diagon Alley." Tom asked to confirm.
Cordelia nodded gingerly.
Tom was not judging her. Her family was dark. He was dark.
"Were you hoping to find something in particular?" Tom pressed.
"I had hoped to find a parseltongue text actually. Father's resources place it in his shop." Cordelia admitted.
"He did not have it. It was stolen, he said." Cordelia continued.
"And…"
"I saw this. Spotted this. He offered to sell it for a very large price." Cordelia asked.
"How much do I owe you?" Tom immediately asked.
"I did not pay him." Cordelia whispered.
"You stole it…" Tom asked, a little alarmed now.
"No, I was willing to buy it, for whatever price he offered. The Locket is priceless." She emphasized the last word.
"But I asked him how he got it? I was curious. I don't see any of the Gaunts selling it. They were too proud of their legacy." Cordelia said looking at him earnestly.
"Something about his eyes seemed off then." She shook his head, "He was evasive, that I got. But his eyes."
"I tested his mental shields…" She said next, "He had some, but they were not too difficult for me to…" She trailed off.
"You used Leglimency on him. " Tom confirmed.
She swallowed and nodded. Something was bothering her very much. That he could see.
"Did he realize…" Tom asked but what Cordelia said next shook him.
"I think I saw your Mum…" She whispered.
Tom froze
"I think I saw your Mum in his memories. It was a 15 year old memory. And there was a heavily pregnant lady who sold him the locket." She said, her voice had pain.
Tom was still frozen.
"He cheated her. He… used her. He bought the locket off her for ten galleons.." She spat.
"I got so angry…so angry that he would do that to a needy woman. I erased his memories of getting the locket and his encounter with me, picked the locket, stole it and came back home…"
Tom was a bit shaken but he did not like Cordelia shaken.
He crossed the rooms, clutching the locket in his palm, he wrapped himself around her.
She relaxed a little in his arms.
'Did I ever tell you how I came to be in the orphanage?" Tom whispered gently.
He felt her shake her head against his chest.
"My mother came to the orphanage in her labor and birthed me and died there during childbirth. She lived long enough to name me, Tom, after my father and Marvolo, after her father." He said with detachment.
"I am sorry. So sorry." She whispered against his chest.
Tom could feel her tears wetting his shirt.
Tom cupped her cheeks and kissed her forehead, "It was not your fault."
"It was not yours either." She said vehemently.
"I never said it was…" Tom lied. He was sure that she did not believe him but at least she did not press it further.
Tom's POV
It was later in the day when Tom and Cordelia were writing notes to their Slytherin courtiers that there was an interruption. Cygnus had returned from his grandparents' house and he had been very excited to see Cordelia. He had also been worried asking constantly if he needed to beat somebody. He reminded Tom a little of Alphard.
But he did not stay. His mother was demanding his attention. Cordelia later told him that Aunt Cassy probably wanted dirt on her in-laws/uncle and aunt. She liked to have dirt on everybody even family.
Cordelia's POV
It was Christmas Eve already. Tom had settled into the manor. Arcturus had given the children great breadth, away from him.
Most of the adults had given them space actually. Everyone was so busy in the days before Christmas. There was work to be done, handwritten personal Christmas greetings and gifts to be send, letters to write.
She and Tom had spent the better part of the morning writing notes to everyone in Slytherin. Common between the two, they were sending a Chocolate Frog to every member and a bar of chocolate from the Swiss Chocolatier that Cordelia loved to every Court member.
The dissolution of the court will not happen until the break but until then, Tom and she were responsible for them.
Tom's presents had arrived late in evening. Thankfully, Cordelia had been in her room and was able to secure them before Tom even got a hint of them.
Now, she was working with her aunt Ariel and mother to arrange the formal dining room for the Christmas' Eve Dinner that they were going to take in a few minutes.
Walburga, Lucretia and Dorea were also bustling.
Her uncles and Father arrived early. Aunt Cassiopeia arrived soon with Cygnus trailing behind her.
An elf was sent to call all the boys as they all settled down to begin.
There was a soft murmur of talking in the room. Cordelia was entertaining Cygnus and Dorea. Lucretia was discussing her possible summer wedding with her mother. Ariel and Adelaide were whispering. Her Father was conversing with Uncle Rion. Arcturus was sullen and silent. Pollux was lightly talking to Walburga.
There was a really loud hissing noise which made the whole table go silent.
Everyone looked towards the fireplace as the sound had originated from there.
Cordelia froze, murmured a soft polite curse and quickly got up as she approached the fireplace.
"Jormy, I told you not to come out of the room." She reprimanded something or someone as she bent down.
Her family watched with bated breath as a large snake started climbing up on her left arm.
"Is that a snake?" Dorea asked softly.
Cordelia nodded as she turned around. It was a pretty snake, really pretty with a Black body and faint copper and bronze specks distributed over the body.
"Is that an Apophis?" Her father had got up and come to her.
"Yes, but she is tamed. Bred by the finest snake breeder in Egypt. She won't hurt anyone." Cordelia said softly.
Then she hissed in parseltongue to the snake, scolding lightly from her tone. Everyone heard the mention of Tom. The snake hissed back.
"She was cold in the room and this place is warm. I will go and drop her in my room and get Cherry to have a fire going." She informed here.
'She can just stay here." Arcturus offered.
'She can't. She is Tom's present." Cordelia said, "And she is a surprise."
Now her entire family was in for a shock. She did not blame them. Apophis were very rare. That also meant they were very expensive. To think, she was gifting Tom with something this extravagant was a bit of a surprise.
"I better go before he comes. I am taking the back stairs. Cook an excuse for me to tell the boys." She instructed Dorea as she disillusioned the snake and disappeared from the room.
Tom's POV
Christmas morning came ripe and early for Tom. No, Yule morning. He corrected himself in head as he shuffled his body to better wrap himself around Cordelia. One glance at the mirror in front of the bed gave him a glimpse of the view outside the window. It was snowing again.
A white yule, just like the girl in his arms had wanted.
He kissed her forehead and nose. She opened her sleepy eyes.
"It is snowing again." She murmured happily as her eyes took in the view behind him without even commenting about the kisses. She was used to it.
Tom moved away from her to turn around and take a better look at the snow. Yes, it was a really heavy fall.
"But it is cold." She shivered and came closer to him. Tom wrapped his arms snugly around her.
"Well, snow means cold." He chuckled.
"Does it have to?" She cried unhappily and sleepily. Tom did not say anything, just held her closer underneath the layers of blankets.
They both fell asleep again soon.
Tom's POV
When he and Cordelia arrived in the family room with the burning Yule log and the Christmas tree (Pureblood families celebrated a combination of the two), there was no one there.
But Tom was very shocked to see the piles and piles of presents underneath the tree arranged in neat pyramids.
"The elves would have taken all of our posts, just like they do at Hogwarts." Cordelia informed and he and she settled down on the couch. Thankfully, a fire was blazing in the center of the room as well in the fireplace so there was considerable warmth around.
This was the first time Tom was seeing so many presents. Hogwarts was exquisite at Christmas but he was the only Slytherin who had remained behind in these past three years. He had not seen anyone receive presents and he never did receive any so.
The only present he had got was from the burning firecrackers. And even they had left a bitter taste. A reminder that he never got 'real' gifts.
"I should have known you would be up…"Abraxas muttered as he entered the room. Alphard was trailing behind him.
Cordelia had mentioned that Abraxas had spent quite a lot of time in Black manor as a child. Whenever she was visiting and they were not at Malfoy Manor, they were here. Thus, he knew his way around the place.
And they have to wait but for ten minutes and all the Black cousins are down. Even Cygnus. He came to Cordelia for a hug and receives one along with a kiss on his cheek and forehead.
She had been honest with him. She did treat him like her own baby.
"We let him open his first and then all of us just pounce." Cordelia whispered to him. She had probably noted him observing Cygnus.
And he knew no adults will be joining them. It was a family ritual for the children.
She had said that her parents liked to open presents with them but his Uncle never did. Due to political nature of his gifts, he could never open them with his family. And Cordelia felt that he felt left out, so he forbid all the adults.
She was not pleased about it but she seemed to accept it.
For once, Tom was grateful to Arcturus. He should not have been because the absence of adults made Cordelia sad, but he was grateful.
His courtiers were still more familiar to his state of previous destituteness than the adults and he would like to keep it that way.
Cygnus found Cordelia's present for him in the entire pile.
Tom was not that surprised. Her little cousin worshipped her.
He picked the decent the thin long box and tried to shake it even though it was a bit bigger for his arms. No noise came.
"C'mon guess…"Dorea beamed at him.
"A sword..." He muttered.
All his cousins laughed and Tom could not hide his chuckle either.
He unwrapped it swiftly, impatient despite the request for more guesses.
It was a broom. A training broom to be specific as he remembered Cordelia telling him while they were in school and she was going through catalogues for presents. "He is never let outside. The poor thing is a prisoner in that London Manor. The manor is small, no place where he can actually play. Uncle Arcturus does not appreciate visitors that often so he can't come to this manor. But there is a small courtyard in the center of the London Manor. He can play there. This broom does not fly higher than twelve feet, so he would be quite safe." He remembered her soothing voice telling him.
"A broom…" There is a plethora of emotions in the boys' voice as he looks at the gift. His lips are trembling and something told Tom that he was about to cry. And he does. He flung his arms across Cordelia's shoulders and hugged her as his life depends on it.
Alphard was about to make a crass comment but the collective stares of Lucretia, Cordelia and Dorea silenced him.
"You can train for the team now Gus…" Orion says with a smile. He had a little more tact than his younger brother. Not that it was a surprise. Alphard was a buffoon. Tom had concluded that a long time ago.
But a part of this was making him feel bad. He didn't… He did not like the way the boy was wrapped around Cordelia. Her arms were for him, for Tom and to see them wrapped around her little cousin in equal comfort and love, was a bit too much for Tom.
So was the thoughtfulness of the gift.
He had wondered what he would like as a Christmas present. He could not think of anything, anything that would make his heart move or…anything similar. He believed in practicality. He could think of practical gifts like Wand holsters and sweets but nothing quite sentimental.
He wondered what he would get. He was honestly curious. Maybe a book. Books were practical. Cordelia knew how much he loved reading.
He was lost in his thoughts and he saw it all. Cygnus separating from Cordelia and moving on to his other presents. The other cousins bustling and grabbing their own presents. But it did not really register.
This envy was killing him.
The first thing he registered was Cordelia's groan and her slapping her head. He was facing sideways looking at her.
He gave her a curious look. She did not look up. He wondered what caused her to groan like that.
He did not have to wait for long because he heard hisses from front.
Tom looked in front and froze. There was about a one and half meter snake poised in front of him. Even though it had no hood, it had raised itself to his chest level and was looking at him intently. Tom froze and reached for his wand.
And then he heard the snake talk, "Is this him? Is this my new master?" Tom could swear that the snake was smiling in delight.
He looked at Cordelia, who looked sheepish as she looked at him and saw her nod at the snake.
"Merry Christmas Tom…"She muttered with the same sheepish expression.
The snake was an excitable one. It immediately began to try and climb the couch so as to reach him.
Instinctively, Tom bent down and offered his arm to it, which it took and began coiling around his arm.
"Tom, meet Jormy. Jormy meet Tom." Cordelia whispered softly looking at him intently.
"Is he dumb?" the snake asked in irritation.
"No," Tom found himself replying back and petted the head of 'his' snake.
"She is an Apophis. A rare magical breed from Egypt. She is a female and her full name is Jormugandr. I took the liberty of naming her and giving her the nickname Jormy." Cordelia informed him.
"After the Norse World serpent…" Tom muttered.
"Yes…" She whispered back.
"She is mine…" Tom looked at her hopefully. There was something akin to attachment that he was feeling for this snake. Snakes had been his first friends.
"Yes…" Cordelia smiled at him, "She was supposed to be in her large box with the other stuff but…like you see...she is little excitable. Though she is tame."
"You are mine." He told the snake.
"Aye, I will live with you. I will protect you. I will bite people for you. Do you want me to bite her? She is a little annoying. She would not let me see you." The snake chatted happily.
"NO…" Tom hissed rather loudly, "You are never to hurt her. Ever." He said very pointedly.
"Never…" The snake looked wistfully. He heard Cordelia snigger at that.
"Never." Tom resolutely repeated.
"Not even if she is hurting you." The snake asked in amusement.
"Not even when she is hurting me. She is my best friend." Tom nodded and said slowly to make the snake understand.
"Is she your nest mate? She looks like your nest mate…" The snake asked.
But before Tom could comprehend what the snake was saying, he heard Abraxas say, "She is beautiful. Where did you find her Corrie?"
"Well, I wrote to several eminent snake breeders. One of them wrote back positively." Cordelia smiled, moving her hand to pet Jormy.
"Nah, I will not eat her ever. She pets better than you…" The snake almost purred, "Yes, lady. Keep doing that…"
That made both Tom and Cordelia laugh.
"Will she eat us?" Cygnus asked with a little fear.
"She understands English even though she cannot speak it." Cordelia murmured to him as she moved to her own present pile in the center of the room.
"You are not to eat anyone in this room." Tom instructed the snake for the benefit of Cygnus.
"Ever?" She asked.
"We will see about that. But not for a few days..," Tom whispered back. He was sure that Cordelia would hurt him if she heard him. But he did not like Cygnus just yet.
Even though his present was far better than a stupid broom. He petted the snake again.
"Leave her by the fire… the one at the side. She will be safe and she loves it." Cordelia told him, "Come, open the rest of your presents."
Tom realized that he had a decent sized pile in front of him.
He went and placed Jormy on the rug beside the fireplace.
He came and sat beside Cordelia. One of his boxes, a rather large one was askew.
"She was supposed to be in it. She does not have a patient bone. She even came to last night's dinner before all of you arrived." Cordelia shook her head as she ruffled through her pile, searching for something.
Tom opened the box completely. It seemed Cordelia had thought of everything. There was a cushioned basket, a sort of perch for her to coil on, a few chew toys and a book on his snake's breed, Apophis.
"They have details like their food, the kind of weather they are comfortable in. Apart from other details. Apophis are unique as they are very large and bulky, larger than reticulous pythons and are still very venomous. There will be grooming spells and other stuff such as that." Cordelia's voice informed him.
She had found his present. Tom had a pit on his stomach. It was not her real present. It was just a book on healing that he had found with Goblins. There was an auction of rare artefacts from confiscated vaults. They had wrote to him and he had picked several things. One among them was this book. It was old. From about 15th century.
"The threads of body and mind." He heard her whisper in awe.
"Where did you find this?" She shot at him curiously.
The awe on her face was infectious. But Tom did not like this gift. It was too impersonal. Practical but emotionless. Thought he took pride in practicality, he detested it when it came to Cordelia.
"The Goblins had an auction." He told her. He did not tell her why he had come in touch with goblins. That she would find out tonight.
He was wrapped in a hug. He suppose he should have hugged her after the gift but he had been afraid of squeezing Jormy and had been in a shock over her thoughtfulness. He took satisfaction in wrapping himself around her. Her awe and the fact that she had chosen to open his present first made him feel all the more smug.
And soon they were making way through their pile.
Cordelia had received practice snitches from Abraxas, jewelry from Alphard and Orion, a beginnners' warding toolkit from her Father, a lot of silk gowns from her mother and she was still opening.
Tom had opened his slowly and carefully, evens slower than Cordelia who was treating the presents as if they were gossamer. Abraxas had given him a dagger with an emerald and ivory hilt. "From Father and me." He had said, "Every lord should have one."
He had stared at it for some time but he had spent a lot of time staring at Cordelia's reaction of her own presents. She was fascinating to watch.
He moved his eyes away from the several ornate pairs of cufflinks that Dorea had got him and moved on the second largest box after the one Jormy was supposed to be in.
He saw the signature. He gave Cordelia a confused look, "You already gave me one."
"They are all part of a larger present." Cordelia just smiled at him but she moved away from her pile to see him open her second present.
The box had holes in it so Tom reckoned that it was a living thing.
He opened the Box and was surprised to see two ball of fur wrapped up inside a basket. One Black and the other snow white.
With a startle, Tom realized that they were baby cats.
"Kneazles…"Cordelia whispered.
Both the fur balls moved as light hit their faces.
Cordelia pointed to the Black one, "That beauty is Nyx. And that handsome ball is Lux."
'Night and Light." Tom whispered.
Nyx opened her eyes and Tom almost melted in those eyes. It was a shade quite similar to Cordelia's. Tom knew she was going to his favorite out of the two. And Lux opened his with a yawn. Blue eyes.
The kneazles represented them. Just then Tom decided that he would make sure that they were taken care of.
Just like Jormy, there was their basket, two-three cushions, Catfood, chew toys but other stuff as well. Weaning bottles and Milk formula and stuff.
'They are still weaning. They are barely two weeks old. Kneazles mature faster than cats early on but it will be some time before they can take care of themselves. We will have to be very agile and careful in taking care of them for the next month or so"
Him. Take care of baby kneazles. Tom's throat choked.
"Jormy wanted to eat them before she smelled them. She asked me to warn you that kneazles taste horrible." Cordelia chuckled.
"She is not going to eat them." Tom's voice was forceful.
"I made that quite clear. I also informed her that when they are a bit older, the kneazles might chase rats with her. She was mighty pleased." Cordelia informed him as she lightly moved a finger on Lux's fur.
"What do you have there?" It was Lucretia's curious voice and Tom felt her come up behind them.
'Oh, they are adorable." She knelt down beside them.
All the woman had soon surrounded them.
Tom did not pay attention to the cooing. He was still staring the baby kneazles. He could not believe that Cordelia had trusted him with something this delicate. These kittens could die if he would not take good care of them.
"Don't be overwhelmed. I will help out. I don't expect you to do everything. I am sure girls would help. Even Cygnus seems to be in love with them. But if it is too much, we can always return them back…" Cordelia whispered to him in his ears.
"No..." Tom looked at her, "thank you, they are beautiful. We will keep them."
Cordelia gently picked Lux in her arms and Tom did the same for Nyx. They just stared at Tom and Cordelia through their big eyes.
Tom thought he could cry if anyone even touched him wrong.
Tom did not stare away from his beautiful kneazle until an owl hoot startled the room.
"She is such a beauty." It was Alphard who spoke now.
It was a snowy owl.
"Zee…'Cordelia smiled, "That must be the reply from Burke."
The owl came and dropped the letter in Cordelia's lap. Cordelia carefully put Lux back in their basket and took the letter.
"Why don't you bring your twin while I get Cherry to bring you some bacon?" She asked the owl who hooted and left.
"You got a new owl." Tom said.
"My owl had mated in France before I came to Hogwarts. I did not have the heart to separate her from her owl babies. So, I left her at home. But an owl is a must for an Heiress." Cordelia muttered.
"I need to buy one too." Tom said thoughtfully, as he placed Nyx back.
"No, you don't." Cordelia gave him a smug smile.
"What do you mean?" Tom looked at her in confusion.
Two Snowy owls descended on them.
'Tom, meet Quetzelcoatl, your owl, named after an Aztec God. It means feathered serpent. I call him Quetzie but he answers to both. And meet my owl Zephyr, named after the west wind of Greece. Nicknamed Zee. They are twins. They were giving a lot of trouble to the proprietor as they were very aggressive about separating from each other. Got them for a good deal." Cordelia smiled and extended both her hands.
Both the birds came and settled on her arms.
"I can't accept that." Tom said immediately.
"You would make me return them…" Cordelia said with wide eyes.
"No…" Tom said. Her expression made him suspicious.
"You will make me take care of two owls" Cordelia made her eyes even wider and said in a small voice.
"I…" Tom said.
"Quetzie will be a faithful owl…Won't you Quetzie?" Cordelia urged the owl.
The Owl flew to Tom and began hooting happily and if Tom was correct, hopefully.
He glanced at Cordelia's hopeful and pleading expression and sighed, "Okay."
His owl affectionately nibbled on his ears and Tom could not help but smile.
"Cherry, bring bacon for the owls and a small stunned rat for Jormy." Cordelia called out softly…
Tom just kept looking at his mini zoo with a smile. His eyes met Cordelia and he knew that his love shone through his eyes.
Cordelia's POV
It was around nine in the night. Christmas was nearly over. Cordelia was sitting in her room in front of a mirror and brushing her hair as she was lost in thoughts.
The day had gone well. Tom seemed to have appreciated her presents and he had looked happy at receiving them. Cordelia had actually taken a cue from Hagrid for Tom's first present. As June, the first decent gift she had received was her owl, Hedwig. She was more than just attached to that owl. She had been an undeterred companion for the best and worst of times for June.
Familiar Companions were a blessing. They took away the loneliness, showered ample love on you and to an extent also demanded it.
It would be a good exercise for Tom to care for things beyond himself and Cordelia. He would learn the reciprocity of love.
So, Jormy was probably lounging in front of the fire at Tom's room, while Zee and Quetzie roamed about in Tom's room.
Cordelia had taken the night duty for the baby kneazles. They were still potty training, weaning and were usually dependent on their mother and needed ample warmth.
Cordelia had, of course, enlisted Cherry's elf. The elf had nursed her as a baby. She probably knew it better than Cordelia.
So, she had fed the baby kneazles and they were now sleeping in their basket wrapped under in thick and soft quilts for plenty of warmth.
Cordelia tugged hard at one of her tangles.
There was a light knock at her door.
She was not expecting anyone, but she got up and went to open the door herself. It was Tom. He had never come into her room. They had usually spent the time dueling in the dungeons or pouring over one or the other book in his guest room.
'Tom…" She said in surprise but left the door ajar and gave him room to enter.
She was hoping that the adults were drowsy and lounging about after the Christmas Dinner and the time they spent in the family room, singing Christmas carols.
She could swear that tom had wanted to hit somebody when Alphard and Orion had broken into 'God rest ye Merry hippogriifs' the third time.
"Am I intruding?" Tom asked softly, hesitantly still standing at the door.
She gave him a small glare and tugged his hand forward until he was in the room and shut the door behind him.
"You have to ask.." She said in an annoyed tone.
He did not smile or roll his eyes. That told Cordelia that something was weighing on his mind.
"Are you okay? Is Jormy bothering you?" She asked carefully.
"She is such a pampered princess." Tom made a face but his eyes had a fond look, "No, she is sleeping after lecturing me for an hour about how to take care of her properly."
"Well, Apophis are considered a bit of a royalty in the snake kingdom. After basilisks, that is." Cordelia snorted.
She turned around to check on the Nyx and Lux. They had rolled themselves in the tiny quilts.
She turned around to look at Tom. He was taking in the room and his eyes were frozen on the pictures on her bedside.
This room was a temporary arrangement. It lacked Cordelia's personal touch. She never left anything behind here because Arcturus just ordered stuff cleaned and thrown out.
The only decoration was the picture frames that she brought each time and took back.
There was a new picture in the collection. It was of Tom and her hugging after the Quidditch match.
"I will make you a copy." She told him after seeing the longing in his eyes.
Tom nodded gratefully, swallowing.
"So, what brings you to my humble abode?" She asked him as she went back to place the hairbrush back near the mirror.
It was Tom's turn to snort.
"Well, I wanted to give you your 'real' Christmas present." He said with a little hesitation.
"One of the rarest tomes on healing was not enough." She mocked him.
"No, it was not." He softly replied.
She just stared at him.
"Face the mirror and close your eyes." He softly requested.
Cordelia huffed but did as she was told.
She did not open her eyes but she felt something cool and egg shaped rest against her neck and she felt Tom's fingers, a feather light touch, as he lifted her hair a bit and clasped a chain.
She opened her eyes before he bid her too and gasped.
The locket of Slytherin, in all its glory, adorned her neck.
"I can't accept this…" She mimicked his stance from the morning.
"Too bad, it is already given. It cannot be taken back." Tom murmured. His hands had not moved from behind the back. She could see his mirror image staring at satisfaction on the locket on her neck.
"It is where it belongs." He said in a determined voice.
"Tom, this is a priceless heirloom. It is older than Hogwarts. It is your legacy. Your only legacy. It probably belonged to your mother. I cannot just take it…" She protested weakly. She did not want it honestly, but something about the gesture, something about the way that she was now claimed as Slytherin's, as Tom's, wanted that locket to stay in her neck.
"And you are more priceless than it is. You recovered it. My legacy is important to me but you are too. Perhaps more important. I want people to know that you are under my protection." Tom said forcefully.
"So, you think I need protection?" She lightly asked, her voice still faint as her fingers lightly brushed the emerald of the locket.
"Yes, you do. Besides it is warded and has the best goblin protections." Tom informed.
"It had nothing yesterday." She shook her head but now she could feel the soft tendrils of magic in its make.
"I asked Goblins to put their best security and safety runes on this." Tom admitted.
"A day before Christmas. They would have ripped you off." She scolded.
"It was worth it." Tom shrugged, "As long as you are wearing it, it should repel and shield against most spells."
"You should not have" She murmured, her fingers still playing with the crude design of the locket.
"I had my mind made up. I would not have my legacy, any of it, if it were not for you..." Tom admitted. He gently wrapped his arms around her.
She leaned into his chest, breathing a little heavily.
She would admit it. She was overwhelmed.
'Besides, it looks pretty on you. That is a better use than just throwing it back in the vault." Tom admitted.
She hit his arm lightly as he kissed her hair with a smile.
Cordelia was just staring at the locket.
"So, will you keep it?" Tom asked, hope in his voice.
"I would be honored." She softly responded, turned around and pressed her lips against his cheeks for a long time.
"What if I lose it?" She asked in worry the next moment.
"You won't. You are very careful about possessions." Tom rolled his eyes, "Besides it cannot be lifted off your neck, until you remove it. And you don't even need to remove it for mock duels. You can just will it to turn off its protection for some while." He informed.
"You are really giving it to me?" She asked next in a furious whisper.
"Yes, Lia. It is yours…" He chuckled.
"You are insane…" She muttered as she took in the locket again, looking at him with fond eyes.
Lo and Behold! Another chapter done.
This was a very fine chapter to write. I had even more fun when I was planning out their familiars. There will be more of them eventually. As you probably noticed, Cordelia still does not have a snake. And she will need it to use advanced parselmagic for healing.
Apophis is a breed I made up. I wanted a big snake which was also poisonous and intelligent. I have modeled her after a witty Nagini that I have read in multiple fics. I know that Jormugandr is technically a male name but I really, really like it.
I thought the pet kneazles were a cute idea. You will see both Cordelia and Tom parenting them in future. *Chuckles*
Did you notice that Jormy referred to them as 'nestmates'? Let us just say, she is going to fulfill the role of the teasing friend for Tom. Once Tom realizes what she means, he is going to be a little flustered.
That's it. Hope you liked it.
PLEASE REVIEW.
