Disclaimer: Everything belongs to the magnificent mind of J. K. Rowling
"What the hell? SHUT. UP!"
And this was the sound that awoke the sixth year girls on the morning of September 2nd. Although Hazel was trying to ensure her own uninterrupted sleep, she really didn't care if others were disturbed by her irritations.
"Shhhh! You'll wake Bea!" whispered Cordelia, stepping out of the bathroom and shutting the door quietly.
Ella's head poked through the curtains of the bed on the far left. "No, I think we're safe; just don't keep singing that weird spiritual prayer you were doing."
Cordelia stared, "I must have missed something. What prayer?"
"The horrendous sound of a drowning fish you were making in the bathroom just now," added Hazel.
"I was gargling!" said Cordelia, affronted. "And I don't think fish can drown, Hazel."
"That's funny because I know what I heard and what it sounded like."
Frankly, it was just a sign of how early it was that no one argued this lack of logic. As Ella climbed into bed quietly, as to not disturb Beatrice, a.k.a.: the morning murderer, Cordelia left their dormitory, closing the door as softly as possible behind her.
Now, just to be clear, Cordelia loved the mornings, but by no means was she a morning person. The feeling of a new, slightly foggy day would compel her out of bed, but she was not to be spoken to until after she had spent some time alone; it was her primary thinking time.
The least welcome of intruders were obviously people she was trying to avoid. So when Cordelia walked into the Gryffindor common room that morning and discovered a very twitchy-looking James Potter waiting for her there, her patience wore thin.
"Good morning Cordelia," started James awkwardly, "er, about last night."
"Hmm, yes, very funny- why are you twitching?" said an irritated Cordelia. Not only had she not wanted to see him, she did not want to discuss this.
"Why am I-?" he started, disbelief flashing across his face. "Because you hexed me, remember?"
Cordelia looked at him for a few seconds.
"I literally have no recollection of ever doing that ... Damn!"
"Well, it's nice to know you love seeing me in hideous amounts of pain and humiliation," said James, looking offended.
"Why because I refused you? Seriously? We have had five years of competing and mutual irritation, and then you suddenly ask me out. I'm supposed to say yes to that?" Too much for this early. Brain imploding.
"No, I was humiliated because I knew you wanted to say yes. You were just being contrary."
Cordelia couldn't quite comprehend what he was saying. "I'm sorry that the great James Potter cannot admit to himself that there's a girl who won't crumble at his feet," she retorted, shifting past him and out of the portrait hole.
It was not as though she didn't realise James Potter's looks or brains, but, she didn't even like him as a friend; there was no connection. And if he thought for even a minute that she would become his personal challenge, led around as a trophy for a few days, and then dumped unceremoniously in the middle of the great hall; he had another thing coming. Cordelia prided herself on her ability to learn from other's mistakes.
It was a beautiful day but there was already so many things to think about and it was only 6:30.
Cordelia walked to her favourite spot in the castle. A fourth-floor corridor which had a side passage that many would miss. Through here was a spacious window seat, looking out across the courtyard and onto the lake. In the distance, the early morning sun shone brightly on the water, sinking beneath the ripples, and for the rest of the time before breakfast, Cordelia thought about the Giant Squid.
While the clock continued to tick to breakfast time, Cordelia created a whole life including extended family for the giant squid. She had just decided that he was motivated by a childhood trauma to live at Hogwarts, to hide from the shame of having killed his sister's boyfriend, George; when she realised that this might be considered slightly strange in normal societies and she had best get to breakfast to interact with real people, not lake-dwelling monstrous creatures with imaginative, hideous backstories.
The great hall was comfortably filled by the time she reached it. It smelled absolutely wonderful. 'Mmm. Were those pancakes?'
Cordelia spotted a familiar head with a sad attempt at combed brown hair.
"Good morning Henry. What brings you here this fine morning?" said Cordelia, sitting down and helping herself to whatever tickled her fancy.
"Umm, to eat breakfast."
"Right, of course."
Henry was a nice boy. Although not overly confident around others, he was a worthy friend. Never was he too busy or too tired to help someone if they asked. Not as classically handsome as Fred and James but Henry still had his fair share of admirers and a sprinkle of girlfriends over the years. Personally, Cordelia had never bothered with boyfriends; it sounded like too much effort. She would start thinking about it after school when she didn't always have to focus on achieving high grades.
"Has McGonagall put out the timetables yet?" she inquired over her tea.
"Yes, actually. For some reason, she didn't want to hand them personally to us this year. Something about 'not wanting their heads to get any bigger'. Somehow I don't think that's referring to us, but maybe some people I may know by an acquaintance?" Henry handed her the timetable, smiling, "I believe you are cleared to do all the subjects you wanted. You weren't worried were you?"
"Pfft. Nervous. Ha! As if."
"Yeah, I'm really getting that."
"Ha ha," she said dryly.
Cordelia looked down at her timetable and let out an internal sigh of relief: Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Arithmancy, History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology. Now, why, you may be asking, would Cordelia Bode want to do the notoriously boring subject of History of Magic in the year she could actually escape. Well, she actually found it interesting. It was important to the slightly less than conventional job she was planning on doing once she left Hogwarts but more on that later.
Cordelia attempted to peer across the breakfast layout at Henry's pile of timetables. He looked at her suspiciously and pushed them out of sight.
Cordelia pouted, "Oh, come on, I was only trying to look who had classes with me."
Henry sighed and pushed it back to her. Cordelia gave it a quick scan and then spat out her mouthful of tea.
"Henry! I didn't know anyone was interested in doing Divination! Fred likes that hideous excuse for a subject?" exclaimed Cordelia, very surprised.
"Yes, or it wouldn't be on there, would it? I believe he had an extra spot and filled it with that since he passed the OWL."
Henry looked very defensive. Hmm. There was something strange going on here.
Cordelia stared into his eyes, wishing she could do legilimancy; she noted that it would be an extremely useful skill to learn.
"Cordelia." said Henry.
"Hmm?" she replied.
"Can you stop that. It's like you're trying to stare into my brain, and it's the creepiest thing ever."
Cordelia returned her attention to her plate, "Sorry."
They continued their breakfast, making small talk about what they were excited about for the future year. As the great hall filled up with more students. Jasper joined them, followed by Hazel, Ella and, Beatrice.
"Brace yourselves everyone," muttered a harassed looking Hazel Ivers. "She's especially awful this morning."
Beatrice sat down next to Jasper.
Three, two, one . . .
A huge smile positively lit up her face as she took the deepest breath in the history of breaths.
"Good morning everyone. It's going to be a beautiful day today; don't you think? I just love the sound of the birds and the slight chill of the morning. It's like waking up in a dream that you don't have to leave! I'm really refreshed, I feel I could just talk for ages!"
"Please don't." Hazel whimpered, but only so Cordelia could hear.
Beatrice continued in this fashion for quite a while, earning homicidal glares from everyone. It just went against the natural order to be this chipper in the morning. Strangely, only Jasper continued to listen, nodding intently at what she was saying, but not saying anything himself.
"Hey, Cordelia?" asked Ella, removing the girl's attention from their other friend.
Cordelia turned to her with a welcoming smile, "Yeah?"
"What classes do you have this morning."
"Oh, um," she looked around for it, "I seem to have misplaced it." Looking up, she spotted her timetable in the hands of one Fred Weasley, who was reading it intently.
"You do Arithmancy, Bode? Ahh," he let out a tragic sigh, "It seems I have extra pressure to be extra entertaining this year, hanging around with you sad lot."
"Oh yeah. What are you doing, Weasley?" retorted Cordelia.
"Something, I suppose," he said distractedly, looking at the timetable again. "Hey! We have four subjects together! It's going to be such a fun year. Hanging around with my best friend; Cordelia Bode."
Cordelia snatched back her timetable, "Great. And I am not your best friend."
"Everyone's my friend," said Fred with a pitiful pout.
"Or everyone pretends to be so that you don't decide to kill yourself from your utter patheticness." Hazel finished casually, spreading jam on her toast.
"Anyway, after all that. Ella, I have err ... double Arithmancy, double Transfiguration, History of Magic and Herbology."
Ella did not respond, and upon looking up, Cordelia saw she had become white.
"What are-?" she started but Cordelia saw the problem instantly. Louis was walking towards the table, looking very happy. Straight away, with Beatrice distracted by her one-sided discussion with Jasper, Cordelia and Ella gestured at him frantically to turn back. He did not understand, but Fred, being the only other person who knew, other than James, saved the day by getting up and leading him back to the Ravenclaw table.
Ella let out a sigh of relief and Cordelia frowned.
"Ella," she whispered. "When are you going to fix the thing you said you were going to fix."
"Lay off, Cordelia, I haven't exactly had ample amounts of time."
"I realise that, but you have to do it. Today."
"What are you two talking about?" Beatrice had resurfaced from her morning happy trance. "What does Ella have to do?"
"Er, she has to, er ... do ... er- apologise to Slughorn," said Cordelia quickly, using the first things to come to mind.
"About what?" The innocent look on Bea's face was killing her.
A loud voice butted in and said, "She has to apologise for putting the Essence of Tenuis in his breakfast."
"What, but, er ... that's the slimming potion, James," said Beatrice tentatively.
"And, what do you mean by that, young lady?" said James in a lofty voice as he sat down next to Henry.
"Well, Slughorn is ... you know ..."
"Are you insinuating something about the shapely figure of Professor Slughorn?" accused James in a dramatic voice, which, as it was intended, travelled to the teachers table.
Beatrice went red, "No, of course not, I just couldn't see the effects."
"Are my favourite Gryffindors talking about me?" interupted the booming voice of Professor Slughorn.
"No sir, absolutely not! How could you even think that?!" said an affronted James.
Slughorn sported a good-natured smirk, "I thought I heard something about a shapely figure, you wouldn't be talking about my weakness for crystallised pineapple, would you?"
"No sir, Beatrice was just admiring your angelic looks, sir," clarified James with a charming wink causing everyone to snort into their breakfast.
Slughorn raised one bushy eyebrow, "Are you sure? Miss Jordan?" He turned his attention to Beatrice, who, if possible, went a deeper shade of red.
"Yes, sir. I was talking about you- I mean in a good way. You are extremely handsome. I think you have a very nice figure, you have wondrous shoulders and nice thighs and you also-." Her voice was stopped when Ella clamped a hand over her mouth.
When flustered, Beatrice lost her filter which led to awkward situations, such as the one they were witnessing at that moment.
After a few minutes of silence across the great hall Slughorn let out a hearty chuckle and everything returned to normal. Beatrice buried her face in her napkin. "That was so embarrassing," she whimpered, sounding close to tears.
"Oh, cheer up Bea, it wasn't that bad." Ella consoled, patting her on the back.
"Yeah, nothing bad about mild sexual harassment of a beloved teacher," said James in wonderment, and possibly respect. Cordelia kicked him in the shin. "Umph!"
Beatrice let out a sob of despair and hid under the table.
It took a while, but eventually they got her to stand and when Fred re-joined them they all departed the great hall.
The eight of them gradually split as they went through the shortcuts to their separate classes. Fred, Jasper, and Beatrice bid goodbye to Henry, Louis, and Cordelia on the sixth floor; as they were to continue to the north tower.
"Well, that was an eventful breakfast," said Louis, raising one eyebrow, "Does Jordan usually comment on the bodies of her teachers?"
"Very funny," said Cordelia in a dry voice, "James the idiot made her do that."
"James the idiot, huh?" Louis smiled sideways at Cordelia whilst Henry shook his head fervently behind her. "I heard what he asked you last night. May I now call you Mrs James Potter."
Cordelia stopped in her tracks. Heat radiating from every inch of her body. She suddenly let out a loud battle cry and tackled him to the floor.
"Ow- OW! Get off you crazy women!" Cordelia pinned his arms while Louis struggled.
"There will be no mention of that ever," she said in a deathly whisper. "From this moment, what you said will be a forgotten experience. Only when I specifically bring it up will you talk about it. I will not be made fun of."
With that, Cordelia got up, brushed off her robes, and gave a friendly hand to Louis.
As he grabbed it, Louis continued, "Stop taking everything so seriously. I wasn't making fun of you, I actually think you two would make a good match."
"You did not just say that," hissed Cordelia, wide-eyed; and when Louis did nothing but stare at her she let his body drop back onto the ground and continued walking, trying to retain her dignity.
Henry helped Louis up. "I know," he said before Louis could speak, "but no one can forget the number of time he's humiliated her. Just don't push it. She'll realise someday what really happened."
Arithmancy passed with no more incidents. Cordelia and Louis both apologised and, like friends, they were instantly forgiven.
When the bell rang for break Cordelia left the boys and went down to the courtyard. They had sat in the same spot ever since their first year, it was a little indentation in a huge old tree, placed in a way so that the girls would not be seen, but could see the others passers-by.
"Greetings, slowcoach," said Ella, grinning at her.
"That's rude," sniffed Cordelia, "I was up on the sixth floor."
"Well I was in the North Tower and I still managed to make it down faster than you," interrupted Bea.
"Oh, well, urgh, fine," said Cordelia, plopping herself down between Hazel and Beatrice.
"How was Arithmancy?" questioned Ella.
Cordelia studied her fingernails, avoiding the question, "Er, good?"
"Really? You don't sound sure about that."
"Sorry. Yes. It was very interesting."
"Okay," said Ella suspiciously, and when Cordelia did not elaborate she continued on, leading the conversation, "So ... Miss Jordan may you inform us as to what reason Weasley has to do Divination?"
"Yeah! I was thinking about that too. I mean, what is up with that? Fred spent half of last year trying to see how many times he could get Firenze to repeat a single phrase!" Cordelia joined in, recovering from her embarrassment.
"I agree actually, Heckleburn doesn't talk but you wouldn't think he's one to like sniffing deathly fumes and drinking tea out of flowered-pink cups," added Hazel, leaning back.
Beatrice stared at them evenly, "Divination is a supremely delicate subject and just because you weren't any good at it-,"
"Yeah, I lacked the patience," laughed Cordelia.
"does not mean you have the right to say who can study it!" Beatrice finished, breathing heavily.
"Bea, darling, we weren't saying that. We just found it strange that those sorts of people would enjoy doing a ... delicate subject like Divination," Ella cajoled.
The bell rang and they all rose and brushed off their robes. One by one they stepped over the huge tree root and out into the very sunny courtyard. They parted ways with Ella outside the Transfiguration classroom. Ella was never good at the particular technique of transfiguration, she rather preferred subjects where you could create your own style of performing the magic.
McGonagall marched into the classroom precisely on time. "I see some of you still haven't managed to open your own books." There was a lot of scrambling as people tried to get the proper necessities on their desk as quickly as possible, as to not attract the watchful eye of Professor McGonagall.
Their teacher made her way across the rows, "This year, you will realise that transfiguration will be harder than most years- I will be taking this and you can see me after class," she said this to Eliza Farinelli who had been reading Witch Weekly behind her books, "as per usual. But, even though the NEWTS are nearly two years away you have to step up now otherwise you will get to that time, and I assure you those years disappear fast! To find you have forgotten everything I have taught you. I will not tolerate laziness of any sort in my classroom. Yet, since you are all sitting here post-OWL gives me hope, however, faint that may be." She turned to face the class. "Open to page five and we will begin by discussing the risks of large mammal transfiguration."
After a double of writing notes, since McGonagall didn't think them responsible enough to do any practical work yet, Cordelia's brain felt like it had been painfully wrung and hung out to dry. The holidays hadn't exactly been full of revision; her head was yet to get back into school-mode.
On the way down to the great hall, Cordelia stopped at a bathroom, effectively shaking her friends off. They understood that when they accompanied her to the bathroom she got annoyed. Cordelia was not born with the gene that meant girls could not go anywhere alone, and alone was what she wanted.
Once safely in a cubicle, she touched the chain around her neck and brought up the pendant hanging from it. No, she had not forgotten it, but it had been pushed to the back of her mind due to the morning's events. What did her father mean? 'Keep it safe, keep it hidden,' he'd said, 'and above all tell no one. You can't trust them, Cordelia, not even those you love.' Even as those words were spoken she doubted them. Cordelia didn't think for one second that any of her friends would betray her secret, even James could be persuaded not to tell if he knew it was important.
The truth was that Cordelia was too young to see that the world wasn't split into right and wrong, good and evil. Instead, everyone contained in themselves all things. Meaning that people were unpredictable grey areas who acted on gut feeling and the earthly mystery that is love. If Cordelia had only been told what the object around her neck was, she would have been much more worried about the greedy hearts of human beings. As it were, the only thing holding her back was loyalty to her father, her grandfather, and her grandfather's brother who had discovered this in the first place. And, although she had never met him, he had held this in his hands and kept it safe, and Cordelia Bode would not allow her families name to be dishonoured.
She walked to the sink and appraised herself in the mirror. She had golden hair and bright hazel eyes which were her favourite features by far, her nose was alright and her lips were a bit too pink for her skin tone which had always been annoying in the cold when she looked as though she had sucked on too many strawberries. All in all, Cordelia didn't think she was ugly, but she didn't really think she was overly pretty either and the weirdest thing was that she didn't care.
Cordelia snatched her hair back into a messy ponytail and looked at the flyaway strands drifting around her face; she liked not having to care.
The great hall was packed with students, all eating and talking loudly about all the new gossip. Cordelia sat down next to Rose Weasley who was looking glumly her plate.
"Hey Rose, you okay?"
Rose started, "What's that? Oh, I suppose, Albus is just off with Scorpius the dungeon dweller."
Cordelia searched her brain and replied "Scorpius ... Malfoy, is it?"
"How many Scorpius' can there be?"
"Good point," reasoned Cordelia, "So why aren't you sitting with them?"
Rose let out a deep sigh, "Well, I know it's stupid but, me and Albus, you know, are best friends but when he's with Scorpius he's different and, I just feel as if ... kind of ... like I don't fit."
"I know that's tough. Remember that Albus would never try to purposefully exclude you, he's probably-."
"Oh no. Albus actually really wants me to talk with Scorpius and get to know him but, I just think there is something a bit off about the guy," said Rose.
Cordelia thought about this, "Have you tried to talk to Scorpius at all? You could just be a tiny bit bias towards him."
"I did try to give it a go, but there was just this, thing, that happened and he doesn't want to speak with me at all."
The older girl observed her red cheeks and avoidant eyes. "Oh my giddy aunt," she said in a low whisper, "you snogged him!"
Rose panicked, "Keep your voice down will you?"
"You did, didn't you?" Cordelia was grinning now.
"Yes fine! But for the record he just sort of jumped on me, and I may have been surprised so I didn't pull away at first," she said, looking very sheepish.
"Rose it's nothing to be ashamed about. You kissed a cute boy, move on."
Rose looked up at her, her vivid red hair messy from running her fingers through it, "You don't understand. If my Dad learned that I snogged a Malfoy or even, god forbid, started to date one, I would be sleeping with the dogs."
Cordelia gazed at her firmly, "Rose, I think you are overreacting. Your father loves you and he will always forgive you. And, I think in the scale of things, this is a pretty low offense."
"That may be, but Scorpius hasn't said a word to me since then, and that was last year! He just doesn't like me," sighed Rose.
"That's because you didn't talk to him either!" exclaimed Cordelia. Lowering her voice, she continued in a whisper, "This is just you Rose, you have to admit you're a little self-destructing."
"No, I'm not!"
"Yes, you are. Remember that time you were nervous about failing Quidditch trials so you ate three whole acids pops for a bet; you were in the hospital wing for ages! And that other time when you thought Albus was growing apart from you and you started that huge fight with him." Cordelia took a breath, "Look- if you like Scorpius, talk to him, don't think about anyone else because they have no part in your relationships, okay?" Rose nodded and they continued to eat in thoughtful silence.
History of Magic, where all things entertaining come to burn up and die in one droning syllable of Professor Binns' voice. But Cordelia was here for a reason, and boredom was survivable.
"Miss Bode, History buddies, huh?"
Okay, or maybe not so boring.
"What would you want with History of Magic, Potter," she said irritably.
"Same question to you," he said with a smirk.
"That's easy; boring subject, boring person. You have no excuse."
James frowned, "Don't say that. You're a highly interesting person. To me at least." Cordelia flushed, it was very sweet of him to say that, even if it was him that said it.
Thankfully Professor Binns, the king of great timing, popped his head through the wall, and James' chest, and said, "Come in, sixth years."
There were only around six others in the class, evidently it was not a popular subject choice. James and Cordelia sat at the back. This was a result of everyone else being Ravenclaws, ergo, no seats.
They quietly took notes next to each other. Cordelia was sure she wasn't this close to Hazel in Transfiguration. Maybe the desks were smaller. Nope, stock-standard wooden desks. Then why did their arms keep brushing?
The fifth time this happened Cordelia decided it was no mistake.
"Could you please stop brushing my arm."
James peered up at her through his messy, black hair, "What was that?"
"I said, I would like you to refrain from touching my person, I don't like it."
"Could you please say that again, please? In a lower voice maybe?" He was sporting his trademark half-smirk and sitting up so he was looking down at her.
Cordelia glared at him, annoyed. As the seconds passed and neither broke eye contact, James started to move his face closer to hers. 'What the hell?' thought Cordelia, and promptly punched him in the stomach, "Try that again and you will lose a treasured limb."
Thankfully the bell rang and Cordelia nearly ran to the door. Stepping into the corridor, she pressed herself against the stone and took a breath. What just happened was so outside of Cordelia's comfort zone that it was not funny. Never had she felt so ... bizarre. If she was going to survive this year she had to go about it the right way. And that was to put everything in order of priority.
This had to be dealt with. Fast.
As James stepped into the corridor after collecting his things, he saw Cordelia Bode's silhouette walking briskly down the corridor, turn the corner and disappear from sight.
'So close,' James thought.
If he was going survive this year, he had to win her over. Fast.
Authors Note: If you have anything to say it's welcome!