Authors Note: This chapter is quite long, but I think I like it. The plot develops.
Disclaimer: Everything here belongs to J. K. Rowling.
Cordelia was resting.
She was preparing herself.
It was Halloween.
Oh, Merlin.
Every year on Halloween James and Fred (occasionally assisted by Henry and Jasper) used their considerable skills for mischief and absolutely tortured Cordelia.
It was a tradition.
She could only hope that this year would be a little lighter because of recent events, but she could never be sure with those two.
This was too much for her nerves.
The last week, on top of her homework, she had been researching. Cordelia had not come away empty handed.
She now knew all about time-related magic and had found many theories, magical and muggle, on what time consisted of, but it still left many questions, and this was the reason she was so on-edge.
Cordelia had written a list (invisible to anyone but herself, obviously):
1. Why wasn't her time-turner remembered?
2. Who wanted it?
3. Who was warning her about it?
4. Did the Ministry know she had possession of it?
The last one was a bit weird because if the Ministry knew she had that kind of magic, presumably they would have taken it by now. Yet, maybe they knew who was after the time-turner and didn't want to draw attention to it.
All Cordelia needed was someone from the ministry she could talk to but, alas, she was muggle-born and Ella's parents worked in the daily prophet. Hazel and Beatrice were also options since they were half-blood but Hazel's mother worked in St Mungo's and Bea's father was a private potioneer in Diagon Alley.
This was annoying.
Cordelia sat up from her spot behind some bushes at the lake. She rubbed a spot on her back where a rock had been pressing and looked around cautiously. No sign of anyone important. Safety assured.
She rose and walked back to the castle. You might think Cordelia was being a bit too wary but it was all from experience. Although the worst attack wouldn't be until after dinner, there was still plenty of time for them to do something low-key to warm up.
Cordelia climbed the steps and stepped into the entrance hall. The four hourglasses were quite even, Gryffindor was coming in a close second which was really quite good for this time of year.
"Cordelia!"
As she heard the shout, Cordelia wheeled around, pulling out her wand. Just as she was about to shoot a good stunning spell, she recognised the voice as belonging to one Hazel Ivers who was exiting the Great Hall.
Hazel stopped in her tracks, "You thought I was James, didn't you?"
"Well you can never be too careful," replied Cordelia, stowing her wand back inside her robes.
"I don't know whether to be offended or not," said Hazel as they walked up the marble staircase. "Was that why you weren't at lunch?"
Cordelia looked both ways down the corridor before replying, "Yes. Last year they put frogs spawn in my soup. It was absolutely disgusting."
Hazel guffawed, "I remember that! Good times."
Cordelia stopped next to a portrait of a pelican in the desert, "I'm glad you thought it was funny. It was so immature and you're meant to defend me as a sign of friendship."
"Show me the rule book," said Hazel, shrugging.
They had made it to the hidden window seat and they sat down, gazing over the lake.
"You've been different this year."
Cordelia stared, it was such a random and un-Hazel statement she was taken aback.
Hazel saw her expression, "You are, though. I reckon it's because of all this stuff with Ella and Bea and James you think that no one notices . . . but I do." She looked at Cordelia intently, "You can tell me anything, you know."
"I-I don't . . . " Never had Cordelia wanted to tell anyone more, but she couldn't, it just wouldn't be safe, "Nothing's bothering me."
"I understand. But just keep it in mind."
"I will."
"But if you can't talk to me about that, tell me, are you planning on accompanying James to Hogsmeade on Saturday?" Hazel grinned maliciously.
Cordelia scowled, "I'd forgotten about that."
"Ha, well he's been telling everyone. Have you actually seen him this week?"
"Well I've seen him in History of Magic but other than that I haven't had any need to be in his presence so this is lovely news," said Cordelia.
Hazel's brow creased, she was deep in thought, "Why did you kiss him?"
"Did you know Jasper likes Beatrice?" said Cordelia, feinting deafness.
"Don't change the subject, and anyway, yes I did know that, it's the reason he does divination," Hazel pointed proudly at herself, "Detective skills. Answer my question."
Cordelia sighed, "How did you know about that?"
Hazel tilted her head back and laughed, "It was bloody obvious is what it was."
"Fine. Let's just say it had to be done or detention."
"Okay . . . " Hazel sobered, "I think you should go to Hogsmeade with him."
Cordelia was very surprised. Hazel never disliked James as Cordelia had done, but she still was nothing more than nonchalant about his presence.
"What makes you say that?"
Hazel leaned forward and placed her head on the glass, "I don't know anything about boys, but I do know you and you are not the type of person to lead someone on and then dump them, it would probably kill you. You haven't changed so much that you aren't still the trusting idiot I've always been friends with and I think you should go and either have a great time or a crap time and then you won't have to worry about it anymore."
Cordelia put her head on Hazel's shoulder, "When did you get so wise?"
"The same time you got so stupid."
"Haha."
"Professor, you can't."
"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do, Ms Bode."
"But they'll torture me!"
Professor McGonagall stopped walking and turned to face her, "I am sorry Ms Bode but Mr Liode has violet antlers sprouting from his head and you are the only other prefect I trust to handle themselves properly with those two."
"But-"
"No excuses," said McGonagall. "I understand your hesitation but it has to be done. Now, I have to go and oversee preparations for the feast, I fear Peeves has had yet another tantrum."
Cordelia was left standing alone in the corridor, her friends looking on pityingly behind her.
She was patrolling the corridors tonight.
Joy.
Cordelia took one step out of the portrait hole and instantly knew she was doing the wrong thing. She should be running to safety not stepping into the open!
She walked down the hallway, looking as though she had a nervous tick because she continued to peer behind her, convinced she was being followed. Cordelia felt heavy, no way was she going to be able to outrun them, it was the price she had to pay for eating too many iced-biscuits at the feast.
Creak.
Cordelia whirled around, her heart jumping into her throat.
Something shiny was behind her.
'Phew,' she thought, just a suit of armour.
She marched on through the corridors, jumping at the smallest of sounds and periodically checking broom cupboards, but snogging couples were far from her mind.
She had patrolled the corridors for the first time last year and had received a brilliant Halloween present, worse than usual. As she was walking through the dimly lit dungeons she heard whispers and scraping on the walls of the corridor. Of course, she knew it was probably a prank but nevertheless, she was frightened because it was nearly eleven o'clock at night and the hallways were deserted. She had frozen in the mangy corridor, her heart-rate steadily getting faster and faster until finally, just as she was about to break with suspense, James jumped out from thin air and yelled, 'BOO', which was a highly embarrassing word to make you scream and then magically assault someone. They found James in the morning, legs and arms still locked to his sides and covered in huge boils. 'It was a small price to pay,' thought Cordelia, 'for making me jump at every noise for the next two weeks.'
Cordelia had never fully recovered.
She had reached the third floor and looked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
"Out!" she said to the snuggling boy and girl.
They both looked up, as though surprised they had been caught. What did they expect?
Cordelia stopped the miscreants before they exited, "Year and names please."
"Fourth year, Margery Miggins and Lauchlan Golgi," said the girl proudly holding her partners hand. The boy looked ready to die of embarrassment.
Cordelia raised her eyebrows, "Fourth year?" and when they both nodded she continued, exasperated, "Merlin, they get younger every year. 40 points taken from your houses," she looked at their robes, "Slytherin and Hufflepuff, and two detentions for each of you. I'm sure you understand being out at night is a very serious offence. Don't do it again."
They walked off, Lauchlan tugging at Margery's arm to make her go faster, "And go straight back to your dormitories! I don't trust you for a second!"
Cordelia chuckled happily, she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy putting people in detention. It felt so good.
Feeling refreshed Cordelia turned and found herself face-to-face with complete darkness.
"Wha-," she turned back and found pitch black behind her as well. This was bad.
Cordelia stumbled towards where she believed the wall was but only felt the air. She tried all directions but no luck, the corridor seemed to have disappeared.
"James," she called. "This isn't funny!"
Silence.
"Fred?"
Cordelia didn't like this. She was facing the complete unknown, something horrible could be standing a foot in front of her face and she wouldn't know.
Her breathing stopped, she shivered. Something had touched her neck.
"Seriously, I think you're taking this too far!" yelled Cordelia, trying to keep a steady voice.
Cordelia reached out again to try and hold on to something to give her a feeling of safety but still no success.
Suddenly the lights turned on. Cordelia gasped, This was not Hogwarts.
She was in a huge room full of strange objects, Cordelia noticed an odd bird and many glittering articles while she was adjusting to the brightness.
Where in the world was she?
The two men in the room looked up at her.
Triumph gleamed in their eyes, "How nice for you to join us, we've been looking for you."
Cordelia clutched her pendant in panic and everything returned to darkness.
"Ooomph," Cordelia made a sound as she fell to the ground. She crawled to her right and thankfully found a wall.
The lights turned on, she was back in the corridor, Cordelia felt as if she had run a marathon. Her heart was pounding and she was breathing heavily. Unless she was mistaken, Cordelia believed she had just been kidnapped.
How was that possible?
'Okay,' Cordelia told herself, 'You're safe now. Just need to tell someone.'
But who could she tell? This was her secret to bear and for all she knew those men could be working with someone she trusted.
For the first time, Cordelia felt rage seep into her as she thought about her burden. She was sixteen! She should be worried about school and friends, not possible kidnappings.
Cordelia put a hand on the wall and pushed herself onto her feet. Rounds were over, and she had to get back to bed.
She made her way up the stairs, keeping a shaking hand on the wall, thinking about possible methods of transporting someone out of Hogwarts. It was impossible.
Maybe the time-turner had some other power, after all, it was called the Department of Mysteries for a reason.
Cordelia was still trembling with fear by the time she had reached the portrait hole when suddenly someone jumped out of it and started screaming. Cordelia was so shocked that she fell back on the floor.
"What the-?"
It wasn't their best effort, but it had come at just the wrong time. Within all the hassle of being magically transported (somehow) to another place, she had completely forgotten about this particular tradition.
"Is she scared? I want to see her face," Ella poked her head around the cloaked figure.
Cordelia gave her the eyes of death, "You participated in this?"
"Of course."
"Great," Cordelia stood up and took off the robe, what she saw nearly made her laugh out loud. Fred was sitting on James' shoulders and it looked as though he was slowly suffocating him. 'Serves him right,' thought Cordelia.
"Wow, we knew you were a scaredy cat, but even we have to admit that is not our most fear-inducing prank," said Fred, jumping off James' shoulders and allowing the latter to take a big gulp of air and recover.
Cordelia scowled, "I was unprepared."
James grinned, "Yeah right. You are just drawn to our Halloween fun."
"Well, I . . . " Cordelia stopped, thinking hard. An idea was on the outskirts of her mind. She pushed past the three people into the Gryffindor Common Room. The armchair groaned as she plonked herself down onto it, trying to catch the thought before it slipped away.
She had read something during her research sessions. Time and space are directly related. Time is absolute, yet it exists in people's minds. What had James said? ' . . . you are drawn to . . . ' Maybe, and this was making her head hurt, it was possible to use a magnet effect and draw her through space, using her mind and some other magic, possibly the reverse spell effect; taking her out of Hogwarts.
Merlin, this was confusing.
"Cordelia, are you alright?" asked Ella, kneeling down next to her seat.
Cordelia looked up, "Yeah, yeah . . . fine." She felt like she was floating, everything seemed surreal, "I think it could be possible, you know . . . "
Ella knelt next to her, "Are you sure, you don't look like yourself."
"I think I'm the facilitator," Cordelia was not paying attention to anything except the thoughts running rampant through her head, there was a sort of tightness in her chest that was making it hard to breathe, "because every person contains time . . . they'd need something powerful . . . but it would have to be a place the object had a connection to . . . "
Ella shared a concerned glance with the two boys.
"Umm, that's great. Could you stop the rambling, it's a little creepy," said Fred, earning a glare from Ella.
Cordelia looked up, her hazel eyes wide with understanding. "I- I need . . . I need to go to the library."
"What? It's nearly eleven at night."
Cordelia rose from the chair, "James, your father has been in the Department of Mysteries, right?"
"Yeah . . . " said James slowly.
"Okay, I just thought . . . but- what are they going to do to me?" whimpered Cordelia. She felt like a silly little girl crying in front of them, but she only noticed the fear that triggered the action.
Ella was distressed, "Honey, you're scaring me. I think we should take her to the hospital wing." She added the last part to James and Fred, who nodded and each took one of Cordelia's arms to support her.
"No," said Cordelia, "I don't need to go."
"It's for your own good, something has caused you to go crazy," said James, tugging on a reluctant Cordelia.
Cordelia dug her heels into the ground, "I'm not going, they can't know!"
"Cordelia, just go." Ella wailed
"No I'm not going, magic can be traced . . . they had nearly finished the tests."
"Come on,' said Fred.
Cordelia broke, "I'M NOT GOING!"
They let go of her arms, staring in surprise.
There was silence as she glared at them all, daring them to make a move.
"I'm leaving."
Cordelia walked determinedly towards the portrait hole not sparing a glance at the others.
"Where are you going?"
"Away."
Cordelia literally didn't care anymore. Nothing else mattered because she felt like such a clear target, she wasn't safe.
She thrust open the doors and headed outside, she needed to get away from everything. That was the bad thing about going to a boarding school, you could never fully escape from anything.
Cordelia saw the Quidditch pitch and decided she needed to be high up, and changed direction.
At the top of the stands, the night wind was cold and biting. Cordelia welcomed the feeling, it distracted her. She didn't even know if anything she had done in the past half-hour could be properly explained. She felt distanced and everything in her head was in scrambles. Cordelia took a few deep breaths and felt her heart rate slow. As she became calmer she instantly regretted shouting at her friends, stubborn as they were.
"Fancy seeing you here."
Cordelia continued to look into the darkness, not surprised in the slightest, "Hi, James."
James sat down next to her.
"Sorry for shouting, I wasn't angry at you," said Cordelia in a soft voice.
"I know."
They continued to sit in silence. After a few minutes, James put a cloak around her shoulders. Cordelia recognised it as her own and pulled her arms into it, welcoming the heat now that she was no longer running on adrenaline.
"Everyone's noticed that you have been distracted lately," said James quietly.
"Funny."
James looked sideways at her, "Why do you do this? Every time someone tries to get you to open up, you shut us off."
Cordelia remained silent.
"I know there is something big that is causing you to go all crazy and it's fine if you can't tell me since we haven't even been friends that long. But I want you to know that everyone cares about you and they are seriously scared that you're being threatened or in some sort of danger." He paused and sighed, his breath showing in the cool night air. "Cordelia, we want to help you."
Cordelia bit her lip, trying to hold in her tears. Oh how she wanted to tell someone, anyone, and the fact that she couldn't make her heart clench inside of her, but Cordelia just couldn't do it.
"I can't."
"But-."
"No, listen," Cordelia cut him off, "You can still help me. I just want everyone to be normal. I'll be able to handle myself if you guys are my rock." Cordelia choked on her words and the floodgates opened,
"I need something I can rely on, something safe."
James' eyes widened and he put an arm around her, "Cordelia, you aren't in any danger, are you?"
"I don't know."
"Okay," said James, not sounding sincere at all. "So how do we go about this normal business?"
Cordelia thought for a minute, wondering if it would be such a good idea, but she had decided earlier today and this would, at least, be distracting.
"Well . . . you can start by taking me to Hogsmeade on Saturday."
"What?" said James, startled.
"You heard me. It's not exactly a normal occurrence, but I want my life to continue and I believe there is a chance it might be fun. And there is an added point that you have already told half the school I am going with you."
James smiled sheepishly, "Oh, don't you worry, it will be very fun."
Cordelia leant her head on his shoulder as she had done with Hazel that afternoon.
"You know," said James mischievously. "I wonder what would happen if I got us into a detention situation on our date, would you spontaneously kiss me again?"
Cordelia didn't mind that he had brought up that event, she was even glad that he had because it was something she could think about logically. She wasn't sure if she would call their plans a date, but it would be pleasant to spend a day with James.
Cordelia woke up on Saturday morning feeling slightly panicky, why had she agreed to this date, although, to be fair she had offered.
Luckily her friends were there to ground her.
"If you're having second thoughts I'm going to push you out of the window," chirped Ella who was bouncing happily around the dormitory. When Cordelia had told them on Friday about Thursday night's talk with James, Ella had screamed a little and she had been insufferable ever since.
Beatrice, who was sitting on the edge of her bed spoke up, "Of course she's not re-thinking, it's normal to be nervous."
"What was I thinking, I can't go," said Cordelia hysterically, while attempting to untangle herself from her sheets and promptly falling out of bed.
Ella looked pointedly at Beatrice, "I told you so."
"Everyone be quiet," said an irritated voice.
"Good morning Hazel," said Ella, redirecting her focus. She opened Hazel's bed hangings and jumped on top of her. "It's Hogsmeade day!"
Hazel gave a cry of pain and pushed her off, "Merlin, I was already awake!"
"Yes! But that was to teach you to be supportive because Cordelia is about to enter a relationship."
Cordelia sprang up from the floor, her hair completely dishevelled, "Who said anything about a relationship"
"Me," said Ella. She walked to her wardrobe and started to pull out clothes. "Hmm . . . I don't know if this would fit you."
"I can dress myself."
Ella snorted, "Very funny dear. What's that stretching spell?"
Beatrice walked over to help her and Cordelia looked affronted. "Why do you need a stretching spell? I'm not that big."
"You're curvier than I am. Thank Circe we're both tall," Ella and Beatrice seemed to be off in the world of clothing so Cordelia set about her usual morning routine. She had decided not to think about the time-turner at all today. This was her day to enjoy, Cordelia had chosen not to let an object control her life.
Half-an-hour later and Cordelia was ready to go. As she went to leave the room, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Ella was not all talk, she had actually succeeded in making Cordelia look quite nice with a navy blue cardigan, black skirt, tights and flat, lace-up shoes. Her hair was pulled back into a casual bun, and Cordelia thought she looked sophisticated yet laid back, which boosted her confidence.
She could do this.
And there was always the option of running away and hiding in the Shrieking Shack for all time, Cordelia would usually consider herself above such pettiness but today was an exception.
Breakfast had long-since started when they entered the Great Hall. Everyone was loud and excited for the outing.
Cordelia fell back with Ella and whispered, "How are you going to go with Louis without Bea seeing?"
"Don't worry," she said back quietly, "She won't see us."
"You still have to tell her." And with that, Cordelia sat down and began to eat.
"So, Cordelia, are you excited?" asked Henry who was the only other person who had arrived.
Cordelia sighed, "I wouldn't say that. I'm . . . apprehensive. How's James doing?"
It was Henry's turn to sigh, "He's completely bonkers. I'm happy that he scored a date with you so soon in the year, in fact, I just lost a bet with Fred about that, but James is a bit worried you are going to - I don't know . . . be repulsed by him and run away to the Shrieking Shack or something."
"Haha, wouldn't that be funny," said Cordelia, looking at her plate to avoid blurting out that that was exactly how she was feeling.
"Ahh, speak of the devil . . . "
Cordelia turned her head quickly to the side and saw James standing behind her before she could react he swooped down and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Good-morning gorgeous."
James then sat down and started to help himself to the breakfast options. Cordelia looked around at the others incredulously as though saying, 'did that really just happen?'
Cordelia punched him in the arm.
"Ow, what was that for?" he said indignantly.
Cordelia said her words in a deadly whisper, "For running before you can walk."
"Sorry, won't happen again," said James, brushing it off. "Or will it- kidding, just kidding," he added when he saw her expression.
The walk to Hogmeade was punctuated by awkward silences. The eight of them a bit unsure of what to say to the less than normal circumstances. Beatrice and Hazel were to spend the day together with the other three boys so they split from Cordelia and James when they all reached the village, promising to meet them for lunch in the Three Broomsticks.
"So," started James, turning to her. "Where do you feel like going?"
Cordelia shrugged, "Anywhere is fine, maybe honeydukes? That's closest."
"Sounds good."
They walked along the main street on route to honeydukes. The trees in the distance were a bright orange colour, adding to the ambience of the little cottages and stores that lined the road. It really was a beautiful season. Cordelia loved it here because it was the exact opposite of London which was where she grew up. Although she loved her city, there was something about Hogsmeade that made you want to just sit and take it all in.
"So . . . are you training hard for quidditch?" said Cordelia, picking a subject she knew they could talk about.
James' eyes lit up, "Yes. We are going to completely destroy Slytherin."
Cordelia laughed, "I've always wondered why there's none of this talk between Gryffindor and the other houses."
"They brought it on themselves. Sneaky bastards."
"Hmm," Cordelia sarcastically put a finger on her chin as though she was thinking. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact their keeper is dating your cousin, would it?"
James scowled, "No."
"Oh, sure."
James opened the door of Honeydukes for a smirking Cordelia and they both stepped into the shop.
They perused the sweets on the shelves and counters for a while, holding up suggestions to show the other.
"Do you think I could threaten Ella to tell Beatrice about Louis with a force-feeding of cockroach cluster?" asked Cordelia, leaning forward to look closer at the item in question.
James looked faux-shocked, "That's cruel. And anyway I did that to Albus once when we were little and he . . . well, I wouldn't recommend it."
"James," said Cordelia in a teasing voice, raising one eyebrow. "What did Albus do to you?"
James muttered something indistinctly.
Cordelia laughed, "Sorry, what was that?"
"He stole dad's wand and somehow made me say stuff that I didn't want to say." James said this all in one breath.
"Like what?"
James seemed to recover from his embarrassment, "Well lets put it this way, a family of war heroes don't react well when you tell them the enemy should have won the war."
Cordelia winced, "Ouch, sorry."
"I have found the strength to put it behind me," said James in an injured voice, Cordelia laughed again. They headed to the lady at the counter and paid for their preferred sweets.
They left Honeydukes and walked along the street, peering into windows so as to not waste time going into places that sold newt-cleaning kits; they continued the topic of families.
"So, I have just realised that you know a lot about my family, both from history books and me, what's your family like?" asked James.
"Does that get annoying, having a famous family," answered Cordelia, only half-listening to the former question.
James thought for a moment, "Yeah - well . . . when I just started school it was frustrating because I was just Harry Potter's son. But then I made a name for myself and everyone began to see me as my awesome self and realised that my Dad's heroics were nothing in comparison to what his son brought to Hogwarts."
"You're really subtle, you know that right?"
"Yes, thank you," said James. "You're avoiding my question."
Cordelia turned away from a Gladrags Wizarding Wear, of the opinion that she should probably save clothes shopping for when she was with one of her friends that were not James. "No, I wasn't . . . I just - my family are pretty average compared to yours."
"I'm actually interested," said James, sitting on a little bench and cracking open the chocolate frogs.
Cordelia took one and sat down next to him, "Well, I have a Mum and a Dad and a little brother called -,"
"How much littler?" interrupted James.
"If you would let me finish," said Cordelia, chuckling. "They're called Julie, Christopher, and William. My mum's a lawyer and she is probably why I'm so stubborn. My dad works with large mining companies and tells them how they can be more energy efficient, and-"
"I literally didn't understand anything you just said," said a very confused James.
Cordelia scowled at him, "Stop interrupting. And finally my brother, Will. Well, he isn't a wizard, obviously, because he's already thirteen, but it doesn't really matter that much to him because he's quite smart and fits into the muggle world just fine. He looks forward to when I come home and can show him my books and stuff and I can't wait until I'm able to perform magic outside of Hogwarts because then I can show him actual magic. I also have a dog, Barnabus, or Barny, who is an Irish-wolfhound. We only named him that because Barnabus Bode sounds cool"
"Do you miss them?" asked James, looking at her intently.
"Yes ... I sometimes wish they were magical so they could visit like your parents do, but then I realise they'd be different people, and - why am I telling you this?" said Cordelia.
"We're getting to know one another which, in my opinion, is long overdue," replied James, standing up and holding out a hand for her to take. Cordelia took his hand but let go quickly after she was on her feet. Touching him made her think about their kiss, and that was something she didn't really want to think about too much.
Authors Note: Hogsmeade trip will continue in next chapter.