Authors Note: Hi everyone! Thank you for reviewing and following. Anyway, one person requested Scorpius/Lily and I am teetering on the edge of including some drama outside the main characters and am thinking that would be a good topic to do. So there's that.

Disclaimer: It all started with J. K. Rowling so the stuff belongs to her. Also, I sort of based one of my scenes on Upper Middle Bogan. Great show.

Cordelia lay back against the grass laughing at a joke Fred had just said. She saw that Beatrice had a slightly shocked expression on her face and lightly nudged her.

"You okay?" she asked quietly.

Beatrice gave a sideways smile and replied, "I didn't realise Fred had such a dirty mind." Cordelia chuckled, glad that it hadn't been something bigger. It had been a week and three days since she had reacquired her friends and it had been one of the happiest times of her life. Everyone was so desperate to forgive and forget that they let nothing interfere with their time together. Although Cordelia was a little ashamed of her actions she would not replace the relationship she had with the seven people around her.

"How close does the giant squid come to the shore?" enquired James out of nowhere. He had his feet in the water with Fred and Ella, looking curiously into the depths.

"Yes James," said Cordelia sarcastically. "Sometimes at night the giant squid comes to shore, purposefully beaching himself only to use his land legs to go back down to the into the deep.

Hazel snorted with laughter on Cordelia's right, "Ahh James, someday you'll learn not to ask stupid questions when Miss Perfect is around."

James pouted and lay back, resting his head on Beatrice's legs, looking at her upside down. "You don't think I'm stupid do you sweet Bea?"

"Er …" said Beatrice, looking guiltily at Cordelia. "Yes? No? Somewhere in between."

"Bea you don't have to look so stricken, James and I aren't together-" started Cordelia.

"Sadly," interrupted James.

Cordelia shot him a dirty look. "Anyway … we were talking about your intelligence."

"Yes, the amount of it startles even myself," said James.

"And your teachers are surprised as well, they've never had such a modest, smart student … oh wait, Henry is sitting behind me," said Ella, smirking.

"Alright, we can all stop picking on me now," said James in a hurt voice.

Fred heaved a great sigh, "But mate, it's so much fun. You're like a festering, open wound."

James peered sideways at him. "You know what's funny? I've known you for sixteen years and I never know what you're going to say next."

They lapsed into silence, enjoying the cool weather; a great improvement over the biting wind they had endured for the past month or so. Ella pushed herself back in between Hazel and Cordelia. throwing her feet over Hazel and put her head on Cordelia's stomach. For some reason this was a great source of amusement to the three girls and they started to laugh. Ella grabbed Beatrice's hands and she joined in too. Soon all four girls were rolling about on the grass by the lake, laughing at absolutely nothing at all.

Henry walked over to the three boys who were looking apprehensive and said, "Any idea what they're doing?"

"No," replied James. "But it's severely disturbing."

"Girls are a strange species," added Jasper, and the other three nodded in agreement.

"Oi! You four," shouted Beatrice. "We're cold, do you want to walk around?"

Jasper, ever enamoured with the bright-eyed blond jumped up and offered her an arm, Bea took it gratefully and they began to walk in the direction of the castle. The others followed, taking their time.

Hazel did a double take when she saw Cordelia's furrowed brow. "What's up?" she asked.

"Has anyone else noticed something happening between those two?" Cordelia said thoughtfully.

"Oh most definitely, the signs are all there," said Ella with a knowing air. "They would be that cute couple that never shouted, never fought, no drama, just utterly caught up in their own love for each other."

Fred looked disgusted, "I'll die before I let my own friend be stuck in such a hellhole."

"Oh, shut up," said Ella and Cordelia together.

"What about Cordelia and I," asked James innocently.

Cordelia swung around and started hissing madly at him, shooting a few curses, but James was saved by Beatrice who had rounded back to the group, still hanging off Jasper's arm, "What about you and Cordelia?"

"We're trying to see how people would view us as a couple," clarified James.

Ella was very thoughtful when she answered his question, "Hmm, I don't really know. Most likely you'd be the couple that everyone loves but are very aware that it could go off at any time. Like terrorists with bombs."

"Well that's reassuring," replied James, deadpanned.

"Come on idiot," said Cordelia, walking backwards to face the boy. "I'll race you to the doors, just make sure you don't blow up if you lose."

"Deal."

They ran off, Cordelia in the lead but James caught up to her, grabbing her waist and swinging her around, Cordelia screaming at him to let her down.

Ella grinned cheerfully as the scene and turned around to the remaining five. "Does everyone understand the plan?"

"Yes," everyone replied except for Fred who said, "What plan?"

"Oh for merlin's sake Fred," exclaimed Ella. "I went over it with you for about half-an-hour last night!" Fred continued to look blankly at her so she elaborated, "The plan to get Cordelia to stop being so stubborn and express her love for James so they can ride off into the sunset."

Fred's eyes widened. "You mean the plan that I said was completely crazy and stupid. Why don't you just ask her why she won't admit it?"

"Er …" said Hazel, confused. "Have you met Cordelia?"

"Yes, and I think she's a completely terrifying women who could and would chop my balls off. I'm not participating," replied Fred firmly.

Ella gave a twisted smile. "Oh that's so cute."

"What is?" said Fred.

"That you think you have a choice. Cordelia will admit she loves James or I will make you feel pain unlike you've never even dreamed of," said Ella, determined to make up for the time she had missed.

Fred ducked behind Jasper's bulky frame and said nothing. Beatrice raised a tentative hand in the air and Ella gave her a nod. She asked, "Why are we doing this so openly? Couldn't we have a plan that's just the tiniest bit subtle?"

"Well," began Ella, shaking her hair off her shoulder. "It's not just Cordelia. James still hasn't proclaimed his feelings even though he's been ogling over her for the past three years, he's really bad at talking to her properly. We need to make this big so they have no choice other than to run to the closest bedroom." Everyone made noises of disgust but Ella wasn't backing down. She had let down her friends, it was time to become greater than ever.

Cordelia sat alone in the common room, still puffed from the run that she had competed in with James. Being the competitive and stubborn female that she was, she was not going to let him win; therefore, she nearly killed herself sprinting up that hill. Cordelia absolutely hated running. She took a walk each morning to keep fit (or almost every morning) and left it at that. The physical side of things was not her forte; she preferred brains over brawn.

Anyway, she had about three hours before dinner and was determined to get her Charms under control which she had neglected because it came so naturally to her but recently realised that it probably wouldn't cut it for a sixth year exam. Picking up her books from her dormitory she discovered a letter sitting on her bed and a stabbing fear rushed through her body; was it another warning or threat?

Luckily, it was an actual letter, return address was to Mrs Hermione Weasley.

Thank merlin! She thought it'd never come; James had freaked her out with what he had said to her by the fire that night. What she needed was help. James was her support but, no offense to him, was not an expert when it came to time travel and absorbing the secrets to the universe. Cordelia raced back down the stairs and sat in the window seat so no passers-by could peep over her shoulder.

The letter read:

To Miss Cordelia Anne Bode,

I have read your letter and, although you tried to come off as a bystander, I am related to the head auror and information gets passed around. Yes, I have had experience with time-turners, not in-depth but I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious as well and I have done some research in the recent years. However, I don't think this is information that should be passed over by a letter; James' other aunt (yes, I recognise your name), Audrey and myself are coming to Hogwarts over the Easter holidays and I could meet with you then. This trip is half to catch up with the family and half to check on whether our new laws are being upheld with the school's house elf's. This means I will have spare time and would love to help out a friend of the family. I am not a fool, I can put pieces together and urge you to only tell those you trust but I gather you are an intelligent girl (mainly because you haven't started to date my nephew as soon as he asked you like some of the previous airheads) and have already done this.

Looking forward to seeing you,

Mrs Hermione Weasley

Representative of House Elf's and other non-wizarding creatures

Department for the Regulation and Support of Magical Creatures

Level 4 Corridor 2 Office D

Ministry of Magic

London

With a beaming smile Cordelia let out the nervous energy pertaining to the problem of little information. After all, she thrived on facts and Cordelia had a feeling Hermione was part of the same group: Bookish and driven women. She didn't know much about Audrey Weasley other than that she was the mother of Molly and Lucy and wife of the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. She worked in archives so she must be coming to Hogwarts to document and see if things need updating, thought Cordelia, shifting through her knowledge of the witch. Cordelia had liked Molly, she was in Ravenclaw and was the head girl when she was in the seventh year, meaning she had overseen Cordelia's first year of being a prefect. Molly had not been your average head girl – she was very fun and creative and the prefect meetings had been rather entertaining compared to the rattling off of rules that was the present year. Lucy was probably the cousin she had spoken to the least; being in Hufflepuff and with no other family members in her year level but had heard good things about her.

Hopefully Audrey was the same kind of person; James had made out she was quite full-on. Oh well.

Someday, Cordelia was going to be like these women. Respected and established within society and making a difference. Just not in the same way.

As she was dreaming of her perfect future, Cordelia heard running and looked up from the letter to see Ella and Beatrice running towards her, faces red and breathing heavily. Cordelia half rose from her seat and said worriedly, "Has something happened?"

Ella stopped, panting heavily. "Two boys … divination classroom … messing up crystal … balls."

"Divination classroom?" questioned Cordelia, fulling rising and grabbing her things. There was mischief afoot. Ella nodded, sinking into an armchair.

As Cordelia reached the portrait hole Beatrice called to her, "Hurry! They're really destructive. Twelve years old, you know."

Cordelia dashed out of the common room, it was a quick walk to the tower and she pushed open the door to find …

"ELLA! YOU WILL DIE!"

Today was great, thought James as he trekked through the fifth floor, having checked the floor below in the library for Cordelia. She was out of her natural habitat.

Why her? What characteristics did she possess that made her stand out from the other girls, and there had been plenty of them.

She was different.

Independent.

Driven.

Naïve to an extent.

Positive.

Stubborn in many annoying ways.

Righteous and loyal.

All things considered, one would say she was a good person but he still didn't understand. Maybe it was the little things that made her so attractive.

Imaginative.

Instinctive when pressured.

Sarcastic.

Her astounding ability to ignore the daily pettiness that was abundant in teenagers.

The way she day-dreamed in class but awoke to go into a frenzy about what she had missed.

Ahh well. He'd figure it out one day. He had other things to focus on, like what his friends should do to some Slytherin boys that had been sniffing around Beatrice Jordan. Or so Jasper had said, being as watchful as he was.

Just as he was wondering how easy it would be to get a chimera, Fred approached him from down the hall.

"Hey, something's happening at the Divination room. A big cat fight," his cousin said, grinning.

James raised his eyebrows as he was prone to do when Fred had information, "Take me."

They arrived at the trapdoor ("Ladies first," said Fred) and James pulled himself up into the stuffy room only to hear the door swing shut behind him. Something was definitely happening but it wasn't 'big'.

He instantly went through his mental checklist of recent times he'd pulled something on Fred. Maybe it was payback for the time he had blindfolded Fred and taken him to a secret location to meet Silvia Brown (hottest girl according to Fred) and pushed him into a room, only for Fred to discover that he was dirty talking Professor McGonagall, as it had been her office.

Very funny, but revenge worthy.

Just as he was wondering what would happen next he heard a sound like that of a plunger and saw the trapdoor open to present one Cordelia Bode. It was amusing to watch her face change colour as her anger levels rose, for about two seconds until James realised he was the only one there for her to take her anger out on.

"ELLA! YOU WILL DIE," she screamed, running to the entrance and banging on it. When that didn't work she took out her wand and started shouted random spells but it didn't budge.

"Are you okay?" asked James tentatively.

Cordelia stopped, breathing heavily. "I will be when I MURDER EVERYONE INVOLVED," she yelled, aiming the last part at the door.

"Why are you so angry?"

"Please tell me you understand the severity of why they've put us in here," she said distractedly, now pounding on the walls.

Understanding dawned on James' face as he recognised their friends plot. "Huh. But they haven't got us, we don't have to do anything. What are you trying to do?"

"Could you stop with the twenty questions and start helping," asked an increasingly violent Cordelia. James, who had seen this before on many occasions, immediately started to check the windows, not really thinking.

"Oh brilliant James," hissed Cordelia. "Let's just jump out the window and kill ourselves why don't we?"

James ignored her destructive criticism; she obviously did not understand his genius. "We could summon my broomstick, it's just over there in the shed."

"They have anti-summoning wards on the brooms so people can't steal them," said Cordelia, sitting down next to the trapdoor and glaring at it as though it had insulted her.

"You know," started James, pushing his luck. "While we're here we could-"

Cordelia's head shot up. "You, shut up and sit down or I'll curse you myself."

They sat in angry silence for a few minutes.

"What brought you to this finely set trap?" asked James, thinking it safe to talk to her now that she'd stopped shouting and put away her wand.

"The lure of rule enforcing, you?" Cordelia said this in a lower voice, bringing comfort to James' ears.

James cleared his throat, remembering and attempted to brush it off, "About the same I guess."

"You, rule enforcing? Oh what I'd give to see that," said Cordelia before lapsing into giggles. "What did you really hear?"

"Er … something about … I think Trewlawney … sometimes Professor Vector comes … it's called a zebra maybe?" muttered James. Cordelia gave him a piercing stare that reminded him so much of McGonagall that he crumbled, "Fine, Fred told me two girls were fighting up here."

Cordelia sighed, "Oh, James. You get so close."

"So close to what?"

"Never mind," she answered, looking at a corner of their only exit.

"Never mind what?"

As she drew out her wand, Cordelia chuckled with her response, "You know, sometimes you seem like a petulant child and sometimes you act like a entitled king. The other times … well I dunno."

"Just me? I'll have you know I'm equal to a king. King James the first of England," said James, trying to look regal.

"Nah, you're not like him," said Cordelia, while tapping the trapdoor with her wand. "And I think if I just … Yes!" The door popped open and she started to climb down.

"Why not?"

She smirked, "King James hated and was terrified of witches. First one, not true. Second one, yet to sink in."

"Ha ha," said James sarcastically, following her down the ladder.

"Now, it's time to find our friends."

"You know Ella was just trying to help."

Cordelia had a determined fire in her eyes, "Ahh, but you forget your good friend Fred who swore to all things good and holy that he'd never try anything of the sort again. He dies."

"Right," said James, swallowing nervously. "I don't know where he is." He began to walk off but was halted in his escape by a firm hand on his upper arm. Usually this would make him happy, but this time he was scared. It had been a long time since that vengeful glint had been present.

Yes, witches did terrify him. Not that he'd ever tell Cordelia that.

"I feel bad," said Beatrice. "Cordelia hates being set up."

"This is what she needs," replied Hazel, who usually couldn't care less about the events around her but had been getting annoyed by all the flirty-ness surrounding the pair.

Fred spoke up, "Why is it all about Bode? James is the one getting exactly what he wants right now."

"I'm sorry," said Ella. "Yet again you display a surprising ignorance about Cordelia. She won't have done anything after only fifteen minutes."

"And what?" started a cold voice behind them. "Were you expecting to happen after, let's say, an hour?"

The four students in the discussion whirled around to see Cordelia standing behind them, you could almost see the steam coming out of her ears. Henry and Jasper barely looked up, knowing that to interfere would be to get injured.

"It was his idea," said Ella, pointing at Fred.

"What?" cried Fred, leaping from his relaxed position. "Cordelia, trust me … it was all her, I'm innocent!"

Cordelia advanced on him, rather like a tiger stalking her prey. "Then why … did you take part?"

"Well," said Fred, looking relieved that Cordelia didn't look angry anymore. James was gesturing wildly behind him but it went ignored. "I think it's time you gave in."

"Gave in," scoffed Cordelia. "Rather like a girl, don't you think? Giving into the handsome man's charms. Forsaking her values and beliefs for a little time with her 'other half'?"

"Er … yes," replied Fred. He was quite confused about where Cordelia was headed. He made the awful mistake of flashing her his most winning smile.

"Oh merlin," moaned James, covering his eyes as Cordelia zeroed in and pounced. Six years and his friend still hadn't learned.

Fred yowled as Cordelia hit him in the chest, knocking him into the wall. She pulled up very close to his face – nose to nose – and reached down. "Now, I recall last time this happened … last year, was it?"

"Yes," squeaked the young wizard.

"Well, I did think I made my point crystal clear so it's time to pay up," Cordelia continued in the same tone, barely breathing her words. "Which of these would you like to keep?"

Cordelia was tapped on the shoulder by Beatrice who said, "Look, it was all our idea. We didn't realise it would be so humiliating for you and you can't blame Fred for being a wanker." Cordelia nodded in agreement and Bea smiled, "Good. Now would you let go of his testicles please."

James checked if Fred was alright while Cordelia sat down on his vacant armchair. "This is so annoying."

"What?" asked Ella, now engaged in something else.

"That you're my friends and I have to forgive you," replied Cordelia as if it was the greatest inconvenience to ever take place.

Fred heaved a tortured sigh, and Hazel smirked, "Hurting much?"

"Oh wouldn't you like to know," said Fred, trying to be his usual self but the whimpering softened the meaning.

"What I wouldn't give," replied Hazel casually, playing along. "I'm going to dinner … coming Cordelia?"

Cordelia nodded and picked up her stuff. Friends, she thought, they'll be the death of me.

The next four weeks past in a haze of laughter and studying for Cordelia. The important events are listed:

-Ella killed Louis' owl which caused a week of drama, hilarious to watch. One wonders how an 'accident' pertains to a perfectly healthy owl falling from the highest rafter in the owlery.

-James and Fred pushed Professor McGonagall one step too far and ended up getting a month of detentions. James had to polish the trophies in the trophy room ("It's the worst punishment ever," he complained one night. "It's like all my relative's achievements are laughing at my descent to failure.") and Fred had to help Professor Longbottom repot the Venomous Tentacula ("Best detention I've ever had," said Fred, in front of a red-faced James. "Neville was so worried I would hurt the 'poor thing' I just watched as he nearly strangled himself.")

-Jasper and Beatrice were getting closer. Beatrice hardly batted an eye before saying yes when Ella asked her if Louis could join them for breakfast one morning. Cordelia swore she saw them holding hands but Hazel pfft-ed her.

-Hazel was asked several times to Hogsmeade on Valentine's day and chose Ben Silverman, funnily enough, who she punched in the face. The details are still unknown.

-Very sadly, Scorpius and Rose had a huge fight. They are still together but everyone knows something is up.

-Cordelia received a time and place to meet with the two ministry women. Very exciting.

And that's about it.

Cordelia walked through the halls, wanting to make a good first impression with her punctuality. She arrived at the specified classroom and knocked.

"Come in."

The door swung open slowly as Cordelia edged into the room. The teacher's desk was piled high with files, it looked like this was their base of operations. The two witches were seated at either end, working, but rose when Cordelia entered.

"Thank you for agreeing to see me," said Cordelia gratefully. "Believe me, I was very close to asking the first person who shot me a smile between classes."

Hermione laughed and said, "Here, we have some things to look through but the Ministry is sadly lacking in files about time. It's all classified I'm afraid."

"By who?"

"Unspeakables," said Audrey. "Bloody uptight they are. I asked them once for a free pass into their department and now I'm banned for life. From the whole level! Where's the goodwill?"

Cordelia chuckled, "James agrees, doesn't like secrets."

"Ahh, what is it with our nephew that makes girls so attracted to him? I love him and all, but he's a little shit," Audrey asked Hermione.

"Oh no," said Cordelia, determined to clarify. "I'm not attracted to him … well I- kind of … it's different," she finished, cheeks reddening.

Hermione sat down and cleared a chair for Cordelia. "We know what you mean. The family doesn't allow anyone to be secretive, I think some of us live vicariously through our children."

The young witch smiled and placed herself on the chair, perched nervously on the end and waited for someone else to start.

"Well," said Audrey, passing her a small stack of files. "I managed to wrangle these for you, in other words I took these when no one was watching. Anyway, these are records of past time-turner usage and research the Ministry has conducted into the substance of time and how it appears in the world."

"Thank you again," breathed Cordelia, staring at the paper in front of her like it was solid gold. "And also can we-"

"Keep this quiet?" interrupted Hermione. "Of course. Is there anything you wanted to ask us? I don't know if we'll be able to help but we can give it a go."

Cordelia nodded and ruffled through her bag, pulling out the single sheet of parchment that had been giving her so much grief. "Here, this is what I … found. It has my name and the symptoms I displayed one time when I went into the hospital wing but I haven't managed to translate the language or understand any of the diagrams."

Audrey took the paper, putting on her recently neglected reading glasses and gave the page a quick scan. She handed it to Hermione and said, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Probably," answered Hermione. "This language is old. Very old. It's sort of a primitive version of ancient runes but different symbols mean different things. Hard to translate and nearly extinct so the question is …"

"What is someone doing with this buried language?" finished Cordelia.

"You start reading and we'll translate and do some diagrams, yeah?" said Audrey. Cordelia agreed and they began.

For nearly half-an-hour all that could be heard was the scratching of quills and the rustling of paper as someone flipped through a book. Cordelia didn't even have time to acknowledge that she was working with some of the smartest and most famous witches in the wizarding world. The stuff she was reading was in-depth and interesting. She learnt that it was possible to move backward but not forward in time because people didn't have any knowledge of what was to come. It was discovered that by using Prior Incantatum, one can return to the time they left from. There was a case in 1743 when a man tried to reclaim his love and ended up killing the past version of himself, eliminating his future. Time and space had been, according to some accounts, been controlled by Merlin himself when he was alive but he would have had to completely absorb the infinity of it to be able to do so. Cordelia blanched at this point; could this have been what the people had done to her? On a smaller scale, maybe?

The silence was broken when Audrey spoke, "Hermione, I don't understand this part. All of this is drabble about spells and enchantments but this sentence here is underlined and I don't know why."

"Show me," said Hermione, leaning over to check. "Oh, that relates to this picture."

"Picture?" asked Cordelia.

"This one here, it shows a place. I see how you were confused with the circles buts it's just some hills and caves where these people found some of the spells," said Hermione.

Suddenly, Audrey put another piece of parchment in front of Hermione. It made no sense to Cordelia but both witches started to work in earnest, as though they were closing in.

"So, was this written recently or all of it from the caves?"

"Er …" started Hermione, distracted. "They've converted it into a modern meaning but the part we're having trouble with is wholly new part. It seems essential, however." Both witches continued reading until, "… oh my merlin …"

Cordelia was flabbergasted. "What? What are you reading?"

But both witches stayed silent; fear and pity mingled in their eyes as they stared at the young witch in front of them.

Her fate had been discovered.

Authors Note: Keep reading! Next chapter up soon which will contain more James/Cordelia stuff.