Surprise!
I had a bit of a writing spur and wrote quite a bit and considering how awol I am usually, I decided not to sit on it. Things move ahead in this chapter significantly.
Hope you have as much reading it as I did writing. Send me Reviews!
Chapter 43
Prelude of Summer
Tom's POV
In between the piles of homework that they received and setting the plans for managing the elder Carrows, the last week before term ended turned out to be busy.
The Hogwarts Court had a new department; Solus, for welfare. It had been a few weeks of discussion as it formed actual bones from their ideas.
"War may have not touched magical Britain yet, but we should anticipate needs rather than trying to meet them in crisis." Cordelia's prudence came from ages of memories.
Tom concurred. He was intimately aware of the consequences on the muggle side of things.
"Not everyone has an ancient lordship." He shrugged, "Or is Evelyn."
Evelyn's status as someone very important in muggle administration greatly influenced opinions and helped in establishing the members and some protocols.
War made orphans and refugees. War also created destitution.
Evelyn had hesitated after all was said and done. They had plans in the pipeline.
Cordelia just looked at her until Evelyn admitted, "Jade Marks may need help sooner than she would admit. Her family farms and the Prime Minister is soon going to seize rations for the government executively. The reimbursement might be low or none. And her father and siblings might be drafted. I do not know the exact circumstances of her family or members but it is going to get harder for her."
Cordelia closed her eyes in regret, "Jade is too proud."
"For strangers." Tom stepped in.
Cordelia made a curious noise.
"I am very proud. So is Evelyn. We accepted your help because you are our friend. Guaranteed, you cannot become close friends with everyone but if we establish a network. I think the court helps, but muggle-borns are usually out of the loop in summer."
"We should host gatherings," Cordelia said absently.
"Might make her feel out of place. Pureblood wealth is…" Evelyn trailed off.
"Would you be open to hosting a few members of the inner circle Evelyn? It would make it a more even exchange of cultural ideas. Maybe once. I was hoping to have Charlie host one because his mother is well-established in the muggle and magical world. And obviously, the Blacks and Malfoys are an option. If we meet frequently during the break, offering aid, even knowing that aid is needed might be easier." Cordelia mused.
"I would be happy to. We could probably align it with when you planned to stay with us. Moreover, it is London so it should be easier for people who cannot apparate yet." Evelyn said.
Slowly, the plans and protocols solidified.
Malfoy Manor was a possible safe house. Lord Malfoy would not deny Cordelia. Potters was also another option and Cordelia was already coordinating with Lady Potter.
The last week also turned out to be bizarre.
Tons of people fell ill. 'Which is how contagion worked' was the sore response when Dorea asked Madam Underhill in between her coughs, and nasally voice.
A lot of people chopped up their fingers while sharpening their quills. There were spell misfires.
People fell and had broom accidents. People lost precious things or got caught for things that they were normally very good at doing and escaping. Hot food and tea spilled and scalded; people slipped. Essays got lost.
Tom was so very afraid for Cordelia. She did not have accidents, but her nightmares got worse. Or at least he thought so in his fretfulness.
He luckily seemed to escape it all.
Evelyn was fine, chatting away with Cordelia finalizing some summer plans on most hours. Charlie was fine too, despite the threat of contagion from Dorea, who spent hours in his arms just sniffling.
Sebastian got the bug and got a public lashing from Minerva McGonagall on his tasteless sense of superiority when he was bemoaning and mocking people who had studied too hard for OWLS.
Even she looked surprised by her vitriol.
Walburga lost her voice, and not through the infection. And while having a discussion on flowers with Evelyn's two friends, she and Amy both had an accident. Blood was spilled, and it mixed.
Walburga was very quiet for a few days. Eerily quiet. Tom remembered vaguely something that he and Cordelia had confronted her with; people bleed all the same.
Walburga had come a long way, but it somehow did not erase what she had done earlier. Perhaps she was reflecting on that. Orion scored very low on all his exams, except Runes where Tom had coached him. He also got the bug.
Alphard and Anastius fell into their own prank wars. And one day, Burke lost his temper and gave them a seething lecture on their worth.
Burke also had a surprise. Titania had surpassed his scores by a lot. Apparently, she always had, but she never made a big fuss about it. Burke also seemed to be questioning things.
Abraxas also got the flu, but he was so bad with rashes, and breathlessness that he had to spend a few nights in the infirmary because he was wheezing so much.
It was not just people he knew. Lestrange fell down his broom. Detection charms on his broom predicted that the magic just failed randomly for a few minutes and it just plummeted to the ground.
Julia Avery had been getting letters breaking her troth to Carrow. She had been ignoring the missives, but she got a howler from her father disavowing the Carrow heir and her behavior.
"He is just trying to score brownie points with other noble families." Kyran snorted as they finished a round of chess. He also seemed more or less okay.
It seemed random until Dumbledore got stuck in a transfiguration rebound or something in his 2nd year Gryffindor classroom and got stuck as a garden snake and then got trampled on by second years who were scared of snakes. He was rescued and the healers at St. Mungos were trying to reverse the unholy combination of spell damage. His bones were healing slowly because the skelegrow was not approved for snakes.
Moreso, creature medicine was not so advanced. Newt Scamander was called in; the last Tom had heard.
Slughorn had gone to a league game at the invitation of some of his connections. But he was snubbed by one of the leading players who had been a late bloomer and had been snubbed by the Slug Club.
It had made the 5th page in the newspaper with commentary on the merits of such a gathering and their long term. Considering it came on the heels of the end-of-year Slug Club party, Slughorn looked like he always had those god-awful candies that Dumbledore handed out, sour as lemons.
Tom was visiting Abraxas in the hospital wing when he mulled this over.
Abraxas looked awful. White, wheezing. He weakly smiled at Tom and asked him to take care of Corrie, before he dozed off into delirium again.
Last time, when a string of unexplained things had occurred, Cordelia was behind it.
This was also similar. Similar but not the same. It could not be the bad luck potion, because the luck was very selective and she had been too occupied to actually go around poisoning so many people specifically. The scale was also so different.
But he was thinking along those lines because he remembered why he was here. Dorea had asked him to visit along with Cordelia.
"She has been so busy that she has not had the time, and Abraxas tends to need her more when he is sick."
Cordelia had not come with him. Too busy with something.
Which was very unlike her. Tom himself had done two visits.
Tom had a horrible feeling. He gave Abraxas a look and turned out and almost rushed to Cordelia's side.
Thankfully, she was not in the common room. Which meant she was in the Towers already. It was her designated Nyx and Lux time.
There was no way that she had time to spend with kneazles and not visit her cousin.
Tom could not understand it. At all. But he had this feeling that this was her doing.
He rushed upstairs, climbing two stairs at a time, to find her in her nightgown playing with yarns and the kneazles in the master bedroom.
Their usual training material. Things Cordelia was teaching them to fetch on command, or some treats lay to the side.
When he entered (and only he could have besides her), she said without looking up, "They refused to train today. Granted, Nyx was very good at fetching in the beginning, but now they just want to play."
Tom opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
When he did not respond, she turned around and looked at him, and then hastily got up in concern.
He supposed his face was doing something that clued her in that something was wrong.
Her light fingers touched her cheeks, "Are you alright, what's wrong?"
Tom did not know where to begin. Would he be accusing her? Her cousin, her precious cousin.
With that thought, he got some clarity, and he felt his shoulders relax a bit, "Abraxas did not look so great, he will likely be there till the last day of the term."
Tom was so attuned to her that he picked up the sudden micro tenseness and the pain in her eyes.
He went for the kill, "He misses you. For a short moment, he was lucid, he asked me to take care of you." At that, Cordelia removed her hand from his cheeks and sighed. The discomfort and hurt were obvious to her now.
"I have been busy." She said in a monotone whisper. But she had wrapped her arms around herself. She was normally more aware of what her body showed about her feelings.
"Did you have a fight; are you mad at him for something?" Tom asked quickly. The sooner they went over the excuses, the sooner he could probably get to the point.
She loved her family. Dorea, Walburga, Sebastian. Abraxas. Why would she….
"No, no. No fighting. And he has not done anything to offend me lately." Cordelia gave a humorless breathy half-laugh.
"Lately?" Tom questioned.
At that, Cordelia looked at him, and this time her eyes screamed that she knew that he knew, "You already suspect something is amiss, and you are just fishing."
Tom gave her a steady look, "It seemed like a wild and unjust accusation. You love Abraxas and a lot of others."
"I do, don't I? The short answer is that I have not been to visit him because I caused it. His sickness. It seemed very callous, Machiavellian, to go help nurse him back. I almost feel dirty just thinking of it." She confirmed and looked away.
Tom almost asked the what, why, and how, but he kept his mouth shut.
"No barbs." She asked lightly.
"I do trust you." Tom said softly, "I may not understand what is happening or why. But I trust you. So, I will wait to listen."
It was the truth. Tom had rushed here because he was concerned about her, her personhood. He cared about Abraxas. He did. It had been not great to see him suffering, to see any of them suffer like this though he might have taken some pleasure at some people's suffering, mostly he was concerned. For Dorea, For Abraxas, For Orion, hell even for Walburga.
"I threw my family under the bus. Are you not worried about yourself?" She had self-loathing in her eyes.
"You always throw them under the bus when it comes to me," Tom noted carelessly and he had an epiphany as he spoke the sentence.
Cordelia was merely looking at him intently now.
"This is about me." He simply said. There was a question there.
Cordelia to her credit made no deflections, and simply gave a small nod.
She closed her eyes, and she looked conflicted, "As magicae, I have certain skills and access to knowledge. You know that. It came to me when I was dealing with Black Luck. Tom, I love you. I would have loved you without the whole Slytherin legacy if you were a muggle-born in an orphanage. And perchance, if I were not in love with you, I expected myself to be decent to you. I expected my family to be decent to you. What they did, what they did not do, was cruel. I do not even know the full thing. I decided to get justice.
"I have to admit I was not as conflict-free as I would have liked. I timed it for post-exams and the quidditch final so things do not affect people extremely adversely. It is a ritual that asks magic for proportionate justice in some scenarios. And I scaled it to Hogwarts. I had some clue on what might happen, but the exact punishment for everyone is not something that is specified by me. It is all magic."
"I understand everyone's punishments. All of them. Even Abraxas. There is some conflict. I was not certain what I would do in the infirmary, curse him for being horrible to you for him to get so afflicted, or nurse him. He has always been terribly needy when he gets ill and if he can get someone to fuss on him."
Tom was speechless. His mind was blank.
He just took two steps forward and hugged her with all his might, "I love you. I am so happy to have you around. I like when you are happy. I am so grateful for all the time that you chose me. You did not need to do this. You do not need to choose between me and them especially when they are family to me as well. They were cruel yes. I agree with that. I was not an angel either but I am certain after this year, that I deserved better. But you see, now I do not just have better. I probably have the most wonderful, precious thing in the world. You. And the life you fill around you. I do not need anything else, not from you. Not even from them. Not if it hurts you, puts you in so much muddled feelings."
It was like a dam broke, and Cordelia sobbed.
"They were cruel."
"They were. They were also children. Nobody modeled better things for them. Look at them now, after your entire campaign on being better. I know it does not erase things. But I could not care less because I am ready to put it behind me. I have such an incredible person beside me, and I am so looking forward to the beautiful, plentiful life I want with her. It does not matter Lia, because now I have you. And I do not want you to do anything that causes you an inch of pain."
She hugged him tighter, "You have me."
"I know I do," Tom said gently, pecking her hair.
"I love you so much." She mumbled, "It killed me to know how people forget decency."
"I know." He kissed another part of her hair.
"I just, I was so angry Tom." She mumbled.
"I can see that around the castle." He said lightly.
She punched him lightly on his shoulders with a small chuckle.
"Are you mad at me?" She asked in a small voice a few moments later.
"No," Tom said without missing a beat.
"I am not mad. I understand vengeance more than you do. You at least invoked justice." Tom admitted, "I do not like seeing you hurt like this. Not on my account."
"Why would I not do things on your account? You are my…" She paused, and then firmly declared, "You are mine."
"And somehow you are mine so I am allowed to be worried about you." Tom kissed her ear lightly.
"Touché," She muttered grumpily.
"I am serious Lia."
"I want to build a life with you. I am looking to the future. You do not need to worry about taking care of my past. It is but pale in comparison to the life I have now."
She lifted her eyes, looking at him deeply, "Do you promise that I need not worry?"
He simply kissed her forehead in response. There was a magical backlash in response.
It was almost like magic was singing around them.
Cordelia looked alarmed and then guilty.
"What is it?" He asked before she spiraled.
"All magicae have anchors to attach them to real worlds. We already had some magic compatibility. Plus, the declaration. Magic sealed the bond. I was hoping to explain and discuss it with you."
"You wanted this with me?" He asked softly.
"Of course," She said absently as she studied the colorful swirls of magic around them, "I just hoped to be able to ask instead of impose."
"The answer will always be yes," Tom told her.
At that, she looked up in wonder, "You do not even know what it entails. I said, Anchors. Are you not concerned about sharing me?"
"I trust you." He simply said, "I know you would not do something to hurt me. And I suspect all anchors need not be in the kind of relationship that we are."
Cordelia colored a bit, ducking her head, "Yes, it just needs a close bond. Most anchors are platonic. I think I see slivers of it forming with Evelyn."
Tom nodded, "Lia, I promise that you have me. I do not need overtures, and cajoling for me to know that I have you too."
"Promise?" She asked.
"Promise," Tom said firmly. Magic swirled again, differently this time.
Cordelia startled and looked down at her hand, where the Promise ring of the House of Slytherin was glittering in all its glory.
"It seems like it was I who was amiss in asking this time. Huh, the will of magic and all that, it did read my intentions right" Tom said genially.
Cordelia looked at the ring and then at him, and let out a laugh. She reached for him, and he kissed her laughter, and then her tears (happy ones this time).
Cordelia's POV
By agreement, Cordelia's ring was invisible. It would not do for the entire school to find out before her parents did. And also, Uncle Arty who she was sure will not be pleased simply because his input had not been taken and she was the heiress.
Three more days before summer break began.
Cordelia did visit Abraxas. Tom held her fingers strongly in support. Her presence seemed to raise his spirits and Madam Underhill predicted that he would be out two days before the break began.
Cordelia filled Tom in on the plans that she had been making with Evelyn.
"I want to visit the Nagas this summer." She admitted, "As per resources, and my magicae memories, they are definitely in the Indian subcontinent. I have zeroed down on a few locations based on topography."
"A ship would take months, longer than the break" Tom pointed out.
"Which is why I am talking to Evelyn. We are going via airplane." She told him, "Or at least that is the plan if Papa and Baron Adler can finalize the security details and the schedule. I cannot skip Lucy's wedding anyhow. Your robes have been delivered to Malfoy Manor; last we spoke you had accepted Uncle's invitation for an extended stay and are coming with them to France?"
"I am. Until we manage to open Slytherin manor and make it habitable. I also thought to create some distance with Lord Black, lest he thinks he can bully you about…" He looked at her fingers, where her ring sat invisible.
"Oh, I have a plan for that." And she filled him in.
Tom's POV
Solus became a reality.
Tom may not need the benevolence this time around, but he was glad that Cordelia realized how bad the Blitz was.
"We do not yet know the state of the Slytherin Manor. But if it's anywhere near habitable, we could possibly look into it as a base of operations or safe house too. Cordelia and I planned to see the location in the summer post-Lucretia's wedding."
"It will have to be between the wedding and my excursions for Nagas." Cordelia mused.
"Are you sure you want to travel …"
"Without you?" Cordelia said pointedly. She had picked up on his discomfort when she had mentioned that she and Evelyn were going.
"Alone?" Tom persisted.
"Evelyn is coming with me. We are traveling in an airplane with her father who has some business down there."
"There is a muggle war."
"Father's security is very high. He would not have agreed to discuss it with Cordelia's father if he was concerned for safety."
"Papa was more than satisfied. We are also perfectly capable witches. If there is an emergency, we can handle it."
"And what does the muggle administration think of two young girls going on…?"
"Father is selling it as giving me administrative and diplomatic experience. We do have some business interests in India. Of course, Cordelia is a companion. Maids alone are not an acceptable company." Evelyn rattled off, straightening up.
Cordelia looked at her with pride and approval.
"I know you have thoughts on how to find them, but why…" Tom knew his hair was all over from running his fingers through them in distress.
Why did she not want him along?
Evelyn very tactfully made an excuse and left the classroom.
Tom found himself in Cordelia's arms. He slowly relaxed.
"I am sure I can find them with the memories of magicae." She said softly.
Tom just hugged her tighter.
"I cannot risk you, Tom." She sighed.
Tom made a noise of confusion, pulling apart and looking at her face. She looked very serious.
"Every creature clan I have dealt with has had agendas. That includes Veelas and Mistress Radomira has dotted on me since I was a babe. Goblins want something. Even the centaurs were not exactly warm initially. It takes negotiation and hard-headedness. And they were all very interrogative about the anchors and we know I can be unhinged when it comes to you. I am not certain about Nagas. I know they owe me a life debt. One of them does, and also they will not go as far as to actively harm a magicae. Evelyn's position in the administration of Muggle England protects her to an extent especially if she does not trespass and I do not plan to let her. I don't plan to keep you away forever. I want you to be able to meet them. You have as much right as me. I just worry, and I would rather vet them firsthand than lead you through something. I probably would not have taken Evelyn along as well if there were a faster way for me than airplanes. More importantly, if I could make a case to her father and mine. Cross-country travel of this scale is making me hesitate in my usual clandestine, rebellious ways. They are reluctant to let me be alone. And it was easier to convince Baron Adler to let me go than make a case to them about you. Evelyn has told them about the courtship so they do know of you, but propriety. I did not wish to bring Abraxas in on this because that would mean Uncle Rion, and somehow Uncle Arty would have found out."
"You do plan to have me there?" Tom's focus was very narrow at the moment.
Cordelia looked surprised, "Of course. It needs some maneuvering and I am still doing it. We will need both ship and portkey travel for it to work. I cannot use portkey without alerting Uncle Arty. As it is now, I am simply taking an excursion with my muggle friend that my parents are stupid enough to let me go on. But we could use the Goblins for you. You will have to jump through a series of them, from France to Portugal to Cape of Good Hope and Yemen. You should reach Bombay in time. A total of 12 days at most I suspect. Of course, I do not know finally where exactly I have to be. We will land in Delhi and go from there but I suspect two weeks of just general scouting before we find it. And another few days with Nagas should do it, as long as they are not hostile or claiming that people are stealing their gifts."
"If that happens, then I shall simply leave and we can meet in Bombay and do something. I am sure we can pick up some magic or find some creature and learn about them first-hand or just sightsee. I considered another airplane for you, but I thought with the bombings via plane, you might not…" She shrugged there, then kissed his cheek, "Stop worrying you noob, did you not say you love and trust me?"
"I do. I just do not want to be away. I know we will not be together all the time in summer, but...It's a whole different country and I thought you were going away for weeks when I would be here. I would have missed you." Tom admitted while waving his hands about.
Separation was something he dreaded now.
"I have been trying not to think about it. It is going to be awful regardless. And hard. I am so used to having you around. But plans, I have been tweaking things so we are not apart for too long and I commissioned something. Have you read about scurrying mirrors? There is a wizard who does commissions for paired mirrors, so we could talk face-to-face even if we are around each other. It is all not yet finalized so I did not want to get you excited. But Tom, there is not any time in the world when I want to be apart. The Naga bit was a strategic choice. I want you there. Never doubt that."
Tom nodded.
The plan was set with missives from both fathers confirming it.
In the middle of the 4th week of term, their flight was chartered.
He was surprised that Lord Black was letting her go at all.
"He is not dated like Uncle Arty. He trusts me. He took me on warding expeditions all the time. And we will have a chauffeur and a chaperone to take us around. And life debts are powerful magic. There is danger obviously, like in any foreign place. However, I have promised to keep my dangerous shenanigans to zilch."
"Only the dangerous ones," Tom teased.
"Of course," She said primly, "A girl has to have some fun."
The next day the artificer confirmed that he could make the mirrors and deliver them in two weeks.
That said, since Tom acknowledged the separation and the sheer yearning and angst he felt about it, it had been a palpable thing between them, simmering in all they did, just below the surface.
Evelyn's POV
The end of term turned out to be as hectic as the rest of the year.
Plans were made, remade, and finalized.
She would spend two days with her family before being picked by Cordelia and her father for Lucretia's Wedding.
The wedding itself was in France because Black Chateau was a prettier property. It was also the home to a ward master, so setting things up was easier than meddling with the security and stronghold of Black Manor or their London townhouse.
"The townhouse is too small for the guestlist anyway," Cordelia sighed. Once Quidditch was over, Cordelia had been all over the wedding details.
Of course, most of it was already set up. But things escalated in the last few minutes with vendors and preparation.
Cordelia was the one who had coordinated the wedding gown on behalf of Lucretia. She had taken negotiating the ceremony and reception itself as seriously as the contract.
"Ignatius had a lot of ideas that did not suit a more equitable, amicable showing. It all but erased Lucy's ideas. He has been more pliant with me." Cordelia lightly informed her as she explained some things.
Even small things such as centerpieces and streamers took so much time, effort, and thought on Cordelia's part that when Evelyn found that Cordelia was the Maid of Honor, she was not as surprised.
Lucretia was close to Walburga. They were real sisters. The honor could have easily been hers, but Lucretia had chosen Cordelia.
There was political merit there, putting the Heiress in the spotlight, but Cordelia was not petty like that. She seemed to be fretting more about Lucy's big day than anything.
Walburga did not seem to mind the least.
"At the least, that berk will behave if Corrie is around most of the time." Walburga had muttered as she and Evelyn poured over the seating chart one last time.
Walburga was not a fan. To Evelyn's knowledge, she did not that Ignatius had gotten handsy with Lucretia but she did not like all the same.
"He should behave without her threats ideally." Evelyn gave what she thought was a diplomatic answer.
"Ha, if only. The only reason that the contract does not strip Lucy of all her personhood, and the wedding has elements that Lucy personally wants is because Corrie fought for it. With Uncle, with our parents, with Prewetts. She was Slytherin when she needed to be, but she was also blunt. She put a lot of care into ensuring that Lucy can be happy. I told her to find a better person, but Corrie is the one who listened to what Lucy wanted to do."
"She is intuitive that way," Evelyn admitted.
"She is," Walburga admitted, "It is strange to be mothered and herded by a younger sister, but she was always so precocious you know? Always looking after everyone, making the peace. I acted like I was not pleased when she was given the mantle of Heiress but truly, she thrives in the role to lead a family.
"I was envious of her growing up; she could do things she wanted. She got away with it too. It has only been clear now that she does it at a cost and she believes in letting people have that same right, and do things they want. I know she used a lot of her cards to ensure Lucy's happiness and safety. I have taken great pride in her, quietly. I did disagree with her but she has a grace about disagreements and managing to hold people together.
"I had not realized that I am not just proud, but grateful. No one advocated for Lucy, not me, not father or mother, not her fiancé, not even Lucy. But she did. All of us are so grateful Evelyn. I know not the customs that you must follow in your position as your father's heir, but Cordelia is the best sister to have. Dorea, Lucy, and I know we will have her in our corner no matter what, and that is a hard find for any pureblood noblewoman. All power you have is either given as pittance or you have to wrench it like a harpy."
Evelyn did not know what to say, but Walburga had been kind to her the past few months. More around than Dorea, not Evelyn blamed her. After watching Tom and Cordelia, she had sympathy for her and Charlie.
She pressed over Walburga's hand gently in assurance. Sometimes, words were wasteful anyway.
Walburga seemed to relax under the gesture.
"I know I was not always great to you Evelyn." She admitted, "I am trying to do better. I will be better. Some of it is for Cordelia because it is terribly heartbreaking to disappoint someone like her. It is the least I could do for her. But it has been nice to have another sister too. So, I apologize, and I vow to be a better sister to you and to her."
Evelyn was speechless. But she was saved by the entrance of Alphard and Orion who wanted to know where their friends were seated; more importantly, was it with them?
Walburga shared a wry look with Evelyn before proceeding to chew them out. Boys, they had not lifted a finger for the planning and had no idea how painful arranging the seating chart had been. Evelyn let out a light, silent laugh and Walburga finally beamed at her as the boys left hastily.
Abraxas's POV
He spent the last week of term in a bed in the hospital wing. He was delirious and he did not realize he missed this much.
He remembered seeing people. He did not see Corrie. He had heard about the stupid things going around and was so worried that something had happened to her.
She was safe, thank god. She just had listened to Tom to sequester herself away until things settled a bit, for his sanity.
She also seemed to feel guilty and he reassured her quickly when she came to visit. Corrie was simply the best.
She had somehow procured the chicken soup he really liked, with those rolls from Malfoy Manor and it was the first food he finished up.
She had fussed about his pillow and then his blankets, about how the window threw too much sunlight for rest, about how it did not throw it enough of it for him to look so colorless.
Tom had looked on amusedly, as he peeled tangerines on Corrie's bidding and handed the slices to Abraxas.
Abraxas thought Tom was the best too. Or maybe, that was the potion for headache talking. He was not used to being very honest with himself too.
He had been surprised by Tom this year. From wanting to crucify him for even looking at Corrie, he had come to rely on the man to take better care of her than anybody did.
He knew he had been unfair to both of them. He vowed to be a better friend and...
Yes, it was most certainly the potions.
He still thought he was delirious when he made a comeback to the common room with Tom to find plans for Solus. He was sure he would remember if he had heard the name before.
He probably had seen it in one of Corrie's notes with a question mark.
The Blacks were in mayhem about the wedding. The rest of the people were in chaos about packing.
"Don't worry about yours. It is done." Orion threw him in between several conversations.
Did Orion touch his things? Worse, did he make Alphard and Anastius do it because Orion was above such plebian tasks?
"Lia did it," Tom told him, looking at his horrified look.
He sagged in relief instantly.
"She has been upset by how ill you have been and how she could not visit," Tom added in a low voice, meant only for him.
Abraxas snorted, "Yes, on that note, I need inputs. So, turns out my infection was very mild. If I had not gone out in rain and played quidditch in rain, my secondary pneumonia would not have triggered at all and made this infection worse. Orion even offered to do an impervious on me but I wanted to feel the rain, so to speak. So, it is my fault. I am glad you kept her away. She would have run herself ragged with the wedding, hospital visits, and whatever Solus is?"
The last phrase was most certainly a query.
"New Court department, welfare, building a community of sorts. All you need to register right now is we are doing multiple gatherings in the summer to keep in touch."
"You made a club for adolescent partying." Abraxas really regretted that potion now. But his head has been hurting so much.
Tom looked very amused but inclined his head, "Yes, but also for safe houses and protocols for war, just in case we need it."
"Oh, that makes sense." He said.
"You should lie down. I think the walk from the infirmary exhausted you. If you spend any more energy, you will not be able to attend the end-of-term feast." Tom gave him a very concerned look.
" I am not going to bed. It is very boring." He declared firmly.
Tom looked even more amused, "You do not have to. Your cousin predicted this and has a nest of a lounger and blankets near the fire. She thinks you will out like the lights despite all the noise. When you are lucid, you can still register things. And because she is here, she can keep an eye on you."
Abraxas was sure his eyes were wet, "She is the sweetest person. I am glad she decided to ditch France for Hogwarts. I have missed her all these school years."
"Yeah, I wish she had come to Hogwarts sooner too." Tom looked very serious.
"You should smile more Tom, it accentuates your features. Not that you need the accentuation because I have heard women moon about your good bones and dreamy lashes, but you should smile more. Happy suits you, my friend." Abraxas said earnestly.
"Okay, that is beyond the sappiness I can do with anyone but your cousin." Tom rolled his eyes and dragged him along.
Abraxas was sure that he saw color on Tom's cheeks too.
But he was soon accosted by Corrie who tucked him into blankets, handed him a cup of tea laced with honey, and generally tried to settle his hair because a week in the hospital had turned the silkiness into a slight disaster.
When he woke up next, almost at the night, post-dinner, he only had vague recollections of what he had said.
And he felt so energized. He was sure Corrie would let him attend the feast now.
He ate up the dinner tray that Corrie produced from somewhere, ate it with gusto, and let her tell him precisely what he expected, "If he was good and rested all night, and took it easy tomorrow as well, he could in fact trek for the end of the year feast."
He knew he had said something to Tom along these lines earlier, but having her here was incredibly nice.
Cordelia's POV
She had waited for two weeks to get these two to get their heads out of their arses but of course, she should not expect any better from teenagers.
She had a jarring momentary blackout, a memory of her from twenty-one.
She had waved off Tom's concerns about nightmares. And thankfully, since the explanation of the justice of magic, he had been unconcerned.
Cordelia, his Lia had never harmed him, never sought to hurt him. The Justice could not have touched her.
Only it had.
The justice had been ingenious, not merely punitive but educational.
It had been determined to teach them better, so Cordelia found that the last tethers of the blocked seals of her life as Juniper Potter were crumbling.
She held it all through stellar occlumency. Only a few more weeks.
She would tell him, but she had to seek the Nagas first.
She did not disagree with magic or with Azrael. Tom needed to know. It may have been a lie of omission, not telling him who she was before Cordelia.
He deserved honesty. Especially after his monologue on trusting her so implicitly.
The easiest way to do that was to pull him into her memories, but her mind was not safe at the moment.
She needed to let it break, heal it and then she could invite him in, and wait for his verdict.
She was terrified of his reaction. But right now, the slightest bit of emotional turmoil let her blackout for a bit.
She had entered the common room with Trinity, and she swore she also saw Draco, all of twelve bragging to her, and a polyjuiced Ron.
She blinked rapidly.
Abraxas, Orion, Pritchard, and Nott were playing exploding snaps.
She swallowed and marched towards the staircase to Slytherin Tower, expecting her companion to follow her.
She had lied to Trinity, hinting at a personal matter involving the family.
Trinity had gone pale and thought of Gibson Gore and their mother's attempt to reach out to Cordelia and she had rushed with her, no questions asked.
Cordelia opened the Master grade potions lab on the floor below the living area, where Eileen sat deeply engrossed in note-taking of her most recent experiment with the Apophis skin.
Trinity entered and found the room locked and warded behind her.
She scowled, "You lied!"
Cordelia shrugged, "You should expect that from Slytherins."
Eileen looked up and was startled. She gave an involuntary smile to Trinity but then seemed to register the circumstance.
They were both locked inside a room with Heiress of House Black, the person who had seen them in an intimate liplock.
She got up and slid towards Trinity. Perhaps she thought this was best dealt with a united front. How quaint!
"What can we do for you, Heiress Black?" She asked with a composed voice, trying to give nothing away.
Cordelia snorted, "Is there we?"
"Of course," Eileen made a face. She turned to look at Trinity when there was no echo of the sentiment.
Trinity was looking down, face ashen.
Eileen's expression hardened, "I was mistaken then."
"Oh shut up, Eileen." Cordelia had no patience left, and some of Juniper was seeping more strongly. She plopped herself sideways on the chair, swinging her legs over the arm.
Eileen looked at her in alarm, 'Excuse me."
"This lab is closed to you until next year." Cordelia told her, "I am still deliberating on the access to the shed skin, when Tom and I reach a conclusion, I will let you know. I am struggling to explain this to him without divulging your secret."
"If relinquishing this access is all it needs for your silence, for both of us, then so be it," Eileen said in a clipped tone.
At that, Trinity looked at Eileen with an open mouth.
"As I said, shut up Eileen. And listen." Cordelia was very cross. Being in such a magical dwelling only hastened the struggle between magic and her occlumency.
"AND you Trinity, yes, Eileen does consider you important. Next time you feel ignored by a friend or a partner, you go and talk to them. Do not sulk and be passive-aggressive. I swear I did not sign up to be the agony aunt when I agreed to lead the court alongside Tom. I am making an exception here because I feel I egged things without realizing the consequences, the circumstances, and most importantly the implications of sapphic love and interactions in this time in this country."
Eileen and Trinity seemed to have lost their will to speak, eyes a bit dilated.
Cordelia realized that she had unknowingly flared out her magic and she pulled it in, "Eileen when I gave you the skin, I had hoped that it would not pull you back into the shell you were always in. Trinity wanted your attention and so asked you to support her team in the quidditch match. Trinity, I am not certain if Eileen even heard it, and if she did, then she probably gave a poor response. I could have made her attend as I did with the afterparty but I was only updated on this whole dynamic because Trinity would not leave poor Evelyn alone. Trinity, you do not harass my best friend to make your partner jealous especially when the said partner is holed up in a lab and cannot see you.
"I asked you to come to the party Eileen in hopes that it was something you would enjoy and you would probably oblige Trinity to the game anyway because Ravenclaws allow study materials in stands. I am not omniscient, I missed the signs of this gross and unnecessary misunderstanding. I saw Eileen at the party in the beginning but you left early?"
"I went to look for Trinity," Eileen said in a small voice.
"Yes, Trinity did not come to the party. Well, within her rights, I suppose. You did not find her? Where did you look?"
"Their common room. I could not get the riddle first. I was distracted." Eileen replied
"And where were you exactly?" Cordelia looked at Trinity with folded arms.
"Quidditch Pitch. I was upset. I was flying. And since all Professors would be absent because you had arranged it for the party, I thought it was safe. I would not have minded detention" Trinity gave a one-shouldered shrug.
"You went there next? Kyran saw you and asked me if you were working on quidditch gear with the snake skin." She looked at Eileen now.
Eileen nodded, " She was not there."
"Room of requirement. Dueled some dummies." Trinity said promptly as Cordelia was turning her eyes to her.
"You were not there," Eileen said faintly.
"I went to the kitchens, I was hungry after all the activity," Trinity said defensively.
"At which point you left and came back to this lab." Cordelia concluded looking at Eileen, "The snakes in the common room give me excellent insights when I ask. I had asked for that night's stragglers because we were the last ones to leave the party but you came after us."
"Trinity, use words. Eileen does not get political machinations, or your passive remarks and gestures."
"She is a Slytherin." Trinity bristled.
"Yes, we are cunning, resourceful, ambitious. You can be all of that about wanting a family, brewing the next best revolutionary potion, and yes politics. But it does not mean everyone can read the subtext, especially from places where they were not expecting it." Cordelia sighed.
"Eileen, I know you connected with Trinity in part of your scholastic pursuits together, but people also need effort. They need to be told and made to feel their importance. Hell, you could have asked Trinity to come to the lab and help you if you wanted to do this so badly."
Eileen said stiffly, "I did not know I needed to ask. She has always come into my spaces uninvited from before. If I wanted it to stop, I would have said."
Trinity opened her mouth to say something (scathing from the looks of it), but a finger from Cordelia quieted her.
Cordelia clutched her forehead, "Children, children."
She straightened up, sat properly, and looked at both her charges carefully, " I apologize. Part of this is on me, not just because I inevitably meddled and made things worse, but because your dynamic changed the moment I found out that you were together."
Trinity looked down, presumably guilty. Eileen just looked confused.
Cordelia looked at Trinity kindly, "You started being proper, only getting into Eileen's space if she invited you. Now, I have a hypothesis here too, a couple actually. But I need you to confirm them. Was it out of worry or misguided Gryffindor chivalry?
"Or both," She added as an afterthought.
Eileen was looking at Trinity now, who did not say anything for a couple of minutes.
Cordelia waited.
"She is the Heiress, the only one in the line. I am not carrying that weight. My parents are more open-minded. I am not certain if they would accept us, but it would not be as bad as it is for her. I did not mean to create trouble for her, and your questions and response that day shook me. I was not thinking, I do not think both of us were thinking of anything.
"I do like and love Eileen" She looked at Eileen at that, "But these are real questions, and I realized that we should be thinking of them, and I wanted to talk, but the skin and lab. And I was reluctant to be in her space, I thought she would be angry. And then I also wanted to be around her, so I asked her to quidditch, I thought she would see my attempt. She said no, and did not even suggest something else to do. I just figured it was all," She threw her hands in the air.
Eileen looked confused and horrified, "Since when is my heirship your responsibility? I do not do things lightly Trinity. Not like your impulsive self. I thought the real thing hit and you needed time to adjust, and eventually, your bravado would make an appearance. I was making plans to visit you in the summer. I had to negotiate tooth and nail with Father, hell I had to ask Walburga what would be the proper excuse to come stay with you. I have never once visited a friend's house in summer, much less stay at theirs for weeks. I was so serious and wanting to do it that I made you tell Cordelia about your mother's request."
"You just wanted to go to the hospital," Trinity sullenly folded her arms.
"Is that what you think? I admit I was too much of a craven to emote why I wanted to come, needed to come. And you did not care that you would get grounded and I could not come. I thought if I made an excuse about scholarly work, you would take me more seriously." Eileen cried.
Trinity looked chastised and shrunk in on herself, "Cordelia is scary. And I did not think like that. I know your father is strict, I just did not realize how important this was for you. If I knew, and if that is what it needed, I would have even needled and irritated Cordelia to death to go on a bloody date with my brother." She then looked sideways at Cordelia, "No offense Cordelia."
Cordelia raised an amused brow at that, "Maybe I need to be scarier to be listened to."
"No, you were plenty scary and pretty persuasive." Eileen shook her head and shuddered. Then she looked shyly at Trinity, "Thank you."
"I suppose that is my cue to leave. I trust you can render appropriate apologies to each other without any aid from me now. Good. Let us never do this again." Cordelia said promptly and started to leave.
At the door, she turned, "And Trinity you can stop waiting for the other bomb to drop from my end. My congratulations and well wishes were authentic. My regard for both of you as people and my friends is not hinged on this. The only thing it changes is probably my protectiveness. It is not an easy path, and I plan to be around and available should you need me for anything. No strings."
Trinity looked guilty, but she simply nodded.
"Thank you, Cordelia," Eileen said seriously.
"Yes, the ban on the lab stands. Once you exit, you will not be able to enter without me so you might want to carry all your notes and personal equipment back. I trust Trinity will help you. I will speak to Tom and we will figure out a responsible and reasonable schedule to counter your weakness in leaving your work." Cordelia simply nodded.
Eileen looked slightly stricken and then she gave a resolved determined nod.
Teenagers, June sighed and left the room.
Evelyn's POV
Evelyn was feeling nervous. It had been going so well for the past few weeks that this attack of nerves was not only unwelcome but also a surprise.
It was almost curfew and she was almost to the entrance of the Slytherin common room after bidding Mary and Amy a longer goodbye after the end-of-year feast than tomorrow morning would offer.
She was so apprehensive about her presentation into the pureblood society. It was Lucretia's wedding, what if Evelyn stumbled and fell? What if she stepped on the train and tore it off. What if…?
She was walking towards the entrance without really looking at it and crashed into a person. Or almost.
Abraxas caught her by arms before she hurt either of them because of her preoccupation, "Easy there, Ms. Adler."
She mumbled out hasty apologies in her mortification.
"I am glad I could help. Corrie is excellent at nursing, and I love it. But I have been feeling a bit useless." He teased.
"Are you feeling okay? Should you be out and about?" Evelyn's eyes were wide as she remembered his illness.
"I am perfectly fine. I am resting more than usual. And if I had to spend any more time in the common room with my cousin and Tom being so forlorn and melancholic about what summer means for them, I would have lost my mind." Abraxas confessed immediately.
"They are not taking the idea of separation well, are they?" Evelyn was worried.
"Nope. They are not," Abraxas popped his p, and then switched the subject, "What has you this harried? Is it the wedding and your introduction?"
"Am I that obvious?" She almost groaned pitifully.
"Not particularly. You are usually very quiet and nervous, so it is not strange for you. I would have been nervous had I been in your place." Abraxas was in the mood for sharing, and then as if he realized how his words might be perceived, "Not that there is a need to be so conscious, you will do splendidly, but often reason evades us in times like this, and it is terribly hard to not give Corrie what she wants."
"She has planned all this, taken so many risks. You said it yourself that Lord Black would not be pleased, and what if I mess it all up?"
"I should apologize for that. Corrie was right, it was not my business to interfere like that. I just worry." Abraxas winced, but then his bearings switched, "You should know Corrie is not fickle like that. I know you want it to go well, and I know it will. But in case it does not, she is not going to stop being your friend. As for creating trouble, my father has reminded me that she likes trouble and would get into it regardless of you. If it were not your entrance, it would have been something else, so whatever crazy happens, and it will because it is a Black wedding; it is not on you."
"You wrote to your father about me?" Evelyn let it slip out.
Abraxas froze and Evelyn hastily took it back, "I meant…No, I did not mean. That was uncouth."
Abraxas relaxed again, "I have. Cordelia wrote to him about you actually. He asked me for my input and I ended up ratting Corrie out. Of course, I got told off for tattling."
"You were just looking out for her," Evelyn said in a small voice.
"Ms. Adler, as I have recently learned, that is no excuse for undermining her or her decisions," Abraxas said solemnly.
Evelyn gingerly nodded and then gathered whatever courage she had left and requested, "Please call me Evelyn. I meant to give the leave earlier but we were interrupted."
A wide smile lit up his face and eyes, "Evelyn it is," He agreed easily.
"Shall we go and see about their forlornness? Perhaps I can redirect her energy to making you feel better?" Abraxas offered.
"I already feel better," Evelyn admitted.
"I am glad," Abraxas said sincerely, but his eyes twinkled, "But Corrie does not know that."
Evelyn could not help but let out a small laugh and gestured for him to lead the way.
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