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Elaine smiled sinisterly as she adjusted her tie. Corene had just arrived, and with her friend came a notebook the two had worked on in preparation of their first year at Hogwarts. One that held within the confines of itself many a spell the two had already learned and filed away for remembrance; everything needs a list, after all.
"Corene," Elaine wrapped her arms around the other girl, kissing her left and then right cheeks. "How was your summer?"
"Normal. My parents told me I would need to study and so I did," — Corene patted the notebook as she brought it forth from the satchel. — "I've added more to our little list than when last you saw it. My mother also told me to tell you that soon, she'll have this one paired with another so we can work together even when we're apart."
Elaine liked that very much. She'd have to thank Corene's mum. But that could happen some other time. Something far more important needed discussing, and Elaine was reminded of that when the source of the matter soon to be at hand entered her field of vision.
Harry Peverell.
She stared at him, uncaring if he noticed, and without shame in her admirance. He came from the Peverells. One of the greatest houses, old, respected, wealthy… and there was something that made her feel butterflies in her stomach whenever she looked at him. Obviously, just like a toy, he had to be hers. Corene, her friend, well, they could work something out. It wasn't the first time they'd shared something, and wizards were strange; the extra help would be necessary.
Especially with how often wizards were covered in mud, soaked in rain or hurt in some way; usually from Quidditch, or some other brave deed like the tales oft depicted. That sounded like a whole lot of trouble to Elaine, but it'd be worth it, certainly… Now she just had to figure out how they could go about getting his attention.
"Notebook." Elaine said, holding out a hand for the object.
Corene handed it over immediately, cocking her head at her after doing so. Clearly, she was interested in what Elaine wanted since usually she'd just say what she desired. But Corene didn't ask for clarification, she was content to watch as Elaine flipped through the pages of their work seemingly aimlessly.
Until she found what she was looking for. Once she did so, Elaine smiled as she had earlier. She knew she'd ordered the spells correctly, for the few before her would prove very helpful in pulling Harry's attention. Oh yes.
"Corene," Elaine started, pulling her friend closer and nodding at the book. "I think we'll be able to get what we want faster than we thought."
Corene blinked at the spell Elaine was indicating first and foremost, and slowly, her lips rose.
"He's coming. Alone." Corene's voice was but a whisper, one that was very nearly drowned out by the errant, bothersome sounds the portraits always made. She slipped away into the shadows opposite of Elaine after having said them as well, allowing no further questions to be asked; Elaine would have to work on that for future plans with her companion.
In the meantime, she'd ascertain her grasp of her wand and go over the incantation and motion of the spell in her mind. This was all about getting Harry's attention and keeping others away from him at the same time, especially those like Veronica Weasley or the ever so annoying Goldhorn girls. Some might call it bullying, but Elaine didn't think so. No, that was what she'd do to Abraxas should he fail to do as she wished, in time.
Her further thoughts were interrupted as the whistling of Harry grew near, signalling his presence. He'd soon be before the hidden witches, each hiding behind drapes, statues and other obstructions and wearing all black so as to make it impossible to be seen; changing the colour of their clothing was amongst the first magic they'd learned together.
Harry came into her line of sight then, and he was as oblivious as ever. Elaine readied her wand, took in a breath, and then out came the spell. Harry didn't so much as see the tripping hex before it struck him, the boy stumbling… and then, promptly, he caught himself. A hand sought out where he'd been struck and then he groaned.
"Merlin," he said aloud to 'himself' as he rubbed the spot. "My leg's been bothering me all day, about bloody time it right itself."
And then, after an experimental wiggle of the leg in question — since apparently his other hadn't been affected — he was off again with a pep in his step. His pace was quicker, his visage was one of relief, and he was off and around the corner before Elaine could so much as formulate a second plan of action.
She was simply too stunned that her attempt to prank him had ended in failure in such a spectacular fashion. Not only had she failed, no, he'd treated it as a gift… one she'd have been more than glad to take credit for had the opportunity presented itself, but this was supposed to be the setup.
Morgana, wizards were so very different; this would require far more studying.
"Corene," she called, standing and exiting from her hiding spot. "Come on. We're going back to the dorms and coming up with a new plan. This one clearly didn't work as intended."
After Corene came over, she uttered but one word, a frown marring her ofttimes neutral expression. "Failure."
She wasn't wrong, but their next plan would do better. Elaine was sure of it.
This time, rather than waiting behind anything so as to ambush Harry, the two were mingling with many of their Slytherin friends. Druella, Aster, Reinhard and others, all of whom were helpful to Elaine. They'd further her goals to one day be Minister… but for now, they'd help her by clogging the space up. The typical traffic on top of their presence would allow a slip-up, one that would see Harry's legs reversed whilst his wand appeared in his hand, making it seem as if it was an accident on his behalf; Corene would see to the latter action.
Then, after that all transpired, the two would offer their help and that'd be their in to speak with him. That was all they'd need, the reason to speak with him… Elaine couldn't simply go up and demand his attention. At least, not yet.
Harry appeared with Ash and Joseph, two other Slytherins in their year, and so Elaine slid her wand into her hand. Soon, she and Corene would enact their plan, she just needed him to get towards the end of the hall, such was the spot she'd had her wand pre-aimed and adjusted for.
Step after step, he continued until he was finally within a metre of the space. Elaine's breathing was level, but the eagerness couldn't be understated; the crush was something furious, after all. It'd not be ignored in any way.
He reached the spot, her spell struck, a second did not a moment later.
And then somebody verbally cursed.
Elaine saw the figure fleeing with another beside him — it was most assuredly a boy too. Abraxas, perhaps, by the poshness of the accent. Corene nudged her and pointed to the ground, and upon closer inspection, right at the end of the hall where Harry had been going, was a little string that stretched the span. It was ethereal and faint, but it was there, and rapidly diminishing.
Somehow, their prank had saved him from what Elaine could only presume to be the prank of another; Abraxas and his, for now, mystery cohort. She'd handle that later, but for now, she and Corene would go and enact the rest of their plan. They'd undo what they'd done to his leg and have their in.
She took a step towards him, her mouth open, and then it was closed. Harry had already undone the leg-reversal hex they'd hit him with. Internally, as impressed as she was, Elaine was fuming. He'd gone and studied ahead, the cheat. That meant the rest of their spells would need further investigation, lest he know them as well.
"Corene." That was all Elaine said, and with a nod down when Harry had come from, the two left.
There was another chance, there'd always be another chance. The two went off with nary another word spoken betwixt them, and already, Corene had summoned the notebook from her satchel.
This would be it. Elaine hoped.
Their plan wouldn't be some simple spell they were meant to learn later in the year, and it'd certainly not be something as simple as they'd done thus far either. No, Corene and Elaine had studied for the past month so as to find a spell that Harry wouldn't know the counter to. Something that would be embarrassing or inconvenient, but not horrible to enact upon him.
He was lucky they fancied him so much. There wasn't any other person in the world they'd put this much thought together towards, and Elaine very much doubted there'd be another. Whatever made him so special to her, to them both, that little tickle in the back of her mind… it'd certainly drawn the best from her.
No other explanation sufficed in her mind to her having been able to read two dozen tomes in the month of study.
"Ready?" Elaine was critical as she looked over herself in the mirror, the simple word sufficed to garner Corene's attention and draw her own affirmation, which was quickly given.
Corene had been ready longer than she had, in truth. The other girl seldom slept, and always was scheming.
"Ready."
Elaine fiddled with her tie once more, and after assuring herself it was fine, she turned on the balls of her feet and exited the empty classroom. Corene was right behind her, silent in her steps with nary a sign of her breath. The two had always been quiet, the grace they possessed, well, that'd come later.
Much later than Elaine would like to admit.
"Make sure you're on target, and you can't take very long either. We don't want him to recognise us," Elaine rubbed at where her own wand was hidden up her sleeve. It was the new fad, wand-holsters attached to one's wrist. She didn't much care for the feel of it.
"Important. I'll do my best," Corene swept past her then, going across the hall to the archway opposite of her. Upon reaching it, she tucked herself into the darkest corner, until she was barely visible. Her wand was ready too, Elaine saw that before the girl was obscured by the darkness.
Every day after Quidditch, Harry would come this way. He was loud and this was a route common enough to them to recognise his pattern. Most of the time, his friends weren't with him either. He seemed to prefer the silence on the way back to the dungeon. Elaine couldn't blame him, that was why Corene got on so well with her.
He took step after step after step, until, as was always the case, he reached the point that they'd designated. Instantly, two spells struck his elbows, and Elaine's own, one that required far more precision mind you, found its mark in the centre of his head.
In an instant, his elbows were inverted and his hair was changing colour like that of an overly emotional metamorphmagus; Elaine had the displeasure of having seen one in Diagon Alley. Harry seemed unaware of the top effect, but the elbows… Elaine blinked.
Everything looked normal. How?
"Merlin, that feels a lot better," Harry did a little shimmy. "Tosser, Abraxas. I knew his magic was weak. Oh, you two, I can see you by the wa—"
Elaine and Corene looked past him at one another… and then they ran away.
There'd be another plan.
Eventually.