Madam Pomfrey had insisted that Harry stayed for the rest of the weekend.
Harry was upset because not only did he lose the match but had lost his nimbus too. Nothing anyone said or did made him feel better.
Harry had quite a few visitors.
It was dark outside, Ron and Hermione had gone for dinner when Harry was visited by someone he didn't expect.
Cordelia Black.
"Feel sick and humiliated enough now? Fainting twice in a row" the girl chuckled moving towards Harry's bed.
Harry rolled his eyes, grumbling underneath his breath.
"Told you Cedric would catch the snitch" she said sitting down at the end of the bed.
"If you're here to tell me how I lost. You can leave" Harry said begrudgingly.
"So you do have a voice" Cordelia said standing next to his bed.
Harry looked up at the girl beside him with raised eyebrows.
Cordelia looked at him with a sarcastic smile before keeping the box of sweets that she had in her hand on Harry's lap.
"Sirius Black sends his love" with that she walked out.
Harry furrowed his eyebrows, he took the lid off and saw chocolate covered strawberries, and a small note that read - "get well soon Potter. Told you I support the winning team"
Harry kept the box to his side of the bed, staring into space.
"Sorry mate. The dinner was amazing today" Ron said walking into the hospital wing, Hermione following behind.
"How do you feel Harry?" She questioned, worried.
"Fine"
Ron eyed the box kept beside Harry's bed, "That wasn't there before" he picked up the box.
"Who gave you these?" He asked, picking up one strawberry, and stuffing his mouth with it.
Harry watched with an open mouth.
Ron licked his fingers, "Mhmm, amazing. Where did you get these?"
"Uh- someone gave them to me" Harry said clearing his throat.
Ron offered Harry one too, taking another out of the box.
Harry picked up one and bit into it.
The strawberry had some sweet delicious filling in it. It wasn't ordinary chocolate covered strawberries. They were bloody brilliant.
Hermione looked at the lid of the box with furrowed eyebrows.
"Who have you these Harry? They're not from here" she trailed off.
"Bloody hell, are they imported?" Ron questioned with amazement.
"It was- uh" Harry tried to come up with something but couldn't, "It was Cordelia"
Ron spit out the second piece of sweet that he had picked up.
"Bloody hell! Why didn't you tell me? It could've been poisoned"
"Ron!" Hermione hissed at the red head.
"Well it isn't and it is quite good" Harry muttered.
"Can't deny that. Looks expensive"
"It is" Hermione told them looking at the box.
Harry tuned out Ron's ranting about how Harry shouldn't be accepting gifts from Cordelia.
-
Dora let out a deep breath of relief upon seeing Remus instead of Professor Snape.
She took a seat next to Draco. The two cousins talking about the upcoming holiday.
"Mother should be writing to you soon about it" Draco told Dora softly.
"Yeah? Well I'm looking forward to it" the grey eyed girl smiled.
Soon enough the students started piling in, and at once burst into explosion of complaints about Snape's behaviour while Lupin had been ill.
"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"
"We don't know anything about werewolves -"
"-two rolls of parchment!"
"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Remus asked a calmly. Already knowing about the homework.
The babble broke out again.
"Yes, but he said we were really behind-"
"-he wouldn't listen-"
"-two rolls of parchment!"
Remus smiled at the look of indignation on every face, "Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."
"Oh no," Dora saw Granger speak, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!"
This made Dora frown.... did she really? Is it possible that she figured it all out? About Remus.
But Remus didn't look worried, not even the slightest.
Dora took out a bottle of ink, quill and her book, ready for the lesson.
The lesson was interesting, they studies Hinkypunk.
The bell rang, making everyone shuffle and pack up their things, some had already started moving out.
"Wait a minute Harry, I'd like a word" Remus' voice reached Dora's ears who was also moving out with Draco and his goons.
Halfway down the corridor, Dora realised that she had left her wand in the classroom.
"You go ahead, I forgot my wand" Dora told Draco and retraced her footsteps.
When Dora was near the classroom, she heard Remus and Harry talking.
"-If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself -- soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to you, Harry, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."
It was Remus voice.
"When they get near me-" dhe heard Harry's voice, "I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum."
This made Dora frown, she felt sad for Harry and bad that she made fun of him for fainting.
"Why did-" but Harry got cut off by Dora knocking on the door. Making the two look at her.
"Cordelia, how can I help you?" Remus asked with a small smile.
"I, uh, forgot my wand" Dora said quietly, moving towards where she could see her hand at the table that was previously occupied by her and Draco.
"Thank you" she hurried out of the class, not wanting to listen to more of it.
She walked away from the class in a hurry, sighing when she was at a safe distance.
"I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum"
Harry's words echoed in her mind.
She could only imagine how badly she would react if she ever heard or saw something like that.
Dora wondered if his friends were aware of his situation.
Climbing up the stairs of the Astronomy Tower, Dora thought about Harry being her soulmate.
She felt worried when she thought about it.
He's the chosen one. There are people who want to kill him. Me being his soulmaye would surely drag me through the dirt as well.
What the young Black didn't know was she was already covered in his dirt, although smudges but they were there.
-
Dora tried her best to make Cedric feel better about losing a match against Ravenclaw.
"You talk as if you're a professional" Cedric retorted, making Dora scoff.
"Ah" she rolled her eyes, "I was trying to console you but yes I am a professional."
"We'll see. You have to make it to the team for that though"
"I will. Wait and watch Diggory. You'll be apologising after my first match, for ever underestimating me"
"You'll play what? Seeker?"
"Chaser is more fun" Dora shrugged.
-
Walking through the corridors, one could feel the Christmas that was thickly in the air.
Professor Flitwick had even decorated his class with small fairies which Dora absolutely loved.
Dora would be going to London, her grandfather would be there at their house in Lurgashall.
Narcissa had mentioned about a Yule Ball, saying how she had already chosen a gown for Dora and that she'll send a proper invite as soon as she could.
But Dora didn't know of she could go to the Ball, Lazarus hadn't really warmed upto the Malfoy's. As far as Dora knew.
There was also another Hogsmeade weekend coming up.
Dora was thrilled to go there, she planned on getting a few Zonko's products for Lazarus to see during their Christmas break.
But what made that day more special was that it was 1st o f D e c e m b e r.
Dora's thirteenth birthday.
The young Black had received quite a few owls during breakfast.
Draco had very proudly wished her a 'Happy 13th Birthday' trying to also boast about how his cousin was younger than everyone in her year.
Hermione Granger could be seen frowning and Dora even overheard her complaining about how it was against the rules.
Dora had not received many gifts, the letters she had received had mentioned in it how she'll be getting them once she comes back for Yule break.
To her surprise, Harry had also wished her with a chocolate frog. Apologising for his previous actions and the lack of a proper gift.
Cedric was also very happy to welcome his young friend into the teen category. His friends had also wished Cordelia a 'Happy Birthday.'