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The next day the marauders woke up all tired. They went to the great hall groggily when the news of the trio facing the same thing woke them up.
When the mail arrived she found a letter from her dad and a parcel.
~
Dear Cordelia,
I will take care of myself, two more days. In these two days, I want you to take care of yourself well. I hoped you will be with me but since that isn't possible I will try my best to stay well. Now, about quidditch try outs of you get in you would tell me first, alright? I think it's logically impossible but you can try your luck. I will come to see your match if you do get in.
Yours,
Pa
~
She informed the others about the parcel and they all went to the Slytherin dormitory to open it. She found a Nimbus 2001 inside with another letter.
~
Dear Cordelia,
Narcissa got this for you after I informed her about your position in the team. She told me to tell you that she was very proud and happy for you. She sent it to you through me since Lucius forbid her to send you anything. I hope you use it well and play well.
Sincerely,
Severus
~
"Wow! That's so cool." Lorenzo exclaimed while adoring the broom.
"Yeah, I know." She said bluntly and went to her desk where a letter was kept which she wrote the previous night. She took out the other letters from Lucius which Draco had given her that morning and tied them all to Nox's claws.
"Hand them to Aunt Cissy only and wait till she is done reading them and if Lucius tries anything bite him or do anything. Just keep him away, alright? Make sure she read them all and come back with her response." She sent Nox away.
The rest of the day she spent practicing with the Slytherin quidditch team.
She knew Harry was the same.
Two days have passed and Slytherins wer practicing vigorously. It was the full moon that night and Cordelia was making her way to Dumbledore's office.
Stopping in front of the magnificent gryphon statue, she said the password,"lemon drops." And made her way in to his office.
"Ah come in, come in Cordelia." He smiled warmly at her which she responded with a curt nod.
"I came here to inform you that me and Julius are going to spend the night in the shrieking shack."
"Yes, that's quite alright with me. That was after all built for you father. Madame Pomfrey will lead you to the Whomping willow tonight. And if you don't mind I will escort you right now to her, she is waiting for you with Mr. Gray." She nodded at him and they set off towards there destination.
They were walking in silence while Cordelia kept on taking side glances at him.
"Is there something troubling you Cordelia?"
"Actually yes, what is the cerberus guarding?"
"Am I safe to assume that you follow on your parents path of rule breaking?" He asked clearly amused.
"Yeah, well but in this case we didn't really mean to. Draco got himself in a bad situation with Harry so we had to tell him about that urgently. We were on our way when Mr. Filch decided to show up. So we ran, I managed to slip him but the stairs lead us towards the third corridor and since he was still after us, we went inside the door. It was locked but we are wizards so not a big deal. I saw the ceberus there. I distracted it with music while the others got out and then escaped myself. I noticed, though, that it was guarding something." She explained through the pain that had started to creep into her bones and lungs.
She felt her bones grinding as the moon came closer. Thankfully,they reached the hospital wing as she bid Dumbledore goodbye.
She went inside to find Julius and Madame Pomfrey waiting for her. Madame Pomfrey lead them both towards the Whomping willow where she pressed the knot in the base of trees to freeze the branches and groom them inside towards the shrieking shack.
There were only a a few minutes left for the transformation.
"Tomorrow morning as soon as the sun is up, I will escort you back to the castle." She told them sympathetically.
They nodded their both too tired to talk as the pain became more and more. She exited the shack wishing them both good luck.
I was entering the room with Dane when an ear splitting scream full of pain rumbled from his throat as his body began to morph. I watched in sorrow remembering the same pain dad used to feel.
The moon always affected me a bit later but this time it seemed as though my wolf wanted to be free faster as the same agonizing scream erupted from my chest too.
The howls of pain of my bestfriend were now just a ringing in my ears. I could hear my heartbeat thudding in my ears as my bones grinded and morphed. Fur started sprouting from my limbs when the pain in my lungs became unbearable and it became incredibly hard to breathe.
I panted for breathe I felt felt blood biling up in my throat. I bit my lips trying to keep it in but failed as another howl escaped my throat which was chocked because of the blood that spluttered out. I could feel my fangs grow sharper and elongate piercing her gums.
She got into her all fours as the transformation completed releasing her of the pain. She was aware of her surroundings but the urge to have raw human meat was so much that she bit her shoulder.
Her wolf was in control making her explore the new territory it was in. She roamed in the shack until she reached a door with a certain smell of a warewolf. She could sense it was a beta.
She went inside where she immediately recognised Julius' wolf. She knew very well what came after.
Asserting dominance.
He stepped forward, green eyes burning and growled at her challenging her for territory.
She stood her ground and straightened up and growled maintaining eye contact. He pounced at her, successfully pinning her o the ground. But not for long as she flipped them, her used pressing onto his shoulder blades as she growled once again but this time her Alpha much more evident which caused him to whimper in great as he bared his neck to her.
A show of submission.
She let go of him after making sure he indeed had submitted to her.
Her red eyes glowed as the beta in front of her composed itself and tailed along her. Cordelia lead him to different rooms when a strong smell reached her nose. It wasn't a human.
She came to a realisation but it was too late. She turned around and was met with midnight brown hair and red eyes.
What!?? Lorenzo!? He is a vampire.
He obviously didn't know that the two wolves he was staring at were his best friends but he let them be and ran towards the forbidden forest.
That night Cordelia and Julius got out without any major injuries and next day woke up to Pomfrey knocking at the door.
Cordelia was very confused from the previous night's event but didn't say anything for a while.
They were at the study hall next day when Cordelia decided it was enough and she didn't want to keep her mind occupied with the thought of Enzo not knowing that he was a vampire.
Of course being an elemental meant that when she unlocks her earth power she was going to change into a vampire too and most of her nights will be spend outside the castle but she needed to talk to Enzo so she grabbed Julius' wrist causing him to look up from his work with a confused expression.
"What happened? What are you doing?" He asked wanting to go back to his work.
Cordelia didn't respond and just gave Enzo a look to come outside. Emily noticed and frowned.
They stepped into the corridor. "What do you want?" Enzo said annoyed.
"Answers." Cordelia said straightforward.
Enzo frowned. What answer did they want?
Julius was also confused.
"Are you a vampire?" She finally asked.
"You don't have to be scared or anything, I won't tell anyone. Just tell me,are you?" She added when Julius nudged her.
He hesitantly nodded his head scared of their rection.
"Oh, well that confirms it. Do you remember two warewolf you saw in the shack during full moon? The one with the red eyes was me." She said not mentioning who the other wolf was.
"And the other one was me." Julius finished as he smiled at her for respecting his decision.
Enzo widened his eyes in shock.
"Cori, Jay that was you guys!?"
"Yes." Cordelia said calmly.
He sighed. "Well do you think we should tell Emily?"
"To be honest, I still don't trust her as much. We have shared our secrets. So, I trust you a bit more but you all have a long way to go if you want to fully gain my trust. Anyways, let's go back before this boy explodes of not getting to do his work.
More days passed and the three were trying their best to get Cordelia to open up to them. They played more pranks in those days which included setting dungbombs on Filch. Setting up firecrackers in great hall. Putting different mixtures of candies into Ron and Harry's food, stealing Hermione's books and hiding them. In those days, Cordelia and Harry were practicing more and more anxiously awaiting the arrival of the day of match.
It was Halloween and scent of sweets and cakes filled the castle. That day Cordelia seemed more glum and snappier than ever. She was staring at a piece of paper in her hands which seemed familiar to her.
The marauding four were on their way to Filch's office for their detention. They were more than happy to be there because they will be together.
The girls were talking about some more pranks when the two boys jumped on their backs causing Emily to stumble and almost fall but Cordelia didn't even budge.
They went inside the office where there was a note on what they had to do. They read it and started their work when Cordelia found a drawer named dangerous.
She was curious so she tried opening it but failed since it was locked. But that never stopped her, did it?
"Alohomora." She casted.
The drawer opened with a click and inside laid just a pice of parchment which was folded in the most mysterious way.
She looked at curious and tried to read what was in it.
"Aparecium."
It started forming some lines.
'Messer. Moony, Wormatail , Padfoot and Prongs.
Mr. Moony would like to tell Cordelia to mind her own business and not meddle with unnecessary things.
Mr Padfoot would like to disagree with Moony and tell Cordelia to try saying the password and create lot of mischief.
Mr Prongs would also like to tell her to make them proud and not listen to Moony's discipline lectures.
Mr Wormatail would like to agree with Moony and tell Cordelia to stay out of dangerous things.'
What in the whole world is this thing? Wait, wait, wait don't tell me this is the marauders map!?
So here she was staring at it while while trying to remember what her dad told her about it.
Talking about her dad, the numbers of letters they shared has lessened and now they only wrote to each other twice a month or once a month. Remus had shared his worries about her not writing as much and she told him that it was because gradually they were getting more homework and a lot of quidditch practice. He also told her how he was sorry that he wouldn't be able to attend her quidditch match which she responded with a 'its okay'.
She suddenly remembered that if all they did was cause mischief around the castle then it would be something related to that.
"I swear that I am not up to any good." She said pointing her wand at it as she remembered Remus telling her about their moto was something close to this but she couldn't remember the exact words.
Once again lines started to appear.
Mr. Padfoot wants to tell Cordelia that she was close and to keep on trying.
Mr. Moony wants to tell Cordelia that he is disappointed that she didn't listen to him.
Mr. Prongs want to congratulate Cordelia and tell her that he was proud of her.
She was confused on why Wormatail didn't say anything.
"I swear that I am up to no good." She tried once more.
It again told her that she was very close and to swear solemnly. That's when it clicked.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." She did it, this time instead of encouragement and other things came a whole map of Hogwarts itself.
Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan (which was a relief, because Neville had been trying to catch his eye). Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger. It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to either of them since the day Harry's broomstick had arrived.
"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too -- never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."
It was very difficult. Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it -- Harry had to put it out with his hat.
Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.
"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing- gar -dium Levi- o -sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."
"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.
Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.
On the opposite end of class Cordelia and her friends were also trying out the spell.
Emily was the one who couldn't quite understand the spell. She tried but the feather just jerked a little.
Enzo casted it and it levitated a bit but then fell limp back in the table. Besides them Julius despite being top in the class along with Hermione and Cordelia couldn't move it.
Cordelia then casted it while the other three watched carefully.
"Wingardium Leviosa." She said while doing the wrist movement.
The feather Rose off and in the air when Professor Flitwick noticed the two freshers in the air.
"Look Ms Granger and Ms Black have done it!" He exclaimed. Cordelia was getting quite annoyed by people calling her just Black. Why can't they get it right, it's Lupin-Black.
Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class.
"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Harry as they and the four pranksters pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."
Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Harry caught a glimpse of her face -- and was startled to see that she was in tears.
"I think she heard you."
"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."
Cordelia was furious at his behaviour and sneered which reminded them that she was a Slytherin after all, " she is a great friend. Just because you are jealous of her doesn't mean she is a nightmare as you called it." With that she swiftly followed her friend.
Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon as was Cordelia. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Harry and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone but Cordelia was with her trying to calm her down. Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of their minds.
The young marauders were worried for their friend but knew they couldn't do anything. They just took notes for her because she didn't attend the classes.
A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.
Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll -- in the dungeons -- thought you ought to know."
He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.
There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.
"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"
Percy was in his element.
"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"
"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.
"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."
They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Harry suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.
"I've just thought -- Hermione."
"What about her?"
"She doesn't know about the troll."
Ron bit his lip.
"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."
Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.
"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin.
Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.
"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"
"Search me."
Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.
"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said, but Ron held up his hand.
"Can you smell something?"
Harry sniffed and a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.
And then they heard it -- a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed -- at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.
It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.
The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.
"The keys in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."
"Good idea," said Ron nervously.
They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.
"Yes!"
Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop -- a high, petrified scream -- and it was coming from the chamber they'd just chained up.
"Oh, no," said Ron, pale as the Bloody Baron.
"It's the girls' bathroom!" Harry gasped.
"Hermione!" they said together.
Cordelia had finally assured Hermione and they were on their way out of the lavatory when a huge feet stomped in front of them, they looked up to find a troll.
None of them screamed but a frightened looked crossed Hermione's face as they backed their way into a stall.
Unfortunately, the troll had seen them and swinged his club towards them which ended up smashing the stall.
They both divided and Hermione let out a frightened scream.
"Hermione! Cordelia!" They heard two familiar voices.