Cordelia had been invited by Slughorn to his first dinner for his 'Slug Club.' She had decided to pay some tribute to her surname and dead father. She wore a black dress that Narcissa had gifted her. It was perfect for the dinner.
Slughorn had reserved a seat specifically for Cordelia, beside Blaise Zabini. Upon her arrival, he could not hold back himself, "I was upset to know that another Black was in Gryffindor and not Slytherin. I would have loved to have you in my house Ms.Black"
"I would have loved nothing more than wearing green robes myself, sir"
Slughorn was already showing his favourites and by far, everyone knew that Harry Potter and Cordelia Black topped his list.
The dinner was nothing sort of a surprise for Cordelia, it was rather flamboyant. Slughorn talked quite a lot about himself.
"I started working a little before Albus joined Hogwarts, you know"
The information had peaked Cordelia's interest in attending his dinner's more.
Which is what led to the small conflict between Harry, as a quidditch captain and Cordelia, his chaser.
"All I'm saying is you can make shift the timings" Cordelia tried to reason as Harry kept walking away.
"No, I don't want to attend the dinner" Harry pretended to be deaf to Cordelia's complaints.
"Well as much as you don't want to, I want to!" She yelled at him as she caught up with his pace.
"Be at practice or you won't be a part of the team anymore" Harry had called out before darting away from the girl.
Much to Cordelia's dismay, Harry made her miss the Slug Club dinner due to practices.
But that didn't stop from Cordelia, not attending the Quidditch practice and showing up for another dinner.
She was lucky she decided to ditch practice because Slughorn had invited Gwenog Jones for dinner that night.
Gwenog Jones was interesting and Slughorn praising Cordelia and Blaise's enthusiasm towards quidditch made them appear in her good books.
-
"What is so special about his dinners anyway?" Harry questioned as a grumbling Cordelia walked beside him. He was making her miss another dinner.
"The food" Cordelia replied before she mounted her broom and took off.
Cordelia and Ginny discussed a few formations with Katie Bell, after Ginny had apologised for acting rude towards her previously.
The next day, as Cordelia left her Arithmancy classroom, she knew she had seen a flash of blonde hair disappearing down the abandoned corridor.
She rushed after him but saw no one. Her guess that it was her imagination running wild.
It was Hogsmeade weekend the following day.
Harry had reminded Cordelia about their date after practices the previous night.
Cordelia got dressed in the black sweater Narcissa had knitted for her, a black straight skirt with frills at the bottom and her black leather coat that was gifted to her by Sirius and Remus. It was rather cold for it being only mid October.
She put on a pair of black tights and knee high black boots. She was rather bundled up. Having worn a warm high-neck underneath the sweater. She didn't want to but the wind made her put on a black beret cap and a pair of black gloves. She looked like she was attending a funeral in this cold weather.
"The cap looks funny" Cordelia complained when she met up with Harry outside the portrait of the fat lady.
"No, you look cute" Harry gave her cheek a quick kiss before they left for Hogsmeade together.
Cordelia had missed breakfast because she didn't want to wake up early. So she was quite hungry.
"Couldn't have picked a better day for a date" Cordelia gave Harry a sarcastic smile as the harsh cold winds slapped against their faces.
"Yeah, I couldn't have" Harry grinned smugly before bringing Cordelia in for a side hug, trying to warm her up.
"Very funny" Cordelia blushed, but it was hard to tell.
Their first stop was Honeydukes. They wanted to bask in the warmth that the store provided, more than the candies.
Unfortunately for them, Harry bumped into his two Gryffindor friends there. Granger and Weasley.
Lucky for Cordelia, Slughorn was there too.
He approached the two when he saw them together.
"I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries here but am I wrong in saying that the two of you are enjoying a date together?" He laughed at their flushed faces.
"Let me not ruin it. But Harry, my boy, you cannot keep running away. You have missed three of my invites already and made Ms.Black miss one as well." Slughorn said to Harry.
"Oh, I don't intend to sir but quidditch practices...." Harry tried to come up with a good lie. But failed.
"I know, I know, how about Monday? I know you don't have any practices then" Slughorn suggested.
"Oh, I have lessons with Dumbledore, sir" Harry smiled, as of almost relieved that he had lessons to attend.
Cordelia raised her brows when she heard Harry tell Slughorn about his lessons.... she had no idea about them.
"Ah well, saved again. But I'll have you one day. I look forward to seeing you Ms.Black..... Granger" Slughorn acknowledged before going away.
"Why don't I know about these lessons?" Cordelia questioned once Slughorn left.
"I'll tell you, but not here" Harry gave her a small smile.
Harry tried to persuade Cordelia into picking up a bunch of sweets and letting him pay for them.
"But I only want a few sherbert lemons" Cordelia laughed at Harry’s defeated face as he payed only for one packet of sherberts.
The two left the candy store and went inside The Three Broomsticks.
Harry bought them two butterbeers and set them down in front of Cordelia.
As he sat down beside her and turned towards her, he felt Cordelia's lips against his. It was a short kiss because of all the eyes staring towards them.
"I take that the date was a success" Harry grinned as he sipped his butterbeer.
"Yes it was" Cordelia whispered softly before taking a sip of her butterbeer.
They spent another thirty minutes in The Three Broomsticks before deciding to go back.
Much to Cordelia's dismay, Granger approached Harry and asked if he doesn't mind her and Weasley leaving with the two.
Harry shrugged a yes in answer.
Cordelia and Harry walked a little ahead of the two Gryffindors. In front of them was Katie Bell and her friend. They seemed to be in an argument.
A few moments passed before Leanne, Katie's friend tried to snatch at something in Katie's hands.
The package fell down making Katie try and collect it hurriedly the packaging torn.
Leanne screamed at the same time Cordelia felt a gasp leave her mouth. She had been observing the two because Harry was busy talking to Granger and Weasley.
Katie was hosted up in the air gracefully, her eyes shut, her hair flying against the wind. Her eyes snapped open and her mouth opened in a scream but no sound came from it.
She looked to be in too much agony. Before her body fell on the ground with a thud, she looked to be having a seizure as her body twitched.
Cordelia, Harry and the two others approached Leanne as she yelled for Katie.
"I told her to leave it!" She cried as she pointed towards the opal necklace that lay there.
"Get- get someone, quickly!" Cordelia pushed at Harry making him break into a sprint.
Cordelia kneeled down beside Katie, the necklace not too far away.
"What is it!" Granger gave a dry cry at the sight.
"She's been cursed...." Cordelia whispered as she stared at Katie.
Harry rushed back with the half-giant Hagrid. Who took Katie along with him.
"Don't touch it!" Harry yelled at Weasley, who was nearing the locket.
"You don't touch it either" Cordelia snapped at Harry who was preparing to pick it up with the help of his scarf.
"We should take it back...." said Harry as he looked up.
"You don't have to pick it up for that" Cordelia said as she pointed her wand towards the necklace. It was levitated into the air.
The five trudged back to Hogwarts and were met by McGonagall. Who ushered them in a nearby classroom.
"Are you confident Katie didn't have it with her when she went to Hogsmeade today?" McGonagall questioned Leanne who shook her head.
According to Leanne, Katie didn't have it in her possession when they went to Hogsmeade, or to the Three Broomsticks, until Katie went to use the toilet and came back with the package.
"Very well, take this to Madam Pomfrey" She gave her the necklace wrapped in a thick cloth.
McGonagall's lips were set in a thin line as she turned towards the four Gryffindors.
"Why is it when something happens it is always you three?" Her question was not directed towards Cordelia, who was standing a bit further away.
"Believe me Professor, I've been asking myself the same question for the past six years" Weasley said with a confused face himself.
But the following actions gobsmacked Cordelia.
Harry kept forward his suspicion, which he was sure of, and blamed Draco. Telling McGonagall that he was sure that Malfoy had given Katie the locket.
"No, he didn't!" Cordelia snapped at Harry, before McGonagall could say anything.
The four Gryffindors left the classroom after McGonagall confirmed that Draco was not even in Hogsmeade that day but with her, for his detention.
"You cannot be upset with me, I've had my suspicions—" Harry tried talking to a very upset Cordelia.
"Don't worry Harry" Cordelia turned towards him with a placid smile, "I am not upset. I did expect you to blame my cousin, nothing unexpected" she patted him on his shoulder before walking away.
Harry stayed in his place with a frown on his face, staring as Cordelia walked away from him.
Cordelia couldn't really hold Harry accountable for his suspicions and actions. He was after all, the boy lived, the boy destined to kill Voldemort. His parents were murdered brutally by Voldemort. She understood his reasons for resentment against death eaters and the surname Malfoy specially after what happened at the Department of Mysteries.
Walking down the cold corridors, Cordelia soon found herself going to her comfort place. The Astronomy tower.
Reaching up the Astronomy tower, she saw Draco leaning against the railing.
"Not going to jump off, are you?"
Cordelia's voice startled the blonde boy, who scoffed at her before standing straight.
"You don't have to leave" Cordelia stated blatantly.
"Well I don't wish to stay with traitors" he sneered.
"Really?" Cordelia challenged as he started walking away, "Or are you scared that I'll see through the facade..... uncover your truth"
"There's nothing to uncover!" Draco bellowed.
Cordelia gave a 'tsk' before turning away and staring off into distance.
"I am still ready to help. Whatever it is, you don't have to fight it alone...... even Cissy..." Cordelia reminded him without turning around, as she heard Draco walk down the spiral staircase.
Cordelia sighed as she rested her forehead against her hands on the railing. Wishing she could either stop this all, or leave her body and float away to neverland.
-
Harry was sitting in the Gryffindor common room, basking in the heat the fireplace provided as he stared off into the angry flames.
"Knows a lot of dark stuff, doesn't she?" Ron said, as he looked from his one friend to another.
"It proved to be useful, didn't it?" Harry spoke bluntly, hoping his oblivious friend would pick up the hint.
"Scary, remember her threat— suppose she didn't give Bell—"
Ron was interrupted by Harry standing up and picking up his jacket.
"Where are you going?" Hermione questioned as she leaned forward.
"I don't wish to sit and listen to you two complaining about my girlfriend. She knows about dark magic, so what? It's only proved to be useful up until now and really Ron, be thankful she isn't actually keeping up to her words of getting revenge I'd say. And you" his eyes zeroed in on Hermione, "I don't think belittling people only because they know more than you would get you anywhere. It shows how petty one can be."
"Bloody hell, you're not taking her side really are you? I know she's pretty good looking but—"
"No, I am taking her side, because I love her" Harry hissed before walking away.
Leaving behind his two gaping bestfriends.
Harry found Neville in the dorm room, who was going through a Herbology book.
"That's—that's pretty brave. Standing up to your friends for— for someone you love" Neville's praise did make Harry feel better about his burst out.
"Thanks Neville."