I thought I was done with Ron. Well, in the physical sense that is. Harry stood there laughing at me as my face just got even redder, if that was even possible. I turned to him and rolled my eyes. I didn’t need him laughing at me, so I my plan was to turn and follow Ron up to his room with two of my best mates, but Harry grabbed my arm.
“I’m sorry to laugh, Court, but I just find what’s going on between you two quite hilarious,” he smiled at me. “I promise not to laugh anymore if you take a walk outside with me.”
My mouth dropped. “He told you? That bastard. I had sworn him to secrecy!”
“Court, I’m his best mate. How could he not tell me? I mean, you told Kam, which I’m sure is completely different. You two were in the middle of a huge fight. Ron, on the other hand, needed advice before we left Hogwarts.”
I raised an eyebrow up at him. “Before we left Hogwarts?”
“You think all those jokes about you being next actually had no truth in them? You think him telling you that he didn’t think of you like that while you were completely smitten with Draco were him just being nice? You think he would’ve seriously dated Lavender if he didn’t think it wouldn’t have made you jealous?” Harry paused. “Everything he did last year was because of you. He has had a major thing for you ever since the fourth year when you were my date to the Yule Ball. He told me that you looked amazing in your dress and wished that you were his date instead of Kam.”
My mouth was hanging open. I couldn’t believe it. Everything that Ron did last year was because he was trying to see if I liked him back? I couldn’t even begin to fathom it at all. I didn’t suspect that once he had a thing for me for years. That certainly changed everything.
“And I have to admit that I never did see you actually torn up about him. You know,” he shrugged. “In a romantic sense.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t think I would be either. But,” I paused and took a deep breath, “what about Hermione? He seemed to like her at times.”
“Yes, he has a slight thing for Hermione, but his thing for you is bigger. He just has no idea how wrong for him you are, and how perfect Hermione is for him or how you belong with Draco.”
At the mention of Draco, I reflexively grabbed the ring once more. “The sad part is,” I looked into his beautiful green eyes, “he’s right. My heart’s a mess, and I can’t figure out what I truly want.”
He nodded. “I understand that, Court. You’ll have time to figure it out. I mean, we are hunting the horcruxes together, right?”
“About that,” I grimaced at Harry. “I can’t go with you.”
“Are you completely mental? We need your help!”
I shook my head. “Dumbledore said that if we go together that one of us will fail, and if you fail, we’re all doomed.”
“Is that what your letter was about?” Harry asked, leading the way down the steps as I nodded. “Well, what’s your assignment then? He only would’ve said that if you didn’t have a goal to accomplish as well.”
“I have to stop a cycle. It’s me and only me that can stop it. So if I fail, then the cycle will continue forever more without anyone to stop it.”
We both stopped walking in front of the door.
“You have to stop a cycle?” he also looked confused. “What kind of cycle?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea. All Dumbledore could tell me in the letter was that some woman named Alycia would know more about it and point me in the right direction. He also sent me a time turner.”
“A time turner?” Hermione asked as she came out of the sitting room. “Who sent you one?”
I sighed. “Dumbledore.”
“She has to put a stop to s cycle. Only she has the power to do it,” Harry filled her in for me, which I was grateful for. I didn’t want to explain it again.
Hermione bit her lip. “It seems as though this cycle has gone on for quite a bit of time or why would he have given you a time turner. Do you know what it is? The cycle?”
I shook my head. “He said that he couldn’t tell me. I have to discover it myself.”
“Well, this will definitely put a bit of a stumper on the hunting of the horcuxes, but-“
“I’m not going with you guys,” I interrupted her, getting a little annoyed, “and neither is Kam and Astoria. We’re all are going our separate ways because Dumbledore says that one of us will fail if we decide to go in on it together. So, Kam, Astoria, and I are going to solve this mystery while you solve the other. Hopefully, we’ll both pull through.”
Hermione nodded. “May the odds be ever in your favor.”
I nodded. “You too, guys.”
“So, when are you guys setting out?” Harry asked, eyes traveling behind me.
I shrugged. “We’re going to try for after the wedding and not a moment after.”
“Where do you think you’re going, Courtney?” I turned, heart practically jumping out of my chest, to see that the booming voice had come from my brother, who had been helping with the yard outside.
I took in yet another deep breath. “I’m going to put a stop to-“
“No,” Marcus interrupted me. “You are not going anywhere. Harry can take care of whatever Dumbledore left him by himself. He doesn’t need to be dragging you into anything dangerous.”
“I’m right here,” Harry huffed, “and I’m not dragging her into anything. Dumbledore left her something completely different to accomplish, which means we have to go in separate directions, Marcus.”
“Well,” Marcus looked over at me, “You’re not going. You are forbidden to-“
“I’m forbidden, am I?” I couldn’t help it. That really angered me. Who did he think he was anyway? My father? Ha, far from it. “I am currently of age. Do you know what that means? It means that I can do whatever the hell that I want to you without the approval of you, daddy dearest, and if I want to put a stop to a certain cycle, then I’m going to do it.”
Marcus shook his head and pointed at me. “No, you’re not. I might not be our father, but I know what’s best for you-“
“Oh, so now you have my interests at heart, do you? You’ve been too absorbed in your own life for seven or more years to pay attention to your pesky little sister. First it was school, then Alex, and then Sophie. I mean, I’m not condoning you for living your life, but I could’ve been a regular part of it and not just a side thought.”
Years of jealousy and anger just swept out of me in that one small speech, and it felt good. I smiled in triumph as I mentally decided that I should do it more often. First Marcus, then who knows? Perhaps our father, Michael, will get to hear an ear full before the end of my life. At that moment, Marcus just stared at me and so didn’t Harry. Hermione had run off when Marcus had appeared.
“Look, Marcus, I know that you love me but-“
“I know you felt left out from my life, Court, but I just couldn’t go back to that house. I know you thought that you were happy there, but we weren’t. Dad was hardly ever there and when he was he was mentally abusive towards mum and you. I got smacked around, but you closed your eyes to that. You were daddy’s little girl.”
I shook my head. “Well, I’m not anymore. Our father can rot in hell for all I care.”
“I’m glad you can see that now.”
I looked over at Harry quickly before focusing back on my brother, my incredibly overprotective brother. “I’m sorry, but I’m still going. I’m not going alone. Kam and Astoria are going to be with me, so don’t worry. Astoria knows how to handle herself, and Kam…” I paused for a second. “Well, she’s Kam.”
“I know I can’t stop you, but I so want to. How about I come with you?”
I shook my head. “No, you stay here with Alex, Sophie, and Adeline. They all need you here for support.”
“Well then,” he sighed and pulled me into a rather tight hug, “as Hermione said, may the odds be ever in your favor.”
“Good luck would just suffice,” I chuckled into his chest.
I pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. “Also, you can’t choose who I should fall in love with. Just because you like Ron doesn’t mean that I’ll end up with him, got it?”
“So, are you telling me that you like Ron?” Marcus said hopefully.
“I’m not telling you anything, but I will say that Draco has a hold on my heart as well,” I showed him the ring that was dangling from my chain.
His mouth dropped. “Is that an engagement ring?”
I nodded. “I’m currently promised to Draco, yes.”
“So, he proposed to you?”
I nodded. “Yes, on Valentine’s day.”
He closed his eyes for a moment before sighing and opening them once more. “Well, engaged isn’t dead, so you flirt your ass off and see if you and Draco really do belong together, alright?”
I laughed.
“But she and Draco do belong together,” Harry spoke up, catching Marcus’ side eye. “I’m sorry to say so, seeing as I hate him as well, but they really were made for each other, Marcus. If you could only see the way she looks at him and vice versa, you would agree with me as well.”
“I don’t like it, but if that’s true, he better not hurt you,” Marcus smiled down at me. “Or I’ll beat his ass like I almost did on Christmas.”
Harry looked at me funny, but I just shrugged and pulled my brother in for another hug. He might be overprotective, but he’s my brother, the only one that I have, and I loved him with all my heart. He wasn’t at all like our father, which just made him an even better brother. He was a stronger man for it, and I was glad that I had him back in my life.
A/N: I just had to add the little tiff between her and her brother. It adds more for their relationship, don’t you agree? Plus, we know more about Court and her father’s relationship and why it hurt her so when she found out that he was a Death Eater. I bet you’re surprised that I planned that Ron liked Court from the get go, right? Ha! You guys were just as oblivious as Court was through this whole story! I love it. But I’m done being evil. I bet Amanda’s stoked that her character was mentioned in this and the last chapter. (Not that she’ll be reading anytime soon because she’s taking a bit of a break from wattpad, but oh well. She will be when she gets back) So, I bet you’re proud of me, right? Two chapters in two days. Boo-yeah! Also, I totally didn’t mean for the Hunger Games reference, but it’s hilarious. So, I left it and had Marcus play on it as well. Ha! Later.
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