Chapter 14: CORA
"You're back," Sienna Lynox said, turning her head towards the entrance of the common room. Cordelia Black was sitting in front of her with her notebook and pencil, drawing something like she always did.
"Luckily, Sinister didn't make us stay up until late this time," Ron said, sitting tiredly on the sofa next to Sienna, who smiled at him.
"I'm tired," Seamus said, yawning. "I'm going to bed," everyone waved at him, and he headed upstairs.
Penny noticed Cordelia, and immediately, she ran to her side to see what the girl was drawing. Cora was amazed at how much energy she had even at that hour.
"How has your day been?" Harry asked the girls. Cordelia let out a light laugh while Sienna groaned, leaning back next to Ron.
"I've got detention tomorrow," she said.
"But it's just the second week!" Hermione Granger pointed out. "How have you got detention?"
"We were at potion lesson," Cordelia said, still showing the drawings to Penny.
"And," Sienna said, "It wasn't my fault!" then she stood up, "I think I'm going to sleep, night guys."
"See you later," said Cordelia, smiling to her friend.
All first years were sitting in the common room, all sleepy but too tired to get up.
"What we got tomorrow?" Neville asked from next to Cora.
"Transfiguration, History of Magic, Herbology and Flying lesson." Hermione obviously knew their schedule by the hand.
"We are going to fly on a real broomstick?" Harry asked curiously at Ron, who nodded his head. Cora took a breath. Flying lessons were like P.E. in Muggle school. She had always done well, and maybe the same would have happened the following day.
"Do you like Flying lessons, Cordelia?" Penny asked.
"Oh yes," the girl answered. "Flying is a beautiful sensation; it's able to make you feel free." Cora felt the same when she ran; there wasn't a better sensation.
"Have you ever flown on a broom?" Harry asked Ron.
"Fred and George are on the team," Ron explained. "As was Charlie, they showed me and Penny how to do it." At his words, Penny nodded her head.
"I've read it's really difficult," Hermione said.
"You've read it?" Ron said sarcastically, "That's a new." Cora let out a tired snort, sharing a look with Ron.
"Where have you read it?" Penny asked curiously to Hermione.
"Quidditch through the ages," she said. "There are lots of tips."
"I would like to hear them," Neville said. "My grandmother never let me on a broom." Knowing how much Neville attracted accidents, maybe she had been right.
"Flying isn't some kind of sport?" Cora asked, looking at Ron.
"Sort of," he answered.
"So?" said Harry.
"So, tips won't get you anywhere," Cora said, standing up with a yawn. "The only way to learn is through practice. Now, excuse me, but I'm going to sleep. See you tomorrow, guys."
She was really tired, and she really didn't want to know what Hermione had read. She really didn't get that girl. Why did she have to have everything and everyone under control? Didn't it stress her out?
Cora entered the dormitory and lay down on her bed. She put a hand under her pillow and looked at the picture of her parents. She touched both her faces, wondering how her mother was doing without her. She wondered if she felt lonely. She really hoped not; she didn't want her mother to be sad while she was at school.
"Goodnight," she said, looking at her parents before putting back the photo in its place.
Morning arrived too soon, as did Hermione's lecture on the flying lesson. Neville was as anxious as Hermione was, and he was the only one who was listening to her. Cora didn't have any expectations for that day; she didn't want any stress.
"What does Professor Snape want you to do?" Cordelia's voice made her turn. The probably prettiest girl in the school was now talking to her friend with the heavy dark makeup.
"Polishing stuff and the classroom," Sienna said before groaning. "I hate him, I swear." Cora could agree with that; who wouldn't hate Snape?
"He is coming right now," Cordelia said, trying to hide a smirk.
"Oh no," Sienna exclaimed before the two Weasley twins arrived, sitting at both sides of her. Cora looked at them, trying to understand who was who, but it was almost impossible to distinguish them.
"Hey, Sien," one of the two said. "It's a good day, eh?"
"Good day, indeed," said the other twin.
"What do you want, Weasley?" Sienna asked with an annoyed tone.
"My breakfast," he said, taking a piece of bacon from Sienna's plate, who tried to stop him but failed miserably.
"What are you going to do this weekend?" Asked the other twin. "Now that we can go to Hogsmeade, we can have a bit of freedom."
"Define freedom, George," Sienna said, surprising Cora. Sienna knew who was who. "When someone is forced to clean potion classroom 'til Monday," the night before, she had, in fact, told them she had got detention.
"You won't be alone, Sien," the other, Fred, said. "I'll be there."
Sienna glared at him. "Of course, you'll be! It's your fault."
Fred faked a shocked expression. "Me? You are the one who yelled at me in the middle of class."
"Are you kidding?" Sienna said back, earning just a big smirk from Fred. "If you hadn't thrown paper balls at me for the entire lesson, I would have ignored you, like I always do."
Fred laughed. "You don't ignore me." The two of them kept arguing with each other while George turned to Cordelia.
"Are you going to Hogsmeade?"
The girl nodded. "I was supposed to go with Sienna, but a guy from Hufflepuff asked me to go, so I think I'll go with him."
"Oh, a date," said George with a smirk.
"I wouldn't call it like that." Cordelia smiled. "What about you? No dates?"
George shook his head. "No, no dates. The girl I like can't go."
It probably was Fay. Every time she was around, George left his friends and brother to go and talk to her. While she was listening, she hadn't noticed owls arriving with letters. Marsh was next to her, nuzzling his head against her arm.
"Sorry, Marsh," she said, taking the letter he had between his beak. She smiled when she read it was from Tyler. He told her about his new school and how he was glad that Dudley wasn't in it. He asked her how Hogwarts was and how her wizard friends were. Then he told her how excited he was about using owls to send mail. He was so excited that it was a shame he wasn't a wizard; he would have had a lot of fun.
"It's a Rememberball!" Neville exclaimed, making Cora turn. "My gran sent it to me, knowing I always forget things."
"That's so cute," Penny said from next to Ron, looking amazed at the little crystal ball in his hand. "Why's their red smoke now?"
"You've forgotten something," Hermione said, and Cora frowned again. Even that? Why did she have to know everything?
Neville was desperately trying to remember what he had forgotten when someone took the ball away from the boy. Cora didn't even have the time to turn, and Harry and Ron had jumped on their feet, ready to argue. Not surprised at all, Cora saw Malfoy with his two gorilla friends, Crabbe and Goyle. Before anything could happen, though, Cora's aunt appeared next to them.
"What's going on?"
"Malfoy got my Rememberball, Professor," said Neville. Cora really wishes Malfoy had said something to make her aunt angry, but as a good Slytherin, he always knew what he had to say.
"Just looking, professor," he said, giving back the Rememberball and walking away.
"Why don't you leave him alone?" Cordelia's voice made her turn.
"Why do you care?" Malfoy said before returning to his table.
So, Cordelia knew Malfoy, Cora wondered why?
That afternoon arrived fast, and Cora found herself outside, lined up with her fellow Griffindors and the Slytherins, looking down at a broom at her right. Madame Hooch arrived immediately, and her appearance was a bit curious: her hair was short and grey, and her eyes were yellow as a hawk.
"What are you waiting for?" she backed. "Get closer to your broom, hurry!" Cora shared a look with Seamus that just raised his eyebrows.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom and say 'UP'," Cora glared at her broom, not sure at all. It was all so new to her, more than she had ever expected.
She took a breath, trying to stay calm. She extended her hand over her broom and spoke, "Up!" She was not surprised at all that her broom didn't move.
"Great…" She muttered, glaring at her broom.
"Up!" Harry's voice made her turn, and she widened her eyes when she saw his broom in his hand. She turned to look at the others then, and she saw Malfoy already holding his. Seamus raised his voice every time his broomstick wasn't following his orders. Neville's hadn't moved at all, while Hermione's was just rolling around.
Of course, they kept trying, but not everyone succeeded; Cora didn't. After that Madame Hooch showed them how to properly hold a broomstick, Cora heard Harry and Ron laugh when the woman said to Malfoy, he was doing it all wrong. And they were right. Malfoy had kept telling everyone how a good flyer he was and that he couldn't wait to start those lessons and Quidditch, a wizard game Cora's aunt was obsessed with.
"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off the floor hard," Madame Hooch said. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and come straight on the floor leaning slightly forward. Ready – three – two," but suddenly Neville started to rise before Madame Hooch had blown her whistle.
"Get down, boy!" She barked, but Neville didn't look in the position of being in control of his broom.
"Oh, God..." Cora muttered, looking at the broom fly higher and higher. Then suddenly, Neville looked down, and after a moment, he was falling down; no one could have done something, and when he landed, a loud 'crack' was heard.
"Is he alright?" Parvati asked to no one in particular.
"Broken wrist," Madame Hooch said, helping Neville to his feet. "Nothing serious, boy, don't worry." Cora frowned, letting go of her broom; the broken wrist could be nothing, but the trauma Neville could have maybe been something.
"None of you has to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing," Madame Hooch said. "You leave those brooms where they are, or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say Quidditch."
"Poor Neville," Penny said to Ron. "Everything always happens to him," and she was right. He had visited the hospital wing about four times in less than two weeks.
"Did you see his face, the great lump?" Malfoy's voice made her growl. And all the Slytherins started to laugh with him.
"Would you ever shut up, Malfoy?" Cora said coolly.
"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom, Cora?" Cora glared at the girl who had just spoken. Pansy Parkinson, Slytherin, was the female version of Malfoy: annoying and nasty. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies."
"Pancy, you need some brains to be able to think," Cora answered without even looking at her. Some Gryffindors laughed, while Pansy just looked at her angrily.
"Look," Malfoy said, ignoring them. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom had." When Cora saw the Rememberball, a growl left her lips, making Seamus look at her.
"You can't take that," Penny said. "His grandmother gave it to him; it is a present."
"See if I care." Malfoy got closer to Penny, but Ron got between them, glaring at the Slytherin with close fists.
"Give it here, Malfoy." Harry's voice made them turn in silence to watch, and a nasty smirk appeared on Malfoy's lips.
"I think I'll leave it somewhere Longbottom has to find it. Up a tree, maybe."
"Give it here!" Harry exclaimed, trying to take it from Malfoy, but the boy mounted his broom and flayed up. He wasn't lying. He knew how to fly. "Come and get it, Potter!"
Cora turned her head to Harry, who already had his broom in his hand and was ready to follow Malfoy. His determination was visible in his eyes, and Cora knew he was going, even if he didn't know how to fly.
"No!" Hermione exclaimed, "Madame Hooch told us not to move; you'll get us in trouble."
But Harry ignored her, kicking his feet on the ground and flying towards Malfoy, looking that scene Cora couldn't help but smirk, she hadn't expected all that determination from the shy and quite boy from number 4.
Girls gasped while Ron yelled, "Get him, Harry!"
"Go, Harry!" Cora yelled next to him.
It was surprising how Harry flew naturally. He seemed to know exactly what to do as if he had done it all his life, and Malfoy had noticed. He tried to hide it, but he had fear in his eyes.
"Give it here. Or I'll knock you off of that broom!" Cora heard Harry call. Malfoy looked puzzled. "No Crabble and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy." Cora's smirk widened.
Malfoy tried to fly away from Harry, but he was faster, following Malfoy very close, but suddenly Malfoy stopped yelling, "Catch!" And with a movement, he had thrown the Rememberball away.
Every Gryffindor gasped, knowing it was even to see it now. But Harry speeded his fly towards nowhere in particular, he leans over and suddenly he stopped before flying back. The more he got closer, the more it was possible to see that he had something in his hand.
"He got it," Penny exclaimed. "Ronnie, he got it!"
Everyone cheered but as soon as Harry landed on the ground a voice called for him.
"HARRY POTTER!" Cora turned her head to see her aunt's strict face while she was walking towards them.
"Never in all my time at Hogwarts I've seen – you could have broken your neck," her aunt said furiously. Harry couldn't get expelled because of Malfoy.
"But it wasn't his fault," Cora said, stepping forward,
"Be quiet, Miss McGonagall," her aunt said.
"But Malfoy…"
"Enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me," her aunt said strictly. They had started to walk when Cora called again.
"That's not fair, aunt! At least hear us out." Her aunt stopped and looked at Cora reprovingly.
"I said enough, Cora!" the girl growled, knowing she shouldn't have called her aunt, but she was just furious.
"That's not fair," Seamus said.
The sound of giggling made her turn to the Slytherins. Harry couldn't pay while Malfoy was there laughing with his friends.
That's not fair.
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