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Sixth Year - 1976
"ARE YOU ALL READY?" Lily shot a nasty look at Cordelia and Alice as they laid sprawled on the former's bed.
"Yes, mother," they whined together.
Students were returning home for Christmas today. Lily was the only fretting over it.
"And you're certain that you've got everything?" She pestered.
"Lily, let them be," Dorcas laughed. "It'll be their own fault if they forget anything."
Lily rolled her eyes, but she dropped the subject. Marlene emerged from the bathroom with her hair perfectly styled, grinning at them all.
"Ladies, I'd reckon we better take a trip around the grounds," she drawled. "Wouldn't want the boys to forget about me over the holiday."
None of them protested, but we all thought her reasoning was a bit silly. Forget Marlene McKinnon? Quite impossible.
As they rounded the Black Lake, the sound of laughter and shouting filled their ears. Cordelia would know the sound anywhere. Unfortunately, Lily also knew the it all too well.
The Marauders were tormenting Severus Snape.
The ginger girl took off in the direction of the commotion, her roommates close behind. Cordelia swore loudly when she caught sight of Snivellus hanging upside down in front of James and Sirius.
"Potter! Put him down!" Lily demanded.
"It's just a bit of good fun, Lilyflower!" James shouted gleefully.
Snape continued to snarl and screech in the air. Lily's face was beginning to match her hair.
"It's not funny. You're a bully," Lily growled. "Let him down!"
James's smirk grew, and Cordelia knew it wasn't going to be good. She was proved right when James dropped Snivellus on his head. Lily rushed over to her greasy friend, but the students around them continued to laugh.
"James..." Cordelia warned, seeing the boy about to open his mouth.
He ignored her.
"I don't know why you bother to defend him. He's a slimy snake, Evans," he argued.
Lily whipped around to scold him, but she didn't get the chance. Snape shot to his feet, face blushed in embarrassment and rage. He pushed Lily away from him. Cordelia and James tensed at the sight.
"Keep your filthy hands off of her, Snivellus!" James shouted.
"Shut up, Potter! He—," Lily began furiously.
"Leave me alone, Potter," he sneered. "I don't need a Mudblood to defend me!"
Everything moved in slow motion after that. Marlene and Mary grabbed Lily before her legs could give out. James raised his wand menacingly, charging at the Slytherin. Remus and Peter grabbed James by the robes. Alice had the sense to snatch Sirius's wand away from him.
Not a single one of them seemed to remember Cordelia was standing there.
At least, not until she tackled Snivellus to the ground.
They slammed into the ground, and she didn't even bother using her wand. Cordelia punched him in the nose. She could hear people screaming for her, but she paid them no mind. She landed a second punch before she was finally grabbed around the waist.
"If you ever come near her again, I'll do more than break your ugly nose!" Cordelia threatened. "Do you hear me, Snivellus? You're dead!"
Her feet dragged against the grass as she fought to free herself. She watched Snape stumble to his feet and take off in the direction of the castle. Her chest heaved violently.
"Delia, babes, calm down," Sirius hissed in her ear. She stopped fighting him, and he allowed his grip to loosen.
When Cordelia saw Lily's blotchy face, she ripped herself away from him. The girls wordlessly escorted their friend back to their dorm.
What a start to the holiday.
None of them mentioned the blood on Cordelia's knuckles.
-
The carriages were preparing to take the first round of students to the Hogwarts Express when Cordelia took off running through the castle. She shoved her way past people, rapidly scanning the halls for the Slytherin boy she needed to speak to.
Spotting him a ways ahead of her, she weaved between the crowd faster.
"Regulus!"
The boy turns to see Cordelia McKinnon panting behind him. A quirked eyebrow is all she receives in response as she comes to a stop.
"Here," she gasps, thrusting a small box with a black bow toward him.
"What is this?" He asks uneasily, carefully taking the box from her hands.
She manages to finally catch her breath, and he watches her eyes go soft. Regulus thinks she's going to step closer to him, but she must think better of it.
"This is a lifeline," Cordelia answers patiently. "It's charmed to be a portkey. Break it and say my name, and it will take you to me."
His eyes widen, and she can't help but notice how much he looks like a little kid receiving their first howler. His nerves radiated off of him.
"Why are you giving me this?"
Cordelia had never heard his voice sound so small. Her hands shook as he looked at her in fearful wonder.
"I can't make your choices for you, Regulus," she said slowly, watching the way he tensed up. "But I want to give you another one."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"If you have to run... if you want to run, I will help you. Don't let them decide who you should be," Cordelia begged.
Regulus took several steps away from her. "I don't need your help," he spat.
Cordelia shook her head, turning and leaving him standing in the hall. When he could no longer see her, he opened the box.
A thin silver bracelet lay in the bottom. It was delicate enough to be broken, but it was well-crafted enough to not break on accident. He hated to admit that it was a nice piece of jewelry, and he knew the complex spell work required to create a an unregistered port key was done by her own hand.
It was the first real gift he's gotten in years.
Along with the bracelet, there was a small slip of parchment in the box. He unfolded it with the utmost care.
I'm rooting for you, Regulus.
There is always a choice.
C.H.M.
The Slytherin boy tucks the note into his pocket and wordlessly slips the bracelet onto his wrist before making his way to the carriages.
