in which a witch named
cora holloway could be
described as many things
but most of all, she was
c h a r m i n g
( HARRY POTTER AND
THE GOBLET OF FIRE -> ??? )
( FRED WEASLEY )
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE/FIFTEEN DUTY OR POWER (ALTERNATE TITLE: CORA HAS A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS)
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american teenager | ETHEL CAIN "a long, cold war with your kids at the front"
Cora Holloway loved her friends. But she really missed her boyfriend - and so did they.
She, Amelia and Lee had really been feeling the lack of twin energy in their lives, ever since the two had packed their bags and left school with a literal bang.
"You two have never liked me more! It's like I'm your boyfriend replacement it's ridiculous!"
Breakfast was always a challenge. Lee like to joke that the two girls were using him. Which was a completely incorrect statement, both quite enjoyed his company. Plus why would they stop hanging out with him just cause their other friends weren't there anymore?
"Lee...shut up...please."
By midday his tune would always change. Going on and on how it was nice the twins had graciously departed, giving the trio time to connect further. ("Thank Merlin they finally buggered off!" Was his normal quip).
Cora was really not in the mood this morning though, so she was more than thankful the blonde had politely asked him to can it. See it was the quidditch final this afternoon, and Cora wasn't playing in it. Meaning she was acting pretty foul to everyone around her.
Two weeks prior Slytherin had lost pretty badly (340 to 80) to the Ravenclaw team, something that she found so embarrassing considering their team was extremely sub par. Nevertheless as a result their chances for the quidditch cup were cut short. Leaving the final to be a play off between the blue and red houses.
Their final game had been appalling. The whole crowd was practically violent, screaming obscenities at her teammates - but how could she blame them? They spent all day docking points from students for having untied shoelaces. Cora had tried her best to keep her head high, she played a tight, clean game. But even her best manoeuvres were no match for the distracted thoughts of her teammates, every single one of them thrown by the anti-slytherin chants of the stands.
The only light in the dark of her abysmal last match, was a letter from the Tutshill Tornadoes offering her a spot on their starting line up. Cora was ecstatic, she was expecting a position on a teams reserve, if she was even offered one. She accepted it almost immediately, and was due to start pre-season in August. She was slightly disappointed that she would not be a part of the Appleby Arrows as she had been hoping, but they were yet to reach out, and she was not about to turn down her position for a pipe dream. Plus it was an honour - as the last Hogwarts alumni who had managed to make it into the professional league was Oliver Wood, who made his league debut in the last season, working his way up from the reserves.
It had seemed that all her hard work had paid off. Her mind always managed to flash back to where she thought she should have been after school. Only a mere two years ago she was primed to become a ministry official, a prelude to her life-long stint as a matriarch of a pureblood mansion. Now, she was going to be a professional sports person. Who would have thought?
The good news was not enough to raise her spirits today however. "Lee...do you not have to be at the pitch? It's 10am already..." Cora's head was propped upright in her hand, her eyes not even leaving the book she was reading.
"Oh fuck!" The boy sprung into action, packing his things up quickly, before shoving a piece of toast in his mouth. His next words were incomprehensible, the bread soaking up his speech. But before they knew it, he was running out of the hall. The two girls smiled knowingly at one another, before bursting into laughter.
"Have you heard much from George?" The hall was quite loud for a Sunday morning, the whole school was excited about the final match of the year. So Cora's voice was loud enough to reach Amelia on the other side of the table.
She busy was digging into some Welsh cakes. "Hmm! Yeah...He's just been telling me all about their interior decorating, riveting, I know!" The two had been trying to keep the conversation of their respective partners to a minimum when Lee was around, knowing it would set the poor boy into a tizzy. But when they were alone they could finally share.
"Oh it's appalling isn't it...who told them that orange and green go together? They deserve some time in Azkaban..." Cora's disgust couldn't be hidden on her face.
"It wasn't me I swear!" Amelia's giggles filled the air. "You might be moving in right? George was telling me about the spare room...that it has your name on it?"
Cora's housing situation was more than precarious. She still had no solid plans for post-graduation-pre-gaining-access-to-her-mega-trust-account. The twins had been offering ever since they signed their lease, even forgoing making her pay rent until she had some money in her pocket. But truly, it felt a little much. She enjoyed her space, and she didn't want to move in with her boyfriend just cause she might become homeless, she wanted it to be a joint decision made out of future love.
"I...maybe." In truth, she was leaning toward moving temporarily into 12 Grimmauld Place. Sirius had been lovely, and was more than happy to accommodate her until she could get on her feet. In her mind, he probably needed the company more than the twins, house arrest seemed more mind numbing than running a booming business. But she still had a month to work it out, so it was a future Cora problem. "You are moving into the healers school right?"
The blonde nodded furiously. "They assigned me a temporary room, I uh obviously still have to pass all my NEWTS, but I'm sure I'll be fine." Amelia had been wanting to be a healer ever since they had been friends. She had forever been studying and applying for apprenticeships, it was last week that her early application to train at Saint Mungo's had been accepted, on the condition she passed her NEWTS with all Exceeds Expectations. Meaning she was just two years (one studying, one practicing) away from being a fully qualified healer. "It's nice though, not too far from the boys...and mum and dad are only an hour by train. They already want me to come down every weekend I have off. You'd think they'd be used to me being away from home! But no..."
"That's sweet. I'm sure they are just worried about you growing up." At least that's what Cora thought parents were supposed to feel. Not that she would know. Hers thankfully hadn't tried to contact her, still.
"I guess. I, wish they'd have more faith in me though. They're so, so overbearing." Cora opened her mouth to try and talk the girl down, but Amelia's face paled before she could. "You know what I mean? I love them, oh my obviously! but they just...I am so lucky to even have parents! Parents that love me...I've dug that hole myself haven't I?"
