` sisters (masin)

[Deleted]

Cordelia's all too seemingly perfect life had started to crack. It all started when she met that Davies boy in the library. Why was it that she could not get him out of her head? All they had done was spoken for, what, maybe twenty minutes? And most of the time it had consisted of him blushing and she trying to save the conversation from awkward silence. But it had ended with him saying he would teach her how to play Wizards Chess sometime... and she didn't know why, but the promise of seeing and hanging out with him had her feeling so excited. But Cordie had the perfect boyfriend. He was so sweet to her, he did anything for her, and it often felt like he worshipped the ground she walked on. And that wasn't exactly all she wanted by any means, but it was nice to have. Why did she always feel so guilty when she thought about Ethan now?

And then of course... the accident. Ethan had been tortured, nearly killed. Cordelia was devastated. She had spent the first two days he was recovering with him in the Hospital Wing and she had hardly been able to stop crying. Cordelia was so sad for Ethan, so worried... but... throughout it all, she could not help but think of the Davies boy. And that made her feel even worse. Here she was, with this perfect boyfriend whom she had almost lost to a tragic accident and she was thinking of another guy?! What kind of girlfriend was she!? And here, tonight, she had just returned to her common room after a meeting that consisted of people mainly discussing Ethan offering himself up as bait and it was all just too much for her. Cordelia walked straight through the common room and into her dormitory. She did not even have time to get dressed before the tears started shedding and she was sobbing into the pillow on her bed.

@delisle

[Deleted]

Well, that meeting was... interesting.

Her and Cordie had found each other through the chaos, of course, and had stayed by each others sides throughout the meeting. As it ended, Cordie when on ahead while Masin stayed to help Ethan get back to the hospital wing. Something fishy was going on, that much was certain. Masin cared about Ethan, deeply, and he was one of her best friends. It was one of those strange but special moments when Ethan and Cordie had started dating. It was nice, having friends all together.

But ever since the attack things had been... off. Not just because Ethan was nearly killed, of course that was part of it though. No, there was something else going on, something that Masin needed to get out of Cordie. Something she needed to help with.

She arrived back at the Ravenclaw tower, and headed straight toward the dormitory. She knew Cordie wouldn't be hanging out in the common room, being the center of fun like she usually was. She was right and she found her best friend crying into her pillow.

Masin moved to her, sitting down on the edge of her bed and reaching out to stroke Cordies golden hair. She waited in silence for a moment before speaking, "okay, tell me what's happening." Her voice was supportive, albeit lightly demanding as well.

cordelia regan smith

[Deleted]

Cordelia really hated having to leave the meeting in such a hurry, but it was all far too much for her to bear. Hearing Ethan volunteer to give himself up like that was horrifying, and the people wanting to throw him to doom like a piece of meet were even worse! Ethan was a good person, far too nice for his own good. If it meant keeping everyone safe and if everyone had wanted him to, he would have gone out and told them all who it was ... ultimately killing himself. But thank goodness there was still some good people in the world that stuck up for Ethan, namely Carcer and Dominique. Carcer had a loud voice, always sure to be heard. Plus he was a Hufflepuff, so he was not bad at all in Cordie's book. Then Dom was Ethan's best friend and Cordie knew that she would be on the side to keep Ethan safe. And through it all thank goodness that Masin had been there by Cordie's side, otherwise Cordie probably would have been a mess of blonde hair and tears on the floor.

Since the attack Cordelia had spent her time either in the Hospital Wing or in the dormitory, aside from her classes. She had never felt a sadness like this before. She felt as if all of the happiness inside of her had left her body. She was so scared not only for Ethan but for her family and her school. Whatever was going on was a serious problem but Cordie didn't even know if she had it in her to even fight right now...

Cordelia heard someone enter the dormitory then. There weren't many people it could be: either Leo, Alice, or Masin. Leo and Alice... well they probably would have ignored her, especially Alice. But when Cordie felt someone sit on the edge of her bed, she knew instantly it was Masin. The gentle stroke she felt on her head only confirmed this further. Then came the famous Masin "tell me now" tone. Always supportive and always loving, but still demanding and by Merlin if you didn't tell Masin DeLisle what she wanted to know, you were doomed. Cordelia took a second to collect herself, calming down her sobs and catching her breath before she was able to turn around and sit up in her bed next to Masin. She pulled her legs up to her chest and laid her chin on her knees. "I don't even know where to start," she sniffed, looking down at her chipped yellow painted toenails. She had painted them when she had been feeling particularly chipper, but now she was scared she would never feel that way again.

@delisle

[Deleted]

Masin waited for Cordie to compose herself a little, of course, all whilst still stroking the blondes hair. She moved her hand as Cordie moved, turning around to sit up and pull her legs to her chest. So, Cord didn't know where to start? That wasn't an entirely crazy scenario, it happened to everyone. Masin nodded once, giving a slight sigh as she spoke, "well, I'll help you. Of course you're upset about the meeting today. Ethan shouldn't have made those suggestions, and people shouldn't have supported him, you have every reason to be freaked out," and it was true. Masin was freaked out too, she cared about Ethan immensely and the idea of him just being willing to give himself up like that... well, Masin could never be that selfless, or that stupid.

"But... how are things between the two of you?" she knew that this had to be part of the problem, considering the way things had been going. Cordie usually lit up when she talked about Ethan, but now things were strained... distant... disconnected. "I mean really, are you two... do you still want to be with him?" just like Masin, to come out and say flat out what she's suspecting.

cordelia regan smith

[Deleted]

As Masin spoke, Cordelia could feel some of the weight lift off of her shoulders. She and Masin had always known just how to communicate to one another in a way the other was going to understand and sometimes it was only the two of them that could understand. Others often found their communicative ways foreign, but for the two girls it worked. Their friendship had always been one of tough love. They didn't sugarcoat things for one another and that was mainly because Masin was so brutally honest, she had rubbed off on Cordelia. They were the only two that were always honest with one another, no matter what. Cordelia could not have asked for a better friend that Masin DeLisle.

Cordelia just nodded as Masin spoke. It was no surprise that the girl knew exactly why her best friend was upset the way she was. "I just can't believe any of that happened... What is wrong with people!?" Cordelia shook her head, a few more tears streaming down her cheeks though she had calmed down a great deal more compared to what she had been. "All those people... I thought so much of them and they just wanted to throw him under a bus!" She looked at Masin, the sadness and disappointment evident on her face. She didn't even want to touch on the subject of how Ethan had been helping with the outrageous suggestions.

Then Masin asked what Cordelia had been dreading. How were they doing? Cordelia still cared for Ethan a great deal, but... a part of her felt it was all because of the attack. Of course she would have been devastated regardless but she just felt more obligated to stick around. And that made her feel like a piece of dung. "Well... they're great. Everything's fine other than... you know," she said, referring to the attack. Cordelia didn't realize it (or she would have tried to hide it,) but she wasn't meeting Masin's eyes. Always a dead giveaway. Cordelia was far too distracted to realize, though. It took Cordelia much longer than it should have to answer Masin's second question. "I mean... y- of course I do!" The manner in which Cordelia said this could not have sounded more unsure, even to her own ears. The Davies boy made an appearance in her mind but she stayed silent.

@delisle

[Deleted]

Masin honestly didn't think that those people really knew what they were talking about, but some of them still went on AFTER it was explained that Ethan would die. "You know how people are. Dumb teenagers, can't trust the lot of them," her mind drifted to Casey for a moment, but she pulled it back. Now was not the time to talk about that confusing little... situation.

Cordelia didn't meet her eyes as she talked about Ethan and Masin pursed her lips at the thought. She didn't care either way if they stayed together, but she did need to know the truth. Still, she wasn't ready to completely call her out on her behavior yet. She wanted to give Cordie a chance to look her in the eyes and tell her how she was really feeling.

Buuuuut, she didn't. "Cordie. There is nothing wrong with feeling differently. Even if he's half de-" she stopped at that word. Ethan was one of her best friends, and she felt a lump close up in her throat. She cleared her throat before continuing. "You should go see him soon. Just you" and yes, she was indicating to the Davies boy who was almost always at Ethans side as well.

cordelia regan smith

(tagging @liam because you may want to read this thread!)

[Deleted]

Yes. How could they have kept going on about Ethan letting himself die? Especially James Potter. Cordelia thought he was better than that. And the Lestrange girl? Cordelia didn't know much about her but she had never suspected her of the killing. The fact that she had suggested the whole idea seemed outrageous to Cordie. All of these people whom Cordie believed to be honorable... they had proved her wrong.

When Masin had cut herself off, Cordie felt her lips tighten into a straight line. She tried to ignore what her best friend had just said, for Ethan was still alive and well! He couldn't die... he was strong. He was a fighter. There was no way that the nurses were going to let him die. "He's... he's going to be okay." She said, placing a hand on one of Masin's. Friends had to be strong for one another. The two of them had always been good at that.

Cordie's face then contorted to show a look of slight confusion. "Bu - I always see him. We talk all the time..." her voice faded. She slowly started to realize that maybe Masin knew about Liam. But there was no way... right?

@delisle

[Deleted]

It was amazing how even when one was comforting the other, it really was a two way street. As Cordies hand landed on hers, Masin smiled at her encouragingly. Everyone was having a hard time with this, but there was no doubt that some who knew Ethan more than others had it worse. "Yeah, he's Ethan. Strong as a mountain," she said with a little chuckle.

Masin almost rolled her eyes as Cordie said that she and Ethan talked all the time. Masin stopped herself, though, wanting to be supportive right now and not necessarily snarky. "Yeah, I get that," she said, "but I know that Liam goes there every day after classes, which I'm pretty sure is the same time you go," Masin, however, had given herself morning duty for Ethan visits considering she was an early bird. But Ethan wasn't quiet about the fact that Cordie and Liam were always there together. He didn't act suspicious, not yet at least, but Masin was a little more wary.

cordelia regan smith

[Deleted]

Cordelia just had to chuckle herself when she heard Masin do so. Being around her best friend made her feel leagues better. So many would probably describe Masin as callous or snobby but Cordelia knew the real Masin. And she loved her like the sister she never had. "I just... I'm glad he's okay but," she paused for a moment, sniffling and looking up at Masin. "What if something bad happens again? Not to him... but to someone else? I'm... I'm afraid to be at Hogwarts." She admitted. Growing up in a mostly muggle family with muggleborn parents made her a halfblood, and who knew if that meant she was truly safe or not.

Cordelia raised her eyebrows in mock confusion for a moment but then it faded. She couldn't pretend with Masin any longer. Masin was likely to pull the truth out of her somehow, some way so she might as well come clean before she was forced. "Masin... I- I think..." she paused, tears beginning to well up in her eyes again as she struggled for the right words to say. "I'm... falling for Liam." She choked out before she let out one sad sob. How terrible of a human being was she that she had to begin to feel this way just as Ethan needed her most?

@delisle

[Deleted]

Cordie had a really good point. Hogwarts was no longer safe, once again. It was distressing the way that murderers circulated at this school. "Hey," she said soothingly as she reached out to take Cordie's hand once more, "Casey and I are doing everything we can to keep an eye out. And with this new plan of Abigails, to make sure no one is on their own, things are going to be better." She wasn't sure if she entirely believed all of that. She and Casey had spent the night in the Room of Requirement recently themselves, hiding from suspicious sounds in the halls and maybe accompanying all muggles borns to class would just get more people killed...but she had to believe it would help to some extent, right?

Still, she would never let anything happen to Cordie. Not in a million years. She'd die before that could happen. "I'll be with you every second I can, and when I can't there are plenty of others. Nothing will happen to you," she promised.

Masin was incredibly patient in waiting for Cordie to reveal the truth. Masin hoped that her instincts weren't correct in this matter, but her hope was crushed. Cordie was indeed falling for the Davies boy. Masin never really had an opinion of Liam... she didn't spend a lot of time paying attention to the guy. He was a beater, sure, so she noticed that. He was also friends with Ethan but still, she hadn't really acknowledged him before. Now she was wishing she had a little more of an opinion...

Cordie's eyes were filling with tears now and she knew now wasn't the time to comment on Liams character. "Don't, don't feel bad," she started, "you've been... different the last few weeks. Not just because of Ethan, either. More confident more... daydreamy," she chuckled, as if Cordie could be more of either of those things. "But... if you really do think this is important," she looked Cordie in the eyes, dead serious, "you have to talk to Ethan."

cordelia regan smith

[Deleted]

Cordelia's eyebrows formed together in concern. In all of her own drama and feelings, she had forgotten all about the students who had bigger problems and fears to worry about than she did. The muggleborns were in danger. What happened to Ethan was tragic, but nothing compared to what had happened to those before him. It did make Cordie feel better knowing that Masin was not patrolling the halls alone and that she was with Casey. And it made her feel better that they were enforcing the rule for those who were not at the meeting.

Cordie was hardly concerned for herself. If it came down to it, she could protect herself. Or at least she liked to think she could. Though she believed that she would be much better at protecting someone else's life than her own. She smiled weakly at Masin nonetheless. "We'll protect each other,"she said, putting her hand on Masin's. It wasn't every day that you would find friends like Masin and Cordelia, who were there for one another through thick and thin no matter what.

Masin said the very words Cordie was dreading. She knew she had to talk to Ethan, she owed that to him. He had been more more than a good boyfriend to her and he didn't deserve what she was doing to him. He deserved so much better than Cordelia and this she could admit. "I don't even know where to start," she said quietly, looking down at her lap. "He-he's going to hate me! How can I tell him... 'oh, I know you're in the hospital at the moment and practically inches from death but I am in love with someone else'?!" She looked back up at Masin with worry in her eyes.

@delisle

[Deleted]

Of course they would protect one another. They always had.

But how could Masin protect her from this? From this rather nasty and unfortunate love triangle? Masin couldn't imagine being in that situation. "This is why I don't bother with boys," she chuckled. It was true, too. Masin had never made time for boys. This whole situation with Casey was... a first time and a one time thing, hopefully. She didn't want to have to make decisions like Cordie was making. Especially not with final exams and death knocking on the door. But, it was still a real issue for her best friend and Masin needed to treat it like one. She needed to make sure Cordie knew that this was indeed something that she needed to sort out, and that it was important.

She reached over, taking one of Cordies hands. "If there's anything I know about Ethan, it's that he's an understanding person. I can't say he won't be upset, but he won't hate you. He'll get over it, even if it takes til after graduation but... have a little faith in him. You know him, Cordie, and can you really see him stopping this if he thinks it will make you and his best friend happy? He loves Liam and he loves you, and he'll respect it. Eventually."

She lifted her free hand to tap Cordie lightly on the chin, "and so will I. I support whatever you do, Cordie, even if you turned out to be the villain," she joked with a little smile.

cordelia regan smith