For the Future

"Come on quick! You'll be late for the train!" Mrs Weasley calls as all of us follow behind. Finally, we reach the train and the mother gives all her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Including me.

"Alright, no mischief boys. I better hope you behave!"

We get on the train and try to find empty compartments for ourselves since the rest are full. Harry and his friends find one with a sleeping man inside it and right next to theirs we find an empty compartment for me and the twins. Thank merlin I didn't get beaten up this time.

A few hours after playing the stupidest games we could imagine, the train came to a halt. My immediate instinct was to go to Harry's compartment.

"Stay here you two, I'm going to check on Harry," I say, pulling my wand out.
"You think we're gonna let you go out? It's dark, what if something happens to you?" Fred replies defensively as I slide open the door.

"Don't worry, it's right next door, nothings gonna happen. I think.." I reassure him before I exit the compartment and go next door.

I slowly slide the door open so the trio don't get startled.
"Don't worry it's only me," I chuckle as I see Ron relaxing his shoulders. I sit beside Harry, shivering from the sudden cold. I follow his gaze towards the window as I see a dark shadow approaching the door. The shadow slides the door open and scans the room. I realize the shadow was a starving dementor looking for a criminal. But what would a criminal be doing on the— oh.

The dementor moves its head towards me and Harry and then before I could realize all the happiness was drained out from my mind. Like I'll never be happy again. I hear a voice calling out to me.

"Please! Don't hurt her please, take us instead but just not our children.”
“CORA!"

I wake up with a pounding in my head with Harry staring down at me.
"Wh-what happened?" I inquire, confused.

"You and Harry passed out, Harry woke up 10 minutes before you," Hermione answers worryingly.

"Here, eat. You'll feel better." The man in-front of me offers a piece of chocolate. I mean it's chocolate, who would decline the offer? I take it from his hand and eye him suspiciously as I stuff the chocolate in my mouth.

I heard a voice but who was it...a female. But who? Who was it? I put that thought aside and started analyzing the man in front of me.

Middle aged man. Light brown hair. Looks like he's on the verge of death. Last night was full moon. Eats chocolate.

"Remus lupin," I blurted out after I finished swallowing my chocolate. "You were my fathers best-friend," I mumbled, getting my information from my dearest uncle.
He looks at me curiously wondering who I was talking about.

"And who might your father be?" He asks.
"Sirius black," I stammered feeling disgusted, saying the name of a murderer. As soon as I say his name, his eyes widen, like it's flashing memories through it. Soon he relaxes his tensed shoulders and stands up looking away from me, clearing his throat.

"I need to have a word with the bus driver, please excuse me." He grumbles as he slides open the door and disappears.

That was weird, but I can think about it later. Well not really, thinking about it is all I'm probably gonna do for the next few days.
"I'm going to the twins. You sure you'll be okay harry?" I ask looking at him.

"Yeah..I'll be fine.."

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We arrived at the great hall and sat on opposite sides, as I waited for Laurie. Today she is awfully late since she normally sits here on the table way before me.

Before everyone could settle down, I saw her run in with her face absolutely flushed and her eyes widened. She finally spots me and finds her seat next to me.

"What's up with you," I smirk, leaning my head on my hand while facing her.

"Erm n-nothing?" What do you mean? Haha," she stammers uncontrollably.

"You've gone pink Laurie." I state bluntly. Before I could ask anymore questions Dumbledoor starts his speech.

"Welcome, Welcome, to another year of Hogwarts. Now, I'd like to say a few words before we all become a bit too befuddled by our excellent feast." I can practically hear Ron staring into the chicken on his table. "Firstly I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor RJ Lupin," Professor Lupin stands up receiving applause from everyone in the room.

"Watch him leave Hogwarts the second something weird happens. Nobody lasted more than a year in that position." I scoff, earning a small chuckle from Laurie.
"Hey, how are you feeling about that Sirius black situation," she says in a low voice.
"Well, I'm at Hogwarts, no ones gonna hurt me here so I have nothing to worry about." I shrug it off trying my best to forget about it.

"Hey Cora!" I boy across the table calls from across the table on my far right in a low voice. "Heard from your dad yet? Matter of time before you end up like him," he adds on snickering with his friends.

"At least I got a dad, Michael! He left before you could say your first word." I whisper harshly back to him. "Now go cry about it!" Stupid bastards.

The stuck-up weirdo turns around shamefully as I hear a small giggle, not from Laurie but from a dirty blonde haired girl sitting right in front of me. She stares right into my eyes as she continues to laugh quietly and immediately shifts her gaze towards dumbledore as the second round of applause ends. Weird. I like her.

"-request of the ministry of magic," eye roll "Hogwarts will, until further notice, will play host to the dementors of Azkaban until Sirius black is captured." As he says that the whole room has grown into small chatters.

"Turn back around Michael," I hissed at the boy. It wasn't only him though. I've been noticing stares all around the room, even from the teachers.

"I have assured that they will not disrupt our day to day activities, but be cautious dementors are vicious creatures, they will not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one that gets in their way, so please, give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving. But as you all know, happiness can be found in the darkest of places."

"Now can you now tell me why you were so pink in the great hall? Im your best friend, you can tell me anything,"
I ask Laurie desperately as I wipe my face with a towel, walking towards her bed.

"I-It was nothing..hey did you cut your hair?" Laurie stammers trying to change the subject.

"Don't try and change the subject Laurie," I smirk as I sit on her bed and cross my legs. She takes a deep breath in.

"Ikindakissedsomeone" she stammered nervously.

"You what? I couldn't hear." I ask her again, trying to get her to say it again.

"I..kissed someone?" She winces.

"You what!? Oh this is great!" I chime. This was the best news I've heard in a long time. "Who was it?" I ask, grabbing her shoulders lightly.

"Sh-she doesn't want me to tell anyone,"

"That's...fine, Laurie whenever you're ready. You can tell me anything. Just know that." I smile at her reassuringly.
"Ugh I knew you were gonna get your first kiss before me,"

"I'm just irresistible Cora. People can't help it but to love me." She says jokingly and seems more relieved than before.
The other girls in the room were busy doing their own thing and talking to each other to even acknowledge Laurie.
Yes. Just Laurie. I seem to be still getting stares from some of the girls here but I choose to ignore it.

I wish I could just delete myself from existence just to stop getting looks from everyone. No one seems to go near me due to fear that I would get my father on them but I haven't spoken to the guy in over a decade.

This is my blood, I have to deal with it. I need something to distract myself so this will be a good time to ask if the twins still have the map.

Narrator

It's been weeks. Weeks of Cora staring into a wall for 10 minutes before she 'sleeps'. The habit of Cora overthinking every day is unbearable but addictive in some sort of way. Her overthinking was normal for her but it's gotten worse with her murderous father running around planning to get her. But of course, she's already gone through how it would go in that situation over 1000 times in her head. The anxiousness in her stomach just wouldn't let her rest for a minute.

Laurie was alarmed of her weird new habit of staring into the wall before she sleeps. It would nearly scare her. Although, throughout the day when she'd see Cora messing about at some parts of the day, like normal, a pool of relaxation washes over her.

At first, Laurie thought her odd behavior was because of her abrupt confession, but Cora didn't bat an eye as though it was accepted and normal for everyone and everywhere. She had never felt so...down to earth with someone, someone she could trust and make her feel like she isn't alone.

Cora exits the bathroom with hair shoulder length black hair in a half up half down hairstyle looking for her wand.
"Laurie have you seen my—"
As soon as Cora asks, her best friend pulls her wand out from behind her.

"You have it!- Why do you have it exactly?" The girl asks, reaching for her wand.

"To threaten you." Laurie answers as she pulls the wand out of Cora's reach.

"You have your own wand for that you idiot." Cora adds obliviously as she puts her hands on her waist.

"Well yes. I do, but you can't live without your wand Cora and if you want it back you need to be honest with me."She replies sternly.

"When am I not honest with you? Sorry." The short Ravenclaw apologizes as she catches her friend's 'don't even think about it' look. "Ask away then,"

"Where are you off to at night, and don't even think about lying to me." The terrifying woman demands.

Cora takes a deep breath in and answers. "The astronomy tower.."

"With Fred?"

"No what!? Ew I'm 15 Laurie!" She shudders thinking about it.

"Alright alright. Then what do you do there? Everyday you look like you've barely gotten any sleep. Fred was first to notice as well but you're just pushing us all away the second we ask that question! Just talk to us Cora. Talk to me,"
Laurie pleads, worried for her best friend.

"I think. Well overthink I guess. Since I uh can't sleep at night in my bed might as well overthink with a nice view." And staring at a map making sure Sirius black isn't here. Cora chuckles. She notices Laurie's confused look. "My dad," she whispers. "Laurie, what if he gets in the castle and gets to me? Got to Harry? I can't let that happen."

"Oh Cora...he won't get in. Dumbledoor made sure of it." She replies softly.
"He escaped bloody Azkaban! How do you know he won't get in the castle!?" Cora trembled in anger as her volume increased fast. As soon as she says that, Laurie backs up in fear.

As much as Cora wants, no one will understand how she feels or what goes on inside her mind when she thinks about her parents. It's practically a curse and she doesn't know it yet.

Cora and Laurie later made up and met the twins in the great hall for breakfast.

"Hey, I haven't seen Lee for quite a long time. Seems a bit odd.." Cora asks Fred sitting next to her as she piles the pancakes on her plate.
"Why do you care so much about Lee suddenly," Fred scoffs as he takes a bite of his cereal bar.
"But-but Lee's our friend, why wouldn't I care?" She stammered in confusion.

"Calm down Fred, it almost seems like you're jealous," George adds in a song song voice.

"Am not!" The twin replies in defence. George just looks at him with a judgmental gaze.

"Don't listen to him Fred. I'm not interested in a relationship with Lee if you'd like to know," she chuckles at the ginger boy next to her as his shoulders seem to relax. "Now finish your food you lot we've got professor lupin first and I heard he's got some sort of magical cupboard,"

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The four best friends have always been late to professor Lupin's class and if they get late one more time it's a detention after school and of course Cora seemed to forget along with Fred since George and Laurie finished breakfast in a rush and ran along to class together.

Currently, Fred and Cora are sprinting to the DADA classroom before they could get any later than they are.
"You bloody idiot! Why didn't you remind me!?" Cora calls out breathlessly as she runs.

"I forgot for merlin's sake!" One more turn and the duo arrive in the classroom in the middle of professor Lupin's speech.

"Look who arrived," the professor says smugly. "Children this what you don't do. Detention for the both of you. Meet me after the fifth period." Cora couldn't argue since this was basically her tenth chance. The two go find a seat at the back so professor Lupin could continue his lecture.

"...and so today we are doing a practical lesson on boggarts, follow me." The class get up from their seats and follow the professor meeting peeves the poltergeist along the way.

"Loony loopy lupin, loony loopy lupin.." The poltergeist repeats. "Hello Cora! Hello Fred! Up for more mischief? We should throw a stink bomb in Filch's office again don't ya think!"

"Peeves! Be quiet!" She whispers harshly to Peeves.

"I heard that Cora. We're going to have a chat about that later." The professor calls out as he continues to walk to our destination.

"Loony loopy lupin, loony loopy lupin.." Surprisingly, the teacher was smiling at the poltergeist.

"I'd take that gum out that keyhole if I were you, Mr Filch won't be able to get into the broom closet," he says pleasantly.
Peeves certainly didn't listen and blew a large wet raspberry at the professor and flew off. Lupin sighs and shows the students a useful spell to take out the gum from the keyhole.

The class later arrives at the staffroom and walks inside, finding a wardrobe in there.

"Boggarts like small enclosed spaces like that wardrobe standing in front of you." Lupin calls out, closing the door behind the last person. "Now what is a boggart, Cora?" He asks her once again, finding her off guard.

"A boggart? Oh yeah. A boggart is something that can shape-shift into what it thinks is your greatest fear."

"Well done. As of right now, the boggart is sitting in the darkness. Not knowing what shape it should form due to the amount of people in the room. The spell that repels the said boggart is a spell that will change the boggart into something you find amusing. Laurie, could you come up here and show us a demonstration?"

The class turns to Laurie as she comes up to the front with her wand. "I take it, you know what the spell is?" The man asks. Laurie replies with a nervous nod.

"No need to be afraid, as soon as you see the boggart, you hit it with a spell."

"Everyone ready? On the count of 3 Laurie. 3...2...1...Now!" As soon as he says that the door flies open revealing 3 large spiders crawling out the wardrobe.
"Riddikulus! Riddikulus!" The girl screams out as she successfully shifts the spiders into a tap dancing cat.
The class erupts into laughter.

"Next!" The professor calls out as the next student runs out.

A few students later Lupin calls out for Cora to come up. She walks towards the front dreading the moment as the doors swing open revealing...Sirius black. Cora's hands tremble in fear as she brings out her wand. "R-riddikulus...Riddikulus!" She stammers as it finally works on the second try as her father shifts into a dozen sparrows fly around her.

She turns to look at Professor Lupin with her eyes full of tears, turns away and walks to the back of the classroom to get her bag.

"All of you are dismissed early. Go all of you. Cora stay back I need to have a chat." Lupin demands the class. With a huff Cora sits on a chair with her tears gone like it was never there. As soon as everyone leaves he turns towards me.

"Follow me Cora." The girl got up and aimlessly followed the professor back to the DADA classroom. "Sit. I'll be back."
He says as he disappears into the back of the classroom leaving Cora confused. Remus enters back into the classroom holding a normal sized notebook with a bunch of different coloured pages sticking out of it.

"This, Cora, was your fathers. He had a lot of confusing ideas revolving around his head. At some points it was just a normal diary." He explains finally holding it out for Cora to take.

"Did...did my mother have a diary?" She asks curiously, forgetting to open her fathers diary in her hand.

"No. Your mothers mind was too...there was too much going on in her mind to be written in a diary." Remus stumbles around his words. "If you want to understand him more, open it," and so she does as a page full of instructions welcome her. She turns to see more and more instructions for potion making, but when she turns to the fifth page, beautiful drawings of the same girl fill the double page spread.

"Elvira...your mother. He was quite obsessed over her but in a more quiet way. James on the other hand told the whole world how in love he was with lily," the man chuckles with nostalgia.

"James, as in James potter?" Cora inquired.

"Who else could it be?" Cora scanned the pages, taking in the sight of her mother and imagining her in real life. The next page was a diary entry.

Dear diary,

Well, I don't really know how to write a diary. This stuff is for teenage girls. Oh merlin. Well, I'm incredibly in love with Elvira. Looking at her brightens up my whole week. It's something about her that makes me excited to live.
If this was me 2 years ago all this mushy stuff would make me sick and my dear brother regulus throw up twenty times, but now? Now I would do anything and everything for that woman.
Even if her brother is that snivellus rat it won't stop me from being with her. It's as if my existence was made for her. My purpose would be for nothing if she weren't here by my side in the future.

Farewell, diary.