The Perfect Plan

Chapter two

The Perfect Plan

Breaking All the Rules: No Magic in the Corridors.

~*~~*~~*~

'Just kill all the birds with the stone and get it over with.'

Cordelia sighed softly as both her and Chayse made their way through the deserted corridors of the castle. It was well past curfew and no-one was in sight. About a month had past since Chayse had given her all the major pointers and she was still convinced that with what he had in mind, they would either be killed by either parent or expelled and then killed.

She was also still surprised that most of the school had come to know of their plan. The Ravenclaws had planned out the best of it, patching up the holes they found in Chayse's plan just to make sure that what they were doing didn't cross over to being illegal, as Chayse's plans often did. They said that they had conference meetings in their common room putting together ideas and then sent representatives to the lake at the end of each week. Every Friday two members of each house would meet after dinner to compare and contrast but Ravenclaw always had the better plans, they were the big thinkers behind it all.

The Hufflepuffs were all too glad to help because nobody usually included them in anything and the Gryffindors helped because they were all supportive of Cordelia and anything she did. Chayse had often ridiculed her about this.

'What's the point of having friends if they don't tell you you're being stupid half the time?' he had said to her. Having thought about it she decided it was true. Whenever someone was to do something utterly against school rules they wouldn't bat an eyelid. There was only one person who had ever done it, and that was about twenty-one years ago; the days, "when Harry Potter ruled the school," as her mum always said.

The Slytherins on the other hand were another story. They helped because it was their duty, or so Chayse had said. Apparently they did what they were told and Chayse was the one dictating. He said it was his right and their privilege to do so. She couldn't stop laughing when he had told her this. He sounded like a war recruitment officer.

Now it was a month since this had started and they had broken almost every rule. Everything the Ravenclaws had said to do in order for their goal to come to them. They had fought, argued and hexed each other frequently in class. If anyone didn't know any better they would say they actually hated each other, as the teachers had always thought. Eventually if they broke enough of them the school would have to call in their parents. It was the fourth plan; the first, second, and third being complete disasters. But, so far, all they had gotten was a month's worth of detention and threats of suspension. Everything seemed like it was falling apart until they had come up with something they had never thought of before; using magic in the corridors after curfew in front of the large gargoyle to Dumbledore's office. Apparently no one was supposed to know where it was, so that was about three rules in one that they were breaking right there.

And here she was, Cordelia Weasley, sneaking around with Chayse Malfoy to carry out a plan that the whole school was in on.

If mum finds out she'll skin me alive, but it can't be any worse than what Astie's father would do. Can it? She winced.

"I cannot believe you talked me into this Astie," she said as she followed him down yet another identical corridor. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"

Chayse looked around at the mention of his name; she was the only one he had permitted to use it. No one else but his father called him that. His mother Pansy had named him Chayse, but his father always favoured Sebastian. So in short he was called Astie by none but the two people that actually mattered to him. "I talked you into this a month ago, if you wanted out you should have said so. Besides, if this won't work we'll have to quit because I'm not sure what else will. Even the Ravenclaws have given up hope and that's saying something."

They continued in silence, and then he stopped and ducked back behind the corner of the wall. She was about to ask what was wrong when he clamped his hand over her mouth silencing her with a finger on his. "Filch," he mouthed.

She nodded and they backed up slowly at the approaching shadow on the floor to flatten themselves in an incline of the wall, they sucked in a breath.

His shuffling feet paused at their corridor and Cordelia closed her eyes willing him away. Sure if they were caught they would be in trouble, but what good would it do except another four hours of detention?

"What do you smell my sweet?" she heard and practically ground herself into the wall. "Is there someone out there? Who is it my dear, who do you see?" His voice traveled deep into the drums of her ears.

Please, please Merlin just make him go away. I just want my mum to be happy. Don't punish me for that. I mean well I promise, she prayed hoping that Merlin was listening.

"No? Well keep on my pet." Argus Filch turned toward the tower. "We'll have to search elsewhere. Come now, don't fret, I'm sure there's a rule breaker or two up in the Astronomy tower. Darn hormonal retards."

She heard a soft chuckle as Chayse's hand shook on her mouth. She removed it when she was sure Filch was far away. "What are you laughing at? We almost got caught and you're laughing?" she said in a harsh whisper.

"He is so desperate; everyone knows that he checks there every night. There's a ward there and he doesn't even know it." He would have laughed harder if he could.

"A ward? What kind of ward, who put it there?" she asked. Who would have been clever enough to do that? Normally they only have one thing on their minds when they go there.

"My father put it there when he was here; it lasts for about five years. That's why I had to recharge it, as a favour to someone."

"Who?"

"Never mind, come on we have things to do." He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the gargoyle passing the portrait that hung on the wall. It watched them as they passed it and stopped in front the entrance to Dumbledore's office. "We're here."

She looked up at it. "This leads to Dumbledore's office? How?" She looked around for a lever of any sort.

"Do you actually plan on going there now? I hope not. Besides you have to use the password."

"Do you know it?"

"No, but it's probably some kind of sweet or another. The man's obsessed with them. Come on let's get started."

She sighed heavily. "Fine."

They both drew out their wands. "Ready?" he asked. Cordelia nodded slightly. "Ok, remember no dark spells and mark my face at least once."

This took her by surprise and she stood up straight. "What!" she exclaimed quietly. "I'm not marking your face you'll hold it against me forever. I never agreed to that!"

"Stop acting childish. To our parents and our teachers we're supposed to hate each other, they've believed us up to now. If we do, you would do anything to embarrass me and I you. Now come on, hurt me."

"Astie, I don't know about this," she said unsurely.

He walked up to her. "Look, if not for me do it for your mother, or my father. I am sick and tired of seeing him with these women who only want what he has in Gringott's and treats me like dirt. I would do anything for him and he would do anything for me, I'm sure of it. Don't you want that for your mum?"

"Why would I?" He looked shocked and her look softened. "She already has it." He smiled and looked into her eyes, they were a crystal blue. It's strange how he never noticed how clear they were. "You really love your father don't you? Does he really go out that often with different women?"

"No, not really. The Newspapers declare it left, right and center but they're really just his friends. Besides, if he ever did want to have relations with any of them, he'd ask me. He respects me that way, because I never knew my mother. She died before I had a chance to know her. Her name was Pansy. I've seen photographs of her at least."

"Same here, with my father anyway. I never knew him because he died in the war a year after I was born." She looked down to the ground and welcomed his hug. "I don't have any photographs," she sobbed into his cloak.

"Don't worry, soon it'll be over and we'll have each other all the time, okay?" She sniffed on his shoulder and nodded, they broke apart not noticing that the person in the portrait had gone.

"Ok," she sniffed. She braced herself in her usual position for a duel. "I'm ready."

He nodded and stood his ground. "For father."

"For mum." Then it started.

The corridor lit itself with spells being cast and shielded, deflected and caught. They continued until a teacher came. When they heard yelling they both cast momentary glances in the direction of Snape and McGonagall before they looked at each other and smiled, cast the final spell they needed and fell to the ground.

"Desmayus!" they yelled.

"Oh good lord!" exclaimed McGonagall before rushing to the unconscious body of Cordelia Weasley.

"What on earth..." was all Snape managed when he looked over the unconscious body of Chayse Malfoy.

"Leave them," they heard. Both teachers turned to the voice of Albus Dumbledore as he stepped from the spiral staircase leading to his office. "I will call for someone to take them to the infirmary. Right now we have to discuss some things." He turned to go back upstairs.

"Albus, you cannot honestly suggest we just leave them here?" McGonagall managed.

"Yes I can, come along. I have already owled their parents, they should be here in the morning. Maybe then we can understand what exactly it is that has gotten into two of our best students."

"I knew they disliked each other, but this... this is ridiculous. It goes well beyond detention which they seem so fond of." Snape looked at both students lying on the ground.

"Yes, it does seem like they have been trying to break every rule we have. I for one would like to know why."

"Would we have to expel them?" McGonagall asked.

"It is up to you Minerva, Severus. But for now we shall have to wait and see what happens when their parents arrive. Perhaps they will have some insight to their behaviour." He turned once again to go to his office followed shortly by both Snape and McGonagall. "I wonder where they learned those spells."

"My class. I taught them defensive strategies by rendering the other unconscious for half an hour in order to give themselves a chance to run if the need came."

"You didn't?" McGonagall laughed.

"I did, it wasn't on the syllabus but I had a splitting headache and ten minutes of peace was all I needed. I even marked some seven-year assignments. It was pure heaven. You should try it."