Threads of Control | Open

[Cordelia Von Stein]

The crisp evening air in the hedge maze carried an eerie stillness, broken only by the rustle of leaves as Cordelia Von Stein pushed deeper into its winding paths. Her hair, a kaleidoscope of colors flickering with every step, betrayed the tempest within. Finally, she found a secluded alcove, shrouded in dense foliage, where she could collapse unseen. Hugging her knees to her chest, she unfolded the letter she had received earlier that day. Its sharp, angular handwriting was unmistakable—Reginald Von Stein.


Dearest Cordelia,

I trust this letter finds you in good health and spirits. Your progress at Hogwarts continues to make our family proud, but there are matters of greater importance to discuss.

The tides of our world are shifting, and it is imperative that we adapt. As such, I am going to secure you a position under the Ministry’s esteemed new leadership. Working alongside Minister Tomas Balestorm will not only solidify our family’s standing but also provide you with the influence needed to shape the future of our society.

Your compliance is not optional. I remind you of the terms of our arrangement: your aunts will remain safe so long as you prove yourself useful. I trust you will make the right decision.

With regards, Reginald Von Stein


The parchment trembled in her hands, the weight of its implications suffocating. Cordelia’s breath hitched as the colors of her hair shifted violently from fiery red to icy blue, her emotions ricocheting between rage and despair. “How dare he?” she whispered, her voice cracking. The sobs came unbidden, wracking her body as she buried her face in her hands. It was too much—the manipulation, the expectations, the impossible choice between her family and her own convictions.

Cordelia had tried so hard to compartmentalize her feelings. She had almost mastered the delicate art of balancing the chaos inside her, even as her heart fluttered every time Kate Dankworth’s name crossed her mind. But this—this demand—was the final straw. Her grandfather had promised to leave Aggie and Janice alone, yet here he was, tightening his grip and forcing her into the orbit of a man whose ideals she.... she.... loathed! She wasn't sure she could even pretend to agree....

She screamed, the sound muffled by the high hedges around her. The vibrant lavender of her hair gave way to a stormy gray as her eyes flickered through a rainbow of hues. Tears streaked her cheeks as she curled into herself, the crumpled letter clutched tightly in her hand. She barely noticed the faint sound of footsteps approaching through the maze until they were almost upon her.

Frantic, Cordelia wiped her face and tried to steady her breathing, shoving the letter into her pocket. The colors of her hair settled into a subdued version of her usual lavender, though the redness in her eyes and the slight quiver in her lips betrayed the storm she had just endured. As the steps grew louder, she straightened her posture, plastering on a brittle smile and bracing herself for whoever had stumbled upon her sanctuary.

[Katherine Dankworth]

It was late at night, and Katherine was just returning from a quick practice in the quidditch pitch. She still was in her uniform, the green and silver robes and her dark hair tied into a messy ponytail, and she couldn’t wait to hop into the shower, as she felt she had some strands actually sticking with sweat on her forehead.

And then she heard the screams. For a moment, she considered just walking away. She didn’t care much about anyone’s problems anyways. But then she heard them more clearly. It wasn’t just anyone who was screaming, it was Cordelia.

“What the…” she muttered under her breath. She let go of the broom, the expensive instrument left sitting in the dark of the gardens, and she ran towards the voice of her best friend.

She had never heard her yell, she had never even seen her really upset. But this scream, more close to one of a banshee than to the voice of a teenage girl, felt like it was ripping through her chest. She ran, and ran, as fast as her legs let her.

She already has been lost once at the hedge maze, and since then she avoided it like the plague. So she didn’t really have a good idea of how to get to the center, but it didn’t matter anymore. Cordelia was somewhere in that maze, needing her.

“Incendio!” She burned through some hedges, running through the hole she had created. Cordelia sounded so distraught that she feared she had found something dangerous, and she wasn’t about to spare any resources into finding her.

“Cordie!” She screamed when she finally found her, after what it felt like hours. When saw her, she went straight towards her, tightening her into an embrace. “What the hell was that? Are you hurt?”

[Cordelia Von Stein]

As Cordelia looked up, the flames and smoke parted, and there she was—Katherine Dankworth, looking every bit like a heroine from one of Cordelia's favorite novels. Such a beautiful sight that for a fleeting moment, Cordelia thought she might still be trapped in a dream, but then Kate's arms wrapped around her, pulling her close.

Cordelia sank into the embrace, her head resting against Kate's chest as tears spilled freely down her cheeks. Her hair and eyes began to swirl in a chaotic dance of colors, reflecting the storm inside her. Kate's embrace felt like home—safe, grounding, and yet utterly overwhelming.

With Kate there was no reason to hide anything, but she still couldn't come to find the words, “I... I just can’t,” she managed to whisper, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions. With trembling hands, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the crumpled letter. Wordlessly, she handed it to Kate, unable to say more, her eyes searching for understanding in her friend's gaze. Maybe if Kate read the words she would understand, but then again maybe Cordelia would have to find her voice to explain further.... but that was not happening anytime soon her emotions were racking her entire body making even something as simple as talking a chore.

[Katherine Dankworth]

She kept an arm around Cordelia, taking the letter with her free hand. It wasn’t difficult for her to guess from who it was, the girl’s reaction only could mean one thing. Still, she sighed, scolding her, but she didn’t really sound mad about it. “Jesus, Cordie. I thought you were being attacked by a werewolf or something.”

Whatever it said in the letter, it couldn’t be as bad as the things that first crossed her mind when she heard the ripping scream. She read quickly, and after she had finished, she tore the paper, looking Cordelia straight in the eye. “I’m getting really tired of this man.”

But this time, she didn’t really have a plan. Her father was the one with the actual connections in the real world, and he wouldn’t do a thing to help his daughter even if she asked him to. There had to be another way, though. She just had to think about it enough. “Don’t be scared. Everything is going to be okay. I’m going to find a way to help you.”

She sounded determined as she held Cordelia again with both arms. “We should go back now. It’s getting dark.”

[Cordelia Von Stein]

Cordelia’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry, Kate. I didn’t mean to worry you. I was hoping no one would hear me.” Her gaze fell to the ground, guilt tightening her chest. She hated the thought of making Kate anxious, especially when all she wanted was to disappear for a while.

When Kate finished reading and looked her in the eye, declaring her hatred for Reginald Von Stein, Cordelia’s lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. “Dearest Cordelia,” she murmured, mockingly imitating her grandfather’s formal tone. “He wouldn’t know dear if it bit him.”

Her smile faltered, and her eyes widened as Kate said she’d help. “Kate, you don’t understand,” Cordelia said quickly, her voice laced with worry. “He doesn’t play fair. If he thinks you’re interfering, he might… he might retaliate. And I can’t risk you getting hurt. It... it would kill me....”

She took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself, though her hair and eyes continued their chaotic shifts. “Well, one thing is for sure. I’m no good at this compartmentalizing thing,” she admitted with a weak laugh. “Everything feels too… loud.” She looked at Kate, a flicker of vulnerability in her expression. “I think I need chocolate. Desperately.”

[Katherine Dankworth]

“Yeah, but I heard you.” Katherine replied, saying a little more harshly than she wanted to be. Tactful was definitely not a word that could describe her well. But she kept on hugging Cordelia as she talked, mostly to make clear she wasn’t trying to be mean to her.

“But I do understand.” Unlike Cordelia, she sounded stern. Reginald von Stein didn’t scare her, at all. She always conducted herself with an admirable overconfidence, even if it was just a shield to hide how insecure she could really be. “And I don’t care if he retaliates. What is he going to do to me?”

She then let go of Cordelia, putting a strand of the girl’s hair behind her ear with a soft smile. “No, you are terrible at it. But don’t worry, you can't be perfect at everything. That’s a me thing. Come on, let’s go inside. We’ll find you some chocolate."

She offered her hand to Cordelia, hoping she would take it. “But first… we should look for my broom. I don’t think my father is going to buy me a new one if I tell him I lost it.”

[Cordelia Von Stein]

Cordelia winced at the sharpness in Kate's voice, her shoulders tensing instinctively. But the embrace stayed firm, and she drew some comfort from it, even if Kate’s words were a bit blunt. “But... but you don’t understand what he’s capable of,” Cordelia said softly, her voice trembling. “If he knew you were helping me, he could…” Her breath hitched. “He could send his hitman after you, like he did to my aunts.”

The thought made her stomach twist, but she couldn’t stop herself from looking at Kate like the savior she so clearly was. "Just... just please promise me you'll be careful whatever you decide to do." She swallowed hard, the warmth of Kate’s confidence filling a hollow space in her chest. Her mind flashed briefly to a dark thought: if her grandfather so much as pretended to threaten Kate, she would kill him without hesitation.

The gentle touch of Kate tucking a strand of hair behind her ear broke her spiraling thoughts. Cordelia’s cheeks flushed, and her hair and eyes shifted to a soft pink, the color spreading in a perfect mirror to her feelings. Kate’s teasing comment about perfection earned a quiet laugh. “You most certainly are perfect... in every way.” Cordelia agreed, her voice soft but sincere, her gaze lingering on Kate’s face. She was tempted to close the distance between them and kiss her, but instead, she reached for Kate’s offered hand, brushing her lips against it in a tender gesture of gratitude before using it to steady herself as she stood.

“Let’s find that broom,” Cordelia said as she used the sleeve of her robe to wipe away some of the tear stains, her voice was steadier now. She squeezed Kate’s hand gently before letting go and started scanning the ground. “Hopefully it didn’t get caught in the fire. I’d hate to be responsible for that too.” She gave Kate a small, timid smile, already feeling lighter with her by her side.

[Katherine Dankworth]

She raised her eyebrows when she heard the word hitman. But instead of looking intimidated, she started laughing, incredulous. “A hitman? Come on, he’s a cranky old man, not a mafia boss from the 1920’s.”

Of course, she wasn’t an idiot. She knew Reginald von Stein held an incredible amount of power in the ministry, and she also knew that going against him wasn’t exactly wise. Especially when all she ever wanted was to make a career for herself as an Unspeakable.

Screw it.

This was Cordie’s future they were talking about.

Also, she believed she was so smart that they’d end up begging her to join the department anyways, despite whatever that man had to say on the matter.

“Tell him you’re not doing it. You can give him my name and say it was my idea, I don’t care. Let’s test him, show him you’re not afraid.” She said confidently, taking Cordie’s hand and starting to drag her towards the exit of the hedge maze to look for the lost broom.

[Cordelia Von Stein]

Cordelia laughed, a genuine sound that bubbled up unexpectedly, as Kate dismissed her grandfather’s hitman like a relic of a bygone era. “Yeah, tell him that,” she said through her laughter, her voice tinged with a mix of amusement and exasperation. “I’d love to see his face if someone said that to him.”

She let herself be dragged along, savoring the warmth of Kate’s hand in hers, the simple connection grounding her in a way nothing else could. She scanned the maze floor as they walked, trying to focus on finding the broom, but her eyes kept drifting back to Kate. Her confidence, her determination—it was magnetic. She couldn’t help but smile softly as she watched her, marveling at how Kate seemed so fearless in the face of something that had consumed Cordelia with dread.

“Kate,” Cordelia said after a moment, her voice quieter now, tinged with awe. “You’re… incredible. I don’t know how you do it—make everything feel like it’s going to be okay.” She gave Kate’s hand a light squeeze, her gaze full of gratitude and something deeper, something unspoken.

"Yeah, maybe you’re right,” she said, her voice hesitant but growing steadier. “Maybe I should just tell him no. Stand up to him for once instead of letting him pull the strings.”

She bit her lip as if thinking it over her hair settling to a light lavender. She glanced at Kate, the determination in her friend's eyes giving her a flicker of courage. “Okay,” she said with a small nod, more to herself than anyone else. “I’ll try. I’ll tell him I’m not doing it.” She exhaled deeply, as if the decision itself had lifted a weight off her chest. “I probably won't throw your name in though, I may need a place to hide...” she added with a faint smirk, trying to match Kate’s boldness.

As they rounded a corner, her attention briefly snapped back to the ground. “Oh, is that it?” she asked, pointing to a shadowy shape near the edge of the path. She hoped it was the broom, but even more, she hoped Kate didn’t notice how much Cordelia had been staring.