Three Hallows, Two Weasleys and One Broken Girl

Chapter 4: Erin's Isle

Short-ish one today.
Hope you guys are liking the story so far, there aren't many of you but thank you for giving this book a chance! It means the world to me.

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Delphi had only expected one major trial in her sixth year at Hogwarts. And that was Cedric Diggory. What she hadn't considered until the arrival of the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students, was Alistor Moody. More specifically, the man who literally had an entire year ahead of him stuck in a trunk.

She could go help him out...well not out the trunk, but she could help a bit.
He was struck in a trunk so couldn't exactly act in anyway to influence events going on.
But in doing so, she's have to expose her rather high level abilities as a seer.
Now, the conflicting worries she had with this weren't the ones most people would expect.
Most considered him a paranoid bastard, but it wasn't paranoia if they truly were out to get you. His first post war encounter ended up with him locked in a trunk and impersonated, the second killed him.

What concerned her was his relationship with Dumbledore. Though not exactly a worshipper of the man, Moody was a member of his order, and thus loyal to his cause. Which was fair enough, but whilst Dumbledore was direct in trying to get her knowledge, he was limited by his need to preserve his reputation.
Moody had skills she wasn't sure of and no such problem. If he decided her knowledge was best in the Order's hands, she wasn't entirely sure she could outwit the greatest Auror to have ever graced the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

What settled it in his favour though in the end, was his heritage.
England did not have many intact magical heritage sites and treasures left after the invasions of Romans, Normans, Danes and Saxons and the ransacking they undertook...historians theorised this was a factor that drove the colonisation and formation of the British empire which commandeered - read: stole - many artefacts of high magical value. These remain in British museums to the fury of many magical ministries, though the letters demanding their return never seem to reach the British minister of magic's desk.

But one of those furious ex-colonies, was Ireland.
The fae had been stronger there than anywhere else in Europe and Erin's Isle was only comparable with Japan, Madagascar and New Zealand was far as ley line density and magical power went. They had thriving towns and cities, legacies of the Tuatha Dé Danann, filled with leprechauns, giants, wixen, vampires, werewolves, Aos Sí or fairies, and even the occasional Dullahan or headless horseman (more like headless motorcyclists nowadays, some ran the best mechanics businesses in the muggle world).

And they lived in.... Well harmony was very much the wrong word. There was no central ministry and thus no real enforced magic restrictions, or muggle secrecy. Thankfully the large alcohol intake of the muggle populace allowed any 'mistakes' to be explained away relatively easily.
No, harmony wasn't the right word. Controlled chaos fit better. Controlled chaos that Delphi missed greatly.

The wixen population there was much larger than in England, Wales and Scotland, more undamaged by the war, thanks to the battle for separate rule from the English ministry leading most Irish Wixen to refuse to partake in the battle with Grindelwald or later Voldemort.
There was also far more respect for ancient ways, and the old gods, especially in the west of the country where some greater fey were believed to still hold court.

Moody, for all his faults, was Irish, and no self respecting Irish mother would let her son grow up without beating respect for Death, Fate, Time, Destiny and Mother Magic herself, into them.
...Which led her to be hiding behind a tapestry, clutching a bottle of fire whiskey and sandwiches wrapped in a hankerchief, waiting for Barty Crouch Junior to stomp off to his next defence lesson.

Delphi watched 'Professor Moody' leave his office, before carefully sneaking in, the spells and shields protecting it nothing to her, she was Flitwick's favourite for a reason.
Barty Crouch really had done impressively setting up the office. It was laid out like a meticulously planned set design. How the door could be clearly seen from the desk. How not a single piece of paper was left unguarded on the desk. The foe glass placed very conspicuously where every entrant could see it clearly beside the sneakoscope and a dozen other whirring magical instruments that could almost put Dumbledore's office to shame.
Not a single picture, not a single weakness displayed where someone could see it, and find inspiration to cause the man harm. From the seven wards she had to dismantle to enter to the half a dozen locked and warded boxes and suitcases prepped so their owner could leave at any moment...the whole office screamed mistrust and caution.

The wonderful magical objects dotted around the room drew her eyes but she focused on the chest near the back. She moved over to it hastily, though she had a good half hour until Barty returned it was best to be quick.
The chest would be a puzzle if she hadn't seen how Albus had opened it, or, would open it.

Over the last six years at Hogwarts, Delphi had had many breakdowns over her own inability to help. She knew what would happen and yet she could do nothing, or at least next to nothing to change or stop them.
That said, she'd learned where the cracks were, the spaces between events where she could alleviate suffering, and ease pain, imbue others with confidence, and teach them skills that could help. Small things only, but it made her feel less useless.

The seventh lock of the chest finally opened and she peered down tentatively into its depths.
"Alistor Moody?" She called softly to the limp figure at the bottom.
The bedraggled man looked up. "A student? How-"
"I'm Delphi Lovegood. I've brought you some fire whiskey."

She was amused by how the man's eyes lit like a puppy's even as he remained wary.
"I'll drink some so you know it isn't poisoned, but you can only get the bottle if you promise me you'll never tell a soul I was here."
"You had better explain more than that girl. And shouldn't you keep an eye on the damned door?"
"My name is Delphi Lovegood." She insisted calmly, taking a mouthful of bread then fire whiskey before dropping the loaf and bottle down to the man below who caught them easily. "And he won't be back for twenty five minutes. You can't tell for the same reason I can't get you out. It has to play out this way."

Madeye took a swig of the bottle. "You got the sight or an overly inflated ego Lovegood?"
She chuckled, the whiskey relaxing her, "sadly the first, don't know about the second."
He chucked the bottle back up to her, "take another gulp Lovegood, sounds like you need it more than me. How long am I stuck I'm here then. Since.  I'm trapped and can't change events by knowing."
She hummed, taking a cautious sip, "til the summer. Barty's entered Harry Potter in the tournament and it's only after the third task his cover will be blown. You've a pretty shit year ahead all told."
"Fuck, changed me mind." Grunted the man and he beckoned again. She chuckled, taking a good swig herself before dropping the bottle again.
"I can come visit sometimes if you like." She said slumping to lean against the chest. "Give you all the spoilers. For this year at least."

He let out a bark of a laugh, she liked his roughness though it was freaky how well Barty played him. "That for my sanity or yours kid?"
She hummed. "Both? I have managed to cope with secrecy for several years already," she got up and dusted off, pretending to close the chest. "I'm sure another won't hurt much more."
"Don't." He grunted. "Comeback alright Lovegood? And bring more drink."
He hurled the bottle back up to her with admirable strength and she caught it smoothly. "Until next time, professor."
He snorted derisively and waved her away, but she knew as she locked him back in, that the man was smiling.

She slipped out of the room, respelling the few shields that has been up, locking the door and striding down the staircase like she hadn't just broken into a professor's office.