The Hated Hero

Here's to Us

"You are about to participate in America's first Triwizard Tournament," Dean Delancey announced with a certain odd, timeless lilt to her voice that triggered something in Delphi's head.

"As you can see, we've modified the rules a bit," Derek of NASA said. "We'll still have three challenges, and you'll have to compete-or your seconds will. Your first challenge is on October 31st. This first challenge will require an understanding of Astronomy. Other than that, there's not much else we can tell you."

Delphi and Rowan exchanged an uneasy glance.

"Be ready for the publicity avenue next weekend and the Weighing of the Wands," Dean Delancey continued. "We will see you then. Dismissed!"

Rowan and Delphi practically sprinted back into the cafeteria to finish their lunches.

"Did you notice that you're the youngest of all of them?" Rowan asked. "Even the seconds, you're the youngest."

"You're my age," Delphi protested.

"I'm older than you by six months," he pointed out.

"I'm taller than you," she shot back, and then realized that he'd shot up over the summer. "Well, I was."

"Someday, someday," Rowan teased.

"I sure hope so," Delphi muttered.

While Delphi enjoyed her classes, particularly the elective of Divination I, she couldn't help but wonder why Astronomy would be so important. Doesn't that immediately give the NASA kids an advantage?

She couldn't wait for the weekend, however. Saturday morning, owls were delivering all the papers, and almost all of them had invariably the same headline and various pictures of her.

DELPHINI LESTRANGE-OR DELPHI RIDDLE? NATIONAL HEROINE'S PARENTAGE REVEALED.

Indeed, Delphi caught one with a note from Esther Goldstein.

Thank you for allowing me to write this story, she read. I hope you're happy with what you've got. Be prepared.

Delphi nodded solemnly. She never really had it figured out in her head what would happen when the day did come that she revealed who she was to literally everyone.

It was well-written, she had to admit, and she also enjoyed the name. Delphi Riddle. It tasted like power, power well-earned in her mouth. She recoiled at the thought. Why should I care about power? When it's what made my father the way he was?

She folded her paper and stuffed it in her bag, deciding to contemplate on it more later. She exited the mostly-empty common room and made her way down to the gardens. She knew exactly where she wanted to go.

The hedge parted at her hissing command, and closed behind her, giving her the privacy she needed. She rested her hands on the ancient tree. She was the daughter of Lord Voldemort. A man who the adults rarely spoke the name of, a man who had created seven Horcruxes, a man who'd taken Britain by storm.

Maybe the adults in America wouldn't care about the first and the last, but the seven Horcuxes would certainly grab their attention. It then hit her. The red flashes in her eyes, like her father, the nightmares of the Augury. . .

I was meant to be a Horcrux. . .

She found herself on the ground, her knees having buckled. She lay there, staring at the morning sky through the leaf canopy. The idea sickened her, being a part of him. She already had too much of Voldemort in her veins. Hell, Bellatrix Lestrange was bad enough.

Why did I tell? Delphi asked herself. Because it didn't seem real?

Well, it was real now and staring her in the face. She wondered if this was why Rowan was always so alone. A bit of her heartstrings were tugged for him. I can't imagine wanting to be alone so much.

Then again, she was always so desperate to never be alone again, like she was before she turned eleven. She didn't want to be the lonely little girl alone, desperate for love, a way out.

What would I have been like if I found out and had never escaped the Rowles?Even basking in the warm sunlight, the very idea made Delphi shivered. I would've been so happy to be important, and I would've obsessed over it. . . I could've become a worse monster than the Augury.

Eventually, she decided she wanted breakfast, and got to her feet and was greeted by a grabbing of the shoulders via Tahlia.

"Is that what you meant by a secret you wanted to tell the whole world?" Tahlia screeched.

"Yes," Delphi replied, surprising herself with her own calmness.

"Oh my god," Tahlia cried. "Your father created seven Horcruxes? What were you thinking, sharing that?!"

"I don't want to hide who I am," Delphi replied. "Surely you know just as well as I do that these things don't stay hidden! I wanted them revealed on my own terms! Surely you can understand?"

Tahlia let go and backed away as if she'd been slapped.

"My mother and father weren't the Dark Lord of Britain and his lieutenant respectively!" Tahlia cried. "My parents were heroes! People tend to take better to that! Look at Rowan!"

"I'm not Rowan, Tahlia!" Delphi shouting, her cool facade finally cracking. "I can't keep secrets like you two can! I-Don't you see? This would've come out anyway!"

"Maybe it wouldn't have if you hadn't kept your stupid mouth shut!" Tahlia screamed back.

"What did you call me?" Delphi snapped. Tahlia recoiled, shocked.

"I didn't mean it like that-"

"Stupid, am I? You think I have nothing intelligent to say?" Delphi cried. "Fine! Fine! I thought I could trust you to be there for me, since you're my best friend! I guess I was wrong!"

"Miss Delphini Les-I mean, Delphini Riddle, please come to Dean Delancey's office immediately."

Delphi stopped, glaring at the intercoms that had cut her off.

"We'll talk about this later," Delphi spat, and she stormed out of the cafeteria. She walked onto the administrative hallway, her swagger beginning to fade. Why are they upset? I just told the truth. Surely they know the truth!

When she entered the room, Dean Delancey was sitting at the desk with a stern expression.

"Sit down, Miss Riddle," Delancey ordered. Delphi obeyed, trying to control her features and make them something less defiant. "Do you know why you are here?"

"Because I told the world who my real father was," Delphi answered, crossing her arms over her chest. "To be fair, I didn't know who he was until this summer-"

"Do you know what will happen because of your little stunt?" Delancey asked. She continued without waiting for Delphi's response. "The news will spread across the world, to Britain. If there's any remaining ex-followers of your father, they'll want to get their hands on you. Even if they're gone, any other group of dark wizards worth their salt will want their hands on the girl fathered by a man with that sort of power. You put yourself in so much danger, I should-"

Delphi couldn't help it, she raised an eyebrow.

"I'm your champion," she pointed out. "I'm America's sweetheart, too. You think they're going to take kindly to an expulsion over my parents? I think we both know that won't go over well-now will it?"

"I can expel you or at least suspend you for failure to comply," Delancey shot back.

"Expel me, and I will get a lawyer and give my case to the MACUSA," Delphi replied calmly. "I think we both know who will win that court case. I've done nothing wrong, Dean Delancey. I can handle any dark wizard who comes my way."

"Your arrogance and recklessness is going to get you killed," Delancey sneered. "Go ahead. I can see that you are right-this time. But be careful, Miss Riddle."

"I will be," Delphi half-lied.