Fred Weasley Pov:
I open and close my mouth several times in shock, not being able to find my words as I stare at the girl before me. There stood Delilah Rees, or should I say Delilah Black, with her signature leather jacket and cold grey eyes.She had a small smirk plastered on her face that faltered as soon as her gaze locked onto me.
"'Daughter?!" Harry questions loudly, snapping me out of my surprised daze.
"Yes, my daughter." Sirius smiles warmly, pulling Delilah closer into his side. Everyone at the table looks around at each other, unsure of what to stay.
"She will be joining the order with us." Lupin speaks up, clearing the awkward silence.
"I'm sorry is this some type of joke?" I question in disbelief, finally regaining my voice.
"Yes because I decided to just waltz into headquarters for the fun of it Weasel." Delilah drawls in an annoyed tone.
"I'm taking it that you two know each other..." Sirius trails off with a slight uneasiness in his voice.
"You could say that." I mutter, George quietly snickering next to me.
"How could you not tell me?!" Harry questions once more, eyes flickering between Sirius and Delilah.
"It was a matter of top secrecy Harry, it would endanger Delilah if too many people knew." Sirius replies in an earnest tone.
"Well I'm sure you will be helpful in the order dear! Now how about you sit down and eat." My mum attempts to diffuse the situation, kindly putting out another plate. Delilah cautiously pulls out the chair and sits between Lupin and Sirius, everyone else still quiet from the revelation.
"I know this comes as a shock to everyone but I hope that Delilah will be welcomed here." Sirius announces in the silence. Beside him, his daughter keeps her eyes trained on her food, not bothering to look up.
"But she's a Slytherin." Ron stupidly responds. The table is sent back into an uncomfortable atmosphere as Delilah snaps her head up, eyes like daggers.
"Astute observation Weasley, I don't see how that affects my allegiance towards the order." Delilah says, annoyance laced in her voice.
"You live with the Malfoy's." Harry sourly adds.
"Yes she doesn't have much choice in that matter." Lupin awkwardly chuckles, emitting a small smile from Delilah.
"How do we know she's not a spy?" Hermione questions from down the table, truly curious. It seems that Delilah's anger increase tenfold at the assumption, resulting in Sirius placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"The girl does have a point Sirius." Moody says gruffly from the corner. At these words, Delilah tenses even further and the others around us grow weary.
"Delilah is not a spy, she has joined the order despite the risks that come with it. Now, if anyone has anything else to say regarding her allegiance I advise that you bring it directly to me." Sirius snarls, also becoming visibly displeased by our suspicions. At his words, everyone's eyes cast down towards their plates, avoiding his withering stare. The rest of the meal is sat in small conversation, all of us sharing fleeting glances at Delilah, still unsure of her.
"This is bloody unbelievable, she can't be his daughter." George whispers from beside me.
"I see the resemblance." I shrug, surveying the similarities between the father and daughter at the top of the table.
They both had the same jet black hair, hanging slightly above their shoulders in an unkempt manner. Another noticeable trait was their eyes, a dark grey that seemed to be the exact same shade. However, there was a slight difference in their pupils, Sirius' were warm and inviting, beckoning you to come closer.Meanwhile, Delilah's were cold and fierce, a certain intensity that made you want to stay at bay.
She had her combat boots propped up on the table, arms behind her head in nonchalance. I noticed she had a pack of Marlboros peeking out from underneath her jacket, hidden from the naked eye. Continuing to stare at her overall demeanour, the girl's gaze shifts directly towards me. She raises her brow inquisitively as to say "What are you looking at ?" and I simply smirk in reply. Returning my attention back towards my twin, I realize that he is scanning me over, as if trying to decipher my features. Staring back at him confused, the golden trio begin to rise from their chairs.
"We're going up to bed." Harry announces and Sirius stands up to follow him out. The rest of the order also start to depart from the table seeing that it was getting late. Eventually, the only people remaining in the kitchen were Delilah, Lupin,Mum, and my twin and I.
"Well as much fun as this was I'm going to go find my room." Delilah suddenly stands, giving Lupin a quick smile. She walks out of the room and before I can register what I'm doing, I abruptly follow her out the door. Walking out into the hallway, I register that the girl is nowhere to be found. Bewildered, I begin to turn around until someone grabs my arm, pulling me behind the corner. Adjusting my eyes due to the lack of light, I find myself staring into the same grey orbs I had been observing at dinner.
"What was that for Snake?" I ask, rubbing my arm that she had harshly pulled.
"I don't want any eavesdropping, merlin knows you all are keeping a close eye on me." Delilah grumbles.
"Are you sure you don't' have other intentions for dragging me into this dark corner?" I question in a suggestive tone, giving her a wink.
"Perhaps so that I can murder you without any witnesses." She responds in a sickly sweet voice, obviously unamused by taunting.
"Of course, I forgot you were a sociopath." I say in mock realization.
"Ha.Ha. Anyways why were you following me?" Delilah questions.
"Well I don't know, maybe to talk about the fact that you are bloody Sirius Black's daughter!" I slightly raise my voice and she clamps a hand over my mouth.
"Keep your voice down Weasel, it's really not that big of a deal." She chastises, removing her hand from my mouth.
"Yeah totally, not like you're father's the most wanted criminal in the wizarding world." I sarcastically quip.
"He's not the most wanted criminal." Delilah rolls her eyes.
"Fine, I guess You- know- who has that spot but still."
"Really Ginger, just get over it." She says in an exasperated tone.
"Fine, but can I call you Black now?" I grin and she lightly shoves me in the shoulder.
"How about you don't call me anything." Delilah responds.
"Oh alright...Black." I snicker while she smacks me over the head.
"I will actually kill if you don't shut up." She threatens and I hold my arms up in surrender.
"Fine I'll stick to Snake." I glumly sigh while Delilah smiles, pleased at the normal nickname.
"Okay well that's enough interaction for one day so how about you bugger off Weasel." Delilah motions her head to the hallway as she pulls out a cigarette.
"Alright, farewell...Black." I place a chaste kiss on her hand and scurry away before she can smack me upside the head.
Delilah's Pov :
The top of my hand felt as though it were burning, the softness of his lips pricking at my skin. It was only momentary as the red head pulled away in haste, dashing around the corner. I shake my head at his departure, no doubt having thought I would smack him for attempting to agitate me.
Slipping the cig in my mouth and taking a long inhale, I lean back against the wall. I look back down at my hand, almost expecting to see it bright red from the contact. Yet my skin looked completely normal, as though it had never been touched or disturbed. Shaking out my hand to get the strange sensation to go away, my head falls back against the wall.
With a cloud of smoke surrounding me like a halo, I felt at peace for once. Closing my eyes as if to make the moment last longer, I let the warmth of the air engulf me in bliss. I stayed in that position for what felt like eons, tucked away in the small corner, seemingly isolated from society. Despite how I longed to remain in my world built of smoke and warm senses, reality beckoned for my return.
Sliding the now empty carton of cigarettes into my pocket, I reluctantly opened my eyes and was met with the dim light of Grimmauld Place. It was eerily quiet, the other inhabitants of the house fast asleep, the only sound coming from the creaking windows. Coming out from my hiding place, the weight of reality crushed on me once more, snapping me out of my daze. I was not allowed to let my thoughts linger on the ghost of lips or the scent of smoke, but rather the skull engraved on my flesh.