When the Patronus of James Potter appeared inside the Potter Manor, Delilah knew that the order was aware of Peter's betrayal. According to James' Patronus, Peter had disappeared from the house of their two dear friends and was nowhere to be seen.
Delilah turned to the guys as her eyes stung with tears from the death of Marls and Dorcas. She wasn't particularly close with the girls, but she used to hang out with her brother, so she saw the girls and had plenty of fun and interesting conversations with them.
She was losing too many people too quickly, she was not enjoying the feeling of loss at all, now they are people that she knows but isn't that close to, what if someday it is her parents? Or Lily? Her brother and the marauders?
Only that single thought was making her shiver as she wiped her tears with the back of her sleeve. Her next words came out in a mix of determination and desperation.
"We need to find the Horcruxes now before they find Peter and before Peter rats them out to him, I refuse to lose someone else."
Her mind drifted to Monica, how she wished she could also run away, travel to Brazil or France or Australia, how she longed to just go find her best friend, hug her, tell her everything, but she knew that Monica didn't want the wizarding world, Monica always dreamt of a life far away from London, somewhere in the countryside.
Delilah was the first-person Monica told; she was leaving. Delilah remembers being so happy for her friend when she finally told her she found a place in France. Monica didn't have anyone except for them here, and Delilah understood that even though they were a family Monica needed a fresh start, she had helped her pack everything, and even though they exchanged letters weekly, it was not the same.
Delilah knew that she should have told Monica, but she couldn't find it in herself to ruin this for Monica, she knew that Monica was finally happy. She wrote that specific letter many times, but she could never send it, she simply couldn't do it.
Snapping her out of her thoughts of Monica was Regulus, "Pack a bag, potions, cloaks, weapons, whatever you think is useful, we leave as quickly as possible."
"Leaving? Where are you going?" Evan knew the answer, he just didn't exactly agree with his friends going on a mission that could end with them dead.
"You can't just go! What about the Dark Lord huh? We still have meetings, we are still participating in battles, and you can't just disappear! And you Delilah? What about your family? What are you going to say to them? James? Your parents? You can't just get up and leave!"
Regulus could sense Leo's anxiety from the other end of the couch, where he was sitting beside Delilah, his arm around her shoulders, as she played with the hem of her skirt.
"Leo, mate, we are the only people that know how to stop him, we are prepared, we have potions and weapons and we have been studying spells and curses for a while, we know it is dangerous, believe me, you think I'm not scared? Do you think I'm not terrified of me dying? Or of Delilah dying? Or if something happens to you while I'm away? I'm scared Leo, just like all of us, but if we do succeed in this we could leave," Regulus' voice cracked at the end, emotion slipping out with his words.
"We could leave everyone behind, leave him behind, leave everyone that wronged us behind, we could leave and do whatever the hell we want, go wherever we want, live the life we deserve to live, and not the one our parents chose for us!" Regulus was standing in front of Leo, and Delilah's heart melted as Leo wrapped his arms tight around Regulus, his face buried in his neck. Regulus, who was never one for too many hugs hugged back just as tightly, rubbing his back soothingly.
Evan quickly joined the hug, as he and Regulus sandwiched Leo between them. Delilah missed Monica now, yes, the guys were her best friends, but Monica is her number one, she is that person that knows everything about her, from when she was eleven till now, her absolute favorite girl.
Oh, how she wished Monica was here.
--
James Potter was losing too many people at once. Two of his friends just died this afternoon, he had spent half of it comforting his wife, who was in mourning for her best friends, and the other half trying to locate Pettigrew, who was nowhere to be seen.
Now he just stared at Delilah, trying to comprehend if her heard her correctly. She couldn't possibly be serious, "no, no you can't just leave! We need to be together, as a family, you can't just get up and leave with him, and his friends! Mum and Dad need you; I need you!"
His voice was rising with every word and Delilah was finding herself in the middle again. She truly wished she could stay or leave and give him a proper reason, but she knew the risk of telling him her location or what she is doing. Everyone had agreed that the fewer people knew, the better.
"James, I know, I wish I could stay I truly do, but what we found is going to take us a step closer to defeating Vold-"
"Don't say his name, bloody idiot! It is taboo, but you wouldn't know that since you are dead set on not joining the order and doing everything with your boyfriend and his friends!"
"Are you bringing that up again? I thought we were over the whole, 'she doesn't want to join the order, what a coward and disgrace to the Potter name'," she replied sarcastically, she knew what people said behind her back, she wasn't stupid, everyone was expecting her to join as soon as she finished school.
Her hand reached for some extra clothes as she stuffed them into the bag, and it seemed it was more annoying to James that he was telling her his concerns and she was still not listening.
"You are my only sister, I don't want to lose you, it's not safe to just go after him. You could die, fucking die, do you understand that?!"
Delilah wanted so badly to tell him that even if she left, everything would be okay, that she would be back and Voldemort would be gone, but she knew she would be lying, and the letters on top of the dresser could prove that.
She dropped the things on the bed and took a step towards him, throwing her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly. He didn't waste a second before hugging back, some of his tears rolling onto her shoulder, staining her shirt.
"I'll do my best to be as safe as possible, but I want him gone as much you, if he is not gone, we'll never be able to live normally, I wouldn't be able to live normally, Regulus and I will never be able to be together and travel the world and you won't be able to have a family with Lily like you always wanted it. We need him gone, and I wish I could tell you everything, but I can't because if something happens, he will come after you and I can't have that happen,"
"His focus and the order's are on handing down Peter, this is the perfect time, we are calculating about a week or so, maybe a week and a half, since it requires traveling and we need to pick some things up before starting," said Delilah, her voice calm and comforting, she was desperately trying to make James understand how important this is.
This is their chance in defeating Voldemort, after that they could just leave, forget everyone and only come back to visit friends and family and finally live a normal life.
"So just a week or so?" James' words were trembling as they slipped out of his mouth. Fear was evident in his gentle features.
"Yeah, we're going to do what we need and I'll be back no more than a few days, just don't tell mom and dad," the request confused him, he knew that their parents will voice their concerns, but they wouldn't stop her.
" I'll tell them, well lie, that we're going on a trip, to get our minds off all the depressing stuff that has been going on." James looked curious but he let her continue, he was desperate for a valid reason, as to why she wouldn't tell their parents. Their parents that always did everything for them their parents were with her throughout all her nightmares and all the visions she ever had
I believe they're not going to let me go, and I know I can do it without telling them, I'm an adult, but I don't want to leave things rocky between us in case anything ever happens," she murmured the last part but he heard her clearly and he felt another stab to his heart.
His little sister, the one that scream whenever they pranked her and cried afterward to their mother the one that was scared of insects and scary stories, was now more determined than ever to do this mission. James hated how much he saw himself in her, they weren't identical but the similarities were there for him to see.
He knew she was doing that for the better, Delilah wasn't an as selfless person as he was, but one of her best qualities was that she loved more than anyone else, she loved her friends, her family, Regulus, she was doing this for them and he knows that his parents raised her to be the person she is today.
His little sister is the most wonderful person he ever had the pleasure of meeting.