The next morning Delilah woke up earlier than usual. She got dressed and quickly finished packing. She grabbed her bag and headed down for breakfast.
When she was about halfway done, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came down.
"Good morning, are you all packed?" Mrs. Weasley asked, giving Delilah a quick hug.
"Yep, all ready to go." She motioned towards her bag which was right next to her.
Delilah finished eating when Hermione and Ginny came down. Ginny asked a question that led Mrs. Weasley to talk about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. They were all rather giggly.
Ron and Harry came down followed by a fuming Percy.
"Ronald spilled tea on my picture of Penelope Clearwater," he exclaimed, glaring at Ron.
"Ooo, your girlfriend, Perc? How'd you convince her to agree?" Fred teased as he and George walked in.
They all quickly ate, then heaved their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piled them near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.
Hermione calmed down Crookshanks, her cat, who was upset.
"It's all right, Crookshanks," she cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."
"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"
He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.
"Well, you have always been going on about how useless he is, maybe if he dies you'll get a new pet," Delilah suggested.
Mr. Weasley, who had gone outside to wait for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.
"They're here," he said. "Harry, come on."
Mr. Weasley took Harry out and everyone followed.
There were two old-fashioned dark green cars, each driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.
Harry got in followed by Hermione, Ron, Percy and Mr. Weasley. Delilah was with Fred, George, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley.
The whole ride they whispered about prank ideas. They talked quietly so that Mrs. Weasley wouldn't hear, but she seemed too distracted to notice.
The Ministry of Magic cars were mostly ordinary, though they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's car certainly couldn't have managed. They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley ushered them towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Mr. Weasley stayed right by Harry. As if he was scared that Black would pop out and try to kill him.
No such thing happened. They split into pairs and went through the barrier. Mr. Weasley and Harry went first by leaning against the barrier and disappearing through it. Then Percy and Ginny optided to run through. After Hermione and George went, then Delilah went with Fred. They casually leaned like Mr. Weasley had, then fell through.
Once they all had gotten through, they went and put all their trunks and pets onto a carriage that looked quite empty.
Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione and Delilah, then Harry, whom she gave an extra hug.
Mrs. Weasley straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches.... Here you are, Ron... no, they're not corned beef.... Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are dear...."
Mr. Weasley stepped aside with Harry, probably to formally tell him about Black. Mrs. Weasley finished handing the sandwiches all out, and started shepherding them onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"
"He's coming, Molly!" said Mr. Weasley, who turned back to Harry.
Delilah got in as Mrs. Weasley cried, "Arthur, quickly!"
Harry hurried on just as the train was starting to move.
Delilah rolled her eyes and found her friend's compartment. She grabbed her stuff.
"Where are you going, Delilah?" Harry asked.
"To sit with my friends," Delilah answered.
"Your Slytherin friends?" Harry challenged.
"Yes, Harry, my Slytherin friends," Delilah replied with an eye roll and walked out and quickly found Draco's compartment. He was sitting with Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy, who was holding hands with Blaise. The only empty seat was by Draco so she opened the door and sat there.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey, how was your summer?" Draco asked.
"Yeah, any exploding aunts?" Pansy teased.
"Only one, and it wasn't even my fault."
Draco smiled. They all laughed and continued their talk about Quidditch.
"Yeah, the Quidditch World Cup is happening next year, I bet the Bulgarians will make it. I mean, they have Krum," Draco said.
Delilah's eyes started to droop. She hadn't slept well the night before. She kept having ridiculous dreams about Harry in a graveyard of all places. It was more weird now, but during the nightmare, it was nerve racking. It wasn't even like they had been her first nightmares about Harry dying. Now it was more obnoxious than anything.
"Nah, it's going to be the Irish," Blaise argued.
"Well, I guess we'll find out later. Either way Father got tickets for the Minister's box from the Minister himself," Draco continued to brag but Delilah's eyes fell. Before she knew it, her head slumped to the side and she was asleep.
At first she dreamed of an underground elf that had to go on a journey to save the world, but then everything turned darker and colder. The elves disappeared and turned into a figure.
It was a big bully, cowering against the wall, looking frightened as the small girl stood staring coldly down at him.
He started twitching madly, screaming even though no one could hear him but her, and she would only stop when she decided it was enough. It was a few minutes before she let the mist surrounding them fade.
"Tell anyone," she threatened, "And you'll regret it."
The boy's face paled as he nodded before transforming into a woman, a woman with Delilah's hair.
"Don't kill them, please," she begged. "Kill me instead!"
The figure in black laughed. "Step aside woman, step aside."
"No, please, don't kill them, please!"
The figure raised a wand and said, "Avada Kedavra!"
There was a flash of green, and the woman fell to the ground.
Delilah's eyes flew open. Everyone in the compartment looked shaken.
"What happened?" Delilah asked as she sat up, realizing that she had fallen asleep on Draco's shoulder. She blushed, but luckily no one noticed. She sat up.
"Dementors searched the train. They were looking for Sirius Black," Pansy answered.
Draco nodded, something was bothering him. She'd ask about it later that night. Maybe at dinner.
"I think we're almost there, I'm going to change into my robes," Delilah stated and Pansy nodded.
"I'll be out right after you," she said.
Delilah nodded and walked towards the changing rooms. She quickly changed and then went back to the compartment.
Pansy was snogging Blaise.
"Bleh, go get a room," Delilah told them. Pansy flashed her a rude finger and continued.
Draco pretended to throw up and Delilah grinned.
The train pulled up to the station. It was pouring rain out. Everyone hurried over to the carriages. Delilah had to wait for one with Draco, who now was talking to Longbottom of all people.
They finally got into a carriage with just them and Longbottom.
More dementors were patrolling the entrance just outside the front doors. As they passed Delilah heard a scream, the same scream from her nightmare. She pushed the sound away and focused on the cold water droplets splattering onto her face.
Draco continued talking to Longbottom, but why would he talk to him?
By the time they got to the castle Draco was grinning.
"What happened?" Delilah asked as they walked through the entrance, soaking wet.
"Longbottom told me that your brother fainted because of the dementors, he really fainted!" He looked so excited Delilah chuckled and rolled her eyes.
"Well, that's probably because of what happened to our parents," she pointed out as they sat down in the Great Hall.
"But you didn't faint," Draco argued.
"I was already asleep though, it may have been different if I was awake," Delilah reasoned.
"Shut up lovebirds, the sorting is about to start," Blaise said.
Delilah and Draco both blushed. Slightly.
The sorting, as usual, was pretty boring. There were a decent amount of new Slytherins, but not too many. There was another Creevey though, Denis. He was sorted into Gryffindor. Wasn't one Creevey enough?
Dumbledore stood up.
Professor Dumbledore was very old. Yet somehow he managed to give an impression of energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. Delilah wondered how it got broken.
"Welcome!" he said, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast...."
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued. "As you all are aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."
He paused, not seeming excited about the dementors being there.
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks," he blandly added for some strange reason while looking at the Gryffindor table. "It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the perfects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure no student runs afoul of the dementors."
He paused again, looking very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.
"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.
"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
There was some scattered, unenthusiastic applause. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby, especially next to all the other teachers in their best robes.
"Look at Professor Snape, he looks livid," Draco whispered to Delilah.
Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but the look he was shooting at Lupin was startling. It was beyond anger or jealousy: It was loathing.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."
The Slytherin table was barely clapping. It was mainly the new students and Delilah. The Gryffindor table however, was tumultuous. Hagrid turned ruby-red in the face and stared down at his enormous hands, his grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.
"Well, I suppose that makes sense why we were assigned a biting book," Draco acknowledged.
As Dumbledore started speaking again, Delilah saw Hagrid wipe his eyes on the tablecloth.
"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"
The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Delilah helped herself to almost everything she could reach and began to eat.
It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Delilah talked and laughed with Draco over random and pointless stuff. It was fun.
Too soon, the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them to go to bed.
Delilah turned to Draco.
"Are you ok? After the dementors you seemed pretty shaky," she said.
"I just remembered something I don't like to talk about." Draco was obviously trying to get her to drop it, but Delilah needed to make sure he was ok.
"If you ever need to talk, I'll listen. You know that, right?" Draco nodded. "Ok, then let's head off to bed."
They reached the familiar black stone and Marcus Flint hurried up.
"The password is 'Snake Fang'," he said and the door opened into the Slytherin common room.
Delilah hadn't realized how much she had missed the eerie lake with the occasional mermaid or Grindylow passing by. Or even the green flames in the fireplace. Looking around, she felt that she was home at last.