The next morning the rumor went around like wildfire. Black had broken into the Castle. More specifically into the Gryffindor Common Room.
Apparently he had broken into Harry's dorm, and stood over Ron, holding a knife. Ron, for probably the first time in his life, was in the spotlight. Not his older brothers, or even Harry, but him. Delilah knew all too well how that felt. So, since she didn't want to increase his ego more than it already was growing, she just made sure he was ok, and then dropped the subject completely.
The day after the attack, Longbottom, the one who had left the passwords that Black had used, had gotten a howler from his Grandma and tried to run out of the hall. It was hopeless though, they could still hear the whole thing.
For the rest of the day, Delilah made an extra effort to be nice to him, though that seemed to scare him more than the howler.
During potions later that day, Delilah noticed that Ron and Harry were neglecting Hermione. After that she made a special effort to hang out with her.
Delilah couldn't help but notice how stressed she was. The shadows under her eyes were as big as Lupin's, which was saying something.
"You should really drop some classes," Delilah insisted one day in the library.
"I tried, McGonagall said that I couldn't until next year, but I don't know what to drop," Hermione said.
"Well, you already dropped Divination" — Delilah had heard the whole hilarious story — " and you could drop Muggle Studies too, then you would have a normal schedule."
Hermione nodded absentmindedly. Over the time they had been hanging out, Delilah had subtly examined the necklace she always wore, and seen her schedule. The only way Hermione could be in multiple classes at once was with the help of a Time Turner, and the necklace looked exactly like one.
Delilah only knew about them from a book in the Room of Requirement, but she did find them interesting and dangerous.
Hermione hadn't confessed when Delilah had bluntly asked. Instead she blushed furiously and changed the topic, which told Delilah that she was correct.
That day after classes in the common room, she smiled as she read the new notice. There was going to be another Hogsmeade trip the next weekend.
During dinner that night Delilah walked up to Hermione.
"You are going to Hogsmeade with me," she said firmly.
"Oh, but I was going to study-"
Delilah cut her off. "You study enough. You need a break, so you are going to Hogsmeade with me. We'll hang out and have a butterbeer."
Hermione hesitated, but eventually agreed.
On Saturday morning, Delilah quickly ate breakfast before heading off to Hogsmeade with Hermione, who kept glancing behind them at Harry who was waving goodbye. Delilah couldn't help but notice a lump under his robes.
She gave him a small wave before dragging Hermione into Hogsmeade.
"Come on, let's go to Three Broomsticks," Delilah said as soon as they were in the quaint village.
Hermione smiled. "Actually I was hoping to get some new quills-"
"You can get quills another time, this trip only has room for fun, no room for boring, serious stuff, you need to relax. I also made some non-potent Sleeping Draught that should help you sleep easily, but not so deeply that you won't be woken up by an alarm or anything else."
Hermione nodded, looking surprised.
"Wow, thanks."
Delilah shot her a smile before grabbing her wrist and pulling her into The Three Broomsticks.
They sat, talking and laughing, before heading over to Zonko's (despite Hermione's protests) and Honeydukes. Then they decided to head over to Enchanted Forest, a magical items store.
The inside was amazing. It was basically an indoor forest that sold magical items. The wallpaper was even enchanted to look like a forest that moved when you did. If you added the Evergreen trees around the edges with the wooden floors, and how the ceiling had the same enchantment as the Great hall's ceiling, it really felt like an enchanted forest.
Hermione and Delilah spent over an hour exploring the items on the bookshelves and hanging shelves. It was amazing.
Neither Delilah nor Hermione bought anything, they were tempted by many objects, especially a set of two way mirrors and a group of .
They finally made their way back to the castle. Delilah was relieved that Hermione did in fact seem more relaxed, at least until a letter plopped down into Hermione's hands.
Hermione opened it and gasped, her eyes tearing up. She showed the tear stained letter to Delilah.
It read:
"Dear Hermione,
We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts.
Execution date to be fixed.
Beaky has enjoyed London.
I won't forget all the help you gave us.
Hagrid"
Delilah's eyes widened. "What? Since when was Buckbeak going to be on trial?"
"Malfoy told his father who brought it up to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, the trial was set for today. I've been helping Hagrid, but... he lost. Buckbeak will..." Hermione trailed off, choking back a sob.
Delilah glared at the distance. She planned how she was going to corner Draco about this. He knew that Buckbeak just did what was natural for hippogriffs, he didn't need to make such a big fuss over it.
As they slipped into the castle, she said, "Hermione, why don't you go show that to Harry and Ron? I'm going to go corner that stupid little ferret who calls himself Draco."
Normally Hermione would at least smile at that, but today she just nodded.
Delilah gave her a quick hug before walking down to the common room, a glare already on her face.
By the time she made it to the common room, Delilah had scared at least five first years. Even a few older Slytherins scooted away from her.
As soon as she spotted Draco lounging on a couch she charged over there, grabbed his arm, and dragged him out and into an empty dungeon.
"You prick!" Delilah snapped at a confused Draco.
"Uh... what did I do?"
"Buckbeak's execution date is set, prat!"
"Oh, I just told my father what happened and the rest he just did. It was all him, not me," he quickly stated.
Delilah shot him a glare.
"You still probably made it seem more overdramatic and asked him to do it, like with that birthday clown you told me about?" she retorted.
Draco blushed. "Ok, so I did. But when I saw that you liked Hagrid's bloody chicken, I asked him to stop, but he said he'd look like a fool and refused. Look, I'm sorry. But... everything will work out. Especially since your brother and his friends are so determined to fix this. They are good at fixing things."
Delilah hated to admit he was right, but she couldn't argue. Harry was good at fixing things, a skill she couldn't seem to pick up no matter how hard she tried.
"Fine, but it still is obnoxious!" she huffed, turning away and marching back towards the common room. She was already making plans on how best to sneak down and check on Hagrid.
The safety measures imposed on the students since Black's second break-in made it harder to visit Hagrid, but Delilah already had an idea how to get past them. She needed time though, it was a very difficult spell, higher than O.W.L.S, maybe even N.E.W.T.S. Luckily Delilah could still talk to him during Care of Magical Creatures lessons.
He seemed numb with shock at the verdict.
"S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em...."
"There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"
They walked up to the castle with the rest of the class. Delilah wanted to smack all the Slytherins that were laughing at Hagrid. Sure he wasn't the best teacher, but he was a great friend.
Blaise was the worst. He was walking by Crabbe and Goyle, who seemed to have been drawn to him while Draco was with Delilah. Blaise kept looking back, laughing derisively.
"S'no good, Ron," said Hagrid sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that...."
Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.
"Look at him blubber!"
Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.
"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Blaise. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"
Delilah glared at him and was just about to tell him where to put it, but Hermione got there first — SMACK!
She had slapped Blaise across the face with all the strength she could muster. Blaise staggered. Harry, Ron, Delilah, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again.
"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul — you evil —"
"Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.
"Get off, Ron!"
Hermione pulled out her wand. Blaise stepped backward. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered.
Midnight hissed threats that made Delilah wince. Harry looked surprised and embarrassed by her foul language.
"C'mon," Blaise muttered, and in a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.
"Hermione!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed.
"Thanks for doing that, Hermione. I've wanted to smack that idiot since our first year."
Hermione blushed, but still looked furious.
"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"
Delilah smiled at that and added, "Well, you don't have to beat us, but I get why you'd want to. Give Draco an extra smack for me, if you wouldn't mind."
The Gryffindor trio looked slightly confused but still nodded. While they headed up to charms, Delilah slipped up to the Room of Requirement. Sure she was skipping History of Magic, but he never called the role.
So instead she decided to work on the spell she had found. It was called the Disillusionment Charm. It basically made you blend in with your surroundings. It was hard, but Delilah managed it by the end of the period, but she still had to master walking without seeing her feet.
After a bit, History of Magic probably was done, so she slipped down to lunch.
It was nice, but Blaise kept glaring at the Gryffindor table, even though Hermione wasn't there. She probably was doing homework in the Gryffindor Common Room and didn't realize it was lunch time.
Thinking of that, Delilah grabbed her stuff and headed to charms with Draco.
It was a fun lesson on Cheering Charms. It was a good choice because by the end of class everyone was super happy and thought that it was a great lesson, and the charm lasted the whole night. So despite all the fog, they were very cheerful.
Sadly by the time Easter holidays came around, it was not relaxing or cheerful. The third years had never had so much homework. Daphne seemed close to a nervous collapse, and she wasn't the only one.
"Call this a holiday!" Blaise roared at the common room one afternoon. "The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?"
But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking more subjects than anybody else. She was first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears.
Delilah tried to be nice and friendly towards her, but she was always studying, and wouldn't even go on the Hogsmeade trips. Barely anyone did, with all the homework they had to do.
In the small free time Delilah had, she was either practicing the Disillusionment Charm or working on Buckbeak's case. Sadly there wasn't much to go on. Plus with the fact that Hermione was busy with schoolwork and Harry was busy with the upcoming quidditch match, it was mainly just Delilah and Ron working on it.
That meant that along with all their homework, they also were poring over enormously thick volumes with names like The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology and Fowl or Foul? A Study of Hippogriff Brutality. It was so absorbing, that Delilah even started to forget to be ticked at Draco.
Midnight complained about all the studying Delilah was doing and the boring lessons she had to endure. Delilah had to keep reminding her that she didn't have to stay wrapped around her shoulders in class.
Delilah was happy that Midnight wasn't at least obsessing over the coming match like everyone else. Slytherin hadn't lost the Quidditch Cup since Charlie Weasley (Ron's second oldest brother) had been Seeker.
Never, in anyone's memory, had a match approached in such a highly charged atmosphere. By the time the holidays were over, the tension between the two Houses was at the breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears.
Harry was having a particularly bad time of it. Delilah had heard the Slytherins plotting how to get him out of commission before the match. Crabbe and Goyle were taking it very seriously and seemed to be stocking him, looking for a chance to make him unable to play. Luckily Harry, or rather Wood, was smart enough to have Harry constantly surrounded by people so the overenthusiastic Slytherins couldn't harm him.
The night before the match all usual pursuits were abandoned. Most Slytherins messed around anxiously. Delilah just stared at the lake. She wasn't sure who she wanted to win the match. She wanted Harry to do well, but she also wanted her Dra— her house — to do well. Sighing, she decided to sleep on it. She'd figure it out in the morning.
She didn't. By the time the match was due to start, she didn't know. Delilah decided to go with her gut. Slipping on her Slytherin scarf, she walked down to the Quidditch Pitch. Just as she was sitting down next to Daphne, the Gryffindor team came onto the field.
There was a tidal wave of noise. Three-quarters of the crowd were wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or brandishing banners with slogans like "GO GRYFFINDOR!" and "LIONS FOR THE CUP!" Behind the Slytherin goalposts, however, two hundred people, including Delilah, were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.
"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was commentating as usual. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years —"
Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of "boos" from beside Delilah, who tried not to laugh.
"And here comes the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill —"
More boos from around Delilah. She, however, could see his point. Draco was easily the smallest person on the team; the rest of them were enormous.
"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.
Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.
"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three... two... one..."
The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air.
"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinner of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the field — WHAM! — nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by — Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina — nice swerve around Montague — duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! – SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"
Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight
"OUCH!"
Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.
"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"
A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.
"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between them. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"
"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.
"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"
Delilah heard all the groans by her and joined in. The only people on the team she really cared about were the Beaters and Seeker.
"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession — no! Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field — THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"
Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle he had grabbed her head. Katie cart-wheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle.
Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.
"THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING —"
"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way —"
"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"
Harry started to dive, but Delilah didn't see the Snitch anywhere near where he was diving for. It also would be stupid to catch it now, it was common knowledge that the Gryffindors needed to be 200 points above Slytherin to win the cup. That meant that Harry was bluffing. The snitch was probably in the opposite direction. Draco still dove after him.
WHOOSH.
One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry's right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Then again...
WHOOSH.
The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in. Harry turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided.
"Ha haaa!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flint alongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! — it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke — oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save —!"
And Flint scored. Delilah cheered with the rest of the Slytherins as everyone else groaned. Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him.
"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession —"
This was turning into one of the dirtiest games Delilah had ever watched. The Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger. George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties, and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor.
Draco decided to tail Harry instead of looking for the snitch on his own, which was pretty stupid for where the points were.
Katie scored. Fifty-ten. Fred and George Weasley were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge. Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred's and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded.
Madam Hooch was beside herself —
"YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked at Bole and Derrick. "Gryffindor penalty!"
And Angelina scored. Sixty-ten. Moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Alicia seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal — seventy-ten.
The Gryffindor crowd below was screaming itself hoarse — Gryffindor was sixty points in the lead, and if Harry caught the Snitch now, the Cup was theirs. Delilah watched him intently, watching for signs that he had seen it.
And there it was. Harry was put on a huge burst of speed; the wind was roaring in his ears; he stretched out his hand, but Draco had grabbed the end of the Firebolt! That was a low move, lower than Delilah would have expected from him. But he did succeed in his goal. The Snitch had disappeared.
"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics." Madam Hooch screeched, shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One.
"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B —"
Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger in Malfoy's direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously.
Alicia took Gryffindor's penalty, but she was so angry she missed by several feet. The Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins, delighted by Malfoy's foul on Harry, were being spurred on to greater heights.
"Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal — Montague scores —" Lee groaned.
"Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor..."
Harry had started to mark Draco. Even from the stands Delilah could see their knees hitting each other.
"Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!"
Every single Slytherin player apart from Malfoy was streaking up the pitch toward Angelina, including the Slytherin Keeper — they were all going to block her — Harry wheeled the Firebolt around, bent so low he was lying flat along the handle, and kicked it forward. Like a bullet, he shot toward the Slytherins.
"AAAAAAAARGH!"
They scattered as the Firebolt zoomed toward them; Angelina's way was clear.
"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eighty points to twenty!"
But then Draco started a dive and Delilah could see the Snitch glittering just outside his reach.
Harry urged the Firebolt downward, but Draco was miles ahead —
Harry was gaining on Draco. He flattened himself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at him — he was at Draco's ankles — he was level — Harry threw himself forward, took both hands off his broom. He knocked Malfoy's arm out of the way — and grabbed the snitch.
He pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and three-quarters of the stadium exploded. Harry soared above the crowd. The tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist.
Both teams landed, the Slytherins glared at Draco while all the Gryffindors cheered Harry. A mob of scarlet supporters streamed onto the field. Then there was Dumbledore, carrying the cup to Harry. He would be fine. Draco however looked ready to bang his head against a very hard object. Delilah decided to go towards him. Harry was better than fine.
She waited until he came out of the changing room to walk up to him.
"Are you here to berate me for losing too?" he snapped before realizing it was Delilah. "Oh, sorry. I thought you were some other Slytherin coming to yell at me. Maybe Flint again."
Delilah shot him a small smile.
"Nah, that's not why I'm here. I wanted to make sure you were okay." She made the concern clear in her voice. Draco just shrugged.
"Good as I can be. I am the reason we lost so..."
Delilah pulled him into a hug. After a moment, he wrapped his arms around her in return.
"It's not your fault. You did your best and that's all we can ask for," she insisted. He gave an unconvincing shrug, but his eyes weren't as wet.
"Come on, there's a spell I want to teach you."
Draco gave a noncommittal nod so she nudged him to the Room of Requirement.