When Delilah woke the next morning it took her a moment to realize it hadn't been a nightmare. Harry had been chosen as the fourth Triwizard champion. The dress(dread, auto correct is too funny) settled at the bottom of her stomach.
After hurriedly getting dressed, Delilah walked down to the Great Hall. She was soon joined by Draco.
"Hi, you know, you should probably eat," he said, looking at the soggy cereal in front of her.
"Not hungry," she replied.
Draco shrugged, and put some toast in his pocket before starting to eat his own bowl of not-soggy cereal.
"You know, after breakfast we could go see McGonagall," he commented.
Delilah nodded. The chances were slim that anything could be changed, but hopefully the school would listen to logic. There was a first time for everything and she had been thinking of good solid reasons why he shouldn't compete.
Finally Draco finished his cereal and stood up. They headed for McGonagall's office.
"I think this would go better if I stayed outside," Draco decided.
Delilah nodded and knocked.
"Come in," replied McGonagall's harsh voice. "Oh, it's you. What do you need?"
"I think you know, Professor," Delilah started. "Harry shouldn't be able to compete."
McGonagall sighed.
"I completely agree, but Dumbledore says the cup has spoken, and he can't back out once chosen. There's a magical contract proving it."
"But, with all due respect, Dumbledore created the contract, so can't he break it? And also wouldn't the contract be nullified because Harry isn't of age?"
McGonagall shook her head.
"I have brought up those points as well, but the Minister says he has to compete, so he will compete."
"Since when has Dumbledore ever cared about what the Minister says?"
McGonagall sighed.
"As I said, I completely agree with you, but alas, higher ranking officials say that Harry has to compete, so he will, despite my better judgment. Now if you excuse me, I have to prepare for tomorrow's lessons."
Professor McGonagall pushed Delilah out the door, closing it behind her.
"How'd it go?" Draco immediately asked.
"Just about as I expected," Delilah said, glaring at nothing. "The magic cup has said he shall compete, so he shall. I agree that he shouldn't but I am powerless to stop Dumbledore's idiocy."
"Wait, that's what she said?" Draco unsuccessfully tried to hide a grin.
"Well, not word for word, and she didn't straight out say that Dumbledore was an idiot, but she implied it. Or at least that Dumbledore wanted Harry to compete."
"That's barbaric."
Delilah nodded.
"We haven't really gone swimming for a bit, do you want to? Or do you think it's too cold already?" Draco asked.
"Yeah, that would be fun. I even found a spell over the summer that may help the cold. It's called the Hot Air Charm, it'll dry us, and possibly warm the water too."
They headed back to their common room, changed into their swimming gear, and headed out towards the lake.
As soon as they got there, Delilah stood at the edge, looking into the depths. Then, she felt a push behind her and she sprawled into the lake. She rose, glaring at Draco. He was standing right by the lake, grinning madly. Delilah swam towards the edge, and pulled his ankle, making him fall in right beside her.
"Oi!" he shouted, splashing her.
"You started it." Grinning, she splashed back.
And then a full out splash war commenced. Finally, when they both were soaked to the skin, they hopped out.
Smirking, Delilah did the Hot Air Charm, drying herself. Draco... he tried to. Instead, he set his suit on fire. Yelping, he jumped back into the lake.
Delilah laughed and he pulled her in, again. Still laughing, they both got out. This time Delilah dried both of them. Laughing they both headed back up to the castle.
On the way, Delilah caught sight of Harry and Hermione, walking around the lake.
"Wait here," she instructed, heading over to them.
"Hey Delilah, here to shout at me?" Harry grumpily said.
"No, I came here to tell you that I know you didn't put your name in, your expression last night was proof of that. I also want you to know I want to help you. You see, your death isn't on my bucket list."
Harry stood, slightly speechless, before nodding.
"Oh, thanks."
Delilah turned and walked away, but not before hearing Hermione say, "See, I told you not everyone doesn't believe you."
Honestly, Harry could be quite thick headed.
"Come on," Delilah told Draco. And they walked back towards their common room.
Over the next few days, however, Delilah noticed that the whole school actually did seem to hate Harry. Even the Hufflepuffs, who usually were on good terms with everyone, thought he had stolen the first bit of glory they had received in, well, ever. The Ravenclaws even thought Harry wanted the glory and so put his own name into the goblet.
Classes were enough to prove this. In every class people were muttering about it and how it was unfair. The Slytherins also found it ridiculous, but they knew better than to say it in front of Delilah. The last person who had was stuck in the hospital wing for a week, maybe more.
For the first time Delilah was excited for Care of Magical Creatures, not because of the Skrewts, but because she could talk to Harry and how he was going to prepare for the tournament.
Predictably, as soon as the Gryffindors arrived, Blaise sneered.
"Oh look boys, it's the champion" he said to his friends. "Got your autograph books? Better get a signature now, because I doubt he's going to be around much longer.... Half the Triwizard champions have died... how long do you reckon you'll last, Potter? Ten minutes into the first task's my bet."
Delilah turned.
"Oh, I think he'll last just fine, but if you don't shut up I'll make sure you won't."
Either way Blaise would have had to shut up, Hagrid had emerged from the back of his cabin, balancing a teetering tower of crates, each containing a very large Blast-Ended Skrewt. To the class's horror, Hagrid proceeded to explain that the reason the skrewts had been killing one another was an excess of pent-up energy, and that the solution would be for each student to fix a leash on a skrewt and take it for a short walk.
"Take that thing for a walk?" Draco muttered to Delilah.
"Where exactly are we supposed to fix the leash? Around the sting, the blasting end, or the sucker?" Delilah asked, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.
"Roun' the middle," said Hagrid, demonstrating. "Er — yeh might want ter put on yer dragon-hide gloves, jus' as an extra precaution, like. Harry — you come here an' help me with this big one...."
Delilah stared at Hagrid. His real intention was obvious, he wanted to talk to Harry, and in doing so ruined her plan. She grouped with Draco to take one of the monsters on a 'walk' instead.
It was creative torture. The students had to run to keep up and most ended up being dragged along, and plenty got scorched, bitten, and stung.
Over the next few days Delilah still didn't have time to talk to Harry about the plan. He had a vastly different schedule than her and ate his lunch outside. She had yet to find where.
Classes still managed to be entertaining somehow. In Charms they had learned a particularly easy spell, the Summoning Charm, and in Transfiguration they were learning the Hedgehog to Pincushion spell. Even Herbology was entertaining, they were repotting Bouncing Bulbs. But Delilah was still most excited for Potions.
It was a double day, but that wasn't why she was excited. She hopefully would be able to talk to Harry, she had already told Draco she was going to sit by him instead so she could finally talk to him. He had taken it surprisingly well.
"Ok, I've been meaning to spend more time with Crabbe and Goyle anyway."
Delilah had nodded and then headed off to Potions, she had been leaving earlier. Unsurprisingly, she was the first one there.
Delilah pulled out her Advanced Potion's book and finished her latest additions. The day before she had lost track of time and barely made it to Transfiguration on time.
After a while, the rest of the Slytherins came back, looking rather smug with themselves. She soon realized why.
All of them were wearing badges that said, "Support Cedric Diggory — The Real Hogwarts Champion" or, once pressed, "Potter Stinks."
Delilah sighed. Even Draco was wearing one, not that that was surprising. He and Harry didn't get along whatsoever. She walked up to Draco.
"You know, if I stink that much you could have just told me," she tried to joke. His face paled.
"Crap! I always forget you two are related! Don't worry, I'll add Harry to the badges. But you aren't... mad?"
"Oh I am absolutely furious and have already planned my revenge, but you should at least clarify which Potter you hate, or our friendship might be a bit awkward."
Draco awkwardly chuckled, his face pink.
"Yeah... we don't want that."
Just then the Gryffindors arrived.
"Like the badges Potter?" Blaise sneered. "And that isn't all they do — look!"
Blaise pressed his badge, switching to the "Potter Stinks" side.
Delilah rolled her eyes as most of the Slytherins around her laughed.
"I've told you Blaise, I don't stink that bad."
"Well, you could use a shower. Then I could join you," he retorted with a smirk, making Harry and Draco glare at him, both turning red. Delilah held up a hand to stop them from attacking Blaise.
"Only in your nightmares."
"Don't you mean dreams?"
"No, nightmares. Because if you tried I'd jinx you into non-existence, doing everyone a favor. In fact, if you don't shut up soon, I'll do it in reality."
She drew her wand, Blaise followed. Delilah turned and saw that Draco and Harry had drawn their wands as well.
"Densaugeo!" Blaise yelled, somehow missing all three of them and hitting Hermione instead.
"Alarte Ascendare!" Delilah retorted, sending Blaise shooting up into the air.
As soon as he landed, Professor Snape opened the door.
"Potter! Put your wand down, ten points from Gryffindor!" Snape, being Snape, ignored how Delilah, Draco, and Blaise all had their wands too.
"You three," he said, motioning to them, "deal with this later, but not by my classroom."
"Sir!" Ron yelled after running to Hermione's side. "Zabini got Hermione!"
He made her show her rapidly growing teeth.
Snape glowered.
"I see no difference."
Most of the Slytherins laughed and pointed at Hermione.
Hermione let out a whimper; her eyes filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran, ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight.
It was lucky, perhaps, that both Harry and Ron started shouting at Snape at the same time; lucky their voices echoed so much in the stone corridor, for in the confused din, it was impossible for him to hear exactly what they were calling him. He got the gist, however.
"Let's see," he said, in his silkiest voice. "Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention each for Potter and Weasley. Now get inside, or it'll be a week's worth of detentions."
Delilah glared at Snape's back as the class followed him into the classroom.
"Honestly, how he thought it was your fault. And how did Blaise miss? He had three targets!"
Draco and Harry laughed, grinning at her before glaring at each other.
"Boys," Delilah muttered under her breath as Draco and Harry sat on opposite sides of her.
"Anyway Harry, we need to talk about the Tournament so we can-"
"Antidotes!" commented Snape, cutting her off. He looked around at them all, his cold black eyes glittering unpleasantly. "You should all have prepared your recipes now. I want you to brew them carefully, and then, we will be selecting someone on whom to test one...."
Harry glared at Snape while nodding at Delilah.
"We will, after dinner, in the library?" he suggested.
Delilah quickly nodded, staring at the door. Someone had just knocked.
It was Colin Creevey; he edged into the room, beaming at Harry, and walked up to Snape's desk at the front of the room.
"Yes?" said Snape curtly.
"Please, sir, I'm supposed to take Harry Potter upstairs."
Snape stared down his hooked nose at Colin, whose smile faded from his eager face.
"Potter has another hour of Potions to complete," said Snape coldly. "He will come upstairs when this class is finished." Colin went pink.
"Sir — sir, Mr. Bagman wants him," he said nervously. "All the champions have got to go, I think they want to take photographs...."
Delilah looked at Harry, who was looking at Ron, who was staring at the ceiling.
"Very well!" snapped Snape. "Potter — take your bag and get out of my sight!"
Delilah watched Harry swing his bag over his shoulder, get up, and head for the door, leaving her and Draco sitting alone.
"Now," Snape angrily said. "Longbottom will go first. Should his antidote fail we will try others until one is right."
Neville Longbottom stood up, his whole body shaking. Delilah felt a twinge of pity.
For once Snape looked happy as he poured poison down Neville's throat. Instead of making him look nicer, it made him look possessed. There even was a red glint in his eye.
Neville's eyes rolled back. Snape poured the potion in, nothing happened. He then grabbed other bottles. Only when Neville's mouth started to foam and he started thrashing, did Snape pour his antidote. The foaming and thrashing stopped; his eyes rolled back into place.
Then it was Ron's turn. The same thing happened until Hermione's was tested, which worked.
Delilah noticed after he poisoned two more people she didn't recognize, that he was only picking Gryffindors to be poisoned, not that she was complaining. Hers had worked, saving the 5th person from more pain.
Then, as soon as Snape had finished testing the last antidote, the bell rang. Standing up, Delilah and Draco headed up to dinner. Afterwards Delilah headed down to the library to meet Harry. He was already there, sitting at a table near the back.
"Ok Harry, what do you know about the first task?" she immediately asked.
He shrugged.
"Nothing, they are keeping it a secret, and we're only allowed a wand."
"That's doable, you can do a lot more with a wand than you'd think. You can literally create jets of fire, water, and even air. So we should just increase your arsenal so you know more than Wingardium Leviosa, Expelliarmus, Lumos, and Expecto Patronum."
Harry opened his mouth.
"Yes, they all are useful in their own weird way, but I doubt they'd be making you levitate anything."
Harry closed his mouth.
"So what are we going to do?"
"You are going to see if you can figure out what the first task is. Yes, it's against the rules, but no one will follow the rules, except maybe Golden Boy, but he always follows the rules. Maybe ask Hagrid, he's horrible at keeping secrets."
"And what will you do?"
"I'll be thinking of spells you need to learn. We don't know what you'll be up against, so we'll have to give you a wide variety. I'll do research and make a list of spells you should learn. You also should make a list of all the spells you can confidently do, I know in reality it is more than just those four."
Harry nodded, not looking excited about this new piece of homework.
"Oh, and also ask Hermione to make a list of spells you should learn as soon as she's better. Blaise is such a git."
Harry nodded.
"I will. But, while we're here could you help me with that essay from Binns? I have no clue about the Great Giant Wars, or whatever they are called."
"I would, but I haven't had Binns yet. Tomorrow if you still need help I could help you while working on mine."
"Yeah, thanks. Well, goodnight," Harry awkwardly stated as he stood up.
"Yeah, goodnight. See you tomorrow, don't let the stupid badges get to your head. I know they're hard to ignore, but do your best. You should also make up with Ron, it'll make it easier."
Harry glowered.
"Not likely to happen soon, but I'll keep it in mind."
Delilah nodded, waved goodbye, and headed down to the Slytherin Common Room while Harry headed in the opposite direction.