After a few minutes she got to the castle, and hurried out, ignoring the chatter of the Hufflepuffs who had gotten into the same carriage.
She walked to the Great Hall and was relieved to see Daphne sitting alone. Delilah moved to sit beside her.
"Hi Daphne, how's your summer been?"
"Oh it was so fun. I met up with Andrés, you know, the guy I went to the Yule Ball with, and he was so fun. I don't think I'll ever date him, but we had so much fun. He showed me all the cool places up North, and though we didn't actually go to Durmstrang he told me about how it's been so much better now that they got a new Headmaster."
"Why don't you think you'll date him? It sounds like you guys had a lot of fun."
"We did, and we still have been writing to each other. I just don't want to have a long distance relationship. It seems like too much work and worry for me. Maybe if he moves here or I somehow end up over there for some reason."
"So for now you're just writing?"
"Yep," Daphne cheerfully said. "How was your summer?"
"Pretty good, I have some boy questions to ask you about later."
"What happened?"
Delilah glanced at the door, where Pansy, Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle were coming in. Where was Draco?
"I'll tell you later, just something I want to know if I should be concerned about or not."
"Ok, what about tomorrow during break?"
"That works, or sooner depending on our schedules. We get them tomorrow at breakfast, right?"
Daphne nodded.
"What do we get for breakfast?" Blaise asked.
Delilah rolled her eyes before saying, "We were talking about how we are choosing our schedules at breakfast."
Blaise was about to respond, but before he could Draco sat down between them.
"Move over, I haven't seen my girlfriend for months."
Oh, so he hadn't forgotten about her. That was good at least.
"You want me to go all around the table so you can sit by Delilah? No way."
"Just crawl under the table then, or I'll have to jinx you."
Blaise grumbled about his dignity, but did as Draco had suggested.
Draco smiled at her then turned to the group.
"Want to know what took me so long to get here?" he whispered.
They nodded.
"So, when Zabini got back from Slughorn's dinner thing, I thought it was weird that the door seemed to be stopped by something when he went to close it, and then I thought I saw someone's feet and ankles when Zabini and Goyle were at each other's throats."
Delilah's heart sank. Harry wasn't really that stupid, right? Sadly she knew Harry too well to ignore the possibility.
"So I stayed behind when the train stopped and stupefied where I thought the intruder was. Turns out Potter was spying on us. Of course I taught him his lesson. I broke his nose then covered him in his invisibility cloak." He mimed punching someone's nose.
Delilah groaned. Why did Draco and Harry have to have their stupid feud?
"Honestly, I don't know where he got one. They're supposed to be super rare. Then again I heard his parents left him a fortune."
"It does explain all of his shenanigans though," Pansy pointed out.
Delilah had to interject before they got more off topic. "But why did you have to break his nose? Isn't stupefying and leaving him to go back to London more than enough?"
Draco shrugged.
Luckily for him, the first years walked in so Delilah didn't pull a Hermione and punch him. It was tempting, but she didn't want to make the first years witness it.
During the sorting she didn't pay much attention. Instead she scanned the Gryffindor table, but Harry wasn't there. Draco's scheme hadn't actually worked, right? With all the security measures someone was bound to notice that he was gone.
Even after the feast began, Harry didn't come in.
"Come on Delilah, you need to eat," Daphne said.
Delilah blinked back into reality.
"What?"
"You're just pushing the food around your plate. You should actually eat some of it. I know you don't get nearly enough at the Muggles place."
Delilah blinked. She had forgotten Daphne was so observant.
"Right."
By the time Daphne made her finish her plate, Harry still hadn't appeared. She was about to go over to Hermione and Ron to see if they had heard from him, when he walked in, covered in blood.
Delilah relaxed and put some more food on her plate. As usual people noticed him, but by the time they were standing up to see him he had already sat down beside Ron and Hermione.
After the dessert had been cleared away, Dumbledore stood up. The talk and laughter echoing around the Hall died away almost instantly.
"The very best of evenings to you!" he said, smiling broadly, his arms opened wide as though to embrace the whole room.
His hand still looked like it was dead, and people noticed. Whispers swept the room; DUmbledore, interpreting them correctly, merely smiled and shook his purple and gold sleeve over his injury.
"Nothing to worry about," he said airily. "Now... to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you..."
Why hadn't he healed his hand yet? Madam Pomfrey could heal anything. Then again there were some injuries that couldn't be cured, but how would Dumbledore of all people have gotten one?
"... and Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
"Those wishing to play for their House Quidditch teams should give their names to their Heads of House as usual. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators, who should do likewise.
"We are pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year. Professor Slughorn" — Slughorn stood up, his bald head gleaming in the candlelight, his big waistcoat belly casting the table below into shadow — "is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."
"Potions?"
"Potions?"
The word echoed all over the Hall as people wondered whether they had heard right.
It was odd. Delilah had expected him to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher since it was the only opening, but Potions did make more sense.
"Professor Snape, meanwhile," said Dumbledore, raising his voice so that it carried over all the muttering, "will be taking over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
Harry yelled, "No!" causing many heads to turn in his direction.
Snape, who was sitting on Dumbledore's right, did not stand up at the mention of his name; he merely raised a hand in lazy acknowledgment of the applause all around Delilah, yet it was impossible to miss the look of triumph on his features.
The whispers increased, and Dumbledore cleared his throat for silence. Seemingly oblivious to the sensational nature of the news he had just imparted, Dumbledore said nothing more about staff appointments, but waited a few seconds to ensure that the silence was absolute before continuing.
"Now, as everybody in this Hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength."
The silence seemed to tauten and strain as Dumbledore spoke. Yet Draco wasn't paying attention, instead making his fork hover in midair, as though he thought Dumbledore didn't deserve his attention. Honestly, why was he acting so stuck up? Had his family impacted him that much?
"I cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. The castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student or member of staff. I urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that your teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them — in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of bed after hours. I implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and others' safety."
Dumbledore's blue eyes swept over the students before he smiled once more.
"But now your beds await, as warm and comfortable as you could possibly wish, and I know that your top priority is to be well rested for your lessons tomorrow. Let us therefore say goodnight. Pip pip!"
Delilah hurried ahead to help the first years to the common room. Draco, of course, stayed behind to talk to people.
Honestly, his new attitude was starting to get on her nerves. First he seemed to forget about her over the summer. Sure he was busy, but it didn't take much time to send one letter explaining that he was too busy to write but hadn't forgotten about her. Then he didn't help with their Prefect duties so it took her twice as long, and now he wasn't helping her with the first years. She didn't really need the help, but it would be nice for someone to show the boys to their dorms.
Thankfully Miguel walked up to her.
"Want any help?"
"Yes please. First years follow me!"
It went smoothly. The new Slytherins followed them to the Common Room entrance.
"So, this is our Common Room," Delilah explained as they reached the black wall. "The password is kelp" — at the password the bricks started moving, receiving many gasps from the first years — "but it changes often. There will be a notice on the common room board beforehand, so keep an eye out.
"Now, as most of you know, a lot of the other students think all Slytherins are selfish and cruel. Because of this false rumor, we try to keep all fights in the Common Room. Sometimes it's impossible, but we try to stick together. If anything does end up happening, or if you just need to talk, you can talk to any of the Prefects. We all are willing to help. It also might be helpful to make some Hufflepuff friends because they don't hate Slytherins because they can. Ravenclaws also can be open-minded and can be good friends.
"I know this is a lot to take in, especially since it's been a long day, so if you have any questions feel free to ask. I know it's hard, but it does help. Girls, I'll show you to your dorms and Miguel here will show you guys to your dorms."
Miguel snapped out of whatever he had been thinking and nodded.
"Right, it's just over here. You each have your own room, and each year has their own hallway," he explained.
Delilah nodded and headed toward the first year hallway.
"Prefect Delilah?" A small first year asked.
"Yeah?"
"What's your snake's name? And aren't only cats, owls, and rats allowed as pets?"
"Her name is Midnight, and as long as your pet doesn't cause any problems and you don't show them off to Filch, the staff doesn't care. Like Miguel said you each have your own room, though each year it will move down a hallway. Here's the first year hallway." Delilah stopped at the entrance. "Go find the door with your name and that's your room, goodnight. Sleep well."
She waited until they had all gone into their rooms before checking the outside of the entrance to let in all the Slytherins that didn't know the password yet.
As usual there was a small group trying to get in. She let them in and told them the new password. She checked once more a while later, but no one was there. It was late enough that everyone would be back.
Finally she was able to go to her room. As usual all her stuff was waiting. Delilah collapsed onto her bed and Midnight slithered onto her pillow, curling up in the way she liked to. She was being oddly quiet, she'd have to ask her about it, but that was a later problem. For now she'd just go to bed. Afterall, like she had told the first years, it had been a long day.