The next morning Delilah met up with Daphne and they headed up to breakfast together.
"So... I know we said we'd talk about boy problems later but... is it ok if we talk about them now?" Delilah asked.
Daphne smiled.
"Of course, shoot."
"Ok, so Draco has been a prat. He didn't write all summer, which is understandable but he should have at least warned me, and then he skipped all the prefect duties so it took me twice as long. But I don't know how to ask him why without sounding like an attention seeking idiot. And to top it all off, something seems off about him, but I can't place what it is."
Daphne nodded, deep in thought.
"Well... you could ask what he was doing over summer and see if he remembers, and if not just straight up ask why he didn't. You definitely need to talk to him about it though. If you ignore it, it will only cause more problems."
Delilah sighed. Deep down she had known that's what she needed to do. Still, it was reassuring to be told that her instincts were right.
"Alright, thank you. Anyway... do you know what classes you want to take?"
"Well, I know some of them. I think I want to be a historian. Not like those boring people that read through books all day, but to go to sites and see if I can find more things about history. So I'll have to do History of Magic, same with Study of Ancient Runes. Then I was thinking of doing Charms and Transfiguration since they are helpful subjects."
"Ooo, being an archaeologist would be fun."
"A what?"
Delilah laughed. Sometimes she forgot how little her friends knew about the Muggle world.
"Basically it's where you search and dig in ancient sites looking for artifacts and pieces of history. I think it might just be a Muggle thing."
Daphne's eyes widened.
"Oh, so kind of like Curse Breakers?"
"Basically."
They sat down and started eating.
When Delilah was done, she sat, waiting for Snape to come down.
This year class schedules were more complicated. Snape needed to confirm that they had gotten the necessary O.W.L. grades to continue with their chosen N.E.W.T.s.
It was odd, for the first time in five years, the class groups would be different. It would be so strange, but people would actually know what they were doing.
When Snape finally came down, it took a while for him to get through the list. To start it off, Crabbe, and then Goyle, took a while. Daphne was next. She got cleared for her subjects and hurried off to Study of Ancient Runes.
Delilah waited longer as Draco got his schedule cleared and then it was finally her turn.
"What classes?" Snape drawled.
"Alchemy, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Snape nodded, wrote some things down, then handed Delilah her schedule.
She hadn't been sure if she would take Defense Against the Dark Arts, but it seemed like a good idea to be prepared against Death Eaters. Speaking of which, maybe Flitwick could restart the Dueling Club, since he had been a dueling champion. She'd have to ask him about it later.
She had Alchemy first. Would Snape still be teaching it? Dumbdoor — sorry, Dumbledore — hadn't mentioned anything about it, so he probably was.
When she got down to the dungeon, she was surprised to see that the class size had been cut in half. Now there was only her, Draco, Hufflepuff Hannah Abbott, and Ravenclaw Anthony Goldstein.
As Delilah sat beside Draco she said, "I swear each year the class size is cut in half."
Draco chuckled, running his hand through his hair. Why did he have to look so cute when she was trying to be ticked at him?
"It has been getting smaller. How was your summer?"
"Decent. Finally talked to Harry."
"What? He actually talked to you? Shocking."
"I know right." She made sure to add the sarcasm on nice and thick.
"Did you guys go to the Weasley's again?"
"Yeah, they really are super nice. I don't know why you don't like them."
"Family Feud I guess."
More like his family thought they were blood traitors, which was ridiculous. Someone's relatives didn't matter. Who they are doesn't impact who somebody is, especially the ones that were dead long before they were. It was all rubbish.
"How was your summer?" Delilah asked.
He hesitated, but before he could respond Slughorn entered.
"Hello, it's a small class I see. Excellent."
"Thank you Mr. Obvious," Draco whispered.
Delilah snorted.
Slughorn continued as if he hadn't heard it.
"Since I don't know how much you already know, we'll start with some theory."
All four students groaned.
"Sir, we've already been over that," Delilah informed him. "It was the first thing Professor Snape made us do when we started the class."
Professor Slughorn beamed at her.
"Alright, how about you show me the most complex thing you can do and we'll go from there."
"May we work with a partner?" Hannah Abbott asked.
Slughorn paused, then shook his head.
"No, no, I think it's best I learn what each individual can do on their own."
Delilah scooted a bit away from Draco so she had more room to work.
"Can I use you as a test subject?" she teasingly asked.
"For what?"
"The project, obviously."
"We don't know how to change people's forms yet."
"Exactly why I need a test subject."
"Um... no."
"Fine."
Delilah grinned. She knew he'd refuse, but the panic on his face made it worth it.
Still she had to downgrade and spent the rest of the class turning one of the random plants growing in the corner into gold.
"Miss Potter... did you just...?" Slughorn asked when she had finished.
"Yeah, I wanted to do it to Draco, but he said no. Probably a good thing since I don't want to do the math to make it proportional to his size."
Slughorn smiled. Dang it, now he'd be interested in her. It was worth it though.
"It seems you got your mother's talent," he said, ignoring how she had talked about basically turning Draco into a statue. Apparently he didn't care if she had some Medusa habits.
But would that be what happened? Or would he be more like a solid metal robot? Probably a statue. Would he still be alive though? She'd have to go to the library later, though the answers would probably be in the restricted section. Eh, she'd be fine. Probably. Unless Pince caught her then she'd be dead. Or Filch. If they both hated kids so much why didn't they get together? Now there would be a power couple. Wait... how had Delilah gotten here? Why was she rambling in her head again? Eh. It was fine. Probably sleep deprivation... she probably should ask Madam Pomfrey for sleeping potions again but that was a later problem.
The class bell rang.
"Remember, your homework is to write an essay about what theory and alchemy you already know," Slughorn announced. "Class dismissed."
Yay, he didn't even give them a set amount of how much to write. Maybe having him as a teacher wouldn't be so bad. He was a better teacher than Snape, though he didn't seem as smart.
Delilah filed out with Draco.
"Hey... you headed to Defense Against the Dark Arts next?"
He nodded.
"You?"
Delilah nodded, and they walked in awkward silence. Draco really was acting weird, but why? He was the one that hadn't written, not her, so what had happened over the summer?
Delilah wasn't surprised to see a lot of people waiting when they arrived.
"How long do you think we'll have to wait?" she asked.
The classroom door opened as she spoke, and Snape stepped into the corridor, his sallow face framed as ever by two curtains of greasy black hair. Silence fell over the queue immediately.
"Inside," he said.
Delilah looked around as they entered. Snape had imposed his personality upon the room already; it was gloomier than usual, as curtains had been drawn over the windows, and was lit by candlelight. New pictures adorned the walls, many of them showing people who appeared to be in pain, sporting grisly injuries or strangely contorted body parts. Nobody spoke as they settled down, looking around at the shadowy, gruesome pictures.
"I have not asked you to take out your books," said Snape, closing the door and moving to face the class from behind his desk; Draco dropped his copy of Confronting the Faceless back into his bag and stowed it under his chair.
"I wish to speak to you, and I want your fullest attention." His black eyes roved over their upturned faces, lingering for a fraction of a second longer on Harry's.
"You have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe."
Wow, it was almost like he hadn't watched them come and go, hoping he'd be next.
"Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion I am surprised so many of you scraped an O.W.L. in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the N.E.W.T. work, which will be much more advanced." Snape set off around the edge of the room, speaking now in a lower voice; the class craned their necks to keep him in view.
"The Dark Arts," said Snape, "are many, varied, everchanging, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible."
Was it just Delilah, or was there an odd, loving caress in his voice?
"Your defenses," said Snape, a little louder, "must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo. These pictures" — he indicated a few of them as he swept past — "give a fair representation of what happens to those who suffer, for instance, the Cruciatus Curse" — he waved a hand toward a witch who was clearly shrieking in agony — "feel the Dementor's Kiss" — a wizard lying huddled and blank-eyed, slumped against a wall — "or provoke the aggression of the Inferius" — a bloody mass upon the ground.
"Has an Inferius been seen, then?" said Parvati Patil in a high-pitched voice. "Is it definite, is he using them?"
"The Dark Lord has used Inferi in the past," said Snape, "which means you would be well-advised to assume he might use them again. Now ..." He set off again around the other side of the classroom toward his desk, and again, they watched him as he walked, his dark robes billowing behind him. "...you are, I believe, complete novices in the use of nonverbal spells. What is the advantage of a nonverbal spell?" Hermione's hand shot into the air. Delilah debated on raising her hand, but she didn't care enough.
Snape took his time looking around at everybody else, making sure he had no choice, before saying curtly, "Very well — Miss Granger?"
"Your adversary has no warning about what kind of magic you're about to perform," said Hermione, "which gives you a split-second advantage."
"An answer copied almost word for word from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six," said Snape dismissively (Draco sniggered), "but correct in essentials. Yes, those who progress to using magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spell-casting. Not all wizards can do this, of course; it is a question of concentration and mind power which some" — his gaze lingered maliciously upon Harry once more — "lack."
Yet again Delilah felt she was missing something. Why did Snape think Harry lacked mind power?
"You will now divide," Snape went on, "into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. Carry on."
Daphne immediately paired up with Theodore, so Delilah would have to partner up with Draco.
She glared at Daphne for a minute. It'd be fine... most likely. Though Draco seriously was acting weird. Maybe she'd be able to see what was going on with him.
Delilah and Draco started trying to. It was a good thing neither of them could figure it out, since if one did then the other would have to get jinxed.
Hermione, of course, managed to do it ten minutes into the lesson, but as usual Snape ignored it.
A few minutes later Snape decided he hadn't bullied the Gryffindors enough, as he walked over to Harry and Ron, neither of which had gotten verbal spells down.
Draco and Delilah paused to watch.
"Pathetic, Weasley," said Snape, after a while. "Here — let me show you —"
He turned his wand on Harry so fast that Harry reacted instinctively; all thought of nonverbal spells forgotten, he yelled,
"Protego!"
His Shield Charm was so strong Snape was knocked off-balance and hit a desk. The whole class had looked around and now watched as Snape righted himself, scowling.
"Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?"
"Yes," said Harry stiffly.
"Yes, sir. "
"There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor."
Delilah snorted as the others gasped or grinned. She quickly stifled it, but for the rest of the class she couldn't stop smiling, even though Harry got detention. It was worth it.
To make things better, by the end of class Delilah was sure with some more practice she'd have nonverbal spells down.
At the end of class she hurried after Harry and his friends, who had practically bolted out of Snape's class.
"Harry, that was awesome. Snape's face was priceless."
Harry grinned.
"Yeah I guess so."
"Anyway, I'll see you guys after lunch break. You guys have Potions too?"
They nodded.
"Great, I'll see you there."
Delilah walked over to Draco, who seemed distracted. She should talk to him, like Daphne said. But ugh, they had been dating for years, why was it still so hard?
"Hey."
"Hey, what's up?"
"Nothing, I was wondering... can we talk? I have a question for you," Delilah hesitantly said.
He raised an eyebrow, but nodded.
"RoR or courtyard?"
The Room of Requirement would be more private, so that probably would be best.
"RoR."
He nodded and they walked in silence.
"So... what's up?" Draco asked when they were inside the Room of Requirement.
Ugh, how did she phrase this without sounding like a needy prat?
"Um, I was wondering what's happening with you? You've seemed preoccupied and you didn't write over break so you must have been busy.... I just want to know everything's ok, I guess."
Delilah awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck.
Draco hesitated. So something was going on. He froze.
"Wait, did you say I didn't write?"
"Yeah?"
"But I did, you didn't write, I just assumed the Muggles were being strict again."
"I did write, I even sent you a birthday gift, an origami flower that changes colors depending on the mood in the room."
"But I wrote too, and sent a gift too, some potions notes I found deep in my family's library."
They stared at each other.
"So if we both wrote, but neither of us got them, then who intercepted the letters?"
The only time Delilah had heard of this happening was with Harry in their second year, but the odds of that happening twice was unlikely.
Draco's eyes widened.
"Oh... I think I know who it could be...."
"Who?"
Again, he hesitated.
"I think it could be the Dark Lord."
"But why would he care?"
"Do you promise not to tell this to anyone, not Harry, Daphne, anyone?"
"Of course, what's going on?"
"Well, the Dark Lord has been using Malfoy Manor because my father got caught in the Ministry of Magic and all that stuff. Later he asked — well, told me — to kill Dumbledore." He glanced down, absentmindedly rubbing his left arm.
"Did he make you a Death Eater?" she whispered. He studied the floor. "He did."
Delilah sat down. He sat beside her.
"Please tell me you have a plan?" she pleaded.
"I do," he quickly reassured. "You know the old vanishing cabinet? The one Montague got shoved in? The pair is in Borgin and Burkes, so I'm going to fix the one here and then the others can come in and then it won't be suspicious that I killed him, it will seem like it was the Death Eaters."
"Ok, how are you going to fix it?"
"The shop owner explained it to me; I wrote it all down. If it doesn't work during winter break I'll go and ask him for more details and then get some books on it."
At least he had a plan, and a kind of back up plan.
"If I could not do it, I would. But if I don't..."
He trailed off.
"He'll kill everyone you care about," Delilah finished.
While she may not have met Voldemort — she didn't count the memory of him in her second year — she had met his ruthlessness. He would kill anyone, even his own followers to get what he wanted. There was a reason he only had a select group of followers.
Delilah glanced at her watch, and decided to break the silence.
"Come on, it's lunch time. We don't want to starve ourselves."
He nodded, and they quietly walked to lunch.