SKREIGH- C.DIGGORY

18

"What do you think the attack at the world cup meant?" Stuart asks and Delilah shrugs. "What about the voices? What do they say?"

"Something's different this year," Delilah says. "Darker. More sinister"

"More sinister than the mass murderer who isn't a mass murderer and is actually nice and the murderer was Ron's rat who slept in the Weasley Household for twelve years?" Stuart asks.

"Much more sinister," Delilah says. "Something about a cup? No, a Goblet"

"Maybe someone is going to get poisoned," Stuart says.

"Maybe" Delilah hums, grabbing the Daily Prophet from the small basket that holds a copy.

"What does it say?" Stuart asks as she scans the article briefly.

"Ministry blunders- Culprits not apprehended- Lax security- Dark wizards running unchecked- national disgrace-" Delilah scoffs, scanning the contents of the article.

"Who wrote it?" Stuart asks, his eyes closed as his head rests against the seat.

"Rita Skeeter, obviously," Delilah says, distaste in her voice.

If the terrified wizards and witches who waited breathlessly for news at the edge of the wood expected reassurance from the Ministry of Magic, they were sadly disappointed. A Ministry official emerged sometime after the appearance of the Dark Mark alleging that nobody had been hurt, but refusing to give any more information. Whether this statement will be enough to quash the rumours that several bodies were removed from the woods an hour later, remains to be seen.

"There weren't any bodies," Delilah says. "I hate that bloody woman. She's like a bug you just want to squash"

Delilah throws the newspaper back into the basket and it neatly folds itself before landing in the basket. Fred throws open the compartment door dramatically before strutting in, his nose turned up.

"Fred, what are you doing?"

"I don't know" Fred shrugs. "Thought I'd try it"

"I had a thought," Delilah says, sitting up straighter. "By the summer we'll all be seventeen"

"So?" George asks, sitting next to Stuart.

"We go and see Meredith," Delilah says. "No one can stop us, we're of age then"

"Sounds like a fun trip," Stuart says sarcastically.

"Shut up negative Nelly," Delilah says. "Thank god George is so upbeat or else you'd be the most depressing couple ever"

"Wizarding chess?" Fred asks Delilah, pulling out the board and she nods.

After about five minutes George frowns.

"You're not playing right D"

"Huh?" Delilah blinks.

"You've moved all of my pieces and your own," Fred says.

There were two kings, both surrounded by the rest of the characters in a protective shield. Delilah frowns, tilting her head to the side as she analyses the board in front of her. The play was clearly a message but for what Delilah didn't know.

"Doesn't Lupin know a lot about chess?" George asks and Delilah nods, pointing her wand at her head and pulling out a memory before reciting a spell.

"Memoriam in imaginibus"

The memory morphs into a picture and Delilah begins scribbling out a letter.

Dear Remus,