SKREIGH- C.DIGGORY

61

Delilah waves her hand over the necklace, a red sheen coating the object as Draco exhales nervously.

"You need to breathe," Delilah says. "There must be no suspicion on you or else this entire plan goes to shit"

"I'm about to attempt to kill a person, D," Draco says. "It's hard to be calm about that"

"Well, you need to,"

Delilah wraps the necklace in brown parcel paper, ensuring that Draco had no chance of touching the cursed item.

"Who do I choose?"

"Someone random," Delilah replies. "Someone that flies under the radar usually, it will be harder to trace it back to you if so. But it has to be a moment of opportunity"

"How do I get them to take the parcel?"

"I can't believe I'm about to suggest this," Delilah sighs. "But the Imperius curse may be your best bet, it will also allow you to make her forget the interaction"

"But then if they test the last spell cast by my wand-"

"As soon as the necklace has been taken, you come to me," Delilah replies. "I'll wipe it to whatever spell was cast before that. We have to be careful with this"

Draco nods, his hands shaking slightly as he tucks the parcel into his coat pocket before leaving the office with a goodbye to the witch.

Delilah paces back and forth as the clock ticks. It had been nearly two hours and there was no sign of Draco returning. The fear he had been caught was filling Delilah's chest as the ticks of the second hand of the clock continues to fill her ears. She is distracted from her train of worried thoughts when the door to her office slams open, a paler than usual Draco standing in the doorway. The older witch is quick to rush over to the boy, helping him to a chair as he remains wordless.

Delilah waves her hand causing her office door to slam shut as a red shimmer coats her walls, a barrier between the pair and the rest of the Hogwarts population.

"What happened?" Delilah asks.

"I-"

"Take your time,"

"Katie Bell took the package but-" Draco sighs. "She touched the necklace, she's en route to St Mungo's right now"

"Shit," Delilah curses. "Pass me your wand"

Draco holds out the wooden object which Delilah holds in her two hands. The witch closes her eyes as a red glow engulfs Draco's wand, the wand trembles slightly before settling back into Delilah's hands.

"If anyone tells you about what happened you must act surprised," Delilah informs the boy. "You must act however you can to ensure there is no suspicion on you at all, do you understand me?"

Draco nods wordlessly as Delilah begins to make tea for the pair. She occasionally enjoyed doing it the muggle way, the normalcy of the action bringing her a sense of inner peace. The witch waves her hand and the red shimmer fades, Professor Snape strides into the room as soon as the door swings open. The door closes behind him and the red shimmer is once again covering the walls.

"Your brother is suspicious," Snape informs the witch.

"I'll handle Harry," Delilah replies.

"How?"

"In my own way," The witch retorts. "In the meantime, look after him. He's not taking this well"

Snape looks at Draco who was sipping on tea without a word before he nods. The Professor allows the boy to finish his beverage before escorting him from the room. Delilah then slumps back in her chair massaging her temples as she mentally counts down from three, as soon as she hits one her office door is slammed open.

"Knocking exists Harry," Delilah sighs.

"I think Draco is a death eater," Harry rushes out. "Is it true?"

"Take a seat," Delilah replies. "What I'm about to tell you goes nowhere, do I have your word?"

"Always,"

"Draco was initiated by Voldemort over the summer," Delilah sighs, sitting on the edge of her desk. "Voldemort threatened to kill Draco and his mother"

"So he cursed Katie Bell?"

"An accident," Delilah assures her brother. "He's wracked with guilt at this very moment"

"How do we help him?"

"I'm dealing with that," Delilah informs her brother. "You need to focus on your studies and keeping yourself safe, do you promise me?"

"I promise,"

"Good," Delilah exhales in relief. "You are to tell no one this information, not even Ron or Hermione. Do you understand me, Harry? I have no problem wiping the memory of everyone in this castle"

"Yes, D," Harry says before pausing, thinking about how to approach his question. "Is Draco scared?"

"Very much so," Delilah replies. "He's got a burden on his shoulders that no child should carry. I think you can relate to that"

"Yeah," Harry huffs. "That I understand more than most"

"Then you understand the toll this is taking on Draco,"

"Oh, Slughorn told me he wants you to attend his dinner tomorrow night," Harry informs his sister.

"Marvellous," Delilah's tone is sarcastic. "I couldn't think of a better way to spend my Sunday evening"

"Are you going to play nice?"

"Don't I always?"

"No"