The Augurey

Before

11

Delphi ran through the trees, her laughter filling the air. She was chasing a fwooper and giggling as it swooped through the forest, trying to lose her. But it never could, as its vivid plumage, sparkling in the bright sunlight, betrayed it at every turn. She debated flying to catch it but decided it would be better just to run. It was more fun that way.
"Delphi," Cassiopeia called, "Come on. The Dark Lord is expecting us." Delphi turned, though she still constantly checked the bird's progress.
"Can't I just catch the fwooper?" she asked, "I'll be quick. Please Cassiopeia." Cassiopeia smiled and nodded. The smile was kind but slightly annoyed – the smile that only Delphi saw as Cassiopeia attempted to hide what might have been considered weak – the smile of a woman who wished to be obeyed but knew she never would be. Because of what Delphi knew about herself.
Cassiopeia MacMillan had looked after Delphi since she was small. She had raised her in a small cottage, miles from anywhere, educating her on the ideals of her father and the community that she had been told she would eventually join. She obviously feared the Dark Lord and Delphi often laughed quietly to herself about it, partly mocking Cassiopeia and everyone else who feared him.
Delphi grinned and rose into the air, wobbling slightly until she began to soar through the trees after the bird. It turned a corner sharply and Delphi mimicked its movement, catching it as it tried to fly into a hole in a tree. She held it by its feet and smiled as she flew back to Cassiopeia.
"What have I told you about flying?" she asked, annoyed.
"Why can't I fly?" Delphi asked, "Father flies everywhere."
"You've just answered your own question," Cassiopeia said sharply, starting to walk again.
"In what way?"
"The Dark Lord is the only person who can fly unaided according to the rest of the world," Cassiopeia said, "And if the world finds out he has a daughter and an heir before they are told...he will explain."
"I'm going to be used as a weapon?" Delphi predicted, "It's the sort of thing that he would do." Cassiopeia stopped.
"The Dark Lord will explain. And I would advise you to keep that opinion to yourself, even inside your own mind," she said sternly, placing her hand on Delphi's shoulder and guided her through the forest towards a clearing. They emerged on a path and Delphi looked up at a sunlit manor. She had only been here a few times in her life and each time she had been nervous, but she wasn't now. The questions that she had overwhelmed any fear that dared to hurt her. She fixed her gaze on the carved doors, determined not to back down, no matter what happened around her. Cassiopeia raised her wand to open the doors but Delphi waved her hand slightly and they opened instantly.
"It was quicker," Delphi shrugged off the scowl she received. She walked into the Hall, looking around as she did. It was smaller than she remembered, though it had been a long time since she had been there. There was a scream and a harsh laugh and the doors at the top of the stairs were thrown open. Two men dressed in dark robes dragged out a woman with silvery blonde hair, streaked with dirt and blood. She would once have been considered one of the most beautiful witches on the planet, but that was long gone. She had deep cuts all over her arms and a few on her face. She stumbled as she was pulled down the stairs but didn't make a sound as she was pushed past them and through a small door. Cassiopeia laughed quietly.
"She didn't talk," she said, "You'll have some fun later."
"I'm sure we will," someone said behind them and Delphi turned to see the men walking back to them, wiping blood off their hands.
"Did you get anything out of her?" Cassiopeia asked them.
"Names. Again," one – Delphi's step-father, Rodolphus – sighed angrily, "Names we already knew."
"Who was that?" Delphi asked.
"I'll explain after we see the Dark Lord," Cassiopeia said quickly and she ushered Delphi towards the doors. Delphi let the fwooper's feet go and it soared around the hall, cawing raucously, looking for a way out.

The room behind the doors was almost empty, unlike the previous times Delphi had visited. A few people stood by the walls, silent and unnerving. She ignored them, concentrating solely on the man standing on the dais – her father. She smiled and bowed, low, but the men and Cassiopeia kneeled.
"Delphi," the Dark Lord said, "Come." Delphi rose and walked slowly towards him. She could understand why so many feared him, but she was not afraid; she would never be afraid of him.
"Father," she bowed again as she reached the foot of the dais. A large snake – Nagini – curled around her feet and she smiled at her.
"Rise," he said. Delphi did so, "Daughter, you have matured." There was no emotion in his words, no warmth, "As I hoped you would."
"Thank you, my Lord," Delphi said.
"And you are now of the age where your magical education must begin," the Dark Lord continued, "In one week, you will begin attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Delphi gasped and smiled. Inwardly. She did not let her face betray any emotion – that would have been seen as a weakness. But still she smiled inside – she had known that most children began attending at eleven, but she had not imagined that she would be allowed to go. Her father continued, "You will leave in one week."
"Thank you, my Lord," Delphi said again.
"There is just the simple matter of your name," he said, "Your identity must be kept secret for reasons MacMillan will explain later."
"Because I will be useless as a weapon if the world knows who I am?" Delphi guessed.
"Who told you this?" the Dark Lord asked, his voice laced with quiet venom.
"Cassiopeia told me something. I guessed the rest," Delphi said calmly, knowing full well that he would get angry. And she looked forward to it.
"MacMillan?" he looked to her. She approached slowly, head bowed, "Well?"
"Please, my Lord," she kneeled again, "She questioned and I did not wish to lie to her, knowing that you would tell her now. I attempted not to tell her too much...please, my Lord," she bowed her head, still muttering pleas. Delphi smiled slightly – she had always felt a mild sense of power and importance when others were put in a difficult position because of her.
"Be quiet," the Dark Lord snapped over her muttering, "It does not matter – she was going to find out now. And the fact that she worked it out proves any doubt that she is right for it." 
"Thank you, my Lord," Cassiopeia murmured, "Thank you." The Dark Lord waved her off irritably.
"From now on," he said, "You will be known as Augurey Lestrange. To all outside of this room."
"Yes, my Lord."
"Your parents are Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange," he said, "But no one is to know this unless you are questioned. You are not to fly or show any sign that you are my daughter. And when your Legilimency makes itself known, hide it." Delphi nodded and bowed her head again, "Go." Cassiopeia stood and placed a hand on Delphi's shoulder, steering her out of the door and down the stairs. They were followed by Rodolphus and the other man, who returned to the door that they had pushed the woman through. Delphi did not see who they dragged out this time because she was pushed through another door and into a small room. There was a small bed in the corner and a window near the other.
"We're staying here until you leave," Cassiopeia said; Delphi nodded, "Everything you need – books, robes, the like – has already been purchased. You only need a wand now and that is being sorted tomorrow." Delphi nodded again and sat down on the bed.
"Who was that woman they dragged out?" she asked, "You said you'd explain."
"One of our enemies that escaped the night the Dark Lord triumphed," Cassiopeia snapped irritably, "She's refusing to tell us where the rest of them are." Delphi nodded, "Stay in here until tomorrow."
"Why?" Delphi asked, raising her eyebrows. 
"So you stay out of our way," Cassiopeia snapped. Delphi smirked and laughed as Cassiopeia left, the lock clicking as she closed the door – a bolt of metal could not hold her. She couldn't perform specific spells but moving objects was no problem. She gave half a thought to turning the lock and opening the door before she slipped out into the hall. It was empty apart from the fwooper, which still raced, panicked, around the room. Delphi whistled quietly and pulled the bird to her. She held onto its feet and took it back inside the room, relocking the door as she closed it. She let the fwooper fly around the room as she crossed to the window and tried to open it. Locked, unsurprisingly. Half a thought and it swung open. The fwooper flew out, screeching loudly. Delphi laughed and shut the window as she turned back to rest of the room.