Stay With Me. Please.

Delphini

"Give it back," Scorpius demanded, "Give us back the Time-Turner."
"What?" the curse said, feigning bewilderment. Delphi pushed against the walls of the cell that the curse had trapped her in, desperate for one more moment in control to get the Time-Turner away from Rodolphus, away from herself.
"Scorpius," Albus stared, "What are you doing?" Scorpius didn't look away from her.
"I don't believe you ever were ill," he said, his voice full of accusation, "Why didn't you come to Hogwarts? Why are you here now?" Delphi wondered when she had told him that lie.
"I'm trying to bring my cousin back," the curse protested. Scorpius leapt up.
"They called you the Augurey. In – the other world – they called you the Augurey," Scorpius backed away from her. Delphi felt herself smile slowly.
"The Augurey?" the curse, Rodolphus, became truly interested, "I rather like that."
"Delphi?" Albus asked, fear mounting in his voice. Scorpius reached for his wand, his mind still whirring, but the curse was too quick. Delphi felt herself raise her wand and watched Scorpius do the same. He was powerful, more than he realised, but the curse had harnessed both Delphi and Rodolphus' magic and was far stronger.
"Fulgari!" it half-shouted. Scorpius fell to the floor, his arms bound in vicious, luminous cords. He looked at Albus who was staring at Delphi, scared, confused. The curse laughed quietly, a chilling sound.
"Albus," Scorpius' breathing quickened, "Run." Albus ran from her and Scorpius dived in front of the door, stopping the curse from capturing Albus. Delphi fought madly against the curse's grip, trying to give Albus time to get away. The curse dragged Scorpius away from the doorway, but Albus was gone.
"No matter," the curse lowered Delphi's wand, "He'll be back."
"No, he won't," Scorpius spat.
"He'll be back," the curse said again, "Because he won't be able to stand your screams."
"DON'T COME BACK!" Scorpius roared, "ALBUS! DON'T COME BACK!" Delphi screamed the words with him, desperate and terrified.
"He'll be back," the curse laughed; Delphi felt herself drag Scorpius closer.
"Get off me," he snapped.
"I don't think I will," the curse smirked, pushing Delphi's wand into his throat, "CRUCIO!" Scorpius screamed for a few seconds. And then he stopped. He still twitched and writhed madly, but there was no sound. It was almost more terrifying than when he did scream, because Delphi could see the pain on his face, the effort he was putting into trying to make a sound, but there was no release. She screamed inside her own mind, clawing desperately at the walls around her. She felt herself turn away from Scorpius, who now lay on the floor, sobbing.
"There was a rustling of movement and Delphi fought to stop the curse from noticed. But, of course, it did. It noticed as Scorpius tried to drag himself up, his arms somehow unbound, his wand now in his hand.
"Not so fast!" the curse laughed, "Fulgari!" Scorpius collapsed again, his arms bound again. Delphi felt herself pick his wand up and put it in her pocket, "Now I could use that curse again," the curse flicked Delphi's wand between her fingers, "Or we could wait."
"Or," Scorpius growled, "You could tell me why you did this." Delphi sunk to her knees, sobbing, fighting.
"Why does anyone want to improve the world?" the curse asked. Quietly.
"It is not better," Scorpius snarled, "Thousands will die."
"And others will live," the curse replied.
"And why do you need us? Why not just steal the Time-Turner and go?" Scorpius whispered.
"I DON'T!" Delphi screamed, over and over, even when no one heard, "I don't. Even if he says I do."
"Because there is a prophecy," the curse continued calmly, "And because Albus is vital and will not obey unless something important to him is at stake – your life, for example"
"Wasn't away there was a prophecy," Scorpius looked her straight in the eye, "What prophecy?"
"Voldemort will return and the Augurey will sit at his side," the curse smirked, "Just as it was prophesized. 'When spares are spared, when time is turned, when unseen children murder their fathers: then will the Dark Lord return," Delphi felt herself drag Scorpius closer, "Cedric is the spare, and Albus – the unseen child you will kill his father by rewriting time and so return the Dark Lord."
"He won't obey you," Scorpius snapped, his voice shaking slightly, "Not even if you hurt me."
"Are you sure about that?" the curse sneered. Scorpius sunk back slightly. There was a clatter of footsteps and Delphi felt her grip on Scorpius tighten. Draco, Harry, Ginny and Albus stood by the doorway.
"Get your hands off my son," Draco snarled. Scorpius struggled to turn around.
"Dad!" he gasped, "Albus? Albus! You need to run. Go! Now!" Delphi felt herself turn Scorpius around, her wand pressed to his throat.
"I would advise," the curse said calmly, "That nobody moves without my direction."
"Albus!" Scorpius begged, "Albus! Run!" Delphi felt herself pull him back.
"Several things can happen in the next few minutes," the curse said, "They will all result in the same thing."
"Let Scorpius go," Albus murmured, "Please."
"Albus is going to come to me," the curse ignored his pleas, "And you three will leave."
"Us 'three'?" Draco's eyes narrowed.
"Yes, cousin," the curse grinned, "You see, in the interests of Albus' obedience, your son is coming too."
"NO!" Albus screamed. Harry muttered something to him and he sunk back. Scorpius started to fight again, and Delphi felt herself pull him back sharply.
"Is that really what you want to be doing?" the curse hissed.
"I'll do what I'm told," Albus said quietly, "Just...let Scorpius go."
"And what if I don't believe you?" the curse grinned.
"I never lied to you," Albus murmured, "I trusted you. More than I trusted dad. Trust that. Please." Delphi felt herself shrug.
"What if we refuse to let you near our son?" Ginny spat. Delphi felt herself shrug again.
"Crucio!" the curse giggled. Scorpius' screams tore through the air, echoing through the silence of the tower.
"SCORPIUS!" Albus screamed, "SCORPIUS!" Harry held Albus back as he fought to reach Scorpius. Delphi thrashed madly against the curse's, against Rodolphus', vice-like grip. She fought wildly, desperate to stop Scorpius' screams, stop his pain. But she couldn't. No matter how hard she tried.

When the screams died, Delphi felt herself drag Scorpius to his knees in front of her.
"Don't...don't..." he mumbled weakly. Albus nodded and Scorpius sunk back into Delphi, breathing heavily.
"Then Scorpius dies," the curse smirked.
"GET OFF MY SON!" Draco bellowed, raising his wand again.
"Dad," Scorpius whispered, "Dad, if...if it stops her bringing that place back, then it's okay. If you and Albus survive."
"Scorpius..." Albus said, "Scorpius, I'll go." Delphi clawed at the walls in her mind again, desperate not to let either of them get hurt. Scorpius turned back to her.
"You're not going to resurrect him," he muttered, "Not through us at least."
"SCORPIUS!" Draco roared, beginning to cry, "Scorpius! I...I can't lose you too. Not you and your mother." Delphi began to cry.
"Dad," Scorpius said quietly, "Dad, I'm...I'm sorry. But, I'm one life. If it stops her, it'll save thousands. Thank you...thank you for everything. I'm sorry." Delphi felt herself raise her wand, even as she fought with everything she had. She couldn't let Scorpius die. She couldn't let Scorpius die. She couldn't let Scorpius die. But, at least, Albus would survive.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" the curse roared, grinning nastily. The world seemed to slow down. Delphi watched helplessly as Scorpius closed his eyes. Watched as Albus tore free of his dad's grip. Watched as he crashed into Scorpius, throwing him out of the way. Watched as the life died in his eyes. Delphi stopped registering everything as her magic exploded out of her, shattering the cell around her.

Delphi blinked and took in the scene around her. Harry, Ginny and Draco stared at the centre of the room, where Scorpius knelt, his arms tied together, next to Albus. Next to Albus. Next. To. Albus. Delphi gasped and began to cry. He had won. Rodolphus had won. He had murdered Albus. Through her. She had killed Albus.
"Emancipare," she mumbled, trying to force herself to think clearly. Scorpius stared at her as she sunk to her knees, "Did I...I..." she crawled towards Albus' body.
"Get away from him," Scorpius said angrily, "He's dead. You don't need to check. Trust my word in that."
"I...I..." Delphi sobbed.
"You did kill him," Rodolphus snapped impatiently from behind her; he had emerged from the corner where he was hiding.
"No," Delphi breathed, "No. You...you killed him."
"Yes," Rodolphus said uncaringly, "But it was you that I was acting through. So, you killed him," he smiled. Nastily, "And now, seeing as you prepared Draco for the loss of his son, you may as well follow through on that threat."
"If you lay a hand on any of them, I will kill you," Delphi snarled, anger welling up inside her, "Willingly," she moved between Scorpius and Rodolphus, handing Scorpius his wand.
"You're willing to risk his life?" Rodolphus laughed quietly.
"It doesn't risk any of their lives," Delphi assured him, "Because I will give them long enough to get away or subdue you."
"And you'll end up dead," Rodolphus raised his eyebrows.
"I deserve it," Delphi muttered. She knew how much truth there was in that statement. And part of her wanted it. Wanted it so desperately.
"Scorpius," Draco said quietly from behind her, "Scorpius, come on." Delphi didn't dare look round, not knowing what Rodolphus would do if she stopped looking.
"What about Albus?" Scorpius croaked.
"Harry and Ginny–"
"What if she turns again?" Scorpius interrupted, some sort of foreign hate filling his voice. It was quiet and scared. But angry. Angrier than anything Delphi had ever heard.
"I won't," she said quietly, "I can't turn again.
"How could I trust you?" Scorpius snapped, "After everything?"
"By knowing that I can't come after you," Delphi murmured, "Because I'll be dead." Someone picked up Albus' body and there was the pounding of slow footsteps as two of them walked down the tower. More footsteps followed and Rodolphus laughed harshly, raising his wand. Delphi risked a glance behind her. Rodolphus was aiming for Scorpius as he spoke.
"Avada Kedavra!" he said.
"NO!" Delphi screamed, leaping up, trying to shield Scorpius. The world went black.