Working Through the Rest

Truth Will Out

I don't see what happens to Delphi, though I assume that she's going to be okay, because Draco joins me on my search for Scorpius after a while. I split from my parents, who began looking once dad and Hermione returned from taking Euphemia to Azkaban. I don't want to be around dad right now.

And Draco and I are as desperate as each other to find Scorpius and get away from this hellhole.

I think mum went to speak to Delphi when she woke up, but given that she didn't come to see us with anything after that, it's fairly obvious it didn't come to anything.

Draco and I don't talk much as we search the place, trying every door that we can find. Sometimes they're locked, but Draco refuses to open them, instead marking them with a cross. He says that opening a locked door here could release something beyond awful. It does not stop me leaning an ear to each one and trying to hear if there is anything or anyone on the other side.

We search for what feels like hours and, eventually, the dread starts to build up in the pit of my stomach. What if he isn't here? What if they took him somewhere and just abandoned him? What if we don't find him?

No. Albus. No. Stop. You'll find him. He'll be okay.

I need to distract myself. I need to be able to search for him without being scared out of my mind. If I'm that scared, I might miss something. I can't afford to miss anything.
"Who's Nina?" I mumble as we walk to the next door.
"Pardon?"
"Delphi – and you – said something about Nina. Who's Nina?"

Draco pauses and then he looks at me, biting his lip. He looks nervous. I've never seen him look nervous before. Except earlier, when Scorpius wasn't – wasn't here.
"Did your father tell you what happened when we found her?" he asks quietly.
"She escaped."
"Anything else?"
"She had found an empty cabin and stayed there for – I don't know – however long."
"Your father told you that?"
"Yeah," I nod. "He lied, didn't he?"
"She wasn't alone," Draco turned the door handle and then marked it when it didn't open. "She was found with a muggle woman – Nina – and Delphi attempted to make a deal with your father. Nina retained her memories in exchange for obedience and cooperation from Delphi."
"Did you believe that she'd stick to that?"
"Yes," Draco nods. "Because the person she loved was on the line."
"Delphi loved – a muggle woman?"
"Delphi managed to find some peace, which she was then exploited for."
"What?"
"Your father appeared to take her deal. Rather, he asked her questions that she cooperated with. And then he gave orders to Obliviate Nina anyway."
"What?" I stare at him. "Why – why would he..."
"Because the only thing that he can trust is the stuff coming from his own mouth."

I don't respond to that, trying to process what I've just learnt. He caused her pain, and I understand why. But, at the same time, I can't help but wonder whether he did it because Delphi fell in love with a woman. I shake the thought and keep walking to the next door.
"She's smarter than to be caught like that," I think out loud.
"I think she was leaving when we caught her. Leaving to protect Nina."
"She actually cared that much?"
"She cared enough to escape us again. She cared enough for Rodolphus and Euphemia to be able to use that knowledge against her and drive her insane again."

I nod slowly, leaning my ear against the door as Draco tries the handle. It seems a little different to every other door and I stop him before he marks it.
"I think he's in there," I murmur. "I can't hear anything. The other doors were – airy – sort of."
"You're sure?"
"Positive."

I'm not, but there are too many locked rooms for us to not start checking them. For all we know, we've already missed Scorpius. And Merlin only knows what they've done to him.
"Stand back."

I do, watching Draco wave his wand. The lock clicks and he frowns at it for a moment, before pushing the door open.