obliviate ~ f.weasley.

8 . blue moon

The clock struck 10 the following night, the twins were panting breathlessly after a close call with Filch, wiping the sweat from their brows as they entered the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I'm getting too old for this, Georgie,"

"Aye, Lilah what are you still...-"

Her pacing in front of the large window had ceased after George realised she was there, her under eyes and forehead red and blotchy from crying, hiccuping before she managed to say,

"I'm okay. Honestly, I'm fine." She didn't want them to worry, to stop them from pushing any further, but it was an attempt that failed.

"You're clearly not okay," George began, the twins taking a seat on the window ledge with her sat in the middle.

"Tell us what's wrong. Please." Fred wrapped his arm over her shoulder, George taking her hand between his own.

"I don't even know, that's the thing. I just feel so unsettled and I go to bed dreading waking up the next day because I don't know what's else is going to go wrong." Fresh tears began to gather along her waterline, her lip quivering.

The twins shared a look as they held her just that bit tighter; Delilah was a very positive person, often the shy, but bubbly and very observant energy in the room. They had never seen her cry before.

"You can't keep bottling this up. You're going to make yourself ill."

A silence settled in the air for a minute or so, Fred had begun to believe she had fallen asleep. With a deep breath, she raised herself from her seat, hands on her hips, boring out into the window behind them.

Then something switched. They watched as something changed, just behind her eyes. They prepared for a plan, a speech, a dissertation, anything. Anything to get things off her chest and relieve her mind of such confusion, even if it was for a few minutes.

Another deep breath was taken, and they were on the edge of their seats to listen.

"Right."

She turned and walked away.

With furrowed brows, the boys chased after her.

She went down a flight of stairs, turned a few corridors, went up stairs, with clenched fists and a tight jaw. They daren't ask where she wanted to go, they could tell her mind was set on it.

•••

She practically broke the door from it's hinges.

"Where did you meet him then?!" Delilah yelled up to the balcony at the office, Fred and George standing behind her, as they always did.

"Was he a neighbour? A friend of a friend? A schoolmate..." She seethed, a bitter taste left on her tongue.

"I thought after years of uncertainty, years of caring for someone that was supposed to be looking after me, years of having to deal with having a dad as a missing murderer that for once, just once, this year could be somewhat normal for me!"

The twins watched on as she gradually lost it, the sight was somewhat a relief but also a heart ache to witness.

"In every house I've been in, I've been told about the risk I am taking by being there. Told that I could be snatched at any time and I need to take extra precaution, walking on eggshells for the sake of the people around me. I didn't have to do that here. This was my home."

Her voice had deteriorated into a croaky tone as she projected her words through her misery.

"Do you have the faintest idea of how heartbreaking it is being told that even your home isn't safe anymore?!"

Delilah was met with a deafening silence, one that she would not settle for anymore. Fred and George wanted nothing more than to pull her into a hug, take her away from the pain and misery she was in, but this would be the only solution. So they had no choice but to watch their best friend spiral out of control.

"Come on Remus!"

And he did. Very eventually. Like every step was in slow motion. He stood at the balcony, a vacant expression on his features.

"Why did you voluntarily take Caleb and I in? Hm? Guilt? A trap?" She had folded her arms, feeling furious and like she was on the verge of crying into his arms both at once.

"Of course I wouldn't set up to trap you, why would you ever insinuate that?" He felt sick at the notion, his own voice breaking as he placed a hand upon his chest.

"You tell me. Mooney."

The twins couldn't prevent the shock expression that adorned their features, eyes widened and mouths opening ever so slightly. They were in the presence of a celebrity they had admired for so long, yet they were so ashamed of in this moment.

"How dare you. How dare you keep this from me!" she pointed an accusatory finger up at him. Remus' head dropped in shame. It was only a matter of time, he thought.

"So your good mate goes to prison for life and asks you to take his kids in for when he gets out? Is that it?!" She pushed,

"And all these years, you had me believing you were out to protect us. Now I find it coincidental that upon Sirius' return, and the dementors on the train, that you suddenly decide to start teaching at the school his daughter studies." She reverted back to pacing, massaging her temples as she awaited the answers she had failed to receive for 15 years.

Lupin descended the stairs with urgency, though he was scared to approach her.

"That's not true, Delilah! I would never do that to you-"

"-just what were you doing for 15 years then? Biding your time, or what?" She squinted at him, almost trying to solve the plan that was in his mind.

His mouth opened and closed, unable to give her a clear explanation.

And that wasn't good enough anymore.

"I'm not keeping myself awake at night anymore because I've been left in the dark." She inwardly cursed herself for allowing the tears to fall from her eyes.

"I've been running and hiding and grinning and bearing it. And now," she backed away from him and towards the door, her voice cracking with her final words.

"I'm exhausted."

•••

"Goodnight Lilah. Sleep well, okay?" George called to her after planting a kiss to her hair, climbing his way up the dormitory stairs.

"Night Georgie. Night Fred."

She had only made it up the first step, when a hand over her wrist and a soft voice told her to,

"Wait,"

Delilah turned to the source, Fred stood there, face lacking any sort of humour, mischief, or happiness.

"I know that wouldn't have felt great to do, but you did what needed to be done, and I'm proud of you."

Without missing a beat, she wrapped her arms over his shoulders, his hands resting on her waist.

Her voice was hoarse from her outbreak, but he knew he heard it.

"I'm so glad you exist, Fred Weasley."

It was peculiar, but the best compliment he had ever received, outshining every comment about being the most agile Quidditch beaters or the greatest pranksters in decades by a long shot.

"Sleep well, love."

And for once in a long time, she did.