Competition

Chapter Four

Delilah, Riley and Taylor made their way back to their common room to finish homework after dinner. Delilah had informed the girls that the twins now suspected her and she would have to pass the baton to the other two Hufflepuffs to shrug suspicion.
"I don't get it, why are we pranking the twins again?"
Taylor asked. "Because Delilah's feelings are hurt that Fred didn't want to hang out with her." Riley said. "That's not why! He basically insulted our entire house! He suggested we were a bunch of lazy pansies who only giggle and cuddle all day. I'm telling you those Gryffindors think their better than us and I'm sick of it!" Delilah ranted. "So two Gryffindors think their better than us, what else is new?" Riley asked.
"Don't you want to prove them wrong?" Delilah countered. "No I want to giggle and cuddle all day! And eat sweets!" Taylor said. Delilah threw a balled up piece of paper at her. "Ow! No need to resort to violence. I'll help you, I'm just saying we have O.W.L.S this year and then we only have two more years here so we should really make the most of it and not get hung up on stupid house rivalries. That's Slytherins job anyway."
"This is me making the most of it." Delilah said packing up her books. "Where are you going?" Riley asked. "To get inspiration for my next prank, by visiting the only other person who cares about this as much as I do!"
"Who would that be?"
"Regina Morgan." The girls gasped. Regina Morgan was a seventh year in Slytherin who also happened to be Delilah's cousin. The girl had fallen victim to one of the twins pranks last year. They had put a book enchanted to look like a giant spider in the girls bag, she was terrified of spiders. The girl had screamed all of the great hall had stopped to watch the scene unfold. She had jumped from here seat, knocking her tray all down her front. The entire Slytherin house hadn't stopped teasing her about it ever since. And Slytherin teasing, unlike Hufflepuff teasing was brutal.

Delilah skipped down to the dungeons and arrived at the portrait. "Pure blood." The daring Hufflepuff said. And the portrait swung open. Not many members from other houses dared to enter the Slytherin common room, but Delilah had connections. The common room was mostly empty except for a few girls who merely glared at the girl who dared intrude on their area. The Slytherin common rooms were the exact opposite of the Hufflepuffs. They were cold, unwelcoming and dark. And they sent a shiver down Delilah's spine every time she entered them. The walls were covered in green and black, making Delilah think of the hyenas lair in the lion king. She made her way to the girls dorms and found Regina almost immediately talking with another Slytherin seventh year whose name Delilah didn't know. "Hey cousin, what brings you here on this fine evening?" Regina said getting up to hug her. "Reggie I need your help with something?"
"Are you finally here to tell me that one of your so called BFFs is more than just a friend?" She said eyeing the girl. Delilah rolled her eyes. Regina was the only bisexual in the Morgan family and ever since she had witnessed Delilah and Riley kiss at the New Years party last year, she'd been sure Delilah would be coming out soon to. "I told you Regina, Riley is just my friend. Last year she was moaning and groaning about not having anyone to kiss at midnight so I volunteered because I had no one to kiss either and that's just what friends do okay!" Regina smiled. "Fine, fine whatever you say. Now what do you need?"
"This year me and the girls are trying to our prank the Weasley twins." Regina laughed. "Wait a minute, were you the ones who locked them and Lee Jordan on the train?" Delilah's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Oh your bloody brilliant!" "I know! But I'm blanking on my next prank! I already got them detention for a week." Regina tapped her chin thinking. "Well you could always put a giant spider in their bags." Delilah shook her head. "I don't want to repeat their pranks. I want to be somewhat original. Regina smiled evilly. A mischievous glint in her eye that made her look exactly like Delilah. "You could jinx them so the next tome they say a certain word, the other dances like a chicken or crows like a rooster." Delilah looked at her cousin quizzically. "It happened to these girls back in my third year here. It's called the mirror jinx and if done correctly it can be quite effective. I tried it once on my sisters and my mother grounded me for a week." Delilah chuckled. And the girls spent another hour practicing the jinx until Delilah was sure she got it right. Then the two cousins said their farewells and Delilah headed back to her own dorm, skipping and humming to herself contentedly.

The next day the girls studied by the black lake. Delilah had her head in Riley's lap and her legs propped up on Taylor. "Ugghhh I hate Transfiguration!" Delilah said throwing her book down. "Come on Delilah, its not that bad!" Taylor said enthusiastically.
"Who would want to turn into a bloody animal anyway?!" Delilah asked exasperated.
"I would. I'd turn into a raven so I could fly far far away from O.W.L.S." Riley said. "I'd turn into a bunny so I could have a cute little bunny tail and hop around all the time!" Taylor sang. Delilah and Riley exchanged a look. "What?" Taylor asked. Riley simply patted the blonde girls head. "Whatever! I know what'll cheer you up!" Taylor dig around in her bad until she found two identical white round pieces of candy. "Here eat this and be happy." Taylor said handing it to Delilah. Delilah popped the round ball in her mouth and bit down. It tasted like cinnamon gum and Delilah hummed slightly and laid her head back down. Then the candy began to heat up. Cinnamon spice now coated Delilah tongue. She thought nothing of the after flavor until it got hotter. Pretty soon it was burning Delilah's mouth like she had just eaten a jalapeño. Delilah furrowed her brows, sat up and looked at Taylor suspiciously. "Taylor?" "Hmm?" "Where did you get the candy?"
"Well it's really a funny story. I was walking in the corridor when Fred and George approached me and asked if I liked sweets. I said yes who doesn't? And then they offered me candy! Isn't that incredibly sweet of them!"
Delilah's face had now started to sweat as the candy got spicier. "Taylor!" "What?" "We're in the middle of a prank war with them! And besides what have I said about taking candy from strangers!" Taylor's eyes got really wide. Delilah stood and began panting as the candy burned and burned and didn't let up. "Sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't know! I thought they were just being nice!" "Well they weren't! Taylor my mouth is on fire!"
Delilah's whole face and throat were on fire and with every breath it only got worse. Delilah felt like steam was coming from her ears and every breath burned. She yanked off her sweater and loosened her tie, as if that'd help. Then she saw them. The two evil redheads who were responsible for her oral anguish. She stalked over to them angrily pointing a finger between them. "You!"
"Fred it's our good friend Delilah!"
"Hi Delilah how's it going!"
"You evil red swine!" Delilah wheezed. Fred and George only sniggered. "What the hell did you give Taylor? My mouth is on fire!"
Their eyes got real wide. "George?" "Hmm?" George looked down guiltily. "Is it possible you gave her friend one of our latest experiments and not a ton tongue taffy?" "Anything's possible Freddie." He said looking away with a nervous laugh. Suddenly Delilah's throat felt like it was closing and she clutched her throat, eyes growing wide. "Right then. We should probably get you to the hospital wing. We don't really know the full effect of those yet."
"I could kill you!" Delilah wheezed.
"You could...
But then who would you prank?"