Delphini was sitting, crouched on the staircase, watching them all through the bars of the bannister. She wasn't sure why she did this. What she saw made her blood boil and her anger rise within her. Pain and anger, that is all these images inspired but still, she continued to watch, drawn to them despite everything.
Delphi gripped the banister hard and stared at the ballroom below her. It was filled with people. Dancing, talking, laughing. Happiness shone out of them, their eyes sparkling. Delphi clenched her teeth and peered closer, her face squeezed between the bars. She had to be careful, she couldn't be seen. If they saw her, they'd send her back to her prison and make sure she couldn't get out again.
Her eyes automatically scanned the room for the people she knew. There they were. Aunt Narcissa was sitting in front of the fireplace, her posture impeccable as always. Despite her age, she still looked beautiful. She stood out like a queen among the crowd. At her feet, a little child with a tuft of white blond hair was playing with a miniature wooden horse. It neighed and galloped around the boy who tried to catch it, giggling with delight. That must be Scorpius, the son of her cousin Draco. His chubby fist finally closed around the horse's tail and he squealed with delight. Delphini smiled despite herself. She felt the sudden urge to run to him, pick him up and kiss his chubby little cheek. She almost stood up before the truth hit her again like a heavy blow. She was not wanted here. She was not wanted anywhere. She was the secret child that was kept locked up like an animal. Forgetting her caution, she hissed with rage and dug her nails into the wooden banister. Merlin, she hated them. She hated them all.
Her eyes, now burning with anger, spotted the others. His cousins, Draco and Astoria. They were dancing, their arms wrapped around each other. Delphini had never met them. She recognised them because she'd seen them so many times in photo albums, in portraits around the house, in the little glimpses she's had of the outside world. They didn't even know she existed. No. She was only a dirty little secret. Delphini had pleaded with her aunt, begged her to let her meet her cousins but of course she said no. She had to be hidden. Always. Delphini's teeth were clenched so tightly it was painful. And there was her Aunt Andromeda and her grandson, Teddy. There was Uncle Lucius and lots of people she didn't know. All of them together, laughing and enjoying themselves. And she was here, forbidden from joining them. The unwanted child.
Delphini was shaking with rage. She hated them all. The bloody bastards. How dare they laugh and have fun while she was here, all alone. How dare they ignore her! How dare they leave her here to rot. Delphini suddenly whipped out her wand and pointed it like a baton directly at a large glistening chandelier hanging over the ballroom. She wanted it to end. She wanted to wipe the smiles off their stupid faces. She couldn't aim straight, her wand hand was trembling so much. She couldn't get the words of the spell out, her teeth were clenched so tightly but it didn't matter. She was good at nonverbal spells. She was powerful and strong, stronger than them all.
Bombarda!
The voice in her head roared. She felt the magic pulse within her, fueled by her anger and bitterness. And suddenly, the candelier exploded with a loud bang. Crystals flew everywhere, almost dancing in the glowing light of the candles. People screamed. Scorpius started wailing. There was blood on his hands. For a second, Delphini glimpsed the image of her Aunt Narcissa sprawled on the floor, her eyes closed, a trickle of blood flowing down her forehead. The anger rushed out of her suddenly, leaving her empty and cold.
No. No. What what have I done? What have I done? Oh, Aunt Narcissa, what have I done! Delphini let out a dry sob. Her wand slipped from her hand and fell onto the carpet. She turned around and ran, ran as fast as her legs could carry her, back to her hole, back to her prison deep inside the heart of Malfoy Manor.
-
Dear Merlin, I killed her, I killed my Aunt Narcissa, I killed my only friend, the one person who doesn't look at me as if I'm a monster. What have I done? Why did I do this? Delphini screamed at her empty bedroom. She picked up an elegant golden vase and flung it, hard. It hit the opposite wall and shattered.
The image of her Aunt sprawled on the floor, beautiful even unconscious, rose in front of her like a vengeful ghost and it refused to leave. What the hell have I done? Delphi began to pace her bedroom. Back and forth. Back and forth. Her footsteps muffled by the thick carpet. Not that it made any difference, this entire wing of the house was protected by heavy enchantments, including silencing charms. She could scream herself hoarse and nobody would hear. The only reason Delphi could leave was because she found a secret passage no one else knew about, not yet at least.
Delphi was pacing faster and faster. She was sweating. A feverish glint was in her eyes. Maybe Aunt Narci's not dead. Maybe she's just knocked out, Delphi tried to convince herself as she continued her frantic pacing. She can't be dead. She just can't be dead. Any minute now, Aunt Narcissa would walk through the door, her head held high, her skirts flowing around her. Delphi would run up to her and throw her arms around her neck. She'd say she was sorry. She'd say that she'd never do this again, that she'd be a good girl and listen to her aunt. She can't be dead. She just can't be dead.
Suddenly, Delphi heard the door creak open behind her. Aunt Narcissa! She thought, joyfully. She spun around so fast, she nearly lost her balance. But it was not Narcissa standing on the doorway. It was Lucius Malfoy, his silver walking stick held threateningly in one hand and his eyes blazing furiously. He glared at Delphi, apparently too angry to speak. Delphi glared back, her own anger resurfacing.
"Where's Aunt Nar…" Delphi began to ask but Lucius swiftly interrupted her, his voice low and dangerous.
"Don't you dare. Don't you dare stand there and say her name after what you did, you ungrateful little brute." Lucius stepped into the room. His dragonhide cloak was ripped in places. A glass fragment was half embedded into his chin and it was starting to bleed but Lucius didn't seem to notice. He stepped closer and closer to Delphi, who stood her ground.
"I haven't done anything!" Delphi screamed into his face.
"Liar." Lucius was towering over her now, his whole body was shaking with fury. Delphini had never seen him this angry before. It would've scared almost anyone but Delphini didn't scare that easily. She was Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter after all.
"I can't leave the West Wing, remember. How am I supposed to do anything? I'm imprisoned in this…" Lucius let out a humorless laugh.
"Imprisoned? You call this prison? You live in the most prestigious apartments in the entire Malfoy Manor and your Aunt gives you everything you ask for and this is how you repay her? You nearly killed her!" Delphi swayed with relief. She's alive. Aunt Narci's alive! Thank Merlin!
"I didn't do anything!" Delphi replied stubbornly. As swift as a snake, Lucius drew out his wand. He pointed it straight at Delphi's chest. Lucius was so angry, he was losing control. Sparks flew out the end of his wand. If he hoped to scare her, he failed. Delphini threw her head back and laughed. At this moment, she looked the spitting image of her mother.
"What're you going to do, uncle dearest, hex me?" Delphi mocked. Lucius's grip on his wand tightened.
"Yes, that exactly what I'm going to do." Lucius hissed.
"You wouldn't dare." Delphi smirked. "Aunt Narcissa would be pissed if you so much as lay a finger on me." For a second, Lucius hesitated, the wand in his hand shaking slightly. Delphi could see the burning hatred in his eyes, the desire to hurt her. But a second later, Lucius lowered his wand slowly and placed it back into his walking stick. He didn't stop glaring at Delphi as if he hoped his gaze would be enough to burn her.
"I don't know how you got out but I know it was you. You did this. You nearly killed my wife." Lucius stated through clenched teeth. "Narcissa is the only thing standing between you and me, remember that. You remember that, you little monster. If something happens to my wife, I'll show you what a real prison feels like. I'll lock you up and make sure you never get out again!" With that, Lucius spun around and strode out the door, his robes bellowing behind him.
Delphi was left in the room, alone with her anger.
-
In the corner of her bathroom, concealed behind an oak cupboard was a hole, a hole just large enough for Delphi to crawl through. She didn't know how it got there. Maybe someone had accidentally blasted the wall apart before the protection spells had set up and then tried to conceal it with the cupboard. Delphi had found it one day while throwing around the furniture in a fit of temper. Now, it was her only means of escape, pf seeing the outside world for herself.
She carefully squeezed herself through the hole and came out on the other side of the protection spells. Her skirt had caught on the chipped stone and she yanked it away angrily. The embroidered velvet ripped along the hem but she didn't care. Delphi was never one to care about appearance. She was here for a purpose. She needed to retrieve her wand before anyone else found it. Uncle Lucius only suspected something but he couldn't prove a thing, not unless he found her wand and Delphini was not going to let that happen. She ran along a long dimly lit corridor covered with statues of grim looking men. She had left her shoes behind. It was much easier to run silently when she was barefoot. The cold stone floor sent shivers up her spine but she continued to run, her long skirt bundled up in her hands.
Hardly a minute later she had retrieved the wand and she was running back to her room. The house was strangely empty, all the guests have drifted away leaving a deadened silence behind. As Delphini passed a black door decorated with gold vines, she heard familiar voices whispering furiously. Delphini shouldn't stop. It was dangerous for her to be out here. What if someone saw her? They would block her only means of exit. But, despite herself, curiosity won. She stopped running and stood in front of the door, her ear pressed against the cool surface.
"Let it go, Lucius." Narcissa stated firmly.
"How can I let it go? That monster nearly killed you!" Lucius furious voice echoed in her ear.
"Why are you so convinced that it was her? She can't get out of the West Wing, not without someone letting her out and the only people who know of her existence are you, me and Andromeda." Narcissa's voice sounded weaker than usual. Maybe she was still badly hurt. Delphi bit her lip, guilt and the ever present anger waging a war inside her. "Face it Lucius. It could've been absolutely anyone. In case you haven't noticed, our position in the last war means we have a lot of enemies."
"It was her, I know it was her! You didn't see her right after the accident. I could practically read the guilt in her face. Why? Why do we have to keep her? She's a monster." Delphi hands clenched into fists. She had the sudden urge to throw this door open and stick her nails into her uncle's flesh. The stupid bastard.
"Oh, she's horrible, Narcissa! She behaves more like an animal than a civilized person. One moment she's laughing like a maniac, next moment she's screaming and attacking everything in sight." Lucius continued.
"What do you wish me to do, Lucius?" Her aunt barked angrily. "Kill her? Kick her out? Where will she go? No one can even know that she exists because if they did, they'd kill her. What exactly do you want me to do?"
"Send her away, away from our house and our family!" Delphi gasped, fear pulsing through her body. No. She can't loose Aunt Narcissa. The only thing she has is her aunt and she won't loose her. She won't. Again, she felt the burning desire to fly at her uncle, grab that stupid walking stick out of his arms and beat him with it.
"We own a manor house in Ireland. We'll send her there. It has heavy protection spells. No one will be able to find her." Lucius continued. Delphi could hear the tap tap of his feet as he paced the room. Please no. Delphi could feel sweat pooling on her forehead.
"And leave her there alone?" Narcissa voice was filled with disgust. "She's only eleven years old, Lucius! It's bad enough that she has to be locked up in here with no friends and no possibility of ever going to school. No wonder she's always angry!"
"Narcissa, please! She's dangerous." Lucius whispered. Delphi could hear the fear in his voice.
"We've been saying that since she was old enough to walk!" Narcissa scoffed derisively.
"That's because it's true!" Lucius countered. "You don't have a mark so you can't understand. As Delphini grows older, the mark becomes everyday more and more clearer. It senses her presence. It responds to her! She's like him, Narcissa! She's like her father. Don't you remember what happened the last time her father was in this house? Don't you remember what he did to us, what he did to Draco?"
"Of course I remember!" Narcissa countered, getting angrier by the minute. "But what you say is simply not possible! I will not leave my eleven year old niece alone in an abandoned manor whoever her father is." Delphini heard her uncle growl in powerless rage as he understand that, once again, he had lost this argument. Aunt Narcissa would never abandon her. Delphini smiled with relief as she straightened up and made her way back to the West Wing. She wondered for the thousandth time who this father of hers could be. Why was everyone so sacred of him? Delphini remembered the raw fear in his uncle's voice as he spoke about her father. It pleased her, intrigued her. Whatever caused her stupid brute of an uncle fear must be a good thing. Delphini hated Lucius Malfoy with a passion, she hated the way he looked at her, always with suspicion. As long as she can remember Lucius has tried his best to make Aunt Narcissa hate her but that is never going to happen. Aunt Narcissa loved her! She always will! One day, though, Delphini will make her uncle pay for trying to get rid of her.