Gringotts Wizarding Prompt Bank Prompts Galore

Word Set Prompts (4 Words): (word) Cut, (word) Engage, (word) Caring, (word) Dismiss

Word count: 2,946


Little Tee & Ana (My username is so long XD)

Delphi was stirred from her sleep by a sharp tap-tapping coming from one of the small attic windows. Even with no gaslight or candlelight, the modest, cluttered, dismal attic was aglow. Lit by the waxing crescent moon from the night's sky. Moonbeams shone through the many holes and cracks that littered the roof, illuminating various cobwebs and boxed artifacts from bygone years and generations of Rowle's family. Ones that Rowle couldn't sell or trade. She carefully made her way across the old wooden floor. It was prone to groan and moan if one stepped on the wrong board and she did not want to alert Rowle that she was awake. She had learned the hard way that if she was found awake after bedtime she would be required to start her next day's tasks and work throughout the night without respite or sleep.

"Idle hands are devious ones and have to be kept busy. Busy, busy." Rowle had remarked multiple times on discovering Delphi awake.

She had grown to hate that phrase and during the months since her escape to Diagon Alley she had learned how to keep her curious searches through the boxes stored in the attic and her private self-studies secret. The latter growing more important, and possible thanks to her discovery of an old box full of old primary school books that had been used to teach Rowle's grandmother, since she was going to Hogwarts in three years. Since Hogwarts was rebuilt and running.

Thankfully, she made her way over from her cot to the window without making any noise. Opening the window she stared at the two wrapped parcels the owl had deposited on the ledge. A small hoot made Delphi to quickly hushed the bird and frantically searched for a treat. She had seen Rowle receiving and sending messages by owl to know owls often desired payment, whether coin or food. Wishing it was the latter since she had no money she picked up the crust she had removed from her evening sandwich and gave it to the bird.

"I don't have any meat just bread," she warned but the owl tilted its head at her offered treat before shaking its head and ruffling its feathers. Delphi looked at the dry bread crumbs in her hand and back at the bird. "What do you want?"

The owl blinked and softly hooted twice. It lifted its leg and flexed its talons. There on the raised leg of the bird was a small rolled note tied by a yellow ribbon. She untied the note and read it.

"Happy Birthday Delphi!

From your friends,

Andromeda & Teddy

P.S. Mine's the top one ~T"

Teddy and his grandma had written to her and had sent her gifts. Gifts!

Although, her birthday was thirteen days away not today. She would just have to conceal them away till then, she decided as she picked up the two parcels and looked for a suitable place to safely hide them till the thirteenth. After trying various places, none offering enough coverage to her liking, she finally found two spots: in the rafters above her cot and another under a loose board in the floor by the chimney. She put Teddy's gift in the rafters and Andromeda's gift in the floor. Hoping that the added precaution of two hiding places would work just in cause Rowle had the rare desire to search the attic for anything valuable she might have overlooked from her previous trips. If Rowle did accidentally find one of the gifts she still wouldn't have the other one or know that there had been two gifts.

Turning at the sound of another hoot, this one a tad harsher than the previous ones and for all the world sounded annoyed, Delphi returned to the open window.

"Hush! Please be quiet. You don't want to get me in trouble do you?" Delphi whispered. She picked up the bread crusts she had pocketed and tried offering them again. Another annoyed hoot and a shake of its head were her response. "What do you want now?"

The bird looked at her and down to its legs and back again. Its eyes narrowing after the second time it repeated the pointed motion. It was trying to say something, Delphi knew that but what exactly she didn't know. The owl uttered a frustrated series of hoots before picking up the yellow ribbon left lying on the ledge by its talons and began picking at it with its beak.

The realization that the bird was waiting for her to send a reply back slowly dawned for Delphi and she cautiously went to her makeshift school desk and rolled out a few inches of ancient parchment that had been stored in the attic. Inked one of her self-made quills from Rowle's pet Augurey with some of her own walnut-made ink and wrote a quick note, thanking Teddy and his grandma, before rolling it and for lack of any other ribbon she fashioned the note to the owl's extended talon with the same yellow ribbon that had carried her birthday note.

"There," Delphi whispered looking back at the small bow with pride.

The owl hooted and sprang up into the sky. Delphi watched as the owl took flight, standing by the opened window, and not for the first time, wished she could fly away too.


Teddy refused to go to bed until he made sure that their gifts went to Delphi. For the past couple of months, the two had tried to send letters to the young girl to keep in touch. Unfortunately, each and every letter was sent back without being opened. This had left concern from both Teddy and Andromeda, and even a little suspicious. Delphi's aunt, though Andromeda doubt that was the case, struck her as a very odd and shady character. The way that Aunt Rowle handled Delphi nor did Delphi's reaction to her voice go unnoticed. Andi noticed how pale Delphi turned when she heard the woman yell her name, and how Rowle grabbed her by her ear.

She also noticed how capricious the woman was, rambling on when she realized that she slipped, revealing little of Delphi's background. The spurious sweetness that Rowle tried to fool her with reminded her too much of her mother, who did that around company. Andromeda didn't entirely trust and believe Rowle and engaged herself in an investigation to find about Delphi's heritage. Andromeda was certain that Delphi looked every bit like Bella beside the blue eyes.

Andi, then, asked Narcissa for a list of reliable Ministry workers (it didn't occur to Andromeda to also ask Lucius for access to Hogwarts' venerated Book of Admittance) and started to look through the magical birth certificates with a series of possible name combinations, including: Delphi Rowle, Delphi Lestrange, Delphini Rowle, Delphini Lestrange, or just the first name Delphi/Delphini but there was no record of any Delphi within the last twenty years. Neither could she find Delphi or her aunt in the Floo Network's master directory. Checking the Apparition Licences record book would be no help either since it only stored each applicant's name, not address, but yet she had checked it. Five Rowles were listed but which one was that Rowle woman or where she called home Andromeda couldn't find. She had hit a dead end and her fruitless search had earned her more questions than answers.

Who was this little girl that looked like Bella?

Meanwhile, Teddy had become attached to his new friend and wanted her to be safe. He had told Andromeda multiple times that Delphi couldn't stay with the mean old woman, who obviously hurt Delphi. Andromeda had to admit that this Rowle character was way too comfortable with grabbing and pulling Delphi around like she was a ragdoll. Delphi also showed signs that it was a regular thing when the woman was angry.

Andromeda had also come to realize that she also became attached, even caring, for Delphi, after only spending a few hours with her. Thinking back on the day, she wished that she pressed for more information because sooner or later, Rowle would have accidentally told her everything she needed to know. Andi dismissed the thoughts, there was no need to think about what ifs.

"Grandma?" Teddy's voice taking Andi from her thoughts. "You think Delphi will get our presents?"

"Hm? Oh yes, I'm certain that she will. I doubt that aunt of hers will be awake to send them back." Andromeda assured the little boy as they waited in the kitchen.

"Do you think she'll like the gifts?" Teddy asked anxiously.

Andromeda smiled at him. "She'll love them."

Teddy still looked uncertainty, and Andromeda's smile grew.

She ruffled his, now, green hair and said. "There's nothing to worry about."

As if to prove her point, their owl, Comet, tapping on the window. Teddy reacted quickly, running to the window and trying to climb on the counter, only to fail, before looking hopelessly at his grandma. She chuckled at his antics and walked over to the window to open it. Comet flew inside and dropped a rolled up parchment. Teddy was the first one to reach for it and he quickly opened it up.

*Hello Teddy and Teddy's grandma Andrumeda,

Thank you for the grifts. I havenit open them yet becauz my brithday is not untill the 13. But I know I will like them.

~Delphi

"See? Nothing to worry about, dear." Andromeda said. "And look we were a bit earlier anyway. Her birthday is on February the 13th. Now let's head to bed, mister."


You hear that Delphini?" Rowle drawled as she poured another glassful of firewhiskey. The case she had bought the week before already half finished. "Answer me girl."

Delphi sighed and paused her sweeping to answer Rowle's question. It was a question she was regularly asked and it always leads to the same point. A point Delphi knew by heart and prayed to Salazar daily that it wasn't true. That it was another of Rowle's lies.

"Yes, ma'am. I heard the cry."

Rowle's amuse chuckle stirred the still air as she took a drink of her firewhiskey before pointing at her pet Augurey, Zelda, as it let out another moanful screech. "You'll meet a sticky end girl. A sticky and cruel end. Just like your crazy mother."

"Yes ma'am," Delphi replied automatically as she hurried up her sweeping. It was her last task of the day and she wanted to fix her usual Monday meal of Brussels sprouts and watercress sandwich and go up to her room. Today was the thirteenth and her birthday. The two hidden gifts from her friends were waiting to be opened.

"I'm finished my tasks. May I eat my supper in my room, please?"

"What?" Rowle checked the wall clock over the unused fireplace. "It's only a quarter till six."

Delphi took a breath and secretly crossed her fingers. "It's also my birthday today."

"Is it? I thought that was next month…" Rowle trailed off as she studied the girl for a moment before she shook her head. "Alright. Go on. I don't want to see your poor face right now anyway."

Delphi smiled and uttered her thanks before quickly fixing her meal and racing up the stairs to the attic.

"That girl is up to something," Rowle muttered as she summoned another bottle of firewhiskey. "I'll have to check that old attic again," she paused as she opened and poured her sixth glass of the day. "but not tonight. . . or tomorrow. . . Friday. I'll check Friday."

Delphi gathered her gifts and placed them down on beside her on her cot. She fingered the yellow ribbon before cutting it and the wrapping paper underneath. She gasped as she saw the animated cover of the fairy tale book she had seen at the bookshop in Diagon Alley all those months ago. She wondered if Teddy's friend, Vic-something, didn't like it after all. Well, her loss was her gain.

Opening it she found a small note inscribed on the first page: "Dream and believe in the wonder that is magic, Delphini." signed Andromeda Tonks with the date Delphi received the bundle.

She hugged the book for a long moment before gently putting it down and picking up Teddy's gift.

She laughed as she saw that it was a book about Quidditch for girls. Opening it she grinned as she read the short inscription from her friend, Teddy. "For Delphi, a real flyer."

Thankful for the full moon that provided ample lighting for reading she sat down at her desk and began to read Septima Whisp's A Girl's Guide to Quidditch as she eats her supper. This was the best birthday she had ever had and for the first time in years, she looked forward to the coming year.

The rest of the week went by rather fast for Delphi. During the daylight hours, she would complete her tasks before grabbing her supper and hurrying off to her attic to read and study.

She was making progress in the old primary school texts and felt surer of her reading, spelling, and penmanship while mathematics and science seemed almost a lost cause. Where was she going to find a microscope? And when did number have powers?

Learning about quidditch was great, although, at first it had a little hard to understand some of the sports jargon and positions but after running through a few staged runs using old sewing mannequins, some old cricket balls and one old cracked cricket bat she had a much better understanding of the sport. Delphi could see why so many people liked quidditch and couldn't wait to see her first game, or maybe even play a game with Teddy one day.

The fairy tales book held some interesting fables that Delphi took to heart. Like, be careful what you wish for when you are still young enough for wish-magic. Then one story featured an evil sorceress that looked and acted so much like Rowle Delphi couldn't sleep for two nights in fear of the nightmares. One good thing from the sleepless nights was the lengthy rearranging and concealing of her makeshift school room. Now two shells of old charmed boxes acted as covers for her desk and a small library of books, all fifteen volumes. Now if Rowle decided to search the attic again she shouldn't found her supplies or gifts.

Her preparedness and caution paid off as, sure enough, Rowle came bursting through the attic door Friday morning, at first light.

"Inspection time, Delphini." Rowle barked as she threw back Delphi's charmed blanket and pulled her charge up and out of her cot. "What you been up to, huh?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all." Delphi lied as she tried to break free from Rowle's cold, painful clasp.

"Nothing? You've been up to something all week. Running back up here every evening like you have a hoard of golden snitches hidden under your cot." Rowle lets go of Delphi causing the girl to trip backward. "Now get down and start your tasks. The kitchen is a mess and Zelda's stand needs to be cleaned and her dishes washed and filled."

Delphi wanted to stay and see if Rowle found her secret belongings but fear of accidentally giving away anything combined with not wanting to risk raising Rowle's anger anymore she grabbed her shoes and hurried downstairs.

The noises of someone recklessly searching through stuff filtered through to the kitchen as Delphi washed, cleaned, and dusted. The noises stopped suddenly just as Delphi began cleaning the Augurey's perch.

"Delphini!" Delphi turned away from Zelda and her stand to see Rowle coming down the stairs, her hair and robes covered in dust and cobwebs, holding up the old, incomplete cricket set she had been using like a trophy. "I found your little secret you naughty, naughty girl. And such an unfeminine activity too but then you are your mother's daughter, aren't you?"

Delphi stayed quiet and hung her head, not in shame but to conceal her grateful smile that only the old cricket set was found and also appear to be repentant of her actions.

"Fetch the matches."

Delphi sighed and went back into the kitchen to retrieve the box of matches and handed it over to Rowle. She knew what was next. Rowle was going to burn the cricket set in the fireplace and then make Delphi clean it out afterward. She had done several times before: the two dolls she had found when she was four, an old racing broom she had unearthed when she was five, and the handful of dresses she had found in an old wardrobe from Rowle's late baby sister.

She hated fire and that fireplace but a small smile still formed as she thanked Salazar that her gifts and her books were not being consumed by the fire too as the old wooden cricket set dissolved into ashes before her.

"Now clean that fireplace. I want it spotless."

"Yes ma'am," Delphi automatically replied before kneeling down and sweeping the ashes into the dustpan. Only three years till she began Hogwarts. Just three years till she would be away from here and Rowle forever. She couldn't wait.