The thundering sound of children's feet sounded down the corridor as a little girl ran straight into Bellatrix's robes, burying her face into them.
'Bella! Dragon stole my doll!' Delphi cried.
At that moment a blond haired boy ran ast them at full speed, he taunted Delphi with her doll. Delphi shrieked and then chased after him at full tilt, leaving Bellatrix shaking her head after him. The two children ran through the corridors giggling and laughing before Delphi tripped over a statue's foot and crashed to the floor, face first.
'Delphi?' Draco asked nervously as she lay there unmoving, creeping closer to poke her. Delphi quickly lashed out, grabbing his foot and yanking him to join her on the floor. She snatched her doll back as he stared at her with wide eyes, the two lying on the ground. The two erupted into giggles, rolling about as they clutched their sides.
'Delphi Lestrange and Draco Malfoy, you get up this instant!' Bellatrix shouted from the other side of the hall. 'What am I to do with you? Rolling around on the ground, practically brawling!'
'We're sorry-' Delphi started saying before Draco continued, 'Aunty Bellatrix we didn't-' 'we didn't mean to get so' 'think about what-' 'carried away.' 'how rambunctious we were.' The two said over each other in haste, the two giving their biggest puppy eyes at her.
'What am I to do with you two? Draco, you were brought to Riddle manor to be Delphi's companion and learn together while you Delphi, let me just say, your manners are not acceptable for a Lestrange.'
'But Bellatrix, I'm not a Lestrange.' Delphi said.
'You may not have been brought into this world by me, or even raised by me in the first year of your life, but you are my adopted daughter and a Lestrange through and through.' Bellatrix said, unimpressed with her daughter's excuse of the Potters being well known as more outgoing with less manners than most pureblood families. 'Now, you Draco are to go and find your mother to get her to help you get dressed and you Delphi are coming with me to get into your party frock.'
Delphi came out of her room to meet Draco outside the ballroom for their combined birthday party, as it was tradition of pureblood families with children born around the same time - regardless of them being unrelated. Her long and unruly brown hair was tied back with a purple silk ribbon that complemented her eyes. Her dress was a light shade of lavender, layers of silky fabric that floated when she moved, stylish and respectable while still childishly fun. Draco wore silver dress pants and a white pressed shirt, not quite a suit but still formal.
'May I escort you to our party, madam?' Draco asked in an imitation of the stuffy old men that came to all the formal celebrations hosted.
'Yes you may, sir.' Delphi replied in a high pitch voice, imitating the silly giggling teenage girls from other parties who had had too much to drink.
The two shared a smirk, while the official party wasn't the most fun, it was tradition, besides both children celebrated properly with close friends on their own individual party. Delphi's party would be in a month. The two schooled their expressions to that of an innocent look of excitement and prepared to act as was expected of them. Riddle told them after they first complained of having to act polite and childlike, it was training. They had to learn to manipulate the adults in the room and give them the impression that they were innocent and harmless children, so they could manipulate people expertly when they were older.
*.* - *.* - *.*
The stairs creaked as Aunt Petunia and Dudley went up the stairs and Harry's breath caught as he heard Uncle Vernon coming to get him.
'So freak, not only did you burn the toast two days in a row, I come back and find you didn't complete three of your chores!' Uncle Vernon growled at Harry before taking him and dragging him down into the basement. Harry shook in his Uncle's grasp as they went down the stairs. This was where he got proper beatings when Uncle Vernon didn't want Harry to disturb his aunt and cousin. They would be getting ready for bed, ignoring any sounds they heard.
'Well freak, anything to say for yourself?' Harry hung his head as he knew it would be pointless to argue with his uncle.
'Good,' Was the one word Uncle Vernon said before slapping Harry and then punching him in the stomach, forcing Harry to keel over. He then began punching him again and again so that Harry fell over. Harry curled into a fetal position as Vernon kicked him in the ribs, the arms, legs and back before he knelt over the boy and started attacking him in every place he could reach.