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Disclaimer: I only own Delilah Longbottom, everyone and thing else belongs to JK Rowling.


Chapter Eleven: Chameleon


Charms made Delilah feel happy, the subject made her feel like she was good for something other than perpetually pining over Seamus Finnigan. She sat in her usual seat and waited for Professor Flitwick to begin the class. She sat between Neville and Blaise as they were the only two people still speaking to her. Dean had started to ignore her after her stunt on the way back from Hogsmeade and Hermione had promptly gone back to snubbing Delilah.

"Everybody, essays on your desks!" rustling echoed around the room and was followed by people slamming their hands on their desks. Professor Flitwick raised his wand, twitched it and watched calmly as a dozen stacks of paper flew towards him. "Wonderful! I will have these back to you by the end of the week! I trust that they are all written on Portkeys and not anything else – Mr. Finnigan."

Seamus winked and gave Professor Flitwick a thumbs up as the class laughed at his stupidity, all trying to supress the memory. It had been in the previous year when Flitwick had given his students the task of writing on the knitting spell (as The Carrows had forbid anything of use being taught in the school) and Seamus, who had been particularly angry that week, wrote about his intense hatred for the Death Eaters and their treatment of the Hogwarts students. It had been quite rebellious and liberal and the Irishman had been praised greatly for it.

"We will today commence our work on Disillusionment Charms! I'm sure you've all tried your fair share of these over the past year and I can only apologise that I could not teach you them sooner, however, better late than never!"

Delilah picked her quill off the desk and placed the end in her mouth, rejoicing in the sweet taste causing her tastebuds to celebrate. She knew the incantation off by heart - chamaeleontis murum, which translated to 'chameleon wall' – and could make herself disappear in an instant and nonverbally. Half the class knew the spell. Harry had managed to teach it to them during their DA meetings and it had been a staple in hiding from the Carrows – or attempting to hide, as the Death Eaters were able to smell fear and thus counteract the charm.

The witch didn't bother raising her hand when Flitwick asked who knew the incantation; everyone knew that she had perfected it and she wasn't in the mood to show off. The reference to their previous year had her thinking back to the Battle, it had only been a matter of months and one thing continued to eat her. She was unable to shake the memory of being unable to produce a Patronus especially when she had been up to the Room of Requirement to practice the spell and even then been unsuccessful. Originally she had assumed that the Dementors were the reason behind her failed attempts, but when she was unable to produce one even in their absence, she knew something was wrong.

"- the single lesson, we shall begin the theory for Disillusionment charms, and in our next double class we shall have a go at creating Portkeys!" the class buzzed with excitement but was soon subdued when told to turn to page 189 to begin reading on Disillusionment charms.

"You'd think this pretty easy, wouldn't you?" Blaise leant over and spoke right into her ear, causing Delilah to take a deep breath and shrug.

"Perfected it." She said carelessly, "I think I know everything they're going to teach this year."

"Good, you can help me." The witch nodded half-heartedly and stared at her book, the spine was barely intact after having been dropped so often and the cover was losing colour because it was second hand. She compared this to Blaise's, his was in perfect condition and she chomped hard into her sugar quill in frustration. "You alright there?"

"Fine."

"You seem angry – pissed. Is it to do with Dean?"

"Why would it have anything to do with him?" she snapped at the Slytherin.

"Just haven't seen you speak to him in a while." He raised his hand to show that he meant to harm.

"If you hadn't noticed, not many people are speaking to me right now."

"Why is that?"

"Because I'm a bitch?" she asked back, knowing all too well that was the reason behind her suddenly having no friends.

Blaise pried no more; instead he opened his book and began to read what he had to.

Class finished soon after and Delilah took her time leaving, feeling herself being knocked around by the other students eager to get to lunch. She slowly pushed her books into her book bag and turned around; finally ready to leave the Charms classroom.

"What's up with you, today?" she was standing face-to-face with her cousin.

"What do you mean?" she asked him as she passed him.

"You're moping around worse than Filch." Delilah turned to Neville and shook her head at him.

"That was uncalled for." She turned around and continued towards Gryffindor Tower.

"Seriously, why so upset for? Seamus?"

"I- what? No. It's not him, surprisingly." She sighed and slowed down her pace, "It's just that Dean isn't speaking to me. I must have fucked up pretty bad if Dean isn't speaking to me."

"Yeah," Neville agreed, "You must have messed up really bad."

"Thanks, Nev." Delilah mumbled under her breath.

"Everyone will come around! They're your best friends; don't worry about it, okay?"

"Maybe I'll just become a chameleon. Just forever blend in with my surroundings and no one will have to worry about me."