As soon as the babysitter came Harry began to worry about his babies, and started enumerating all their needs in one breath "Lily is allergic to strawberries, Albus tolerates them but likes vegetables instead, James has a natural aversion to anything that is healthy for him. The medicine is in the cupboard, leftovers are in the fridge, their bedtime is ten o'clock."
"Mr. Potter, breathe," Delphi instructed him then said in a sweet voice "We wouldn't want you to die stupidly. Then who would pay me for babysitting?"
Harry snorted, took a look at Delphi, put his hands on her shoulders, and said "Good luck, kid", before departing.
'I just feel like I've been knighted and I'm off to face a dragon or something' Delphi thought before she bravely stepped in. She knew the Potter brothers from Hogwarts. James was three years behind her, Albus was a firstie who liked to spend some of his weekends with her little cousin Scorpius, so obviously she had heard many good things about him. He tended to get shy while in her presence or flee whichever room she was in…Lily looked like a vibrant child.
"So you are the trustworthy replacement?" James Sirius having snuck up behind her, then asked, seriously, as if the answer to the question determined her trustworthiness as well as her morality "Do you like quidditch?"
"No," Delphi answered truthfully "I like rules instead. And rule number one is 'Don't bother sitter Delphi with quidditch obsessed paraphernalia, lingo, team scores or anything else that has to do with quidditch' "
"Tch. Rules were made to be broken," Jamie said with a smirk then started to rant "The Holyhead Harpies are clearly the best because not only is a stellar team member like mom on their team, their seeker is very talented and they know the meaning of teamwork. Not like the Cannons who wouldn't know teamwork if it bit them in the ass."
Delphi tuned him out and looked at Albus and Lily. They were trying to hide some papers, which were obviously Albus's love poems. She thought maybe they were school assignments and wanted to assist them.
"Hey kiddies, is that homework? Do you need help?" She asked while crouching down.
"No!" Albus and Lily shouted simultaneously.
"Those are…uhm, state secrets. From the Minister of Magic himself. You can't read them," Lily said.
"State secrets?" Albus mouthed, looking desperate. Lily shrugged as if to say 'It was all I could think about.'
"I see," Delphi and winked "Well I wouldn't want you to betray your country. Perhaps we could discuss more about your profound patriotism while eating some leftovers?"
Jamie was still ranting, unmoved from his spot "And the Cannons shall never win! Uncle Ron has been dreaming a fool's dream all these years. They aren't gold. They are pyrite. I tell you…"
Albus sighed.
He screamed "Jamie! Quit talking to the walls and come eat!"
"Don't interrupt me, squirt. I am vindicating the noble name of the Harpies!"
"Well can you 'vindicate their noble name' sometime this week and be done with it already?" Lily asked.
Delphi microwaved the food. It was nothing special, some chicken with rice and vegetables. Albus seemed happy though, Lily was playing with her food and Jamie refused to go to the table let alone eat.
"James, do you expect special invite?" Delphi asked a bit frustrated.
"Why, yes," The boy said, nose in the air "And call me…Prince James, the quidditch champion!"
"Or?" Delphi asked amused.
"My last babysitter cried as she left our house early. You wouldn't like to know," James answered, his face darkening.
"James, be more respectful," Albus Severus said grumpily, before watching Delphi adoringly.
"The last child I've babysat who had half of your cheek or your ego ended up sitting in the corner for ten minutes, Jamie," Delphi said, still in a good mood.
"I'm special" James answered before he went to the fridge, grabbed all the chocolate, and said, in a victimized voice "There. I've got stupid food. Now can you leave me alone?"
"How dare you steal the chocolate. Mommy said it is for all of us! Thief! Monster! Thing of evil!" Lily started screaming.
"James!" Albus screamed as if his brother's name was an insult in itself.
Delphi sat up, wandlessly accioed the chocolate from James's hand, who let out an indignant "hey!" then said "If you eat a little food, I will give all of you some chocolate. How about that, kids?"
James grumbled but sat down, because of the promise of chocolate. He ate mechanically, while Lily Luna glared at him.
Needless to say, he was not satisfied when they only go two chocolate cubes each. James snarled then threw his chocolate cubes back at Delphi who caught them expertly and put them back in the pack.
" For crying out loud, you expect this injustice to go on? As a prince I forbid it! Albus, Lily restrain her while I get the chocolate. Then we can split it in three."
Lily looked indecisive, looking at the chocolate and then at Delphi, at the chocolate and then again at Delphi. Her conscience was at war with her inner desires.
In the end, her insatiable need for chocolate won out, and she started running towards Delphini, who looked a bit shocked, colliding with her and trying to wrestle the chocolate out of her hand.
"Let it go and nobody has to get hurt!" little Lily Luna screamed.
"You go, little sister!" James praised her while Albus Severus got up and tried to save his crush from his sister's clutches.
Despite his efforts, he was immediately deterred by his older brother who put his arms around Albus and asked "Going somewhere, nerd?"
No amount of trying to squeeze out of his hold proved successful.
"Lily, listen to me. You don't want to do this" Delphi said started bribing "If you let go of me, you can have your brother's chocolate too"
"If you don't let go, you can have the whole pack!" James Sirius screamed.
"The whole pack? I thought you were going to share it evenly? Or did you lie, James?" Delphi asked while smirking.
Lily's grip lessened, indecisiveness present on her beautiful face.
"Lily, she's trying to fool you!" James Sirius screamed.
"Just five minutes ago he was trying to steal all the chocolate. You really believe he will keep his word?" Delphi continued, in a calm, pacifying voice.
"You'll trust a stranger over me?" James asked, wanting to pull at his hair, he was close, so close to getting the chocolate.
"Lily, remember that time he said Voldemort lived under your bed, and that he will get rid of him, if only you give him your Halloween cookies?" Albus Severus inquired.
Lily bit her lip.
"He lied didn't he?"
"Just because I lied one time doesn't mean that I always lie!" James tried to reason with her then put his hand over Albus's mouth while he was trying to dig up more proof of Jamie's culpability.
Lily made her decision. She let go of Delphi, got up, and muttered "Sorry. Can I have James's chocolate now?"
"No," Delphi said.
"See. I told you she was lying" James told her seeing her dejected face while his babysitter replied, "I told you you may have his chocolate, not when you can have his chocolate. I'll give it to you after dinner, I promise."
Lily nodded and one could see in her eyes that she would hold her to that.