YEAR ONE-FOUR:
(1972-1976)
*̥Bamboozle —(VERB) to deceive or get the better of (someone) by trickery *̥
"Being in the same house of some of the worst pranksters sometimes makes your life seem a little like an ambush at times." I laughed, staring off at the night sky again, "So it's good to come up here for a little bit for some fresh air,"
I felt his hand brush against mine gripping the railing, this was the closest we'd ever been to the other. All the times we'd been forced to sit by the other in Slughorn's class. Even then we never said much to the other. We were competing for the same spot as top of our year.
I thought maybe he might wince away from touching me. I was seen as scum to him anyways because of my blood status. A concern I'd never had until I got here in my first year.
But his hand stayed, just barely touching mine, "It could be worse. At least they're actually funny, Crouch and Mulciber seem to think torturing is considered a joke," He finally spoke with a heavy tone to his voice, he was disappointed.
"Surprised your hand is still touching mine," I quipped finally fed up with the touch, with a slight grin.
This was an odd moment for both of us. I would've thought I'd be the last person he'd want to even spend a minute with. His friends hated me, and I imagined he would've as well. Not that I was fond of him by any means, either. He was a pure-blood asshole. At least James, Sirius, and Peter had been nice pure-bloods.
He gave me a smirk, slinking his hand back, "Consider it a moment of weakness on my behalf due to the elevation, I'll leave you to your fresh air, Barnes." He backed away walking away.
"You won't have to worry about me telling anyone, I wouldn't want to tarnish The Noble House of Black's favorite son's reputation. My lips are sealed," I found myself teasing him, glancing over my shoulder to catch his smile as he made way down the stairs.
It was rare to see an actual grin pass his lips, this looked different from the teasing smirk I usually got. This seemed like he was actually laughing at my teasing. It was weird. Why did my stomach do a somersault seeing it?
*̥Year Four: (1975-1976) *̥
*̥(September 1st,1975)*̥
Otis helped me lug my trunk into the boot of the car. Phillip sat behind the wheel tapping it impatiently as he waited for us to load the rest of my things, Dinah climbed up into the back of the car on her own leaning against Declan in the backseat. Mum was staying home again, her heart had grown weak with grief over the last few years. I didn't expect her to have the strength to come out anyways, she was at least able to pack me a few chocolates for the train to school. They sat in my coat pocket, it wasn't much but she was trying this year.
"Got everything? We're going to be late if she packs another bloody bag," Phillip groaned from the car window.
I slammed the boot shut, dusting my hands off on my jeans. Otis joined Victoria, his pregnant wife at the door again.
Victoria skipped down the front steps a bit leaning into my window, "Give 'em hell for me. Show them what us lions can do," She grinned.
She blew a kiss from the door, before tucking back into Otis's side. They'd only come to wish me goodbye while Declan and Phillip helped me to the station. Declan lazily pet at Dinah as she purred beside him. Though, as soon as I climbed into the passenger side, she climbed to the front seat lying on my lap comfortably where I could feel her fall back asleep.
Phillip gave them an easy wave, pulling from the street. This was the first time in four years I didn't have all of my brothers at my side when I went off to school. Victoria and Otis wanted to come but Victoria had been told to be on bed rest much to her dismay.
Declan kicked at my seat as I stared out the window, stealing my attention from the growing city around us.
"Oi! You think those friends of yours will be at the station today?" He questioned, unwrapping a cherry lolly.
"Depends on which friends you may be talking about," I twisted in my seat, "If it's about Lily, I can confirm right now she has no interest in you, dear Brother," I smirked.
He sneered, "Not her, the one with the blonde hair," He quickly argued.
"Marlene?" I snort, "She's not even on the same wavelength as you," I laughed at him, staring ahead again.
Phillip's hand gripped the wheel tighter, "Why have you interest in Delia's friends anyway? You can barely get a normal girl to show you any attention. Trying to take after Otis?" He teased.
Declan kicked his leg at Phillip's seat, "Fuck off, Mate! Not like you've got any room to talk, you prat." He retorted.
Phillip went back to ignoring Declan as he always did. I glanced at him, he focused so heavily on the road ahead. He drove as Dad used to, but had so many features of Mum's. I felt like Phillip and I was the only two to actually look like siblings. Muddy blonde hair, Mum's soft complexion, the only thing separating us was that I was the only one to get Dad's eyes.
Declan had sprouted auburn peach fuzz before he could talk, he was lucky it grew in darker as he got older or else he'd look like a clown. Otis looked quite similar to dad in his youth. I didn't blame him for growing out his beard, it helped hide his features, not to mention Mum's blue eyes lucked out on him as well. As he got older
"I'm going to make it clear a final time for you," I twisted around again, tired of Declan's sulking already, "None of my friends will be interested in you, magic or not, they're much smarter than you and have no reason to waste their time. So, please, I'm begging only once, leave them alone if you see them." I clearly spoke.
"You're an absolute buzzkill, baby sister," He stuck his tongue out at me childishly.
Our goodbyes went as they always did, they helped me load my cart up while I carried Dinah through Kings Cross. I passed the orange cat off to Declan, clutching to Phillip just outside the platform. It was going to be easier if I went alone, Otis and Victoria usually accompanied me on the other side but this was good, too, I tried to tell myself. I missed them here.
You've got this, it's just another school year. You can ignore those horrible Slytherin boys another year and just get through it, you've still got your friends there. I forced myself.
Declan passed off Dinah to Phillip as we pulled away, he gave me an awkward pat on my back pulling away quickly after. Declan and I had been so close in age it made some of our interactions harder, we bickered often and I often felt like he was jealous of me. But I tried pushing it away as I pulled my arms back down.
"Be good while you're there this yea, alright? Otis isn't gonna be around as often to hide the letters when McGonagall writes about your detentions with those questionable friends of yours," Phillip warned with a half smile.
I waved him off, "I've got no clue what detentions you're talking about, I'm an Outstanding student." I grinned knowingly.
"Yeah, and a royal pain in the arse," Declan quipped beside me, I jabbed him in the ribs hushing him, "Now I'll take Dinah," I tapped on the top of my trunk, telling Phillip where to put her.
Dinah had been my cat for the last three years. Otis found the orange tabby not far from our house during my first summer home from Hogwarts. She was far too young to be without her mother, so I insisted we take the poor thing in. I bottle-fed her and cuddled her keeping her warm at night as I nurtured her back to health. She became a quick part of the family after that, quickly growing on everyone. Though I was her favorite person, and she'd won me over with her unique personality. So she followed me to Hogwarts.
Phillip set her gently down on top of my trunk, she rested her head on her feet delicately, laying down while I got ready to go through to the platform. My brothers gave me each a brief kiss on the cheek and a snug hug squished between the pair of them. I closed my eyes for a brief second taking in this rare moment that I always held onto so dearly. Our goodbyes had become sacred.
"I love you," Phillip whispered quietly as he pulled back. It was only on the days I was sent off would he reminded me that he loved me, at least spoke that he loved me.
After losing dad so early, I began to mentally replay each I love you from my family after that, so I'd always the memory fresh in my head. I would have to forget what their voices sounded like when I needed it. But I'd never actually admit it out loud to anyone, that'd be foolish, too vulnerable. I had watched Mum depend on Phillip and Otis for the past the few years so much, and truthfully I hoped I would never find myself being that dependent on anyone.
"I love you, too." I mouthed back to Phillip as Declan fiddled at his denim jacket awkwardly.
I didn't expect him to say much, Declan gave me a simple nod while he waited for me to make my way through the platform. I got a good pace to my step quickly making my way through the platform. On the other side of being squeezed through brick, I was met with the bustling feet I'd grown used to at Platform 9 and 3/4.
I made my way to the train pushing my cart ahead of me. A pair of heads full of thick red hair rushed past me as the Prewett twins raced towards the train eagerly.
"Sorry, Deels," Gideon was apologetic as he kicked my cart slightly, Dinah meowed as he woke her up.
He slowed his feet, walking in pace with me.
"It's okay," I waved it off.
Gideon Prewett was the, in my opinion, the better half of the Prewett twins. He'd been surprisingly enough, made a prefect since last year for Gryffindor. I'd gotten familiar with him over the last year after he helped me catch Dinah after she'd escaped my room not even days into the first term. I'd be a liar if I hadn't found him fit, or denied the minor crush I'd been developing. Quidditch player, tall, muscular, handsome, funny, of course, I had a crush on him, sue me.
"Dinah might have other thoughts though," I glanced down at Dinah as she stared up at Gideon from the top of my cart.
While Gideon fell back, Fabian, continued onto the train.
He smiled down at the ginger cat on my cart as her bright yellow eyes squint at him, "And I am very sorry to you as well, Dinah," He scratched under her chin earning a quiet purr from her throat.
"You're lucky she likes you, Gid, "I smiled.
Gideon smiled between Dinah and me, "I've saved her life, of course, she likes me," He cooed at her, as she stretched her, digging into his fingers.
He made my stomach flutter up when he looked at me like that. I was two years younger than the Prewett twins, that didn't stop his flirtatious nature dripping in his voice as he talked to me. I thought I was imagining it the first time it happened after he had found Dinah. She had ended up in the prefect's bathroom dunked in the large tub.
"I found her in the Prefect bathroom, I don't know how she ended up there but she'll probably run a fever if we don't get her dried up." He had brought my poor orange cat back to me bundled in a deep maroon towel.
That night he had let me sleep by the fireplace in the common room while trying to keep Dinah warm. He had brought me a few extra blankets his older sister Molly had made and done what he could to help. The cat at that point had a long two years at that point. But it was clear she'd grown attached to him for his heroic moment. After that if she did manage to escape my dorm, she had usually made it only as far as the common room, snoozing beside Gideon as he talked with his brother and the other boys in our house.
"She shows her appreciation in a very unique way," I replied awkwardly. Godric, he made me nervous.
This moment was quickly interrupted by the familiar laughter ringing behind me followed by the different variations of names I'd been called that had become just as familiar.
"Delia!" I heard James call out first.
I turned to watching him and Sirius running jogging towards us. Their feet hit the pavement loudly behind me as he began to run to catch up.
"Oh, our darling Cordelia!" Sirius sang out, tugging me away from my cart as he came to a rough stop beside me.
He forced my feet along with his lazily dancing at the station, "You've gotten taller," He teased.
"Watch it!" I slapped his hands away, pulling out of his arms.
James's laugh echoed off the station walls, and the train started up behind us. Sirius laughed returning to his cart beside where James had parked beside us. Gideon stood by awkwardly watching us.
With a clearing of his throat, "I guess I will see you later, Deels," He gave me an easy nod before climbing on the train to join Fabian.
I watched as he got on, clutching my hands against the handle of my cart. I waited until I couldn't see him anymore before stepping on the feet of Sirius and James for crashing the moment.
"You idiots!" I scolded, "You always have to come snooping around when Gideon and I are trying to have adult conversations,"
"Adult conversations?" Sirius mocked through his pain, "You mean conversations about that lousy cat of yours?" He quickly teased.
I gasped, covering the feline's ears, "She's not lousy," I argued. Dinah squints her eyes at Sirius as though she heard him clearly, "It's not my fault she doesn't like you,"
Sirius said I'd brought so many good Muggle things to school with me but apparently Dinah had not been one of them. He said she must've hated him, though he never said what made him believe that to begin with, she typically liked most people.
"She can be kind of picky, because she doesn't really like Peter either." James pointed out.
I huffed, stomping on their feet again, "Well maybe Gideon is just more her kind of person," I insisted.
James bent down wincing as he clutched his foot, "Gideon is lousy," he groaned quietly, "And you're mean."
"Consider it a favor from your two of your best friends that we got you out of that conversation before it got you in some kind of trouble," Sirius grumbled.
"I don't need you two doing me any favors. I'm quite capable on my own," I reminded pushing my cart towards the train again, "And the girls are far more likely my best friends than you two fools," I laughed.
"You love us!" Sirius smacked a wet kiss to my cheek with a wicked grin. I shoved him off towards his own cart.
James and Sirius had a habit of overstepping the few boundaries I had around my personal life. They'd been like my temporary brothers while I was here, they were the first to congratulate me after making Gryffindor. The pair along with Peter and Remus were a year ahead of me. The four kept eyes on me all the time, and always popped up when it was inconvenient for me like there was some map leading to me. It was growing to be annoying but I still hadn't figured out how they kept finding me all the time.
Unlike my brothers, who are generally more mild-tempered in public, that was aside from Declan. These four had much bigger mouths that got us in more trouble than any of my actual brothers would ever find ourselves in. I liked having them around though, felt nice to have people around who saw me for how I really was. I wasn't some delicate flower to them, I was just Delia. I could hold my own against them just as well as anyone else.
But James and Sirius still got a bit overly protective when it came to guys.
The two caught up behind me with their own carts in tow, "What classes are you taking this year?" James asked catching up to my side.
"I've got divination again, all the core classes, transfigurations, potions, of course, nothing too special I guess," I shrugged, "What about you?"
"Same old boring classes as last term, I guess. I'm looking forward to quidditch though," Sirius chirped, "You still going to be competing for the number one spot in Slughorn's class?" He asked me.
I sighed, "I haven't decided, I still think your fucking brother's got it rigged because he knows the man has a bias for snakes," I hissed, "He's a git, both of them are actually, Slughorn and Regulus..." His name felt gross on my lips.
I curled up nose at the thought of being stuck sitting beside him, in the second seat to Slughorn. It was his screwed up way of displaying his favorites. For the last three years, I've been stuck painfully just behind Sirius's younger brother, Regulus. By definition he was the perfect Slytherin student, and I hated him for it. Not to mention, his friends were the most unbearable parts of Hogwarts. Sirius seemed to be the only kind person from the entire family.
Sirius chuckled, "I forget it's a sore subject,"
"Don't even get me started," I groaned, "What about you, Prong?" I asked, as James hadn't said much in a while.
James remained silent as he caught sight of Lily joining at the sides of Dorcas and Marlene. The three girls were a year ahead much like the boys had been. James watched Lily in awe as she flipped her auburn hair over her shoulder and laughed beside the girls.
"Calling to James, are you in there?" I waved my hand past his eyes. James stared off in his own world at Lily, he was sick with puppy love.
Sirius gave me a knowing look, shaking his head as James pushed ahead. Sirius and I stopped at the side of the train, he tried catching up with James's
Lily squeezed past us, walking beside Dorcas and Marlene. She tugged at her heavy trunk trying to lug it up onto the train herself. She had a habit of overpacking. James sputtered to a stop with his cart beside Lily's cart.
"Here, I'll help you," James insisted, struggling a bit with the awkward trunk himself.
Lily bit back a smile as she watched James attempt to shove her heavy trunk into the compartment. I couldn't lie it was highly amusing to watch. The past couple of years, one Lily Evans, turned James, a wannabe heartbreaker, into a mumbling puppy dog following at her feet with just one smile. What made it amusing was the fact she'd politely rejected him countless times and he continued to try.
"She'll crack eventually, I can see it." James sighed.
"And what is that you see, Jamie?" I arched a brow, insisting he continues.
"I'm at the altar. You and Sirius walking down the aisle as Made of Honor and Best Man. Remus and Dorcas, because their heights together make more sense together, and then Peter and Marlene next. Mary would be our perfect flower girl! Lily in a white gown..." He began trailing on in a dreamy gaze.
James would've molded the world for the girl if she asked, it was incredibly endearing, but also a bit pathetic. I knew of course that Lily liked James, but his pompous attitude could get the better of him sometimes, and she said she wouldn't encourage poor behavior. She was close with a Slytherin boy from their year named Severus and had fallen victim to a prank or two of the boys'. He had oil black hair, strong features, and held himself to a similar standard as the other Slytherin pricks in the school. I never understood why she chose to befriend him but I guess he must've been redeemable to some degree. Lily's soft spot for him had stopped her from accepting James's proposals as well.
"Hey, Delia!" Marlene waved, loading her own trunk onto the train, "See you've found the boys already," She smiled.
"They found me talking to Gid," I sighed.
"I'm assuming it did not end well?" She asked with a grin.
In one arm I held Dinah, using the other hand to drag my trunk off the front of my cart. Marlene helped on the other side lifting it up.
"He ran away as soon as they showed up," I sighed.
Marlene opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted before she got a chance.
"Ugh, can't even get on the train without an entire brigade with her," I twisted my gaze up to see Evan Rosier, one of the pure-blood Slytherin boys who found great amusement in bothering me, walking towards us with a smirk.
"She's got that mangy thing with her again, too." Barty Crouch Jr., another goon that annoyed to no end, joined in behind him with a laugh.
I rolled my eyes, clutching to the purring cat in my arms. Dinah swiped at Barty with thin slit eyes glaring back at him with a warning snarling sound.
"Oh sorry, I didn't even see the cat there," He smirked at Dinah before looking up at Marlene, "I guess McKinnon big head was in the way,"
Marlene gave him a pointed wand, ready to grab her wand, "I'll just have to-"
"Mar, he's not worth it, let's just get on the train before we're stuck sitting with Peter and the other two idiots," I stopped her from doing something she'd regret.
"I'll catch you around later, Barnes," Evan winked inching closer, like he was making a threat.
I gave him the finger, rolling my eyes. Dinah squinting her yellow eyes at them, a warning sound ringing from her throat. She definitely didn't like those two, that was for sure.
Barty and Evan snickered to themselves, climbing onto the train, leaving Marlene and me to finish unloading my cart. James had already followed Lily and Dorcas on the train leaving Marlene and me behind. I followed Marlene as she searched for where Dorcas and Lily had settled.
When we found her Mary had already settled herself into a seat. She excitedly tapped at the seat beside her calling Dinah over. She loved the scrappy orange cat the most of my friends. Mary thought the cut in her ear was charming and that her snaggletooth was like a constant smile. Hence why Dinah had become accustomed to her.
"I've missed you kitty," She cooed as soon as I set Dinah down in the compartment she jumped into Mary's lap.
Mary and I had been the youngest of our friends, we were dorm mates. Dinah either spends her nights sleeping at the head of my bed curled beside my pillow or on Mary's bed, curled at her feet.
"Unbelievable, my own cat and she's picking someone else," I shook my head taking a seat beside her, "Where's Lily, she got on before us?" I noticed none of her things were in the compartment with us.
"She's made prefect this year," Marlene replied, "We've lost her to the dark side, I'm devastated," She added with a dramatic sigh.
It wasn't long before the train was pulling from the station. As I listened to Dorcas and Marlene stress about O.W.L.s this year along with shit Dorcas and I were likely going to face. If my brothers had known the threats I had received over the last few years, they'd probably find a way to apparate here themselves and try to fight off the bullies for me or completely pull me from school. All threats based on an outdated ideal of blood purism, it was disgusting what we had to hear.
I didn't need my brothers' help, they had things more important to deal with than my school bullies. Otis was starting his own family with Victoria which he should be. Phillip had been helping take care of Mum so Declan and I could finish school without worrying about her health declining more than it already had. We'd been lucky that she had at the very least begin to venture farther than her room more often. The chocolates in my pocket were the only reminder of that. And Declan had brought enough of his own trouble home, I didn't need to bring anymore home.
The recent years, Mum began to slip a bit more since Dad's passing, but she was just now beginning to try. I didn't have many conversations with her, she said I had his eyes and it hurt her too much to talk to me sometimes because I was so much like him. I learned that it was just better to keep my distance now. She would talk to me when she'd been ready. Though some days had been better than others.
She hadn't made much effort to learn much about magic when we had told her, though, not like my brothers had. They were just as intrigued with magic things as the boys had here had become with Muggle things.
Between Remus and I had supplied James and Sirius with countless Muggle items in exchange for things my brothers had wanted to give away. Declan was the most interested in the exchanges. He had grown to love hearing about Hogwarts and the rest of my friends there the most of my other brothers. I still remember when we had first gone to Diagon Alley.
My wand was weighing in my pocket along with the memory. As my fingers grazed over the thick twists in the wood, cedar, a dragon heartstring core, embellished with intricate grooves at the end a small amethyst crystal. It was unique and I'd never seen a wand like it before.
August 1972
"Let me see it!" Declan pouted from beside Otis as Phillip and I left Ollivander's.
I had been holding onto it so delicately, the concern of breaking it was rippling through me. I didn't have much of an idea of what the man had described about my wand, I'd just been so excited I had been in such awe.
I had my first wand, it was the first item we ticked from my list. Based on Professor McGonagall's suggestion, she thought my brothers would be the best people to come with me. Mum had barely made it down the stairs and into the kitchen to take her medication before she struggled with the bottle, calling out for Otis to help her. It wasn't Mum's fault she was grieving, but it was embarrassing to have a strong-faced woman like Professor McGonagall catching sight of how my life had become the past few weeks since his passing.
Otis took the lead in organizing a plan with Professor McGonagall on how we'd be able to get my supplies for school. I was the only witch from our family that any of us knew of, I was the one lucky egg, Philip had teased.
I swiped my hand away grasping the delicate wand in my hand, "No! It's mine and I'm not supposed to just let you play with it," I argued.
"Liar!" Declan retorted, "You just don't want to show me because you think you're better than me,"
"Oh shut up." Phillip scolded, swatting the back of Declan's head, hushing him.
Declan's head dropped and he watched his feet the entirety of our trip around Diagon Alley. He kept quiet the rest of the time, Philip insisted on carrying my supplies as Otis tried to figure out how the currency worked so we could pay for my things.
Otis offered to buy ice cream for us before we left. But as he struggled with the currency he cursed under his breath standing at the ice cream counter the girl standing behind the counter giggled, reaching her hand over the counter to stop his fumbling fingers, "I've got this one covered," She insisted with a polite smile, forcing Otis's hand closed.
"The larger ones are sickles by the way," She smiled, after jotting the total on a piece of paper slipping into the register.
"Oh right," He mumbled back, "Thank you,"
"Maybe you could pay me back with dinner sometime," The girl asked confidently, closing the till.
Otis smiled, biting at the inside of his cheek, was he fighting a blush right now? I hadn't ever seen him look at a girl like this before. Not that he hadn't had girlfriends but none had ever been this forward.
"I'd like to it's just... my sisters, she's the witch, I'm just boring." He replied shyly.
"Well, Boring, I'm just Victoria, but I'd still like to go to dinner with you, maybe I can teach you more about sickles," She offered.
Otis forced a nod, "That'd be wonderful," His cheeks quickly tinged pink, "You know I'm not, ya know, a wizard or anything..." Otis added embarrassed as Declan and I watched with our ice cream in hand.
Victoria's laugh was light, and swept over you like flower petals, "I can tell, and I don't mind. I'm a Muggleborn myself," she leaned closer with a whisper, "Not the easiest thing to come by nowadays," she shrugged.
"Maybe I'll take them outside to eat their ice cream while you two finish up your little conversation," Philip insisted, doing his best to grab at Declan's collar, his hand on my shoulder and shoved the pair of us out the door.
"His name is Otis by the way!" Phillip called out behind him as the door came to a close.
"You get to be a witch and now he's going to probably marry one, it's unfair how boring I am," Declan groaned with a pout again.
"We don't know that he'll marry her. I promise I'll show you all my things later, but I haven't even got the chance to really look at it all for myself," I attempted as we stood behind Declan outside the ice cream shop, each clutching a single mint chip cone, "I don't want you to feel left out," I added.
Declan gave me a toothy grin, "Maybe we can make a deal, so you don't miss out on the regular side of things I can give you all the information on our friends from primary and you tell me the fun things about your school?"
I hesitated for a moment, I wasn't sure what I could tell him but I knew I'd miss some of my old friends, even if they were closer to Declan.
I nodded, "Deal," I shook his hand, noticing my other hand getting sticky from my melting ice cream.
"Oh rats," I mumbled. Phillip sighed setting my stuff for a second, helping me wipe the ice cream from my hands, just as Otis slipped from the ice cream shop with a wide grin of his own.
"I've got a date this Friday, all thanks to you baby sister," Otis grinned, kissing my cheek thankfully, "Now let's get you home, so we can try to figure how any of this is meant to work," He helped grab my things from where Phillip had set them.
It was hard to believe this was going to be life now. I'd never be the same girl my own dad knew, that was kind of odd. To think he's never going to know this side of me. It was a little heartbreaking but I couldn't let it do the same it was beginning to do to Mum.
A/N:1st Chapter of the new story! Wanna also say that italics are kinda like Delia's like inner monologues to like herself/ flashbacks if that makes sense. This story will be mainly 1st person Delia's POV, unless stated otherwise. Anyways I hope you liked it, please comment, and give it a like/star/whatever your little heart wants, and thank you again for reading! See you in the next one!