Chapter 3: Cornered

"Wake up! Wake. UP!" cried an unfamiliar voice.

Delilah's bed was shaking while she struggled to open her eyes. She was finally able to make out an image of a student her age with fiery red hair shaking her bed.

"Sorry for the rude awakening, although at the same time I'm not. I wanted to use dung bombs but Rowan made me promise not to." The red head had deep brown eyes, straight, shoulder length hair, and a large necklace featuring a golden dung bomb. A brown toad sat on her left shoulder. "Tulip Karasu. Also, this is Dennis," she stated pointing to the toad.

"D-Delilah. Delilah Tytonidae. " Delilah wriggled out of her blankets and sat up. "Where's Rowan?"

"She said she had early studying to do, and that she'd meet you in the Great Hall for breakfast. Wanted me to make sure you woke up." She grinned at her toad. "Poor Delilah Tytonidae would be so lost without us, ay Dennis?" She stroked the toad's bumpy skin.

"Um, thank you. But, study for what? We haven't even had our first lesson."

"O. W. Ls of course. Rowan has been studying for them since her first year here. She honestly makes the rest of us Ravenclaws looks psycho. Life isn't about studying in my opinion. It's about fun, and knowing how to make it fun." Tulip's eyes wandered from Delilah to the door. "Anyway, I did my job. I have to meet Tonks. We have important mischief to discuss this year, especially with O. W. Ls coming up. It's gonna be big!" She scurried out of the room.

Delilah got out of bed in a daze about what just happened. Hogwarts students were... different to say the least. She went up the solid stone steps to find one person left in the Common Room. Her heart began to thud noticeably in her chest. Talbott was in one of the midnight blue sofas writing away.

She knew she had to take the opportunity. As causally as she could, she inched over and sat down hoping he wouldn't notice much. Apparently, he didn't even hear her because he jumped, making his quill leap from his hand.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry Talbott!" Delilah quickly got up to grab his quill off the carpet. As she handed it back to him, she realized he was staring up and down at her. Was he... checking her out?

"Deli?"

She flinched again. "Y-yes?"

"What are you wearing?"

"Oh no..." She was still in her silky teal nightgown with lace edges on and around her chest. She forgot to change into her school robes. She ran back downstairs without a second thought, face burning with embarrassment.

As much as she wanted to wait to come back up, she knew that time was her enemy. If she waited, she'd be very hungry during her first class. She hesitated a moment more before creeping back up the stairs. Unfortunately for her, Talbott actually waited for her to come back.

"I-"

"I'm not going to tell anyone. " Talbott cut her off. "Normally, I would have left the room. I heavily dislike company. I dislike all people really. But, I didn't want you assuming I would try to embarrass you." He paused, examining her again. "It was a very pretty gown."

He didn't give Delilah a chance to respond before exiting the common room. Here she was, in complete solitude. For the first time in her life, she didn't like it. He called it pretty... She daydreamed a second longer before leaving for breakfast.

Delilah scanned the Ravenclaw table before sitting down next to Rowan. There was no sign of Talbott.

"Good morning, Delilah! How'd you sleep? I hope Tulip kept her promise about the dung bomb thing." She scarfed down some syrupy pancakes.

"She did. Although I must be honest that shaking the bed isn't much better..." She grabbed some skim milk and a couple of fried eggs.

"Sorry about that. Tulip will be Tulip," she sighed. "I promise I'll be the one to wake you next time. I could use a study partner anyway. "

Delilah barely nodded in agreement. She was too hungry to think about studying.

After an uneventful breakfast, the girls went off to Charms.

"Good morning, class! I hope you enjoyed your summer. As you all might have noticed, we have a new transfer student here with us today." Everyone turned as Professor Flitwick, who was standing on a stack of at least ten hefty books, was staring directly at Delilah. "Ilvermorny I heard?"

"Yes, that's correct. Delilah Tytonidae from Ilvermorny," she replied shyly.

"Horned Serpent?"

"Thunderbird. "

"Ah, well that would have been my second guess! My dear, would you mind demonstrating your favorite charm? I'm sure the class is curious on what charms other schools teach. We may even make that today's lesson." He gave her a small wink.

"Oh, um, alright..." She very much disliked being put on the spot, but she knew there was no avoiding it. With a flick of her fir wand, she exclaimed, "Expecto Patronum!" A glowing, wispy eagle came soaring out of the tip of her wand. It glided above and between students. They were frozen in awe.

"Well done, well DONE Miss Tytonidae!" Flitwick leaped in excitement, almost toppling off his book stack. "As impressive as that was, we will not be learning it today only because it was too impressive. That is a very advanced spell. Thankfully, it won't be on your O. W. Ls. However, round of applause for Miss Tytonidae and that demonstration!"

The class applauded. After the clapping ended, Flitwick carried on with his normal lesson. Delilah, however, was puzzled. Why an eagle? Her patronus had always been a barn owl like herself. What changed?

None of the other professors made a fuss about Delilah to her benefit. They were just typical lessons. Every professor did make note about how fierce their O. W. Ls would be. This made Delilah nervous to an extent, but at least they weren't til the end of the year.

Soon it was lunch time. No sign of Talbott. Then more classes. Then dinner. Still, no Talbott. Damn, does he eat? Delilah and Rowan finished their dinner quite quickly and headed back to their common room to work on homework. The professors definitely didn't skimp out when it came to that. On their way, Penny purposely bumped into them.

"Oh heeeey! How was your first day, Lilah?" She faked a huge smile.

"Oh, it went well enough. Well, Flitwick made me demonstrate in front of the class, but everything else was pretty standard. Hey, have you seen Talbott? He wasn't at breakfast, lunch, or dinner."

"Teehee. Talbott doesn't eat with everyone else, silly. He eats in the owlry," she giggled.

"Um, why?" Delilah wanted to say "Ew, why?" but she figured she'd be insulting herself and her entire family line.

"He likes his privacy. I don't know. I prefer to eat with lots of people. Maybe he snorts when he eats or something."

Rowan let out a laugh. Penny then started chuckling, which in turn, made Delilah giggle.

"Anyway, how's your sister?" Delilah asked.

This was the wrong question. Penny immediately stopped laughing and started bawling.

"She HATES me, Lilah! She would prefer to hang out with that prefect of yours. I guess she also believes in cursed vaults. Her whole gang is brainwashed," she sobbed.

"Who is our prefect anyway?" Delilah questioned.

"That oddball Ravenclaw girl, Matilda Collins, " Penny replied with a hiccup. "Everyone calls her M.C. though. She hangs out with Ismelda Murk too. Slytherin."

"Oh that girl..." Rowan put her thumb and pointer finger to her chin in thinking pose. "She is always wearing those bizarre muggle outfits and changing her bedsheets every hour to a different pattern. Last year she had a witch hat with a bewitched humming bird flying around it. Total Ravenclaw, but a little extreme in my humble opinion."

"Remember that pink ombre hair? She was more vibrant than Tonks. Haha. Sometimes I feel like her hair randomly changes color depending on the room she's in." Penny was feeling better. "Sorry Lilah, I won't keep you. I appreciate the chat." She skipped away.

Rowan and Delilah giggled one last time before entering their common room. Now that Delilah was aware of her, they saw their prefect wearing the most complex pajama pants. It had stripes, diamonds, and polka dots. They were yellow, green, and pink. On her head was a giant raven hat as if it was their House mascot. Her raincoat had actual bewitched rain in the fabric. Around her neck was a purple and orange scarf. How did she become a prefect and not Rowan?

The girls snuck past her and headed for their dormitory. There was no way they were going to be able to do homework without busting a lung. Work they did, and it was finally time for rest. Then, it hit her... The owlry. He eats in the owlry. I know his schedule. I can corner him.

The next morning was much more pleasant. Delilah woke herself rather than Tulip. She was up even before Rowan. She ran into the common room but still at least bumped into Tulip. Why was she up so early all the time?

"Hello, Delilah Tytonidae. I see you learned your lesson." Dennis was relaxing in her left hand.

"Lesson?"

"That I will wake you up in a miserable way if you don't do it yourself," she smirked. Dennis croaked.

"Ah. That. Well, I can handle myself thanks. I have some things to do, so please excuse me." She tried to escape Tulip but Tulip shifted in front of her.

"Like what?" Her brown eyes focused on her.

"Look, I have someone I have to go... corner. Now move before I make you." This shocked Delilah despite her being the one saying it. She just really wanted to get to Talbott before breakfast ended and before Rowan woke up looking for her.

"Wow, you're just like her." Tulip sighed.

"Like who?"

"Oh... Well, her name was Merula Snyde. She used to go here."

"Well, why doesn't she anymore?" Delilah spoke quickly.

"W-We don't talk about that..." Tears started to form in her eyes.

"I'm sorry..." Delilah finally stopped trying to get through. Her emeralds meeting Tulip's browns.

"It's okay. I shouldn't dwell. Anyway, Dennis and I have frog choir practice. I'll catch ya later Delilah Tytonidae." She was off.

Delilah was relieved at the freedom and exited herself. She had an idea of where the owlry was. She was carrying a fake letter just in case any of the teachers questioned her destination.

The only teacher that passed her was Professor Snape whom completely ignored her existence. She couldn't complain. After cutting through the grounds, she finally reached the giant tower in Talbott's school photo. Up the dirty steps she went. It was covered in feathers, bones, and droppings. What am I doing? I'm registered. In the blink of an eye she morphed into the most beautiful barn owl. Her brown and white feathers looked glossy in the morning sunlight. Up she flew, until she reached the level he was on.

There he was, as expected. He was sitting on a ledge, eating his breakfast of sausage and waffles. Once or twice he fed one of the owls next to him a sausage. It was a little pygmy owl.

Delilah flew in front of him and landed.

"Hey there little guy, you hungry too?" He tried to give a sausage to her before she transformed right in front of him, wand out. He dropped the sausage in shock.

"Deli?"

"Don't move," she replied fiercely.