Chapter 9: Fire
Rowan was out of breath by the time she reached the steps of the owlery. Above her, in the feathery air, she could hear voices echoing. The sentences that bounced off the dirty walls weren't clear, but there was definitely at least one male and one female.
She proceeded up the stairs, careful not to step on owl waste. The owls that rested in their chambers paid her no mind. Rowan was glad, since she didn't know how to communicate with owls anyway. Her mission was to reach the top of the tower without distraction.
The second topmost floor contained three students, two against one. Ben and Delilah had their wands out and pointed at Talbott. He was cornered against a wall.
"Seems we have a visitor," Ben growled. His dueling stance remained the same, one foot in front of the other and his wand hand closer to his opponent.
"What on earth are you guys doing?!" Rowan was shaking. She couldn't make up her mind whether or not to draw out her own wand. She wasn't so confident in dueling. She definitely couldn't duel her friend.
"This is none of your business, Rowan." Delilah piped up. "Leave us." She never turned nor looked at Rowan. Her focus was on Talbott. Her aggressive stance was identical to Ben's.
"She's right, " said Talbott drawing his own wand. His robe was flickering in the wind as he was closest to the openings for the owls to fly through. "Rowan, you shouldn't be here. This is not your fight."
"Fight?! I can't let my friends fight! I'm-I'm going to tell Dumbledore what you're doing-"
"Friends? Ha!" Ben interrupted. "You wouldn't dare go to old Dumbledore." He lowered his guard momentarily, coming close to Delilah, aiming his wand at Delilah's temple. Delilah accepted this. Her face was paper white, but not out of fear. Her wand never stopped pointing at Talbott. Her mind only allowed her to have one goal, and that didn't include stopping Ben from threatening her.
"N-No. You can't do this to her! Delilah, fight Ben, not Talbott. What's wrong with you?!" Rowan cried.
"I'll give you to the count of three to leave us," replied Ben angrily. "One, two-"
"Expelliarmus!" Rowan shouted. Ben's wand shot into the air. On its way down it was caught by Delilah, who returned it to its owner. A couple of owls flew away from the tense scene.
"How DARE you!" Ben barked. "Delilah, you take care of Winger. I'm taking care of Rowan."
Without a second thought, Rowan bustled down the stone steps. Ben scarpered and was on her tail. Delilah and Talbott were left alone in the owlery once again.
"Why is it that I cannot go a day without you attacking me?" Talbott said dryly.
Delilah was silent, then hastily struck.
"Crucio!" she hissed. An electrifying sensation filled the air and reached her enemy.
Talbott screeched in pain and hit the floor. His wand rolled away and stopped in front of a mouse bone.
Delilah tittered before she too, hit the floor with her knees without warning.
Breathless, Talbott rose knowing his life could depend on it. He picked up his wand and aimed.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
"T-Talbott what?" Delilah couldn't get up fully before a flash of purple light engulfed her. Her body froze like a plank and landed, back to the ground, eyes to the ceiling. Her hair was a tangled mess sprawled out. She couldn't move or speak. The cool air licked her cheeks as she lay helpless.
"Looks like Ben called off his Imperius Curse. Either way, I can't let you get away. Not again. This has been going on for way too long, Deli. This is a risk I'm willing to take, and I'm not sorry."
He thought he saw a tear trickle down the side of Delilah's face. Nonetheless, he pointed his wand at the ground.
"Incendio!"
The feathery coated ground lit up sunset orange. Owls screeched and escaped their doom. Dancing flames became Delilah's only visual. She heard the flapping of a pair of wings, different from an owl's based on the sound. Talbott is flying away. Her head couldn't turn to witness the type of bird he became before he was gone.
This is it. I've failed everyone. Mother, Father... This is the end. I lost. And somehow... Somehow I'm happy enough for it to end this way. That it was Talbott outsmarting me rather than Ben attacking me that caused my direct death. That it wasn't Father ordering the Ministry against me, or him himself killing me. It was Talbott, saving his own life. I deserve this.
The blistering heat became unbearable. It was as if she was surrounded by hot metal. Black smoke hugged her lungs, but the curse prevented her from coughing it out. Delilah wished the end would speed up. Cooking gradually was torture.
Delilah's world slowly started turning black when a familiar voice rung in her ears. She was so dizzy that she couldn't figure out why it was familiar.
"Aguamenti!"
A powerful jet of water fought the flames. Delilah could only see what was directly above her.
With a jolt, Delilah felt her body become mobile. Whomever accompanied her silently used Finite Incantatem, the general counter spell. Despite being mobile again, her body ached too much to move. Her breathing was heavy from the smoke.
Her world was fading out again when she was hoisted onto someone's arms. There was no longer a glow from the flames. The smoke made the area quite dark. Whomever held her had long dark hair that occasionally hit her face. Delilah felt the bounce of traveling downstairs.
The brightness of the sun shocked her. Delilah's eyes were sore. She heard hasty words from Professor McGonagall. The voice that was replying back was the voice of the one carrying her.
"It's Tytonidae," replied Professor Snape.
Delilah's heart sunk before she passed out from exhaustion.
When Delilah opened her eyes, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey were standing over her bed in the hospital wing conversing softly. The lights above were dim and colorless. Her surroundings smelled rancid. Delilah grimaced when she realized the smell came from her singed hair. She tried to sit herself up but was promptly laid back down by Madam Pomfrey.
"No, no, dear. You are incredibly injured," she spoke up.
"What happened?" snapped Professor Snape.
"Severus, I understand we have many questions for Miss Tytonidae, but right now she's too injured to be harped on." Professor McGonagall looked as though she were watching a dying puppy. Delilah has never felt such concern come from her.
"Nonsense. She was clearly up to something and it backfired. Many of our owls are being tended to by Kettleburn because they too suffered the consequences of Miss Tytonidae's actions. She just had detention this morning from fighting her classmate last night."
His words cut deep. Delilah cared for owls more than any other creature, being one herself.
"Nonetheless, she is injured. She will speak to Professor Dumbledore after she speaks to her father," stated Professor McGonagall. She raised her head a little higher with authority.
"My-My father?" Delilah mind went off like a firework.
"Yes, your father. In fact, I'll go fetch him. Severus, Poppy." Professor McGonagall motioned to leave, nodding her head towards the other two to do the same. Professor Snape's scowl never lessened. His dark cloak in the gloomy lighting turned him into the grim reaper as he walked. Madam Pomfrey looked troubled as her eyes scanned Delilah one more time. The three cleared out of her makeshift room, only separated from other beds by a measly privacy screen.
Delilah didn't even have time to form a sentence of explanation in her head before Aibek presented himself. His chestnut robes whipped behind him as he turned into her room sharply. Aibek's eyebrows scrunched at the sight of his bedridden daughter.
"Deli," he scoffed. He clenched his fists at his sides. His temple pulsed with rage.
She sat up. "F-father. I didn't know you'd be here-"
"I arranged with Dumbledore to meet with you after the ball. Didn't want to wait for a letter. It just so happens you also got yourself detention and also almost got yourself killed. Let me guess, your target got away again? I don't see him here in a bed."
"Father, quiet down. I don't want-"
"YOU quiet down. Don't you think I know how to cast proper charms?" His hands jittered in the air.
"Oh, I didn't see your wand to cast the muffliato charm." Her head bowed low.
"It's no wonder you haven't been successful. You're too oblivious. Now you've gone and torched your hair."
Delilah's eyes filled with salty tears of bitter defeat. She knew better than to speak up again.
"I'm guessing you haven't figured out his animagus form yet?" His dark eyed gaze felt like spiders crawling on her injured skin.
Delilah barely nodded. Her body shuddered.
"Mark my words, Deli. You have one final chance. This is it. One more screw up and this fire incident will look like a picnic at Niagara Falls compared to what will happen to you next." Aibek pointed at his watch. "You have 24 hours to find out his Animagus form. It is 6pm now. Owls clearly take time to deliver the post so you better figure it out with haste. And find a fast flyer. I am not waiting anymore. Once you know his form, we will go from there."
Delilah was about to speak when Dumbledore dawdled in.
"I didn't hear any voices and was worried. Either you're very quiet or you have cast quite the muffliato charm, Mr. Tytonidae." He smiled, his half moon spectacles beaming under the white light. His silky sky blue garments draped him and trailed on the tile floor behind.
"Sir," Aibek abruptly spoke. He straightened up and smiled. "My daughter, she didn't mean to set fire to that owlery."
"Oh? So is that what happened." Dumbledore became more serious. He eyed both Delilah and Aibek curiously.
"Please, Professor," Delilah began before her father could object. She knew her only chance of speaking up was with Dumbledore still in the room. "S-Something is wrong with my wand. It suddenly started casting spells without my doing. My father and I were just discussing how we are going to get it looked at. It was just a tragic ordeal due to malfunction."
"Ah, I see." Dumbledore slowly paced back and forth. "Quite the story. I have never heard of a wand reacting so violently without being broken first. We will have to have Mr. Ollivander take a look at it at once."
"Wands are peculiar things, Sir." Aibek added. "I have a wandmaker that serves our family specifically. Very close to us. I'll have him look at it. For now, Deli can borrow mine. We'll trade, you see. Once he has taken a look, we'll go from there. I will visit here again to get my own wand back before too long." Aibek lied. He kept his nose in the air.
"Very well. However, due to this incident, your daughter will have to be closely watched. The other professors are all aware of the fire that transpired today. Any other unusual occurrences will be faced with dire consequences." Dumbledore turned to Delilah. "I am very sorry you have suffered these injuries. Madam Pomfrey will get you well again. In the meantime, you're allowed one more visit. Aibek, Miss Delilah will need her rest soon. It is time to bid her farewell."
"Very well." Aibek turned to awkwardly hug Delilah. Delilah winced both at the pain and emotional discomfort of being held by her father. "I'll be in contact with you tomorrow about the wand," he said as he let go. He swapped his wand with hers which was on the table next to her bed. Her wand was made of hazel with a unicorn core. The end of the handle curved into a heart. Aibek was disgusted trading his dragon heartstring cored blackthorn in return. He left without another word.
"Miss Delilah," Dumbledore began. Delilah looked up at him. "I mean what I said. Please be careful. You are a fine student. You've been in entirely too much trouble this weekend. We are all tired from it." Dumbledore sighed. "Whatever it is that's going on, please confide in me or the other professors. We are here to help you." Dumbledore did look quite tired. "And do try to get some studying done for your O. W. Ls. It is difficult to study when you're in detention."
"Of course, Professor. Thank you." Delilah forced a smile.
"As promised, you may have one more visit. This visit is by not one, but two. You may come in, " he called out.
Without haste, Rowan and Penny entered practically crashing into Delilah's bed. They scrambled to hug Delilah.
"Now, now, remember your friend is wounded. Do not be long, it will be curfew soon." He winked and glided off, flicking his wand in the air to remove the muffliato charm on his way out.
"Lilah, oh my gosh! So much has happened in such a short amount of time. Your father is really tall by the way. He didn't talk like, at all. Oh, your poor beautiful curls!" Penny grabbed a chunk of Delilah's burnt hair and inspected it miserably. "Was it Ben? I knew you belonged with Talbott after all. You poor thing," Penny said dramatically. "Rowan told me how much of a twat Ben has been lately." Penny and Rowan straightened up.
"An absolute twat," Rowan piped up. He chased me until I got to the castle, flinging spells at me. Only it was Professor Snape that caught us. For whatever reason he let him off before proceeding to the owlery. The smoke could be seen for miles, Delilah. Professor McGonagall headed towards it the moment it started. She looked frantic to be honest. The woman is hot-tempered."
"I'm so sorry, Rowan. I'm not sure what has gotten into me. I think Ben has been manipulating me. I'm just not sure of anything right now."
"Well, be sure to avoid Ben, that's what you can do." Rowan crossed her arms.
I need to know why he has been manipulating me like this. Something is off.
"I need to figure out how to make veritaserum," Delilah said bluntly. "Do either of you know someone that would know how to make it?"
Penny abruptly started crying. She buried her face into her hands.
"Delilah, you know Penny is the potions queen, right?" Rowan shuffled away from Penny.
"Penny, I'm so sorry. You know I've had a long weekend. " Delilah was legitimately sorry.
Penny sniffled. "Fine. I only believe you because you're so hurt and helpless right now. Yeah, I'll help you only if we are using it on Ben."
I won't be able to tell them what Ben says, if I can even get him to take it. I will have to lie like usual. "It's a deal."
"Alright, party's over", declared Madam Pomfrey. She was carrying in a tray of various glittering bottles. "Delilah has much to take, and needs her rest."
The friends all smiled at each other before separating. It was the first time Delilah got to smile in a long time, despite her father's recent threats. She still had friends, people that cared about her. Delilah felt a sudden urge to keep pushing through the obstacles.