A/N: We're back! Sorry for the long Delay. Thank you for all the support, we are at 997 views, 3 away from 1,000!

James Potter was on his usual duty, going through the checks and balances, when a familiar figure entered his peripheral vision. Turning to see, his heart skipped a beat. It was his father, Harry Potter, standing tall and solemn, his signature glasses catching the dim light of Azkaban.

James walked over, trying to contain his surprise, "Dad? What brings you here?"

"I need to speak with Delphi," Harry replied, his voice carrying an undertone of seriousness that instantly alerted James.

The words hung heavy in the air. James looked at his father, his mind racing with questions. Was this about the recent Ministry break-in? Was Delphi involved? Or was his father simply doing a routine check?

Before he could voice his concerns, Harry turned to the head of Azkaban Auror division, Dean Thomas, a stalwart figure, standing just a few feet away. Dean, his skin a few shades darker due to the constant sea spray of Azkaban, approached them.

"Dean," Harry greeted with a slight nod, his gaze never wavering.

Dean returned the nod, "Harry."

Harry wasted no time, "I need you to bring Delphi to the interrogation room."

Dean looked at him, then at James, whose face had drained of color. But orders were orders. He gave a curt nod, "Right away, Harry."

As Dean moved to carry out the instructions, James was left standing there with his father, a man he deeply admired and respected. A thousand questions whirled in his mind, but he held his tongue. He trusted his father's judgment, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of apprehension that gripped him. Today, Azkaban felt a lot colder than usual.

As Delphi was escorted into the interrogation room, she sat down across from Harry, her hands bound by magical restraints, pulsating with a glow that refracted off her eerie blue eyes. Six aurors stood guard in the room, one of them being James, whose heart pounded against his chest.

The room was frigid and somber, reflecting the tension that hung heavy in the air. Harry's face was hard as stone, his gaze unwavering from Delphi.

"Delphi Riddle," he started, his voice cold and authoritative. "I'm here to discuss the recent incidents involving a new dark wizard. They were involved in the murder of the Auror John Henry."

Delphi lifted her gaze to meet Harry's, her eyes glinting with a smug defiance. A brief silence ensued as the two locked eyes, an unspoken challenge passing between them.

"And you think I know something about this, do you?" Delphi finally broke the silence, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"I do," Harry responded, his gaze never faltering. "You're going to tell me what you know."

Delphi let out a chuckle, a wicked grin spreading across her face. She leaned back in her chair, her eyes moving over to James before returning to Harry.

"Oh, I know everything," she said, her voice low and haunting. "In fact, I might even be the mastermind behind it all."

Her words echoed through the room, hanging in the air like a chilling promise. James' heart sank. He could tell she was playing mind games, but the severity of her claim couldn't be disregarded.

Harry didn't seem to flinch at Delphi's words. He continued to hold her gaze, his expression calm yet determined.

"Then start talking, Riddle," he commanded, his tone unyielding.

The room fell into an expectant silence, the tension palpable as everyone in the room awaited Delphi's response.

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Delphi reveled in her power over the room. "I killed John Henry," she declared, her voice steady and almost gleeful. "And I'll kill more, Harry, if you don't stop me."

Gasps echoed through the room, and the aurors' grips on their wands tightened. James's heart pounded in his chest. He knew she was lying - she couldn't have killed Henry; she had been under constant surveillance. But the fear in the room was palpable.

Harry remained unfazed; his steely gaze locked on Delphi. "Is that so?" he asked, his tone eerily calm.

"Yes," Delphi replied, the corners of her mouth curling upwards. "So, what's your plan? Lock me up twice?" Her laughter echoed through the room, a haunting symphony of delight.

The tension was suffocating, the silence oppressive. It was then that James decided to intervene. He couldn't stand by and let Delphi taunt them.

"Delphi!" he barked, stepping forward. His heart pounded in his chest as he locked eyes with her. "Stop lying. Answer honestly."

All eyes turned to James; surprise etched on their faces. Harry frowned, taken aback by James's outburst, but he didn't stop him.

Delphi, too, looked surprised. She studied James for a moment, her gaze unreadable. Then, the smirk slipped from her face, replaced with an expression of solemnity.

"I don't know who this dark wizard is," she confessed, her voice quiet. "I've been here, in Azkaban, under constant surveillance. How could I be orchestrating attacks from within these walls?"

James felt the tension in the room ebb. He locked eyes with Delphi, silently thanking her for her honesty.

Harry, however, looked far from convinced. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "And why should we believe you, Delphi Riddle?" he asked, his voice brimming with skepticism.

For once, Delphi didn't have a retort. She just shrugged, her eyes flicking over to James, a silent plea for trust. "You have no reason to believe me, Harry Potter," she admitted. "But I swear on my life, I am not involved."

The room fell into an eerie silence as everyone absorbed her words. While they were far from trusting Delphi Riddle, her honest response had undeniably shifted the dynamic of the room.

James accompanied Delphi back to her cell, his mind still reeling from the recent interrogation. His father's suspicious gaze was still fresh in his memory, an unsettling reminder of the Potter family's legacy. Yet, as he glanced at Delphi's solemn expression, he felt a strange sense of relief.

Once they reached her cell, James cleared his throat, breaking the heavy silence. Delphi turned to look at him, her icy blue eyes meeting his.

"I, uh..." he stammered, his throat feeling oddly dry. "I just... I want to say... thank you."

Delphi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Thank me?" she echoed, her voice dripping with disbelief. "For what, exactly?"

"For... for being honest," James replied, a blush creeping up his neck. "I mean, back there, during the interrogation, you could have continued to taunt my father, but you... you didn't. You listened to me; you were... you were honest."

Delphi blinked, seemingly taken aback by his words. "I..." she began, only to stop, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I'm not sure why I listened to you either," she admitted, a hint of vulnerability creeping into her voice. "But... well, you're welcome, I guess."

James found himself grinning despite the situation. "Yeah," he said, chuckling lightly. "Well, um... good night, Delphi."

Delphi lifted her gaze to his, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Good night, James."

And with that, he left her alone in her cell, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. As he made his way down the corridor, he found himself reflecting on their peculiar relationship. Friends, or perhaps more than that? One thing was clear - James Potter and Delphi Riddle had undeniably formed an unconventional bond. And that bond was slowly, but surely, changing them both.

As soon as James entered the familiar, comforting space of their home, his lips curved into a contented smile. The house was quiet, the usual familial bustle absent at this late hour. The glow of the fireplace cast flickering shadows on the polished wood, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

However, the peaceful tranquility of the house was broken by his father's stern voice. "James, we need to talk," Harry called from the living room, pulling James out of his thoughts.

Turning, he found his father sitting stiffly in his favorite armchair, the light from the fireplace casting long shadows on his face, accentuating his sharp features. There was a seriousness in his gaze that told James this wasn't a casual chat.

"Sure, Dad," James replied, his heart sinking. He had hoped to avoid this conversation. Taking a deep breath, he made his way over to the living room and settled onto the sofa opposite his father.

"I want to know what happened in the interrogation room," Harry began, his voice steady, his green eyes unwavering.

James feigned ignorance, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. "Interrogation room? What do you mean, Dad?" he asked, attempting to lighten the mood.

But Harry was having none of it. He leaned forward, his gaze hardening. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, James. You got Delphi Riddle to listen to you. I want to know what's going on between the two of you," he demanded.

James could feel his heart pounding against his rib cage. His father's stern gaze seemed to bore into him, his probing words echoing in his ears. James knew there was no way he could dodge this conversation anymore. But he also knew that he had to be careful about how much he revealed. Sweat formed on James's brow as his father's probing gaze locked onto him. Harry's eyes had always been unnerving when filled with suspicion - mirrors to a seasoned Auror's mind, filled with years of investigation and intuition. James knew he had to tread carefully, but also believably.

"Dad," James started, his voice steady. He maintained eye contact with his father, showing no sign of hesitation. "I'm an Auror stationed Azkaban for twelve hours a day, five days a week. Interactions are part of the job. Delphi Riddle isn't an exception. She's a prisoner, and I'm an Auror. It's natural that she would listen when I ask something of her."

Harry observed him for a few long moments, his green eyes never leaving James's face. He appeared to mull over his son's words. Then, with a slow nod, he leaned back in his chair. "Alright, James," he said, his tone still serious, but the edge in his voice was slightly softened. "But you need to remember, she is still a criminal."

"I understand that Dad," James affirmed, offering a firm nod. "I have never forgotten it."

Harry gave him a long look before sighing heavily, running a hand through his messy black hair. "Alright. I trust you, James. Just be careful."

James felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had managed to deflect his father's suspicions, for now. But Harry's cautionary words served as a stark reminder. Delphi Riddle was a convicted criminal, and he had to tread carefully around her. As much as they had formed a strange sort of camaraderie, the fact remained that she was imprisoned for a reason. And as an Auror, James could not afford to forget that.

"Are you out of your bloody mind?" Fred blurted out, his eyes wide with astonishment as James confessed his complicated relationship with Delphi Riddle. They were sitting in Fred's small but comfortable living room, the only witnesses to their conversation the four walls and a crackling fire.

James leaned back in his chair, raking a hand through his hair. "I know, I know... it sounds insane. Trust me, Fred, I've told myself the same thing a thousand times."

Fred leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "Let me get this straight... You're friends with her. With Delphi Riddle. And now you think you're falling for her?" Fred asked incredulously, struggling to wrap his mind around the dangerous revelation.

James gave a slow nod. "It sounds ludicrous when you put it like that, but... yes."

Fred stared at his cousin, his face a mask of concern. He had always known James to be courageous, reckless even. But this... this was an entirely different level of risk.

"James, mate," Fred started, his voice filled with unease. "This... this is dangerous. You're playing with fire here. She's Delphi Riddle. Remember what she did?"

James heaved a deep sigh, dropping his gaze to the floor. "Believe me, Fred, I remember. But... things are different now. She's different."

"Different or not, you need to be careful, James," Fred warned, his tone laced with sincerity. "This... could get you in real trouble."

James lifted his gaze to meet Fred's, his eyes filled with an unspoken turmoil. "I know, Fred. I know... but what if she really has changed?"

Fred fell silent, his eyes full of worry for his cousin. He knew how stubborn James could be, especially when he believed in something strongly. But he also knew that this could have disastrous consequences. This wasn't just a simple romantic entanglement; this was a dangerous dance with a convicted criminal. And Fred could only hope that James knew what he was doing.

It was a mild afternoon when James found himself lost in thought, staring at the gloomy stone walls of Delphi's cell. Their friendly banter had paused as he found himself swallowed by an unasked question, a query that had been burning at the back of his mind since their peculiar friendship had begun.

"Delphi," he started, breaking the silence between them. His voice was soft, tentative. He wasn't sure how to approach this, but he knew he needed to. "Why... why did you do all those things?"

Delphi's face fell, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a guarded expression. She knew exactly what he was referring to. The events from the past, her dark deeds that had cast an ominous shadow over her life.

For a moment, she was silent, her eyes reflecting a myriad of emotions. Remorse, sadness, a tinge of regret. She had lived her life full of manipulations and misdeeds, convinced that it was all necessary to fulfill what she believed was her destiny.

"It's hard to explain, James," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I did it because I thought it was what I was supposed to do. It was my destiny... Or so I thought."

"You thought your destiny was to kill? To hurt people. To destroy lives?" James couldn't help but ask, the bitterness seeping into his tone.

Delphi's gaze fell onto her hands, her fingers tracing the cool, stone table between them. "I... I wanted to meet him," she admitted, her voice shaking slightly. "My father. Voldemort."

James took a moment to let her words sink in. He had known her intentions from before, had read about her misguided quest to meet her father. Yet hearing her confess it herself, her voice laced with regret, felt different. It made the reality of her actions even more tangible.

"Was it worth it, Delphi?" James asked, his voice barely a whisper. "The lives you ruined, the fear you caused, the person you killed... was it worth it to meet a man like Voldemort?"

Delphi didn't respond for a while. She just sat there, her eyes averted, her lips pressed into a thin line. The quietude that filled the room after Delphi's heartfelt confession was almost suffocating. The pair sat in silence, each lost in their thoughts, the raw truth lying bare between them.

"Look around, James," Delphi eventually broke the silence, her voice holding a bitter edge, gesturing at the bleak, grey stone walls of Azkaban. "Does it look like it was worth it?"

James watched her, his eyes flickering over the pallor of her skin, the defeat in her gaze. He could see the toll her choices had taken on her, the weight of her past actions bearing heavily on her present.

"No," he answered honestly, shaking his head. "No, it doesn't."

Delphi's eyes met his, a spark of something flickering in their depths. It wasn't regret, not exactly, but rather an understanding of the repercussions of her choices. A newfound self-awareness that came from her acceptance of her mistakes.

"But you know," she said, shifting in her seat to face him fully, a mischievous glint returning to her eyes, "It's not all doom and gloom here."

James raised an eyebrow, the unexpected shift in mood catching him off guard. "Oh?" he prompted, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "And why is that?"

"Well," she began, a playful grin spreading across her face as she leaned back in her seat. "I have you for company. That surely adds a few rainbows to this dreary place."

James found himself chuckling at her words, the tension from their previous conversation melting away. Despite the gravity of their exchange, Delphi still managed to find humor, to hold onto her spirit. And in that moment, James couldn't help but admire her resilience. His heart ached for her, for the sorrow she bore and the pain she had inflicted, yet he couldn't ignore the spark of hope that burned in her eyes. A spark that, he realized, was becoming more and more difficult for him to ignore.

The months flew by without another wave of terror gracing the Wizarding world. People began to breathe easier, the ominous dread of impending disaster slowly dissipating. Life, as it always does, found a way to move forward, leaving the panic and fear of the past behind. However, deep in the hidden corners of the wizarding world, a dark figure had other plans.

In a secluded room filled with ancient books and relics, the new dark wizard poured over parchment after parchment, his gaze hard and intent. He was retracing the journey of the Elder Wand, the most potent and elusive of the Deathly Hallows. His mentor, Grindelwald, had pursued this wand, its power a promise of an unparalleled advantage in the hands of a skilled wizard.

Yet, the wizard understood that the path to the Elder Wand was not a straightforward one. The wand's allegiance could only be won, not freely given, and the last known master was long since dead. Nonetheless, it did not deter him. He continued his meticulous search, convinced that the wand's true master was still out there.

However, with time racing against him, the dark wizard was forced to turn his attention to another matter - recruiting allies for his impending reign of darkness. He sifted through numerous files, his eyes falling on the names of those who once followed a path similar to his. Antonin Dolohov, Augustus Rookwood, Rodolphus Lestrange - notorious Death Eaters locked within the formidable walls of Azkaban. Then there was Dolores Umbridge, a woman whose lust for power and control made her a promising asset, and of course he couldn't forget, Fenrir Greyback, his brutality and viciousness were known too well.

But it was the last name that made him smile with sadistic pleasure - Delphi Riddle, the daughter of his predecessor, Voldemort. The irony was too delicious to ignore. Voldemort's own flesh and blood, serving a wizard who far surpassed the likes of him, was a notion that filled the dark wizard with gleeful anticipation. A new era of darkness was looming, and Delphi Riddle would be his finest pawn in this deadly game of power.

A/N: And that's all folks! Until next time. Please leave a review, I don't censor opinions!