Chapter 4
Later that day Delilah pulled her hair into a terribly messy braid and entered Kings cross. Tonks had taken her to get her school supplies and had given her her mother’s wand. Before leaving she had given her her ticket. And she did something that surprised Delilah; she hugged her in an embrace similar to a mothers, to Delilah it was uncomfortable and strange, foreign.
Delilah glanced down at her ticket. 9 ¾? It was awfully peculiar but she thought that she should have expected it. It was a wizard school after all. She walked past platform 9 hopeful to see platform 9 ¾ but she only found platform 10. She traced her steps backwards. She thought that if she were to go three fourths of the way through the platform she might find something. She reached what she assumed was 3/4ths of the distance between the two platforms and saw just a solid wall.
“Hey blonde lady!” A boy said in Delliah’s ear, ''Are you lost?” He looked to be the same age as Delilah except taller with blonde almost brown hair neatly swished back.
“Um- yeah. I’m trying to reach platform 9 ¾.”
To Delilah’s surprise he didn’t seem confused. He actually seemed more relieved. “That’s exactly where I’m going. Follow me.” He grabbed Delilah’s hand and led her down towards the wall she had been staring at. “So I assume you’re a first year student like me?”
“I think so.” Deliah replied, “My father was a wizard but I haven’t seen him in a long time.”
“Don’t worry.” he replied, “I have seen this plenty of times. I’m Sebastian Windsor.”
“Um- I’m Delilah Black.” She said as they reached two people near the wall. One was an older lady who looked more like a muggle than a wizard with light mid length faded hair. Sebastain’s mother. Beside her stood a replica of Sebastian, except for a bit of a more structured face.
“Sebastian, stop running off like that.” Mrs.Windsor said,
“Mother, This is Delilah. It is her first year at Hogwarts too.”
“I see. Well we should hurry as the train leaves in eighteen minutes.” She grabbed her son’s shoulder. “Julian, you can go first.” He started walking swiftly towards the barrier and he almost made it before he just disappeared. “Delilah you can go next.”
Delilah looked over to Sebastian and gave him a look of confusion in hope that he would catch on to what she was thinking. He must have because he grabbed Delilah’s shoulder and responded, “So, to get to the platform you just have to walk straight at the barrier between the nine and ten platforms. Don’t be scared you’ll crash into it. If you feel scared I would suggest running. Now go.” She grabbed her trolley and started to run towards the barrier. The barrier was coming closer and closer. If she crashed into the wall she would be in trouble. She could see people moving around to the different platforms. She kept getting closer. She closed her eyes and braced herself but nothing ever came. When she opened her eyes she was on a new platform with a scarlet train. There was a sign above her that read Hogwarts express 11’o’clock. She knew she had done it. She had made it through. She walked around a bit but couldn’t seem to find Sebastian anywhere on the platform. After a good long while she made her way towards the train with her things.As she made her way she heard a round-faced boy say he lost his toad and another one named Lee spooked some others with a trunk that sprouted a hairy leg.
“Do you need any help with that?” A red haired boy asked. He was a bit older than Delilah and was a twin by the looks of the identical boy helping another kid with his stuff.
“Yeah. That would be helpful. Thanks.” He grabbed an end of her trunk and they both pushed it in with a thump.
“Thank you.” She said as she stepped back and felt someone bump into her. She felt herself falling to the ground but she caught herself.
“Oh I- I’m sorry.” The boy she bumped into said.
“No, it’s fine.” He had circular glasses and brown shaggy hair. He wore a dark blue flannel over a gray t-shirt. “I’m Delilah.” She said as she held her hand out.
“I’m Harry.” He said as he shook her hand. After they finished he lifted his hand up to move his sweaty bangs out of his forehead. Under his bangs he has a scar in the shape of a lighting bolt.
“What’s that?” One of the twins said from behind Delilah while pointing at his scar.
“Blimey” The other twin said, “Are you-”
“He is.” The first twin stated in shock, “Aren’t you?”
Harry replied, “What?”
“Harry Potter” They both said at the same time.
“Oh him. I mean yes I am.” He replied. Delilah was confused. Who was he?
“I’m sorry I’m confused.” Delilah said, “Are you some kind of movie star or something?”
“You don’t know?” One of the twins said, “He is the one who you know defeated you know who.”
“No, I do not know who.” She replied.
“Voldemort.” Harry said.
“Don’t say his name, that's why he’s called you know who.” The other twin said.
The first twin continued by saying, “He killed a bunch of wizards who opposed him. He wanted to kill muggles and muggle borns. He was a pure blood activist. A dark one.”
“Oh.” Delilah replied, “I guess that explains the you know who thing.”
“Fred, George are you there?”
“Coming mum.” They both said as they left.
Delilah turned to Harry as they both got on the train, “Hey do you mind if i sit with you? I am kind of new to this. As you can tell.”
“Sure.” He replied, “I’m new to this too.” They both found an empty train cart. Harry sitting next to the window and Delilah beside him. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while until the train started moving. Soon the door of the compartment opened and the youngest redhead came in. He pointed to the seat across from Harry and Delilah. “Is anyone sitting here? Everywhere else is full.”
They both shook their heads simultaneously and he sat down. “Hey Ron.” The twins said as they walked past.
“We’re going down to the middle of the train. Lee Jordan supposedly got a tarantula down there with Robin.”
Ron mumbled back, “Right.”
“Harry, other girl, I Don't think we introduced ourselves. Fred and George Weasley and this is our brother Ron. See ya later then.”
“Bye” all three of them said simultaneously.
Ron suddenly blurted out, “Are you really Harry Potter?” Harry nodded.
“Fred and George told me.I thought it was one of their pranks though..” After that Delilah started to tune out their conversation as her nails became more interesting. Soon she felt a tap on her shoulder. She felt herself almost jump out of her skin.
“Sorry.” Harry said.
“It’s ok.” She replied, “What were you saying?”
“Are you a muggle born?” Ron said.
“Umm” She replied.
“I mean do you have two non-wizard parents?” He rephrased.
“No.” She replied, “My mom was a wizard and my dad but he is not around anymore. I was adopted and raised by a non magical family in America.”
“Oh, so did you know about magic before or..” Harry said.
Delilah answered, “I knew magic existed but I didn’t know any details.” Just then they were interrupted by a cart pulling up to their compartment by a woman with dimples.
“Anything off the cart?” She asked. To Delilah’s surprise Harry practically bought the whole cart. Each of them started digging into the sweets until Harry opened a candy with a card of someone named Albus Dumbledore.
Harry continued in their conversation, “You know in the muggle world people usually stay put in photos.”
“They don’t move at all!” Ron said, “Weird.”
Delilah leaned over and whispered into Harry’s ear, “I would be terrified if someone just decided to walk out of my photo.” They both quietly laughed earning a confused look from Ron. After they all eat a bunch of revolting jelly beans someone knocked on the door.
“Sorry but have any of you seen a toad?” The round faced boy from earlier said. His face was almost filled with tears. They all three shook their heads and he wailed out, “I’ve lost him! He keeps getting away from me!”
“He’ll turn up.” Harry said.
“Yeah,” Delilah said, “Where did you last see him?”
“I don’t know.” He said and then walked away head down.
As soon as he left Ron went into a rant about how he would be glad if he lost his toad.
“Mind you I brought Scabbers so I can’t talk.” Ron said, “I tried to turn him yellow yesterday but the spell didn’t work. Watch..” He reached into his trunk and pulled out a wand that looked like it had been run over a few times. It was chipped and had pieces of unicorn hair sticking out of it. He raised his wand as the compartment door slid open. It was the toadless boy but he had brought a girl, who already had her robes on, with him.
“Has anyone seen a toad? Nevile’s lost one.” The girl said. She had a bossy voice along with bushy hair and larger than normal front teeth.
“We already told him we haven’t seen it.” Ron said but she was more interested in the wand in his hand.
“Oh you are doing magic. Let’s see it then.” His face contorted in such a taken aback expression Delilah had to use her hand to stifle her laugh. No one seemed to notice though.
“All right.” He said as he cleared his throat. “Sunshine daisies butter mellow turn this stupid fat rat yellow.” He waved his wand but the rat remained its normal sleeping self.
“Are you sure that’s a real spell?” Delilah asked. It sounded like one of the tricks from his brothers.
“It’s not very good, is it?” She said as she looked at Delilah as Delilah shook her head and then back to Ron, “I’ve tried a few simple spells just for practice and it’s all worked for me. Nobody in my family’s magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, I was ever so pleased of course. It’s supposed to be the best magic school in the world. I’ve learned all of our course books by heart of course. I just hope it will be enough. I’m Hermionie Granger by the way. Who are you?” She said it so fast Delilah was honestly impressed. Harry nervously glanced at Ron and was relieved that he wasn’t the only one who didn’t study all of their books. He doubted Delilah did either but she was in a fascinated, impressed state at the moment.
“I’m Ron Weasley.”
“Delilah Black.”
“Harry Potter.”
“Are you really?” She asked Harry. He nodded, “I know all about you, of course you were in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth century.”
“Am I really?”
“You really don’t know I would have found out everything if I were you.” Hermione said, “do you know what house you’re going to be in? I hope I end up in Gryffindor. I heard Dumbledore himself was in it but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn’t be bad either. Well I should be going now. You should get changed, we'll be arriving soon.
“Whatever house I end up in, I hope she’s not in it.” Delilah grabbed an empty box of Jellybeans and threw it at Ron’s forehead. “Ow.”
“Be nice Ron.” She said, “She’s just trying to be prepared.”
“Sure.” He replied as Delilah rolled her eyes. A boy then walked into the compartment.
“So I've heard from down the train that Harry Potter is in this compartment.” He pointed to Harry. “It’s you isn’t it.”
Delilah replied to him, “Go away Draco.”
“Oh dear old cousin I didn’t know you were here.” Draco said to Delilah. Ron looked at her in surprise while Harry just looked confused.
Draco held out his hand to him, “Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.”
Ron seemed to stifle a laugh with a cough.
“You think that’s funny Weasley.” He said. “You don’t want to get involved with the wrong sort. I can help you there.”
“Thanks but I think I can decide that for myself.” Harry replied. Draco scoffed and then walked away.
As soon as the door shut Ron almost screamed, ‘He’s your cousin!”
“Yeah like a third or second one.” Delilah said as she looked back to Ron’s face, “I’m not proud of it!”
Harry looked a bit confused so Ron explained, “They were one of the families to turn back after you know who.”
A little while passed and everyone was in their robes and hoping off of the train. Hagrid rallied all of the first years but before he could instruct them to follow his eyes glanced upon Harry and Delilah he decided differently.
“You first years wait here.” Hagrid said, “Harry Delilah, I need to talk to you over here.” Hagrid led them to a corner beside the railway just far away enough that none of the first years could hear.
“What do you need, Hagrid?” Harry asked.
“I need to tell you two some things.”
“Ok?” Delilah replied.
“You both know how you both have parents?” Harry and Delilah shook their heads as Hagrid continued, “When children are born parents have the chance to give their children another set of parents. Godparents. Well Delilah, your dad is Harry’s godfather.”
“So we are…” Harry said in confusion.
“You are god siblings,” Hagrid said
“Is that a thing?” Delilah asked.
“Yeah it’s a thing. It’s the closest thing to siblings besides blood.” Hagrid said, “Come on, we have to catch up with the rest of the anxious first years.”