My footsteps echoed throughout the church. It was that day of the year again: the day I was deceived by Harry Potter, tricked into thinking that my father loved me. I don’t know how I could have been so stupid. He wouldn’t have loved me either way. I took a seat on a pew and looked up at where I had fallen from that night. The night that no one had bothered to catch me, to ask if I was okay as I lay on the ground, too hurt to even move. The night that I was humbled into muteness, the night I had seen my only two friends glare at me as I begged for death. The one who I considered a close friend asked his father to kill me. It hurt to think about, even now, 3 years after.
Suddenly I heard voices coming from outside of the church. I quickly dove behind the pew that I was sitting on. I recognized those voices… but there was no way.
“Hey, Scorp?” My theory was confirmed as Albus’s voice rang in my ears. “Are you ready to talk to Delphi this year?” A wave of shock hit me as realization set in. The boys had seen me here, crying, ranting, and screaming for the past years. I was horrified at what they had heard me say. The vulnerability that they had seen.
There was no answer from Scorpius as I held my breath, scared of what he might say. But he never spoke. “I mean, I know she tortured you and whatever, but you heard what she was saying for all those years.” Tears started to form in my eyes as I thought back to that night and all that had happened. Scorpius’s screams echoed through my mind once again as the image of the boy writhing on the ground replayed in my mind. I could practically see a boy dead on the ground, the one I had killed.
I tried to gag myself, stuffing my hoodie sleeve into my mouth to try to suppress my sobs. Years of training paid off as I stayed silent, half wishing I could just reveal myself in hopes that the boys would embrace me like they used to. The way Albus used to untie my crazy hair, letting it fall to cover my face, knowing that I didn't like to be seen in a state considered 'weak.' The way that Scorpius used to draw circles on my back with his palms whenever I was stressed or if I was ever feeling down. I missed the way they had cared for me and showed that I mattered. But I knew that I didn't. And I don't. I never have and I never will. I had destroyed the last hopes of friendship I had ever known and it was all my fault. My fault. My fault.
I cried silently as I heard the uncomfortable silence end with Scorpius’s sigh. Slowly, he looked over to the pew I was behind.
“Delphi, are you okay?” his voice was full of compassion as he started to approach me. Albus looked confused as he looked over, tilting his head to look from a different angle. I scampered backward pathetically, panting desperately. I looked so pathetic, and I could feel it, but I couldn't stop my body from shaking, the flashbacks from that night were too much for me to bear. The events of that night played back again, and again, and again. Seeing Scorpius in front of me, looking down on me from this angle, reminded me of Draco that night. My cousin. He had whispered to me, swearing that he would kill me the next chance that he got. I took his word for it, and I knew by the look on his face when it was announced I wouldn't be going to Azkaban that I was in trouble.
Now that I think about it I have no idea how I escaped my fate of going to Azkaban. It was written into stone, both of my parents being probably the darkest witches and wizards to ever exist. But after forcing information out of me, Hermione seemed to soften the slightest bit. She shared the information that she had found with the entirety of the wizarding world, karma for my deeds. My childhood is now leaked, and published in the paper, every single detail there for everyone and anyone to read. The amount of blackmail I had gotten was absurd, but I suppose I deserved it. I deserve it.
"Delphi!" Scorpius's voice brought me back to reality as he tilted my chin up, causing me to look up at him. I flinched, knowing that this scene looked very similar to what had happened that night, but no hand struck me. I waited a minute, half expecting to be met with force, but Scorpius cupped his hand on my cheek. I stiffened at his touch, not being used to this type of human interaction. "Are you okay?"
I put my hand on his, gently moving it to the side. Not because I didn't like that he was touching me. It was quite the contrary. It comforted me that he was willing to touch me, that he wasn't scared of it, and that he wasn't acting like I was some type of monster. Like I was a human. "Scorpius, you shouldn't be helping me. Your father, he's going to-"
"I assure you, my father will never hear about this." Albus was now at Scorpius's side, staring at me in awe. He made it seem as if I was some creature at a zoo, behind the glass as he observed from the outside. If only the glass was taken away, he would be able to see the true me, how I cared about his well-being. If only I could take away that filter, he could see me for who I am, not for who I was destined to be. But it was final anyway. My fate was decided the day that I was born. There wouldn't be a single passing day that someone would wonder if I was any different from my parents or not, and that's why I tried to hide my identity so desperately. But no one would believe that, not even Albus and Scorpius. They could never understand.
"Delphi, you keep spacing out," Scorpius frowned. Albus reached over to my head and removed the claw clip from my hair, my ponytail coming down, covering my face like how it used to. I realized that my blue ends were more of a light green now, the ends of my hair looking dead. There were knots everywhere and the color was fading, even though it was natural.
I tried standing up, at least kneeling to match the boys' eye level, but my sudden movement caused my head to spin as I groaned, clutching it in my hands. The tears were stopping now (thank Merlin) and I brushed my hair back a bit to look at the boys. They had grown so much since I had last seen them. Albus was now about my height and Scorpius was only a bit shorter. Scorpius took another step towards me, and I didn't flinch this time, trusting that he wouldn't hurt me, and I was right. Scorpius placed his hand on the back of my head, gently nudging it forward to rest on his stomach. I didn't dare to wrap my arms around him, too scared to even risk looking at him. I didn't deserve this compassion, any of it.
Albus kneeled next to me, brushing my hair out of my face a little. Guilt started to pool in my stomach as his sleeve dropped a little, revealing the marks that the ropes I had bound him with had left. A sob escaped from my lips as I pulled away from Scorpius and grabbed Albus's wrist, rolling up the sleeve to take a look. Sure enough, the markings were still there, clear evidence of how much I had made an effect on them.
"Let go of my son. Now." I jumped a little, turning just in time to see a spell flying my way, my hands bound in an instant. They were the same ropes that I used to bind the boys. I hadn't realized how painfully tight they were until now. If I had known, I wouldn't have used them...
Harry approached me quickly and stuck his wand in my face. I looked away to the ground next to me, my face still wet with tears.
"Dad, I-"
"So this is where you go every year? Back here? To see her? You know I told you not to ever see her again, you know she's dangerous-"
"Dad..."
"She has murdered before, for Merlin's sake, she tortured Scorpius. Have you not considered what he might think about this- oh Lord, wait till his father hears about-"
"DAD!" Harry looked a bit startled but stopped and turned to face Albus nonetheless. "Look at her."
For the first time since he entered, Harry turned to look at me. I was ashamed, trying to cover up my face with my hair. I remembered teasing him, comparing him to a rat, firing killing curses at him... and yet now he was looking down on me as I was vulnerable all over again. Not lowering his wand, he firmly yet softly lifted my hair and saw the tears. I could tell that he seemed a bit shocked, but he did his best to hide it. He wiped away my tears with his thumbs, allowing himself to lower his wand a bit.
"Sir, I... I'm sorry. I wouldn't have come if I knew your son was going to come, it's just that I come here each year, and I didn't know that they did as well..." Harry nodded, only half listening to what I said. He nodded anyway, trying to care for me after being assured that his son was safe.
Suddenly, the door slammed open, and there before me stood Draco. "Scorpius, there you-" he cut himself when he saw me, and I immediately shrunk back, terrified. "Delphi."
"S-sir," I stuttered pathetically.
"Don't you dare call me sir," he spat as he began to strut towards me, wand clenched in his fist.