Hidden Riddle

Chapter 51: The Funeral

Hermione held onto Delphini as they walked towards the gravesite. Harry stumbled behind, realising that she grew up not too far from where he was born. "It's okay." Hermione whispered in her shoulder as Delphini carried on crying. "I miss them." she sniffled. They finally arrived at the gravesite where a crowd of people was starting to form. Kneeling by the hole that had already been dug into the ground, Harry whispered "It's time to say goodbye" Delphini looked up at him and saw that he had been crying loads too. Harry had only ever met her adoptive family twice, both at Christmas in the second and third year, when he didn't want to spend Christmas at the Dursley's. However he had quickly grown to love them.

"No! No! I don't want them to leave me, I still want them here." Delphini screamed. "I know you want them back, we all do, but they can't." Hermione said softly trying to calm her down. "They'll always be in are hearts, and our minds" Harry said kneeling next to her.

Delphini's eyes filled with tears and she saw loads more people now standing around the white coffin with her adoptive mothers favourite flowers, Roses. The Priest said something about "A better place" and a "creator". After the burying finished, Delphini started to talk to some of her adoptive parents friends about the night that they died.

"There was a loud explosion in the middle of the night, a couple of months back, it woke the whole town up, it sounded unusual, like magic." One said before scoffing, muttering, "Which is absurd as magic doesn't exist." He paused. "People went outside to check what it was and saw your house on fire. It didn't seem like an accident, though we don't know who did it." The woman who accompanied him added. The three were silent as they knew who caused it. But Delphini knew she couldn't go round telling people that magic was real and they were killed by 'Death Eaters' who were evil and worked for The Dark Lord who was her real dad.

"There weren't much remains just some furniture and letters that hadn't surprisingly be burnt by the fire. It was the talk of the town for the month."

Delphini's letters she had sent to them. "Thank you, nice speaking to you, Julie." Delphini said quickly. She then started to run towards her house. "Delphini, where are you going?" Hermione yelled. Delphini didn't respond, she just kept running. She stopped when she came to the remains of her childhood house. It was now abandoned and she could see inside it. She just stood there until Harry and Hermione caught up with her. Delphini just felt a tear escape from the corner of her eye. "Oh Delphi.." Hermione cried as she looked up at the house. "Delphi, it's okay, you'll get through this." Harry said as he put his arm around her. It reminded him of Godrick Hollow, where he was born.

Delphini then walked into the house. She walked up through the corridors and up the stairs. She stood outside her bedroom that was surprisingly still attached to it's hinges unlike the other doors. She gently pushed the door open and the door fell of it's hinge and nearly collapsed on top of her making her squeak in shock. Everything was falling apart, just like her life.

She walked past the door and saw her lilac duvet set now stained brown from the flames. She turned around to look at her dresser and saw her favourite family photo a bit burnt around the edges, still surviving though. Delphini turned to look out the window still crying when she felt Harry stand behind hre. "They were here, how could they do this?" she cried not looking at him. "My own mother."

"Their Death Eaters it's what they do." Harry said softly they did this to his parents too. The two of them stood there for a second before Delphini turned around and hugged Harry suddenly, causing him to flinch in shock. Hermione was already downstairs looking around. "Let's go back, just let me collect some things." she said wiping her eyes. "Take your time" Harry replied walking downstairs to meet up with Hermione.

Delphini took the letters she had sent them before there death, finding some ones that they hadn't managed to send her, along with some family photographs. She then walked out of the room and down the stairs, careful to not trip on anything. She saw a figure standing by one of the rooms open doors. Taking a discreet step back from her, she asked, "Are you Bathilda Bagshot?" She nodded slowly. "Are you Potter?" she asked. Her voice sounded odd to Harry almost as though it was rusty from disuse. "No he's my friend, but he's downstairs." Delphini said slowly unable to identify if she should trust her.

She rubbed her head as she gestured towards the dark corner of the room. She turned to look and as she did so, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning back, Delphini watched in horror as the old woman's body seemed to fall away. From her neck slithered a large snake. Her blood ran cold as she recognised Nagini. "Snake!" Delphini screamed. 

Harry and Hermione rushed back up the stairs. They make it up to the top of the stairs to see the snake attacking and grabbing Delphini by the shoulder and begins to curl around her neck, choking her and cutting off all light from around her. Miraculously Nagini sees a light, she falls to watch the snake slither off. "We need to leave quickly, there could be more" Harry yelled as he dragged Delphini out off the door, behind Hermione.