Three Hallows, Two Weasleys and One Broken Girl

Chapter 35: Burning

Fred and George got back to the burrow after raiding the Lestrange Mansion, bruised and unsatisfied. They'd levelled the place after searching it high and low and Fred got the feeling their behaviour was scaring their family.

No one really realised their sheer capacity for destruction when genuinely motivated. Suddenly their many experiments weren't the playful mischief of children, but the deadly studies of dangerous young men.
Two dangerous young men balancing on the edge between light and dark, aware of it themselves even if no one dared say it aloud.

Only Bill had risked suggesting they sit out Order missions, and he'd only done so once.
Thankfully, Remus Lupin and Kingsley Shacklebolt knew exactly where their mindset was and didn't waste time.
They followed the ex-marauder's pointed finger like sentient weapons, using the full brunt of their inventors' minds to wreak havoc on all death eater action.

They calmed a little after a month, though only enough to start exploring ideas that weren't purely intended for destruction.
Their secret wizarding wireless network saved dozens of lives.

Delphi helped in her own unintentional way too. Though her glasses could not locate their maker, they could locate witches and wizards in hiding but not under fidelius, alert them of death eater movements and give hints of the golden trio's location.
They had promised her to test the shades to their very limits once upon a time and they certainly put them through their paces.

Fred wasn't entirely sure, but he sometimes got the feeling the glasses had a bit of their maker's...precognition. Alerts coming just a few seconds earlier than they should, apparating to someone's location to find them only just arriving there. It had saved their lives a few times.
Just a bit of her magic he supposed.

———

Charlie had to physically restrain Fred when Ron showed up, bitter and shamelessly angry at the two friends he'd abandoned mid war.

Arthur had not been fast enough to get to George though. People always thought he was the reasonable twin.
Ron had a black eye for two weeks. Their mum did make a show of telling them off, but notably did not find a healing salve.

They had to go into hiding themselves fully two months in. They'd become enough of a problem that Death eaters had gone after them in person at their flat in Diagon. Blessedly unlike Xenophilius, Voldemort's supporters seemed unaware that Delphi's capture could control them.
Fred and George fully intended to keep them in the dark until every last shitty manor house was flattened with Moldyfarts rotted carcass buried within.

They did not prank.
They were asked to. To booby trap the ministry, cause confusion and disruption. They did set up traps, but the order quickly learned any mention of pranking or tricks would get any request refused.

It wasn't entirely because they could not laugh without her. They also could not bear to have their passion subverted so.
When she was back, and this was over, they did not want their pranks to remind them of their darkest days.

Their dad tried to prepare them in case she didn't survive.
He gave that tack up almost as fast as Bill had.

This point was the only one in which their confidence wasn't entirely false.
The glasses may not be able to locate her, but they knew to search. Requests for people gone did not earn a mysterious loading screen.
She was missing, her situation unknown and probably terrible, but their Delphi was definitely alive.
And where there is life, there is hope.

———

Delphi was aching all over by the time she was dragged before Lord Voldemort.

Even knowing her life might end in this miserable mansion, Delphi couldn't help the vindictive fury and resolve that overtook her at the sight of Tom Riddle.
Her life might end here, but she promised herself, no matter what he did, what he said...he'd never get a useful word out of her.
She'd never tell.

So, when she was pushed to the floor in front of the serpentine figure in his black robes, she raised her eyes to look him in the face, and she smiled.
"Hello Tom."
His red eyes widened imperceptibly, and his lips thinned. "Where did you hear that name?"
His voice lilting and sibilant could have been beautiful once, must have been. Sadly her sight did not grant her visions of the past, of the wonderful broken boy with the greatest potential of any wix since Dumbledore.
"Many years ago, and months away." She answered truthfully enough, though her visions of Harry's pensieve and diary experiences were patchy at best.
He snarled, and gestured sharply.

Marcus Flint, dark eyes pure maliciousness and thin mouth twisted in a spine chilling anticipation, stepped from the crowd.
Delphi knew in a moment this was personal revenge. Only a Slytherin could bide his time for years over a spat, truthfully Delphi had almost forgotten.
"No weasels to protect you now, hey Delphi?" Flint taunted.
"No weasels, or any other creatures, Marcus." She replied in an even voice. "You are a surprisingly patient man."
Marcus did nothing so obvious as puff up at the compliment, but his face untwisted a little. "Some things are worth waiting for. My lord promised me I can have what's left of you when he's finished. Not like I need your mind intact for what I want after all."

Delphi did not like 90% of that, but she did get two key pieces of information that were good news. Tom Riddle wasn't going to AK her right this second, if at all, and that vomit inducing bodily harm was also not part of the plan.
She'd latch onto that with both hands, and hold onto it.

"Can't get laid any other way Marcus?" She asked blandly, "I see even death eater's daughters have taste."
"CRUCIO!"

It felt like being burned alive, but she didn't scream.
She doubted she could keep all her screams from their ears, but she could try.
Though, even if she failed that, her main mission would succeed.
Tom Marvolo Riddle may flee from Death, but Delphi would meet him with a clear conscience.
And to do that.
Well, she'd have to never tell.