Stargazer

three

Fear causes people to do many things. It makes some unpredictable, makes others all too predictable. Second year made Delphine realise this very thing as all hell broke out at Hogwarts. She tried her hardest to stay strong, stoic in the face of danger. It was hard but she could deal.

She lay on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. It had been a tiring three months. Students had been petrified by a mystery monster that was somehow sneaking around Hogwarts. Delphine thought it was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. How can anything sneak around a castle with no one seeing it... Ok maybe people did see it- that wasn't the point. Her parents had been discussing Dumbledore's ability to keep people safe which Dora had quickly disregarded, saying he was the best wizard out there.

She sighed, turning onto her side and facing the wall that she shared with her father's office. Ever since dinner had finished, her mother and father had been not so quietly arguing about whether or not to send Delphine back to school.

"Ed, is it really a good idea to send her back? She'll be in danger. We can't protect her there!" Her mother stressed. Delphine could practically hear her pacing up and down the room out of habit.

"Dromeda, it will be fine. Dumbledore wouldn't let anything happen to her. You heard Dora." her father replied. Delphine rolled off her bed and walked over to the wall, pressing her ear against it so she could hear them better.

"How can you be so sure?"

"You just have to trust him." Delphine nearly laughed at her father's response but caught herself and shifted back to her bed.

Trust was a funny thing. Delphine had trusted in her headmaster all of last year. She had trusted him when they arrived back at school. That trust, however, had started to diminish. Whether that was when fresh blood dripped from the walls - drawing targets on all muggle borns and half bloods. Whether it be when students started to be reported as petrified. Delphine wasn't sure. All she knew was she couldn't rely on others to keep her and her friends safe. That scared her.

Delphine tossed and turned in her bed that night. She didn't want to go back. She also didn't want to leave her friends alone. She was at a crossroads - if that was possible at age 12.

'Psst'

Delphine stopped her turning, opening her eyes and turning her focus to her door. It was slightly ajar, light from the hallway streamed through. Purple hair peaked through the space, causing Delpine to sit up.

"Dora?" She whispered to her sister, who was slowly creeping into her room. "Dora, it's the middle of the night."

"I'm well aware Delly but it's extremely hard to sleep when your troubled thoughts can be heard all the way down the end of the hall," her sister teased. Delphine rolled her eyes and scooted over so her older sister could sit on the end of it.

"No they can't be. You don't know how to do that," Delphine replied. She didn't think Dora had learnt to read minds... maybe she was wrong. Dora gave her a look saying 'I could, you know' making Delphine roll her eyes.

"Your right little one, I don't. I walked past and could hear you tossing and turning," Dora explained, "what's bothering you mini me?"

"Oh, I don't know. Just don't want to go back to school only to be petrified by some weird monster as soon as I step through the doors." Delphine sarcastically explained. Dora chuckled before sitting up against the headboard just as her little sister was. Delphine cracked a small smile. Anything that made her big sister laugh was worth it.

Nymphadora turned her head to Delphine, picking up her hand, grabbing Delphine's face - squishing her cheeks together - and turning her head to face her own.