The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 13

It felt like agony. Everything hurt. Then, quick as it came, it was gone. Replaced by a double heartbeat that was oddly... relaxing.

Then, out of nowhere, a voice came into her head. It said, "You must show no fear." Wow, so relaxing. She felt really relieved. NOT.

An image of a small came into her head. The fur was the same red as her hair. After a moment, the transformation started.

Everything turned into a blur, until she was much smaller. Delilah turned around. She was on four legs and had a white tipped tail.

She turned for a minute, examining her tail, before scampering off to examine a tree. Looking up at the leaves, she wouldn't put herself over a foot or two tall.

A twig snapped behind her and Delilah abruptly turned. It was just a rabbit. She growled at it and it scampered away, its cottontail disappearing through the thick underbrush.

All her senses seemed magnified as she wandered through the forest. After about fifteen minutes she turned around and headed back. She paused to transform back into herself. It was harder than she thought it would be, but she did it. On her way back, she brushed the twigs and leaves out of her hair.

Delilah gave McGonagall a grin as she collected her wand.

"You will need to register to the Ministry. I will give you the form next class."

Delilah nodded and walked back to her common room.

"How did it go?" Draco asked as she entered.

"Great." She couldn't keep her grin hidden.

"Can you show me?" Draco inquired as he stood up and walked over.

Delilah thought about it. "I think I can, but it's harder to turn back. If it doesn't work, call McGonagall." Delilah put her wand on the side table before she closed her eyes and concentrated, thinking of the small fox she had transformed into not an hour before.

She felt a tingling throughout her body as she shrank, until she was below Draco's knees.

Draco let out a cry of shock as she stood on her very tiny paws, tail held up in the air.

"Whoa." He said, kneeling down, tentatively reaching out to stroke her fur. She gave a nod of assent, and he stroked her ears, his hand covering the entire top of her head.

Delilah walked around the room, testing the limits of her tiny red body. She landed on the couch Draco had vacated, sitting primly. She concentrated, transforming back into herself. It was easier this time, and she gave Draco a wry grin.

"Now you are way taller than I am," Delilah stated, smirking.

Draco laughed, taking a seat on the couch next to her.

"Get used to it Potter."

Delilah shoved him, and he fell over, taking her with him. They landed next to each other on the floor. Their faces were mere inches apart. The laughter faded from Draco's eyes, it had turned into something else entirely.

Delilah sat up suddenly, not sure about what the change in the room was, or if she wanted to face it. She mumbled goodnight to Draco and escaped back to her room, not knowing what had happened.

It was a relief when the rest of the school got back and classes resumed. Ever since the storm, the mood of the common room had gotten... awkward. So, though the last thing anyone felt like doing, Delilah headed down to the icy cold grounds. When she got there, she instinctively drifted to the seat next to Draco.

Hagrid had provided a bonfire full of salamanders for their enjoyment, and they spent the lesson collecting dry wood and leaves to keep the fire blazing while the flame-loving lizards scampered up and down the crumbling, white-hot logs. Delilah could tell why everyone was actually enjoying this lesson, but sitting next to Draco... it felt more awkward than fun.