"No," Delilah whispered, barely audible.
Staring at Harry, Delilah could hear her heart pounding so loud she thought everyone must be able to hear it over the deafening silence. Her hands trembled as a disbelieving Harry blankly stared at Dumbledore. Slowly, as if he too wished someone would yell "Just kidding!" and the night would continue without issue. But no one did.
At the top table, Professor Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to Professor McGonagall. "Harry Potter!" he called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please!"
Starting to feel dizzy, she leaned on Draco as Harry slowly walked up to Dumbledore. She didn't notice Draco's hand move to her shoulder nor the concerned look he shot at her, no longer paying attention to anyone but Harry.
Dumbledore pushed Harry through the door before addressing the crowd.
"This is rubbish!" someone yelled.
"He's not even seventeen!" another person hollered.
Delilah ignored them. They seemed to think Harry put his own name in, which if they had seen his face, they would know he hadn't. He was too baffled.
"The other judges and I will decide what will happen. Even if we get a fourth champion, I still expect you all to give all of them their due respect. You are dismissed."
Slowly the murmuring crowd dissipated. Delilah stayed behind, hoping the champions would come out and declare that Harry would not be competing. After a few minutes, Draco tugged on her arm.
"It's getting late, we need to go to bed."
Delilah glanced at the door, before standing up and letting Draco slip his arm through hers and lead her to their common room.
Just before they got there, he pulled her aside.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah," Delilah croaked. "I'm fine."
He wasn't fooled.
"Don't you dare lie to me, you obviously aren't. And I don't blame you, even if I don't like your brother."
Delilah tried to smile, to reassure him that she would be fine as soon as the shock settled in, but he just pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back, clinging like he was the only solid thing in this mess.
Couldn't they have one year at Hogwarts without some disaster centered around her brother?
"It will be fine. You'll be able to help him, and you'll be able to talk to McGonagall," he reassured.
"Yeah, I can," Delilah said, pulling away, a new, dimmer, light in her eyes.
They stood for a moment before walking into the common room.
"Thanks," she whispered, giving him another quick hug, before starting to head towards her room.
"You're welcome," he whispered, in a tone she couldn't quite decipher, so quietly she didn't think he knew she had heard.
After pausing for a split second, she slipped down the hall into her room.
YOU ARE READING
The Forgotten Twin
ספרות חובביםDelilah Potter was sick of the shadows. Ever since her first year at Hogwarts, she had been stuck behind her brother, Harry. She tried everything to help him, yet even then no one acknowledged what she had done. But she was going to change that. I...
