The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 2

Delilah knew the moment Harry entered their room. He immediately bolted toward his desk and wrote three short letters and sealed them, addressing them probably to Sirius, Ron, and Hermione. He probably would have sent them, but Hedwig was still out hunting.

Then he paced. Delilah tried to ignore him, but it's hard to ignore someone who was moving up and down, up and down repeatedly.

"Stop pacing, you'll wear the floors down even more," she finally told him.

He didn't stop.

Delilah groaned and threw an extra pillow at him.

"Seriously, stop. You're making me anxious."

He sat on his bed, staring at the floor as if he was trying to solve life's problems.

Delilah rolled her eyes before rolling over, trying to fall asleep. She almost did when Harry snarled, "About time! You can put that down, I've got work for you!"

Hedwig had gotten back. Delilah rolled her eyes. Of course Harry said that loudly, it wasn't like anyone in the room was trying to sleep.

"Come here," Harry said. "Take these straight to Sirius, Ron, and Hermione and don't come back here without good long replies. Keep pecking them till they've written decent-length answers if you've got to. Understand?" Hedwig gave a muffled hooting noise, beak full of... something.

"Get going, then," said Harry.

Finally, Harry shut up, but it still took Delilah a while to fall asleep.

Hedwig didn't return in the morning, which surprised Delilah. She had thought that they would reply as quickly as possible to stop Hedwig from pecking them, but apparently she was wrong.

Delilah was stuck in the bedroom with Harry, only leaving to go to the bathroom. Three times that day Aunt Petunia shoved food into their room through the cat flap Uncle Vernon had installed Every time Harry tried to question her about the Howler, but he might as well have interrogated the doorknob for all the answers he got. Otherwise the Dursleys kept well clear of their bedroom.

So it went on for three whole days. Harry was unable to settle to anything, so he paced his bedroom again, furious at everything and one, but Delilah preferred his pacing to the lethargy that he just lay on his bed for an hour at a time, staring dazedly into space, looking dead.

Delilah tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen, even when she told him the hearing was unfair, and that he was sure to be cleared. It had been a life threatening situation, and the Muggle already knew about magic. So, since he didn't pay her any attention, Delilah spent most of the time reading and talking to Midnight, who seemed just as bored as Delilah.

On the fourth night since Hedwig's departure, Delilah was writing in her notebook about possible suggestions for the potions in her advanced, sixth year book, while Harry lay depressed and anxious on his bed when Uncle Vernon walked into their room in his best suit. Delilah ignored him.

We're going out," he said.

"Sorry?"

"We — that is to say, your aunt, Dudley, and I — are going out."

"Fine," said Harry dully.

"You are not to leave your bedroom while we are away."

"Okay."

"You are not to touch the television, the stereo, or any of our possessions."

"Right."

"You are not to steal food from the fridge."