The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 13

Before Delilah knew it, snow was swirling against the icy windows once more; Christmas was approaching fast. Hagrid had already single-handedly delivered the usual twelve Christmas trees to the Great Hall; garlands of holly and tinsel had been twisted around the banisters of the stairs; everlasting candles glowed from inside the helmets of suits of armor and great bunches of mistletoe had been hung at intervals along the corridors.

Large groups of girls tended to converge underneath the mistletoe bunches every time a hot guy went past, which caused blockages in the corridors, making it almost impossible to get through the halls. Luckily Fred had shown her most of the hidden passageways, so she was one of the few people who got to class on time.

It was a good thing too, since she was already struggling to keep up with homework, which she did twice a week, trying her best to drag Draco along.

"Come on, we need to do our homework."

"We need to fix this," Draco insisted. "You know what will happen if we don't."

"Yes, but it will take more time away if you get detention. Please? I've already done half of it, you can use mine as a guide while I do the other half."

He sighed.

"Fine."

They left the Room of Requirement. Good. If Delilah had to stay in there for a bit longer she was sure she'd snap.

Once in the library they sat in a secluded corner, with the table with Harry and Hermione being the only one in earshot, and started doing their homework. It wouldn't have taken long, but it had piled up over the week, so it probably would take the rest of the night.

So the homework began. It was dull and rather boring, but Harry and Hermione's conversation made it a bit more entertaining.

Hermione mentioned the love potions to Harry, who still knew that Draco was up to something, which only made her more annoyed.

"Filch is being fooled, isn't he? These girls are getting stuff into the school disguised as something else! So why couldn't Malfoy have brought the necklace into the school—?"

"Oh, Harry... not that again..."

"Come on, why not?" demanded Harry.

"Look," sighed Hermione, "Secrecy Sensors detect jinxes, curses, and concealment charms, don't they? They're used to find Dark Magic and Dark objects. They'd have picked up a powerful curse, like the one on that necklace, within seconds. But something that's just been put in the wrong bottle wouldn't register — and anyway, love potions aren't Dark or dangerous—"

Harry muttered something they couldn't hear.

"— so it would be down to Filch to realize it wasn't a cough potion, and he's not a very good wizard, I doubt he can tell one potion from —"

"Madam Pince alert," Delilah whispered to Draco and they started packing up their mostly finished homework. "We'll have to finish in the Common Room."

He nodded, and they left while Madam Pince was distracted by the writing in Harry's potions book.

"Have you thought about it?" Delilah asked when they were out of earshot from the library.

Draco hesitated.

"I'd like to go with you, but it's a good chance to work on the project."

"Alright, but if you change your mind let me know. I'd hate to go alone."

"Slughorn's not that bad, plus he likes you."

"True, but McClaggen is going to be there, and he's a nightmare. Honestly, I'd rather spend time with the Giant Squid, or even the mermaids."