Written in collaboration with Elrith.*
If it could happen, it most often did. Or more so, Delilah Noire found herself vexed and contemplating Murphyâs Law â if it could go wrong, it would go wrong. The seventeen year old found herself hauling her trunk, desperately late and far more so than usual. âI missed the feast and sorting! And itâs my final year, would have been the last one!â she thought glumly. Standing at 5â9, the lithe and tanned Virginian found herself quite alone at the docks off shore of Magus Grex. The attendants and staff who typically handled incoming students were nowhere in sight. This was the first year sheâd been late and as she waited for one of the boats to come, the blond found it very difficult to handle the lack of chatter and voices. All she had for company was a skiff of leaves being carried along the wooden docks by a cool breeze.
While she wasnât the most outgoing socialite, there was always a magical fervor in the air around all inbound students. There was the matter of catching up with the people she hadnât seen all summer as well. She missed the smiles and hugs in that moment, a sentiment that made her heart sink a little. Sighing, Delilah rolled back on her heels, feeling her sneakers sink into the wooden plank behind her. It creaked loudly and rather quickly the teen felt her balance slip as the plank gave more than she thought it would. The rubber heel of her shoe crudely caught between the planks and as she struggled to pull herself forward she found herself falling backwards. Swinging her arms and pushing herself forward, Delilah found herself suddenly freed but with too much momentum. The blond slammed her feet into the ground and tossed her arms out defensively to catch her balance. When she was on her own two feet again she exhaled deeply, turning to look over her shoulder as if someone was there to see. With no witnesses she sighed again in relief, kneeling to re-tie her shoe and shaking her head at her own lack of composure.
As she fingered the laces, pursing her lips as she made a quick bow, the air crackled with a snap and pop. Apparition. Immediately she rose to stand upright, her hand grabbing for her wand defensively. The ivory handle graced her finger tips but was quickly released when the person whoâd apparated turned to face her. âOh, really?â she cursed, looking skyward and nearly whining. âWhat the hell. Youâve got to be kidding me.â
âSorry, kid, looks like we missed- Delilah?!â he said, surprise lacing his tone. She watched his eyebrows rise and fought away the butterflies in her stomach.
Standing before her was none other than Sam Halford, a complicated mess of an asshole in her opinion. Swallowing bitterly, she stood upright, smoothing her hand over her robes and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She had to admit she was relatively well put together. Miss me? she wondered. Conveniently she did look good that day, having had time to brush out her wild wavy blond hair. It hung loose on her shoulders. She'd also thought to put on some make-up that morning, thankfully. Not once had she thought their first re-encounter would be on the docks.
Last year had become so complicated after Valentineâs Day. Sam had asked her out on a date, boldly so. Sheâd accepted, pushed by her friends to, and found him charming nonetheless. They had a lot in common and he was friends with Vance, a guy who had caught her eye on occasion. However as the year progressed it had been almost a tug of war to keep his attention. When May rolled around they had been seeing and talking to each other regularly. Sheâd come to like their conversations and right before the end of classes theyâd found an old piano and played together. It had been soft and sweet, something sheâd almost deemed romantic. Heâd kissed her then and sheâd enjoyed it. More than I should have, she thought angrily. That night had turned rather sour and quickly when Sam, so far as she knew, started a fight with Vance. She hadnât been there to see most of it, only the tail end when the two stood there, sweating and hating one another. Theyâd been more than ready to take a hack at one another again if it werenât for the four male professors holding them back one the otherâs throats. Delilah had found herself fixated on Vance, the way his hair and body hung after the battle. He looked tired but almost sexy. She recalled thinking he needed practice but that he was charming looking. Donât like the bad boy. Really. Where is your head? sheâd told herself. She reminded herself of that again then.
The violence had turned her off to Sam. Heâd shown a different side of himself and not shut it away when the duel was over. When theyâd parted ways for the summer, he had promised to make it right again but heâd still been fuming. Heâd never sent her so much as one word over the holidays. Sheâd almost thought him for dead. Close to three months of no conversation at all. He surely hadnât missed her.
âYouâre alive,â she muttered, barely looking him in the eye. There wasnât a thing wrong with him, aside from looking slightly disheveled from apparating. âI was hoping theyâd say they found you in a ditch or something.â Without question she felt slighted. The first guy sheâd ever been convinced to spend time with had just dropped her for what? She didnât know. It hurt regardless and she didnât hide that from him.
Sam made a grab for her trunk then, as if to help her. Immediately Delilah reached out to catch his hand, not wanting him to even touch her things. When he moved to hug her, she stepped back shaking her hands at him. âWhat?â he said, at once melting into a defensive stance. Her glare deepened. "Don't," she warned him, half tempted to reach out and flick him away like he was a mosquito flying too close.
âSorry to disappoint. Usually it seems that most girls would be happy to discover their boyfriend isnât dead,â he told her. He heard me, she thought. Delilah couldnât help but roll her eyes at his comment. âLast I checked, a boyfriend actually talked to their girlfriend,â she replied sharply. As she turned back out towards the water she saw that their boat was there, small and singular in existence. A small house elf apparated and tied it to the dock, gesturing for them to board. âIs there only one?â Delilah groaned. The elf nodded, and gestured again that they get in. Normally she was far more courteous but Samâs presence pushed her closer to an edge that sheâd been brought to by her own mother not hours before. Biting her lip to keep herself from saying something rude she clambered across the docks, careful to hold onto her trunk herself before setting it beside the house elf, knowing he would take it and her owl Screech to their appropriate places.
As Delilah settled herself into the boat she was a clutz about it, as usual. Stepping into the boat, she pushed her weight into it too much at first and pushed it further from the dock. When Sam moved to help her she swatted him away. As her legs stretched painfully Delilah grumbled lowly under her breath, cursing her lack of coordination, and pulled the boat back towards them so that she could hop inside and sit down, crossing both her legs and arms. She uptook the silent pose, only for him to take offense to that too.
âOh, I didnât talk to you? What is this a one way street?â he asked suddenly. âYou never sent me any messages, and I couldnât talk to anyone, my father took my owl and dragged me off to the UK, didnât you get my apology Patronous?â Sam looked exasperated and not at all amused with her expression. Delilah closed her eyes, pursing her lips. âNo. I got nothing from you. No letters, emails, owls,â she replied curtly.
"Well I'm sorry I missed you but," Sam apologized, or tried to before she cut him off. His words barely registered. âSince when can you muster a Patronus?â she asked with a harsh tone. Had he somehow learned it? Her sass was a tad biting. She knew he had a sore spot for being belittled that way.
It was unlike her to be so curt and short with him or anyone for that matter. Only a few people earned such sassy remarks and Sam had never been one of them. Though the way she addressed him was not entirely his fault, she was unrelenting. The past 24 hours had been rather hard on her.
âLast I saw you, you were beat up and in a violent mood. You disappeared after the boats and I had to go. I wrote you, I emailed you, I called you. Screech came back every time, couldnât find you. My emails bounced. After awhile your phone was disconnected,â she ranted, bringing a hand to her head to tuck her hair behind her ears. Delilah sighed and turned to look out to the shores of their school. As the boat took to the water, they moved swiftly across it. "I gave up two weeks ago," she added sourly. Her father had thought her a fool for the last month, waiting so pitifully for word from this boy he'd never met, worse yet the son of a man he knew well and wanted nothing to do with. He'd done his best to dissuade her from talking to him but her fatherâs words meant little. Sam was the first guy to show true interest in her as a person, and not just a pretty face. He must be missing me Daddy, sheâd said over and over.
âOh and times never change? Expecto Patron-â Sam began, but his words were again cut off as Delilahâs eyes widened at the sight of an elegant great eagle patronus. He was trying to prove her wrong with this kind of antic? Really? She looked across from him, nearly snarling, gripping the edge of the boat and moving to stand. Was this some kind of joke? He rolled his eyes and she hummed with exasperation. The boat rocked as the eagle began to talk, proving that he had tried once to contact her. Poorly done, she thought with a swallow. Timed to try and win me back? Bullshit.
Delilah⊠sorry this is coming to you this way but my prat of a father took Howl form me and I left my computer in Charleston, You wouldnât believe the views that-â the eagle began to say.
Delilah stared into the patronus as it spoke until Sam swatted it away with his wand. Sinking back into her seat the blond resigned to folding her arms again, swallowing back her discontent. Her motherâs words from yesterday morning rolled into mind, the thought of it making her cringe and put her face into her hands. âWhat daughter of mine would stand to be so slighted by some idiot boy?â
âYeah, thanks for that⊠better late then, know what, never mind,â Sam muttered to the air, shifting back in his seat as well. Delilah couldnât even look at him. The closer the shore came to the boat the better. They were only a few minutes away now. Glancing at her watch she recognized that it was nearly time for breakfast. Savant was likely awake by now. She missed her close friend more than anything in that moment. Heâd understand.
âAnyway my father forced me to go with him to Britain âcause of that âincidentâ, his words not mine, with Abernathy,â Sam explained, his voice laced with residual frustration. It was obvious he was holding a grudge against the Aretiem. Delilah didnât care for the tone and shook her head, leaning an elbow onto her knee so that she could set her cheek in her hand. âHe has a name Sam. And itâs not like youâre guilt free. Holding onto such hate,â she said bitterly. She didnât know why she was defending Vance at all. She barely knew him and he was often less than courteous. âAnd besides, a talking patronus? How hard is it to slip a letter in the mail? Even a howler!â
âMy Auror keeper/tutor kind of kept me busy all the time,â Sam countered. âKind of?â she echoed him. What she picked out from his words was selective. Delilahâs eyebrows rose for a moment before she turned away again, scoffing. At that point the boat bumped into the schools main docks and Delilah was ever so quick to stand. As the boat rocked with her sudden movement the witch was smart enough to grab onto the ladder closest to her, hauling herself up it without hesitation. Sam was quick to follow her, keeping behind her as she kept her arms wrapped across her chest. As they walked down the length of the dock he was close to her, so much so that he didnât have to raise his voice. For awhile she was quiet, stifling her words as she bit harder on her lip. Sheâd nearly drawn blood when they got to the front gates and were permitted to enter the courtyard. As she stormed and he followed, Delilah found they were surrounded by chattering voices and excited students. She was not one for scenes but one was coming. Minutes ago sheâd wished to be surrounded by them all. Now sheâd give anything for them to be gone.
âLook, Iâm sorry I didnât contact you, but I am a wizard and I still canât turn back the clock,â Sam said suddenly, his words stopping her. As she pivoted on her heel to face him, he threw his hands in the air as if in defeat. Her lip trembled. âI mean, what do you want me to say?â he asked, exasperated. She was tired of this too, tired of waiting for him to care about her for just a second. He needed to find the words and the gesture. Did he really think sheâd brush off the lack of communication? If he was interested in her, wasnât he supposed to want to talk to her every day?
âWeâre done,â she said lowly, her voice harsh and broken in its own way as it cracked with emotion. "I cannot be with a guy who doesn't give a shit about me.â
âGive me a break, thatâs not true,â he replied, anger blooming in his tone again. He gestured to her, extending his arm as if to tell her to keep going and she did, not even thinking twice about what she was saying. âYou choose violence instead and you choose to hang onto a grudge that means nothing!â The crowds of students were growing now. More people were waking up and heading to breakfast. âYou know nothing!" she concluded, enraged. He was so childish like this! Then again, she looked close to throwing a tantrum herself with her face so flushed and her eyes so narrowed on him.
Licking her lips she turned away from him, shaking her head and running a hand through her long hair to push it back out of her face again. As she moved across the courtyard she could feel the stares. She was not one for moments, no, but the outburst was called for in her mind. As she stepped into the greater castle area, Delilah was desperate to escape him but Sam only ran after her, beyond angry with her words.
âMeans nothing?!â he roared. Delilah winced, stopping where she stood in front of the open doors to the great hall. Shouldnât have said that, she thought, cursing herself for her poor choice of words. His voice caught the attention of many and she cursed under her breath, squeezing her eyes shut as if to will him away. "You're making a scene," she muttered, knowing it was useless now that his temper had been sparked.
âYou think it meant nothing? That Iâd get in a duel with him for nothing? That son of a bitch insulted my mother, my DEAD,â he spat the word at her, âMother! But you wouldn't understand that would you!â
Delilah choked on a cry, keeping her back to him as she brought a hand to her forehead, trying to hide the desolation on her face. âMy mother has been as good as dead since I was nine,â she thought lowly. âHe knows that. Why on earth would he say that if only to hurt me?â The woman had been depressed since being paralyzed from the waist down when Delilah was nine. It had gotten so bad that for the past three years she had gone mute and nearly catatonic. Had he forgotten? He really did know nothing. She held her tongue however, knowing that her sassy mouth had gotten them into this tit for tat yelling fest.
âYou know what⊠youâre right, we are done! If you canât understand that I did care then it wouldnât work anyway and Iâm not wasting my time,â He concluded. She heard him walk away and she licked her lips and let out half a cry. âIâm a waist of time?â
Her shoulders shuddered and when she opened her eyes she found half a dozen onlookers staring at her like she was half crazy. Was she the victim or the bitch? A little of both.
âYour mother did not choose to leave you, but my mother did for me,â she said lowly, knowing that Sam was well out of earshot. Swallowing her pride, the seventh year Cervus wrapped her arms tightly around her chest again â almost as if to keep herself together. She moved quickly, half choking on air as she went to the girlâs lavatory closest to the great hall, pushing past students who cared to get in her way. As she reached the door she couldnât hold it in. She sobbed and sniffed, ducking her way into a stall so that she could close the door and fall to her knees on the floor to cry beyond the sight of anyone but herself.