Delilah held up the ring in front of them as Tom placed the cigarette between her lips, watching her as she analyzed the ancient stone.

He supposed it wasn't completely void of dark magic.

It was a horcrux after all.

His mind trailed back to his diary, which was currently stored away in a trunk at the safe house back in the forties. Parts of his soul scattered across time itself. Tom was curious if his soul affected the stone at all. If the Deathly Hallows were ever meant to be violated in such a way.

He wondered what would happen if he told her, then again she had to have already known. Right? She knew what he would become, so Tom drew the conclusion she knew about his endeavors of seeking immortality. Knew about the extent to which he ventured.

And with her frozen body clock, that voice in his head lulled quietly at the notion they could live forever. They could be gods.

He was also curious to see if she could feel the aura around the ring, if she could see the faint glowing lines of magic that danced around objects that held such power.

Tom had always been able to, even from a young age. Though admittedly at first, he thought it was an eye issue of some sort.

Only it bloomed once he first visited Diagon Alley, even more so at Hogwarts. The threads of magic weaving through the air, some so vibrant that if he focused hard enough, he thought he might be able to reach out and pluck one.

It wasn't overwhelming, as he got older he hardly paid attention. He was able to switch it off. But with some objects - or people - they made their presence known.

He watched her nose twitch as she turned the stone over, long faded freckles dusted over the bridge and her cheeks. She pulled the cigarette away after an inhale, blowing it out of the side of her mouth and handed it back to him.

Tom placed it between his teeth and slid the ring back on his finger.

Delilah glowed a silvery blue. The threads weaving almost invisibly in her hair and in her veins. He noticed it the moment he first saw her, passed out on one of the beds in the Slytherin dormitories. And when she used her runic spells they turned into near bolts of lightning.

Looking down at his hand, he flexed his long fingers and watched how the bones and tendons moved. His threads a deep crimson against his pale skin.

"Harry would go mad if he saw you two like this," Hermione said as she walked in.

Delilah jumped lightly, becoming acutely aware of how she was sitting on one of Tom's legs and his arm was wrapped securely around her waist.

She tried to move, but his hold wasn't budging. All he did was puff out smoke and flip another page.

Clearing her throat, she raised her chin in feigned nonchalance. "How are the translations going?"

Hermione sighed tiredly and grabbed a cup, magically filling it with water even though she didn't have her wand on her. "Slow so far, most of the earlier documents are out of date. Lists of Death Eater bases that we've already raided or they've been long abandoned. Plus I'm working a bit sluggish."

"I think you're doing a remarkable job, considering you're doing it alone." Delilah added, giving her friend a sympathetic smile.

"I could translate a few," Tom said, earning a raised brow from the girl on his lap and a dry laugh from Hermione.

"Sorry, but no one would let you anywhere near those. Take it as a motive of precaution."

He shrugged impartially, snuffing out the cigarette on the table and burning the wood. "Just thought I'd offer help, you all seem desperately under staffed."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "maybe we wouldn't be if wizards weren't being murdered left and right."

There was a tense silence and Delilah shut her eyes briefly, glad that she at least didn't say they were being murdered by him.

Tom didn't seem bothered, he simply raised his free hand in surrender and nodded once. "Pardon me if I've overstepped." Though when she looked at him, his jaw was clenched, muscles straining.

Sipping her water, Hermione leaned back against the counter and rubbed at her eyes. "I'm just exhausted. We also need more supplies for the infirmary and I was supposed to go yesterday but I've been crammed with other tasks. And we can't just send anyone, the Death Eaters know who's in the Order and they're hell bent on finding Harry." She took in a sharp breath after her ramble.

"That must be a lot, 'Mione I'm sorry." Delilah offered weakly, she was never good at this sort of thing.

The girl nodded mutely for a moment before looking at the two of them, biting her lip and her brows furrowed deeply in the middle. That was never a good sign.

"What?"

"I have a suggestion but it's mad," even as she said the words, it seemed she wanted to retract them immediately. "Can you two go?"

This time Tom looked up, eyeing her over and a bemused smile tugged at his lips. "I can't look at documents but you trust me to leave?"

"Trust is a strong word, but you two are already leaving again aren't you? Besides," she observed the position they were in, at how comfortable they were around each other. "I know you won't run."

"And what about the rest of the Order? They won't agree with this."

"What they don't know won't hurt them."

Delilah blinked at Hermione, sure the girl had broken numerous rules at school. Though all for the right reasons. She never would've expected her to go behind Harry and Ron's backs.

"Where and when?" Tom asked, leaning back in his chair and pulling Delilah along with him, having her back rested against his chest.

Of course he would be eager to leave, she couldn't blame him. Being cooped up in a crowded house for days was a pest on its own, but he had yet to explore more of this new world.

"I'll write up a list of what we need, most of the herbs can be found in an acre that's right outside of the city. But one ingredient in particular is in Diagon Alley, that'll be the task. No one can see you two, Tom for the most part I think is safe but regardless. Try to stay hidden. I'll fetch you two around seven, Harry and Ron should be out on patrol during then."

Later that night Delilah stood alone on the roof, arms wrapped around herself to shield out the winter chill as she waited for Hermione to bring Tom.

This whole thing was reckless. Though she supposed she's done more careless shit that would outlast her lifetime.

Staring down at the list, it was general herbs and plants that they would be able to find easily. More or less, aconite was on the list which was highly toxic. The ingredient at Diagon Alley was something called black quicksilver, which she wasn't familiar with but there was an address to a shop scrawled next to it.

The door to the roof swung open, Hermione hot on Tom's heels and her hair a wild mess. She was also fuming. Meanwhile he held a cocky expression.

Delilah could only assume they were bickering.

"Does he not ever have a filter?" Hermione huffed, yanking Ron's jumper closer around herself.

"Sadly, no."

Tom nearly rolled his eyes. "I was only informing Miss Granger about the absolute lack of organization within this little rebellion. Not to mention how disastrous that infirmary is looking, and their methods really are quite outdated-"

"Do you want to leave or not?" Hermione bit in, lips pursed.

Looping her arm through his, Delilah smiled lightly at her friend. "When we get back you can have him clean the cupboards in the infirmary."

Tom craned his neck to look down at her with a brow raised. "I will not-"

His sentence got cut off as they apparated.

Landing on wet cobblestone streets, water clung to the edges and cracks like glue as people were bustling around to get home or go out to eat.

Tom blew out a breath, glaring at her halfheartedly. "I'm not cleaning the bloody infirmary, have you seen it? It's disgusting."

"They'll probably make you do it by hand, too." Delilah mused, tugging him along through the streets of Muggle London as they neared Diagon Alley.

She knew they'd have to stick to the shadows, ever since the war really kicked up at the start of sixth year the streets had been practically empty. Delilah hadn't been back, to this version at least, since the battle at Hogwarts.

She didn't know if she could stomach seeing Fred and George's joke shop. It's been closed for about a year now, but she wondered if the front was still enchanted to move a hat up and down.

Nearing the Leaky Cauldron, it looked void. Nothing like the lively version in the forties where people moved in and out and the air smelt of alcohol and watered down porridge.

"We can't just walk in," she said as they stopped a few feet away. Muggles walking by them as if they were suddenly invisible.

"Cast a disillusionment charm."

"You don't think there'd be wards?"

"On an Inn?"

She shrugged a shoulder, "they're vigilant, but it won't hurt."

Casting the spell over the both of them, Tom walked forward first and carefully opened the door, wincing at the loud creak.

Looking around the edge, after a moment his shoulders relaxed a bit.

"It's empty."

Regardless, they walked through the pub on the first floor swiftly and carefully. Delilah's wand out all the while in case someone tried to get the jump on them.

After going through the brick wall, the streets were empty as expected, though stragglers would surely make themselves known the further they went.

As planned, they stuck to back alleyways and shadowed over streets. Even though it was now dark out, they didn't want to risk a stray lantern giving them away.

Reaching the potions shop, Tom saw an old man at the counter through a dingy window. Reading what looked to be like the Daily Prophet and eating dinner.

"I could just apparate in and steal it." He suggested quietly.

She shook her head, "if you do that alarms will go off. Though I have no doubt you'd be able to nick it out of the shop easily."

Tom flexed his nimble fingers, he'd always been good at sleight of hand. Even without magic, he'd picked up tricks while at the orphanage.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Delilah snickered quietly, "of course you would."

He ignored the hidden jab and looked down at her, "and you're positive he won't recognize me?"

"Few people even know your name, and those who do are mostly dead."

Her mind flicked back to sixth year, when Dumbledore told them all of the boy who once walked the halls of the castle. No one was in a rush to go scour old news clippings or yearbooks to find a picture of him. Scared they'd be greeted by a red eyed monster.

"You stay here."

Her brows furrowed. "But-"

Grabbing her chin, he tilted her head back so her eyes met his.

"Stay."

With that he turned around and sauntered into the shop.

Huffing out a breath she slumped against the wall. "I'm not a dog," she muttered.

She watched as the shopkeeper looked up in surprise as the door opened, probably not expecting customers. She couldn't see Tom's face, but she could imagine the easy smile he probably held as he walked with the confidence of a god. All charm and no good intentions.

Just as she saw him slip a few phials up his sleeve a hand wound itself in her hair and yanked her head back. Her breath being stolen as a sharp edge of a blade pressed itself against her throat.

Their threat level apparent because she soon felt beads of warm blood trickle down her skin as the sting of a cut pricked at her nerves.

"Hello, pretty."

A damp, bone chilling sensation ripped through her as her vision went white with fear.

Something sharp jabbed into her back and her knees nearly buckled.

"I see you've healed rather nicely." The sultry voice crooned.

Delilah's mind felt as if it had been plunged into cold water, any rational thought completely abandoning her and her jaw had seemed to lock itself.

She couldn't even think that Tom was close by, that he would maybe walk out of the shop just in the nick of time. That he might save her. Might fight for her.

None of that occurred to mind.

All she could hear was her past screams ricocheting in her head.

The blade cut in deeper and more crimson pooled down, "I must say this is an unwelcome surprise." They tsk-d.

Whirling her around, Delilah was shoved into the wall and her head slammed into the stone, making her ears ring and a sharp blow hit her in the ribs making her crumble. She heaved out a wet cough, red specks splattering on the ground.

She looked up at Bellatrix with wide, terrified eyes.

The woman smiled manically, her teeth cracked, hair wild, and eyes gleaming with the promise of torture.

"Let's have a little chat, shall we?" She said cheerfully, fisting the fabric around Delilah's neck and began to drag her up to her feet just as the shop door opened.