Hi guys! Publishing early because I have a crazy day tomorrow!
Hope you're all doing okay!
I feel I should clarify, that there won't be much bashing in this fic. A bit for Dumbledore for being a controlling bastard as per cannon, a little bit for Ron Weasley who I don't think should have been forgiven by Harry after year four (his response was reasonable for a jealous teenager but Harry has enough shit going on during that year and the following ones to deal with a fair weather friend), and a bit more for Molly Weasley who does not pass the vibe check in my personal opinion.

———

The Gargoyle outside Dumbledore's office raised an eyebrow.
Delphi grimaced in return, "he asked for me, Laverne."
"Of course he did." Sighed the Gargoyle. "Up you go."

She was a long suffering one, and they had both bonded long ago over mutual frustration of the current headmaster. Mostly his favourite power play of neglecting to tell people the password to enter his office, thus forcing even the Minister for Magic at one point to desperately list sweets.
The method had thankfully backfired with Delphi though, as the Gargoyle had drawn the line at children undergoing such treatment, and as such, let the girl in regardless of whether the Headmaster himself was even in his office or not.

Delphi did not let her mind wander though, pulling her hair back into a ponytail as she made her way up the stairs. Indeed the Headmaster cared very little for age, which is why, as per every meeting since their first, she needed all her wits about her.

———

Five years ago

"Sir, why are you trying to pass my occulumency barriers?"
Delphi watched as Dumbledore blinked in contained surprise before putting on a grandfatherly smile, "forgive me, my dear, but with such knowledge in your mind, it is imperative that people cannot enter it. You have the knowledge to completely transform the war to come..."

Delphi may be young but she had good instincts, and did not ignore how the hair rose on her neck at that statement. Tom Riddle was indeed a good legilimens, but it was many years before he'd be a threat, as Dumbledore must know. The excuse was poor.
She dropped it though. "Of course...I'm sorry for saying what I did, I shouldn't have but the mirror..."
The headmaster waved away her concerns, "death is but the next great adventure, besides I may not have died, visions and prophecies work in mysterious ways."
She nodded and waited quietly for the man to get to the point. His eyes twinkled like Antipodean Opal-eye eggs, and it set her on edge.

When she didn't speak further, Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair, his expression turning serious. "Miss Lovegood, you must know above all others the dangers to come and the sacrifices that will be made. If you can tell me what you know, I am in a position to avert that suffering."
Delphi felt calm wash over her.
This was the man who defeated Grindelwald.
He was so much older and wiser than she was, he could definitely do great things with this knowledge. All those deaths, she might not be able to stop them, but he certainly could.
He was Albus Dumbledore after all.
She opened her mouth ready to pour it all out, but then a small voice spoke in the back of her head.

'This feels wrong.'

Three words but suddenly the moment shattered. She was on edge when she arrived, wary of this man and with good reason.
The compulsion charm fell away and she glared at the headmaster, standing and moving from the desk.

He opened his mouth but she got there first.
"Forgive me headmaster, but as you well know, if I were to do as you ask, we'd anger powers even you could not face. I must refuse your offer, and apologise. I had forgotten for a moment just who you are. You may be the leader of the light, but that does not mean that you aren't fully willing to tarnish your own soul for the sake of your cause."
She forced herself to calm down, unclenching her fists and taking a deep breath.
"Do not worry, I will not forget again, Headmaster."

———

Present

Recalling that memory, she often alternated between horror at how close she'd come and pride at how she'd resisted him at such a young age. Though that was only because he'd underestimated her. The compulsions and legilimency probes had gotten subtler and stronger since.

The door to the headmaster's study opened and Delphi stepped through, shaking away a small trust compulsion built into the wards of the place, and focused on the man.
Dumbledore looked no different from that first visit, innocent grandfatherly face, colourful 'fun' robes, and aura of strength.
His office had changed though. Filled with instruments and old books the summer before Harry's arrival to give a more intimidating impact. Like he'd ever keep real valuable or dangerous books let alone a pensieve in such an easily accessible room.

That poor boy.
Not even in two years when his faith in Dumbledore would be truly tested, would he realise just how deep the manipulation went.
The strongly pro-Dumbledore wizarding family taking the muggle entry to Kings cross. The strongly pro-Dumbledore yet incredibly forgetful, untrained and expelled Hagrid sent to introduce the boy who lived to the wizarding world. The fact that no one checked on the Boy who Lived to make sure he wasn't in an abusive household, and how the blood wards had fallen at privet drive the day Harry was first beaten at the age of five. How Dumbledore knew Sirius wasn't the secret keeper and could have gotten him a trial.
He'd never realise that. Never realise the dozens of ways he was being pushed and prodded to think and behave exactly how Dumbledore wanted him to.

Not that she could really criticise since as she knew she could stop it, but chose not to.
The damned greater good.
Instead, she added another thing to her list of stuff to hate herself for in weaker moments and focused on the bumblebee whose sting she was avoiding.
"Evening Headmaster."
"Good evening Miss Lovegood." Dumbledore smiled genially. "I apologise for taking you from your studies, but I wanted a word."
Delphi wished it would just be a single word. She waited expectantly and ignored his slightly disappointed look.
"Do you have any advice for me?"
She shoved a legilemency probe out her mind and spoke levelly, "none, headmaster. Fate is set as you well know."
He shook his head, patronising smile in place, "and you know I am no fool Miss Lovegood. You know that events can be adjusted, odds can be weighted. You have nothing for the side of light? As I have told you before, your insight could save many lives in the war to come."
Delphi hummed but no matter how fiercely he gazed at her, her eyes remained calm, "And as I've told you before, there is nothing I can say without angering powers neither of us can face. Goodnight Headmaster."

She turned away, relieved it was over for now.
She was relieved too soon.
"How many children will die because of your silence, Delphi?" He said.
She flinched, in that one moment of vulnerability he launched a mental attack on her briefly unreinforced shields.
She fell against the door as the force of his magic bombarded her, taking ragged breaths.
"I don't want to do this Delphi," came his suddenly very distant voice, "but I need all the knowledge I can in order to act best, for the greater good. You know this."
Delphi grit her teeth as his legilemency probes battered against her defences. "Have you no fear of fate? Or death himself?" She hissed, "are you deaf to the reasons for my silence, or are you truly what so many students here call you behind your back, an old fool?"
He broke through and grasped at a thought before she pushed him fully out her mind.
"He gets chosen for the tournament?" Commented the headmaster in mild surprise, like he was at a tea party and someone had mentioned some faintly interesting gossip, "I wanted him to be humbled by meeting more powerful young wizards...did I decide to enter him?"
Delphi sent him a vicious glare and she got to her feet, whole body trembling. She turning away from him, unable to respond and leaving without a word.

Fury burned in her veins. He hadn't even bothered to pretend remorse.
She stormed down the corridor, and made her way toward the astronomy tower, where she could scream her frustration and anger to the sky. She was sure she could scare away any lovers who'd chosen the place for a rendezvous, she had greater need.

How dare he attack her like that, from behind and in such an underhanded way. That complete bastard of a wizard, who she only played nice with due to him being the lesser of two evils. They'd both die before the end so the British wizarding community could start fresh. She hoped Flitwick took over. A level headed, part creature with no house prejudice was just what this school needed. She hoped Lupin would realise before he died that he was the only bloody werewolf kid ever permitted within these walls, and that she simply hadn't seen the moment the man visited Dumbledore and gave the old bastard what for.
So many manipulations. She hated that he'd never answer for them. But a martyr hero was better than a slain monster for the future to come.

The greater bloody good.

Delphi actually ran up the final staircase, her angry energy desperate to be let loose.
Not even the shocked stare of Fred Weasley could halt her as she hurtled past him to lean against the railing and pour it all out in one thoroughly impressive scream.

She roared her heart out for a good two or so minutes, the railing cutting cold into her palms as she gripped it with all her strength.
Thankfully the information he got was small, the darker secrets more well protected, but it should not have happened, and that was her fault. She over estimated how honourable that man would be in the face of useful information. He'd certainly never been that aggressive in her previous visits to his office, but it was still partly her fault for showing weakness.
He was still a bloody git though. That was mind rape. Albus Dumbledore mind raped an underaged girl in his office. She was tempted to write to Rita Skeeter.

The last of her breath ran out and she fell forward taking a deep inhale.
Then the third stage of grief, well the third for Irish women at least, kicked in.
Denial, anger..
Revenge.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

She turned around and was mildly surprised to see Fred Weasley was still there.
Looking slightly frightened, but still there. How useful.
"You, Fred. You and your brother up for pranking Dumbledore?"
The redhead stared at her like she had a third head. She supposed it was a reasonable reaction to a usually rather quiet Ravenclaw, almost knocking you over and proceeding to scream at the night sky like a psychotic banshee.
She raised her eyebrows when he didn't reply and the guy seemed to reboot.
"Uh...he's kinda magically sensitive, and when we do pull a prank on him, he tends to get his own back through detentions and point loss..."
She hummed, "I'll owe you a favour?"
Fred had recovered enough to snort derisively, "what's a favour from you worth?"
Delphi crossed her arms and smirked, "you mean, the word of an absolutely golden student to get you out a tight spot is worth nothing? Imagine what you could get away with, with me as your alibi."
The twin eyed her steadily, like a businessman. It was to his credit the guy recovered quickly, though he and George were considered the embodiment of chaos.
She added absently, "you both struggle in arithmancy right? If I was tutoring you, how could you possibly have..oh I don't know? Got all the books in the library singing Celestina Warbeck classics when opened?"

His pensive expression turned into an almost maniacal grin. He offered his hand, "well, Miss Lovegood, I can't speak for Fred since I'm George, but you have a deal."
She chuckled and took his hand firmly in her own for a shake, her glinting malicious eyes making him shiver, "make it good, Fred."
He seemed surprised at her confidence but didn't comment. "Yes, ma'am. The Weasley twins will do their best."
She dug into one of the pockets of her robes and handed Fred five galleons, "I should hope so. Happy plotting."

She turned from the shocked redhead and walked away, leaving all her anger behind and taking only anticipation. Dumbledore one upped her in this battle and her pride was hurt, but he was also a prideful man and thus his weakness was plain. And the perfect weapon was the twins of chaos.