Author's Notes: Sequel to "Lessons". Canon-compliant. This story starts in the middle of the summer following Dumbledore's death after the Ministry has fallen and Scrimgeour has been murdered. For the Harry Potter Rare Pairs Community on LJ. Each piece must be under 1500 words of actual story text.
i. everything has a beginning
"Asti? Daphne waved her hand in a sharp motion. "Get – away – from – there!"
Astoria rolled her eyes and pressed closer to the dark oak moulding, concealing herself from the visitors presently inside Greengrass Estate.
"Now!" Daphne grabbed her younger sister by the shoulders. She wriggled out of her grasp and slapped her hands away.
"Stop it! They'll hear us."
Daphne glared at her disapprovingly. However, instead of leaving, she stood behind the stooped Astoria and peered around the wood.
They watched their father, Virgil Greengrass, as he engaged in a conversation with a tall, dark, and foreboding man.
Albert Runcorn.
With him were some Ministry officials who had been introduced to the Greengrass girls prior to this meeting — Devon Boller, Marlowe Voxney, and the one who seemed to be in charge of them all, Garrick Yaxley.
"Virgil," Yaxley said with a sneering voice, "where are those fine pure-blood daughters of yours? You're not hiding them from us, are you?"
Daphne saw her father quailed at Yaxley's interrogatory. "Th-they're nearby. Queenie!" he bellowed.
She gave a start as her mother laid hands on both her and Astoria's shoulders. "Come with me," she said in a calm voice. She guided them into the drawing room. The four men rose, their black cloaks swirling like liquid around them. Queenie never took her hands off of either girls' shoulders, and Daphne swore that her grip tightened as the men approached.
The men bowed, but Yaxley remained standing before them. With a cold smile, he pulled up the sleeve of his arm, revealing — proudly — the black outline of a skull and snake slithering from its mouth.
"Someday," he said, with that horrible grin plastered to his face, "may this image grace the skin on your precious arms."
The two sisters reached out for each other's hands at the same time; Daphne felt Astoria's, sweating and scared, in her own. "P-perhaps, sir," she said with a bow. Yaxley continued to stare at them, and the older girl noticed him staring at her younger sister with a look that made her stomach churn violently.
"Virgil," Queenie intervened, the small tremor in her voice barely noticeable, "let us not keep our guests waiting." She put her arms around her two daughters. "Munster? Chappy?"
Two house-elves Apparated directly in front of the Greengrass women.
"Please show our honorable guests to the dining room."
The house-elves bowed and gestured humbly for the men to follow them.
Daphne violently slammed shut the door to Astoria's bedroom. She turned around and faced her younger sister, her eyes alight with fury.
"I don't want to ever, ever see you wandering around this house without me when those men are here!" Daphne was panting, but she didn't care. Her sister had been an utter fool, and damned if she was going to allow her to do something that would put her right in harm's way.
Astoria regarded her, annoyed at first, but her expression fell after a few moments. She dropped onto her bed, covered in a sea of soft, emerald green satin. "I'm sorry, Daphne. I understand your concern—"
"It's more than just concern." Daphne sat on the bed and looked her sister squarely in the eyes. "Did you see the way that man — Yaxley — looked at you?"
Astoria paused for a moment, but nodded slowly.
"It made me sick, Asti. I wanted to retch." Her expression softened as she brushed away Astoria's bangs from her forehead. "If he ever tried to harm you—" She swallowed. "If anyone tried, I'll make them regret it."
Astoria stared at Daphne for what felt like ages. She blinked, composing herself. "I'm not a child."
"No, but I've got seniority, and you're rubbish at Defense."
Astoria wrinkled her nose at the insult. "I resent that."
Daphne felt her chin quiver as she took hold of Astoria's hands. "I would die if anything happened to you." She didn't allow her face to break, but she couldn't stop the tears forming in her eyes. "Actually, I'd probably kill anyone that harmed you."
Astoria looked at Daphne, completely shocked. "D-don't say something like that! I-I mean, we're really at war. Anything can happen, and I couldn't stand it if you did something like that for me—"
Daphne reached over and embraced Astoria tightly. She felt the younger girl shudder in her arms. They rocked back and forth for a time, sitting on Astoria's plush bed.
"Do you want to sleep in here tonight?" Astoria pulled away and wiped her wet face and patted down her hair.
"Like we used to? Stay up after hours, pestering Muster for chocolates and pastries from the kitchens?" Daphne smiled at her sister, who nodded and sniffed.
"I . . . I just don't like the idea o-of being by myself. Not after seeing those men. Yaxley—"
Astoria did not need to say anything more. Daphne swiftly departed to her room next door to change into her pajamas and nighttime robe. If her sister needed company tonight, and any other night until they returned back to school, then she would be there for her.
"Mike!" Anthony Goldstein ran over to Michael Corner, giving him a tight, but brisk hug. He then went over to the older man who had traveled with Michael. "Dad, there weren't any problems?"
"Thankfully not," Benjamin Goldstein said as he shook Anthony's hand. "Michael, I'll get your belongings inside. You and Anthony take your time. Both of you are inside our wards, but for future reference, you can talk safely once you're inside this area here." He gestured, indicating the boundary line with his hand.
Michael nodded. "Thank you, sir." They watched Mr. Goldstein Levitated the trunk towards their house.
They started walking across the rich, green grass. "So," Anthony said after a moment, "Terry got here yesterday afternoon."
"He's all right, then? His parents?"
Anthony nodded and paused for a second. "How're yours?"
Michael's brow fell. "Mum's actually doing better. Dad took her to one last Muggle Healer's appointment."
"And—"
Michael swept his hands across him and smiled. "Nothing. Mum said they didn't want to jump the gun—"
"Huh?"
"Old Muggle saying." They walked into the Goldstein's comfortable, softly lit house, making their way up the stairs towards Anthony's bedroom. "Well, Mum said they were 'cautiously optimistic' that they were able to get all of it with the procedure. The only thing is that there's not going to be any Healers, Muggle or otherwise, wherever they end up at." He bit his lip. "I've got no idea what might happen if she gets sick again, and they're hiding from—"
Michael stopped talking; his breath caught in his throat. Anthony made no moves, but watched his friend as he composed himself.
"Corner!"
Both turned at the barking sound behind Michael. It didn't take long for him to be overtaken by an exuberant Terry Boot, who jumped on him and pounded at his head.
"OW! For the love of—" Michael swatted at him, but Terry clung to his back like a overzealous baboon. "Give me some space mate!"
Terry rubbed his knuckles into his scalp and bounced off. "Where the bloody hell've you been?" He slapped his friend's back. "Tony's been going over the bloody edge, waiting for yer arse to show up!"
"Terrance, watch your language."
"Sorry, Ma'am."
Rachel Goldstein flashed him a gently chiding grin, and turned towards their newest guest. "Michael," she said, hugging him, "I'm glad you made it back all right." Behind her, Anthony's dad stood, smiling at the boys. "You must be famished though. Why don't you boys get comfortable and I'll have Bitty bring dinner to you. We'll give you boys a chance to catch up."
She gave Michael and Terry one last hug and patted Anthony on the cheek. They settled into the bedroom, which had been Enlarged to accommodate three beds for the wizards.
Later that night, after Terry and Anthony were both snoring away, Michael pulled out the wizard photographs that he had packed with him. He looked at them as he lay down, settling into the soft quilt—
His mum and dad, waving him off to term last year, a scarf wrapped around his mother's head . . .
Him, Terry, Anthony, and the rest of the sixth year Ravenclaws. He briefly wondered whether Kevin Entwhistle and Su Li had been able to get to safety as well . . .
And a girl with dark hair and dark eyes, smiling at him, blowing him a kiss from her fingertips.
Michael smiled as he rubbed Daphne Greengrass' laughing face with his thumb. He then turned over and placed the pictures on the bedside table, just next to his wand, and fell asleep.