New Marauders Hogwarts

Year One

Chapter Four

Recuperating blues

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Dani glowered at her keepers. "I'm going to the feast. There's no way that I'm gonna convalesce here in bed while everyone gets to be sorted and experiences their first evening as First years!"

"Sweetie. We know that it's a pain being cooped up here like this, but you're still as weak as a newborn kitten." Henry lounged on one of the beds feeding his three-month-old daughter Mary her nightly bottle.

"I am not!" Dani gritted her teeth in sheer concentration focusing on trying to get out of bed, but to no avail her broken limbs were not about to cooperate. Her right leg and arm felt like deadweights and it was taking all of her energy to sit up, let alone scoot off the bed.

"No amount of sheer will is going to work, Little Bit." Wills went to tuck her back in, but someone else beat him to it.

"Can't blame you for trying, Sprite. It's useless. You are still confined to bed, so resign yourself to that fact and settle down." The Doctor gently pushed her back down against her pillows and tucked her in for the tenth time that evening.

"I don't care! It's not fair! I'm missing a moment in my life that I will never be able to get back!" She burst in to tears of frustration.

Lightning slashed across the darkening foreboding sky.

"Danielle. Throwing a snit isn't going to make you feel any better. If anything it's only going to make you feel even worse." The Doctor settled back down in his chair to read Rose's latest sci-fi best-seller.

"I'm missing everything! Riding on the Hogwarts Express! The boat ride across Black Lake! The Sorting ceremony and the beginning of term feast!" Dani sobbed miserably.

"We know, Angel face. Doc's got a point though. Throwing a temper fit won't help matters any." Wills crooned soothingly, kissing her on top of her head.

"Hogwarts has been your second home since you were born. You've taken one of the boats out on the lake with Hagrid many times. You were sorted when you were barely three months out of the womb. You have ridden on The Express several times over your eleven years of life. Granted it was in the Royal car, but you have made the trip from Kings Cross and back." Wills settled himself next to her, carefully rocking her in his arms, and soothingly smoothing her hair. "Lastly, you, my darling, niece have attended more feasts and celebrations here at the castle than you can count on your fingers and toes."

"I know that I'm being selfish and feeling sorry for myself! Feeling out of sorts! Crying or screaming at the drop of a hat! Being achy and wiped out is driving me batty! Add to the fact the remedy for keeping it all at bay barely puts a third of that under some kind of order. While my sisters, cousins, and best friend take to it like ducks to a pond. Just like they do with any medicinal potions that they've ever had to take! While myself, for reasons that baffle the minds of our strongest Healers, and minds both here and on Avalon, break out into itchy horrible hives!" Dani seethed in frustration; above all she despised not being in control of her emotions or self in general.

"It all comes down to karma biting me in the ass for always acting before thinking and letting my emotions lead the way!"

The ancient castle clock struck seven.

She closed her eyes deciding to focus on her sisters instead of her own misery. She expected to find them excitedly chatting and enjoying the feast with their new Housemates. The thing was that they didn't seem to be doing either one. So she chalked that up to her body being tapped out, so much so her twin link with her sisters was even on the fritz.

"Fantastic! Oh abso-bloody-lutely marvelous! Even my bond to my sisters is down for repairs!" She would have pulled the covers over her face to sulk in peace, but her Uncle was currently holding her, so glaring up at the ceiling and cursing the Powers would have to do.

"Sweetie, I know that you're having a time of it right now. But it's gonna get better. I promise it will." The Doctor crooned soothingly.

*Yeah right, maybe by Christmas if I'm lucky!* Dani thought darkly.

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"Wallowing in self-pity never solves the problem, it only compounds it." Daphne walked into the Hospital ward with Peeves floating beside her.

"Peeves cheer up Dani! All Dani gotta do is say what! Then Peeves do!"

The flamboyantly dressed violet eyed poltergeist floated over and sat at the foot of her bed. He was making crazy faces at her. When that didn't seem to be working he blew his face up to mimic one of Dani's, Get Well Soon, wizarding balloons.

"See! Peeves make Weezes loons look dreary paired to Peeves!"

Dani didn't want to hurt his feelings, so she managed a weak smile. "You've got that right, Pal. My Uncles could never match that in a thousand lifetimes."

"Peeves gots Dani make happy face!" Peeves did loop the loops above her bed.

"Peeves go tells 'Your Bloodiness' and others Peeves plan worked!" He chortled gleefully then vanished in his usual flair, minus his trademark rotten egg smelling calling card.

"Daph, you'll get into loads of trouble for ditching the feast. I mean, that's gotta be like twenty-five or fifty off Gryffindor…"

The last thing she wanted was for Daphne to get in trouble for sneaking up to see her. Then a horrible thought dawned on her. Daph was still wearing her presorting Hogwarts robes. Sorty never guaranteed where Daph would end up at…Oh frazzle, what if he sorted her to Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. "It is Gryffindor right?"

But Daph didn't answer her; she was too absorbed in her own thoughts.

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Daph took in Dani's bandaged up appearance and worried her lower lip with her teeth. She'd missed a lot being off on Holiday for the whole month of August. Her dad's book tour had taken them all over the globe.

She had many adventures to share with her best mate/little sister of sorts. They'd just gotten to London in time to shop at Diagon alley and then head to Kings Cross station just in time to watch the Hogwarts Express pull into the station. She'd stood on Platform 9 ¾ excitedly chatting away with her parents, as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. Dani's sisters, Izzy, Jules, and the boys happily greeted her and got her settled with them in the family cars, but Dani had been nowhere to be found. Nor was DJ with the boys.

Ally and Mia both launched into a detailed explanation.

It broke her heart not being there for Dani when she needed her. She'd loved those dogs as much as she had loved Crookshanks. Losing all three in one summer was beyond heart wrenching. It also explained why she hadn't corresponded with her all last month. She knew all to well that Dani wanted to be alone when she was hurting, as not to have her emotions tangle with anyone else's, let alone make them as sad and miserable as she was.

DJ was usually one of the only ones that Dani let down her guard with and Daisy and her as well. Daisy had probably done her best to cheer her up, while she'd been off enjoying her month abroad with her family. She'd even missed the triplets' birthday bash.

They'd been in New York City, the final stop before heading home. When Dani had gotten herself broken she'd been taking a seat at Lincoln Center with her mother. The two of them had watched a command performance of Fantasia a ballet, now as famous as the Nutcracker, that her mother had choreographed and scored herself. While her Dad and baby brother Tommy took in an American baseball game.

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"Daphne, will ya quit getting all melancholy with worrying about me and answer the question!" Dani's sharp tone jolted Daphne out of her silent unrest.

"Don't take it personally, Daph. She's been biting our heads off a lot these days." Henry was cuddling his sleeping daughter against his shoulder. "Even my sweet pea here is used to her moods."

"That's because the wee ones adore our Dani ta bits." Wills yawned tiredly. "At least your Mary isn't a night owl like my Beth. Ten months and she still loves to rouse us at three for a cuddle or five for her bottle."

"For the love of First Grams, are you in Gryffindor or not!?" Dani wasn't in the mood for updates on her baby cousins sleep patterns.

"Well, of course I am. Sorty went mostly by the schools that all the first years hailed from. The train got in early, so the Sorting ceremony ended a while ago. I got permission to come up here and see you." Daphne smiled at her.

"So no worries about losing any House points, all right. Uncle Albus and your parents knew that I was worried sick about you. So here I am. I figure we can have a feast of our own up here."

As if on cue tables appeared with food and dinnerware loaded on them, more than enough for just Daph, her Uncles, and her. This was followed by the arrival of the rest of 'The New Marauders'."

"All of you…" Dani sniffled.

"Well, of course all of us…" Mia winked at her.

"We couldn't very well tell everyone how you risked life and limb to rescue the baby unicorn and then not come up here and keep our recuperating hero of the hour company now could we." Ally rolled her eyes at her sister.

"Hero… But, I was the one that had to be rescued…"

"Well, yeah, but only after finding Dancer." MJ countered.

"Yeah, Dani, it was pitch-black. No wonder you lost your footing and took that tumble." Liam added.

"I was scared out of my mind…"

"And who wouldn't be scared witless in 'The Abyss'." Nate said in understanding.

"DJ was the hero. Not me." Dani whimpered miserably. "I ended up hopelessly off target. Got spooked by Dancer, thinking she was a ginormous spider. Lost my footing and took a nasty tumble down the edge of that awful void and ended up being knocked out, not to mention broken. DJ was the one who came to my rescue. Then Daisy popped in, followed by Darius moments after that. Darius patched me up; even the dogs came to my aid. A hero I most certainly am not."

"Dani, you're legend because you braved 'The Abyss' at night and lived to talk about it." Matt grinned.

"There's no need to analyze it. All ya have ta do is bask in your glory and milk it for all it's worth." Orry smirked.

"Glory!? Does this look like basking in glory to you?!" Dani tried to sit up the result was her gasping in pain.

"All right, you lot. That's more than enough. We came up here to cheer her up, not make her worse!" DJ rushed over to Dani's bedside.

"Just because Uncle Albus mentioned that although Dani's and my actions mere days ago were commendable, before his usual spiel about it being out of bounds and all that. Doesn't mean that either of us need nor do we want all of this attention on us."

"Okay gang. Here are the rules." Wills had heard more than enough. "You can stay, but only if you drop all of this and stop upsetting Danielle."

"Trust us. Being the main attraction on the castle or any grapevine isn't worth basking in any glory. All it does is give one a major migraine." Henry growled.

"Granted, all of you had to come up with a version, colorful as it may be, about why Dani was missing. But you should have settled for the facts." The Doctor eyed the kids reprovingly.

"Spinning a tall tale causes more headaches than one ever needs in a lifetime. The spotlight was the last thing that our Dani here needed or wanted." Darius stepped from the shadows.

"Daphne and DJ can stay. The rest of you back to the Family Wing. You can eat there. Then it's the Gryffindor Common room you go." Harry stood next to Darius, arms folded, clearly not pleased with any of them.

"Daddy, she needs us…" Ally protested.

"She really was beyond courageous going after the dogs like she did. We're all just really proud of her." Mia hated getting those dark disappointed looks from her Dad, as did Ally.

"Yeah, big brother, no harm no foul…" MJ gulped nervously.

"Dani's amazing under pressure and if the baby Uni hadn't spooked her like that she'd have come out of there with nary a scratch on her." Izzy added on praise.

"Izzy's right. Our Dani can usually get herself out of any scrape she comes across." Jules smiled.

"She's a third generation Marauder. It's only natural that she's so clever." Liam smirked.

"She's the brightest witch of our age." Nate nodded in full agreement.

"She's our anchor is what she is." Matt had always admired how Dani was calm and cool under pressure.

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Dani's eyes widened at all the praise being said about her. She hadn't a clue that all of them felt that way about her. She'd figured the boys, DJ not included, thought of her as a pain in their backside, but nothing like this. Goodness, talk about pressure! I mean, how, in First-Grandfather's name, was she gonna live up to all of this!?

Now as for her sisters that was mind-boggling as well. They admired her courage and adventurous side? Since when…Ally usually growled her ear off and Mia was always quick to lecture her on reining in her spontaneous nature.

Jules or Izzy, not so much, they liked the occasional adventure, so no surprise there.

Allysia whimpered if she so much as broke a fingernail.

Mia was a bit tougher, but not by much. Mia was more a mediator than a fighter.

Izzy usually used words as well, but she could hold her own if she had to.

Jules was more likely to box her brother's ears or jinx him on a whim and out of all of them she was easier for her to believe.

Daph had barely said anything and that worried her more than anything. Had her holiday been a total wash? By Mab, she looked ready to burst into tears any second now. Well, that wouldn't do at all. No she'd have to do something about that.

DJ looked downright fierce and ready to jinx the lot of them. Had his evening gone badly as well? It was all getting more and more puzzling by the moment.

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Harry fixed Dani a dinner tray and went over to set it down on the stand beside her bed.

"Well, now that she knows your feelings on the matter, it's off to the Family Wing with the lot of you." Darius pointed to the doors. "She needs peace and quiet to heal."

"But…"

"No buts. DJ and Daphne can stay. The rest of you out."

"Not fair. Why them?"

"Daphne and DJ weren't the ones spinning tales to the other students. Now move or you'll go to bed without full bellies." Harry narrowed his eyes at them.

"You can see her tomorrow after your last class. That's if all of you aren't bogged down with homework." The Doctor got up to fix himself a plate.

"Let's go you lot." Wills carefully got up from the bed. "Good night, sweetie…Sweet Dreams." He feathered a kiss across Dani's forehead.

"Mary needs to be put down for the night." Henry blew Dani a kiss. "I'll check on you in the morning, angel face. Sweet Dreams."

The two of them herded the reluctant group out of Hospital Wing.

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"They didn't mean any harm by it." Harry situated himself next to Dani and cuddled her next to him.

"I know that, Daddy. But how am I supposed to live up to all that? I'm not even sure I can." Dani sniffled miserably.

"There now, Urchin. We'll have none of those tears, unless it's because you're in pain." Darius set about preparing her nightly doses of potions.

"Just a little achy but nothing major," Dani brushed away her tears. Truth be told she was one big ache. She just didn't wanna go to sleep right now. "I am hungry though."

Harry helped her sit up and she yelped in pain.

"No! Blast it! I'm gonna sit up and eat." She gritted her teeth.

"Here, Dani, this should help." Daph leaped into action and stacked more pillows behind her.

DJ was holding the tray. "I don't mind feeding you."

"Well I do. I'm eleven not one." Dani grumbled as her father tucked a napkin in front of her. "It's humiliating."

"No it's not." DJ carefully set the tray in front of her. "You're just hand challenged right now. Not to mention tapped out."

"Dani, there's no harm in asking for or accepting help when you need it." Daph settled herself in a chair beside the bed and focused on eating her own dinner.

"Broken is what I am and I don't mean my current state either." Dani focused on making her dinnerware begin the task of feeding her, but too no avail they didn't so much as twitch on the tray.

"Faulty goods that's me…" She tried to use her left hand, but was hopelessly left hand challenged.

"Urchin, you are not broken nor are you faulty in any way. You had an extreme shock to your system and are only days into your recovery. Now add your monthly and it's trying on your young form." Darius walked back into the ward with the tray of potions.

"Yeah, you used the last bit of your mega magic on me. So I know you're not broken, just temporarily out of it for a while." DJ settled himself on the bed next to hers.

The tables all vanished.

"Humor me, baby." Harry set about feeding her.

"What did you do to DJ?" Daphne arched a curious brow at her.

"I banished him from Hospital Wing to the pitch." Dani answered guiltily. "My temper was up for various reasons and I nearly got DJ killed because of it."

"Urchin, you were not of your right mind at the time it occurred. DJ appeared safely on one of the goals and doesn't blame you." Darius worried over Dani's attitude as of late. It was key to her recovery that she remained positive, but she was still depressed and frustrated about her current state.

"Shouldn't the Aetas Potion remedy those kinds of mood swings? It's one of my favorite potions. The monthly headache is bad enough, but at least the potion makes it livable." Daph commented between bites of roasted chicken.

"Not for me. These days I'm potion challenged. I'm a puzzle that our world's or even Avalon's brightest minds can't solve." Dani sighed miserably.

"I've overexerted my system three times too many and it bungled up my body but good. No healing factor for me. Oh no, I got landed with Mummy's quirky allergies to various potions and medicinal remedy's, like Master Chen's needle therapy." She shook her head no when her Dad tried to feed her another bite of cheesecake. "Daddy, I can't possibly eat another bite."

"Well, at least you managed make it to dessert this time." Harry finished off the last of her pudding and then the tray vanished.

"Dani, we've been over this. Your system needs to recharge and then you'll be right as rain." Darius measured out the first dose of potion for her to swallow.

"That's the theory anyway. Be honest, none of you know that for sure. It's just your best educated guess." Dani obediently took her nightly potions.

"While I convalesce here in bed for the unforeseeable future, say a month may be two. I know, how about until Christmas break? Meanwhile, everyone else is happily going about their first year." The bitterness in her usually happy voice was heart wrenching to their ears.

"It looks to me like you have two banged up, but still very much attached, and functional limbs that will heal in time with proper care and a positive attitude." Daph assumed that everyone was humoring her by letting her attitude slide, but she wasn't about to do the same. (She assumed wrong, but one must occasionally put ones foot in ones mouth. It just can't be helped in order for a lasting friendship to grow.)

Harry and The Doctor saw what was coming, but let her continue nonetheless.

"Uh, Daph, maybe you might wanna stop." DJ could also see the signs.

"No, DJ. This needs to be said." Daph growled at him and then focused back on Dani.

"There are those who aren't so fortunate and have to rely on technological wonders to be able to walk on two legs or use both their arms. I count myself blessed that this year our world made a medical breakthrough and I have my leg back and a foot as well. I can dance again, if I wish. So, if I can overcome losing my lower leg for nearly six years then you can patiently handle being on the mend for a few months."

"Daphne…"

"No! She's been humored enough!" Daphne snapped. "No one forced you to go after the dogs. You did that all on your own and the result of that was you getting lost and broken. And for what I ask? What did your lack of trust do? Absolutely nothing, because the dogs had already been easily rounded up by your Uncles and the boys. Getting involved and not trusting them only complicated matters and ended you up in Hospital Wing. So you bungled everything up but good! So what! That's life! It's how we learn. Stop sulking and move past it. Learn from your mistakes. Grow from them and get over it! The pity party stops now!"

Dani winced, as the words that Daph fired at her hit home. "I'm sorry. I know that I've been a brat about this. It's just that I feel cage and I lash out because of it."

"I understand how you're feeling, but negativity only sets back your recovery time." Daphne's voice gentled.

"I only wish that I had been here, instead of on a plane coming home from Holiday. Then maybe I could have gotten you to think clearly, instead of rushing off like you did in search of the dogs." Daphne nervously nibbled on her nail, a habit that she'd yet to break, especially when she was nervous or worried about something.

"Here I was off on Holiday while you were here sitting vigil over Lady and Rad…" Daphne's breath hitched and tears stung her eyes. She adored those two, but they had Dani's world since she was baby. She hadn't a doubt in her mind the loss of them had devastated her.

"Daphne, none of us knew that things would turn for the worst like that. It was heartbreaking for us all losing them after just losing Crooks only months before. One of us needed to have at least enjoyed a part of the summer and as for stopping me from going after my kids. No one could have. All that I was focusing on was finding my kids." Dani cut in. The last thing that she wanted was for Daph to feel guilty over any of it.

"You should have confided in me…"

"Why? There was nothing that you could have done. The circle of life happens. Muggle pets live shorter lifespans than that of Wizarding pets." Dani closed her eyes to ward off the tension headache that was building between her eyes.

She was just so tired of the constant emotional rollercoaster that had yet to stop since Crooks death in May. Daphne's emotions felt like fingernails running down a chalkboard to Dani's own frazzled state. "Sorry, but I wasn't about to ruin your Holiday, not when you seemed to be having such a fantastic time abroad, and enjoying the feel of having two good legs again."

"Best Friends, who are like sisters, share everything that means the good or the bad no matter what!" Daphne bristled.

"Choosing not to correspond with me for an entire month to spare my feelings is a bunch of tripe, Danielle! You get into these moods where you think sharing your feelings or using someone's shoulder to cry on is taboo to you. It's your problem, so you'll be the one to solve it on your own. So what if you're hurting so much inside that you want to scream. It's your problem, so you'll handle it!" Daphne stood up to glower down at her. She felt like shaking Dani, but knew that was the last thing that she needed, so glaring was just gonna have to do for now.

"Dad says she gets it from Uncle Harry." DJ polished off his own pudding. "She couldn't help but inherit at least some of Uncle Harry's quirks too."

"Uncle Harry had good reason! He was going through hell, had a really rough life growing up, and was thrown into one volatile situation after another!" Daph wasn't about to just chalk it up to that. "Dani lives to be stubborn and to close out her feelings!"

"Daphne, it's not like that at all, she had good reasons." The Doctor growled softly. "She feels too much. It's only instinct to shield herself like she does."

"All the more reason for her to share her feelings with those of us who love her, it's not like any of us are made of glass." Daphne snapped.

"No, but these days my emotional state is. I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings, but I couldn't handle another devastated reaction…" Dani's summer long pent-up emotional dam finally burst free and with it came down all the walls, barriers, and partially jump-started her tapped out magic.

"Back off, Daphne! You have no idea what it's like to be me or what I feel on a daily basis!"

The torches flared blindingly bright and the storm lashed the castle with pelting rain, ominous winds, and blinding lightning followed by crashing thunder that shook the castle.

"It's always you isn't it! What you can handle! How you feel! Well, it's not always about you, Danielle, not by a long shot! All of us hurt when the three of them died, not just you! All of us are beyond nervous about our first year, even more so than you, because we didn't get the six years of preparation that you did!" Daphne's temper snapped.

"So what if you're laid up in bed for a month or two! You'll catch up with ease! Everything comes so easy for you! Now for once in your life it isn't so easy and so you're throwing a royal snit about it! I've got news for you, Danielle. People are allergic to stuff, even you, so live with it!"

"You couldn't begin to fathom the pressure that I feel daily! Having all eyes on me wherever I go! People wondering whether I'll live up to everything that they've heard about me! Wondering if I'm like Daddy or more like Mum more! Gods, having a migraine caused the country to go into a panic when I was barely five! It isn't about me all the time! DJ and I sat with Rad and Lady night and day, while nearly all the other kids were in denial. I did the same with Crooks! They mattered to me and came first in my mind!" Dani's voice cracked with emotion.

"I was there when they died, so excuse the hell out of me if I'm emotionally wiped out from it all! Tend to be overprotective over my kids and am frustrated as hell about my body's reactions to most medicinal potions that could speed up my recovery immensely! Contrary to popular belief I'm just as flawed as everyone else is!"

Dani ignored the tears flowing down her face, took in a couple of deep tired breaths, and this time her voice was just drained. It just wasn't worth the energy that it took to continue this.

"I'm tired. If you are finished flaming my ass, I'd like to go to sleep now. I guess DJ can stay if he wants. He doesn't rush to judge me, but then he knows all the facts. I'm sure that you and the other girls will have a lovely time settling in the dorms. It'll be much easier with me not selfishly being the center of attention. I would think it a relief for you, since that's how you see me these days."

Dani burst into tears, burying her face against her father's chest. "Oh… just leave me alone…"

"Dani… I'm just worried…I didn't mean it…"

"I think that you've said more than enough for one night, Daphne." DJ sat down beside Dani, laying a protective hand on her back.

"Yes Dani can be a pain sometimes, but it's never for selfish reasons. She's hurting, stressed out of her mind, and now she's stuck in bed. You're exactly the same way and should have been the last one to ever rush to judge her! You're her best mate or at least I thought you were. Now I'm not so sure that you're worthy of that title anymore!" He snarled darkly.

"I'M SORRY!!" Daphne ran from the room in tears.

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"She's just worried is all." Harry smoothed his hand down her hair. "You closed her out for a whole month. She's hurt because you didn't trust her enough to confide in her."

"She was having a wicked cosmic time. I didn't wanna muddle that up for her." Dani's miserable sobs were muffled against her father's robes.

"Angel, the two of you at least in this particular situation was both in the wrong." It didn't take Time Lord blood running through his veins to have foreseen this particular situation coming to be.

:I just wanted at least someone to have some kind of happy ending to their summer.: Dani hiccupped too miserable to talk because her throat was clogged with tears.

:I hate blubbering on anybody's shoulder. Feeling their feelings on top of my own only ends me up with a bloody nose and a migraine from hell. Two things that I don't relish experiencing under any circumstances!: It was bad enough that she was on the verge of one even now.

:I just couldn't take anyone else being devastated like everyone else was. I was barely handling it myself. I didn't want to be an emotional wreck so close to the start of term. I did the only thing that I could and locked it all away…: She was sobbing even harder now.

:I miss them all soooo much that it's like a knife stabbing me in the heart every time I look at Missy or any of the dogs. Here I possessed all of this wondrous power and couldn't do anything but comfort them and watch over them…. It's not fair damn it!:

"I know…" Harry rocked her in his arms. "That's it. Let it all out. Have a good long cry."

"What am I gonna do, Daddy. It's all muddled up...!" Dani wailed. "Daphne hates me now!"

"Sweetheart, that's not true, Daphne doesn't hate you." Harry continued to soothing stroke her hair.

"If ya ask me she feels guilty about going off on Holiday, having a wicked cosmic time of it, and coming home to find out that your whole month had been a complete wash." DJ comfortingly patted her back.

"Excellent observation, DJ. While one was clearly out kicking up her heels on Holiday…The other was suffering from having to endure watching as not one but two beloved pets slowly lost the battle of life." The Doctor, even though sympathetic, also saw this emotional breakdown as the key to her being able to recover fully from her ordeal. "All in all, this little tiff between you and Daphne was beneficial for the both of you. You more so than Daphne, but extremely beneficial nonetheless."

"Beneficial!? How can you say that?! We're rowing now! So how can that possibly be a help to either one of us!" Dani glared murderously at him, turning around in her father's arms, and not once did she whimper in pain.

"So that was the key to the mystery." Darius' eyebrows rose; astonished at her sudden spurt of energy. "Your emotional dam had to completely crumble and with it came down all the walls that you've erected to keep your emotions in check all summer. Now besides being emotionally distraught how are you feeling?"

"Dani! You're sitting up without whimpering!" DJ was grinning from ear to ear. He knew full well that this meant that she was gonna be better in no time flat now.

"That's because I'm not really in any…" Dani's eyes widened. "I'm not in any pain…Oh my arm and leg still ache a little, but other than that I feel loads better."

"Darius?" Harry asked hopefully. This had happened to him when he had been all banged up then after an emotional or temper meltdown his body had put his healing ability on overdrive. Odds were it would be the same for his daughter too.

"There's only one way to see." Darius smiled at the boy. "DJ, please leave us for a bit, while I examine Dani."

He didn't have to ask twice. DJ was absolutely beaming. "I'm gonna go tell the others that you're back to being Dani again!" He raced out of the wing.

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"What, in the name of magic, is all this fuss about? Daphne's in tears about Dani never speaking to her again. DJ just shouted at me that Dani's herself again and by the looks of things I missed something important." Hermione stood in the archway leading into the first Hospital ward arms folded and worried about her baby girl.

Harry left Dani in Darius's care and went over to pull Hermione in his arms. "After Daphne and Dani had words our daughter there had an emotional breakdown…"

"Finally," Hermione sighed in relief. "Now her system will be able to properly right itself again."

"She's just like her father. All it takes is a good tantrum and then the healing can truly begin." The Doctor was beyond pleased with this current turn of events. "A good cry is always good for the soul."

"Well, your scrapes and bruises are now all completely healed, as is you're head wound." Darius removed those bandages.

"The broken bones are mending nicely as well. You see, when I weaved the casts I made sure to use the same method Queen Mab and Aunt Celestra often use when treating such a serious injury. The casts will change as the bones continue to heal and eventually fade away when the healing process is complete." He chanted a charm in his head, as he used a series of crystals that he had hovering over Dani's body to get a visual idea as to how her bones were healing.

"So am I still convalescing for a month or not?"

"You'll be up and around by All Hallows Eve. Those weren't mere fractures or breaks. You tore ligaments as well." Hermione lectured her daughter. "It's not an easy fix."

"I know. I know." Dani reining in the urge to sulk again blew the bangs out of her eyes. "So much for making the Gryffindor Quidditch team tryouts this year…"

"Your leg suffered the most damage. It's going to take the longest to heal. Now as for your arm and wrist, well, those should be a wee bit weak, but free of any casts by team tryouts." Darius gave her an inkling of hope.

"My darling girl, your recovery comes first before even thinking of trying out for the House team." Hermione shot down that in a heartbeat.

"But…"

"No, sweetheart. Your mother is right. There will be nothing of the kind until you're fully healed and cleared to fly on your broom." Harry stepped up and backed his wife up a hundred percent.

"But that will be absolutely ages!" Looking soulfully up at her parents with miserable emerald eyes pooled with tears. She stuck out her bottom lip in a full blown pout for added measure. "I can easily fly my broom or even catch the snitch for that matter just as long as I've got a good arm, hand, and leg.

"Dani, there is always next year…"

"Hang next year!" Dani growled irritably.

No Quidditch for a whole year was out of the question. She had been waiting ages to make the team her first year at Hogwarts. She'd always been like her Dad on a broom and was going to carry on the family tradition. It was in her blood, to cut it off like this would be unbearable.

"I will not be sidelined for a whole year! No way! Not happening!"

"Honey, you have no choice. There will be no broom and no Quidditch until you are fully healed again." Harry's gentle but firm eyes matching defiant ones.

"But…But…what about upholding the family name!! Winning the House Cup for Gryffindor again…Clipping Ravenclaw's wings…" Dani protested. "I'm letting everyone down!"

"You are not letting anyone down, princess." Harry sat down beside her and pulled her back into his arms.

"Yes I am! I'm ruining it for the boys, you, grandpa, my cousins…"

"That's not what I witnessed a little while ago." The Doctor handed her a fresh handkerchief to dry her eyes and blow her nose with.

"Aye, it sure as the Powers wasn't…" Darius nodded looking up from where he was updating Dani's chart.

"Sweetie, the boys all but named you their official leader." Harry used the handkerchief to dry her eyes.

Hermione wasn't all so sure that she was all for what she was hearing, but comforting was needed so she set that aside for now. "They love you, baby, and only wish for you to get better. That goes triple for your father and Grandpa. Now as for the other, let's just try to keep those Marauder instincts in check for the time being…Alright."

"I'm a fraud. I wasn't at all brave…" She blew her nose and hiccupped miserably. "I was scared whit less the whole time."

"Being frightened does not make one any less brave. You kept your composure intact when the boys would have been howling for their Ma's." Darius countered.

"I was in it up to my neck as it was enough to know not to compound it all by falling to pieces." Dani had worn herself out and was fighting off sleep.

"It's bedtime for you, angel." Harry tucked her in.

"And know this. I only want you to focus on getting better. You have nothing to prove to me or anyone for that matter. No one will fault you for not being able to play on the House team either and certainly not me. You are far more important to me than you can possibly imagine…" He kissed her on the forehead. "I love you so much and seeing you smiling again is all that I want in this world."

"Okay, Daddy…"

"I know it's hard, love." Hermione bent to kiss her goodnight. "But we only have you're best interests at heart."

"I know, Mummy…" Dani was barely able to keep her eyes open now. "I'll just have to revise my original plan for this year, as so far it has been a complete wash…" She drifted off to sleep.

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Chapter 5

Dani's Army

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I do not claim any of Jo's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

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Cindra 2004-2009