Chapter 7: The Butler, Sailing
August 20th, 19:37, Number 12 Grimmauld Place
"What do you mean you don't know?!" Molly Weasley screeched. The Order were having another meeting. Like the previous couple, it wasn't going well. Molly Weasley had appointed herself the head of the organisation now that Dumbledore had died, and most of the Order weren't taking it very well. Currently, she was screeching at Mundungus Fletcher, who had failed to find her some information that she had wanted. "I want to know what that little Greengrass bitch is up to at all times!"
"Well, tough luck. She ain't doin' nuffin' 'armful, is she?" Mundungus snapped. Molly glared at him.
"She must be up to something. She just must be."
"Why?" said Mundungus, sarcastically. "'Cause she's a Slytherin, and Mrs Molly's got a thing about them Snakes, don't she?"
"The girl's evil, Mundungus!" Molly snapped. "You're not hiding anything from us are you?"
"Nah, 'course not!" said Mundungus, shaking his head. "She's a regular seventeen year old girl. She eats, sleeps, and relaxes the same as any other young girl would. 'Course, 'er 'olidays are a bit nicer."
"Holidays?" said Molly, perking up a bit at this. "What's this about holidays, Mundungus?"
"She's gone on 'oliday, ain't she?" said Mundungus. "'Er 'ousekeeper came to me the other day, right pretty thing she were. Pretty but crazy. Tried inviting 'er to the Leaky Cauldron. Don't think she's into wizards though. Shame, like I say, she were right pretty-". Mundungus was cut off by a very irate Molly Weasley.
"Mundungus, I don't give a damn about the servants! Give me the info on Greengrass!"
"Oh, right. Yeah! Well, this 'ousekeeper said that 'er young mistress was stressed, and feeling down in the dumps, and a cruise oughta boost 'er spirits. Luckily, I was scalpin' tickets, wasn't I? So, the 'ousekeeper takes off me hands. Literally. Said she'd take me hands as well if I didn't hand 'em over. Like I said, crazy. Anyways, point is, she's gone on this ship, the Campania it's called. Proper nice ship. Real nice grub on that ship."
"I don't care about the quality of their food either!" Molly yelled. "Why's she on that ship?"
"Well, according to her 'ousekeeper, it's to cheer 'er up, see?"
"What are you up too, Greengrass?" Molly muttered.
August 20th, Campania- Room 1114, 20:07
Daphne collapsed on the bed. "Ugh, I'm exhausted. I'm never travelling the muggle way again. Who knew travelling was so tiring?"
"I regret to inform you, young mistress that you will not be able to sleep the rest of the day away." Sebastian smirked, as he hung her clothes in the wardrobe.
"If you're gonna spout some crap about it not being proper, you can forget it." Daphne warned. "I'm too tired to care about being proper."
"It is nothing to do with being proper, young mistress." Sebastian smirked. "However, we have yet to locate the Nightmare Queen."
"We've only been here a few hours!" exclaimed Daphne. "This trip lasts for two weeks."
"According to Undertaker, the Nightmare Queen plans to unleash an army of experimental new Inferi on the passengers. It would pay us to find her before this happens."
"She'll wait until we're as far away from land I would think." Daphne said, closing her eyes, and relaxing. "That's what I'd do, anyways.". Sebastian returned to hanging Daphne's clothes. The room was silent. Sebastian knew what Daphne was thinking about, but even he didn't know how to approach the subject. Thankfully, Tracey entered the room, and saved him.
"Good news, I've just seen the Nightmare Queen. She's on the other side of the ship, in room 537."
"Thank you, Tracey." muttered Daphne.
"You want me to kill her, young mistress?" asked Tracey, eagerly.
"No."
"But-"
"Sebastian, I want you to find out exactly when she's planning on releasing her inferi. Eavesdrop, be the fly on the wall. That's an order."
"Yes, my fair lady." Sebastian said, with a bow. He left quickly, leaving just Tracey and Daphne. Tracey was never going to win awards for her subtly, but even she knew how delicate her young mistress was at the moment. She slowly approached the blonde lying on the bed, and perched on the edge. She slipped her hand into Daphne's.
"Young mistress. Are you alright. Is there anything I can get for you?" she asked, gently. Daphne was silent for a moment, not even acknowledging her presence. Tracey let go of her hand, and made to stand, when Daphne's arm wrapped itself around her waist, and the petite form of her young mistress clung to her tightly.
"Tracey… Please stay." the blonde whispered.
"Of course, young mistress." Tracey nodded. Daphne rearranged herself, so that her head was resting on the brunette's lap. Tacey absent-mindedly stroked the girl's hair.
"Tracey?"
"Yes, young mistress?"
"Before you were my servant, you were my friend… Do you ever wish..."
"Do I ever wish that I hadn't joined your household?" the housekeeper chuckled. "No. Never."
"I sometimes feel like a thief." Daphne admitted. "Like I've stolen your life away. You're free will."
"It was always yours to take, young mistress."
"But, you'll never get married and have a husband, or have children." Daphne sighed. Tracey merely chuckled.
"A husband was never going to happen for me, young mistress.". Daphne quickly realised what she meant and blushed a little.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed." Daphne cleared her throat. "The point is, I feel as though all I've done is take. Take, take, take, take, take. And now… it's my turn to be taken from. Maybe it's karma. Maybe I'm just a bad person." she finished with a sob.
"No, no, no!" said Tracey, scooping Daphne into her arms. "You're not a bad person, young mistress. The Nightmare Queen, she's a bad person. Voldemort, he's a bad person. Not you. You're fighting for so many people, to protect people who don't even know that they're in danger!". Daphne smiled at the girl, wiping her eyes.
"Yeah, well it sorta feels like the 'good guys' are being punished more than the 'bad guys'."
"I promise you, young mistress." said Tracey. "They'll get their punishment."
"Thank you, Tracey. For everything." Daphne said, and placed a tender kiss on the girl's cheek. Tracey smiled at the girl.
"It's my pleasure, young mistress."
August 20th, Campania- Room 537, 20:39
Hermione was sat in her cabin, sipping a glass of red wine one of the stewards had brought to her. She vaguely considered the idea of keeping a few of them alive, it might be nice to have servants that aren't as hideous to look at as house elves. Then again, she ended up killing the house elves sooner or later anyway, these muggles wouldn't last much longer. Half the time maybe, since they needed to sleep, unlike a house elf. Disregarding the notion, she pulled out the two-way mirror, and held it up, and called out "Voldemort."
"My child, are you in position?"
"Yes, Father. Soon, the muggles will know of our power. And we shall know if our new inferi are as powerful as we hope."
"Excellent, do you have everything else in place?"
"Yes, Father." Hermione nodded. "There are several modified vanishing cabinets, hidden by 'Notice-Me-Not' Charms all over the ship. Tonight, they'll open and our new Inferi will feed on the flesh of these filthy creatures."
"You have done magnificently, my dear. You shall be rewarded when you return. Anything your heart desire's shall be yours."
"I want only to serve you, Father." said Hermione, bowing.
Outside, Sebastian was standing on the hull of the ship, as if it were a plain flat field, and the gushing of the sea, crashing of the waves, and strong winds were little more than a breeze. He mulled over what he had just heard. "My, my, how troublesome. The young mistress must be informed, immediately."
August 20th, Campania- Room 1114, 20:07
Tracey and Daphne were still sat on the bed. "So, all those guys in Hogwarts, not one?" asked Daphne. Tracey giggled.
"Not one." she confirmed.
"Girls?"
"There were a couple." Tracey shrugged. "None really interested me."
"Oh come on, really?"
"Well, there was this one girl. Pretty, blonde, super clever." Tracey said, quietly, moving closer to Daphne, who was also leaning in. "Really small.".
"I am not!"
"Who said it was you?" teased Tracey. Daphne pouted.
"I'm your mistress, you have to think I'm pretty." she said, closing the distance, and pressing her lips to Tracey's. Tracey wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, pulling her closer to her. Daphne shuffled over, and straddled the girl, deepening the kiss.
"I hate to intrude on such a private moment."
The two girls leapt apart.
"Geez, Mr. Butler." Tracey gasped, clutching her chest. "I'm immortal, and that almost gave me a heart attack!"
"Sebastian! I ought to throw you out of the window." Daphne yelled
"That is how I got in, young mistress. I thought I'd take a page from Tracey's book."
"What's so important you had to interrupt… Uh. What is it?"
"Yeah, I was liking where that was headed." Tracey said, winking at Daphne, who merely blushed in response.
"The Nightmare Queen intends to release the Inferi tonight."
"Looks like you were right, Sebastian." said Daphne. "I was certain that she'd wait. Never mind. Sebastian, Tracey. Find her, and bring her to me. That's an order.". The housekeeper and butler both bowed, and chorused:
"Yes, my fair lady."
