Standard disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR. Except where I might use some song lyrics which I will call out at the time and give proper credit. Thank you JKR for letting us play with your toys.
I will continue to use the occasional song lyric in the story and will give credit at the time when needed.
This is the fourth book in my Slytherin Harry series. And I'm departing from reusing JKR's title because too much of the story has changed. I'll leave it up to all of you to decide just who the Blood Traitor's Daughter is. In my mind there is more than one candidate.
Book 1: Harry Potter and the Muggle's Daughter
Book 2: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Book 3: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Book 4: Harry Potter and the Blood Traitor's Daughter.
If you haven't read books 1-3 you won't know what's going on. But the bonus is you've got three completed books before you even get to this one!
And last, the disappointing bits.
First, because the site gives me such difficulty uploading, I've adjusted my writing to make things easier and made chapters generally shorter than in the past I try to keep things at about 5000 words because it just works best.
Second, to ensure I keep the production of new material ahead of the pace of my posting I'm afraid I have to go to every other week. I'm sorry, but I'm doing the best I can.
HARRY POTTER AND THE BLOOD TRAITOR'S DAUGHTER
CHAPTER X
Lucy
Harry woke with a start. He noted the lanterns and the dark sky. "We must be nearly there," he said stretching.
"Hardly," Hermione said. "It's only half two." The words had barely left her mouth when the train gave a lurch and began to slow.
"Then why are we stopping?" Harry asked.
Hermione double-checked her watch. "We're not due in till half five." But the train continued to slow. Hermione closed her book.
Neville jerked awake. "Wazat?"
"We're stopping," Harry said.
Neville frowned. "Are we th–there already?" he yawned.
"We can't be it's only half two," Hermione said.
"Then what—" The train gave another lurch as it came to a hard stop. Harry's bag fell from the overhead bin and landed on his head.
"Ow! Bloody hell!"
"Harry," Hermione complained.
"Well it hurt." Harry got up, stuffed his bag back in the bin and opened the door to their compartment. All along the corridor heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.
"There's s–something outside," Neville said.
Harry moved to peer out the window with him. "Think we've broken down?" he asked. It was very hard to see with it being so dark and the rain pouring down, and without the noise of the train the wind was really howling outside their window.
"Not sure," Neville said. There was a bang and the whole carriage shook. "I think someone might be coming on. Another bang and the lanterns went dark.
Harry whipped around to stare at the fading ember of light. "Wands," he growled through gritted teeth. "Lumos."
"Where are you going?" Hermione hissed when he moved to the door.
"Ginny and Luna are out there."
"Harry, we really shouldn't—
"Come on," Harry cut her off.
"Harrrry," Hermione hissed.
"Not now," he snapped. Daphne had been in a compartment only one carriage from theirs and he was quickly there.
Daphne was peering into the corridor. "Harry?"
"Where are Ginny and Luna?"
"We're here, Harry," Luna said.
"Good, everyone in," Harry ordered. He made way for Hermione and Neville to slip past him before sliding the door closed.
"What's going on?" Daphne hissed.
"No idea," Harry answered, "But whatever it is, isn't right."
"I need to get to my sister."
"We should stay here," Hermione said.
"I am not leaving my sister," Daphne hissed back. There was another bang that shook the whole carriage and a number of screams were heard. "I'm going," Daphne said and reached for the door. She recoiled as it slid open and a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling floated in the opening. Its face was completely hidden by its hood. Harry's eyes traveled down whatever it was, what he saw made his stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak; it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking and scabbed, like something that had been decaying in water for a long time. Harry's eyes widened in dawning horror. What the hell was a Dementor doing on the train!
Daphne whimpered and stumbled back into Harry. Harry shoved her to the side and reached to shut the door. The Dementor caught it and held it open. "Help Me!" Harry cried. But then the Dementor drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.
Burning cold swept over them all. Harry's breath caught in his chest. He had never felt cold like this. It went beyond his skin, inside his chest into his very heart… He was drowning in cold. There was rushing in his ears as though of water and he was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder…
And then, from far away, he heard a screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. He wanted to help whoever it was… But then he was six and being whipped with a leather strap… He was on his knees pleading for help as he stared at Kaa's mangled body… He was in the darkened hospital wing staring in horror at Hermione's petrified body on the bed… Ginny was screaming and collapsing in Defense… Ginny was pale and cold as ice on the floor in the Chamber of Secrets—
"Harry! Harry! Are you alright?"
Someone was slapping his face. He blinked his eyes open. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind he registered the lanterns were lit and the train was moving again.
"W–What… Ginny!" He forced his way up, past the hands reaching at him. "Where is she?" He spotted her on the floor opposite him looking as bad as he felt with Daphne and Luna tending to her. He crawled to Ginny and pulled her into his arms.
"I killed her," she whimpered.
"It wasn't you," he soothed.
"I killed her."
"It was him," Harry hissed. He glanced up. The others were all watching him with frightened eyes. He focused on Hermione. "Get me some chocolate. And make sure that door is locked."
"I have some," Daphne said. She grabbed her bag and dug in it.
"It is," Hermione assured him.
"Here!" Daphne broke the bar of chocolate in half and shoved it at him. Harry didn't bother with even taking it from her and just ate it from her hand. Blessed warmth seemed to ooze from his mouth, down his throat and into his body as he chewed and swallowed.
"I killed her," Ginny whimpered, trembling in his arms.
"See if you can get her to eat some," Harry ordered.
"Ginny," Daphne said.
Luna knelt down and took a piece of the chocolate. "Let me. Ginevra, open up."
"I ki—" Luna shoved the chocolate in and then held her hand over Ginny's mouth.
"Come on, Ginny," Harry urged. He bent down by her ear. "Just swallow." Eventually she did. "More," Harry said. "Give it all to her." He focused on Daphne. "Do you have more?"
She shook her head. "No."
Harry turned to Neville. "Go get my bag."
"R–Right." Hermione unlocked the door and he slipped out.
"Here you go, Ginevra," Luna urged. She continued to break off small bits of chocolate and push them past Ginny's lips.
Neville was back with his bag in less than a minute. Hermione slid the door shut and locked it again. "I can't find any," he said.
"Just dump it," Harry said. Neville did, emptying far more from the bag than one would have thought it could possibly hold, including an entire case of chocolate frogs. "Pass them out," Harry said. With everyone eating – Hermione had opened a frog and fed it to him because Ginny had a death grip on his hand – and Luna continuing to push slivers of chocolate past Ginny's lips, Harry asked, "What happened?"
"Y–You p–passed out – out m–mate," Neville said, clearly shaken enough that his stutter had come back nearly full force.
Harry resisted the urge to yell at him. "Yeah, I know. What happened after? What made the thing go away?"
"We managed to get the door closed," Hermione said.
"It still didn't want to go away and we could here lots of screaming," Luna said.
"Then there was a really bright flash," Daphne said. When I looked up again it was gone. The train started moving again a few minutes later… Oh my god, Astoria!" She whirled around to the door. "Let me out!" she cried when it wouldn't open. Hermione quickly waved her wand and Daphne was out the door and gone. Hermione slid it closed.
"No, go with her," Harry said.
"I'm not leaving you."
"Fine, Neville you go. Bring them all back."
"R–Right." Neville quickly hurried after Daphne.
"Harry," Hermione warned, "they can't know the truth."
"Then we won't talk about it." She glared at him. "Daphne is our friend, Hermione," Harry snapped. "That means we take care of her, her sister and her sister's friends."
"You're going to regret this."
"No, you are, if you don't stop." Hermione pursed her lips angrily but said nothing more. Neville and Daphne returned with Astoria and her friends a few minutes later. Luna was still feeding Ginny slivers of chocolate and though she had recovered enough to actively take them from her, she retained a death grip on Harry's hand. The tingly feeling was coursing stronger than ever and Harry desperately hoped when she came out of it fully she wouldn't retreat from him further because she felt threatened by her seeming dependence on him now.
The four newcomers shifted nervously at the sight of them. "Sit there," Daphne instructed them, pointing to one of the benches. They did as told and she handed each of them a frog. "Eat this." Neville and Hermione moved to sit on the other bench.
"I'm not hungry," Astoria protested.
"I did not ask, Astoria," Daphne said. "You have been exposed to Dementors. Chocolate is the treatment for this, now eat."
"Is that's what's wrong with her?"
"She has a name, Astoria."
"Is that what's wrong with, Ginny?"
"Dementors make you relive your worst memories," Luna said, feeding Ginny another bit of chocolate. "Last spring a dark wizard tried to murder her. She spent weeks in hospital recovering." She turned to the four girls. "Imagine how you might feel if you were made to relive that… Now eat."
The four girls complied, each regaining a bit of colour as they did. Daphne squatted down in front of Astoria. "Anything you might see or hear while you are here, you must keep secret." She glanced at the other girls. "All of you. I invoke the vows you families have made to mine in this."
"You don't have the authority to do that," Gwyneth challenged.
"Oh, but I do, Gwyneth," Daphne countered. "It is to my family all yours have sworn allegiance. If you go against my instructions I shall tell my father and I promise you, he will find your family to be at fault of breaking that allegiance."
"Daphne," Harry said.
She turned. "Yes?"
"That's the old way."
"But—"
Harry focused on the four girls. "You can be my friend or you can not. We're asking you not to say anything about what you've seen or heard. It's up to you to decide. But you need to know that once you break someone's trust it is almost impossible to earn it again."
"Shishong says you're not afraid of Draco Malfoy," Xui said.
"I'm not."
"What about his father?"
Harry snorted. "Lucy? No, I'm not afraid of him either."
Daphne turned from where she was squatted in front of her sister so quickly she fell on her bum. She righted herself with as much dignity as she could muster. "You did not just call Lord Lucius Malfoy, Lucy!"
Harry shrugged. "Called him Lucy to his face in Diagon Alley last year."
She stared at him incredulously. "I don't believe you."
"I swear on Hermione's life I did."
"Harry!" Hermione cried.
"What?" Harry demanded. "You were there. You know it's true."
"Well yes, but still, I'd appreciate you not swearing on my life."
"Fine, I swear mphlhhff."
Luna clamped a hand over his mouth. "Do not tempt the gods, Harry Potter." She waited a second, her eyes boring into his, before removing her hand.
"Sorry."
"Apologize to Hermione."
"Right," he agreed. "I'm Sorry, Hermione. I shouldn't have done that."
"Thank you."
"Unbelievable," Daphne muttered. "He calls Lucius Malfoy, Lucy to his face and she cows him into apologizing for swearing on the truth."
"It's really true?" Anwen asked. "You called Lord Malfoy… Lucy?" she asked, barely even whispering the name.
"Yes," Hermione confirmed.
"We won't say a word, Harry," Gwyneth said.
"We swear," Astoria said.
"Thank you," Harry said. He turned his attention back to Ginny, resisting the urge to stroke his fingers through her hair like his mum had him so many times. She was quiet now. Every once in a while Luna would offer her a bit more chocolate and she would take it.
"I'm going to see if anyone knows what happened," Hermione said.
"Neville, will you go with her?" Harry asked.
"Sure."
For the second year in a row, Harry didn't hear a word of the Sorting Hat's song. As if it weren't enough having passed out from the effects of the Dementor, he had been able to see the thestrals that pulled the carriages from Hogsmeade station to the school. The large, horse-like creatures with leathery skin and massive, bat-like, wings were as creepy as they were described and he was left to wonder just why he could see them now. Certainly he'd seen death. That was the theory about them. You had to have seen and understand death in order to be able to see them. A troll, Professor Quirrell, a Basilisk, the shade of sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle and Kaa; frankly, now he was recovered from the sight, he wondered exactly why it had taken so long.
Ginny had been able to see them as well. Her list included Sandra. She had stood there trembling for a good long couple of minutes with Luna quietly whispering to her before she had gently guided Ginny to the beast – apparently she could see them as well – and introduced them. It turned out they were quite gentle. A detail Harry realized he should have known simply by the fact they were used to pull the carriages. Hermione, Daphne and Neville hadn't been able to see the beasts though and he'd been pondering why ever since. He didn't know about Daphne, but Hermione had seen both the troll and Kaa killed. And Neville, forget simply seeing the basilisk killed, Neville had been the one to kill the Horcrux. So why couldn't either of them see the thestrals?
Professor McGonagall, calling the name Coleen Adler, roused him from his thoughts long enough to hear the girl sorted into Ravenclaw. He quickly searched out Astoria, Anwen, Xui and Gwyneth. He'd been nearly as loath to let the four out of his site as Daphne when Hagrid had called for first-years to follow him to the boats for the ride across the Black Loch. Seriously, Dementors supposedly searching for Peter Pettigrew had boarded the train. Apparently all those excited students were too much temptation for a few of them and they'd started to feed. The aurors had needed to cast Patronus Charms to clear them off. What if one of the foul beasts got loose and went after the first-years while they were crossing the lake? Somehow Harry didn't think Hagrid would be able to drive the creature off. Harry let out a breath when he found the four grouped towards the back of the mass of incoming students. By the goddess, if today was any indication of how the year was going to go he wasn't sure how he was going to survive!
He glanced at Ginny out of the corner of his eye. She was sat between himself and Daphne and hadn't said a word since leaving the carriage behind except to tell them she wasn't going to the bloody damn hospital wing; especially since rumors were flying that both she and Harry had passed out from the Dementors. How the hell anyone knew was beyond him. None of the four first-years even knew they'd passed out and he trusted none of the others would say anything. Someone must have seen them through the window before they'd woken. He really hoped Hermione wouldn't blame Daphne for it.
Hermione; he was going to have to talk to her. Once she had understood just why Harry had ended up in Slytherin, it had taken his best friend a while to really warm up to Ginny. But her jealousy issues then were nothing as compared to now. It was a bit different though. Now she was jealous that Ginny had made a friend outside of the original foursome they had been. It was silly really; she had been the first to make friends with Neville. Mrs Tonks said the problem wasn't so much that Ginny had made a friend outside of the tight-knit group they had been but that Ginny was pulling away from them while doing so. But things had seemed better recently with Ginny so Hermione's continued attitude was beginning to irk him.
"Astoria Greengrass," Professor McGonagall called.
Harry looked up. He'd already missed Xui being sorted. A glance down the table confirmed she'd joined Slytherin House. He returned his attention to Astoria. It was uncanny just how much she looked like Ginny; even the spray of freckles across her face was near exactly the same, though Ginny had perhaps a slightly heavier concentration on the left side of her forehead while Astoria did so on her right. Still, it would take actually knowing them to know that not only were they not identical twins, but that they were not even sisters.
"Hufflepuff!" the Sorting Hat announced.
Harry blinked in shock before glancing at Daphne. The blonde had recovered quicker than he, or perhaps hadn't been surprised at all by her sister's sorting. She sat, regally straight and tall and met Astoria's gaze across the hall. A single nod of her head and Astoria was able to return a weak smile. Astoria moved to the Hufflepuff table where she took a seat with the rest of the small group of other first-years who had been sorted before her. Harry couldn't help but to notice the difference between Daphne's reaction and that of Ginny's brothers to her sorting. Granted, Astoria hadn't been placed in the house of Slytherin's mortal enemy, Gryffindor, but she had, through no fault of her own, failed to uphold her family history. What difference would have been made if Ginny's brothers and mother had shown her the kind of loyalty Harry was certain Daphne would Astoria.
Internally, Harry fumed at the tradition of sorting students. He had insisted on being in Slytherin, but he was pretty certain the Sorting Hat could have placed him there without his demanding it. He was as driven as anyone in his year and not without a bit of cunning in his character. But he was also, modesty aside, quite intelligent. If brains were all it took to be in Ravenclaw, then his marks as one of the top four students in his year should have seen him placed there. And what about loyalty, or hard work? If those were the marks of a Hufflepuff, hadn't he shown those character traits in spades? Bravery, the mark of Gryffindors, he figured he'd shown that trait as well.
No, for all the stupid hat sang about unity of the houses, the sorting seemed to do nothing but divide them; permanently labeling them all before they had even had a chance to show just what they were made of.
And if the tradition of sorting the students had to be maintained, then, at the least, why keep Slytherin House at all? The man had broken with the other Founders, betrayed them and the ideals the school had been founded on when he'd been consumed by his ambition and subsequent decent into Dark Magic. How did he remain an Ideal for a good portion of the wizarding world of the UK to aspire to? No, if it were up to him, he'd bin the Sorting Hat, and randomly sort the students each and every year, ensuring they intermingled with everyone who attended the school. He didn't know if it would work and quidditch could obviously be an issue – but something could be worked out so four teams were created from the student body; maybe a draft or something of the sort. Whatever, he thought most anything would be better than the current system and its ingrained prejudices.
Polite applause announced the sorting of Joseph Witten into Gryffindor and the end of the sorting for the year. The brown haired boy made his way to his new house while Professor McGonagall sent the stool and Hat away for another year. Dumbledore stood and spread his arms. "If you are returning to us, welcome back. If this is your first time joining us, welcome to Hogwarts… Let the feast, begin."
The tables filled with dishes and wonderful scents wafted into the air. Harry sighed happily. Whatever Hogwarts' faults, the food was not one of them. He reached for the roast beef and filled his plate before offering it to Ginny. "No thank you," she said quietly. Harry set the platter down. "What would you like?"
"I'm really not hungry."
"So you're just going to eat dessert again?"
She glanced at him. "Again?"
"Well, it's all you've eaten at the feast both first and second-year. I'm starting to think you're making it a tradition."
Ginny gave a small huff followed by a humorless laugh. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Harry." She took a small piece of chicken, some beans and potatoes, but other than a bite or two just pushed her meal around her plate. Harry said nothing but made certain to snag the chocolate cake for her the second it appeared. But even that she didn't eat with her normal enthusiasm. Harry wasn't so put off and finished off two servings of strawberry shortcake and was contemplating a slice of cherry pie when things went down hill on them.
"Potter!" Harry sighed deeply while wondering just how long he could pretend to ignore the git. "Is it true, Potter," Draco taunted, "did you really pass out?"
Harry focused on the bane of Slytherin House. His ever-present gang of sycophants were arrayed behind him. He was obviously trying to bury the rumors that the two of them were gay in the waste bin of old news. Harry wasn't about to let him get off that easy though. "Well of course I did, Drac," he said pitching his voice to make it sound all breathy. "You weren't there to protect me. You know how I feel so safe when you're around."
Daphne snorted, which Harry made mental note to remind her of constantly, before laughing outright. "Potter, you are unbelievable."
"You better watch yourself, Greengrass," Draco snarled. "Your family isn't exactly in the good graces of true Slytherins, is it? Explains why your sister was sorted into the loser house."
"Draco," Daphne sighed disdainfully, "instead of feeling like you are suddenly in a position to threaten me, you should be asking yourself just what has changed that my father no longer fears openly declaring our family to the Light." She glared at him with her icy blue eyes. "The reason the Dark Lord was cautious in dealing with my father remains, Draco. You would be wise to ask just what that reason is."
"Are you threatening me?"
"I do believe that I am," she said. Draco glared at her, his face red with rage. Daphne made a little shooing motion with her hand. "Off with you now. Go on, back to whatever rock you crawled out from under."
"How dare you—" Whatever Draco was going to say was interrupted by Dumbledore standing and calling for everyone's attention. "Watch you back, Greengrass," Draco hissed.
"Back at you, Drac," Harry said cheerily. Draco sneered at him but turned his attention to the headmaster.
"Now, as I trust everyone is filled to the gills from our most excellent feast I have a few start of term announcements. He turned to his right. "First, I am pleased to announce that Remus Lupin has agreed to join our staff as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor." Harry joined the polite round of applause welcoming his honorary uncle. Remus raised his hand thanking them. "Good luck to you, Professor," Dumbledore said with a smile. The old man then turned to his left and motioned at Hagrid. "Second, I am very pleased to announce that our own Rubeus Hagrid will be taking up the post of Care of Magical Creatures professor for first through third-years. Harry quirked an eye. He was rather under the impression one needed to be a qualified witch or wizard to be a professor; Hagrid wasn't. Still, he joined in the polite applause afforded the giant of a man. It really didn't matter to him; he was no longer going to be taking Care of Magical Creatures. "Good luck to you, Professor," Dumbledore said as the applause died down. "Moving on, Mr. Filch has added another thirteen items to the list of those banned. I shall leave it to each of you to stop by his office and read the entire list which is posted on his door."
He paused before taking a deep breath and going on. "Last, I must bring your attention to a matter of utmost seriousness. As you are no doubt aware, the dementors of Azkaban conducted a search of the Hogwarts Express." Harry couldn't help shuddering and beside him Ginny stiffened. "Hogwarts School shall continue to play host to a number of dementors on a matter of Ministry of Magic business—" Harry's jaw dropped. He was insane. He had to be. But for Snape, the look Dumbledore was getting from all of his staff said they felt much the same way. "— They are to be stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore went on, "and while they are with us, I must make plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises – or even Invisibility Cloaks." Harry felt eyes on him from a number of places around the hall. Sure enough, Luna, Hermione and Remus were all looking at him. "It is not in the nature of a dementor to be merciful. They are not to be swayed by pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors."
"Albus," Professor McGonagall said, climbing to her feet. "You cannot mean to allow this!"
Dumbledore held his hand up. "Heads will join me in my office once you have settled your students." Professor McGonagall slowly retook her seat. Dumbledore returned his attention to the students. "You are dismissed."
HPHPHP
"He did what!" Lily shrieked. Amelia Bones nearly cringed. Even without magic, Lily Potter was a force to be wary of. And to be fair, her reaction on finding out had been nearly the same. But her hands were tied. Since she had successfully blamed Fudge, in the public's eye, for the escape of Peter Pettigrew, the man had been desperate to make it look like he was doing something to recapture him. Though she would never have dreamed he would be so foolhardy as to perpetrate the insanity of posting dementors to Hogwarts. The happy emotions of children to dementors would be like dangling raw meet in front of a dragon. Two of them had started to feed in the short time they'd been on the train! The second she had found out what he'd done, she had issued orders to remove the dementors from the school but Fudge had used the loophole that Pettigrew was a war criminal to invoke the special wartime privileges of his office to countermand her order to countermand. Even Dumbledore was powerless in getting them removed. He could keep them off the grounds of Hogwarts, but could do nothing if Fudge chose to station them just outside the entrances to the school. "And Dumbledore agreed!"
"Dumbledore's authority ends at the edge of the grounds," Amelia sighed. "If Fudge wants to post dementors just outside the entrances there's nothing he can do about it."
Lily stared at her. "What do we do?"
"We use the press," she said. "A nice story about the danger Fudge has placed our children in. Honestly, we might be able to bury him with this."
"And the children?" Andromeda asked. "At what point do we say enough is enough and withdraw them?"
Lily exchanged looks with Bill, Mali, David and Anders. "We trust you, Lily," Mali said.
"They're not on the grounds right?" Bill asked.
"Dumbledore assured me he wouldn't allow them on the grounds," Amelia said. "And Hogwarts' wards are more than capable of keeping them out. Whatever our issues with the old goat, he actually seemed a bit shaken by Fudge's actions. His puppet isn't nearly so controllable as he'd thought he'd be."
Lily moved to stand in front of the map that hung on the wall of the parlour. To her eyes it remained a blank sheet of parchment but Sirius, Remus and Ted had finally managed to get it to work over the distance between the school and the Briar Patch. She had debated with herself for countless hours if it was right to constantly monitor them, but the events of the last few years led her to decide it was necessary. She would just have to turn a blind eye when they eventually began engaging in certain activities. "Can we put an alarm on it that will alert us if the dementors enter the grounds?"
"I should be able to," Sirius said.
"And you can connect it to the bracelets?"
"Sure."
"Dumbledore wants Remus to try and get closer to Harry," she mused. "What better excuse for that than teaching them the Patronus Charm."
"You intend to teach thirteen year-olds the Patronus Charm?" Anders asked incredulously.
Lily turned to him. "I intend not only for them to learn it, but fully expect they will accomplish the task by the time they come home for Christmas."
HPHPHP
Daphne sat cross-legged on Ginny's bed facing her friend. "Are you going to tell me what, 'I killed her.' means?" she asked. Ginny shuddered. "Ginny?" Daphne pressed.
"I killed my brother's fiancée," Ginny whispered.
Daphne tipped her head. "Perhaps you might start at the beginning?"
Ginny picked at the duvet. She drew breath a number of times intending to start but somehow not being able to get the words out before she finally managed to it. "I'll understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore," she whispered when she'd finished and Daphne had simply sat staring at her.
Daphne reached out and pulled Ginny down into her lap. "I'll keep you safe tonight." Ginny clutched her hand tightly.
Author's notes.
You just know old Lucy hasn't forgotten that little insult.