Paid In Blood

by zaterra02

After decades of an empty life and wars that claimed all he ever held dear, the greatest dark lord in living memory and his most loyal servant are finally ready to challenge fate and once again bring down their vengeance upon their enemies. AU, extended universe, Time-Travel, bashing and HAPHNE.

11. Chapter 11

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Disclaimer

I own nothing of the Harry Potter franchise.

Glad to clear that up

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Chapter 11

"What exactly do you mean with 'Voldemort made his move'?" asked Daphne. Harry sighed.

"Dumbledore died while we were aboard the express. We only heard about it the day after, by the Prophet." Daphne was appalled, comprehending the implications of what Harry had told her.

"How?" she asked and Harry snorted.

"It was announced as natural causes but we knew it was because of the rotting curse and the potion. What we didn't know was that he had some help from Snape, all because of Malfoy."

"What do you mean?" asked Daphne, noticing the anger on his voice, her own also starting to show.

"Did you wonder why Malfoy wanted to bring death eaters into Hogwarts?" he asked her and she rose an eyebrow "To help him to kill Dumbledore. That was Malfoy's mission."

Daphne gaped.

"You're joking." she replied. It was too farfetched.

"Oh, no, the idiot actually confessed later on." Harry replied with a snort "And his mommy and auntie dearest managed to convince Snape, who was also a death eater, although a spy on our side, to make an unbreakable vow to help Malfoy to kill Dumbledore. Dumbledore knew and actually begged Snape to kill him to help him to save his place as a spy. He knew he wouldn't live longer. Of course, the old bastard never said anything to anyone and admitted that he should try and save Malfoy." replied Harry and Daphne thought to have seen something.

"If you hate Malfoy so much, why do you even stand him?" asked Daphne with a raised eyebrow and Harry chuckled.

"Malfoy fancies himself a leader when he's nothing but a follower. He is a coward without a spine, that hides behind his daddy's money and power and will quickly change his allegiances. He is a little shit that doesn't even deserve respect and I assure you, I was very tempted to make him break the oath he gave on my first night as a Slytherin and make him die for all he did. Why I didn't do it... is beyond me. I guess I want him to actually see how worthless of a wizard and person he really is without daddy dearest, before I crush him once and for all."

Daphne considered his words carefully.

"You wouldn't know anything about what happened to Lucius Malfoy, would you?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Harry actually considered his words.

"Well, you know, Dobby and I needed equipment to start to collect the horcruxes and decided to visit a armourer in Knockturn Alley and surprisingly, we met dear old Lucy, who was kind of drunk."

"Go on." Daphne glared at him, although she was smirking, very amused.

"Well, Dobby beat the crap out of him, a pay for the sweet ministrations he had from them while he served the Malfoys and I may have, hypothetically, damaged his magical core?" he asked, a bit uncertain of her reaction. She was baffled and completely surprised.

"You can do that?" she asked.

"You can but it takes time and power. We actually raided the armourer first for what we wanted, then brought Lucius here, I made the ritual to damage his core and Dobby took him back to the alley. If I did everything right, he will wake up when his magic is fully drained and live as a squib without memory of what happened. If not, he won't wake up at all. I kind of did it rashly and didn't take proper precautions... ups." Harry said in mocked concern.

Daphne was wide eyed. Then she chuckled.

"Fitting." she said.

"Nothing that him or his worthless son don't deserve." Harry snorted "I actually despise Malfoy Jr. I had to tolerate him but that didn't mean I liked him."

"There has to be more than that." she said, looking defiantly at him. Harry just looked at her.

"No, really. Lucius died in the war and Narcissa and Draco turned their back on Tom, got a pardon thanks to their gold, as well as a little bit of a good reputation and all that. He actually got married with a nice girl and I for one HAD to be civil to him. "Harry replied with a sigh of frustration, much to Daphne's amusement " His wife had a complicated pregnancy with their second child, a daughter, and the sod actually got drunk one night. They discovered that the baby had a damaged core and that could make her either a squib or a very weak witch. He killed the baby point blank with an AK. His wife, who loved him dearly, or so she always said although I doubted it, actually killed him after the deed and got sent to Azkaban for the deed. Their first born, a boy, was a copy of his father and actually hated his mother for killing his father. He ended up dying young, never wanting to speak to his mother after she got out from Azkaban." replied Harry and Daphne was actually shocked and horrified.

"Do I want to know more?" she asked and Harry actually looked at her.

"The marriage was a lie and she was dosed with potions." Harry replied, looking at Daphne and seeing her disbelief "She discovered that at Azkaban and never regretted killing the bastard although she did regret being ensnared in the love potions..."

Daphne felt a pang in her heart, remembering the memory of their wedding.

"Tori?!" she asked with uncertainty and disbelief in her voice. Harry nodded and held her close.

"I don't know much apart what Tori told me years after but she made him suffer. He..."

"Don't." she said, burying herself into his hug "I rather not know for now." she almost begged him and he nodded.

"That's fine, Daph."

"He used potions on my sister? " she asked with anger clear on her voice "I'm going to kill him."

"No, you won't." Harry said, gaining her attention "I'm not saying I'll let him live but for now, I need the bastard to see his power wane and make sure he understands he's nothing. Then, I'll kill him, not you. I promised it to Tori and I intend to keep my promise."

"Thank you." she said with a small smile, only then realizing their words "Wait, you don't mind killing?" she asked again, somewhat fearful.

"I learned my lessons fighting the wars." Harry said, having all her attention "The DOM was the turning point of a sorts. To kill or be killed." Harry looked into Daphne's eyes "Wouldn't you, if you had to?"

Daphne looked at Harry and actually nodded with a resolve of steel. Harry caressed her face and smiled.

"I know you would. You insisted in drilling me that lesson on our fifth year. That's also why I wasn't that injured at the DOM. I didn't hesitate, although back then I still held back in killing and most important, I wanted to go back to you. I needed to go back to you." Harry chuckled "Dumbledore was right all along, love was the power he knew not."

Daphne frowned at Harry's monologue, not really understanding what he meant.

"Wait, did you say wars? As in more than one?" asked Daphne, breaking the moment, much to Harry's amusement.

"Yeah, I said it." he replied with a low voice and a sigh "The second Wizarding war, also known as the Second Blood War, the third Wizarding war, that became known as the Magic-Traitors War and the last one, the Culling or Witching Wars." he said and Daphne widened her eyes, looking at him.

"What... What does that mean?" she asked and he shook his head.

"I'll tell you, naturally, because it's all part of the story." he said with a sigh of exasperation "Let's go back to the original topic, all right?" Daphne nodded her agreement but didn't forget what he said "Off topic because of Malfoy, this is priceless." he mumbled sarcastically, playing with her hair and making her chuckle.

"Go on, then. What happened after Dumbledore's death?"

"I was at Durzkaban, as usually. I knew something had happened when I got letters from you, Longbottom and Granger's, the Order of the Phoenix, and the Weasleys. Longbottom's had a portkey, at your insistence. I packed everything I had and needed and portkeyed into Longbottom Hall, where you already were with Longbottom. It was a blow for everyone, especially for us... We didn't attend the funeral for safety reasons but I did get a last package from Dumbledore with his inheritances for me, Granger and Weasley, the first snitch I ever caught, Granger got the tales of Beetle the bard in book and Weasley got the old man's deluminator. He also gifted us his notes on the horcruxes with clues on the last " Noticing her look he shrugged "I don't know what the old man thought." Daphne scowled "By then, we were missing Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's diadem, his snake familiar and myself." Harry said, ignoring Daphne's flinch and inviting her to follow him. He opened the sealed container with a wave of his wand in parseltongue and showed her the contents. A diadem, a locket and a sock were inside and Daphne felt both sorrow and revulsion as she saw the items.

"Are those...?"

"Yeah, three of the bastard's Horcruxes." replied Harry, who smirked "I think the diadem would look good on you but I won't allow you to try it for now."

Daphne half blushed half glared at him and he closed the container again, chuckling. They went back to their chairs and Harry seemed to think for a while.

"Well, how to tell you everything, we stayed low for some weeks, I stayed at Longbottom Hall for the remaining of the summer, you and Granger would visit often. A few of the order knew, as did Weasley and we had several meetings among those of us who knew, trying to pinpoint the locations of the last horcruxes. We knew for sure the location of the snake, it would be at Riddle's side but knew nothing of the cup or the diadem."

"Voldemort and his Death-Eaters attacked in the beginning of July and conquered the ministry in a blink. I became public enemy number one, with a large bounty on my head and couldn't show my face in public. Those were real dark times. Then, around half July, you wanted to bring some of your friends into our group. Initially, everyone was rejected the idea because they were Slytherins but I trusted you above everyone else. You set up a meeting with Tracy, Theo and Millie, who were the ones more displeased with what was happening."

"What about Blaise?" asked Daphne with a frown "He isn't one to be a bigot."

"He was away into Italy, I believe." Harry replied and she nodded "I went with you, to watch your back under my invisibility cloak and we met them at the Leaky Cauldron, to try to convince them to join us." Harry said, looking at her "I can tell you that at the end of that day, I had nothing but the utmost respect by Theo."

"What did he do?" asked Daphne and Harry smiled sadly. He pointed his wand to his head and removed a memory, placing it on the pensieve, extending Daphne his hand. Without a word, she took it and the two went into the pensieve.

Daphne saw the memory swirl and saw her older self in a room, with Theo, who looked sullen, Tracy, who looked distracted and Millie.

"We know what is happening out there." older Daphne said to the three of them and Millie sighed.

"What do you propose, then?" asked Millie "You know me, I'm not a supremacist but I know what will happening this year. There are rumours that death eaters will take teaching positions at the school and you know what that means to the muggleborns.

"If they are even accepted at Hogwarts." supplied Tracy who looked at Theo, who had his arms crossed.

"Look, you know I don't believe in pureblood supremacy and I know none of you do too. However, change has to start somewhere." supplied older Daphne with a sigh.

"And so you propose we put our lives on the line against the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters? Against those animals that don't respect anyone who they consider under him?" asked Theo in a cold tone, that made real Daphne shiver. She had never heard anything like that from Theo, who she knew for years "Do you even know what they would do to you if they discover?"

"Theo, I know your father is a death eater..." started Daphne but was quickly cut by Theo.

"Don't you dare to mention that bastard on my presence again!" he shouted at her, raising from his chair. Tracy rose after him and put a hand on his shoulder, which he avoided, going for the window, looking into Diagon Alley. Tracy just looked hurt and went to him, hugging him from behind, crying softly. Theo hugged her softly and the both of them stayed on silence for some moments, during which Daphne and Millie looked at each other.

"Tracy, Theo, what happened?" asked Millie and Tracy sobbed.

"Two days ago, Tracy was at my house... and my father came from a meeting, drunk." Theo hesitated, holding his girlfriend tighter "He tried to rape her while I was at the toilet." admitted Theo with a cold tone while Tracy was shivering. "I heard her screams and ran back to her, only to find the fucker already on her, trying to push her skirt up. I got him away from her but... He started to go on against me, how I was an embarrassment for him, for being around half blood whores instead with decent people, how he was mocked by his friends and constantly asked when I was to take my place among Them..." Theo spat in anger after the last word, making it clear about whom he was speaking about and older Daphne gulped, as did real Daphne. Theo just trembled in anger, holding Tracy tighter "He ordered me to rape Tracy. Either I would or he would, and said that she was useful for nothing more than to please those better than her." He scoffed in disgust while Tracy buried herself into his hug "I crucio'd him." Theo admitted, making everyone gulp in shock "I don't know what happened, I just snapped and couldn't take it anymore. I hated him, always calling me a bastard, an embarrassment, a failure, beating me for..." Theo hesitated and looked softly at Tracy "... all that I could take but having him doing that, to Tracy..." Theo hesitated again "I had him on the cruciatus over thirty seconds and the bastard actually laughed at me and call me a failure and a disappointment, again, because I had nothing on the Dark Lord's. He actually got up and ordered me to move away that he would take care of the half blood bitch by himself if I wouldn't and that he and I would actually have a proper discussion later on... about me being a man and do my duty and take the mark." Theo scoffed again, still trembling in anger "I cast reductos against his knees, vanished the bones in his wand arm and cast another cruciatus. He was still laughing at me. He was bleeding, spitting blood and calling me a failure and blood traitor. I couldn't take it anymore... couldn't take anymore of him and I... I didn't cast the Avada, I... I cast a difindo to his neck and then I laughed, seeing his precious blood flowing from his throat. Then I vanished him." Theo revealed, starting to break down, being held tightly by Tracey.

"Merlin, Trace, I'm sorry." he begged in a whisper.

"It wasn't your fault." she sobbed "You saved me, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"I don't regret killing him." Theo revealed again to all in the room, looking at memory Daphne "Do you understand? They respect you if you're at their side. Don't and you're nothing to them, nothing but sources of amusement. You are a blood traitor and they believe it's their Merlin given mission to put you in your place." he spat in anger.

Memory Daphne nodded.

"I know very well what I am putting myself into, Theo." Daphne replied with a cold glare "I don't want to live in a world like this." she replied "Do you?"

"No, but I have my own priorities." Theo snapped, glaring at the blonde "I have to keep away until September and I have to protect Tracy from them and that means go to Hogwarts and keep around her at all time. I don't have the time to protect people who are meaningless to me."

"Theo, please." Tracy whispered and Theo looked at her.

"No, I had it. I don't give a fuck anymore. About the old bastard I called a father, about this country or its people, about the Dark Lord or Potter, all I care about is you and I can care about you far away from here. I'm not taking the fucking mark, no matter what, and after the seventh year is done, I'm taking you away for good and we can be free and safe, away from all this shit." the three girls gasped at the revelation and real Daphne was shocked. She looked at Harry and saw him looking with a lot of respect to the other boy in the room.

"Theo, I..." Tracy started slowly, with tears on her eyes "I don't want to run away."

"What? Why?" he asked, although he knew very well why.

"I don't want to run. "she admitted "This is my home and I don't want to be forced to leave because of some assholes. I want to help whatever way I can." Theo sighed and memory Daphne smiled softly. Millie also sighed.

"Yeah, I'm not really fond of a world like the one that is rising on our country." Millie said, looking at Daphne and nodding at the blonde. Millie didn't admit it but she was angered with Theo and Tracy's story. She knew she wouldn't have anyone to save her if she ever got in such situation and despite her self-preservation instincts tell her to stay put, she decided to actually do something about it.

Theo sighed, looking down.

"Theo, I love you, I really do and I wouldn't say no to be with you forever, but I... I need to do this. I need to help. I want you to stay with me but I won't ask you to do this." Tracy said, looking down, tears falling to the ground.

"I'm not a hero." Theo replied, looking at Tracy.

"You're MY hero." she whispered hopefully and he sighed again.

"I don't give a fuck about those cowards who can't help themselves and allow THEM to round them up for slaughter." he said again with a sneer and Tracy nodded, saddened. She kissed him softly on his lips and left his embrace, starting to turn her back on him.

"I understand, Theo." she said again and walked away from him.

"I don't care about them... but I care about you." he said and she turned back to him, both surprised and in shock with his words, ignoring the surprise of the other two girls "If you really think I'm letting you do this alone without me you're sadly mistaken. You mean more to me than you think." Tracy jumped him and kissed him fully while Daphne smiled and Millie blushed "And I'll kill anyone that tries to hurt you, no matter what."

"I can honestly tell you that I won't object to that." a disembodied voice sounded, one that real Daphne recognized as being Harry's. Next to memory Daphne, Harry materialized, coming from under a cloak, mostly likely the cloak he mentioned before.

"Potter?" Millie gasped and Theo drew his wand, pointing it at Harry, who drew his own, pointing it at the other male in the room.

"Daphne, what the hell?" asked Tracy, looking from both Harry to Daphne.

"Harry Potter, meet Millicent Bullstrode, Tracy Davies and Theodore Nott Jr. Everyone, this, as you know, is Harry Potter, who happens to be my boyfriend since the end of fifth year." the girls gaped and Theo glared at Harry, both pointing wands at each other.

"Boys, put your wands away." sighed Daphne, using her hand to lower Harry's arm as Tracy did the same with Theo's "We are supposed to be allies."

"Allies who spy on each other?" asked Theo with a glare and Harry shrugged.

"How else was I to insure the safety of my girlfriend?" asked Harry and Theo looked at him suspicious but at the same time understandingly. The two looked at each other "I can't promise you that she'll be safe. Chances are that she won't. Hell, I can't insure that Daphne will be safe, least of all the others but what I can promise is that we will stand together and watch each other's backs."

"And if you need to kill?" asked Theo in a cold voice. Harry looked at him.

"They offer me no mercy. Why should I?" asked Harry in an equally cold tone, making the other boy and the two girls raise her eyebrows in surprise. Real Daphne looked to both memory Harry and real Harry, seeing the intensity on their eyes.

"You're not what I expected, Potter." Theo said with a nod.

"You know nothing about me, Nott." Harry replied, accepting the nod "Tom is after me since I was born, intent to kill me. I want to live, have a family of my own, preferably with the hot blonde here with me... damn woman, that hurts." Harry complained after being hit on the ribs by Daphne's elbow, who smirked while the other two girls snorted. Harry looked at Daphne's blue eyes "To do that, I have to win and to win, I have to be willing to do whatever it takes to succeed." he turned to Theo again and their eyes caught each other, and in that moment, an alliance was made "Can I count on you?"

Theo looked to Millie and to Daphne. They were both expectant. Theo felt Tracy's hand intertwine with his and knew his answer.

"This better be worth it, Potter." Theo replied with a glare.

The memory ended and Daphne saw herself again on the room. She looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow.

"I knew Theo's father was abusive but I never expected..." she mumbled and Harry nodded.

"Turns out Theo and I have a lot in common." Harry replied, looking at Daphne who looked back at him, waiting for more "I won't tell you more, it's his tale to tell, if he wants to. I won't betray my brother's trust."

Daphne rose an eyebrow.

"Your brother?" she asked surprised and Harry nodded.

"Theo and I became good friends and he stood by me until the end." supplied Harry with a smile "We forged a bond and in time I came to see him as family."

"I see." Daphne replied, sitting on her chair, thinking on what she had seen "What about Blaise?"

Harry smirked.

"Well, after finally asking Millie out the moment he saw her when he came back, something about getting his courage together or something like that and mind you, blurting his words out in a way that he had to repeat everything five times so that she could understand him properly, she decided to ask him and he joined your group."

"What do you mean my group?" asked Daphne.

"After Theo, Tracy and Millie gave an oath to keep the meeting in secret unless they had your permission, you started to plan what to do in Slytherin that year. We dorks were kept out of the loop and only you went to our meeting on the Horcruxes."

"Why? You didn't trust the snakes?" she asked with a glare.

"No, Daph, I trusted you above all else and I already respected Theo by then. It had nothing to do about that." replied Harry with a sigh "You know damn well that Slytherin was a focus point on Hogwarts. If Slytherin was under control, it would only be needed to pay attention to the teachers and the students." Daphne thought about Harry's words and actually found no fault on them.

"Fine, then, what else then?" at that, Harry shrugged.

"Well, there was a wedding, Fleur's wedding, actually." Harry said and that got Daphne's attention "You didn't attend and I was there under polyjuice. Nothing really happened, really apart a couple of death eaters appear and demanding to be handed Harry Potter because they knew he was there, since he was close to the groom and the bride. The party was crashed and I went back to Longbottom Hall."

"Who did she married, then?" asked Daphne, already thinking about what he had told her before about his fallout with the french champion after her husband's death. She didn't need to be a genius to realize that Harry Potter's future self was involved in some way and that the fact he didn't say it outright was because he wanted to hide it sometime more. Which meant that it was a personal matter for Harry.

"Bill Weasley." Harry replied, continuing his story, not realizing the widened eyes from his blonde companion.

Weasley, weaselette? she wondered, looking at Harry, who was saying something about the horcruxes. So, the veela's husband died avenging weaselette, who was an accomplice in a murder?

"Daph, are you all right?" Harry asked and Daphne looked at him.

"It was you, wasn't it?" asked Daphne and Harry looked at her, not understanding what she meant "It was you that killed weaselette and her brother and that explains why Delacour became less than polite with you, as you put it." she asked, crossing her arms looking at him defiantly.

Harry sighed.

"Daph, I..."

"Look, Harry, I like you." she said, withstanding a blush "I like you and I'm liking you more with all you are tell me... and I realize that sounded exactly like what a fangirl might say. "she mumbled in embarrassment and Harry smirked "The story you're telling me is unbelievable, it's true but I believe you. I am also getting hopeful that I can become that woman you showed I became and I am sure that you want that as well or else you wouldn't lose your time on me."

"Daph, I..." he tried again, only to be interrupted again.

"I'm grateful, I really am. That you trusted me in your past and that you spent your time helping me. That we fell in love and..." she said and trickles of water appeared on her eyes, prompting Harry to get up and walk to her side, holding her hand "That you are doing it all again, that you came back to be with me, like you said I was your main reason to come back. I-I want to trust you, Harry." she said, a tear calling from her eye "But you can't hide things from me, please. You said it yourself, you told me everything in our future."

"I am telling you everything, Daph." he insisted and she nodded.

"Then why did you hide the fact that you were the one that killed Delacour's husband, that killed his sister who had been an accomplice in a murder?"

Harry looked at her calmly.

"Does it make a difference, that I was the one that killed her?" she shook her head.

"No, and I believe that you know that, and that's the reason you're being so open with it." she admitted and he nodded "I am a pureblood. I was raised among laws of blood rights and honour duels. I understand that people die and that people have to protect themselves from other maniacs."

"Your grandfather and your grandmother." he said and she nodded.

"Yes, my grandfather who died of a gouging curse that caught him unaware during an attack and my grandmother who died taking as many bastards she could with her." she nodded, looking at him "I never met them but I learned from their deaths. I learned how I should stand for what I believe and protect the ones I love." she replied and he nodded.

"You told me. And I agreed with you, trust me. " replied Harry and she smiled. He gave her a soft smile. She nodded.

"Why haven't you told me?"

"I didn't want to scare you." he admitted, kissing her hand. She sighed.

"I don't see the point, if you are going to end up and tell me how she killed me in your past." she replied defiantly and he looked shocked at her.

"I should have suspected that you had already made the connection." he mumbled, shaking his head.

"It wasn't that difficult." she replied "I want to know."

"I can tell you now or you can wait for some time more. It's your choice." Harry replied, looking at her, taking a strand of blonde hair from her face "Either way, I am going to prevent it. I told you that I wanted you to fall in love with me, marry me and live happy together and to have that, I need you to trust me and accept me as I am." Blue met green and Daphne sighed.

I'm starting to want that too.

"I was happy, wasn't I?" she asked and he nodded.

"I like to think so. At least you never told me if you weren't." he replied with a sad look and she smiled at him, caressing his face.

"I want it." she whispered to him "I'd accept you for what you told me already without a second thought." she kissed him softly, momentarily feeling how right it seemed and smiled "Keep on with your story and tell me everything." she whispered to him and he nodded.

"We made our plans and had a huge fight. I couldn't go to Hogwarts and you wanted to stay with me. We managed to reach an agreement. You, Longbottom, Theo, Tracy, Millie and Blaise would go to Hogwarts and work from the inside while I, Granger and Weasley stayed outside, working to find the other horcruxes. We had our bracelets and would be in contact every day. I also gave you the marauder's map but kept the cloak with me. "

"That's the Hogwarts' map you showed me a couple of weeks ago? The one that was a relic from your father and uncles?" she asked and he nodded approvingly.

"Yeah, that's the one. We had to travel light and had no use for it. Besides, I even released Hedwig to the wilds and she seemed to have stayed around Longbottom Hall for a long time."

"You released Hedwig? Why?" asked Daphne, curious.

"Snowy owl. Too flashy." Harry replied and Daphne nodded, understanding his reasoning "She hated it, of course but after we gave her some bacon, she forgave us." Daphne smirked and Harry continued "I can tell you, it sucked to be away from you. What I can tell you is that you and your group started to keep attention to everything and managed to get power into the house. You managed to coordinate a resistance of sorts to the Death Eaters and even helped the resistance the DA formed, although they didn't know. Surprisingly, at least for me, was that even Pansy, Greg and Vince had joined you at the time of the final battle." Daphne flinched.

"When you say it like that, I have a bad feeling." she admitted and he looked sadly at her. He smiled softly, opting to move forward in the story, telling her the story from their end, how he, Granger and Weasley kept hidden in the country and how they had no clues over the location of the Horcruxes. The Diadem's location had disappeared with Rowena's Ravenclaw daughter over a thousand years before and the last location of the cup had been with Hepzibah Smith but disappeared after. Then, around November, Weasley threw a tantrum and deserted them, leaving them in the middle of nowhere. Granger stayed and that led to long talks and even to some bonding between them, healing some wounds. Granger apologized for their fourth year, that she saw as a big hole hit on their friendship.

Daphne heard everything with apprehension, fearing some kind of reconnection between the two but actually felt comforted when she understood the anger and the hate directed to Granger when Harry spoke of it.

"No, nothing happened, Daph. I loved you too much to do anything to put my relationship with you on the line. I can swear it if you want." Daphne shook her head "Besides, we had our bracelets and we spoke every night. I told you everything. In fact, Granger had her own way to communicate with Longbottom as well."

"Then, something amazing happened." said Harry, looking at Harry looking at Daphne with a huge smile, who waved him to continue "You sent me a message."

"And how amazing could that message be?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"How about 'Spoke with the Grey Lady. She's Ravenclaw's daughter and she helped me retrieve the diadem from the ROR where Tom left it. Diadem destroyed with poison.'? Give or take..." Daphne rose both eyebrows and gaped, looking at Harry who was smiling at her "You did it, all by yourself."

"But... How?" Harry shrugged.

"You were smart and cunning, as usual. You started to make your research and asked the Grey Lady, because she was a contemporary of Ravenclaw... And she told you she was Rowena's daughter Helena and that she stole the diadem, fled with it to Albania, where she was murdered accidentally by the Bloody Baron and the diadem stayed there hidden until Riddle deceived her into trust him and tell him the location. He then brought the diadem into the school after defiling it and hid it in the Room of Requirement."

"I... see." Daphne replied in awe of herself, smiling softly at the praise he gave her.

Daphne kept listening as Harry told her about how Weasley came back thanks to the deluminator, wanting forgiveness and somehow finding the sword of Gryffindor, which was Goblin made and had absorbed basilisk poison, making it a deadly weapon and useful to kill Horcruxes.

She heard how they were captured by Voldemort's minions after breaking the taboo of the Dark Lord's name. She hid her concern and kept listening as he told her they were taken to Malfoy Manor, where Granger was tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange and Draco Malfoy told them about his mission to kill Dumbledore the previous year and how he helped Snape to kill the old man because his mother and aunt had made an unbreakable vow with him to help him. How they were placed with other prisoners, Ollivander, Luna Lovegood and her father, a goblin named Gryphook and others. She heard him telling her how they all escaped with the help of non other than Dobby, the former Malfoy's house elf, who was spying on the house, attempting to help Harry under orders of 'Old Headmaster Whiskers brother', who happened to be Aberforth Dumbledore, owner of the Hog's head. How Dobby helped all of them and was critically injured by a curse from Bellatrix Lestrange before apparating them all out from Malfoy Manor.

Daphne looked to the elf who popped in and stood by his master like a valet. Harry actually placed his hand on the elf's shoulder.

"I was dying, mistress." the elf said with a low voice, looking at Daphne "Master Harry snapped and remembered some lessons you had given him about my kind and pushed his magic into me to try to help me. He succeeded in feeding my magic enough to help me. What also happened, however, was that our magics bound us and I became a Potter house elf that moment. I never said anything then because I didn't want the bitch to start raving about house elf slavery."

"Was it then, when you became...?" asked Daphne, waving over Dobby and he shook his head "It may have started there but my real changing happened many years later, after an oath of loyalty and friendship made. We made a pact and my magic fed from my master's, changing me into what you see, more powerful and wiser."

"We will also cover that later on." replied Harry with a dark chuckle and Dobby stood firm, losing his smile.

"I was loyal to the family and master Harry saw me more as a friend than a servant. So did you, actually." the elf said and Daphne nodded.

"Then, what happened after?

"Granger told us that she believed there was something in Lestrange vault, because of Bellatrix's concerns. She suspected it might be a Horcrux and we made a plan to break in Gringotts." Daphne paled and not only because of the sheer stupidity of what he said.

"Say again?" she demanded, raising slowly from her chair with an intimidating look.

"We made a deal with the goblin we rescued to allow us to enter Lestrange vault!" he said quickly, trying to avoid the anger that usually came with that look. It worked and Daphne's look became one of curiosity instead of anger.

"How?" she asked, sitting again, allowing Harry to sigh in relief. Dobby was failing to contain his amusement, actually laughing.

"What do you know of goblin law?" he asked her and she replied nothing "As it turns out, Gryffindor's sword, being goblin made and apparently stolen from a goblin king was a heirloom of the goblin nation. Remembering your lessons how goblins are very literal, I made a deal with Gryphook and in exchange for the sword and a promise not to rat us out to the other goblins and keep it secret, as well as a significant quantity of galleons, he'd help us destroy the horcrux in Lestrange's vault."

"How many galleons?" asked Daphne.

"Ten thousand." replied Harry.

"TEN THOUSAND GALLEONS?!" she shouted in shock and he nodded and shrugged.

"I got those back with a couple of investments. Besides, after retrieving the sword, Gryphook became a hero for the goblin nation and was actually grateful to me and provided us with some information to increase my revenues. It was a win-win situation for the both of us."

Daphne was still appalled and Harry chuckled.

"Granger used Polyjuice to look like Lestrange, transfigurated Weasley to look like a foreign wizard and I went under my invisibility cloak. We met Gryphook at the atrium and he took us down to the Lestrange vault, opened the door and I located the horcrux and dropped a vial of basilisk poison on it. We saw the horcrux die and came back up where I gave Gryphook the sword and the money. We never spoke about it again."

"That simple?" asked Daphne and Harry nodded.

"I know, it seems hard to believe but it's true. Of course, I did promise not to steal anything and we didn't. All we did was drop basilisk poison in the cup. No one ever knew, apart the four of us. There was no spell fire, no epic battles and no dragon stealing... only a stealth mission that was successful."

Daphne frowned.

"You infiltrated Gringotts, entered a vault that wasn't yours with a goblin's help, after bribe him with a huge sum, by the way, and say that it wasn't anything?" she replied shaking her head in partial amusement.

Nothing compared with later. Harry thought.

"Then what? With both horcruxes destroyed, only you and the snake remained. What then? How did you even discover the one in your scar, by the way?" asked Daphne, both her excitement and apprehension noticing in her voice.

"We decided to come to Hogwarts after the cup. We needed to attract Tom to a trap to get him and the snake and we had allies in the school. All we needed to do was get rid of the death eaters teaching and those among the students and Voldemort would come."

"Very bold plan." Daphne admonished and he nodded.

"It was the only one." Harry replied, looking at her "I coordinated everything with you. We arrived at Hogsmeade the evening of April twenty ninth and met Aberforth Dumbledore at the Hog's Head. We spent the night at his house and he infiltrate us into Hogwarts the afternoon after, before dinner. He had a secret passage between his pub and the dock house and Longbottom was there waiting for us. After Longbottom and Granger's moment, he took us to the Room of Requirement and we met the DA there. Of course, the one I wanted to see wasn't there at all." Harry said, smiling softly at Daphne, who was getting nervous with the story "Between Snape, the Carrow twins and Filch, there were only the junior death eaters and those were controlled thanks to you and your group."

"What did you do?" asked Daphne.

"The DA put itself under my command and the first objective was neutralize the Carrows. Of course, I wanted to see you first. I sent you a message and met you at the entrance to the chamber of secrets. All I'll tell you about it is that we were both very happy to see each other, alive and well." he said with a grin and Daphne almost blushed, smirking "You started to tell me everything that had happened but Myrtle showed up and started screaming. We went both under the cloak and waited while her screams attracted both Carrows. Lucky us." chuckled Harry "They didn't survive point blank reductos to the face." Daphne gulped but nodded approvingly "With it done, you explained me that you had configurated your bracelet to work with Longbottom galleons and we sent the DA a message about the Carrows, calling everyone to the great hall doors in fifteen minutes. You left after a kiss to rally the Slytherins and I followed you after a bit, under the cloak."

"What was the plan, then?" asked Daphne again.

"Storm the great hall and capture Snape, who was the only death eater in the staff while the you and the others would deal with the junior death eaters in your house." Daphne nodded, showing her nervous.

"It worked, almost perfectly." scowled Harry, rubbing his forehead to calm down his growing anger.

"What happened?" she asked softly, raising from her seat and walking to him, concerned.

"As soon as we entered the great hall, you, Tracy, Theo, Millie, Blaise and some others, particularly Pansy, stunned all the death eaters."

"Pansy is not like that bad." admonished Daphne and Harry nodded.

"I didn't know that then, did I?" he asked and she nodded. Harry sighed.

"Snape surrendered when he realized what was happening." he replied, looking at Daphne "But before we could do anything, McGonagall and the other heads of houses came for his aid."

"What?" asked a shocked Daphne, not knowing what to say.

"As we came to discover, it was all a plan from Dumbledore. His own murder at the hands of Snape to help Malfoy and secure Snape's place as a spy, knowing he would be the one to be placed as a headmaster of the school to control the damages done by the death eaters and protect the students, all the while working with Aberforth to help me with my own quest."

Daphne stayed in silence for a while.

"What kind of an idiotic plan is that?" she snapped, anger taking a hold of her. Harry shook his head and rose from his chair.

"Apparently, he had told McGonagall, Sprout and Flitwick in the beginning of the year. Imagine our surprise when McGonagall told us that she knew of everything and that she was very proud of our actions." scoffed Harry, his anger clearly in his eyes "Oh, I got really angry and wanted nothing more than put the bastard down... Then, McGonagall gave one hundred points to every house for house unity and called me, Granger and Weasley to a meeting. We went but I took you with me and Longbottom joined us after relaying my orders to call Aberforth and summon everyone from the order of the phoenix to come to Hogwarts." Harry chuckled "Can you imagine the shock when I kissed you in public that first time?"

"Would you show me?" Daphne asked with a soft tone and a small smile. He nodded with a smile and pulled a memory from his forehead with his wand. The both of them went into the pensieve and Daphne saw herself in the great hall, next to Harry, between the staff table and Harry, who was surrounded by several students, the DA.

"Fine, you'll have your meeting but I want answers." snarled Harry and McGonagall gulped. Memory Harry turned his back on the staff and spoke to the DA "Nev, send word to Aberforth to call all the remaining members of the order of the phoenix. We will need all the help we can get to defend the castle. This is for all of you as well. If you have friends or family that can and wish to join us, please, call them. We will need every able wand against the Dark Lord when he comes for us."

"What makes you think we would help you, Potter?" asked a voice from Ravenclaw.

"If you want, leave." replied Harry coldly, leaving no more space for arguments. No one said a thing "Madam Pomfrey can coordinate the departure of the younger students with Abe."

"Why do you think you are entitled to order anyone, Potter?" sneered Snape, clearly ready to speak more of his mind.

"Your predecessor's training, Death Eater. The man you killed at the tower, remember him?" sneered Harry, making people gasp and others nod in agreement "Now, Hermione, Ron, Neville, come on." Memory Harry said, walking to the Slytherin table.

"Potter, where are you going?" asked McGonagall. seeing him going the wrong way.

"Hey guys, great job." Harry said with nod to the whole house while ignoring McGonagall, surprising all of them with his words. Then he kissed Daphne in front of everyone who gasped in shock at the sight.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" shrieked Ginny Weasley, being ignored by Harry and Daphne, who had embraced him by the neck.

"You foolish Gryffindor. If that wasn't a flashy move to show your superiority and leadership, I have no idea what it is." Daphne said with a smile and both of them chuckled "But I forgive you."

"Come along, I'll need your help with that." Harry pointed to the professors and Daphne nodded, losing the smile. Harry looked to the Slytherins, almost all looking shocked at the two of them. Astoria Greengrass was imitating a fish, as were her friends, looking at Daphne and Harry. Nott, Davies, Bullstrode and Zabini were snickering.

"Ladies, gents... It's a pleasure to see you again. Great job, by the way." Harry said to the group.

"Glad to have you back, Potter." replied Nott with a nod, smirking "Your girlfriend had been almost unbearable since you told her you were coming back."

The six laughed, the only sound heard until a very excited Astoria Greengrass shouted a very loud 'WHAT?!' that made Daphne flinch. She would no doubt demand all the juicy details. Not only that but many others became vocal, demanding answers, especially a certain red head female Weasley.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOUR GIRLFRIEND?"

With a wink to Daphne, Harry climbed to the table, offering Daphne his hand, which she took with a mocking sigh. In fact, she knew what he wanted to do and was amused.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to explain..." Harry said, holding Daphne at his side, who was smiling "This lovely woman that every single one of you know and fear is Daphne Greengrass. What you don't know is that she is my girlfriend since the end of our fifth year, as well as my partner in all things and the one I trust the most above all else." he revealed and many shouted in anger and joy.

"HOW COULD YOU? SHE'S NOTHING BUT A SLIMY SNAKE!" shouted Ginny Weasley, attracting the attention of everyone, especially Harry and Daphne who glared at the red head.

"For your information, Weasley, snakes aren't slimy at all." answered Harry with a cold glare, making Daphne snort "And yes, she's a proud snake, if not one of the greatest in her house, who managed to inspire her housemates to stand with us today." replied Harry, looking at everyone that was dressed in Slytherin robes, noticing their appreciation of his recognition, as well as their awe of him and Daphne. Harry couldn't help but feel surprised as he noticed Pansy Parkinson among the awake Slytherins, looking in awe at the both of them "And you know what? I love her with all that I am." he admitted in public and Daphne rolled her eyes while smiling, kissing Harry softly, leaving people gaping.

"Enough with the speeches, there's a meeting to go to." she admonished him and both of them climbed down the table, holding hands while walking to the professors, who were also flabbergasted.

Real Daphne could only smile as she watched everything that had happened, holding Real Harry's hand. She looked to Slytherin table and saw Tracy leaning to Theo and Millie leaning to Blaise. She also saw her sister almost jumping in her chair, talking to her friends, certainly about her. She looked to the others in the hall, ignoring the several students unconscious on the floor and saw the shock and disgust on the face of weaselette, who was glaring at both Harry and Daphne, being ignored. Her brother was also disgusted but was keeping it hidden slightly better.

Some other dorks girls were also glaring at them but most in the hall were just surprised and shocked, talking among themselves about the revelation, forgetting for a moment that they were in the middle of a war..

The memory ended and Harry and Daphne saw themselves back in the rooms in the chamber.

"Well, that was fun." she said with a soft smile and Harry actually laughed.

"Yeah..." he said, smiling softly at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, having noticed his vacant look.

"I'm thinking how to tell you of the next part." Harry said, sitting back in his chair with a pensive look. Daphne lost her amusement and sat next to him, looking at him closely.

"Promise you won't curse me? Very bad, at least?" he asked, without any smile though. She could understand it was very serious.

"No." she replied and he rolled his eyes with a snort.

"Fine." he said, holding her hand, caressing the back with his thumb.

"According with Snape, Riddle was looking for the elder wand and already knew that Dumbledore had been its previous master, suspecting that he had hidden it somewhere in Hogwarts after his death."

"But you had it, didn't you?" she asked and he shook his head.

"No, I didn't. You did." he confessed and Daphne widened her eyes in surprise "I told you about it and we decided that you should keep it safe. Who knew what would happen if someone took it from me?" he wondered, shaking his head again "You had it in your trunk and only you and me knew about it. Of course, we said nothing about it to Snape and told him we had no idea of what he was talking about and to be honest, when he used legilimency on me, I actually felt really great after punching him in his nose. You approved as well." Daphne, who was still in shock with the revelation, actually gaped.

"You punched him?" she asked and he nodded.

"Broke his nose, too." he replied with a smile "After we all calm down and I got an earful from McGonagall and Granger, we discussed what should be done and it was decided to attract Voldemort to Hogwarts. Snape used his dark mark and summoned him, stating that I was at Hogwarts inciting a student's rebellion and needed backup. To keep his disguise, he went to Voldemort side."

"So?" asked Daphne inciting him to continue.

"Reinforcements arrived for our side, mostly order of the phoenix and some true aurors. The juniors were put at the dungeons and we waited until around nine, when the wards reported arrivals." Harry explained "Death Eaters and Snatchers attacked but we managed to repel them. We lost several people, though, among them my uncle Moony, you know, our defence teacher from last year, who intercepted a killing curse with himself to save his wife. She took it bad, very bad and ended up dead n the same night, leaving a small child with months, Teddy." Daphne nodded, seeing the pain on Harry's eyes.

"When the battle was won, Voldemort sent us all a message for me to surrender before midnight or he would kill us all. The message was ignored and we kept preparing and mourning our dead. Seeing my uncle and his wife dead was hard for me... but you helped... and then McGonagall gave me a vial of memories that I needed to see as soon as possible, from Snape, with very important information from Dumbledore." Harry said with a snarl and Daphne narrowed her eyebrows, waiting for more "Being important memories, we rallied the group and went to the headmaster's office, McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, me, you, Theo and Tracy, Blaise and Millie and Granger and Longbottom. Weasley was too occupied doing something. " Harry explained with a sigh "Basically, it was a memory of Dumbledore and Snape talking. Among several things, I discovered that Snape had been the one that told Voldemort about the prophecy that set him on my family, that he loved my mother and begged his master for her life. That he didn't trust him and went to Dumbledore to protect all of us... that he still loved her all those years after her death." Harry snort, not looking at Daphne "His patronus was a doe, after my mother, I believe... but that wasn't all. The topping was when Dumbledore said that because of the horcrux that I had become, thanks to my scar and the piece of soul on it, for killing Voldemort permanently it was essential that I was killed by his own hand, to make sure that the piece of soul was destroyed." Harry revealed, playing with Daphne's hand. She flinched and he looked at her. She was appalled and terrified but the only thing she was able to say was 'Why?'. Harry shrugged "Dumbledore spoke in riddles... it was a sort of a plan to my survival but I don't think he was sure it would work."

"But... but... how?" she asked fearfully. Harry smiled, drawing his wand and taking a memory from his head, placing it on the pensieve.

"I was mad. Very angry." Harry said, ignoring her question and looking at the pensieve " McGonagall knew... the bitch knew everything and actually tried to make me understand that was necessary... that my sacrifice was necessary... " Daphne squeezed his hand in anger. Only then he looked at her, seeing how distressed she was "It's better if I show you."

"No." she replied, tears forming in her eyes, hugging him and almost sobbing.

"Daph, please, I need you to see it." Harry replied softly while holding her in his arms.

"Why?" she asked in a whisper.

"Because that was the first time I spat on the light side." confessed Harry and Daphne drew from him and looked very surprised at him, her sapphire eyes still wet.

"You what?" she asked again, apprehension in her voice.

"Don't be afraid, Daph, please. Let me show you what happened." Daphne nodded slowly, looking at him. He caressed her lips and kissed her softly.

When the kiss ended, he took her hand and went to the pensieve.

"Daph, this memory will be long and emotional, at least for me. Please, don't think any less of me." he asked her and she only nodded.

The two teens went into the pensieve and Daphne saw herself in a nice office, filled with books, paintings and other items on the walls. Certainly the headmaster's office. It should be a nice place if a very angry Harry Potter hadn't be there, shouting at McGonagall while Memory Daphne was appalled by the pensieve, crying. The other occupants, the teens were away from the angry teen with only Granger attempting to calm him down and attempting to help her teacher. Professor Flitwick was leaning at the wall and Professor Sprout was just appalled with Harry's reaction.

"THIS WAS YOUR PLAN?" shouted Harry "LETTING ME HAVE A SHITTY LIFE FOR THIS MOMENT?BREAK ME SO THAT I WOULD ACCEPT IT WITH NO SECOND GUESSES?"

"Mr. Potter, please..." tried McGonagall while Flitwick shook his head in disappointment. Sprout was just pale.

"Harry, watch your language!" tried Granger, being ignored.

"FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU AND THE FUCKING DEATH EATER AND THE FUCKING MEDDLING OLD BASTARD! YOU HAD NO RIGHT T DO THIS TO ME!"

"Mr. Potter, please..." tried McGonagall again, being ignored.

"I GAVE ALL I HAD, BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS. I HAD TO DO YOUR FUCKING JOB ON FIRST YEAR AND SAVE THE FUCKING STONE BECAUSE YOU WERE SITTING ON YOUR ASS, DOING SHIT AND NOT BELIEVING ME. ON SECOND YEAR, EVERYONE ACCUSED ME OF BEING THE FUCKING HEIR OF SLYTHERIN AND GET THIS, I AM, THROUGH MY MOTHER'S SIDE!" he shouted and everyone gaped at him at that point. Real Daphne looked at Real Harry in surprise. He nodded and leaned to the memory "YOU ALLOWED THEM TO MAKE ME A PARIAH AND MADE ME GO ALONE AGAIN TO THE CHAMBER BECAUSE NONE OF YOU COULD BE BOTHERED TO DO YOUR FUCKING JOB AGAIN! ON THIRD YEAR, INSTEAD OF EXPLAINING EVERYTHING, YOU KEPT ME IN THE DARK AND GUESS WHAT, MY PARENT'S BETRAYER HAD BEEN LIVING AT MY SIDE AS A RAT ANIMAGUS. SIRIUS WAS INNOCENT AND WAS PUT IN AZKABAN FOR TWELVE FUCKING YEARS FOR FUCKING NOTHING BECAUSE NO ONE COULD DO THEIR FUCKING JOBS PROPERLY! ON FOURTH YEAR AGAIN, YOU ALLOWED EVERYONE TO MOCK ME AND FORCED ME TO COMPETE IN THE FUCKING TOURNAMENT THAT BROUGHT FUCKING RIDDLE BACK! LET'S NOT FORGET YOUR BRILLIANT ADVICE TO KEEP MY HEAD LOW IN MY FIFTH YEAR AND THE STUPID LESSONS WITH SNAPE WHO DID EVERYTHING BUT FUCKING TEACH ME! NOT TO MENTION LAST YEAR, INSTEAD OF TEACHING ME, THE OLD FART MADE ME SEE MEMORIES FOR HALF THE YEAR INSTEAD OF TEACHING ME BUT NOW I KNOW WHY, DON'T I? MY LIFE SUCKED BECAUSE YOU WANTED ME TO DIE AND WERE ALL COWARDS TO DO IT YOURSELVES, WEREN'T YOU?" asked memory Harry, not giving signs of calming down. Memory Daphne whimpered in Tracy's arms, who was looking at Harry in shock, as was everyone else in the room "GIVE ME A FUCKING REASON WHY I WASN'T TOLD. GIVE ME A REASON WHY YOU DRAGGED THIS FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS! TELL ME!"

"I... I didn't know." replied McGonagall, herself already in tears.

"I just want to say that I discovered Dumbledore's plan only on the beginning of the year and I found it abhorrent. I know it means nothing but I agree with your reaction, Mr. Potter." Flitwick said with his arms crossed and Sprout said nothing, lowering her eyes to the floor.

"Harry, calm down and behave yourself!" admonished Granger, stepping forward "What is wrong for you to be shouting?"

"For Riddle to be killed, it's not only the snake and himself that needs to be destroyed. So do I." snarled memory Harry. Real Daphne flinched with the tone and saw the Slytherins look at each other doubt. Longbottom wasn't understanding but Granger did, gasping and taking her hands to her mouth in shock.

"No... No, it can't be." Granger said in fear and memory Harry actually nodded.

"It makes sense to explain the link between us, even it was accidental and purely a case of bad luck, I am an horcrux. AND DUMBLEDORE KNEW AND DID NOTHING!"

Granger started to cry against Longbottom's chest, who was appalled.

"What's a Horcrux?" asked Blaise, attracting the attention of everyone.

"Riddle's little secret. To be immortal, he torn his soul in pieces and bound them in items. While the items remain, he can't be killed. That's what we have been doing for the year. Locate his horcruxes and destroy them. All but one and himself, we believed... but apparently, I am one too. I have been living with a piece of him on my scar for seventeen years and now that I did my job or at least most of it, again, like always, I am expendable only this time, I won't go back to those muggle filth I live with. I actually am expected to allow Riddle to kill me.

No one made a sound. Everyone was in shock with the revelation.

"I hope you're proud of yourself, Albus Dumbledore, you idiot old fart." mumbled Flitwick in anger, slowly glancing at the previous headmaster's painting hidden in a corner, which was yet to activate.

"Now it makes sense, doesn't it? Why my life sucked so much, why I was always the scapegoat and the punching bag. It was necessary for me to accept this moment. Because life would suck so much that I would want the embrace of death. ALL THIS TIME I HAVE BEING RAISED AS A PIG FOR THE SLAUGHTER!"

"STOP. No more." begged memory Daphne between sobs. Memory Harry stopped shouting and looked back at her. She was still in Tracy's arms but was looking at him, in a mix of anger, desperation and fear. Harry's anger disappeared in a flash and he ran to her, embracing her in his arms, tightly and possessively. Daphne hid herself on his neck and he felt the tears running through his neck while her body trembled with the sobs. For his part, Harry allowed the tears to fell, holding her tighter, which made her cry even more.

"It's not fair." mumbled Harry.

Daphne sobbed a 'No'.

None of them proposed to flee. It just wasn't like them. They remained there, in each other's embrace, crying and sobbing, watched by all, who were also sullen and crying.

"I hate them." confessed Harry "Tom, Dumbledore... He had seventeen years..." Daphne hugged him tighter, a clear message she didn't want to hear about them. Harry shut up that instant.

"I love you, Daph." Harry said after some moments, the tears flowing "I wanted nothing more than marry you, have you being the mother of my children, grow old together and be all we could be together. Partners as always. I'll always love you. Forever."

"No. You are not going." she sobbed, attempting to be strong.

"You know I have to." he whispered to her in a broken voice. It was clear he didn't want to go.

"I love you." she sobbed to him and the two kissed for several minutes. No one had the courage to stop them, even if they wanted to "You helped me becoming who I am..." Daphne said in a whisper, leaning her forehead to his.

"Had it not been for you, I wouldn't be who I am today either."

"Lord Potter-Black, heir of Slytherin" she joked and attempted a small chuckle, automatic drowned in a sob " I love you so much, my Harry."

"If I could, I'd stay with you, forever." he mumbled.

"I know." she said, looking into his eyes, seeing the decision in his eyes, as well as all the anger he was repressing at that moment and all the love he felt for her.

"I'm going with you." memory Daphne said, shocking all in the room, who looked at her at the same time.

"But... but Daph..." tried a shocked Tracy, who was on Theo's arms, who was looking at Harry with a lot of respect. Daphne ignored her friend and looked to Harry again.

"I am going with you and that's final." Daphne said again.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, my love." Harry replied with a small and sad teary smile. Daphne leaned in and kissed him again for some moments before they looked at each other again, their eyes showing their resolve "Always remember, my Daphne, I love you and I always will." he said. Daphne looked at him and felt a poke on her ribs.

"Stupefy" A flash of red surrounded memory Daphne. She didn't fall on the ground because memory Harry held her softly in his arms, bride style. He ignored the confusion and the questions that rose at once and glared at McGonagall.

"Make yourself useful and transfigurate me a bed." he ordered in a cold and hateful tone. McGonagall did it at once.

"Why?" asked Flitwick, approaching the young man.

"Because she doesn't need to die tonight." replied Harry to the short professor, placing Daphne on the bed, sitting with her for a moment and caressing her face. Kissing her one last time in the lips, he kissed her in the forehead.

"Make sure she'll get this." asked Harry, looking to the Slytherins after taking something from his pocket and into Daphne's hand. Blaise and Theo nodded among them while Millie and Tracy nodded to him.

"She loves you." said Tracy "She would go with you to the end."

"I know." he replied with a soft smile "And that's why I need her here, to make sure someone goes to the end and kills the bastard. That and I don't want her to see me dying." he sighed.

"Tell her I love her." he said, looking at the teens in the room. None of them was able not to shed a tear "I guess this is it. Oh, please don't wake her before you see the sign. I don't want her to go after me"

"What sign?" asked Theo.

"You'll see." said Harry with a most ominous and vicious smile, getting up and walking to the door.

"Potter, Harry, wait." asked McGonagall and Harry stopped, not looking at her.

"I'm sorry." the elder witch said, not able to say anything else.

"I'll walk with you to the doors." said Theo after saying something to Tracy, who nodded. Harry nodded.

"I'm going too." replied Flitwick.

The three left the room in silence.

"It may not mean a lot, Mr. Potter, but I am very proud of you. Your parent's would be too." said Flitwick and Harry nodded.

"Make your best to kill the son of a bitch, professor." said Harry and the diminutive professor actually chuckled.

"I will, Mr. Potter."

"I won't promise you that she'll be safe but I promise you we'll have each other's backs." said Theo, mirroring the same oath Harry had given several months before.

"I wouldn't ask any less of you, my friend." replied Harry with a smirk.

"Thanks for the chance to actually clean my family's name, Potter... Harry."

"Tell that to Daphne. She proposed to bring you into our group and I trust her with all that I am."

"You're whipped." Theo joked.

"Very much, yes." replied Harry with a smile.

They reached the castle doors, which were closed. Professor Flitwick opened them with a wave of his wand.

"You have a plan, don't you?" asked Theo, looking at Harry, who just nodded "Give them hell."

"I intend to." replied Harry. Theo nodded and extended his hand. The two teens shook hands and the memory started to change.

"Why did you stunned me?" asked a tearful Daphne, looking at Harry "I would have gone with you."

"I know." replied Harry, seeing the image changing into the forbidden forest.

"Then why?" she asked again, focusing on the memory again.

Harry stood at the entrance of the forest, holding the snitch in his hand.

"This is it, you old bastard. All your fucking plans brought me into this moment. The moment of my own death." he snorted "But I'm ready. No thanks to you, though." He heard a metallic opening and saw the snitch revealing a black stone in its interior. No matter how much he despised the old man, Harry knew that he didn't do anything without a reason. Harry picked the stone and held it in his hand, focusing his magic on it. When he looked up from the stone, he widened his eyes, noticing he wasn't alone anymore. Around him, he saw his mother, his father, Remus and Sirius, all looking proud at him.

"Wha..." he mumbled, looking around.

"You've been so brave, my son." Lily Potter said with a smile.

"Mum? Dad? Padfoot? Moony?" mumbled Harry.

"That's us, son." replied James Potter with a smile.

"Is this real? Are you real?" asked Harry and Remus smiled.

"You're holding the resurrection stone, Harry." the werewolf replied and Harry understood, as did real Daphne who was shocked seeing everything.

"I never wanted this to happen. Remus, you and Tonks... your son, he..."

"He'll be fine." Remus said with a smile "We knew we could die but we came nonetheless. One day, hopefully, he'll understand." Harry nodded.

"Your death was kind of anti climatic, wasn't it?" Harry asked Sirius, who smiled "I'm sorry I..."

"Your heart was in the right place. Had I fight more 'me-ly', I would have survived." Harry smiled at the horrible pun, as did Sirius. Harry turned to his parents.

"Thank you for a chance on living." he said and his parents smiled at him "It wasn't long but... It was... thank you." he said, thinking of Daphne "Although, why didn't you have the cloak with you? Why didn't you have a plan B or a C? Why Godric Hollow instead of Potter Manor? " Lily and James looked sullen.

"We never considered the cloak, actually." revealed James " We went to a smaller cottage because it was more hidden and Dumbledore actually extra warded the house. Your mother put the Fidelius on top and we never thought we would need more."

Harry sighed.

"Daphne was right, as usual. We Gryffindors always charge ahead with the least plan possible." he said and the four apparitions smiled.

"I'm sorry you won't be able to be with her, honey." his mother said and he nodded, looking up to the sky.

"So am I." he replied, looking down again with teary eyes "Are you fine with it? That she's a Slytherin?" Harry asked.

"She is?" asked a surprised James, earning both a glare from his son and a nudge from his wife "Of course not, son. All that matters if that you're happy. I hope you have been respectful with her?" his father asked, although it seemed forced by his wife.

Harry smiled and nodded. His mother seemed to like that reply.

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked and Sirius shook his head.

"Faster than falling asleep."

"Then I guess we'll meet again in a bit." Harry said with a smile, receiving another from the apparitions.

"Good luck darling/son/pup/cub." they all said before vanishing in the air. Harry smiled and considered to throw away the stone, making sure it would be lost. With a spell, he stuck the stone to one root of a tree and let it there.

Harry could almost face palmed himself when he remembered he hadn't say anything to Dobby.

"Dobby!" he called and the overactive house elf appeared before him, with teary eyes.

"Master Harry Potter sir called?" the elf sobbed and Harry put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Dobby. I never really thanked you for all you did for me, have I, my friend?" Dobby shed more tears, babbling because 'The great Harry Potter sir wanted to thank Dobby and called him a friend.' Harry looked at the elf "Can I ask one last favour from you, Dobby?"

Dobby nodded.

"When I fall, pick my body and my wand into a safe location in Hogwarts. Then, tell Daphne where my body is and bond with her, all right?" Dobby nodded and Harry hugged him, making him bawl even more.

"Kreacher!" Harry called and the ancient elf appeared before him.

"Master called?" the old elf asked, clearly distraught.

"We didn't actually see eye to eye for some time, Kreacher but I want you to go to Andromeda Tonks, née Black and help her to take care of her grandson, who I name my heir."

"Kreacher will, master." the old elf said, his ears low.

"Remember that I may still need you. Wait for my call but be hidden. In case I don't call you, then go, my friends, and goodbye." The two elves disappeared and Harry sighed, drawing his wand.

The memory changed again and Daphne saw Harry walking into a clearing. She gasped when she saw the several death eaters in there, as well as the dark lord himself, looking at Harry.

"Harry Potter." the dark lord said in a solemn tone.

"No, Harry, what are you doing here?" shouted Hagrid, who apparently was a prisoner of the death eaters.

"Shit..." mumbled Harry after hearing the half giant.

"The Boy-Who-Lived... Comes to die." Voldemort rose his wand and Daphne looked from real Harry to Memory Harry. Hisses were heard among the death eaters.

"Take Hagrid away, Dobby, Kreacher." whispered memory Harry and at once, two pops were heard. There was confusion among the death eaters and even Voldemort looked back, trying to see what was happening. The moment Harry saw Hagrid disappear and had a confirmation that both Dobby and Kreacher were fine, he held his wand aloft towards the place where he heard the hisses.

At once, his wand spewed flames but not normal flames. These grew too fast and took the shapes of flaming serpents, chimaeras, and dragons, setting ablaze the area they hit. A huge hiss was heard near the demonic fire, as well as what seemed to be a green cloud that was engulfed by the flames, leaving no traces of anything behind. There were also several screams of terror from several death eaters were set ablaze by the demonic fire with no chance of survival. The fires spread to fast and of all those there, only three knew how to control that curse. Two of them were already duelling and the last one was Bellatrix Lestrange who was wide eyed watching the duel instead of putting away the fiendfyre, which had already did its job. Destroying the snake-horcrux. The flames burned high and although none knew it then, real Harry knew that the flames were seen from Hogwarts.

Daphne saw in awe as the flames erupted from Harry's wand and burned all in its path. She recognized the spell, although she wasn't able to do it, and was amazed. She understood Harry's plan at once, especially when she saw several death eaters falling dead on the ground, burned alive and consumed by the flames. With the snake dead, only Harry and Voldemort remained. Daphne looked at real Harry and couldn't help it but feel very proud, watching once again a great duel between the two mortal enemies, inside a ring of fiendfyre.

Harry dodged a chain of spells and cast a reducto and a confringo, while the dark lord retaliated with a crucio, a blood boiler and a flaying curse. Several more spells were traded until Voldemort ordered Bellatrix to put out the fires.

"Curse you, Potter!" shouted the dark lord and Harry smirked.

"Less servants for you are less problems for my friends in the castle." Harry replied.

"Ah, you realized my deception. Of course I am going to Hogwarts and catch your meddlesome friends, making an example of them."

"We'll see about that. I'm still here. All that bravado from you and the Boy-Who-Lived is still alive." Harry provoked him.

"You insolent boy! Avada Kedavra!" the dark lord shouted. It was time.

"I love you my Daphne." Harry was hit by the green light, falling immediately. The memory started to change from the orange of the demonic flames to a blinding white.

Daphne was crying again, only this time, despite of the fear and the curiosity, was also of pride of the green eyed wizard who had just inflicted a massive blow on the dark lord, even if he paid with his life.

Harry woke up in a white hall that seemed to be much like King's Cross Station. His head was throbbing but he rose from the floor and looked around. There was nothing but white around him. There were no trains either. He looked around and imagined to see something under a bench. Curious, he went there, only to be shocked when he saw what should be a naked child, mutilated and weak. That looked very much like Voldemort.

"What the..." he asked himself.

"You can't help him, Harry." he heard a voice say. Harry froze, not looking to the source of the voice "You wonderful, brave boy."

"Dumbledore." sneered Harry, rising slowly and looking to the source of his anger. Dumbledore was shocked at Harry's reaction "You bastard, why? Why did you do this to me? Why did you condemn me to a miserable life? Why did you allow me to live with that thing on my forehead? You knew all along, didn't you? ANSWER ME!"

"Harry I didn't..."

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" Harry shouted, walking to the older wizard and grabbing him by his robes "YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME! YOU KNEW BEFORE YOU DIED!" he shouted and for his shock, Dumbledore shed a tear.

"Yes, I knew but what was I suppose to say, Harry? I didn't lie to you when I said I didn't know of any other way to destroy a horcrux."

"Didn't you perform tests on me when I was a baby?" asked Harry, slightly calmer.

"We did, but we made the mistake to believe it was only a trace of the curse... I started to suspect about the horcruxes only on your fifth year, Harry even despite the diary on your second year. I had the confirmation only when you told me about the visions."

"And you said nothing." he snarled and Dumbledore dropped his head.

"For my shame, it is true. Besides, I was terrified with the knowledge I had just gained..."

"Why should I believe you?" Harry asked with a glare, just before letting go of Dumbledore's robes "Bah, it's too late, now. I don't really hate you but you sure screwed up a lot of things with me. You could have trained me better, you could have forgot the blood wards that protected me from magicals that wanted to hurt me but did nothing to muggles and placed me with Sirius, after investigating better what had happened..." Harry looked away from the old man and failed to see his smile.

"Tell me, Harry, are you happy?

"No." he replied.

"And why is that?" asked Dumbledore.

"Because I died and instead of meeting my family while I wait for Daphne, which I hope it's several decades away, I am at Limbo talking with you." replied a sarcastic Harry, making Dumbledore smile.

"Ah, yes, the lovely Ms. Greengrass. How was she?"

"Beautiful. She is a leader since she recruited Slytherin house to our cause during the year. Brave because she went against Voldemort and the Death Eaters under Snape and the Carrow's noses. Crushed because I stunned her and sacrificed myself alone while she wanted to die at my side." Harry replied and Dumbledore nodded with his maddening smile.

"Why did you go to meet Voldemort alone?" asked Dumbledore again and Harry sighed.

" I had a plan. Torch the area where the snake was with fiendfyre, wish the for the best and being hit by a killing curse. If I managed to cripple Voldemort, the better, but... She would die a meaningless death if she had come. She can do more at Hogwarts, she can survive, live long and..." Harry didn't notice the tears on his own eyes, except when they started to fall "I didn't want her to die. I wasn't afraid to die and I know she wasn't either... but I didn't want her to die. She is amazing, smart and kind. She wants to be a healer and she actually learned from Poppy... She can still do a lot for the world. I didn't want her to give up on herself because of me."

Daphne shed a tear and felt her heart accelerate as memory Harry confessed what he thought of her.

"You foolish idiot." she whispered, holding real Harry's hand.

"You foolish idiot in love, please." replied Harry with a smile, holding her close with his arm. Daphne leaned her head to him and kept watching.

Dumbledore beamed even more.

"Love truly is an amazing power, is it not? Maybe it was your love that motivated your actions?" the headmaster said, before looking around "Tell me, Harry where are we?"

"I don't know, limbo?" the young man replied, taking Dumbledore aback.

"Well, yes, but I was asking about the manifestation of limbo." Harry looked to Dumbledore as if he was mad "You see, this is, as they say it, your party. Why did your limbo manifested itself as such?"

"How would I know? And it seems to be King's cross station." the teen replied, not really amused by the old man's antics.

"What happens in a train station, Harry?" asked Dumbledore, making the teen sigh.

"It's a hub for trains and people." Harry replied, noticing the amused look on Dumbledore's face, wanting him to go on "Trains arrive and depart to their destinations?"

"So, hypothetically, should you want to go on, would you hop a train?" asked the old man.

Harry became stiff. Dumbledore always had a reason.

"I suppose so. Should I, hypothetically want to go back..."

"I suppose you could hop a train..." the old man said.

"I'm dead." was Harry's reply.

"Ah, you see, only one soul needs to die, Harry and luckily, we have a piece of a soul to make the journey." replied Dumbledore, pointing to the mutilated child like thing under the bench.

"So, I could go back and..."

"Be with your lovely girlfriend? I don't see why not." replied an amused Dumbledore as Harry picked the piece of soul by a leg and willed a train to "go on", as Dumbledore had put it. When the train arrived, white as everything else, the carriage doors opened and Harry threw the piece of soul inside, closing the door again.

"I want a train to go back to the world of the living, I want a train to go back to the world of the living, I want a train to go back to the world of the living..." Harry willed and while the other departed another arrived in the opposite direction.

"I guess this is it." said Dumbledore, losing the smile, looking at Harry.

"Yes" replied Harry, looking at Dumbledore "Can you tell me if all horcruxes are gone?"

"Only Tom remains now, Harry." replied Dumbledore and Harry nodded.

"I don't know if I will ever be able to forgive you for all the manipulations in my life, for all the could have beens if you had tried harder and all that was lost because of negligence..." Dumbledore looked down and accepted Harry's words. He, in fact, wasn't amused with Harry's life at all. He believed it to be necessary. He was wrong. Very wrong "But I am grateful for all your help. It wasn't ideal, but sometimes, you actually helped me. Thank you." Harry said, extending his hand to the older man, who was shocked. The shock disappeared and was replaced with a smile, shaking the teen's hand.

"I wish you a long and happy life, Harry Potter." the former headmaster said.

"May you find the peace you desire." replied Harry, turning back to his train, not noticing the proud look in the older man's face. The train left and the memory started to change again, to a darker setting.

He recognized the bed in the chamber of secrets and got up. His wand was in his hand and his hands were crossed over his chest, with his wand on them. Of course, what caught his attention immediately was the shriek Kreacher let go when he rose from the bed, proceeding to look at him with large eyes.

"Ma... Mas...Ma... Master?" the ancient elf asked before fainting on the floor. Harry held a chuckle and got up, feeling dizzy and walked a few steps before picking the elf and placing it in the bed. Then, he heard a new sound, the sound of popping behind him and once again, a even worse shriek and something about Master Harry Potter sir being a nasty dead who walks... or something. Despite recognizing Dobby's voice, Harry recognized Daphne, her eyes red and swollen, the makeup smudged, tears falling from her eyes. However, her eyes were widened, looking at him and her mouth was opened in an 'o'.

"Harry?" she asked, uncertain.

"Your name is Daphne Persephone Greengrass, after your mother of whom you're not that fond. Your heroes are your grandparents that died together. You want to be a healer. We met on our fifth year, when you asked my help. We started to date on the end of that year, on the night my godfather died. I love you. We lost our virginities to each other on this bed on Halloween of our sixth year..." Daphne didn't allow him to speak anymore, jumping him and kissing him passionately. The two fell on the bed at the same time that Kreacher woke up, falling from the bed and getting up with Dobby's help, who looked as shocked as he was.

"We don't really need to see everything." said Harry in a hurry, drawing his wand and forcing a passage for the next segment of memory. Daphne looked down, not really embarrassed but thinking on what she had just learned and how well Harry knew her. That and seeing herself ripping older Harry's clothes had made her warm, far more than she ever got when she played with herself.

"I don't mind." she mumbled with a tiny blush, earning a naughty smirk from her boyfriend.

"I know you don't." he said and she blushed, making him chuckle "If you want, you can see it later."

"Would you see it with me?" she asked, hopefully, not knowing from where she got the courage to ask that..

"If you want me to." he replied, picking her chin and looking into her eyes "But you'll have to keep me in line to make sure nothing unwanted happens."

Daphne only nodded, receiving a kiss that did no good whatsoever to her condition.

The next memory started with the two of them dressed in basilisk hide battle armour, hidden under the invisibility cloak behind the Hogwarts residents that waited the approaching dark lord. They could feel the low morale. According with all they had heard, Hagrid had returned and announced that Harry was killed in the forest by Voldemort. That and no one knew from Daphne Greengrass.

"Are you ready?" whispered Harry and she kissed him softly.

"I'll be waiting for the marriage proposal." she replied with a grin, hiding her nervous.

"I love you, Daph."

"I love you too, Harry."

The dark lord entered Hogwarts and started to make his speech of victory, claiming to have killed Harry Potter and burned his body with the fiendfyre. It was then that they removed the cloak and gave it to Dobby to keep it safe. With a nod, Harry cast the sonorus charm on himself.

"FUNNY, WHAT AM I, THEN?" the Hogwarts' s residents parted for Harry and Daphne, looking in awe at them, especially Longbottom and Granger at the front.

"IMPOSSIBLE! I KILLED YOU!" shouted Voldemort, ignoring the agitation of his own death eaters.

"Clearly you didn't do a good job." replied Harry with a serious look, ignoring everyone else "I'm curious, though, how many of your own died in the fiendfyre?"

Voldemort roared and started to cast against Harry who dodged the spells. Bellatrix decided to focus on Daphne who had just gave the order to retreat into the castle and behind them, some death eaters fled the field. The defenders provided support to Daphne and started to curse the remaining death eaters. Noticing Harry duelling the Dark Lord and knowing that Harry would draw Voldemort into another area of the castle, Daphne continued her duel with Bellatrix.

"This memory doesn't show your duel with Bellatrix but later I may show it to you. Let us just say that it was impressive and that you reducto'd one of her knees and cast a confringo to her face. After that, you focused on taking down others and many fled.

"Did... did you face him alone?" Daphne asked and Harry nodded. She closed her eyes "Just tell me the overview, please." Harry nodded and waved his wand, breaking the memory and forcing them out of the pensieve. Back in the chamber, Harry breathed in, thinking on what to say.

"We fought along the east wing and came out to the courtyard again. We traded more spells, got tired and actually bleeding. We managed to get into priori incantatem again, I drew the elder wand and cursed him with a light spear. He wasn't expecting it and couldn't manage a shield neither in time neither strong enough to the elder wand. He died then, permanently that time and the battle ended. Some reinforcements arrived, late as usual, and the Death Eaters that hadn't fled or died surrendered.

I got back to you, all the while ignoring everyone around me, knelt even before kissing you and proposed in front of everyone. There was no ring to give because you already had it with you, I gave it to you after I stunned you, that was what I put in your hand. You said yes, pretty much all Slytherin girls squealed, especially Tori, the dorks groaned and the duffers and the claws were just happy. We rested a while and then started the repairs of the castle. Your parents came in later in the afternoon and already knew about us from Tori. They were very supportive of us and accepted me immediately."

"I can imagine... social-climbers..." spat Daphne. Harry smirked.

"Snape died in the fighting, defending some students against death eaters, Malfoy Sr. died in the fiendfyre, our friends were fine, only bruised. Theo shot to kill, Tracy was his shield and they made a heavy team. Blaise and Millie fought together and fought well. Neither is a fighter but together, they were a good team. Millie helped with the brewing of potions later." Daphne nodded approvingly.

"Eventually everything was fixed, the ministry decided to start to give away rewards, I got an order of Merlin first class, you got a second class and everyone that fought got a third class. We were together every day until September, in Potter Manor, in Greengrass Hall or around. We had a hard time on the wizarding world while on dates and decided to go to the muggle world as well, to explore. You loved it." Daphne was very surprised but didn't interrupt him.

" We came together for our last year at Hogwarts because everyone had to repeat it and we were happy. Somehow I got to be Head-Boy... " Daphne rolled her eyes. Sure, somehow "... Granger got Head-Girl, why I don't know when you proved to be better than her, you did kill Bellatrix Lestrange and we had picnics every Sunday on the place I showed you yesterday. We graduated as the best students and were very happy. Back then, Malfoy, after falling in disgrace but still having money, started courting your sister, we went for a trip around the world and I decided to take a mastery in DADA while you studied to be a healer.

They handed me the masters after reading my name and you suggested to take another. I studied Light, Grey and Dark arts as an associated student in Munich Academy of Sorcery and you went on to take your healing degree in St. Mungus.

Your parents nagged us about the wedding, so we married on the summer's solstice in the year two thousand; you already know about that and nothing changed after it. You still worked as a healer and I can tell you that people loved you, 'Lady Potter-Black, our Lady Healer' they called you" Daphne smiled, very interested "I studied and worked as an auror as well... We were happy and had each other. We only considered children five years later..." Daphne noticed how Harry hesitated to continue "Theo and Tracy married before our eight year, Millie and Blaise married after us, Granger and Longbottom married the year after us. Blaise ran a company of imports exports, Millie became a potion's mistress, Theo became an auror and Tracy, who joined in for a couple of years, became a prosecutor. We were happy and in peace."

Daphne nodded, amused with the information. She knew, however, that bad things were coming, certainly.

"I think we should stop here for today." said Harry, looking at Daphne. She nodded with a smile and kissed Harry with passion gained from all she had seen and heard.

"That's for all you did, amazing and stupid." she said and he smiled.

"You know, I think I may have some more to tell to earn more of that." he said and she smirked.

"Not today." she replied, forcing him to get up "Tell me, how different is the training you're putting me from the training from your past?"

"Well, I'm focusing more on your control, although we focus on the repetitions regularly. I'd say that we added your magic control to the previous program."

"Do you think I'll become as powerful as..."

"Even more." Harry replied and Daphne smiled "Do you want some training or do you want to have a walk? We skipped lunch and it's near four o'clock."

"Let's go outside." said Daphne and with a wave of Harry's wand, she was coated. Harry did the same to himself.

"Why are your sleeves shorter?" she asked, looking at his robes sleeves, cut by half of the forearm.

Harry looked at his sleeves and smiled.

"Well, there was a stupid fashion trend with bigger sleeves. Using them this short is a fashion trend that begun because of a little girl who hated to get her sleeves in her food." Daphne smiled, shaking her head in amusement.

"Must be an important little girl, then." she said in amusement and Harry smiled with a sad look.

"Yeah, she was. Besides, these are quite handy for combat. Believe me, I would know." he said and Daphne heard him. She was curious, remembering what he had said before about the three wars. With Voldemort gone, only two wars remained and Harry had fought on both. She hadn't.

"Let's go." she said, her amusement somewhat gone.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, noticing her change.

"I was just thinking on what you said. You said you lost me... The way you talked just now, about how happy we were. I wonder if I really want to know whatever happened to me... why and how I..." Daphne hesitated and Harry hugged her softly. Daphne smiled and looked into Harry's eyes, noticing the haunt in them.

"It's up to you." he replied and she nodded with a small smile, feeling comfortable on his arms.

"Let's go." she said with a smile. Calling for Dobby and actually be transported to the lake shore was done in less than five seconds. The two started to walk side by side by the shore.

"What do you want to do?" Harry asked, feeling the cold wind on his face.

"You can start by explaining how you are the heir of Slytherin." she said and he smirked.

"As it turns out, my mother was a descendant of the main Slytherin line, unlike Tom and the Gaunts, who became related to Slytherin only by marriage with one of the Slytherin's house daughters. The main line died a long time ago but the magic bloodline remained among the muggles because of squibbs. When my mother was born a witch, she became an heir of Slytherin."

"An heir, not THE heir?" asked Daphne, curious. Harry shook his head.

"There is a test to earn the Slytherin lordship. Like many before me, I have no idea what it is or how to learn of it. Apparently is a show of cunning but no one knows anything about it, not even the goblins. Whatever it is, old Salazar real descendants hid the secret very well. Even in my past I wasn't able to claim anything."

"Interesting." she said, looking slightly at him, smiling "Two years ago, while everyone was calling you the heir of Slytherin... they were actually right."

"Yes." he smirked, looking at her "There is no such thing as being normal for me, I suppose."

Daphne laughed and the two continued to speak some more about other things. Their homework, the upcoming dance, Harry's tests for arithmancy and runes...

When they finally got tired and hungry, they walked back to the great hall for dinner. The moment they passed the doors, all eyes were upon them.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, YOUNG MAN?"

Hello everyone. Yeah, this chapter took two weeks to come out... work related issues. It is possible that the next chapter will come out only on December but who knows... it may come out earlier. It also took some extra time because I needed to review the last movie, since I didn't have the book available.

Your thoughts? Any questions? Dem feelings anyone? No? Ok, it was just me then.

Are you getting bored with Harry's history? Not at all?

I got the feeling that this chapter was done in a very fast pace. What are your thoughts?

Have fun. Hope to hear from you soon!

zaterra02