CHAPTER 25

THREE DAYS OF BUILDING

Diagon Alley had been liberated from the Death Eaters but it came at a significant cost, for many men and women fell on both sides of the battle. A lot of people had gathered in front of the Leaky Cauldron to hold a vigil for the fallen souls and as they fired lights into the night sky, Dumbledore raised his hands in valediction and looked up into the night sky.

"Let it be noted that, those that fell here have not fallen in vain for they all were part of the struggle that is geared towards ridding this world of Lord Voldemort." They nodded their heads in silence and Minerva McGonagall requested for a moments silence in their honour. Bellatrix tapped Neville's thigh with her wand and motioned for him to move to the back of the crowd. They meandered their way to the back and when they were a good distance away from the gathering, she blew her strand of hair from her face and spoke up, "Where the fuck is Harry?"

"I don't know? I suppose he's inside there somewhere," Neville answered pointing at the crowd.

"No. I scanned the entire section from the rooftops and he isn't there." Neville narrowed his eyes in concentration and stared at the stones beneath him.

"Draco isn't among the Death Eaters the Aurors rounded up," Bellatrix added and paced about in worry.

"The explosion from Knockturn Alley, let us go and investigate the area," Neville suggested and they took a sharp turn to avoid the watchful gaze of Alastor Moody whose "mad eye" was swiveling about dangerously in his head. They jogged to the scene and had to hold their breaths as the entire place was still thick with smoke. Neville created a bubble above their heads and they both walked inside the shop.

"What the fuck happened here?" Neville whispered and levitated a beam that blocked their way.

"Fiend fire," Bellatrix muttered. "It got out of control. Look at the way the pattern the fire spread," she said drawing her fingers across the wall and pointing at the floor and parts of the non-existent ceiling.

LUMOS MAXIMA a bright light emerged from the tip of Neville's wand and he scanned the shop for any sign of evidence to give them an idea as to where Harry or Draco might have gone.

"Stop!" Bellatrix hissed. "What is that at the corner of the room?" Neville pointed his wand to the corner again and squinted his eyes to discern what he was seeing properly. Bellatrix raised both her hands and focused her palms at the object in question and levitated it towards them. When it was on the floor, they went on their knees and examined their find.

"It's a body," she observed and poked it with her finger.

"Too charred for us to identify," Neville muttered and shook his head. Bellatrix got on her feet and walked deeper into the darkness of the shop and stopped when her boots crunched something.

"Hello? What have we got here?" she muttered and bent over, feeling the floorboards for whatever she stepped on. She gave a gasp of satisfaction when she found it and picked it up. She walked over to Neville and he raised his wand over her palms and swore when he saw Harry's glasses broken and bent, half melted by the heat of the fire.

"Let's leave before the entire world finds out that Harry is missing," he said quickly.

"I'll keep that," she said and put the broken glasses inside her pockets. "No need to leave such evidence of his vanishing lying around." Neville nodded and they returned to the midst of the warriors who had now dispersed.

"Let's leave now!" Bellatrix hissed and started for the exit but someone grabbed her hand and she spun around with a dagger and growled dangerously. She relaxed when she saw Nymphadora Tonks and Albus Dumbledore facing her.

"Cousin," she said quickly and put her dagger away. Neville stood behind them and couldn't help himself from chuckling in amusement.

"Bellatrix," Nymphadora said brightly and hugged her. "Nice fight today. I really need to learn some of your tricks," she said excitedly.

"The way you run up to a group of Death Eaters and fly around in your black smog – I don't know why yours is black but anyway it is so cool and oh my word – the way you grab them and throw them in the air and end them before they hit the ground is so amazing! You are such a strong witch! And oh! You turned the floor into ice and skated on your knees! Epic stuff cousin – you remind me of the Muggle character Lara Croft! You have got to teach me all that!" she rattled on and played with Bellatrix's hair. Bellatrix pursed her lip in boredom and blinked at every compliment her cousin made. Clearly, she wasn't interested.

"Nice talk Dora, I will see if Harry's training arena is open to third parties."

"Speaking of Harry, where is he?" Dumbledore asked.

"He had to leave you know. Industry business and all," she answered simply and signaled for Neville to follow her.

"See you later! Don't forget to ask Harry yeah?" Nymphadora called out. Bellatrix raised her middle finger at her cousin and shook her head when they were out of the square. "Girl talks too much for a married woman. Fuck's sake!"

"She is your cousin and she was showing genuine interest."

"Equating me to a Muggle?"

"Yeah, she wasn't smart about that," Neville replied and apparated away with her.

POTTER MANSION – A FEW WEEKS LATER

Lord Voldemort had not taken the news that Diagon Alley had been liberated well and within a week, had three hundred Gryffindor students killed and publicly displayed to the horror of the entire world.

"I will not stop killing them until Dumbledore and Harry Potter are dead." His threatening response seemed to halt the activities of the Order since then and the plan to attack Hogsmeade was put on a hold. Both sides were at a stalemate, but the Death Eaters continued to make significant damage on Muggle villages and cities and Lavender Brown did not make the situation any easier by calling out Harry Potter and threatening to expose him for the fraud he was if he didn't stop growing his business and challenged Voldemort to a duel to the death.

Lavender Brown had gained fame and was considered the next Rita Skeeter for her damning articles and reports she made about certain individuals. Her work as a reporter for the Daily Prophet allowed her to broadcast any message across the entire country without fear of being attacked and gradually, the people started to support the idea of a duel between the Boy Who Lived and He Who Must Not Be Named.

"Interesting girl this Brown lassie," Bellatrix commented and threw the newspaper into the fire. "She was those girls who spread their legs for the right price no?"

"She was Gryffindor's whore. That was what people used to call her. Even Ron got laid with her," Neville replied. Bellatrix cackled and shook her head.

"Draco is missing. Nobody can find him and the Aurors say runes of dark magic were carved into the walls and floors of the shop. Life draining runes. Whatever Draco did made Harry too weak to fight in my opinion."

"Explains the broken glasses. In a fight, Harry would never lose his glasses unless he didn't have the upper hand. Fucking coward!" Neville hissed in anger.

"At least he killed someone. There was a dead body remember?" Neville nodded and the room grew quiet again.

"So you owe me another story," he started. "I know how you two met – in your second year when you tried to finish what Ginny Weasely couldn't do. Then you had another encounter in third year and he gave you that bracelet you always wear on your wrist, how did you become good?"

"What do you mean become good? Good is objective Longbottom. Voldemort think he is good. Dumbledore and his gang think they are good for trying to stop Voldemort. You think you are good for fucking Tracey Davies – "

"Thank you that's enough," Neville interrupted. "How did you join Harry's side of the war?"

"It was during the long vacation of our third year that changed me. After Sirius broke out of Azkaban, I started digging around to make sense of our complicated family history and I saw Reggie's old journal. I discovered that, Voldemort wasn't a pureblood and he killed my family because they didn't want to follow a half blood to war. Voldemort had Reggie killed because he knew his secret."

"No shit."

SIX YEARS AGO

Harry was not in the mood to be trifled with. He had left a trail of injured Slytherins on his way to the Gryffindor Common Room and he ignored the shouts from his friends. Draco Malfoy's badges were annoying him and another badge he saw would end that person in the Hospital Wing.

"PSSST!" Harry stopped in his tracks and saw a hooded figure somewhere in the shadows. He grabbed the person's head and threw the hood off and pinned the person on the wall.

"Bellatrix Black," Harry hissed.

"Potter, I won't be calling you if I felt you had to know something."

"How am I sure it isn't a trap like before?"

"First of all, it's too late for me to be here and secondly, I'm hiding in the fucking shadows,'' she said in a bored tone and pushed Harry away.

"What is it?"

"There's something going on among the higher circles and I heard that The Dark Lord is coming." Harry snorted and put his wand in his pocket.

"It isn't funny!" she hissed and slapped his face hard. Harry touched his face and looked at her dumbfounded.

"You are meant to pass this on to Dumbledore, Potter! This is serious! It's bigger than you and it's bigger than the fucking Order!"

"I will pass on the message. Why are you telling me this?"

"Let's just say I learnt certain things and I want just vengeance,'' she said in a murderous tone and left Harry alone. Harry chased after her and grabbed her hand.

"Bellatrix talk to me. What is going on?"

"Let go of my fucking arm Potter!"

"Not till you tell me what is going on!" hissed Harry firmly and he looked at her with his deep green eyes and saw her black eyes look back softly at him and she put her head on his chest and started sobbing. Harry guided her to an empty classroom and sealed the door with a spell. Bellatrix slumped against the wall and slowly sat on the floor, holding her face and sobbing uncontrollably.

"I am fucked Harry," said she between sobs.

"Hush now. There is not a problem we haven't solved. Remember when Sirius escaped we figured out what was going on before Hermione and the others combined did? Control yourself and talk to me," said Harry gently. Bellatrix sat up and wiped her tears away.

"Before the Quidditch Cup and the things that happened there, I found at that Voldemort killed Regulus and I want to make him pay. He killed fucking Reggie because he found out that Voldemort wasn't the pureblood everybody thought him to be," she said calmly.

"Did you tell Narcissa?"

"She advised me to leave the issue and told me Reggie's murder could not be avenged."

"Come and join the Order. Help Dumbledore take down Voldemort and think of the lives that you'll save in the process. If you want to honour Regulus when nobody else is, taking down Voldemort is the best way."

"Dumbledore wasn't in the prophecy that Sybil Trelawney made about you. I won't help him but I will help you."

"How do you know about Trelawney?"

"I come from a family of dark witches and wizards. I hear things." Harry raised his eyebrows in mock realization and winked at her.

"I have killed for Voldemort. I spied for him, sucked his fucking pale cock and all the while I was helping a worthless piece of shit!" she hissed in frustration.

"You gave him a blowjob?"

"Another time Potter. We'll talk about it." Harry rolled his eyes in disbelief and looked at his new crazy friend.

"Before Walburga died she told me that Regulus found something about Voldemort. She said he had divided his soul into seven parts and he recovered just one but was unable to destroy it until you did in second year."

"What was that?"

"Slytherin's locket. A Horcrux is an object that contains a bit of someone's soul. Let's say you got rid of just one, it means there are six more out there. Walburga said destroying them will make Voldemort weak."

"I need to discuss this with Professor Dumbledore. I won't tell him it came from you though."

She took a deep breath and got on her feet. "Voldemort is coming back Harry. A meeting was called and I overheard them saying something was instrumental to Voldemort's return. You need to be careful and don't trust anyone."

"Explains the Dark Mark in the sky and the dead Aurors and Death Eaters you slaughtered at the Quidditch Cup."

"The Dark Mark was not me. You need to be careful," she repeated and gave a sign for Harry to open the door. Harry pointed his wand at the door and it flew open, and he watched as the mad witch from Slytherin walked away into the heart of the school.

PRESENT DAY

"Damn. The panic at the Quidditch Cup was only you?"

"I'm a fucking one man army Longbottom."

"Wow. You are impressive. And sucking off Voldemort? How depraved are you?" She shot him a filthy look and he looked away quickly.

"I guess that too will be another story for another time?" She nodded her head gently and eased herself into her favourite chair and closed her eyes.

UNKNOWN LOCATION

Now we all know that Harry had a horrible time for the first time ever since the war. Draco Malfoy had carved runes into the shop and laid a trap for his mortal enemy, weakening him and making him vulnerable to attacks and beatings from Draco and his goons. We also know that someone came in and saved Harry at the last minute and took him away but we do not know where Harry is – until now.

Harry's brain came to life and he could tell that he was lying on a bed. He opened one eye slowly and swore inwardly from the pain he was feeling. He could feel that his other eye was bruised. He looked around and started to calculate where on earth he was. He was in a huge bedroom and the layout of the chamber was circular and going around the room with his eye was starting to make him feel dizzy. The bed was made from oak and a white carpet covered the entire floor. The windows in the room were open and the bright sunlight made his heard swoon. He could hear a ringing noise in his ear but he ignored it and looked around trying to make out where he was.

A Muggle hospital or I died and went to heaven? He wondered but he struck those two ideas from his head because firstly, there were no Muggle contraptions in the room and he was sure that in heaven souls did not sleep on oak beds and soft mattresses. He remembered from the Sunday services his aunt and uncle took him to that everything in heaven was gold and he could see no gold.

The walls were painted in white and green, and had the same colour as the sheets and pillows. He sniffed the air and could smell sage burning. He had spent so much time in Neville's room back at the mansion and Neville had told him the smell was from a plant called Sage and explained the benefits it had on the wizard or witch but right now, Harry couldn't remember.

He reached under the sheets to take his wand from the pockets of his trousers but he realized that his trousers was missing. He run a hand up and down his body and from the feeling of the garment around him, he guessed he was in robes. He sat up painfully and saw someone drinking something from a goblet but the person had his back facing him and unfortunately for Harry, his eye sight was groggy.

"Bloody hell," he muttered and tried to feel around the bed side to see if he could find any object to attack with. He felt around and placed his fingers on what felt like a pointy object. He tried to look at his new find, but he was having difficulties discerning what he was holding properly.

Feels like an ice pick to me. I can't be a chooser now

Harry clutched the ice pick and slowly got up from the bed. He crept towards his unsuspecting target and made a calculated assumption of where his prey's neck was and brought it down strongly on the targeted area. To Harry's dismay, his weapon wobbled and he heard a chuckle that he knew all too well.

"Hello Mr. Potter," said Daphne cheerily and turned to face him.

"What is the meaning of this? Where am I? Answer me!" Harry took a few steps back and throws his weapon away and clenches his fists but he was too weak to make an attacking stance. The ambience in the room was suddenly overwhelming and his head was beginning to feel strangely light. He banished a chair at Daphne but it flew across the room, missing her completely. Harry felt his legs betray him and he fell heavily on the soft carpet and cursed.

He could hear footsteps making their way towards him and he gritted his teeth in anger at his inability to fight. He felt the silk of Daphne's robes brush his face as she bent down to look at him and felt gentle soft hands hold his face. He breathed heavily as something was pressed between his eyes and when he opened them, he could see everything around him clearly. He blinked twice and turned his head away from Daphne's face.

"It's been a painful three days," she started. "It is important you rest," she said calmly and levitated him to the bed and drew the sheets around him. She sat down beside him and poured him a draught from a pitcher.

"Drink."

Harry took the cup from her hand and drank the contents bravely. He felt a searing pain from where Draco stabbed him. The pain was so severe that he could feel his legs trembling.

"The blade was cursed. I am very sorry about what happened Mr. Potter, but you need to rest. Here, take the last sip."

Harry took the cup offered him and after another sip, passed out on the bed.

ONE WEEK LATER

Harry opened his eyes and again, it was in the same bright light and that same room he found himself in. He scanned the room for any signs of life other than his own but there was nobody around. He put his feet into a pair of slippers and walked to the bathroom and washed his face and chewed on aloe and mint leaves to freshen his teeth. He stared in the mirror for a while and left the bathroom, making way for the door that was surely his way out. He opened it and could hear excited chatter, coming from beneath him. He followed the noise and walked down the stairs and bit his lip when he saw a team of elves hurriedly setting a small table for two.

"What the fuck is going on?" inquired Harry and the talking immediately ceased. They looked at him briefly and resumed work. Harry shook his head and returned to his room and washed his body, putting on the robes he was wearing before. As he tried to tame his hair he noticed a chair and a blanket by his bedside. Someone had been by him all night. He opened the wardrobe and looked for his clothes but did not find them.

"For fuck's sake!" he hissed and the door immediately swung open. A decently dressed elf walked in and announced that it was time for him to eat. Harry looked down at the elf and after pondering whether he should demand his clothes from the little creature, followed him out of the room and down the stairs to find Daphne Greengrass seated with a napkin on her lap as she waited for her guest. She was in yellow and blue flowered dress. And her brilliant blue eyes were focused on something invisible in her tea cup. She looked up and got on her feet when she saw Harry making his way towards her.

"Welcome Mr. Potter. It is good to see you strong again. Please sit and let us eat," she said without showing too much enthusiasm. Harry sat down without speaking and broke a loaf of wheat bread with his hand and doused it in his cup of pumpkin juice and dropped it in his mouth.

"Where am I?" asked Harry in a bored tone.

"Switzerland." Harry chuckled and shook his head. "You and your rich lifestyle. Embezzling company funds I see." Daphne chuckled in reply and continued eating.

"How am I here?"

"I brought you here".

"I saw Kingsley Shacklebot and some girl seal Diagon Alley. How did I get here?"

"When I saw Draco's well sketched plan of how he planned to kill you and Lee Jordan's radio announcement, I had Griphook take me to a secret entrance at Gringotts known to only a few goblins and when I got out of the bank, I portkeyed to that section of Diagon Alley, got you out, portkeyed out where a carriage was waiting for me, drove you to my house and then drove in carriage to house before I portkeyed here."

"That fucking goblin started taking on private clients now?"

"He has always been my family's banker."

"Why did you do it?"

"Because I knew you were in danger Mr. Potter," she started and placed her cutlery gently on her plate. "Draco's plan was too dangerous and though you would not like to hear this, he would have killed you. I couldn't allow it."

"You are right about that. I will kill that fucking weasel the next time I" –the pain from his wound cut him short and he bowed his head to recover and resumed his interrogation.

"That doesn't answer my question. Why did you do it?"

"Unlike your line of reasoning that I am a selfish bitch who is bent on destroying you, I know how it feels to lose someone and the pain that loved ones have to go through is unfair."' Harry scoffed at her answer and picked a chicken from across the table and ripped it into it with his teeth.

"You killed Crabbe".

"He would have done the same to you".

"Draco"?

"I don't know what has become of him." Harry narrowed his eyes into slits and opened them widely and posed another question.

"Zabini?"

She put her cutlery down and looked at his face deeply. "Sweets after meals Mr. Potter," she said simply and resumed eating. The rest of the meal continued in silence aside from the loud munching of Harry and his loud slurping of the pumpkin juice that the elves kept on bringing him. They both made eye contact but their internal pride made it feel embarrassing and they quickly looked away. Harry chewed on another chicken slowly and tried to invade her mind but he was too weak to concentrate and more importantly, her walls were up. Daphne finished the last morsel and withdrew from the table. Harry followed her and she led him to another adjoining room. It was not too big and was not too small and it reminded Harry of the Gryffindor Common Room. The dark red colour of the room, the wine curtains that did not allow sunlight to enter and a wine carpet to match. There was a piano in the corner of the room and some chairs by a fire that was the only thing that seemed to light up the place. Harry walked over to the piano and hit some keys in harmony, producing the start to the Hogwarts anthem melody and received a curious stare from his hostess.

"Do you play?"

"I do"

"Are you trying to impress me Mr. Potter? You are too crass for such an instrument," replied the enigmatic witch with her arms folded as she watched her guest curiously with a set of bright blue eyes. Harry sat down on the stool and closed his eyes. He bowed his head and stayed that way for a while as if in a sort of spiritual state. His head went up and immediately his fingers worked the piano into life as the joyous melody of Korobeiniki filled the room. Daphne walked over to him in wonder and looked on with amusement not on her face but in her eyes as he moved his head and tapped his feet to the fast moving popular Russian jig. A smile gently crept around her face but immediately disappeared when Harry looked up at her. He ended his audition and rested his hands on his lap.

"You are too close," he said.

"Sorry. I was just trying to – never mind," she replied and walked back to the chairs by the fire and took a seat. Harry joined her and resumed his interrogation.

"I took Zabini before the Lestranges could get to him," she said after a while. Harry ran a hand through his hair and took off his glasses. "How did you know that?" he asked and placed the tips of his index finger and thumb in the corner of his eyes, rubbing it to process what he was hearing.

"Astoria told me."

"How did you get in?"

"I threatened an elf." Harry chuckled and wore his glasses.

"The day you made Dobby rescue that boy from Yaxley, how did you get in my house? I have never been able to wrap my head around it". She chuckled and levitated more coals into the fire and stared at his face deeply. "I got my house elf to take me to him. Simple."

"That is smart. I swore to kill you that night in the Forbidden Forest."

"I know. I swore to destroy you that day when you rudely humiliated me at my party".

"What is stopping you?" Harry asked.

"I cannot tell. What is stopping you too Mr. Potter?" Harry shrugged his shoulders and averted his gaze to the fire.

"You hardly smile. You only smile around your house mates or when you are about to cause pain. Why is that?" Harry grunted and glared at his host.

"Do you really want to talk about this shit now? You are the fucking Ice Queen," he pointed out in a bored tone. She raised her eyebrows in some sort of realization and bit her lower lip in embarrassment.

"I shouldn't have asked that. Sorry."

"Yeah. You shouldn't." The room fell into another thick silence again and Harry broke it with another question.

"What is the deal between you and Draco?"

"It is something the Dark Lord arranged."

"But your parents – "

"Are dead. Killed by Voldemort. There you have the truth," she hissed angrily.

"Don't be stupid I didn't ask you to tell me that," Harry shot back.

"Why do you always have to turn a conversation into a quarrel?!" she screamed. The fire roared and leapt out of the fireplace and fell on the carpet, which Harry put out nonchalantly.

"Next time, do not raise your fucking voice at me or I'll fuck with you real bad."

"Good day Mr. Potter."

And with this unsavoury conclusion, Harry watched her apparate out of the room.

DAY TWO

The next day, Harry walked down the stairs for dinner but Daphne wasn't there. He spent the whole day in his chamber trying to figure out why he hadn't yet killed Daphne Greengrass, someone who was key to Voldemort's success and after searching his mind for answers he was exhausted when he couldn't find any. He didn't feel like talking to the Basilisk either and so he just slept in his bed and made ice figurines from the pitcher of water by his bedside and practiced his wandless magic till evening came. He ate alone and walked to the room he spent the rest of the previous day after their quarrel and saw Daphne sealing some letters.

"Good evening," she said cheerily and resumed her task.

"What is that?"

"Letters to certain people that you shouldn't be concerned with," she responded and handed them to an elf.

"Your happy morning greeting sound weird. Stop acting like Dolores Umbridge," said Harry and took a seat by the piano. Daphne ignored his comment and looked at him from where she sat on the carpet.

"How did you learn to play the piano?" Harry pressed on a few keys and looked at her face for a while before answering.

"My aunt did lessons when I was at Privet Drive. I was always hiding and watching her students as she taught them. I picked up quickly and practiced at night by muting the piano with magic and just imagining the sounds in my head."

"Interesting."

"Why did he kill your parents?" It was now Daphne's turn to stare at his face for a while before answering.

"They were neutrals during his return in our fourth year. Voldemort didn't want that so he killed them while my sister and I watched. The popular rumour is I exchanged them for power but it is not so. Dumbledore arranged for us to be sent away but I refused and forged my way to the top. I have had a hard life Mr. Potter. I don't intend to let what Voldemort did go unpunished."

"You speak his name," Harry observed

"I heard you tell Draco in second year that fear of a name increases the fear for the thing itself."

"Yeah. Dumbledore's words. So the man at your party was – "

"Just some Death Eater on Poly Juice doing what he was instructed to do. These ancient families from other countries do not put their gold when do they don't recognize a family head or feel his presence. I am also a woman. In this world, we only do what we are asked to which is rubbish by the way."

"Yes. It is unfortunate how women have to do what men say but I believe in individual greatness. Rowena Ravenclaw was a woman and so was Helga Hufflepuff. Look at Professor McGonagall even. They are all great witches no?" Harry commented wisely.

"I never thought you were for women emancipation Mr. Potter," she observed and Harry could see her eyes dancing with laughter but her face remained as stoic as it had always been.

"I am not. I just like to be a free thinker." She nodded her head and got on her feet. "You need fresh air. Care for a walk?"

"It is night time, it is windy and I am in robes."

"And I am in a dress. Come on." She grabbed Harry's hand like a little girl and led him outside to a full moon and a strong wind. "Nice night for the werewolves," Harry muttered.

"Building bridges again. Ready?"

"Once there are no fuck ups, why not?" They walked side by side across the length of the residence enjoying the feel of cold air on their skin.

"Zabini. Have you thought of the consequences of what you have done?" Harry asked and pulled his robes around him. "Yes I have thought of it. Besides, I have enough time to get rid of the Lestranges."

"How?"

"I am working on a plan," she said quietly. "I have always wanted to ask. Was the Heir of Slytherin Ginny or Draco?" Harry snorted and shook his head. "Ginny Weasely is as silly as they come. Dewey eyed and naïve and sees the best in people. She can't be the heir of Slytherin. Moreover, your husband-to-be, Draco is not Parsel tongue so it is none of them."

"Who is it then?"

"The basilisk said I was the heir of Slytherin, Voldemort being his descendant was entitled to that honour but there was a slight hitch in some prophecy that factored me into it and so by some act of Merlin I am Slytherin's heir."

"Amazing. It explains why the Basilisk isn't responding to his call."

"Yeah."

"I thought you killed it with Gryffindor's sword. That was the popular story," Daphne objected.

"Nobody finds a baby dragon and cooks it for lunch," Harry answered simply. A strong gust of wind blew again and Daphne's dress lifted, exposing her thighs and certain parts we will not describe now but Harry didn't seem to notice.

Did he see that? She thought and could feel her cheeks growing hot from embarrassment. She chided herself mentally when she realized this was the second time in two days where she had made a fool of herself in his presence.

"Ice Queen. Why that name?"

"I turned a Hufflepuff boy's hand to ice when he tried to grope me. The name stuck I guess."

They continued to walk about the house and arrived where they started. Harry opened the door and walked inside without bothering to hold it for Daphne. She followed him and stopped at the staircase. Immediately, the rain started pouring heavily to their surprise.

"Good thing we got in before that," he observed and took off his glasses, wiping his eyes with the tip of his fingers.

"Indeed."

"Well?"

"I have business to attend to and I will be busy through the night. Tomorrow perhaps?"

Harry nodded and she turned to leave.

"Greengrass".

She stopped and turned to face him.

"Mr. Potter?"

"Did you undress me when I was injured? You know, in an attempt to heal me?"

Daphne felt her cheeks grow hot again and quickly looked away. "I had the elves do that," she replied and walked away.

DAY THREE

It was evening time. And the weather was very cold. It was raining outside which was quite understandable because the year was about to end and the Yule season would invite the snow soon. Harry Potter had not seen his gracious host the whole day and so, spent time reading books on Celtic lore. He was on a rug on the soft carpet sitting by the fire reading.

He felt someone behind him and immediately banished the heavy book to that direction and grabbed the poker and prepared to attack. The book stopped in midair and he watched as Daphne plucked it from the air and walked over to him. She handed the book to Harry who threw it on the floor and placed the poker in its rightful position.

"Always ready to fight aren't you?"

"I grew up in a jumpy environment. If Bellatrix has been your partner for all of your life, you learn some things from her." She shook her head and joined him on the carpet. She was in a thick woolly jumper and had a Muggle pajamas bottoms on.

"I just got in a few minutes ago and went to change. The entire house was dark and I thought you were sleeping so I came to investigate the light," she spoke up.

"I hear," Harry responded and took a flask from inside his robes and gulped down the mixture. Daphne out of empathy grimaced at him and he grimaced back at her and emptied the flask.

"Shit is bitter but the pain is less felt with every passing day," Harry commented.

"Your friends would want you in your best condition."

"What shit is this anyway?"

"Something out of Snape's secret mixtures. I stole his recipe for healing wounds from cursed objects," she responded. Harry looked at her curiously and raised his eyebrows at her.

"I have never portrayed myself as a saint Mr. Potter. Do not patronize me."

"Does your secretary know you are here with me?"

"She is not my secretary. Tracey is a good friend and yes she knows I am here but she thinks I am alone."

"Why?" She shrugged her shoulders and answered, "I don't know. I just thought you wouldn't want someone else to know I saved you. The heat between us and all."

"Do not lord your heroics over me. I am too weak to fight," Harry joked and looked at her face for any sign of amusement but she was not moved.

"What is the funniest thing you ever witnessed?" Harry asked

"I have not seen one."

"Oh but you have. We both have."

"Tell me then."

"I will but you will laugh."

"I shan't." Harry shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Voldemort casting the Killing Curse."

"Oh my Mr. Potter! That is so inappropriate," she scolded and placed her hand on her mouth to hide her smile.

"Fucking the old geezer are we?" She looked at him and shoved him playfully which gave her guest more momentum. He got on his feet and held his head with his hands and caressed it gently. He sniffed in a perfect imitation of the Dark Lord and spoke in a hoarse whisper. "You have been a faithful and loyal servant Daphne Greengrass, but only I can live forever." Daphne was beside herself on the carpet and continued to look at her guest in amusement. He pointed his finger at her and screamed in a sing song style, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

First she snorted and Harry continued to hiss and talk in that hoarse whisper like Voldemort as he pranced about the room in his robes.

"Where is Harry Potter Greengrass? You will obey me for I am the Dark Lord."

"Yes my lord," she responded.

"Nagini. Kill."

She snorted again and when Harry sniffed in imitation and caressed his head gently for the final time, she couldn't hold her laughter and burst out laughing. It was a loud and tinkling laugh like bells in winter and Harry looked down at her as she held her sides on the rug and laughed like a child without worries. She continued to laugh some more and wiped the tears from her eyes when she sat up.

"Unbelievable. The most serious and ruthless Chosen One is a perfect imitator of characters," she said in amusement.

"I can do a perfect Snape," said Harry.

"Go on," was her reply as she folded her arms and swore to herself she wouldn't laugh. Harry took a few steps back and dropped his shoulders and glided towards Daphne. He made a sharp stop when he was close and crossed his fingers together and cast his eyes down at her and gave her his most severe look.

"There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class!" he said firmly in Snape's sluggish silky voice.

"NO!" she screamed and laughed again, unable to contain the amusement. "That was such a perfect Snape I thought you were possessed," she pointed out. "From the walk to that speech from our first potions class," she said between laughs. "You are an interesting person Mr. Potter."

"Thank you." He bowed and joined her on the rug. This time a smile was etched on her face. She looked away from the fire and looked at him with her blue eyes and smiled a beautiful smile. Her face lit up and seemed to be glowing in the firelight. Her eyes were happy as she stared at him and Harry felt himself slipping away into another world. He mentally screamed himself into reality and grimaced back at her. She giggled like a little girl and sighed.

"Potter's grimace. Every girl wanted to be at the receiving end of that in school", she reflected and shook her head.

"I was quite the item wasn't I?"

"You were. Where is Ron Weasely? I heard he married Granger."

"Yes. They have happy lives and move around with the Order."

"I thought you would end up with her. She being around you and all."

"No. She was annoying."

"Never liked Ron. Too judgmental and had a hatred for Slytherins."

"Yeah me too. He's grown out of it anyway."

"So you and Bellatrix Black huh? Nobody saw that coming."

"We are not an item now but we were back in school but it was hush hush and all. I taught her stuff, she taught me stuff. I made her docile to some extent, we had our moments up until the day after I failed the world," he ended and his voice trailed off and the room grew quiet. They both threw themselves on the rug to lie down at the same time and they chuckled.

"Damian Rogers and Jennifer Ray. Why?"

"They were killing innocent people and using their blood to equip Voldemort. I couldn't let it continue and besides, it was on that job that made me realize that Bellatrix was in danger."

"Is that how you see it? A job?"

"Yes. Anytime I or should I say we move out, we consider it as a job or a mission. One less evil motherfucker out of the way."

"I see."

"I feel we are getting to know each other pretty well but something is telling me you are not completely forthcoming. Why is that?"

"I have answered your questions with all honesty," she responded with her eyes on the ceiling.

"There is more to you Greengrass. Something dark I can't place my finger on but I will find out. Till then let us surrender ourselves to peace," Harry said wisely. She averted her gaze from ceiling and nodded in agreeance.

"It's too boring. Music?" He snapped his fingers at the piano and ballroom music filled the room.

"Yule ball fever?" Harry asked getting up.

"Yes please," she said excitedly and took his hand and started dancing to the music. It was slow and calm and Harry had memories of how Bellatrix and he had their private Yule ball celebration in the Chamber of Secrets which was an unusual location but nonetheless, they had the time if their lives as they laughed and danced in their nightgowns to the annoyance of the Basilisk.

For Daphne, she could not understand how she had all of a sudden allowed herself to be captured by Harry Potter. Her defenses were down and surprisingly she felt calm and safe with him. She had not experienced joy like this before and within a matter of hours, Harry Potter had by his natural rough behavior penetrated her emotional walls. She pulled away from him when the music reached the end and spun back gracefully into his arms. He caught her strongly and she rested on him for a while.

"Oh you are strong," she observed like a child. Harry chuckled and took a step away from her and sat on the stool by the piano. "I remember the Death Games. I wished the bullet got you."

"The stress you had to go through to escape when you were captured and all the killing before you found Bellatrix. Why?"

"I needed answers to why my magic was failing me."

"Do you love her?" she asked plainly.

"I am fond of her that's all. Love is something we do not feel for each other. Just fondness."

"Beethoven!" she exclaimed. He's such a master."

"Come on," Harry groaned. "He's good no doubt, but he's overrated. I think Ansaldi is better or Mozart. Schubert is a decent guy as well," Harry objected.

"Beethoven for me," Daphne said simply and Harry pressed some keys and stood up to face Daphne as Schubert's Ave Maria began to play. They just stood there without dancing and rocked their bodies to the sway of the music. Daphne put her head on his chest and he drew a sharp breath in pain.

Sorry," she whispered and they continued to stand there as the music enveloped the room. She held his back tightly and Daphne felt herself enjoying the company of someone from her opposite sex.

"Today I laughed from joy for the first time in a while," she whispered. "I didn't know how it feels to have a normal three days without hell. Thank you Mr. Potter."

Harry said nothing as the music died down. She took a step back and folded her arms and Ave Maria played again. Harry was already walking to the rug by the fire and sat down with his legs crossed. She hummed gently and sweetly to the melody and Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He heard her leaving the room with her gentle hum accompanying her out.

DAY FOUR

Harry woke up and was sprawled on the carpet like a drunk. He cursed and walked back to his room and freshened up. When he came out from the bathroom, he found his wand and gun on his bed and knew that his stay had come to an end. He opened the wardrobe and put on his clothes and after arming himself, he went downstairs and was led by an elf to another part of the building.

Daphne was dressed up waiting for him in the kitchen. She was no longer in her dress but had replaced it with the long thick skirt and lace shirt that she always wore and her cloak was on her shoulder.

"Good morning," she said cheerily and smiled at him. Harry nodded back and they noticed that, they were receiving curious stares from the house elves. They had never seen their mistress smiling before.

"The great Harry Potter," an old elf whispered to a little elf and pointed at Harry. The older elf was trying to suggest that, Harry the legend was the reason why their stern mistress was smiling. Daphne looked at what transpired briefly and clapped her hands. "Off to work now. I will let you know when I am coming again," she said and signaled for Harry to follow her. They walked through the door and waited as a carriage drew up to them drawn by Thestrals.

"We are flying?"

"Yes. Mr. Potter," she responded and sat inside the carriage and after deliberating over the matter for a few seconds, he joined her inside and after a tap of a wand and stamping of hooves, the carriage was air borne and bound for Britain.

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