Many people now seem to think a Harry/Daphne pairing is on the way, and have some quite strong opinions about it! The truth is - I don't know. I had initial pairings, but I've abandoned some of them for the sake of the organic growth of the story. When I started writing, I didn't expect Daphne to become such a main character, it just happened, like these things often do. Maybe she'll stick around, maybe she'll go away, maybe she'll go to Uganda and become a lesbian vampire princess. Not sure, will have to see where the story goes. Maybe I'll get bored and turn this story into a threesome between Harry, Professor Flitwick and Hagrid. You never know.
Sorry my updates have been shitty. In the last few weeks I've moved into a caravan with no WiFi in the middle of a forest (I'm seriously not kidding,) started university, started my son at nursery, just spent a week in hospital, and had to deal with a multitude of other fuck ups along the way. Don't think I'm complaining. I'm thriving on the chaos. I love it, love it, love it. But I also find myself stretched for time. Sorry. I'll be here when I can.
Year Two
Chapter Seventeen
\\/
After the surprise entrance of the Malfoy family, Harry found himself reluctantly tugged back onto the dancefloor, this time by Daphne Greengrass. Stefan had finally bowed out after several songs with the blonde Slytherin girl, but Daphne didn't even seem out of breath.
"I hate dancing," Harry groused as they spun amongst the other couples.
"So do I," Daphne said, smiling brightly.
"Then why do you look so happy?" Harry asked, trying not to stand on Daphne's feet, and failing miserably.
"Because that's what you do when you're a pureblood girl," Daphne sighed, and rolled her eyes. "I've been coming to these gala's since I was nine."
"Unlucky for you," Harry grinned. "So have you heard the news?"
"About the Malfoy's?" Daphne asked, steering him expertly past Kingsley, who was dancing with Nymphadora Tonks. The pink-haired auror winked at Harry as they twirled past.
"Yeah, does anyone know what the baby is?"
"Babies," Daphne smirked. "There's two of them."
"Twins?" Harry exclaimed a little too loudly, and Daphne stomped on his foot deliberately. "Sorry," he whispered. "Twins? How do you know?"
"Cyrene," Daphne said, her teeth sparkling as she smiled. "He's agreed to keep an ear out for me. So when the Malfoy's arrived, he slipped over to their table and waited underneath for them to start talking. When he heard enough, he came back and reported to me."
Harry was very impressed, but tried not to let it show. "You're using Salazar Slytherins personal basilisk to spy on people?"
"It's nice to have one of my own," Daphne admitted. "Before that, if I wanted to know anything I had to use your snake."
It took Harry a moment to digest what he had heard, and he looked around at the other couple dancing to check nobody was listening in on their conversation. Daphne wore a slight smirk, but beneath that Harry thought she looked a bit sheepish.
"I don't believe it!" Harry hissed. "You used Sanna to spy for you?"
"You weren't utilising a resource," Daphne shrugged. "So I did."
"She's my snake!"
"Sanna would argue that she doesn't belong to anyone," Daphne countered. Then she softened. "Look, sorry. But if it hadn't been for that, we would never have found out where the Chamber of Secrets was."
Harry was annoyed, but recovered quickly. Technically, he supposed, he didn't own Sanna. And it wasn't like Daphne had been using her for anything too bad. "So tell me about the twins,"' he said, changing the subject, but deciding to bring it up with Sanna later. "Boys or girls?"
"One of each," Daphne said slowly, clearly relishing her role. "Cepheus Cygnus Malfoy, and Druella Dorea Malfoy."
"Weird names," Harry muttered. "Wonder what Draco thinks."
"Well he's not here tonight, so perhaps he's babysitting," Daphne said, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
As they danced, Harry considered the implications of the new Malfoy children. A boy meant that Lucius could disown Draco and select a new heir, should his oldest son ever do anything to displease him overtly. Harry thought he understood why Draco had been so reluctant to have siblings. A girl was less important, and no threat - no doubt she would be sent to Hogwarts to find a husband, and be married off into a good pureblood family at the age of seventeen, just like her mother.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of conversation and dancing, and escaping back to the edge of the room when Harry could. Harry was amused to spot Kingsley dancing with Nymphadora Tonks, the young auror who had assisted them during Sirius's escape. Kingsley was an excellent dancer, but judging by the frequent winces the tall man was barely suppressing, his feet were being trodden on with every other step by the pink-haired auror.
When it was time to leave, Harry nodded at Crouch cordially at the front door, where the Minister of Magic was standing, saying goodbye to his guests.
"Lovely evening Minister," Kingsley said smoothly, nodding at the older man.
"Pretty party," Moody growled, clunking down the steps heavily on his wooden leg.
"So glad you could come," Crouch said, sounding bored. "I'll be in touch Potter."
As they headed to the apparition point, Harry yawned widely. Beside him, Stefan was rubbing his eyes too. "I'm not made for this late night partying business," the Norwegian boy sighed.
"Never mind," Harry said, stepping into the circle and grasping Kingsley's arm firmly. "Home soon."
A crack, a wrenching squeezing sensation, and they were gone.
\\/
The Department for the Disposal of Dangerous Magical Creatures remained in the castle for several weeks. There was a flurry of rumour when the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone took it as confirmation of the article that had appeared in the Prophet. So many students filed past the bathroom that Flich took out cordons and declared the area out of bounds.
This seemed to frustrate Hermione, who seemed to have taken it upon herself to start visiting Moaning Myrtle. When the new term started, she could often be found in the library, researching ghosts.
"If I owed Myrtle my life, I still wouldn't be visiting," Ron said, pawing through the pile of books Hermione had stacked on the table, one evening in the library.
"Don't be silly Ron, we've got to pay her back for what she did," Hermione said briskly. She had changed since the episode in the Chamber. All three girls had. They wore a confidence and poise that they hadn't possessed before the incident, and the change was especially marked in Hermione.
"I thought you said she only came down to see if Luna was dead," Harry said, looking up from the next desk where he was completing a particularly nasty Potions essay. "Sorry Luna," he added guiltily, glancing sideways at the little blonde.
"Oh it's quite alright," Luna said dreamily, smiling at Harry. "I wouldn't have minded being a ghost. It must be nice to go through walls."
"Er, yeah," Harry said grinning. "But would you really want to be stuck in a bathroom with Myrtle for all eternity?"
"I wouldn't have minded," Luna repeated serenely. "I could spend as much time as I wanted looking for water frangles. Daddy says they especially like hiding in toilets, but it's very hard to reach them when you're solid. "
Ron burst out laughing, and quickly turned it into a cough. Harry chuckled, and even Daphne raised a smile. When the three girls had gone after Luna in the Chamber, Harry suspected that none of them had expected Luna to become a part of their group. But somehow she had seamlessly fitted into them, and seven had become eight.
The first morning back after the holidays, Luna had been escorted into the Great Hall by Madam Pomfrey. Harry and the others had been sitting at the Ravenclaw table, and looked up at the sound of the doors opening. Luna looked pale and weak, and her eyes were frightened as she looked at the crowded Ravenclaw table. Madam Pomfrey left, but still Luna did not move. And then Hermione looked up.
"Oh for heaven's sake," she huffed. "I told Luna we'd sit with her for the first morning back, to make sure nobody said anything about the incident."
"She looks nervous," Neville said sympathetically. But Hermione had already risen to her feet and strode off towards the doorway. Harry couldn't hear what the older girl said to Luna, but it brought a smile to the firsts years lips, and she looked towards the group and nodded. When Hermione and Luna joined them at the table, the other Ravenclaws looked at them curiously, but said nothing.
Harry had been sympathetic to Luna's situation, but expected it to be only a morning. Yet somehow, Luna had slipped into their group without trying. She was odd, and seemed to go off on strange tangents that seemed to drive Hermione mad, but nonetheless the group all seemed to find themselves feeling very protective of their newest member.
"What are Water Frangles?" Ginny asked curiously, slipping into the seat beside Harry. There seemed something off about her, and Harry stared very hard at the redhead for a moment, wondering what it was. Then he realised her eyebrows were bright blue.
"Charms," Ginny said, shooting Ron a dark look as he snorted. "Flitwick wanted to see if we could - well, never mind. What were you saying?"
"Water Frangles are little creatures that live in dirty water," Luna said seriously. "They eat human waste, and purify it to make the water fresh again. Daddy really wants to do an article on them, but it's so hard to reach them..."
Ginny grimaced, and changed the subject swiftly. Harry shook with silent laughter. Luna was a breath of fresh air.
\\/
A week later found all eight of them by the lake on a rare sunny afternoon in mid February. The weather had been grey and stormy for weeks, but this morning had dawned with clear blue skies, and an orange sunrise over the glassy lake. Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione had met Remus as usual to pick up their morning training by the lake. They were even speaking to the werewolf about the possibility of adding a few more members to their group.
"You do this every morning?" Daphne asked, her pretty face wrinkling at the thought.
"What? You mean you didn't already know? No mysterious spies to tell you my every movement?" Harry teased.
Daphne scowled. "I'll set my basilisk on you," she threatened.
"I like the sound of it," Ginny said, stretching out her legs to capture every last elusive bit of warmth from the sun. "The worst part of being in the Chamber was feeling so useless next to you two. I didn't know any spells at all that could be useful, and I got lucky with the dagger. I barely know how to use it."
Neville spoke up then, talking about the type of training they had done with Remus. Harry lay back in the grass, content to have the other three answer any questions their friends might have. He wondered how they had somehow turned into a preteen fighting force in training, instead of being like any other group of friends. But he already knew the answer. Voldemort. While he lived, Harry would never be free. And his friends seemed determined to come along for the ride.
"Harry?" Harry opened his eyes in surprise when his name was called. It was the last person he expected to see standing over him.
"Hi Theodore," Harry said curiously, sitting up. The stringy Slytherin boy hadn't spoken to him since the day of the Winter Gala. Since Daphne's departure from the small group of Slytherins that Harry had found himself dealing with in the first year, the group hadn't approached Harry again. Instead they had hung around in corners, glaring at the group and muttering to themselves darkly.
"Come for a walk?" Theodore asked, looking around warily. The entire group was looking suspiciously at him, and Harry noticed Stefan's hand stray towards his wand. There was something funny about Theodore being there. He seemed almost nervous, and kept glancing back at the castle, as though worried he was being watched.
"Sure," Harry said easily, getting to his feet. Theodore nodded, and turned on his heel, striding away along the lake. Harry nodded at his friends. Stefan's face was dark, and he was eyeing Theodore with deep suspicion.
Harry jogged off, and quickly caught up with Theodore. They walked in silence for a few minutes around the edge of the lake, and then Theodore stopped abruptly, and turned to face Harry.
"Look Potter, I need to tell you something," Theodore said quickly.
Harry held up a hand to forestall him. "One moment."
Harry scanned the grass around them closely. Just when he thought the area was clear, he spotted what he was looking for. A smile broke out on his face. Gotcha. Harry pounced suddenly, dropping to the ground and wrapping his hand firmly around the little green snake with the plume on its head. Cyrene had been trying to keep out of sight in the shadow of a willow tree, but Harry's sharp eyes had spotted him.
"Tell Daphne to mind her own business," Harry said fondly to the little basilisk. Cyrene hissed back at him, and Harry marvelled at how petulant a thousand year old serpent could sound. Cyrene sounded like sulky child being told off, and Harry grinned as he watched the snake slither back into the grass and back towards the group.
"What was that?" Theodore choked, staring at Harry.
"My snake," Harry lied glibly, adjusting his sleeve to make sure his real snake wasn't seen. Sanna was snoozing, wrapped around his wrist.
"It looked like..." Theodore trailed off, his face white.
"Like what?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow. Theodore shook his head, apparently unable to speak.
"Nevermind," he muttered eventually.
"So what did you drag me out here for?" Harry asked, trying to get things back on track.
Theodore shifted from one foot to another uncomfortably. "I shouldn't be here," he blurted after a moment. "I shouldn't tell you this."
"Tell me what?" Harry said with interest.
Theodore stared at Harry for a long moment. He seemed to be weighing his options. Harry wondered which one he would eventually decide on.
"It's my father," Theodore said at last. Harry let out a breath he hadn't even realised he was holding.
"Go on."
"You know he's Senior Undersecretary to Crouch?"
"Yes."
"Well...there's something funny going on," Theodore said, frowning. "Father does talk to me a lot. Wants me to go into politics when I'm older. And he says he found something in Crouch's house when he was visiting one night."
"Found what?" Harry asked, his mind racing. What secrets could the Minister of Magic be hiding?
"That's just the thing," Theodore said, his frown deepening. "Father won't tell me. But he always tells me things. All I know is that he's happy - happier than I've ever seen him before. He keeps leaving the house at odd hours, and he says this could be our chance. But when I ask what this is, he tells me not to concern myself yet."
Harry felt a chill down his spine. "Yet," he repeated.
"Yeah, I didn't miss that either," Theodore said, glancing back at the castle again.
"Why are you telling me this?" Harry asked after a moment, shifting his weight.
Theodore shrugged. "Because you're the only person who might be able to do something about it that I actually trust."
"You trust me?" Harry asked, a big grin breaking out on his face. Theodore scowled blackly.
"You're better than Dumbledore, Potter. But that's all."
\\/
Harry wrote home immediately with Theodore's information. Kingsley and Mad-Eye agreed with Harry's concerns, but added that nothing about Crouch could ever be considered dark. Nobody hates dark wizards more than Crouch, except maybe me, Mad-Eye wrote. Harry already knew that, but he couldn't shake a growing feeling of unease.
It didn't help that in the weeks following, Harry was plagued with bad dreams. When he awoke, he could never remember what they had contained. He was just left with a dull, sinking feeling of nausea, and a choking claustrophobia that often took most of the morning to shake off. Harry took to sitting up late at night reading, trying to make himself tired enough to sleep without dreaming. It rarely worked.
As February turned into march, and Spring followed on the heels of Winter, Hogwarts exploded with life and light. The exams were still far off enough that nobody - except perhaps Hermione - was too worried about them, and the weather was turning. The grounds were covered in thick, lush grass dotted with small daisies, and even the forbidden forest seemed to quiver with new life.
Morning training sessions became a pleasure again. As the sun rose the group were found outside with their tutor, drilling all manner of spells and defensive manoeuvres. But Harry was unable to appreciate the beautiful weather. Plagued by the ceaseless nightmares, his performance in lessons and training suffered.
Stephan and Hermione were beside themselves with worry, as Harry gradually grew paler and more listless. The remainder of the group were less open about their feelings, but Harry caught several glances thrown his way by Daphne and Neville, and he knew for a fact that Ginny and Luna had tried to steal some dreamless sleep potion from Madam Pomfrey. Their plot failed when the medicinal potions cupboard raised an alarm that clamped the intruders to the walls like a human magnet, waiting for Madam Pomfrey to arrive and release them.
Ron relayed this story to Harry the next morning during potions, when they were supposed to be brewing swelling solution. He described the whole incident with great mirth. Both first year girls received detentions from the school healer, to be served with Professor Flitwick. Madam Pomfrey appeared to be under the impression that the girls had wanted the potions to set up a prank
"That's the problem with having Fred and George in the family," Ron said ruefully. "Nobody ever gives you the benefit of the doubt."
There was a slight sound from behind them. Quickly both boys learned towards their cauldrons and pretended to be carefully analysing the contents, as Professor Snape swept by. The potions was a sickly green, and frothing violently.
"Is it supposed to look like that?" Ron muttered to Harry, waving his wand hopefully over the contents.
"Stop," Harry hissed as softly as he could, glancing up to see Draco Malfoy smirking at them. "We haven't added the pufferfish eyes yet."
Malfoy waited until Snape had turned back to his desk, before flicking as many of the revolting eyes at them as he could manage. One got caught in Ron's messy hair, and he carefully untangled it with a shudder.
"Thanks," Harry mouthed at Malfoy, dropping them in the potion. Malfoy made a rude hand gesture, and gave them a black look.
"Hasn't cheered up much, has he?" Ron muttered. Indeed, since Christmas Malfoy had been in a long series of dark moods. These ranged from minor funks, where he would shut himself up in the dormitory for hours with his books in a manner eerily reminiscent of Hermione, all the way to furious rages, where he would throw things, attempting to break everything in the common room. Even Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy were keeping a wary distance.
"Ah well, probably worried he's going to be disinherited," Harry said, not bothering to keep his voice down. He quickly quashed a tinge of sympathy.
"Something you would like to share with the class Potter? Weasley?" Professor Snape said icily from the front of the class.
"No sir," the boys chorused. Neville shot them a sympathetic look from across the classroom.
"Good." Professor Snape stood and adjusted his robes, seemingly about to make another round of the room. Then something odd happened. If Harry hadn't been looking in that exact direction at exactly the right moment he would have missed it. It happened so quickly he hardly had time to register, let alone process what happened.
As Professor Snape stood, a spasm of pain suddenly crossed his face, distorting his pale features for a split second. Reflexively, the man made an involuntary movement with his right hand. For a moment he seemed about to clutch his left arm, and then he flexed his white fingers and place his hand back on the desk.
Harry stared. Then he glanced around. Ron was still busy poking their potion hopefully, and clearly hadn't noticed a thing. Harry shrugged to himself, and returned to his potion, picking up the textbook.
Step Five: Add the distilled essence of water frangles, then stir in a clockwise direction for thirteen turns.
Harry blinked at the book for a moment, wondering where he had heard that before. Then Luna sprang into his mind. Thinking of his latest friend attempting to steal potions for him made him smile. Harry found the story amusing, but didn't tell Ron how warm it had made him feel inside.
When Harry saw Ginny and Luna later at dinner time, he made sure to smile at them both. Ginny blushed violently, as she was still occasionally liable to do in his presence, and knocked over the salt. Ron sniggered, as Hermione quickly vanished the mess with a sweep of her wand, tutting under her breath. Harry laughed, then flinched suddenly as pain spiked through his forehead. He clapped his hand to his head before he could help it.
"Are you alright?" Stefan asked anxiously.
"Fine," Harry lied, quickly dropping his hand. Seven sets of eyes were on him, their expressions ranging from worry to scepticism.
"Really, I'm fine," Harry said. He glanced up at the staff table, and narrowed his eyes when he saw Professor Dumbledore watching him. The old man was gazing intently in their direction, idly combing his long fingers through his silvery beard. As Harry met his gaze, the headmaster nodded, as though they had passed one another in an empty hallway. Suddenly there was a flurry of motion from one end of the table. Professor Snape had stood up abruptly, and strode to the staff door. It closed with a bang behind the dark man.
Harry frowned. "Curious," he murmured.
"Whats curious?" Neville asked, leaning forward and knocking over the salt cellar that Hermione had just mended. Salt sprayed across the table, breaking the tension, and even Hermione smiled grudgingly.
"Nothing," Harry said, the moment shattered, returning to his food. The other seven settled quickly back into their conversations, but Harry remained silent.
That night Harry sat up late by the fire in the Slytherin common room. Ron left for bed at eleven, but Stefan stayed determinedly, reading doggedly through his yawns. The Norwegian boy was curled in a black leather armchair, wrapped in a pale blue dressing gown. In the firelight he looked very gaunt, and Harry wondered if he was alright. In his own exhaustion Harry had felt his attention to his friends slipping. There had always been a fragility to Stefan, a kind of delicacy that made him so much less robust than Ron or Neville. Harry hoped he was not becoming unwell.
Staring into the flames, Harry let his attention wander from his book. He had a nagging sense that he was missing something. There was a puzzle before him, and he felt that he had all the pieces laid out before him, if only he could see how to put them together in the right order. It was like an itch in his mind.
Theodore said his father found something at Crouch Manor. My scar is hurting. Professor Snape seems out of sorts. Draco is angry. Professor Dumbledore is watching like he expects to see something.
Harry couldn't make any sense of the thoughts, and gave up the frustrating game. Stretching his legs out on the narrow sofa he yawned, and laid his book across his lap. He closed his eyes for a moment..they were so heavy...just for a moment..
He was looking around a firelit room. The room was dim and shadowy, with drawn curtains, and many portraits on the walls. Then Harry looked again, and received a shock. The room was occupied.
There were three men standing before Harry, all wearing long black robes. Two had their backs turned, and one was facing Harry. Harry didn't recognise him. He looked to be in his mid thirties, and was pale. He had a mop of straw coloured hair, and was talking very fast to his companions with a maniacal glint in his eyes. Harry couldn't make out the words, and tried to lean forwards. He discovered that he couldn't move.
Glancing around him, Harry realised he was in a high backed armchair upholstered in red velvet. It seemed enormous, as though Harry had become very small. Harry let out a hiss of frustration. Immediately one of the men turned to him, and fell to his knees. Harry jerked with surprise as he recognised the man. It was Edmund Nott, Theodore's father. Harry felt the desire to hurt him rise up his chest like a serpent, and hissed again.
"My Lord. Nagini will be ready for milking soon." Nott was speaking quickly, his eyes dropped deferentially to the floor. Harry licked his lips with pleasure.
"Good." The voice that issued from Harry was not one he recognised as his own. Nott nodded, and left the room.
The third man had not moved. Now Harry looked closer there seemed to be something unnatural about his stance. His head was lolling on his shoulders slightly, and he was barely moving except to breathe. The man with the straw coloured hair kept shooting vicious looks at him.
"Now now, you will have your turn Barty," Harry said, with cold amusement. He was pleased with the man with the straw coloured hair.
"Master, master I would like very much to begin the process now," the fair man said hopefully, his fingers twitching by his sides.
"Not now," Harry commanded. "You will wait until the appropriate measures are in place before you act. I trust you have ensured that the potion is perfect?"
"Not quite at the standard we once had," Nott said grimly, re-entering the room. There was an enormous snake draped across his shoulders, with bright intelligent eyes. Harry felt inordinately pleased at the presence of the snake.
"Yes indeed," Harry said to Nott. "But our old potioneer will not go...unpunished."
"Torture and kill them all," the man with straw coloured hair said, his tongue darting out to pick his lips eagerly.
Harry made no response, but turned to the snake again. She hissed to him, reporting nothing new, merely familiarising him with her day. It involved rats, and an unfortunate muggles pet cat. Harry let out a high pitched giggle. Both men in the room flinched at the sound. The third made no move to indicate he had heard the noise. Harry shifted irritably. Something was twitching at the edge of his consciousness, like a voice calling from far away.
Harry...Harry...
Harry wanted to know the identity of the third man. He found himself suddenly certain that all he had to do was speak and the man would turn around. He found himself infused with the idea that the man would run to the edges of the world under his guidance; throw himself from a cliff; walk into a fireplace and remain there as the flame scorched the flesh from his bones, should Harry will it so.
"Turn around," Harry hissed.
The voice was getting louder.
Harry...HARRY...
With a jerk, Harry felt himself pulled away from the body he was inhabiting, back like he was falling into a black hole. Just before the dimly lit room turned into oblivion, Harry saw the figure of the third man turn obediently. For a split second, Harry caught a glimpse of his face. And he knew exactly who he was looking upon. For who in the entire Wizarding world didn't know the face of the Minister of Magic?
"Harry!"
"What? What?"
Harry sat up blinking. His neck was aching, and his scar felt as though it was on fire. He groaned, and pressed the heel of his palm to his forehead. Then a cool cloth was handed to him, and he gratefully pressed it against the agonising burn on his head. As the pain receded slightly, Harry opened his eyes, and looked into the worried face of Stefan.
"Are you alright?" Stefan asked, handing Harry a quick conjured glass of water.
"Fine," Harry said, sitting up and taking the water gratefully. He was still in the common room, but the fire had burnt down all the way to the embers. He must have been asleep for some time. Already the remnants of the dream were slipping from his mind like water.
"Bad dream?" Stefan asked sympathetically, crouching by Harry and rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I nodded off myself there, until you woke me up."
"I think so," Harry frowned. All he remembered was a dark room. He had a vague sense that a snake had been involved, and there had been men too...
"Best get to bed," Stefan said, standing up and offering Harry a hand. Harry took it, and got to his feet. But as he descended the steps to the dormitory the dream echoed in his mind like an eerie portent of things to come. And for the rest of the night Harry found himself chased by visions of snakes devouring men, who devoured one another and then the whole world. He awake again, and lay awake swearing and shaking. Finally, an hour before dawn, he slipped into a peaceful sleep.
\\/
Thanks for reading,
Cas