"-and then there was a flash and he returned, the Triwizard Cup in one hand, Diggory's corpse in the other. It was really scary."

Elysant was quiet, having listened to Daphne's recitation of every rumour and piece of gossip related to Potter she'd heard over the last five years, occasionally interjecting with a comment or question. It had taken the better part of three hours, during which time the sun had set completely, the shadows stretching over the dimly lit storage space creating an ominous and frightening atmosphere.

"You say your interactions with him have been contentious, to this point?"

"I mean- it's just House rivalry stuff," she mumbled, "My best friend likes to tweak their noses. It's just a bit of a laugh, you know, that sort of thing." Even as she defended Pansy, Daphne tried to think of a single instance of Potter, Granger, or Weasley making fun of them first. It suddenly wasn't quite as funny.

"But you knew, even before meeting him, that he was and would be an influential figure in society. And still, you antagonized him?"

"Look, just back off, alright? If I had known when I was eleven years old that I'd need to seduce him, I wouldn't have gone along with everything the way I did, okay?"

Elysant was unimpressed. "Your sister aside, you alienated a famous person who had no existing negative attitude towards your family. I want you to understand how your stupidity has made this situation far more difficult than it need be."

Daphne was growing tired of the constant belittling. "I'm a teenager, it's not my job to worry about stuff like that! Besides, if you think I don't live up to the appearances of my 'station', you should see Potter: walking around in muggle rags, unkempt, no knowledge of our culture or our world whatsoever…" her lip curled in disdain, unable to hold back a sneer at the way the Boy-Who-Lived trampled all over the customs that the noble families worked so hard to maintain. "Besides, none of this would matter if you had done your duty to your family and simply kept your legs closed!"

Her satisfaction at finally landing an insult in reply was fleeting, though, as Elysant ignored the slight and continued making a cold, reasoned argument. "If he is so ignorant, he should have made an easy mark to instil yourself at his side. Blame me if you must, but I am already dead. How does it feel to know that your own irresponsibility may well doom your sister to the same fate?"

An avalanche of arguments rose within her, protesting how unfair that accusation was - she should be studying for her OWLs, not worrying about manipulation, or politics, or family alliances! Those were her parents' problems, not hers! But in the end, she swallowed them all. Elysant was right; giggling at Draco's antics, having a go at the mudblood with Pansy, those things weren't nice, and now Astoria may well pay the price for her own immaturity.

"...okay," she said quietly. "I'll do better."

"Good," came the approving nod. "Now, let's have a look at you."

"Erm, what?"

"We really must work on your diction and speech. Ladies say 'pardon', my dear."

"Right. Well, 'pardon'?"

The portrait made a 'shoo'-ing motion. "I need to see what we're working with."

"You've been looking at me this whole time," Daphne didn't understand, giving herself a quick once-over, taking in the dirty and rumpled skirt and blouse she'd been wearing since first climbed up to the loft.

"It's just us ladies. Disrobe."

"What? Here?" She could feel her face heating up. "No way! Anyone could come up."

Elysant rolled her eyes. "I assure you, this room does not get many visitors. I would know. But very well, modesty is an attractive quality. Take me to your quarters."

The memory of just how heavy the brass-framed portrait was had not faded from Daphne's mind. "I don't think I can carry your frame down that ladder."

"Are you a witch, or not?"

"I'm underage, it's forbidden."

Her ancestor was quiet for a stretch, probably weighing just how much things must have changed in the centuries since her life. "You will need to fetch your parents then. We'd agreed that I would accompany you back to Hogwarts, yes? So you'd have needed their help, regardless."

"Yea, that's true," Daphne agreed, standing up to head downstairs but Elysant's next question halted her.

"Will you bring them into your plans?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly. Surely they would be excited about the potential to save Astoria, right? Still, it was hard to imagine her overprotective father agreeing to his not-quite-sixteen-year-old daughter seducing a man in such a fashion. He'd probably simply approach Potter's guardian and seek a betrothal… and just who was that guardian, that would allow the Boy-Who-Lived to wander about looking like a homeless stray? "What would you do?

"That's hardly relevant. My parents would never have allowed me to disadvantage the family in ways you so cavalierly admit to. Their ignorance may be preferable to any assistance they could offer if how they raised you is any indication. What do you think?"

Was it possible that she was growing accustomed to the portrait's venomous insults in just one night? "No. They'd only interfere. I- we can do this without them. I'll just say I discovered your portrait, and that you are a comfort to me." That decision made, Daphne set out in search of someone to help her relocate Elysant.

She found her mother leaning against the kitchen counter, staring vacantly at dishes that were cleaning themselves. Daphne raised one eyebrow at the idea of Ava Greengrass doing housework, but upon seeing the open bottle of gin nearby, suddenly understood. Powerful drinks can make people do strange things, after all.

"Mother?"

"Daphne," she breathed out, one of the bowls in the sink cracking into three pieces as the charm cut out. "Are you okay, darling? I know that- your father and I understand how difficult this is for everyone."

Her voice was slightly slurred. 'Perfect' "I'm… sorry for my behaviour," she ground out. "Can you help me with something?"

Misty eyes the same shade of dark blue as her own blearily widened. "Same old Daffy," her mother said fondly, reaching out to rub her shoulder. "Only say you're sorry when you need something."

"Yes, well, I need some help moving a portrait from the storage loft to my room."

"A portrait?"

"Yes. Can you help me?"

"Of course," her mother easily replied. "After I speak with it first."

"Mum…" she whined. "It's a painting of one of our ancestors, not something inappropriate."

"You'd be surprised just how inappropriate magical portraits can be," Ava said with a wry grin, smile fading as she took in her daughter's appearance. "Did you eat anything?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Your hand, what happened?" Quick as a flash, her mother had whipped her wand over Daphne's cut finger, mouthing a quick incantation that healed the scabbed wound.

"I cut myself opening the crate where I found Elysant."

"Elysant, hm? Very well, let's go."

Just as Daphne was, her mother appeared struck by how beautiful their ancestor was. "Hello, there. I am Ava Greengrass."

"Milady," Elysant swept into a graceful curtsy, not meeting Ava's eyes. "Elysant Greengrass, daughter of Wilburg and Imogene, at your service."

"I understand that you and my daughter have struck up a friendship."

"The child appeared to be in considerable distress. It is my duty to offer aid and comfort to the Heiress of our House, milady."

Ava's eyes cut over to her daughter, and Daphne shrugged. "We talked, for a long time. She's-" the word 'nice' refused to leave to her mouth. "She's been helping me sort through some things."

"Very well. It's nice to meet you, Elysant."

"Charmed," was her ancestor's only reply, the barest hint of the ugliness hidden by her beauty revealed in that one word. Daphne glared at her.

"Come along then." With a swish and flick, the painting rose from where Daphne had propped it up, and the two- well, technically three Greengrass women made their way to Daphne's room, where her mother hung the portrait on the wall. "I look forward to getting to know you better, Elysant."

"It would be my pleasure to speak more with the Lady of my House."

Ava nodded and turned to Daphne. "Don't stay up too late, darling. Call for Teensy if you get hungry, I don't like you skipping dinner." With a gentle kiss to her hair, her mother departed.

"Now. Where were we?"

"You were asking for a show," Daphne groused. "This is stupid."

"Is it? It would seem to me that you need all the help you can get. You lack wit, grace, or charm; let us hope that some beauty lurks beneath the surface, for your sister's sake."

Merlin, what a bitch. Trying and failing to quell her embarrassed flush, Daphne made sure her door was locked, and then unzipped her skirt, following that by unbuttoning her blouse.

"Happy?"

"If only I were," Elysant sighed. "This will be more difficult than I thought."

"What do you- hey! Don't- can you stop insulting me?" She may not work at her appearance as much as some girls but she was no Milicent or Eloise Midgen. Daphne had never felt self-conscious about her looks before.

"When I insult you, you'll know it."

"You make it sound like I'm some sort of troll!"

"Your skin is dry, which tells me that you are not applying proper creams and oils. Your hair is limp and flat, lacking body and weight, meaning that you have not been using potions to keep it vibrant. Your breasts are too small, your hips too narrow, and if I may hazard a guess, skipping dinner is an unusual occurrence for you."

She couldn't help it. Standing there, practically nude, and hearing a far more beautiful woman her own age casually recite everything wrong with her body hurt.

"Don't cry, there's no need for that." Daphne ignored her, turning away from the portrait, only to catch sight of herself in the full-length mirror she had in the corner. Her unwashed hair, puffy eyes, pale skin, and petite curves all emphasized Elysant's cold appraisal. "I can help you."

"This isn't going to work, is it?" She was bordering on hysterical now, gasping for air, the tears falling freely. "I haven't even had a boyfriend, how am I supposed to get some guy that hates me to fall in love with me? I can't do it, I can't do this-"

"Daphne!" The painting's sharp call went unheeded. "Calm yourself, and listen to me! We'll do this together, you're not alone. You, for your sister's life, and me, to atone for my sins. This will work, do you understand?"

She sniffed, wiping at her nose and eyes. "Okay," she agreed miserably. "Together."

"Mum?"

Her mother started, jerking upright from where she must have fallen asleep on the parlour's sofa. "Yes, dear, what is it?"

"I- um, I need some gold."

"Teensy," their house-elf popped into existence nearby. "Bring me the green potion on my nightstand, if you would." The elf vanished, and returned a second later, offering a vial to Ava, who downed it with a grimace. "How much do you need, honey?"

"I'm not sure how much I'll spend, exactly. I just want to go buy some things before the holidays are over."

"Alright, then," her mother agreed easily, and not for the first time Daphne was grateful that their family had the wealth it did. "I'll escort you to Gringotts."

"Mum! I'm almost sixteen years old!"

"Exactly," was her response. "Give me ten minutes to change, I'll be right back."

While she waited, Daphne fingered the list that she'd made with Elysant. Combining the portrait's own meticulous beauty regime with what she'd observed of Pansy's effort over the years, the two had worked late into the night compiling a list of the various products, potions, and cosmetics that she'd need.

Elysant had then asked to see her wardrobe, and after another round of cutting insults over her fashion style, new clothes had been added to the list. Daphne endured it for hours, comforting herself by internally promising that once Astoria was cured, she'd throw the portrait into a fire if it was the last she'd do.

"All set?"

A quick trip through the Floo to the Leaky Cauldron, and a brief walk through the Alley led them to the bank.

"Exactly what are you planning on purchasing today?" Her mother asked, eyebrows climbing higher and higher as Daphne piled the third stack of a hundred Galleons into her money bag.

"Just some fashion accessories. Some cosmetics. Maybe a dress or two."

Thankfully, no further questions were asked, and mother and daughter left the bank without incident. "I'll see you at home later."

"No, you won't. I said that I would escort you, and I'm curious to see exactly what sorts of 'fashion accessories' necessitate that much gold."

"But-!"

"Daphne," the steely method with which she said her name brooked no argument, and Daphne knew the fight was lost before it began.

"Fine. Let's go."

Her first stop was Madam Primpernelle's, where Daphne walked purposefully through the aisles, piling potion after potion into her shopping basket. She could feel her mother's eyes on her with every vial she removed from the shelf but forced herself to stay focused, determined not to forget anything from her list.

The sheer volume of her purchases didn't fit into the standard wooden apothecary box, meaning that two were required to house her selections. Madam Primpernelle delightedly offered to owl the packages to their estate, so that the women would not need to cart them around on their own.

Still, her mother remained silent, even as they continued through the Alley to Madam Malkin's. As regular customers, Malkin herself greeted them moments after they entered the shop.

"Lady Greengrass! What an unexpected surprise. Looking for something to wear to the New Year's Ball?"

That's right - the Malfoys were hosting a ball this year. Pansy wouldn't shut up about it for the entire second half of the term. 'Oh well' Daphne thought; it's not as though Potter would ever show up there, and she really needed to stay focused.

"Actually, we're here for my daughter. Go ahead, Daphne."

"I need a set of dresses. A half-dozen to begin with, and-" she took a deep breath, conspicuously avoiding her mother's eyes, "-corresponding undergarments."

"Of course!" She could practically see the greed emanating from Madam Malkin's pores, custom garments not coming cheap, after all. "Step right this way, and I'll take your measurements."

"Actually, I'd like them made to these specifications." Daphne passed over a slip of parchment, Elysant having assured her of the feasibility of achieving those numbers.

Madam Malkin raised her eyebrows, looking from the parchment to Daphne's body, then back again. "If that is what you desire. Let's pick out the style and patterns, shall we?"

Another hour passed before she was satisfied with what the dressmaker had designed, and then the Greengrass women were off again. It was only when she stepped up to the entrance of Witch Watchers, the new business promising quick results for witches looking to shed weight that her mother pulled her to a halt.

"What's going on, Daphne? You've never been this concerned for your appearance before, and I think you've spent more today on beauty products than I have in the last decade!"

"I just- I want to look nice. I'm tired of blending into the background. I want to be more than an afterthought."

"Sweetheart," Ava murmured, pulling her into an embrace, "You're a beautiful young woman. You don't need all of this, you're perfect the way you are."

Her mother's warm words were a pale counter to Elysant's brutally honest observations. "Please, Mum, you don't understand-"

"Oh, I think I do," she coyly interrupted. "It's about a boy, isn't it?"

'Merlin, this is humiliating!' "Yes."

Her mother squealed, excitedly grabbing both of Daphne's hands in her own. "I knew it! Come on, let's go to Florean's and you can tell me all about him."

"Flor- no! Mum, I need to go in here," she gestured to the diet business. "Otherwise the dresses Madam Malkin is making won't fit."

Nearly a minute of silence passed before Ava gave a sceptical nod. "Very well, but if I think you're being unrealistic, I'm going to step in. Diets and cosmetics aren't the way to get noticed, sweetheart."

Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, Daphne stepped inside and spent the next hour working out a plan to tone and firm her body, with a few potions and dietary guidelines drawn up for her to follow. With that accomplished, her mother whisked her away to the Leaky Cauldron.

But instead of heading for the Floo, Ava asked for a table, setting Daphne's purchases to the side and ordering a light lunch for the two of them. "Now, given you just spent about two years worth of allowance in one day, I think you owe me some answers."

"Fine." She couldn't really argue with that - the amount of gold that she'd ran through had been staggering.

"Who is this boy that's got you so worked up?"

"I don't want to tell you his name! It's embarrassing!" It really was; there was no way she'd confess to doing something so… sordid as using her body to get something like she was, even if it was for a reason this important.

"Okay, okay, I remember being a teenager. I know what it's like to have those feelings. I'm guessing it's someone you recently noticed, though, based on how hard you're obviously trying to make a good impression."

"He's not in Slytherin. It- that makes it a little difficult to get his attention."

"I see," her mother said. Their food arrived, and Daphne picked at her meal, wanting nothing more than to get back to their manor and get to work.

"You know that any man that only wants you for your looks isn't worth your time, right?"

"I know, Mum."

"I'm just saying, you don't need to change yourself. If you want something real, it's not going to come from one of Madam Primpernelle's potions."

Her mother's gentle remonstrations actually raised a good point; Daphne shouldn't turn away any opportunity for advice. "How did you get Daddy to fall in love with you?"

Ava didn't reply immediately, finishing her stew and swallowing the final piece of her bread before answering. "I didn't 'get' him to; that's not how love works. It's more like- it's a feeling that two people share. Your father and I grew into our relationship, together. I didn't trick him into loving me."

"Mum-"

"I can see the Parkinson girl's influence all over this conversation. She's a social climber if ever there was one."

"Pansy's not like that!"

"You're old enough to know better, and who knows? She may even get what she wants, but I can tell you that if she does, she'll be miserable. You shouldn't be taking advice from her, Daphne. You're already wealthy, you don't need to worry about anything except finding someone that will treat you well."

On second thought, it didn't seem like her mother would be of any help after all. "Okay."

"Good. Now, what do you say we head home?"

Daphne spent the rest of her winter holidays locked away in her room, frantically working through the regimen she'd established at Witch Watchers, acclimating herself to her new cosmetics, applying potions to her hair and lotions to her skin. Elysant approved of the new dresses when they arrived, and although it would likely be several more weeks before she could fit into them comfortably, if she continued to work hard she'd be ready by the first Hogsmeade weekend.

She'd set that goal for herself. It seemed achievable to get a date with him by then, with her new look and motivation. Potter was fifteen years old! Surely he'd be eating out of the palm of her hand, House rivalry or not. She placed the last item into the new trunk she'd purchased, the amount of things she'd be taking back to Hogwarts far exceeding the capacity of her school bag. This one boasted expansion charms, meaning that she'd be able to place Elysant's portrait inside to bring her back to the castle with her.

It was nearly time to leave, so Daphne made her way to Astoria's room, feeling guilty over the way she'd neglected her sister this holiday. Normally, the two were inseparable.

"Hey, Tori," she called softly, stepping into her sibling's room, the acrid scent of antiseptics, potions, and perspiration assaulting her senses. "How are you feeling?"

"Not bad," Astoria chirped, although her statement was belied by the weakness of her voice, as well as the fact she did not even sit up to greet Daphne, merely turning her head. "I- I really missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Have you-" she hacked once, twice, then cleared her throat and started again. "Guess you were loaded down with work for your OWLs, huh?"

It was just like Astoria to make excuses for her, and Daphne felt a crushing regret that she'd ignored her so over the last week. "Um, yea. Do you need anything? Anything you want me to tell your friends at school?"

"They've been writing to me, it's okay."

"Well, you're going to be back in class with them before you know it, don't worry," she said, vehemently despising the sad look Astoria gave in reply.

"Daffy, could you- I mean, I know you have to go back today, but when you come back, could we spend some time together? I- I'd like it if you were with me while I'm still-"

"You're going to beat this, do you hear me?" Daphne was practically shouting now. "Don't talk like that!"

"It's okay, the healers, they say they'll be able to help with the pain when the time comes, but the potions will make me all funny. You know, really out of it. I wanted us to be together before then."

She kneeled next to her sister's bed, taking Astoria's hand in both of her own. "Stop it! Listen to me - I'm going to save you, Astoria. I promise, you just have to hold on and be strong, okay?"

"Daphne-"

"No! I'm not just saying that! I have a plan, and no matter what, you're going to be okay. You know I wouldn't lie to you, right?"

Astoria's smile was wan, as limp and weak as the rest of her. "I just want my big sister here with me. It- it's really hard to be brave when I'm alone."

She didn't want to cry in front of her. She'd done enough of that over the years, already. "I'm not giving up on you; don't you dare give up on yourself. I love you."

Daphne managed to kiss Astoria's cheek and forehead and close the door behind her before sliding down the wall, sobbing outside her sister's room at the injustice of it all. Pulling herself to her feet and using her sleeve to dry her eyes, she walked into her room, determination growing with every step.

Popping open her trunk's lid, Daphne removed Elysant's portrait from the wall, carefully placing it inside, meeting her ancestor's gaze as she did.

"I don't care what it takes, we have to succeed."

"Don't worry, child. I made one Potter love me, there's no reason to doubt it won't work again."

With a firm nod, Daphne closed the lid. Harry Potter wouldn't know what hit him.

A/N: Hey all! Another chapter. I'm having fun with this fic.

Couple of things - I've had some people express concern over this being angsty. I'll say that it has a happy ending, and it is solely Haphne. It's not going to be lighthearted, though, I'm sorry :( The good news, is my OTHER story, Subtle Acts of Sororicide, *is* lighthearted humor and fluff. If you need a pick-me-up, head on over there, it's a fun fic!

Daphne's character is starting to come together for me. Like I said last chapter, I don't want to stray *that* far from the fanon version, but I do want my own twist on her. Hope you like!

Thanks so much for the amazing reviews and attention this story's got! It's been incredible!

~Frickles