"Depulso!"
The blue light burst in the hall, streaking down it to strike Harry in the chest.
He flew back a dozen feet and hit hard on his back, managing to hold onto the borrowed wand in his hand. He managed a pained grin as he looked up at Daisy, standing over him with his own holly and phoenix wand in her hands. A grin to counter the intense frown on her face - the remorse and guilt in her dark eyes. "Good job - now go for the door. Try the next part! Go on, you don't have much time for it!"
Daisy dithered, then raced on past him, to the door to the guest room - the first on her right. Harry watched her jab his wand at the door as she cried out, "Alohamora!"
The door handle trembled, the door shook in its frame - but it didn't open for her. A yellow light rippled across its surface, and then it sparked; a jolt of energy, like lightning, was spat out from the door to make contact with Daisy.
"Ow!" she cried, jumping back and raising her wand. She rubbed at her chest and fixed a glare on the door. She threw a glance at Harry, doubting.
"You'll have to get rid of the enchantment first before doing anything," Harry told her, sitting on the floor and giving her a shrug. "It's 'Finite,' remember?"
"I remember!" Daisy retorted.
"Well then, you'd better get to it - your mum's going to be here in a minute," Harry said calmly. "You can never count on having all the time in the world to make your escape, Daisy. In fact, you can almost always count on not having the time. And that there's probably going to be backup waiting for you."
Daisy gazed down the opposite end of the hall, then whipped back to face the door, clutching the wand tight in hand. "Finite!"
The yellow barrier bent and burst - and then snapped back into place.
Daisy's lip curled - frustration, anger. "It didn't do this last time!" she accused, whirling. "It was easy last time!"
"It didn't," Harry acknowledged. "But it's not always going to be easy - not like last time, and maybe not even the first time, sweetie. You have to learn to work with how things are. Thirty seconds. And, Daisy?"
"What, daddy?"
Harry stood, spreading his arms. "I'm down, but I'm not out yet." He raised his wand, yelling out the incantation that made his stomach twist. "Stupify!"
Daisy evaded the spell fairly easily - an advantage of her age, her stature and lightness. She retaliated and slashed the phoenix wand viciously. "Incarcerous! Incarcerous, Incarcerous!" she called out.
Thick black ropes burst from her wand, ensnaring Harry's body - arms to his sides, and binding his legs twice over, around the knees and the ankles. Harry fell forward with a crash, barely avoiding slamming his chin on the spotless floor.
Daisy let out a noise of relief, then turned back to poke the barrier with her wand, beginning to spit the counter-spell in a furious chant, repetitive and forceful.
The barrier twisted and sputtered, and finally broke.
"Yes!" Daisy exclaimed, doing a little hop on the spot. She turned toward Harry and flashed a smirk of pure triumph. The similarity, as ever, struck Harry like a lightning bolt - but then it was gone, next moment.
A red light flashed to Daisy's left, and a spell came flying down the hall toward her.
Daisy twisted on the spot, her smile disappearing instantly, and she lost her footing and fell back onto her butt.
"One hit from a Stunner is a killing spell," Daphne spoke out, striding down the hall with her wand raised.
Daisy scowled at her mother as she scrambled to her feet again. "I remember the rules, mum! You don't have to remind me- hey! I wasn't ready!"
Daphne fired off another Stunner, the jet of red streaking for Daisy at a low angle; Daisy jumped backwards, barely avoiding the spell as it struck at her feet - at where her legs had just been. "You're never going to be ready, honey! Just do what you can and hope you make it! That's the whole point of the exercise."
"I know!" Daisy snapped. She raised her wand as another red light burst. "Protego!" From floor to ceiling, wall to wall, her barrier materialized strongly, cutting the hallway in half. She turned back to the door and made to yank it open-
It shook in its frame, but refused to budge.
Daisy's face showed pure panic. "Shit!" she burst out, stamping her foot. She aimed the wand at the door with a vicious slash. "Alohamora!"
There was a distinct click, and Harry saw triumph on his daughter's features again. She pushed open the door and disappeared into the room, slamming it shut behind her.
"Kreacher!" her voice called out, muffled. An equally muffled pop echoed out a moment later. Here, and then, another moment later, downstairs; a second pop echoed in the living room below.
Then, there rose whooping noises and great peals of laughter throughout the house.
"You really could've gone even harder on her than you did," Daphne told Harry, striding forward with a flick of her wand; the ropes vanished, and he stood freely.
"It was more challenging this time," Harry defended. "And I could say the same about you," he retorted, smiling a little. "We both know how fast you can really snap off spells."
"You don't want to overwhelm her yet," Daphne shrugged. "And I don't want to make her cry again; I hate seeing that."
"Yeah...but we'll have to make it near impossible one of these times," Harry said quietly. "She's got to know how to be when there really isn't much of a chance, when it seems like nothing works, when..."
"She's going to be a wreck for weeks when we have to pull that one on her," Daphne sighed. "Not looking forward to it."
"Neither am I! But she's got to learn. She has to know. So that when- if- if it really does happen to her...she's not just a deer in headlights. She can at least know she has options, chances - opportunities, maybe, even still-"
"Oh daddy - muuuum - are you too scared to come down here 'cause I beat you this time?! That wasn't even too bad! It was a breeze for me!" Daisy's voice called up to them.
Daphne chortled, rolling her eyes; Harry cracked a grin, covering his mouth.
"Welp, we'd better make sure her head doesn't pop off with how inflated it's getting..." Daphne laughed.
"Yeah - but we should still let her have the win for a bit," Harry agreed, starting for the stairs.
"No arguments there," Daphne said quickly. "I'm damn proud of how she did today on this one!"
"Real proud," Harry nodded, a broad smile coming over his face. A warmth in his chest. "I sort of expected her to choke at the addition of the enchantment, but she made it through it," he confessed lowly, as they descended the stairs to the ground floor.
"It was still the most low level barrier I could ever think to cast," Daphne snorted, shaking her head. "The defense mechanism is supposed to fry holes in people, not give them a little...what's that muggle thing you-"
"Static shock?"
"Yeah! That!"
"Yeah, well, parents don't typically want to fry holes in their kids," Harry responded.
"Not typically, right..." Daphne grinned.
As soon as they entered the living room, they were greeted to the sight of Daisy dancing about, waving Harry's wand in twirls and patterns that left streams of multi-colored sparks and trails of magic in the air.
Harry and Daphne exchanged smiles.
"Yeah, this is too adorable to not let her have..." Daphne murmured.
The moment she spotted them, Daisy rushed up to them with a beaming smile on her face. "Since I did so good can we go get ice cream?!"
Harry considered her. He agreed she deserved a reward, but on the other hand...he saw what she was doing. Almost daily now she was asking to go outside the house (or trying to subterfuge her way into it). And he understood her, he knew that feeling, he knew she was getting more and more frustrated, he knew...
"You made him stay shut up in that house and he hated it, that's why he wanted to get out last night-"
"I was trying to keep Sirius alive."
"People don't like being locked up! You did it to me all last summer!"
Was he, Harry, making the same mistakes anyway that he had swore he wouldn't? Was he being like Dumbledore, was he hurting Daisy the way Dumbledore had hurt him, and Sirius, how his aunt and uncle had hurt him all his childhood...?
Was he being the same way with his daughter now, despite his own life - despite everything he'd railed against the Headmaster for? Keeping her cooped up just to keep her alive, because of a prophecy, not caring how it affected her, if it stifled her, if it frustrated and upset her, if it denied her so many things? Happiness, relaxation, chances for exploration and curiosity, for...for friendships, even?
Daisy sometimes mingled with muggle children when they did go out together, but she had never made a more permanent friend. She was almost six now - hardly a few weeks away - and she didn't even have one real friend her own age. Partially this was down to caution in a time of war, a time when they were being actively, relentlessly hunted in the world...where Death Eaters and snatchers could periodically be seen lingering outside the house...but even still, was that any excuse?
And Harry knew no magical children of any Order members who he could even take her to be with. Though, he hadn't exactly gone around asking anyone if they had kids or not. That couldn't be an excuse either.
He was not Dumbledore! He would not make those mistakes! Prophecy or not, fears or not...
Daisy deserved everything Harry never got. That had always been his goal with her, always his intentions for her! To give her a good, happy, normal life he'd never had!
But he felt like he was failing at that lately. Failing her...
"Of course we can!" Harry said, smiling widely at Daisy. "If you want that - and if you do good without the wand next time, we'll take you out again for ice cream tomorrow as well! And- and you know what, Daisy, why don't we go and visit the Burrow tomorrow anyway? We might be able to talk to Remus or someone there, even."
Daisy's face lit up with pure joy, and she threw herself forward and hugged him around the middle. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
As much as Harry felt glad to see that joy...he also felt guilt. "You're welcome, sweetie..." he said quietly, patting at her head and stroking at her hair.
"Can I see auntie Ginny? Or Ron and Hermione?"
"If they're visiting, too," Harry answered. He really didn't see enough of his best friends these days; ever since they had moved out a year and a half ago, and ever since they had both gotten very involved in secretive war efforts to help hide and move muggleborn refugees. Order work - but not the kind of wands-blazing, camp-raiding operations that Ginny often led the charge of.
"Can we visit auntie Astoria too?" Daisy pressed.
"We could probably make a Floo call sometime," Harry told her, knowing he sounded fairly non-committal. He couldn't help that, though - Astoria was...even less of a presence in life than Ron or Hermione, nowadays. Something he knew hurt Daphne on the daily (evidenced by the flinch in her face, just then, and the way she turned her head away). "If she's up for it. But if she's not-"
Suddenly there was a light pop, and Daphne vanished; a second pop came from upstairs, followed by a loud bang.
"What's wrong with mum?" Daisy asked, staring at the spot where Daphne had disappeared.
"Uh...she's just- not really dealing with aunt Astoria's...life choices too well," Harry tried to explain. "She's not happy that- that Astoria is doing the same sorts of things as Ginny, or Ron and Hermione."
"Order things," Daisy stated, nodding sagely.
"Yeah." Harry hesitated. "You know how I told you I didn't want you trying to get...involved in that sort of thing until you were older? Well, Daphne feels the same way toward Astoria. She doesn't want her to get hurt, or- or killed."
"But auntie Aster is old enough," Daisy protested.
"Yeah, she is - but it still doesn't mean that we don't worry," Harry told her. "That we don't...wish they wouldn't. That- they could just be safe, and- happy. And I think because of her illness, it makes it worse for Daphne to think about," he added quietly.
"When mummy and auntie get hurt, it hurts worse than when I get hurt," Daisy responded, parroting knowledge learned some time ago now.
"Yeah..." And the more Astoria put herself at risk - especially at times when her curse was at its worst - the more strain and damage she did to her body, tenfold. To the point where she could even end up killing herself, years before she should pass. And that was a terrible thought; Daphne had once told Harry that even in the best case scenario, their illness meant that her and Astoria would certainly die before hitting forty - possibly even thirty. If she died before twenty-five...
"So, the Burrow - how about seeing the twins, too?" Harry suggested hurriedly, wanting to get away from such awful thoughts (and conversation).
Daisy's eyes narrowed. Her lips pressed. "Last time they made my skin purple! And my hair all silvery and blue."
"And you liked the hair part of it, didn't you?" Harry replied carefully.
"Yes - but not the purple! If they make me purple again, I'll fucking depulso them into a wall!" Daisy declared furiously.
"Hey - inappropriate swearing, Daisy," Harry chided mildly.
"Sorry! But promise me they won't do stuff like that to me again!" Daisy insisted, her eyes pleading.
Harry stared. He knew she hadn't liked the prank at the time, had cried and yelled about it - and they had talked about it together already - but that she felt this strongly? Even now, months on? Had he and Daphne really misjudged how much it had affected Daisy inside?
He knelt down before her, reaching to take her hand that held his wand. He took the wand back and held onto her hand after, bare and firm. "I promise, okay? They won't do any pranks or jokes with you again. I'll tell them not to, and if they do anyway, they won't like how I'll respond," he said firmly.
Daisy nodded, relief on her face. She gave him another hug, around the neck this time, nuzzling her cheek to his. She placed a swift kiss there and withdrew, smiling. "Thanks, daddy."
"Of course, Daisy. I want you to feel...safe, and comfortable, no matter where you go or who you're around. Right?"
"Right," Daisy agreed. "If they don't listen when I say no, I can inappropriate swear at them," she went on, tossing her head with glee.
"That...would be appropriate, actually," Harry said slowly. "But, yeah. That's exactly right. You say you don't like it, you say no, say back off, and you come and get me and I'll sort it out. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again. Ever. And if you feel like you have to, you can use magic yourself to make them stop. You know me and your mum will never punish you for that."
"I know," Daisy nodded again. The look in her eyes was almost the same kind of eagerness as when she had spoken about the possibility of "inappropriate swearing".
"Good." Harry smiled. "Would you like a kiss, Daisy?"
"Yes!"
"Okay." Harry kissed her forehead, then straightened up tall. "Kreacher, go invisible, please?" he addressed the elf kindly.
Kreacher bowed, and snapped his fingers; he dematerialized slowly, fading like a washed out painting. Not at all like Apparition.
"Why does Kreacher always have to be invisible when we go outside?" Daisy spoke up.
Harry considered her a moment. Thinking over his words carefully in his own head. He didn't have good practice at it - wasn't his nature - but in raising her the past few years, it had become a real necessity. He'd never imagined his every word in a day could have so much power over someone else. Over their mind, their views, their everything. Because he was everything to Daisy. Him and Daphne. "Well...you already know that most of the world is made up of non-magic people, and they aren't supposed to know about magic, or magical people - and that includes non-human peoples-"
"Why do we do that, anyway? Why can't all the non magic people know about magic?" Daisy interrupted, furrowing her brows.
Harry stopped. He thought hard. He gave a small smile, shrugging. "Well...you know, between you and me, I don't think there's really a good reason for it either. I was once told that we were just 'better off being left alone,' and I know the ones who first came up with the law did it because a long time ago, muggles used to hurt us and fear us...But maybe it'll be different someday. Maybe people have changed. Though, for now, Daisy, that's- that's just the way it is. It's the law everywhere, all over the world, and we can't break it. We'll get in a lot of trouble."
"When people get rid of all the pureblood laws maybe they can get rid of that one too," Daisy said firmly. "I don't like it. We can't make friends with muggles without having to lie all the time. Why do we have to hide who we really are? How come Kreacher can't go walking around with us? It's not fair to him! Or to us! Just 'cause some old people a long time ago said they got scared? Not everyone could have been scared of us, or wanted to hurt us for it! Uncle Remus is married to Christina just fine and she knows about it all!"
"I agree, sweetie," Harry said earnestly. "It's never made sense to me either; there are plenty of muggles who we tell - people we love, people who are family - and they aren't afraid. They don't hate us, either." He paused. "Maybe we will do away with those sorts of laws - the whole...secret. I've always- hated secrets anyway...they don't do anyone good except the ones keeping them, and it's a- disrespect to the people you keep them from. Shows you don't trust them, treat them like-"
"Like they're dumb."
"Yeah. And muggles aren't dumb. They're just people, like us. They're friends, and family, and they do...deserve to be respected as much as anyone." Harry sighed. "Unfortunately, a lot of mages don't feel that way." It wasn't just Death Eaters, either. As Harry had gotten older, as Daisy started questioning, it caused him to genuinely question. Casual obliviations, memory charms, like muggles were annoyances or obstacles, instead of intelligent, feeling human beings in their own right...No autonomy, no rights...
And now the Death Eaters were treating mages the same way.
Dumbledore was right about one thing: mages had abused and called others lesser for too long, and they were paying for it.
They were now being treated in much the same way they had always treated muggles and non-humans - even the Ministry before Voldemort took it over. Even people Harry thought of as friends and even family...simply thought of non-magical people as...
He shook his head. "Maybe we will change all that, someday. I agree that it should be, really, Daisy. You're right. I don't like it either. But for right now...we can't go drawing attention to ourselves by using magic in public. That would bring- the Death Eaters right to us. And muggle authorities. A lot of people would get hurt, drawn into all that. And we don't want that, do we?"
Daisy huffed. "No," she admitted. "I guess not?"
"Well, another reason why Kreacher has to be invisible is that the Death Eaters- they- they treat non-human people even worse than they do muggles or muggleborn humans. You wouldn't want Kreacher to get hurt, would you? Or killed?"
"No! I love Kreacher!" Daisy said fiercely, and to prove her point she turned and threw her arms around the invisible elf (she was hardly taller than him). "If anybody wants to hurt him, I'll hurt them first! I won't let anybody kill him!" she went on furiously, squeezing tightly.
Kreacher reappeared with a gasp, as if taking a breath of air after being underwater. He squirmed, his eyes bulging. And watering. "Young mistress's affections are too much, as ever! But Kreacher will- endure it- because Kreacher is touched..." he gasped out.
"No, Kreacher - you don't have to," Harry said swiftly. "Daisy, let him breathe, alright?"
Daisy released the house elf swiftly. Remorse played on her face as she watched him stumble and wheeze. "Sorry!" she cried, half reaching for him again. She ended up clutching her hands together at her chest, as if holding herself back. "I'm really sorry, Kreacher!" she added earnestly.
"Kreacher was not permanently injured," the elf assured. "Don't worry, young Mistress Daisy."
Daisy looked to Harry.
He smiled at her. "Good job apologizing. Kreacher accepted it. So I think you're alright. Just...try to be more- mindful of yourself when you're being physical with others, okay?"
Daisy glowed at the praise, letting her arms fall to her sides at last. "Ok! I'm sorry, Kreacher - I really really really am!" she threw out quickly, insistent.
"Kreacher has already forgiven his little Daisy," Kreacher replied sincerely, with an attempt at a smile.
A third reason why Kreacher was always invisible, and always with them on outings, Harry reflected, was because he had absolute standing orders to, at first sign of trouble, grab onto Daisy and Apparate straight home with her.
More and more, Harry disliked ordering Kreacher around - had taken to just asking and requesting things of the elf, like any other person (and still feeling guilty knowing he would almost always obey anyway) - but this was the one order he had firmly given years ago. And felt no regret about.
"Are we ready to get going yet, or are you still cooking up questions in that head of yours?" Harry jested with his daughter.
Daisy furrowed her brows. She shook her head. "I don't think I have any more questions. But I might think of more later!"
"You always do," Harry laughed. "And I'm glad you do," he added. "You should always be able to ask whatever you want."
"And you'll always try to answer honestly," Daisy replied, nodding.
"That's right. And so will your mum." Harry glanced down the hall, cast his gaze to the ceiling. Speaking of Daphne... "I should go check on her-"
"Kreacher can do it!" Daisy exclaimed. "Kreacher: please go find mummy? And bring her right here - don't even wait for her to say anything! Just pop!" She added, with a slight giggle and a great throwing up of her arms.
"Daisy-" Harry started warily.
Kreacher bowed to her and Disapparated immediately.
Exactly ten seconds passed before Kreacher reappeared - along with a disheveled, half dressed Daphne.
"-the shit?!" Daphne half swore, half laughed. Her gaze fell on Daisy, who was now overcome completely with the giggles. "Are you really this impatient about going out today?" she muttered out, adjusting her undergarments.
"No - I just thought it would be really funny!" Daisy cried.
"Hilarious - you got me," Daphne laughed again, waving her wand at herself to instantly shroud herself in jeans and a tank top. But her laugh this time was more genuine. Her smile more true. Harry watched her turn her head and pass a surreptitious hand over her eyes, rapidly blinking. Moist fingers were wiped on the back of her pants. "Guess who's going to go upstairs and find out that their favorite books are stuck to the ceiling when we come back home again?"
Daisy's eyes widened. Then, she gave a small smile and a tilt of her chin. "That's fine! I can just make them float back down again!"
"Not if I use a permanent sticking charm, hon," Daphne retorted.
"Nuh-uh. We both know daddy wouldn't let you," Daisy countered, with a little scoff for emphasis. She looked up at Harry. "Right...?"
"I wouldn't," Harry assured, giving a small smile. "But you'd be surprised about how strong a normal spell can be if the one casting it is powerful enough - skilled enough. And your mum is both."
"She is..." Daisy allowed, a flicker of concern on her face. "But I still think I can undo her spells," she went on confidently, with a toss of her head and a shimmer of her long dark hair.
"I'd be really damn proud of you if you did, honey," Daphne said seriously. "But you took a while with my barrier, and that was one of my weakest."
Daisy glared at her mother outright, crossing her arms. "I still beat it! I even beat both of you too! I get better every time and-"
"Yes, Daisy, you did really great today, and we're both really impressed lately!" Harry said swiftly. "Would you like to go now?"
Daisy huffed, sending a last glare at her mother before about facing. "Yes. Kreacher, go invisible again."
"Kreacher, ignore that - Daisy, say 'please,'" Harry admonished her calmly.
Another huff. A sigh. "Kreacher, please go invisible again?"
Kreacher looked to Harry; after a nod, the elf did as asked, disappearing like a fading photo.
"Alright. Now let's get you all charmed up," Harry said brightly, moving for Daisy with his wand drawn. "Then we'll do me and Daphne after, and get going. What sort of hair do you want this time?"
Daisy's face lit up at the question. "Blonde! And curly - short!"
"Okay," Harry agreed, and he set to work with careful transfigurations.
"I want green eyes this time too!" Daisy said, a few minutes in.
"Like mine?" Harry ventured, smiling softly at her.
"Yes please! Exactly like yours!" Daisy proclaimed. "I think they're the prettiest eyes ever!" she added passionately.
"Thank you, sweetie," Harry said, honest and heartfelt. He'd heard too often how his eyes were like his mother's - but to hear that his eyes were just remarkable on their own...that was something special. A specialness only his daughter and his wife had ever shown him in life. "I'll do my best for you."
Daisy set eyes on her mother, scrutinizing her. Then- "How come you never change your hair, mummy?"
Harry looked to Daphne.
Daphne flashed a grin and gave a shrug. "You know we've told you before that mum's hair is different from yours - or daddy's. I can't really do as much with it as you can."
"Not even with magic?" Daisy asked.
Daphne's grin widened. "Well I could, maybe - sure - buuuut...I just like to not. My hair's great how it is, and I like it this way."
"I like my hair how it is too," Daisy replied. "But I change it to hide from the Death Eaters. If you don't, doesn't that mean they can figure out who you are way easier?"
"I can change the shade, style it different - that all goes a long way when the rest of me is different," Daphne answered casually. "It's enough that I don't have to totally change it, alright, hon? Don't go worrying about getting found out."
"But I am worried!" Daisy exclaimed. "I don't want you or daddy or Kreacher to die, or get put in those camps where I won't ever see you again!"
"That won't happen, Daisy," Harry said firmly.
"But what if it does?" she challenged harshly. Seriously.
"If it does, we'll get Kreacher to pop us right back out again - or we'll blast our way out," Daphne said.
"What if we can't?!"
"Then...at least we'll be together," Harry said quietly. "How- how those places...work...they'd put us together, at least. You- you wouldn't be alone, you wouldn't go without us. Okay? But- but you shouldn't worry too much about it anyway. As long as we're together, and careful, and we fight, we won't get caught. We won't be put in one of those places."
"I bet everybody thought that before they ended up there," Daisy said harshly.
Harry and Daphne exchanged looks. "Probably, yes," Harry said finally, heavily. "Look, do you still want to go get that ice cream or not?" He paused, eyeing her. Doubt again wormed in him; was five, nearly six, too young to know these things? Had he been wrong to tell her? She'd never really shown any signs of anxiety or fear about it before now, and it had been months. But was this a sign that he shouldn't have? "It's- it's okay if you don't want to go out now. If you're too scared to-"
"I'm not scared!" Daisy hissed, looking infuriated.
"I am," Harry said. "I'm scared every day, that that might happen, Daisy. It's okay for you to be, too. But, at the same time...we- we can't let that fear stop us from living our lives. From being happy, from going out."
"And if everyone did that, nothing would get done," Daphne added, shaking her head.
"I'm not scared," Daisy repeated, firmer still.
"Okay," Harry said simply. He finished his transfiguration work on Daisy, then gave her nose a tap with his wand to make her smile. "Done. Do you remember the names we use when we go outside?" he asked her.
"I always remember them!" Daisy exclaimed. "I'm Desiree, and you're Henry, and mum is Donna."
"Good work," Daphne praised, with a small smile. "You are always great about that, aren't you."
"Very good," Harry agreed. "Let's go. Kreacher - wherever you are - if you could please grab hands?"
With their appearances altered so completely that not even their closest friends and family could have recognized them face to face unless they spoke, Harry asked Kreacher to Apparate them from right out of the house - no dangers of stepping outside, where sometimes Death Eaters would still appear to stand guard - and far away from London. They teleported west, over to Bristol.
As a random family in a random city, nothing but ordinary and average, they walked the streets together at leisure until they had found the ice cream parlor.
Daisy got herself a chocolate sundae with sprinkles, nuts, and strawberry syrup; Harry, a simple lemon ice pop; and as for Daphne, she bought a mint cone with chocolate chips.
They sat down to eat together, simply enjoying each other's company - and being out in the world again.
Daisy kicked her feet absently under the table; a little squeak came from underneath, and her face became stricken. She swung herself right over to the side to peer under the table. "Sorry, sorry!" she whispered frantically.
"Daisy - good job - but remember not to draw attention," Harry said lowly, leaning across the table. He glanced at the other patrons of the parlor; in particular, there was a young man and a little girl at a table fairly close to theirs.
Daisy sat upright again, putting her legs together and drawing them in under her chair. "Sorry."
"It's okay," Harry assured quietly.
But he wasn't so sure that it was; despite best efforts, it seemed someone's attention had been caught.
The girl from the table over - she looked about six, around Daisy's age - was peering at them with a smile on her face. A fizzy float of a dessert in front of herself. Her gaze found Daisy, and stayed there.
Daisy didn't fail to notice this. She turned and met the other girl's eyes, and then her own face lit up as well. She jumped right out of her seat and crossed to the other table without hesitating.
Harry watched her, struggling inside. He knew how badly she needed friends her own age - to interact with people her own age at all! And he could tell just how good it was for her, every time she did, and her face changed like this. But on the other hand, it wasn't too appropriate to abandon the table or just go up and approach others while they were eating.
Harry glanced at Daphne. She raised her eyebrows at him, giving a small shrug.
"If you want to call her back, call her back," Daphne said. "I'm not going to."
Harry gave her an exasperated look. The differences in their parenting methods and beliefs were almost always bumping into each other; Daphne's mother had always given her daughters near free reign in life, a very loosely guided sort of experience. Daphne had told Harry once she thought it was probably because of their illnesses - that their mother hadn't wanted to stop them from experiencing as much of life as possible before they were sure to die an earlier than normal death.
Whereas Harry felt he should be doing his best to give Daisy structure, information, and knowledge of rules and laws (and morals, most importantly). He had a lot more hands on, direct teaching approach to things than Daphne, that was for sure; this probably stemmed from his childhood - if Dumbledore had just told him things, taught him things, if people had just taken a direct hand in his life...he wouldn't have been so lost, or so alone, he felt now. But no one had bothered! Not Remus, not even Sirius, not really - not Dumbledore, for certain.
Daphne called it constant hand-holding, saying Daisy would figure things out herself; Harry called it actual parenting, and that Daisy couldn't know something if nobody told her in the first place.
Harry sighed, and supposed he could let Daisy have this one. He could admonish her later.
"I'm - Desiree," Daisy lied, her face twisting at the name. At the lie.
"I'm Sarah!" the other girl responded, pleased and sincere as could be. Long white-blonde hair strands were spat from her mouth, and she stepped in to hug Daisy.
Daisy narrowed her eyes and pushed the girl backwards. "You have to ask to touch me," she said firmly.
Sarah gazed back at her with confusion. A frown. Then- "Oh. Sorry! Can I give you a hug?"
Daisy considered her quite seriously. She nodded. "I guess if you really want to."
Sarah let out a happy squeal and successfully hugged Daisy this time.
Daisy was still and rigid in her grasp, but her face softened and her lips tugged into a light smile, all the same.
"If you're about finished, Sarah, we can head over to the park now," said the man at the other table who could only be her father. He had stood quickly at the interactions between the girls, and his eyes found Harry's - brimming with apology and embarrassment alike. "And you should know not to put hands on other people if they don't want you to!"
Sarah glanced at Daisy - then she raced to the man's side and seized his hand.
Harry beckoned Daisy back to his table; she obeyed with notable glumness. He met eyes with the man again, inspiration striking him. "I'm Henry - this is my wife, Donna. This is our daughter, Desiree."
The man nodded, smiled a little sheepishly. "Name's Mason. My daughter, Sarah. Terribly sorry for the-"
"Inconvenience?" Harry shook his head. "It wasn't, trust me: Daisy loves meeting new people. Especially kids her age. There's a park around here?"
The man nodded, turning to point. "A good ways over there - we go just about every day, Sarah and I. Coming here is a weekend treat, though," he added, indicating the parlor with a broad sweep.
"After we finish, we might make our way over there," Harry mused, with a look at Daisy. He didn't need to even ask to know she wanted that - the excitement on her face was palpable. And a far better sight than the disappointment of a moment ago.
"Well, we'll be there an hour or two - might let them play together a while," said Mason, hesitant in the offer.
Harry grinned. "I think that'd be great, yeah."
"See you there," Daphne remarked, leaning back in her chair and taking a big bite of her dessert - giving a small little wave of a hand, a mere flash of her palm to Mason. "Desiree is going to love the hell out of it."
Mason looked more than a little taken aback by her. He looked to Harry, then shrugged. "Right, yes, well - best be off. Hope to see you and your- lovely family again."
The man pulled his daughter along with him, exiting the parlor almost hastily.
Daphne blew out some air, something between a raspberry and a series of chortles. She rolled her eyes intensely. "Muggles...they still aren't past that shite...?" she muttered out.
"Apparently not - I'm sorry?" Harry offered, discomforted.
"Not past what?" Daisy spoke up, looking curiously between them as she hopped back up onto her chair.
"Getting freaked out by people with different colored skin," Daphne said bluntly. She gave a little laugh, shaking her head. "It's as ridiculously bullshit as pure blood," she went on, though in a low tone of mindfulness.
"That man didn't like you because you have darker skin than daddy and me?" Daisy scrunched up her face. Shock, outrage. Sympathy. "That does sound as dumb as that blood shit! It doesn't even make sense!"
"That's right," Harry said quickly. "But - not so loud, Desiree. And - inappropriate swearing." He hesitated. Then went on with, "Muggles often have a lot of problems with anyone who's different. If it's skin color, or physical sex, or gender, or who they love and marry. It's all very, very wrong, and based on nothing but fear and hate."
"But none of that matters," Daisy said fiercely. "You should still be nice to everyone and accept them, and- and- you always say to-"
"Of course it doesn't matter about how you treat someone - but muggles think it does," Harry replied, hastening to assure her. "Not so loud, Daisy. We really shouldn't be getting into this here at all."
"It's all stupid and nobody should care," Daisy went on flippantly. She peered at Daphne, then hesitated. "I can find another friend who doesn't have a dumb parent, that way you don't have to put up with getting treated bad for stupid reasons."
Daphne gazed back at her with surprise - touched, genuinely. She flashed a grin and leaned back further in her seat. "Thanks, hon, but I can deal with it for a few measly hours. It's so ridiculous it doesn't even offend me!"
Harry looked into her eyes, and he knew that was a lie. It was a lie every time they went out into the muggle world, and people saw them together like this.
This was just the first time Daisy had actually noticed her mother's treatment.
As much as Harry always wanted to be open and honest with Daisy...
Sometimes even he did still wish he could keep her from knowing some things. Sometimes he could almost agree with Dumbledore's point of view. But he knew in the long run, it wasn't the right one, and so he held fast in his refusal to be that way with his daughter. Even if it hurt like hell sometimes, to see her hurting like hell.
Daisy stared into her mother's face for a long moment, her eyebrows furrowed. Then she nodded. "Ok, mummy. But if that man says anything mean to you, I'll throw him into a tree."
Daphne laughed. "Thanks, honey. I appreciate it."
"Nobody's going to be throwing anyone into trees," Harry said firmly. He paused. "But, your mum is right: it's wonderful of you to want to defend her."
Daisy's face took on a look of pure pride in herself.
After finishing their ice cream, they took Daisy to a large park, an expanse of grass and trees, and plenty of playground for her to...well, play around on.
It was indeed there, where the man had said it would be.
And so was he, himself, and his muggle daughter.
Harry sat in the grass with Daphne beneath a tree (far across from the lone father sitting on a bench), watching his daughter keenly as she wandered onto the playground where the muggle girl Sarah was playing by herself (climbing about and jumping off high ledges with whooping glee).
"Hi again! Can I play with you - please?" Daisy asked.
"That's why we're here, silly!" the other girl responded, delighted. "You don't have to ask!"
Daisy shook her head. "Yes I do. You always ask!"
Sarah giggled. "You're weird!"
Daisy scowled at the girl, but she let it go, and joined her in dangerous swinging and jumping activities. Quick enough, the scowl was forgotten in favor of an ear to ear grin.
Harry watched them with relief as they chased each other about, as they threw dirt and grass at one another and shrieked their laughter - as Sarah demonstrated expert cartwheels to Daisy.
This went on for some time, until their boundless energy seemed to finally run out, and the girls fell flat into the grass, engaging in eager conversation ("Do you like cats or dogs?" "I have three cats!"; "Where do you live at?" "London..."; "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" "No - it's just me and my daddy and mummy. Do you?" "Well no, but I want some!" A smirk on Daisy's face at that last remark that made Harry pray she wouldn't express her knowledge on the subject here).
There were other worries, of course.
Worries Harry hadn't ever had to worry about before.
Daisy suddenly sat up, cross legged in the grass, her hand resting in her lap. "Look what I can do," Daisy said loudly. She stretched her arm out, palm down, fingers splayed. A look of pure focus on her face...
The grass suddenly tore free and swirled up around them, drifting on the winds.
Over on the far bench, Mason had jumped to his feet, his expression one of total shock.
Daphne drew her wand and flicked it in his direction from the hip, then slid it back into her pocket. Her lips curved with satisfaction as the man sat himself back down again, a slightly dazed look on his face.
Harry felt a pang of emotion toward his wife, her actions, but...
While the father may not be a problem now, the girl still was.
Sarah was staring at Daisy, awed and bewildered. Then, ecstatic. "How?!"
"I'm magic," Daisy stated pridefully, relishing and open.
Sarah grabbed Daisy's arms, putting her face in hers. "Do more magic! I want to see more!"
Daisy got a wide grin on her face, and she nodded, her eyes full of concentration again-
"Dai- Desiree - come here!" Harry called firmly, leaping to his feet.
Daisy whipped around, her expression stony. But her dark eyes glowered with anger already as she jumped to her feet too. "I have to talk to my daddy - stay here," she told Sarah harshly; the girl obeyed, looking no longer happy and awed, but now confused and upset. Daisy stalked across the grass toward Harry, leaving Sarah behind, right where she was, in that patch of dirt barren of most blades of grass.
Harry took several breaths, anticipating already that this might not go too well; his wife could shift and change and go with the flow, the wind and the currents in damn near any scenario or situation - but Daisy was as stubborn as Harry, and sometimes she was even right.
Right as his daughter reached him, Harry reached into his pocket to touch his wand, casting a surreptitious charm around the immediate area to mask sound.
"Daisy," he started, as calm and measured as he could. "You know you can't use magic out in the open."
Daisy's lip curled. Her chin lifted. "I know - I don't care."
Here we go...
"Daisy-"
"Why do I have to?" Daisy interrupted fiercely. "Lying is wrong, and I don't like hiding myself from people who can be my friends! I don't even have friends - I want friends! I can't have friends if nobody knows who I really am! You always say people have to be proud of who they are - if they like girls or boys, or both or neither, or- or if they were born a girl or a boy but feel like their soul is the opposite, or- why isn't it the same for being a mage? Why do we have to hide it like we're not proud of it? You said people should accept us for who we are, but I guess that doesn't matter for mages! Just skin color and blood!"
Daisy stood there shaking, her face contorted, her hair hanging over her eyes. Her fists balled at her sides.
Harry stood silently.
"You even said it was wrong this morning!" Daisy shouted out. "You said you didn't like it either, you said it's stupid, you said it! So why are you making me?!"
"Are you done yet, Daisy?" Harry said calmly.
Daisy seriously considered the question, in a way that almost made Harry laugh. "...yes?"
"Good. Because you forgot the other part of what I said, Daisy," Harry went on. "I said that I didn't like it, and I meant it. But I also said that we don't have a choice right now. If the Death Eaters see anyone using magic out in the open, they'll try to catch us. If the whole magical world sees anyone trying to break the Statute of Secrecy, they'll throw us into prison for it too. And if the Death Eaters ever find out that a muggle knows about magic, if they know you were the one showing off to them...they'll go after the muggles too. They'll take Sarah, Daisy, because of you - to get at you - and they'll hurt her too. When you show her magic, you bring her into all of this, and you put her life in danger. Her whole family. And whether we like it or not...if we're good people, if we care, we can't do that to other people. We can't put them in danger like that. Do you understand?"
"So what are you going to do to her now?" Daisy said furiously. "Act just like a Death Eater and take away her memory of magic? Just because you can? Because you're more powerful than her? Because she can't do anything to fight it? What about autonomy, what about consent, what about privacy? Because of the stupid Statute, because you know better? I thought muggles weren't dumb animals, daddy. I guess you really think like that too, don't you? Everybody fucking does! The Death Eaters, the Order - the magical world! Even you, even auntie Hermione, even Ron and Astoria and mummy! It's not right, you're not right, and I'll fucking stop you if you try to do that to Sarah! I don't care you can't excuse it! You just want to make yourself feel better by saying you're different from the Death Eaters! You're not! If you try to violate her I'll hurt you!"
Harry was so, immensely glad he had cast those concealment spells.
"Daisy...first of all," he began, his breath quavering despite his best efforts to remain in control. "That is- a lot of inappropriate swearing there," he laughed a little, also despite his best efforts. "But, secondly...you're right. Okay?" He glanced at Daphne, who purposefully looked away. "You're right; it's wrong, there aren't excuses for it, it's- the magical world isn't different from the Death Eaters about that. They- we- even people we like...they act the same way. They see muggles the same way. And it's wrong, no matter who it is. No matter who treats them that way. To think that everything is for their own good, to think that they get no say in anything. To- violate people that way, without their consent. It's- disgusting, and awful..."
Daisy's expression wavered.
"And thirdly: I'm so, so proud of you. To stand up for Sarah like this, to voice your opinion like this. You're right, and you're good, and you're wonderful for it. You're strong, and true, and amazing, Daisy. Even to stand against me - somebody you love - because you see it's wrong. That's good, Daisy. Never lose that, never stop that. Because I can be wrong, I can be bad, sometimes - so can your mum, and anybody else you love. And you need to say something when it happens. You need to call it out. Never be afraid to."
"But..." Harry went on slowly, gently. "If you want Sarah to be safe-"
"I won't let you do it!"
"I'm not going to, Daisy," Harry said quickly. "I swear. Look, I was going to say...that you need to tell her to keep it a secret. To keep her safe, to keep us safe. You won't have to lie to her, and she won't have her mind violated in any way. But to protect her from Death Eaters, the two of you need to keep it...between the two of you. Like Christina keeps it between herself and Remus. She understands the danger, Daisy. You need to, as well. That's what this is about: about keeping people safe. They can know, they just...have to be safe about it. Okay?"
"Ok." Daisy nodded at last.
Relief flooded Harry. He hadn't expected to get through to her at all on this one - not for several days or weeks of her stonewalling him, at least.
"Go on then. Go tell her. She has to promise."
Daisy's frown persisted, but she turned around and strode back for Sarah all the same.
Harry dispelled the enchantments, standing in wait as he watched his daughter.
Daisy immediately grabbed the girl's arms, leaning in close to speak into her ear. They exchanged looks, nods - glances toward Harry and Daphne - and it seemed an understanding was had between the two children.
An understanding solidified in the form of a very long, complicated "pinky swear" that Sarah guided Daisy through with utmost seriousness.
And that Daisy seemed to take to with the very same level of seriousness - albeit also, reluctance.
Harry was just glad she had actually listened this time.
Though, he was sure he was in for plenty of glaring and pouting later.