Dear Ms Greengrass,
As you are no doubt aware, the Wizarding Britain will be hosting the 422nd World Cup final in Quidditch this summer. The occasion will see some of the most prominent members of the international wizarding community visiting our country, many of whom may need assistance throughout the event. Normally, this would be the task for Department of International Magical Cooperation, however, their attention is currently split between the World Cup and another event that will take place later in the year. Initially, your father, Ivan Greengrass was approached, but his work at the Department of Mysteries will not allow him to add more responsibilities. Instead, he suggested that you share his language skills and would be more than capable to assist our department through an appropriate internship.
The position will cover the period between 2nd of July until the end of the final. You will spend your first week shadowing myself, after which, you will take over the responsibilities of our language consultant, Bertha Jorkins,while she's on holiday leave. Please bear in mind that your role is largely supplemental and you may find yourself assisting other departments throughout the internship. On the day of the final, you will be providing assistance for the international fans on camp sites around the stadium. As a compensation, you will be paid an entry level ministry wage for the duration of the internship. Additionally, I will also be able to provide you with a pair of tickets for the event itself.
I appreciate the need for consideration before you decide on anything, but the time-sensitive nature of this offer demands that I ask for prompt response. As I'm sure you understand, in case of your refusal, I will need to look for alternative arrangements.
Yours sincerely,
Ludovic Bagman
Department of Magical Games and Sports
Daphne sighed and tried to put the letter away before returning to breakfast. She hoped that others would ignore it, almost all of them received family mail on the weekend. Unfortunately, the official ministry envelope hasn't gone unnoticed, and Nott was looking at her questioningly.
"The ministry wants me to intern for them during the summer." she said with a shrug. Her parents already informed her that an offer would be coming her way earlier in the week. Even with the official letter in hand, the opportunity felt more like a distraction. "I would be helping the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Apparently the ministry has staff shortages."
"Sounds like a good opportunity." Theo said appreciatively, while Blaise nodded.
"...and maybe they'll pay you enough so that you won't have to wear second-hand robes?" Pansy asked with a sneer. Daphne decided to ignore the jab.
Their relationship has been steadily deteriorating throughout the year. Parkinson was never the nicest person to deal with, but, as long as you were in Slytherin, she kept disparaging comments to herself. Unfortunately, her lack of dating success has made her more bitter than usual. As the only Slytherin girl not to be invited to Hogsmeade, she was now actively looking for a chance to put others down. For someone who was raised to believe that she was God's gift to the world, having to watch Millicent be asked to date before herself must have been a brutal way to be brought down to earth, Daphne thought wryly.
"I don't know if I'll have the time. I bet Pomfrey will find me something to do." Daphne grimaced. For matron's insistence that third years were NOT suitable help in the Hospital Wing, she was never short of tedious tasks that cut into her research.
"The two of you still don't get along? How did you suffer through it a whole year?" Tracy asked.
"I thought that I just had to prove myself. She still won't teach me anything though." Her work in the Hospital Wing has been a source of endless frustration throughout the year. If it wasn't at the Headmaster's request, she would have quit within the first month. Working in the infirmary has made her privy to a lot of information, including Professor Lupin's condition. Keeping it secret, and helping Lupin recover in the infirmary after every full moon has actually earned her trust of the faculty. Yet Pomfrey still treated her as a nuisance. The feeling was mutual.
"She still insists that she has nothing to teach anyone below NEWT level and is only putting up with me because of the Headmaster. Not that it matters, I stuck it out, just as I promised, and Dumbledore will have to deliver on his end."
Draco scoffed, for the first time even acknowledging that he was listening. Daphne glared at him, but he didn't elaborate, for which she was grateful. The last thing she needed was another rant about the Headmaster.
Noticing that the seat usually occupied by their Head of House was empty, Daphne decided that Snape probably already finished and she would be able to visit his office. She wasn't expected until noon, but hopefully, arriving early would allow her to discuss her theories.
"You're leaving already? It's the last Saturday, what possibly do you have to do?" Tracy asked incredulously.
"Appointment with Snape... he's been testing my Blood Replenishers for Astoria. Then I have to be in the infirmary. I wasn't late once this year and I won't give her the satisfaction on my last shift." Daphne said running off to the dungeons.
"The Replenishers you've made are potent enough for most medical purposes." Snape surmised, keeping his attention on the crate of vials on the desk between them. "Whether it will help to reduce the effects of your sister's blood curse.. I cannot tell. How did you come up with the idea? And why did you have to use your own blood to make them?"
Snape's office was filled with all manner of potions and exotic ingredients, most of which she couldn't recognise. It made her wonder if he actually used any of them or merely kept them as glorified trophies. Had it been a different teacher, she would have asked their purpose. Unfortunately, Head of Slytherin House wasn't the type for such conversations.
"Professor Burbage mentioned that muggles use blood transfusion in some medical procedures. I figured that by replacing her blood with mine, I would be reducing the amount of curse in her blood stream. It's not a cure, obviously, but it may improve her condition enough to attend Hogwarts." She forced herself to make an eye contact with the professor.
"Hinging the success of this treatment on a half-baked theory you came up with in Muggle Studies does not seem to be very encouraging" he sneered, but it was clear that he was intrigued.
"I've been giving Professor Lupin Replenishers after the last two full moons and he says that the treatment improved his recovery. My theory is that introducing blood to his system that is not damaged by lycanthropy speeds up the healing process. I'm hoping to achieve similar effect with Astoria by replacing her blood stream with healthy fluids. I... couldn't exactly ask other students to give me their blood, so I just used my own." she finished uncomfortably. Now that she reflected on it, there were better ways to go about it.
Snape didn't reply immediately, but she knew better than to prompt him with questions. Having assisted him with the Wolfsbane potion, she learned that he was less irritable when allowed to think during the conversation. It was one of few traits they had in common and stopped him from dismissing her out of hand whenever they had these conversations.
"Depending on her weight, two vials should be sufficient to replace most of her blood stream, but I'm sure that your mother will be able to make that judgement more accurately than I." This was about as much of approval as she could have expected from him, and the relief she felt must have shown on her face because he continued: "Do not get your hopes up. I'll be deeply surprised if you can simply replace a magical curse by switching blood. Is there anything else you want us to discuss?" His tone made it clear that he wished there wasn't anything else.
"I will be spending the rest of the day working in the infirmary. I won't be able to deliver Professor Lupin his potion personally." She saw him grimace even before she finished her sentence.
"Very well, I'll give him the potion after dinner."
If she had hoped that the end of school was a sufficient reason for Pomfrey to let her go early, she was mistaken. Apparently, not expecting any students to visit the Hospital Wing made the last weekend a perfect time to go over the medical supplies left in the storage. Thinking of the sardonic smile, with which the nurse said that she could take her time, since she also had Sunday to do it, still made Daphne ball up her fists.
Resigning herself to finish it within a day, she decided to skip dinner and work on the inventory. Piles of parchment stacked next to her were filled with numbers of Skele-Gro bottles used throughout the year, along with other remedies students would request throughout the year. A separate document for contraceptive solutions was a vivid reminder that people actually lived in the castle, not merely attended the classes. She wished the storage had a window that she could open, the last few hours in the tight space made the room even more stuffy than usual. The monotonous work would make her mind drift off at times, and she would catch herself watching a spider on the opposite wall.
She was shaken from her trance by a commotion in the patient section of the Hospital Wing. It was only then that she realised how late it was. Pomfrey must have assumed she already finished for the day, because there was no way she would have allowed her to stay and listen to what was happening outside. Daphne stood up from her desk and stalked towards the thin sliding door separating the storage room from the rest of the infirmary.
She needn't have bothered. By now, the yelling was so loud that she could easily identify Snape, Potter and Granger. Once she was at the door she could also hear Fudge and Dumbledore. Considering Potter's tendency to get in trouble at the end of every year, she shouldn't have been surprised. Then again, hearing Granger's claim that Sirius Black was innocent was something that even she wasn't ready for. Perhaps the seriousness of these claims stopped Pomfrey from kicking them out of the infirmary. She had a hard time imagining the matron allowing anyone, even Snape, to yell in the Hospital Wing. Not that it was her primary concern at the moment; the last thing she needed was anyone on the other side of the door learning that she was eavesdropping. She would have to wait for everyone to leave before sneaking back to the dungeons.
Eventually, things began to calm down and she had to move closer to hear what was being said.
"We need more time.." she heard Dumbledore say and cause Granger to gasp. "Sirius Black is closed in Flitwick's office. If all goes well, you'll be able to save more than one live tonight. No one can see you. Miss Granger knows the law..."
The rest of it was too quiet for her to discern. Then...
"I will lock the door behind you..."
Daphne felt like throttling someone. This was going to be a long night.
By the time Daphne was able to get back into her dormitory, it was already bright outside. It felt like she barely laid down before she was being woken up by one of the prefects calling a meeting in the common room.
Snape's announcement did not come as a surprise considering the events from last night, but it didn't stop her from glaring at her Head of House. She knew him well enough to recognise the hidden, vindictive glee, with which he revealed Lupin's condition and described how their DADA professor endangered students during last night's full moon.
On the way to Headmaster's Office, she idly wondered if Dumbledore made the right choice by hiding Lupin's lycanthropy from parents. It was hardly the most controversial hiring decision he made as a Headmaster, and everyone had to admit that Lupin was the most competent teacher they've had in the last three years. She made a mental note to give him the leftover Wolfsbane potions after her meeting.
"Enter" a calm voice invited her.
There was some surprise in Dumbledore's look, despite having made the appointment well in advance. She supposed that, given last night's events, it was understandable. A pile of parchment and official-looking letters on the desk indicated that he's had a busy morning.
"Ah, Miss Greengrass! Forgive me, I completely forgot of our appointment. As you can see, end of the year is quite busy for.."
"I already know Headmaster" she interrupted. "Professor Snape didn't leave much of last night's events to the imagination. Made an announcement in our common room, in fact." She took a sit at his indication.
"I guess it was too much to expect Severus to handle it differently" On that, they agreed completely.
"Headmaster, I know you are busy, so lets just jump into it. Last year, you've made my study of ritual magic conditional on assisting Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing. I understand that having the medical knowledge is necessary in this area, if only to deal with negative consequences when something goes wrong. I've stuck it out for a whole year and I was hoping that my commitment has your trust to reconsider my request." She figured that direct, formal approach would be best. They may not have signed a contract, but the spirit of their agreement was clear. Though, judging by the Headmaster's expression, he thought differently.
"Daphne, I remember telling you this last time. It's not a question of trust; I have utmost faith in your intentions. There are few people who would sympathise with your desire to cure your sister more than I do." Dumbledore sighed like it was an argument they had all the time. In fact, they only spoke of it twice. At the end of second year, when she expressed the wish to study ritual magic as an elective, and at the beginning of this year, when they agreed that she would assist Pomfrey to prove herself.
"You are too young. There's a reason the subject hasn't been taught in any of the schools for centuries now. It's based on sacrifice and young people are too quick to throw away their gifts in irreversible rituals that are almost never worth it. You will have time to explore this area of magic once you're older."
Now she was the one feeling like they've been over this already.
"I'm well aware of what is at stake! Have I not proven myself mature enough by helping Professor Lupin and keeping his secret? You didn't even share that knowledge with the prefects, yet I was helping him after every full moon!" Daphne was getting frustrated. Dumbledore always knew how to make these conversations sound like he was the reasonable one. She was tired, flustered, and angry at herself. She came here knowing that the Headmaster would try to dissuade her, why couldn't she keep her head cool?
"I had hoped that spending a year working in the Hospital Wing would allow you to realise what happens when students experiment with magic that is beyond their years. There will be plenty of time to explore obscure magic once you have more knowledge."
"So the whole idea of having me to work in the infirmary was simply to gross me out from further research? You are aware that my mother worked as a senior mediwitch at St Mungo's? I'm quite familiar with how nasty mistakes with magic can get. I can also learn more from her in this area, than doing inventory for Madam Pomfrey!" This was going nowhere, she wasted a whole year.
"I'm well aware that your work relationship with Poppy is not ideal. You have to understand that she cares deeply for her patients and can get protective of them."
"Is this your final word then, you won't teach me?"
The pregnant silence between them left little to discuss. Dumbledore's face was still expressing polite curiosity, as if he was amenable to further discussion, but she knew she wouldn't change his mind.
"Unless there's anything else, I need to visit students recovering in the infirmary from last night."
"I guess we're done here." Daphne was already standing up.
She still needed to pack herself. But before that, she would send her letter to Bagman.
AN: I'm not likely to make notes on every chapter, certainly not as short as these ones. Nonetheless, I figured that I should explain a few things to prevent any confusion going forward.
English is not my first language, and while I consider myself completely fluent, there may be occasional mistakes throughout the story. Doubly so considering that this is my first fanfic and any other writing I've made in the past would be strictly academic. That is not to excuse any problems with the writing in this, or future chapters. On the contrary, I welcome constructive feedback that I could use to improve my delivery of this story. In particular, any advice on how to make my writing less sterile would be appreciated.
The narration was initially going to be limited to Harry's perspective, but I quickly realised that doing so would be a mistake. Daphne travels in completely different circles than Harry, so unless I was going to use ridiculous amounts of exposition, telling her story from his perspective was never going to work. Once I've decided to include her in narration, it seemed reasonable to start a chapter with her to establish her importance in the story. The additional benefit of having canon events be seen through the lens of a different character is that I don't bore you to tears- Harry is going to be at least similar in personality to what you've read in books, so rehashing the original story from his perspective seems pointless. I'll try to switch the narration between the two for each chapter, so next one is Harry. Now that I've said how I plan to structure the story, let me tell you what I'm keeping to myself.
I won't be giving away pairings in advance. One of the main goals I've had in mind when deciding to write this story, is to see if I can write believable relationships between the characters, and that won't happen if the audience knows in advance who characters end up with. While I'm not telling you who gets it on with who, my approach can telegraph what you SHOULDN'T expect: this is not a story where everyone ends up in a relationship. Like in canon, the events that happen around the characters in this story are more important than who gets to be your favourite character's partner. The main driving force behind the events in this story is not romance, so I would hope that even if the eventual pairings are not to your liking, you will still stick with the story.
