Daisy's first morning was one she woke to with absolute trepidation.
She got out of her four-poster bed, got dressed, went to the loo to brush the hell out of her hair, and then she walked out into the common room of Gryffindor Tower. A tower that was permeated by what she considered to be a strange silence for a place full of kids (her previous experiences with loads of kids was that it was noisy and chaotic as sin).
A blink of her bleary eyes and a real look around the common room and she was able to figure out just why it was so dead silent: Lord Voldemort was sitting on a lavish velvet sofa in front of the fireplace (Nagini was draped across the back of the sofa).
There was no one in the common room but him...and her.
Fuck... Daisy clenched her jaw and turned her hands into fists at her sides, bowing her head and bracing for the oncoming thrashing - the pain that was likely to put her out for the next week or two.
He turned his head to look at her, his eyes glinting in the firelight. And he smiled. He rose to his feet, slowly gliding around the sofa to approach her. "Delphi..."
"Father," she said, proud of herself for not stuttering. "I'm...sorry this happened, I don't know how it happened, I- the hat must have just-"
Voldemort raised a hand; she fell silent immediately, flinching to herself. That hand found her shoulder, grasping. Squeezing. "You expect me to be disappointed in you - or, dare I say, upset with your designated House." he said quietly.
"Well...yes." Daisy held herself back from flat out saying duh. That would have added another week to her injuries to come.
"Why should I be?" Voldemort began, in casual tones. "You should know that Lord Voldemort values bravery very highly - even in his enemies. All the Houses promote traits he values: cunning and ambition, intellect and studiousness, loyalty and perceptiveness of others - and...bravery and strength. The House of the brave and strong is as good as any other, is it not? The brave and the strong are the ones who are capable of leading the charge against our enemies. The ones capable of leading our forces at all. The meek or timid could not command Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters, nor Dementors, nor werewolves or giants. No, I am not disappointed, Delphini: this is merely more proof to the contrary! I have reason to be proud of you. Lord Voldemort shall not have a weak child, if he must have one at all...and you continue to meet my expectations."
"Oh...thank you, father." Daisy risked looking up.
"I will not pretend we have not had our setbacks - our minor issues - here and there, but on the whole I am pleased with your progress. Your...growth. You are becoming a powerful, strong young witch. And I will see you continue to become so - until you are the strongest witch of them all. As I am the strongest wizard."
"Yes, father."
"My path to power and invincible strength..." Voldemort went on leisurely, grasping her arm and guiding her to the sofa. Sitting down, and pulling her down right with him. Right next to him. Even still, there, he did not let her go. He kept hold on her arm, kept stroking at her, up and down. "was a hard earned one. It was a path of struggle, obstacles, enemies abound, and most importantly, learning."
Where is he going with this...? "Learning?" she said blankly.
"Oh yes. Decades of intensive learning, studying, research and experimentation. Pushing magic's bounds beyond all others, indulging curiosity for its own sake! And in the process, achieving the impossible, again and again! Inventing my own spells, rituals, and potions! Studying those who came before, and improving and surpassing them all. Finding artifacts and unraveling the mysteries of the world. Taking all the greatest discoveries and powers for myself."
Daisy gave a very attentive nod, trying to smile.
Voldemort gave her a very awkward clap on the arm, his smile back again in response to hers - and widening. "And it all began here, Delphini. Right here, in the only place I've ever considered calling a home. This place of such historical importance and value, the place of our ancestors, all the way back to Salazar Slytherin himself! This magnificent castle, with all its secrets and potential to learn from. To grab hold of and take for yourself!" His voice rose with real passion and fondness. "This...is where I decided to - and did begin to - become who I am today. The groundwork for nearly everything I would ever go on to do or be...was laid here. I could not have done it without all that I found here at Hogwarts, in the bookshelves and in the many halls - and even in some of the teachers."
"Okay..."
"Now that you are here, I expect you to put your all into your own education - as well as your free-time pursuits as well," Voldemort told her. "Learn as much as you can, discover what you will, and push magic whenever it strikes you to. Experiment, indulge. Surpass all others. And then, after you've graduated, you will use all of it to aid you in the very real work you will do in maintaining the stability of our society, in hunting down and dealing with those who seek to upend our world."
"I will...try my best," she said quietly.
"Of course you will. I don't doubt that." Voldemort paused. Then he added, with a note of humor, "Ah, and do not be afraid to make use of your fellow classmates as well in the course of your experiments and endeavors. They proved quite useful to me in mine, in one way or another. In fact, my very first, core group of- friends were found here! Even my more personal, pleasurable experiments and curiosities were indulged in with the aid of a fair few of my classmates; don't be shy in using them for yours either. Everyone here is here for you - for us."
Daisy felt nothing but sick in her stomach. But she nodded again. "Yes, father. I'll- keep that in mind. I just...I just got here. I'm not sure about...all of that," she went on swiftly.
"Of course, of course. It took me a year or two before I truly settled into things, myself," Voldemort said, considering. "Figured out what I wanted, and who I wanted to be. I do not expect you to throw yourself into things from the very start. But keep in mind that while you are here, the whole of the school - and its student body - are open to you. If there are any issues, you bring them to me and I shall sort them out. Or, you may attempt to sort them out yourself first; I killed my first girl when I was sixteen, and I expect you to be capable of doing similarly, yourself, should you feel the need to. Of course, unless you can truly help it, I'd prefer you to only kill mudbloods, but the soul wants what the soul wants..."
"Y-yes. Thank you, father." Daisy didn't think, she just threw herself forward and hugged the man. "I'll...use my best judgement?"
He gave a small hiss, his body seizing, his fingers digging into her arm - but then he relaxed, and he returned the embrace. "Certainly, you will. I realize your best judgement has not been, well, the best over the years, but lately I think you've finally begun to get a grasp on things! You've had what we could call a...a late start, compared to myself, and I only want for you to have the best possible experience at this school as you can."
"I- appreciate that."
"Well..." Father released her and drew back, staring at her quite strangely. He did that often - especially when physical contact was initiated (on either end). In these brief instances of time, he would look almost like...like a normal human being. But then, of course, it was gone, as it always was. He stood from the sofa, turned his head briefly, and when he glanced at her again he was the eerily calm, supremely superior murder monster. The ruler of the world, and such. "There is one last thing I want to do for you - come with me."
Voldemort waited on Nagini to slither to his side, and then he took his leave of the common room.
Daisy hesitated, then followed quickly.
At least father was in a good enough mood today - a real generous one. She didn't think he was about to turn around and hit her with a curse again. And that was always a blessing to take in stride.
They went down the stairs, out of the tower, and into many hallways. Places she swore she had seen before already - in other areas of the castle, not here - and places she had not seen here last night.
But her father moved through it all with purpose and ease, knowing exactly where to go. Wherever he was going. As if he had been here every day of his life.
Daisy felt a flash of admiration - she was just...just a little impressed.
He led her down several floors, until they finally arrived at a particular door of iron. He pushed it open and stepped through - Daisy didn't hesitate to follow.
She did stare once she had entered the room, however.
"Father...this is a loo."
Voldemort gave a nod. "It is."
"A girls' loo."
"I'm relieved to know I haven't raised an unobservant child," Voldemort said, sounding amused. He strode for the middle of the lavatory, for the circular ring of sinks arranged there.
"Why are we here?" Daisy asked, shuffling forward.
"Partially pure nostalgia, honestly," Voldemort responded, caressing a particular sink with pure fondness. "But, mainly, I have a great secret I intend to let you in on."
"Is it that you...have the soul of a woman's or something?"
Voldemort whipped his head around to look at her.
Daisy took a step back, instinctive. Oh god, here it comes - shit, why did I make that joke? Why did I dare him? He was in such a good mood-
Her father began to laugh. High and mirthful.
"Oh, the things that come out of your mouth sometimes!" he exclaimed. "Truly, Delphi, you almost make me wish I had had a child decades sooner! I never would have dreamed it could be full of such- pleasures and richness! The novelty alone is well worth it! Oh, I cannot believe I always dismissed the experience so out of hand!"
Wow. He is...in an incredibly good mood today. And I thought he was going to be more pissed off than I've seen him in years!
"So, then, father...what is it you have to show me here?" she asked, after forcing a laugh and a smile of her own.
Her father returned his gaze to the sink, tapping a long finger to its side. "Why not come and find out? Step forward - come now - and speak Parseltongue. Say the word: open."
Daisy obliged, moving to her father's side, gazing at the sink herself. She focused, pressing her lips together. "Open?"
"With confidence, Delphi," he chided her.
Daisy nodded. "Open!"
The tap glowed with a white light, beginning to spin. The sink began to shudder, and then it dropped straight down into nothingness, out of sight: revealing a huge pipe, large enough for a grown man to go through.
It was also incredibly steep, descending into darkness.
"What is this?" Daisy said, casting a wordless Lumos to light up her wand tip, pointing into the pipe.
Voldemort gave her a small frown, shaking his head. He gave an exaggerated sigh. "Delphi, a curious and questioning mind is all well and good, but there are some things you need to just dive into and learn for yourself. Discover, witness, find!"
"I just like knowing what I'm getting into first, father - sorry."
"And I praise you your caution and deliberate nature," he said mildly. "But sometimes the greatest rewards come from risks. Sometimes you must throw all caution to the winds and simply...do." On the word do, he gave her backside a hard smack, sending her plunging face-first into the pipe!
Daisy was terrified, screaming and thrashing, trying desperately to right herself! But she just couldn't manage it! She fell and fell, slammed around a sharp curve in the pipe at one point, and then another, and another - down and down, passing other smaller pipes leading in all different directions!
It must have gone on for miles, for minutes and minutes - until the pipe finally leveled out, and she was sent skidding across hard rock floor.
Daisy lay there on her stomach, her arms stinging, her wand gripped tight in hand. Heaving every breath. She spat and spat, getting her hair out of her mouth and her eyes. She took a moment to curse her father out every way she knew how before getting to her feet.
She pushed her hair back, brushed at it furiously with her hands.
Then she took a proper look around at last. She was in a cave. A tunnel. Deep, dark, and damp.
There were animal bones all around her (they looked like rats or mice).
There was a dead end to her left, and a long, endless darkness to her right.
She had no idea where she was now - she only knew she had to be miles under the school. Even the lowest dungeons.
A minute passed as she dithered in the dark tunnel, wondering whether she was meant to go on ahead or wait for her father.
Was this a test, a trial? Or was it a really, really weird idea of a father-daughter bonding experience that Voldemort had gotten into his head? The closest thing he could get to the proper idea?
Daisy didn't know which theory she preferred. She supposed that, either way, as long as she wasn't being tortured or anything, it was all right...
Though, she knew how fast that could change. How fast her father could change on her.
She could never really let her guard down around him. She couldn't afford to ever really relax with him.
And speak of the devil...
Her father came flying out of the tunnel - hovering, surrounded in black smoke. He touched down gently before her, gazing down on her curiously. "Delphi..." he began, as Nagini dropped to the ground at his feet and began to encircle him.
"Yes?"
"Why did you not fly? You do remember that I taught you how, don't you?"
Because you pushed me and made me want to piss my knickers you psychotic fucking-
"I...wanted to have the full experience?" Daisy mumbled, bowing her head.
Voldemort gave a half chuckle, and reached out to touch the top of her head. He gave it a pat (like she was a dog or something, honestly!). "Simply adorable." He let his hand fall - mercifully - and turned to stride off down the tunnel. "Come, Delphi," he added.
Daisy was quick to follow (and careful not to step on Nagini). "So," she said calmly. "There aren't- monsters down here, are there?"
Voldemort gave his own lit wand a flourish; several large orbs of silver light flew ahead down the tunnel, spaced out in a line. As the pair walked, the lights slid along the ceiling to provide a continuous, consistent look ahead. "If there were, I would kill them all for you," he said absently, with a glance back at her, a look on his face that she imagined he thought was reassuring.
"Thank you," Daisy replied. He clearly did not want her asking too many questions on this little field trip down to the underworld, so that would be her last one, she decided, thinking herself rather wise for it. She was meant to observe - figure things out herself. He had told her that. She was smart enough to listen.
They rounded a corner at some point - and then another, and another. It kept going, turning, until finally they came to another stop. A wall of smooth stone, with snake carvings on them. Their eyes glistened as if they were alive.
Daisy didn't waste time, this time. "Open," she said firmly.
The stone began to rumble, and the wall was split in two. Both halves melted away, parting to reveal...a grand chamber beyond imagination.
It was massive, with a ceiling so high it was just - pure darkness. Cavernous! There were giant serpent-entwined pillars lining the stone floor, leading up to a massive statue on the far side of the chamber. It appeared to be of a wizard, and it was as tall as the chamber's ceiling itself. The wizard wore robes, and had a long, thin beard that touched his feet.
Voldemort gave a sigh beside Daisy, his face flush with- the damn nearest thing to happiness she had ever seen on it. He waved his wand, sending the multitude of magical orbs up to the high, dark ceiling. There, they grew and grew, burning brighter than ever, like miniature suns to light up the entire chamber as if they were above ground.
"Tell me, child: where are we?" he spoke softly. "Go on. Make a guess."
"Well..." Daisy took another look around. She eyed the main, massive statue at the far end of the chamber. Snakes...old wizard...hidden chamber...it was nagging at her, she knew this, she knew...and then her eyes fell on the massive, decaying body of a serpent off to one side, in front of the wizard statue. And it clicked. It really should have clicked far sooner, after those adventurous stories her daddy used to tell her when she was little (about his life, and his own dad's life). "This is the Chamber of Secrets?!"
"Indeed it is." Voldemort began a fast walk across the lengthy chamber - Daisy struggled to keep up this time, honestly. Her father led the way down between the columns, to the giant statue of the wizard who could only be Salazar Slytherin himself. They neared its base, stopping there. Her father almost seemed to be- paying respects or something. His head was bowed, for a few moments. Then he turned his eyes on the giant rotting serpent. Again, he moved swiftly, right for its face.
"And this..." Daisy went on, as they neared the creature's massive jaws. "this is a basilisk?"
Voldemort stepped right up to the creature, laying a hand on its head. Right behind two tattered remnants of eye sockets. He drew a long, terrible breath. "Yes. The personal companion of Salazar himself. An ancient, powerful, wonderous dark creature...of which Harry Potter is responsible for killing."
Daisy shifted on her feet, but she didn't dare take a step away from her father. She could feel the rage radiating off of him, and she did not want to provoke it - provoke him into aiming it at her. "That's...terrible. It's- gorgeous," she said, not lying in the least. The remaining scales she could see, sleek but powerful...
"Yes..." Voldemort hissed. "It was."
"Could we...find another one to- bring down here?" Daisy said hesitantly. Just to keep her father distracted more than anything.
He looked at her, his eyes sharp, his mouth twisted - his whole face just...vibrating terribly. Then, it relaxed a hair. "Perhaps we could, yes. This school's infection of mudbloods would do well to have a living deterrent beneath their feet again. If any are to step too far out of line, I could have them brought down here to be made into meals for the basilisk - a warning to all the others to toe the line much better, as well..."
"That- is a great idea, father," Daisy said forcefully. "Where would we- find a new basilisk?"
"Basilisks are not found: they are created. Fortunately, I know precisely how. Yes, I could very well arrange for one's birth soon enough...though it would take quite some time for it to reach maturity. Unless...perhaps growth potions, size enhancing spells of my own design..." Voldemort murmured, more to himself than to her.
The only thing Daisy cared about was that his rage was lessening exponentially by the second; her plan was working.
Silence reigned in the vast chamber.
Voldemort let his hand fall from the basilisk, shaking his head. He aimed his wand at the corpse with a vicious thrust; the giant snake began to glow from within, a scarlet light. It began to tremble, then rise from the floor. It suddenly started twisting around on itself, folding and curling and shrinking...and then it vanished entirely with a great pop. Voldemort lowered his wand, letting a breath go. He turned to her at last. He seemed normal again - for him, that was.
"So, this is a- historic- amazing place," Daisy began cautiously. "But what should I...do with it? Am I supposed to - use it?"
"Oh, yes," Voldemort said absently. "Use it however you like - bring friends and enemies here as you please. Do what you please with them. Leave their skeletons behind if you wish it - only, be sure to clean up afterward. I won't have you disrespecting the great Salazar that way...or myself."
"Right...so I could...turn this place into a - classroom study chamber?"
Voldemort gazed at her as if she had made an offensive joke. "Delphi," he began, disapproving. "such a place as this deserves far more than to be treated as a place to study your coursework in."
"Well - what did you do with it?" Daisy asked, flippant. Knowing she would not like the answer, in all probability.
"Oh, I brought friends and enemies down here," Voldemort started, relish in his voice. "Experimented with numerous rituals - practiced my greatest curses - as well as ascended into my immortality. Yes...it was here that I made myself invincible. Here that I ensured that I...will live forever. Ensured that I will be the greatest dark wizard of all time - for all time." His eyes were glazed over. He blinked, and he looked at her. Pondering, now. "Delphini...as my daughter, you are perhaps the only other person in this world that I would ever allow to know my greatest secret - the secret of my immortality. Wouldn't you like to be immortal as well?"
Daisy shifted again. Conflicting emotions rose in her. "Well, I definitely don't want to ever die," she said quietly. "I mean, who does, right?"
"Indeed. Accepting death is merely a lie we tell ourselves for comfort, when the end comes," Voldemort said softly. "But those of us capable of overcoming it...why shouldn't we? The purpose of life is to live, and if we can live forever...why not? Even the muggles understand this; they create countless cures for diseases in their hospitals, they understand the body in ways we do not, seeking ever to lengthen lives in all the ways they can with their technological ways. To ever want to die is irrational, illogical, it is an imbalance in the brain and a problem of the soul. A disgusting, terrible problem. Death is a terrible problem - one that I have overcome. I will live, I will learn, I will grow more powerful, and I will see and do all that there is in this world. However, I think now, that..."
"What?"
"I think...that I would not wish to live forever without my daughter at my side."
Daisy blinked. "Um...t-thank you, father...that's-" Actually fucking touching? What the hell?!
"I do not wish you to die, and you do not wish to die, either, yourself." Voldemort strode forward, coming to place a hand on her shoulder. He gazed into her eyes, reaching for her chin to tilt her head back. "What I want...is to see you become the greatest witch in the world, right alongside me, as greatest wizard. Father and daughter. Rulers of this world, in time. Masters of all things."
"Isn't...mother the greatest witch in the world?" Daisy said tentatively.
"No," Voldemort said, an amused note entering his voice. "She is extremely talented, powerful, and of course, beautiful - but even if she were to live two hundred years, she would never be as talented or powerful or as beautiful as you can be. For you are my daughter. I would reckon that in another decade or two, you would easily be up to par with her - and perhaps even greater. Certainly so, in three or four..."
"But...if- I were to become immortal too..." Daisy started, careful and quiet. "Once mother dies, and- and everyone else I know in my life now...what would I have, then?"
"Well, you would have countless new people to get to know!" Voldemort said airily. "New cultures, new experiences - new peoples. Anyone you wish to have would be yours. A wife, a husband, a mother figure - children aplenty, I'm certain, in time!"
"But what would I really have, father?"
Voldemort gazed at her, confusion written all over his face. "I fail to see why you're already so distressed over this matter..."
Daisy risked drawing away from him, risked stepping out of his grasp. She blinked and breathed. She looked down at her feet. "With everyone in the world just- coming and going- I wouldn't have anything...real, lasting, consistent. I'd lose, again and again. Everyone. Anyone. How could I live like that? How could I- what would I have? Do you understand that?! I don't want to lose! I hate losing!"
There was a long silence. A glance up at her father showed his bafflement. His eyebrows furrowed, his head tilted to one side at her. Like she was an enigma. A puzzle. A real mystery. Beyond comprehension.
"Well...you would have me," he spoke softly.
Daisy looked up at him.
"I would never leave, never die, never change - I will be your real, your lasting, your consistent and constant in life," Voldemort spoke on, firmer now. Louder. "What would you have, Delphini? Or rather, what would you not lose? You would not lose me." He paused, staring at her intently. "And perhaps, in all that forever we would have together, we could experiment, and learn, and discover more ways of defeating death - not just for ourselves, but for all those others who will come and go that has you so upset. Long after Bella is to die, we might find ourselves capable of recalling her very soul from the otherworld. It is a problem, a loss, yes - but in time, perhaps we will never need to lose again. We will have...eternal victory in life. Life over death."
"Could we really learn how to do that?" Daisy asked quietly, returning her eyes to the floor.
"I have done the impossible time and again already, Delphi - what makes you think I cannot do it in this? For...for you?"
There was only one person she would ever want to bring back from the dead: the one death she held herself responsible for.
If that was even possible...
If she could live that long...learn how...
And even if she couldn't...if she let her father truly share this secret with her, make her immortal as well...couldn't she use that for herself? For the world? Go against him and all of magical Britain, assured of her own victory, then? Her immortality to fight his? Maybe she could even find a weakness, something to exploit about it, to end him for good, in researching and becoming immortal herself, using the same method as him...
No matter what the future brought...
She could take advantage of this.
For everyone.
And for herself.
She would be an idiot not to!
And who really wanted to die? No one ever did, no matter what they told themselves. When the end came, they'd plead and cry and beg not to go!
Well, Daisy would never have to!
And in her infinite time ahead, she could find a way to make sure nobody else would have to, either. Find a way to bring them back from their horrible ends! Everyone - anyone! Friends, family!
Her daddy...maybe even his parents, too! And Sirius Black!
If Daisy did that for him, he'd be so proud of her, so overjoyed, to get to meet them and be with them again! All because of Daisy!
Daisy could end the war, end her father, free and save everyone! All the enslaved, oppressed, in those camps and prisons! Those who had been executed and murdered by Death Eaters! The children and babies who had died before they could even live!
And all Daisy had to do...was play along with her father in this.
She looked her father in the eye. And she smiled. "I would like to become immortal, father. How did you do it, and how do I do it?"
Voldemort gave her a genuine smile in return. He waved his wand, conjuring velvet armchairs. "Sit, and we will discuss it. It is something you must have absolute conviction about, firstly. Although you have already taken a tentative first step on this path, we will need to see you take a full step. It involves an act of murder, first and foremost, which creates a tear in the soul - of which we take advantage of in order to tear off and place a piece of soul into a vessel. To bind it, thereby ensuring our main soul is anchored to the living realm even if our body succumbs to age or outright destruction. We, ourselves, our soul - our personality and mind contained within - survive, and remain. And in this state, we may find a way to return to flesh and blood again. And again, and again...no matter how long it takes. The vessel that we bind our shards of soul to...is called a Horcrux."
"A Horcrux," Daisy murmured. "How many times can you do this?" she asked, the thought striking her. "Is more than one anchor better, more stable - or stronger?"
"More is better, yes," Voldemort replied, nodding. "Any Horcrux you make needs to be protected - by enchantments, barriers, traps, and of course, most importantly of all, by being placed where none can find them to begin with. The unlikeliest of locations...or perhaps the most obvious..."
Daisy eyed her father. "How many have you made?"
Voldemort's expression was one of glorious pride and satisfaction as he spoke: "Six. Counting the main soul that I am, this creates a seven-part soul."
He was clearly expecting her to have some kind of reaction to the declaration.
Daisy just couldn't see what was so monumental about it. "Is a soul split into seven...special? More powerful?" she ventured.
"It is the most special - the most powerful," Voldemort stressed. "Seven is an extremely powerful number in magic, Delphini. To make one's soul into a living, spiritual embodiment of that number...is to take on that power and greatness into one's self!"
"Oh. So...do you...want me to also make six Horcruxes...?"
Voldemort shook his head, his face changing into something like panic. "No. No, you will not! In fact, you will not create more than a single Horcrux! Do you understand me?"
"Y-yes! I do- I- I won't do more than one. I promise!"
Voldemort relaxed into his chair. "Good...very good."
Daisy relaxed a hair in her own.
"I am beginning to understand things I once did not - would not have deemed worthy of understanding at all," Voldemort said, more to himself than to her. "The power of the soul - of a whole soul, in fact - and how it relates to one's emotions and access to the greatest of powers. For what I need you for, Delphini, I need your soul to remain as intact as possible. To cause it undue damage might rob me of any possibility of..." he trailed off, shaking his head again. "Suffice it to say, one Horcrux will suffice for you."
"Yes, father."
Voldemort sat straight in his chair, and leaned forward seriously. "Now, let me educate you on the finer details of how to create a Horcrux..."
After her incredibly thorough (and incredibly sickening) education on Horcruxes, Daisy returned from the depths of the Chamber of Secrets.
Her father left her, then, making her promise to study and research extensively on her own before making her attempt, as well as to write to him before doing so, so that he could return to the castle to supervise her - in case something went terribly wrong.
Daisy was just relieved she wouldn't have to go through with any of it for a while yet. She knew she would need the time to work herself up to it.
But surely it shouldn't be that difficult for her...
Her father may have been a messed up psycho, but she wasn't! He might have chosen innocent victims every time, but she didn't have to. Daisy could choose the worst, most despicable Death Eater in the world - someone who hurt, tortured, or violated kids - and she could use them to make her Horcrux. No one would miss them, and Daisy would actually be saving a lot of kids a lot of trauma. She would be saving future victims by killing them - taking someone out of the picture in the game of war. Removing a vile, evil person from the face of the Earth. Who would care? Who would honestly stand up and say they had a problem with that?
At least her using them to make her Horcrux would be making their death mean something, too! At least it would have an added purpose beyond taking them out of the war, ensuring they couldn't victimize more people! Not that that alone wasn't sufficient reason to kill a Death Eater, an enemy! But Daisy would also be becoming immortal, which she would then go on to use to end the war sooner - even end her father's life when he least expected it!
Who could honestly have a problem with that?! If anyone did, they were probably just jealous and terrified deep down about them dying - that Daisy wouldn't die! And they were a foolish idiot if they thought killing an enemy was wrong, saving future victims was wrong!
Nobody was that stupid. Nobody would have an issue with it!
And that would only be if Daisy told anyone what she was planning to do (which, she wasn't). To anyone else, she would have just killed a Death Eater for whatever reason she came up with - all just as valid!
Surely...Daisy's killing and gaining of immortality would be the most moral, right thing anyone could do? A selfless thing! Taking on that terrible burden, the act required for the ritual...the unimaginable agony of ripping a piece of her own soul away from the whole...
Surely anyone out there who learned of it would call it a great sacrifice on her part, a noble, brave act to end the war and free all those under tyranny!
She would be called brave, strong, wonderful!
She would be a fucking hero for it, and not even her daddy would have been able to deny her!
Suddenly, Daisy stopped in the middle of the maze of corridors as a new thought struck her. A supremely embarrassing one: she had no idea how to get to her first lesson (Transfigurations, with Professor McGonagall).
Daisy strode down the hall, turning right and going down a small flight of stairs. And she continued to wander.
Left, right, forward - down some more stairs. Another right. And another...
Eventually, she found herself in the Grand Staircase.
At least she had gotten somewhere she recognized.
She craned her neck to look up, then leaned over the side to look below. She was on the second floor.
But that didn't help her get to class.
In her helplessness and confusion, Daisy's frustration surged. And then, anger.
Who cared about going to a lesson?
If she couldn't even find it, whose fault was that, anyway? Hers? No! It was the teacher's for not giving the students a fucking map on the first day!
She wasn't going to be blamed - she refused!
If the professors couldn't even make sure something like this wouldn't happen, then that was on them.
There was only one place Daisy vaguely knew the location of, at any rate - Gryffindor Tower. So she headed there, on up staircase after staircase. If the professors couldn't be bothered, then neither would she.
What did she care about some stupid, simple little first year lesson anyway? Really? She knew magic full grown adults didn't! She could do things they couldn't! Why should she even have to sit in a desk and listen to some idiotic professor who thought they knew more than her? Better than her?
What use did Daisy have for Transfiguration? She had never used it, never needed it! Not like Charms, even!
She wasn't going to bother starting.
And the rest of the professors and their classes could go to hell, too. Daisy would do what she wanted here! And if anyone had a problem with that, they could take it up with her father.
Daisy spent a few hours around the dorms before deciding to try and find the school's library.
She reluctantly enlisted the help of a passing ghost, which led her right to it.
There, she met opposition in a crabby old woman who she only later learned was named Madam Pince.
That opposition persisted even after Daisy informed her just who she was; the woman went on and on about how she refused to let her in, about how she was meant to be in class - so irritating!
Daisy destroyed that opposition with a furious flick of her wand and a cry of, "Imperio!"
She focused furiously on only a single command: leave me the hell alone!
Daisy was happy to say she was able to spend her next few hours perusing the library in peace and quiet.
She picked books at random, honestly, reading whatever looked interesting. She even found a thick book of old fairy tales - much older versions than the ones she was used to! And even a whole bunch of new ones. She decided to keep that book, setting it on a table in the back of the library for later.
Daisy would soon find herself in the Restricted Section of the library, protected by an iron gate, of all things!
She slashed her wand at the gate, unlocking it and shoving her way through.
She had a purpose in being here, no longer random whim and musings: she wanted to find anything on Horcruxes, to better prepare herself for what was to come (her father would have encouraged her to do her own research anyway).
Unfortunately, she found nothing.
She grew more and more frustrated (and more and more tired), until she finally gave it up as a bad job.
She would come back another day to resume her search, she decided.
Daisy retrieved the book of fairy tales and stalked out of the library, giving a last glare to the old witch at the desk before releasing her from her control.
After eating a nice dinner, Daisy returned to the dorms again - this time with her housemates around.
Daisy went to her first year dormitory and fell onto her bed, clutching the heavy book of fairy tales to herself.
"Where were you all day?"
Daisy blinked to find Edith standing beside her bed. "What do you care?" she replied curiously.
Edith hesitated, looking down at her feet. "The Dark Lord showed up this morning and then you were gone - anybody would've been worried about whether you'd shuffled off the mortal coil or not..."
Daisy sat up, staring. "You were worried about me?"
"I just drew an obvious conclusion!" Edith refuted, but her cheeks were tinged a pretty pink. "Don't get any more ideas in that inflated head of yours, princess - it can hardly take any more before it explodes."
Daisy pressed her lips tight. She set the book aside, and set her hands in her lap as she scrutinized Edith more intensely.
"Why are you looking at me like that?!" Edith burst out, jutting her chin in challenge.
Daisy smiled thinly. "You believe me, don't you?"
"About what?"
"Everything I told you when we first met."
"Right, all that garbage you spewed on the train..." Edith looked away - forced a laugh. "Maybe it was all true, and maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was all a trick - all that, getting into Gryffindor, acting all sickly sweet and insanely different from what a dark princess should be like - all just to get girls like me, and Rigel, and Mallory to rat on our families to you. I don't know for sure, either way. It looks like it could go either way..."
"Well, I'll just have to keep at it until I convince you, then," Daisy replied.
"Don't count on it - but I'll be glad to see you waste your time!" Edith waved her off, spinning away to stride off to her own four-poster. She jumped onto it and pulled the curtains, hiding her away from Daisy's view.
I'm going to win, Daisy thought fiercely, smiling more truly to herself alone. I'll make a friend out of you, don't you doubt it! And maybe even...something more?
As Daisy fell back onto her bed, her father's words of earlier came back to her.
"Perhaps the most important thing to consider is how you will return to form, Delphi. I was forced into an agonizing existence of over a decade as a wraith, because those who claimed to be my most devoted, most loyal did not bother to seek me out after my downfall. They decried me, swore off any allegiance to me to save their own skins! It was only through the help of a sniveling coward that I returned after fourteen years. Yet Wormtail did not revive me out of loyalty, but merely out of fear of his old friends. This is why you must be absolutely certain of the loyalty of those you will choose to resurrect you - to follow and serve you - lest you be left a wandering spirit for decades as I was."
Who would Daisy ever trust with her very soul? A piece of her, of all that she was? Her personality, her memories, her heart and her love, her joy and even grief? And who would she ever trust to return her to a body should she ever lose her body?
Definitely not a girl like Edith, right? Who would ever trust her to have their back?
No one smart.
The next day, her second day at Hogwarts, Daisy decided to actually go to her classes.
She regretted it immediately.
She found herself as frustrated with her Transfigurations lessons every bit as much as she had suspected she would be! She had never had a use for it, never a need for it - not like Charms! She was sure she had barely even attempted it more than once or twice in her life so far. Unlike in the realms of dark magic and dueling, and even Charms, Daisy found she had no leg up over her classmates in McGonagall's lessons. It was infuriating, difficult, and embarrassing!
She stabbed her wand at the toothpick on her desk, gritting out the incantation for the hundredth time.
"Look at this, the princess is having a bit of trouble..." Edith's voice filled her ears. It was downright maddening.
"Shut up!" Daisy hissed, her cheeks turning incredibly, hatefully pink.
"Hey now, don't get knicker-twisted with me because you can't do it," Edith replied mildly, leaning back in her chair on only the two back legs.
"You can't do it either!" Daisy snapped back.
"Yeah, I know I can't. But the thing is, princess, it doesn't bother me at all - unlike you," Edith said, her voice dripping with sickly sweet condescension. She gave a smile, rocking her chair back and forth, and tapping her fingers along the desk's edge. She took up humming some tune (really well).
Daisy whirled, slashing her wand on pure instinct and an outpouring of fury; a red light flashed, and Edith was sent tumbling out of her chair to land hard on the floor on her side. The chair careened over on top of her as an added bonus, in Daisy's opinion.
"Miss- Delphini!" McGonagall exclaimed, starting forward furiously. "What do you think you're doing, attacking another student like-"
Daisy aimed her wand at the woman, rising to her feet. "Back off! Your class is useless and so are you! You won't see me here again!"
That said, she fled the classroom, shaking with rage, and feeling the burning of humiliation in every inch of her body.
Why had she even tried?
Daisy went back to the library until her next lesson - Charms - which thankfully went a lot better for her.
She decided to actually screw around in Potions with Edith, which led to some real fun and laughter - until Edith realized what she was doing, and promptly shut up and scooted her chair far away.
At lunch, Daisy went right up to the High Table - right to Headmaster Snape. She asked to have a private word with him, and they moved into a room full of trophies behind the High Table.
As soon as they were inside, Snape waved his wand at the door, shutting it and causing a tingle in the air that Daisy felt wash over her.
"What do you need?" Snape asked immediately, eyeing her.
It was time. "I want you to teach me Occlumency," Daisy stated.
A pause. Snape's gaze turned curious. "Of course - but, might I ask why? And from where you heard the term?"
"I read it in a book during my studies," Daisy replied. "I don't want the Order getting secret information out of my mind if they ever- kidnap me again. My parents wouldn't want that, either."
"No, they would not," Snape agreed. "Very well. I will be glad to teach you. Doubtless you'll prove quite adept at it - far more than the likes of Harry Potter."
Daisy stared hard at a glistening, giant trophy in a glass case to her left. "You taught- Harry Potter- Occlumency?"
"Oh, I attempted to, once upon a time - a task set to me by the old fool, Albus Dumbledore," Snape said casually. "But Potter proved thoroughly useless at it - no talent for it whatsoever. I don't suspect I'll have the same difficulties with you, Delphini."
"No, you won't." Daisy glanced at Snape. She squared her shoulders and turned away, striding examine another trophy case up close. "What did you see in his head? Anything useful to father? Did you tell him?"
"Of course I told him - but the majority of the contents of Potter's mind were far from captivating," Snape drawled. "Running around with his little friends, breaking rules left and right...going back home to his muggle family time and again. From what I saw, he wasn't treated well - it was a treat to see, let me tell you..."
"Yes. I knew that already," Daisy replied. "It's...weird to think that you knew him when he was a kid - my age. You have memories of those times, even after he's dead."
"They're far from treasured memories - but, yes, I do."
"Maybe you could show them to me."
"Why would you want me to? I loathe that they remain etched into my brain."
"Because I have a different way of looking at things from my parents. Maybe I'll see something useful in them that they couldn't." Daisy was proud of herself for the lie. How convincing it sounded.
"Hmm. Perhaps. Well, your wish was to learn Occlumency, not Legilimency - unless you want to add that to your repertoire as well?"
"I would, actually. Mind-reading sounds useful."
Snape made a little noise. "Potter's influence persists, I see; he once called it the same thing. Only foolish muggles speak of mind-reading, Delphini. It's far more complicated than that - a fact I hope you can appreciate."
"I can," Daisy assured, turning back to face Snape at last. When she was composed again. "Can we start tonight?"
"If you truly wish to, of course. Allow me to explain the broad theory to you first, so you've an idea of what you will be getting into - and attempting to learn: to truly be effective at Occlumency, you must learn to shut down feelings and memories that contradict a lie you intend to tell, so that anyone searching in your mind won't find the pieces of experience that corroborate the truth..."
Daisy listened to the man intently. After he had finished, she left the trophy room, promising to see him later in the evening.
Daisy was sitting in his lap on the sofa, clinging to him and pressing to him...utterly content, absolutely pleased...
He was holding her, he was stroking at her hair, giving little kisses to the top of her head to make her beam - and sometimes giggle to herself. The feelings were just bursting, she couldn't contain herself; she would wriggle and bury her face in his chest all the more, wanting more, always wanting more of the way she felt, of this happiness and love and the scent and the warmth...
"Are you trying to push me right through the wall or something, sweetie?" Those wonderful, amused tones came from overhead...
Daisy froze. She raised her head to look into his eyes, to see his smile. "No, daddy - of course not! I just can't help-"
Daisy was thrown back into the cold reality of the present, falling back with a gasp onto the floor of the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts.
She lay sprawled there awkwardly. Her chest heaved, her throat burned...and her face stung like hell.
The world was swimming and blurry.
Daisy threw herself right around and jumped to her feet, stalking away to the far side of the office. She went right to the door, and she drove her fist into it. She bowed her head, her hair spilling forth to hide her features. She drew breath and released - drew breath...and released...drew breath...
"You shouldn't let an early failure dishearten you, Delphi," Snape's quiet voice called to her. "In this first session alone, you've made good strides toward-"
"S-shut up!" Daisy choked, drawing back her fist to strike again at the door. She screwed her eyes up tight, gasping for air. Her legs under her were threatening to become like jelly. To just wobble and break and fall...to make her...
Slow, light footsteps behind her. Drawing nearer. A presence behind her. And then- "I understand how difficult it can be to shake attachment - emotions born of time spent with others," Snape said hesitantly, and so very quietly. Almost a whisper, this time.
"I don't know what you mean..." Daisy choked out, refusing to move. Refusing to leave her dark, singular world here.
"You cannot lie to me yet - not even when you avoid eye contact. And certainly not in this state..."
Daisy remained silent, trying to just...get ahold of herself. Desperate, furious with herself now!
"Do you think, that in my long years as double agent, that I did not, at any point, experience a speck of positive feelings toward those I was fooling?" Snape spoke lowly. "It would be an impossibility for even the greatest of actors. To be human is to bond, to feel. Not even I could escape such feelings. They were brief, to be sure, but they flickered into existence now and again, nevertheless. And for one such as yourself, who was raised from birth knowing only their care and attention...it is only natural you would have developed all the natural feelings toward them. And it is natural that, even now, you cannot escape from them. You cannot shut them off, or hide from them."
Daisy clenched her fist and wiped roughly at her eyes and face. Then she gripped her wand tight in hand, whirling around and aiming it right at Snape's chest. Right where she knew he would be.
Snape was entirely unfazed. "As I said," he went on softly. "it is the most natural consequence in the world, from your isolated existence with them - and sole exposure to them. And I would not needlessly see you punished over what is expected - even if, perhaps, your parents do not quite see it that way."
Daisy gazed up at him, her wand trembling. "You'd lie for me? Hide this for me?"
"Haven't I lied and hid a number of things for you already from your parents?" Snape replied. "Excursions to muggle locales chief among them..."
"True. But this is...d-different," Daisy whispered.
"I fail to see how it is any different," Snape said casually. "If you wish to indulge yourself in such feelings and memories of times past, I'll not tell a soul. I will keep it to myself just as I have the rest of what you...have tended to get up to in past years. You are free to do what pleases you in life, after all."
Daisy let her wand arm fall to her side at last. She swallowed hard, and spoke again. "Thanks..."
Snape turned away, gliding toward his desk. "Of course. We need not mention it to anyone. Now, would you like to continue?"
Daisy straightened, brushing back her hair. "I do - another hour."
Snape gave a bit of a sigh. He probably thought three hours going on four was too much - but Daisy didn't care (she would master this!). "Very well. Prepare yourself again, then...legilimens!"
After reliving old memories, again and again, for the past week now, Daisy couldn't stop thinking.
It all came spilling out of her one Saturday night in Gryffindor Tower. She found herself in the dorm room, pacing about in circles as the other first year girls - Edith, Willa, and Jasmine - did their absolute best to ignore her distressed musings.
"...I know my daddy wouldn't be happy with me for killing that Death Eater! I blew her stomach open and I cut her face off, and I killed her! And I'm trying so hard to convince myself I feel bad about it because I don't feel bad about it, and I know I should! I should be screaming into my pillow every night, I should be a mess on the floor crying every day, but...I'm not!"
"I think there's something wrong with me inside; I think there always has been," Daisy murmured furiously, stalking back toward her own bed - and then back away from it again. "It's not as bad as whatever the hell is wrong with my father...but it's there, and it's wrong, and I- I don't know how to fix it! But I want to. I want to feel awful, I want to feel terrible, I want to faint and scream and I want to have nightmares every night because of the stuff I've done! But...all I still feel is like it was justified, like I was right, and they deserved it and I'm not going to cry over them! And that I'd even do it a hundred times over! Again and again! But the worst thing of all is...I liked it. When I'm hurting people, when I have them on the floor at my feet screaming and twitching, I just feel so wonderful inside, like a hug or a kiss from daddy, cuddling with him on the sofa for hours, or playing games with him...and that's wrong! I'm wrong! Something is wrong with me!"
Daisy stopped at last, only because she had run out of breath.
Edith gazed at her from over the top of a book, sitting up in her bed. Her face was pale, her eyes wide. Then she let out a snort, shaking her head. "I'm not your therapist, princess - go talk to somebody else about your dark side identity crisis...es."
"Crises," Daisy choked out, glaring.
"And now I really don't want to listen to you," Edith retorted, disappearing behind her book.
"Fine!" Daisy whirled away, her eyes landing on another of her housemates. "I'll go talk to- Jasmine!"
"Please, do," Edith said firmly, making a shooing gesture. "Psychotic idiot."
"I'm not psychotic-" Daisy stopped. "Okay, yes, you're right I am psychotic..." she amended, murmuring to herself in pure distress again. It was mounting, rising into a kind of panic now. "That's the whole problem!"
Edith raised an eyebrow. "Knew it. Now go attach your psycho arse to someone else for a change."
"You know, you sure mention my arse a lot - do you want to kiss it since you got an eyeful on the train?" Daisy said hotly. "All you have to do is ask!"
Edith blushed furiously. "Don't you have enough people kissing that thing already? Legions of dark mages, and every other braindead terrified kid in this school! I'll pass!"
Daisy flashed a miserable, wobbling smirk before stalking away across the dorm room. "Jasmine - please! Please - please help me figure this out!"
The girl shifted uncomfortably on her bed, shying from her behind curly locks of dark hair. Long, light brown hands came up to her chest as if to shield herself from Daisy physically. Her head turned, and her dark eyes blinked at the floor. "I- I don't know how I could even..." she stammered. "Try asking Willa about it?"
Willa gave Jasmine a look of pure betrayal - and hate. Rings of blonde flew everywhere as she frantically shook her head. Her hands grasped at the hem of her nightgown, readjusting it and yanking it down. "I don't know how to help you either, I'm sorry!" she cried instantly, her eyes pleading with Daisy.
Daisy stared around the dorm room, desperate and furious. The girls all avoided her gaze. She let out a cry and ran for the door.
She didn't know where to go, what to do, who to get a straight answer from about her fears!
Everybody was too concerned with their own, apparently!
Not even Snape could have helped her with this one - even he would have seen such thoughts as treasonous. She couldn't trust him with this!
The only ones who could have helped Daisy with this problem...were her mummy and daddy.
Daddy was dead - and mummy...she was far out of reach.
As good as dead, too, to Daisy.
Why couldn't she just have one person who would listen to her?! Who would look at her for who she was, and help her?
She had thought Hogwarts would be her chance to be herself again - but everyone around her was determined not to give her a chance! They were all still making it too goddamn difficult!