Behind the Mask Chapter 3
A/N: A rather baffling review refers to my "numerous WiP"? I don't have any WiP, since I never post until the story's complete.
Anyway…thanks to everyone reading and/or reviewing.
"Eeep!" Daphne squeaked as Harry yanked her behind a building. "What…"
"Tonks." Harry jerked his head down Diagon Alley towards a young woman with bright pink hair who was carefully scanning the street.
"I bet she's looking for me!"
"She's wearing auror robes," Daphne whispered.
Harry shrugged. "Either the Order or the Ministry, doesn't matter which. If they find me, they'll try to send me back to the Dursleys."
"Not happening," Daphne declared. "They don't have the authority to do that now."
"I know," Harry grinned. "They'll still try, and I don't want to deal with the nagging. Tonks will figure we have to go through the Leaky Cauldron, but there must be another way through to muggle London?"
They finally discovered a narrow passage behind the shop housing Flourish & Bott's, scrambled over the low wall, and made their escape.
"Really, Harry," Daphne said pointedly. "If I'm going to spend so much time in your house, don't you think I'm entitled to a room of my own?"
"Uh…" Harry's brain shut down.
Daphne's face pinked. "I mean…of course many people in our situation…"
"Our situation?" piped Harry.
"Our situation," Daphne ignored him, "share a bedroom. However… I don't feel that would be appropriate until we are married. Or at least, formally betrothed."
"Okay," Harry acquiesced. "Fine with me."
She didn't look as pleased as he thought she would. "Why is it fine with you?"
"Er, well, you said…I mean, whatever you want. Is what I want. Is fine."
Daphne beamed at him. "Excellent, Harry! Keep that mindset!"
Her mood shifted abruptly. "Tell me about that auror," she ordered. "Is she for you, or for Dumbledore?"
"Dumbledore, I guess. I mean, she is Sirius' cousin…"
"She's a Black?"
"No." Harry shook his head. "Her mother was disowned for marrying a muggle, so I guess she wouldn't be? But Sirius might have eventually reinstated her and her parents. Maybe I should do it?"
"Hold off on that," advised Daphne. "It's no small matter, casting people into and out of a Noble House. You need to be sure where their loyalties lie. Speaking of loyalties, we need to make a list of people you can count on for support. Who are loyal to you, not Dumbledore!"
"That'll be a short list," Harry mumbled. "Only you."
"Oh." Daphne regarded him thoughtfully. "That's not good," she said at last. "What about your friends?"
"I think they'll trust Dumbledore. That what he does will benefit me in the end. The Weasleys have always followed him, and Hermione has so much respect for authority that she…"
"Say no more." The blonde girl frowned. "So you need to make some more friends. What about Longbottom?"
"Neville is a good friend," Harry agreed. "I think he'd be loyal to me before Dumbledore."
"So that's a start. Anyone else?"
"Luna Lovegood." He looked to see how she would react to Luna's name, but she said nothing and merely added it to her list. "She's a Ravenclaw."
"Yes, we need to branch out into other Houses. No point in sticking to Gryffindor, and there aren't many Slytherins who'd oppose the Dark Lord. That leaves Ravenclaws, who may be reluctant to get involved, and Hufflepuffs."
"I think Hufflepuff resents me for the Triwizard Tournament," Harry told her. "I mean, Cedric died. And I survived."
Daphne considered this. "Better tell them that."
"Really?"
She nodded emphatically. "They'd appreciate honesty."
"What about you?" Harry was curious. "Any friends?"
"Not really," she admitted. "Millie Bulstrode isn't too bad, but she keeps herself to herself. Tracey Davis fawns all over Pansy. She's a halfblood, and needs to be cautious. Pansy is devoted to Draco, he has influence in Slytherin, and that protects Tracey."
"So what do you do?"
"I keep to myself too," she confessed. "No friends, but more importantly, no enemies. I sometimes think it would be nice to have friends, but Slytherins generally don't reach out to other Houses."
"Haven't you got a sister?"
"Astoria," Daphne nodded. "But I don't have to look out for her. If anything, she protects me, because she's always been close to Draco, and he takes care of her. I know some hexes in case anyone gets too familiar, but otherwise people tend to leave me alone. But that may change, now that I have a Gryffindor boyfriend."
She didn't seem concerned but smiled at him, and Harry decided to wait, and let the chips fall where they might.
There were owls, of course. Lots of owls. At first they bore letters, but those changed to howlers by the second week.
Harry ignored them all. He was a bit annoyed about the way everyone had more or less allowed him to wallow in his grief, with no consolation until he'd left the Dursleys. Then all of a sudden they found it necessary to communicate.
Too bad, he was busy with his new girlfriend.
Harry had expected he'd find confinement in Grimmauld Place irksome, but he soon discovered he was fully occupied. Daphne had never been given much opportunity to visit muggle London, and she was eager to explore.
Together they went on excursions to the Tower, the London Zoo, Madame Tussaud's, and Buckingham Palace.
Harry found he was enjoying these outings greatly…and, somewhat to his surprise, enjoying Daphne's company. At first, he'd wondered whether he could tolerate such bossiness; after all, the last thing he needed was another Hermione, and not even Daphne's prettiness would counteract that.
But he soon discovered there was one major difference between the two girls: Daphne listened. She took note of his likes (sweaters, pubs, treacle tart) and dislikes (sushi, bowties, Snape), and planned accordingly. If there was something he didn't want to eat, wear, or do, she let it go without insisting. If there was something he didn't want to talk about, she didn't press him. Consequently, he found himself confiding in her more and more.
When Harry questioned why Daphne had so much time to spend with him, she widened her blue eyes in surprise.
"I'm an orphan too, Harry. I already told you that my father was dead, and my mother was killed in the first war. My father remarried soon after, and his wife gave birth to my sister, Astoria. My stepmother resents the fact that Astoria wasn't a boy, leaving me as the Greengrass heiress."
"You all live at Greengrass Manor?"
Daphne grimaced. "Yes, along with my uncle, the one who votes the Greengrass seat, and his family: Aunt Veronica and my cousin Zinnia. They don't much care for me and don't mind if I'm gone."
Learning of her family dynamic made Harry feel closer to Daphne, and less disposed to heed warning missives from Ron and Hermione.
A letter that got a warmer reception came from Neville; he asked if Harry would like to come over to Longbottom Manor for a combined birthday tea on the last day of the month.
Daphne's face fell, but she urged him to go. "You like Neville, he wants to spend some time with you, and I'll be fine."
She nodded, as though trying to convince herself, and then said softly, "That letter is tentative, Harry. Neville half-expects you to make an excuse not to go to Longbottom Manor, and if you do, he probably won't find the courage to ask another time."
Harry grinned at her. "I have a better idea. Hand me the floo powder; I'm going to call Hannah Abbott."