Chapter 8: First Impressions
'They're going into the Hogs Head? I suppose it's off the main track but close enough for a proper meeting' Daphne thought following Harry and co to the dodgy pub. She had overheard the plan to create a defence club and thought it would be a good way to gather intel on Potter's capabilities as a leader and a wizard.
Taking a seat in the booth next to the trio, Daphne cast a simple notice me not charm on the booth hoping it would stop people from sitting on top of her. So far no one had arrived and the bartender had been casting odd glances in her direction. He looked familiar but she couldn't quite place it. Just as she was about to move away and find a new spot the Weasley twins walked in with 20 odd people trailing behind them.
"30 butter beers please Aberforth, you should probably start a tab" Fred Weasley called out to the disgruntled barkeep.
"Hello Harry, Hermione, git" George greeted
"Piss off George" Ron replied
With the twins laughing and everyone settling in, Daphne couldn't hear anything of use, but she did notice something strange: a man wrapped up like a mummy and an old lady with a black veil both seemed to be craning to listen too. 'These people don't know subtlety at all' she thought humorously. 'Their likely from the ministry, trying to get intel on potential rebellious movements in the student body. If only they could see the waste of resources this is. It doesn't matter in the end, the ministry is too incompetent to lead during war time. Leave it to the people.'
After everyone was settled in, Hermione calmed her nerves and stood up. "You all know why we're here, we need a teacher, a proper teacher, one who's had real experience defending themselves against the dark arts" she said.
'You've got that right. Umbridge is a waste of air' Daphne thought.
"Why?" Zacharias Smith, a boy who had never really liked Harry all too much, asked.
"Because you-know-who's back you tosspot" Ron cried, eager to stand up for Harry.
"And if you want to pass your O.W.L's and your N.E.W.T's it'll be important to know the things I would be teaching. Also, if you want to stick it to Umbridge this is a great way to do so as well." Harry finished with a smile.
'Stabilising the situation and making it about them, we'll make a Slytherin out of you yet Mr Potter' Daphne concluded, liking the way Harry was handling the situation.
"How are you qualified to teach us anything?" A boy called from the back.
"Yeah! How about instead of telling us what to learn you tell us how Cedric really died!" A girl called out following the boy's outburst. Murmurs of 'liar' and 'murderer' started breaking out throughout the gathered group. Just as Harry was about to admit it was a lost cause a serene voice broke the chatter.
"Is it true you can produce a patronus charm?" The girl Harry had met on the train, Luna, said.
"Yes, I've seen it" Hermione confirmed challengingly, daring anyone to say otherwise.
"Blimey Harry, I didn't know you could do that," Dean said, impressed.
"And he killed Slytherin's monster with the sword in Dumbledore's office" Neville contributed.
"It's true" corroborated Ginny.
"And in third year he fought off about 100 dementors at once" Ron exclaimed.
"And, last year I did face, at the very least, a dark wizard. It doesn't matter whether you believe me or not when I say it was Voldemort because at the end of the day, I fought for my life and to avenge Cedric. There are a few moments in between normal life and fighting for it and in those few precious moments before the shit storm rolls through you're going to ask yourselves 'am I ready for this?' If you find yourself not very confident in your answer, you're going to look back from whatever afterlife you believe in and wish that you'd taken up my offer. I won't guarantee survival, but I will put you in a better position to protect your family and friends from the dangers that lurk in the wizarding world." Harry told them grimly.
'Nice speech Potter, let's see if it pays off.' Daphne mused from her booth next door. Her spot didn't afford her the luxury of seeing facial expressions, but she imagined people either looked scared or impressed. From Daphne's point of view, Harry is certainly a natural leader and a good orator. If these kids didn't take up the offer than she would be tempted to weep for the collective stupidly of the student body. 'Even if half those stories are true, Potter is definitely the one we're looking for and the one I'm looking for. Potter has the potential to be a legend in the making and I will be there beside him when he proves himself to be great.'
"Jeez Harry, you're not one for cheeriness, are you?" Said Gred
"Aye, you're right brother but can you blame the lad, nothing but misery there" continued Feorge
"Too right, old chap. What say you, we give this little group some spice?"
"Righto Gred, what my idiot brother means to say is, where do we sign up?"
And just like that people were lining up to join the new club. Hermione produced a parchment for people to sign their names on, hinting at a punishment should anyone betray their trust. Nonetheless, everyone who came to the meeting signed on to be Harry's student for the foreseeable future.
'I've got to report to my father and begin to make my own preparations. We'll need to begin soon if we want to mould Potter into a military figurehead. Although he seems to be doing well enough on his own' she contemplated. Cancelling her notice-me-not and reapplying a disillusionment charm before heading out the front door of the Hog's Head, happy that all her spying wasn't for nothing.
His secret admirer had listened in on the whole meeting. After seeing the faint shimmer of a disillusioned person and the door open seemingly on its own, Harry was sure of it. He had excused himself after most of the students had signed, walking quickly past the assembled body and a disappointed Cho Chang, Harry followed the footprints in the snow leading up to the castle. If he could get on Hogwarts grounds, he could give himself night vision to track them properly. His secret admirer wouldn't walk into crowds with the charm on so he wouldn't lose them like that, but he needed to cast it inside the walls of Hogwarts otherwise the sun would overload his eyes.
Keeping a moderate distance, Harry felt confident he would catch them again, this time as the pursuer. As they both entered school grounds, Harry pulled his wand out and kept it at the ready as it would only be moments before they crossed the threshold of grounds to castle. The second Harry was inside he checked for students and, seeing none as most would still be at Hogsmeade, Harry whispered in parseltongue 'sedisebris' and blinked to adjust to the change. Identifying the eavesdropper, Harry shot off a silent stunner which hit them in the back before they crumpled to the ground unceremoniously. Running to catch up to the downed spy Harry lifted them up and carried them to an abandoned classroom just down the corridor and tied them to a chair. He cancelled his snake eyes and cast several locking charms on the door before finally cancelling the disillusionment charm on his current captive.
Here she was, the girl who was tailing him on the train and likely throughout the weeks they'd been back at school. She certainly was very beautiful, Harry couldn't say he knew someone more conventionally attractive than her and very talented too, that disillusionment charm is quite good, he just has some inherent advantages. That didn't change the fact that he was pissed, she knew way too much and he needed to figure out a way to ensure she didn't talk. His friend's livelihoods were on the line and this girl was going to fear the consequences of him more than the ministry or Voldemort, a hard task to be sure but a necessary one. Deciding to wake her up Harry walked forward slowly and pointed his wand at her saying "enervate."
Daphne slowly opened her eyes and looked around, seeing herself in a classroom. It took her a moment to discover another figure in the room with her, raising her head slightly and she came face to face with an angry Harry Potter.
"You're going to tell me everything you know, information on whatever master you serve, information you've gathered about me and how much of it your master knows. Failure to comply will be… unpleasant for you in particular." He growled still close to her face. All he got was a Cheshire grin before being smashed in the nose by her forehead.
Daphne cast a wand-less diffindo which was just enough to cut through her bonds. Getting to her feet she pulled out her wand and got ready to cast something painful, however Potter was gone and the room was filled with smoke. Keeping her guard up, Daphne moved to the door of the room and tried opening it with one hand only for the handle to jiggle slightly. 'Locked. Damn it' Before she could think of an alternate exit, ropes flared to life in the fog sailing right for her torso, another diffindo put them out of commission. Returning fire to the position they were fired from with a stunner, she was satisfied to see a lump of mass hit the floor in the centre of the room. Her victory was short lived however when a bludgeoner sailed past her hips and into the wall with a loud smack. Twirling then rolling behind a desk she fired a confringo at the location the bludgeoner was fired with no connection. 'This fog needs to go' she thought
Standing from her position behind the desk she cried "ventus!" and all the fog was pushed out through the cracks in the door. She only had a moment to search for her opponent before more spells were hurled her way. Casting a shield charm, Daphne weathered the onslaught and saw her aggressor behind the teacher's desk at the front of the room. Turning her wand on the desk she thought 'bombarda' as he jumped out and shouted "confringo!" The two spells collided and had it not been for them ducking behind cover the blast would've sent them into the stone walls of Hogwarts. Instead of that, the furniture surrounding them was blasted into pieces giving them a shower of splinters and chunks of wood.
Harry stood very slowly from his position behind the desk once more, wand raised. Seeing Daphne do the same he became more on guard. He had hoped the explosion had put her out of commission so that he could properly question her later, but it seems she is as resilient as he is. 'She's strong, the power behind those curses was as high as Moody's easily and wandless magic isn't even something I've done on purpose yet. Perhaps discussion is in everyone's best interest' Harry contemplated.
"Not bad Potter. I see why Malfoy is so jealous of you, you pack a mean punch. If only you could hit me" she mocked. 'She's panting as much as I am, it's a facade to keep me from the root of the problem.'
"I hit you with that stunner didn't I? Right after I caught you eavesdropping where you shouldn't have been." He accused. 'Finally I'll be getting some answers on this, she can't leave until I unlock that door or she explodes it. On second thought maybe I should have reinforced it more' Harry thought.
"I didn't eavesdrop on anything, not my fault you were at the same random establishment and spoke loud enough for anyone to hear. I merely listened to the ambient sounds of conversation spoken too loudly to be private." She explained nonchalantly, pretending nothing phased her.
"That's literally the definition of eavesdropping!" Harry shouted. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, duelling and arguing right after giving him a headache.
"Oh well, not like I was the only one there listening in. Umbridge probably already knows about your secret club. You'll know I'm right if she tries to ban student gatherings or some other such nonsense" the woman said smugly.
"It will be dealt with later. Right now, I want to know about you. Why are you following me, are you working for someone and what the bloody hell is your name?"
"How about this, I'll answer your questions truthfully if you agree to a meeting with my father. In a neutral setting of course, you may bring an advisor as well" she offered.
'I was wrong, she's clearly Slytherin, just with a sense of muggle fashion. Eh, I owe her nothing, if I don't like the deal, I'll just abandon it.'
"Fine, first why are you following me?"
She took one of the non-vaporised seats and sat down heavily. She also made a show of lowering her wand and pocketing it. "Alright Potter "she started, "your questions, I will answer truthfully. I've been instructed by my father to follow you in hopes you might be able to solve a problem of ours."
"Fix a problem? What kind? Voldy on your asses and you need a bargaining chip?" He asked tensely. Harry hadn't dropped his wand yet and she hasn't given him a reason to either.
Sighing, Daphne knew she wouldn't be able to convince him with worlds alone, but she soldiered on anyway. "No, Potter. As a family we seek to stand against the Dark Lord. In the last war we stayed neutral and lost a lot of business afterwards because of it. We need to be on a winning side and the Dark Lord is not the type to encourage a stable economy. His very existence incites conflict. However, the fact remains neither the ministry or Dumbledore are either willing or capable of beating him. To win a war you need proactive strikes against hostile targets, the ministry is currently employing the hostiles and Dumbledore just sits back and watches. No, to win this war we're going to need a new side, something fresh and full of life, my father believes the man to lead that side is you."
"Why me? As far as you know I'm a semi-average student who is known to be at Dumbledore's hip. What changed your perception of me?" Harry enquired. He didn't even know her name so what could she really know about him?
"I know that you bested a basilisk at the age of twelve, I know that you fought off a hundred dementors at thirteen, I know you won the tri wizard tournament and witnessed the resurrection of Voldemort. I also know that, in the summer, you cast a patronus so powerful that you broke the underage magic monitoring devices in the ministry."
"It was your family then, the ones who covered it up?" At her nod, Harry cursed. 'This has got to be a trap, they do something for me so at the very least I give them a meeting then BAM Voldemort drops me before I can blink. I'll need to get more information about her and her family before I even consider her words to be truthful' he thought.
"Why would any of that matter though?" He continued "As far as the general public are aware, I'm a liar and a menace. If I even try to convince them with my exploits I'll likely just feed fuel to the fire."
"Think Potter! Is Voldemort going to be in hiding forever? The second he's exposed you're going back to the golden hero who was unjustly scorned. It won't be a matter of if they believe you, only a matter of when." Casting tempus she looked at the time and frowned. "I've got to send a letter to my father, he told me not to engage you until we knew more but frankly you forced our hands. We're counting on you to live up to your legend Potter, don't disappoint me" she said in a tone that suggested a painful existence should he fail. Daphne walked towards the door, simply dispelling my locking charms before tilting her head back and looking Harry in the eyes "oh and by the way my name is Daphne, Daphne Greengrass. Thanks for the duel, Potter it was fun" With a smirk she opened the door and strolled on out like there wasn't a single thing wrong with the world.
'Fuck me this is crazy. Daphne Greengrass, eh? Probably pure blood, the name is pretentious enough that's for sure. Maybe Sirius will know more about their family. Can't ask Ron unfortunately, that boy is more biased than Voldemort himself'
Harry muttered a reparo as he walked out of the room dodging pieces of chair and desk as they righted themselves. It's been a long day and if he was going to uncover the mystery that was the Greengrass family he would need his rest.