Chapter 20: A Snake through and through
Daphne was walking with Tracey and Blaise to her morning double potions class. It had been two months since she had started observing the D.A and so far no one else had caught her eye. The fact that O.W.L's we're coming up in merely two weeks had not been lost on her so excessive studying also needed to be slotted into her busy schedule. As such she barely had time for anything other than training, school and the D.A. Tracey couldn't stand silence so she filled the air with idle chatter of inconsequential topics.
"What do you guys think of Moody being brought back?" Tracey asked.
"I suppose it means the rumours of a curse were unfounded then." Blaise answered.
"You believed that? I reckon it was just a long list of dunderheads who were in over their heads." Tracey supplied. They rounded the corner into the corridor with the potions classroom.
"Bad luck doesn't last several decades in the wizarding world. There was a curse." Daphne simply replied.
"A curse that lasts generations? That's a bit farfe-"
"Unfortunately, they do exist." Daphne said harshly. Reigning in her temper Daphne continued. "Consider a maledictus, cursed is their line to turn into an animal until they lose their humanity forever."
"Well, yeah. But how often do those kinds of things happen?" Tracey continued missing the harshness of Daphne's reply.
Blaise, being more attentive, jumped in. "Often enough. Ready for potions?"
Easily distracted, Tracey replied. "Pfft you mean ready to watch Longbottom fumble his ingredients for two hours? Absolutely."
Daphne gave a grateful look to Blaise who nodded in kind. The trio walked into the classroom and took their usual seats. Professor Snape gilded in as usual with a sneer and dramatically turned to the class.
"Today you will be brewing the confudlement draught. Its uses need no further explanation than what the name suggests. Begin." he said in his usual drawl.
The half class began gathering the ingredients required whilst the other prepared the instructions. Daphne stayed at the desk with Blaise whilst Tracey lined up for the ingredients.
"So Daphne, where have you been recently? Not breaking any rules I hope." A pompous voice said behind her.
Turning around to see Draco at his desk, Daphne replied. "Now Draco, is that an accusation? Or are you simply trying to make conversation?"
"I've heard that you've been absent from the common room more often than not. Care to tell your prefect what it is you've been doing?" He said with a smirk.
"It is, as you know, the O.W.L year. Whilst I'm not on Granger's level, I do take that notion seriously. I've simply found a place no one will bother me, considering you haven't found me I'd say I've done well for myself." Daphne lied with practised ease.
"Of course. I'm only asking because I heard from someone that you were the last person to see Madame Umbridge alive." He said with an accusatory stare.
'How the hell? No one was in the corridor; there's no way he figured that out by himself. Unless someone saw me walking with her to the forbidden forest.'
"Draco! What are you trying to say?" Blaise questioned, rising to her defence.
"Nothing at all, just making conversation as she said." He said, his arrogant smirk returning.
Keeping a steady voice Daphne responded to the challenge, "Well considering we're just having conversation, perhaps you'd like to comment on the dwindling Malfoy fortune. The paper said that you had to get a loan from Gringotts last month, care to comment?"
Flustered, Malfoy just sneered and turned around to face his desk. Blaise snorted and turned back to their desk with Daphne.
"Go on, I know you want to ask." Daphne said impatiently.
Blaise looked at her as though he was trying to find the right words. His face turned to one of resolve and he spoke, "I have nothing to ask, he was just making conversation as you said. I'm sure any topics discussed were in the most hypothetical terms possible."
For the second time today, Daphne gave Blaise a grateful look. 'Blaise knows more than he lets on, I wonder how many secrets he's got stashed up in that brain of his. A Slytherin through and through, this one is. I wonder if I can bring him into the fold? Another thing to talk about with Potter, first on the list though, is what to do about Malfoy.'
"He knows?!" Harry shouted. Daphne had just filled him in on their lesson and their Malfoy problem.
"He… isn't certain. If he was, he'd use it as leverage and not chat about it in public." Daphne replied.
'Malfoy's an idiot but that kind of tactic is about as simple as wingardium leviosa.' she thought.
"Okay, okay. You think he saw you and Umbridge somewhere in between the castle and the forest?"
"I have no other solution as of yet. Unless your friends ratted us out which is as unlikely as him using legilimency on one of us." Daphne explained.
"Well… shit. If he digs further, then we could be in some trouble. Is there anything tying us to the crime scene?"
"Nothing. No magic residue, no witnesses and certainly no loose ends."
Nodding appreciatively, Harry sat down in a plush chair before replying. "So if he pulls on the thread then nothing should come of it."
Taking a seat opposite him, Daphne nodded. "Perhaps, however, the aurors will ask why I didn't come forward in the first place. I could put on a sob story of being traumatised, but they may not buy it, thus making me a prime suspect."
"True. It would not do to have you in custody, you're too—"Harry was saying before cutting himself off. Clearing his throat he continued, "the work we're doing, it's too important."
'Interesting,' she thought, catching his original meaning. He was doing well to hide his embarrassment and she wasn't nearly ready for a conversation like that so she continued on, ignoring what he was going to say. "I agree, speaking of. I was wondering if I could add a person to the advanced group?"
Collecting himself and grateful for the change in topic Harry replied, "Depends, who're you thinking?"
"Blaise Zabini, a…. friend? Associate? I'm not sure the definition of our relationship however I believe him to be a capable wizard and more importantly, an intelligent one." Daphne revealed.
Smiling, Harry replied, "It's sad that you have to clarify that. Where have I heard that name before though?" As though a lightbulb lit up in his mind, Harry's face lit up before being morphed into one of concern. "Is he not the son of the Black Widow?"
Sighing, Daphne responded, "yes, he is. However, that does mean he's great at keeping secrets. Besides, he's never done anything. It would be unfair to judge him for the actions of a family member."
"True enough. Fine he can come, he's got to understand that he's under my leadership though. Don't make false promises to secure his attendance."
"Wasn't planning on it but sure." She said before they lapsed into comfortable silence, both thinking about the future. Harry was the one to break the silence by bringing up the advanced group.
"I think it'll be best to start the advanced group next year, with O.W.L's coming up in 2 weeks it's going to be difficult to convince people to give me more of their time."
"That means we'll have no way to respond to whatever the Dark Lord decides to try at the end of the year. The way you made it sound, it's only a matter of time before he attacks."
Rubbing his eyes and standing up Harry began pacing. "Yes and I stand by that, however even if we did start early then I'll be sending in under trained students against seasoned Death Eaters. It would be a massacre."
"Unfortunately, I do agree. How can we even prepare for something that we don't know about?" Daphne said, voicing her frustration.
"We're fighting shadows and the best way to fight the shadows is bring them into the light. Until then, we stick to what we can do. So we train. We simulate every possible scenario and we learn how to respond to them. When the fighting breaks out, we will have our skill and instincts to rely on and I've done a lot more with a lot less."
'Gee, to think there was a time when I thought you couldn't be inspiring.' She thought with a smile. Checking the time with a 'tempus' she replied. "Well, we've got an hour till curfew, care to get some training before the day is over? Or are you just all speeches and no spine?"
Smiling widely, Harry responded to her jab. "I wonder if all Slytherin's are so eager to lose?
Drawing her wand Daphne simply replied by blasting the chairs to the side and stood ready. Harry drew his wand as well and they both began casting at the same time. It was a magically exhausted Harry and Daphne who retired to their respective common rooms well after curfew satisfied with their performances.