Chapter 2: Year 1 Part 1
Harry POV
Like most days in charms class, the classroom had descended into a controlled chaos: objects were flying all over the place, students were engaged in a rabble of chatter, and Professor Flitwick bounced from student to student commenting on their performance.
"Great work Greengrass!" squeaked Professor Flitwick in excitement. "Take five points for Slytherin for such a fantastic display! Oh my, look at that feather go!"
Daphne's feather lifted higher than any others, reaching almost the top part of the ceiling. Her feather was also flying around like an airplane all throughout the classroom.
This kind of performance, Professor Flitwick assured us, was not expected of the students until later in the year.
"Perhaps you can help your classmates Greengrass," commented Flitwick amiably as he left their side of the room to help other students.
After a couple weeks, Harry soon realized that Daphne Greengrass wasn't just an ordinary witch. She seemed to excel in all subjects, and teachers did not shy away from telling her so. Though, she would never brag about it. Instead, she would silently perform the best and eventually people would start to notice.
Some students, however, still took offense at that.
"Teacher's pet," muttered Theodore Nott quietly to the other people in their little gang. Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini laughed.
"How did you do it," complained Pansy Parkinson from beside Daphne. "I just can't seem to be getting it to work."
Pansy had been waving her wand wildly. This paired with her practically screaming the words Winguardium Leviosa made Harry glad he was a couple seats away.
"I don't know Pansy," said Daphne. "I just do it, you know. I don't think about these things."
"Yes, but what's your secret," Pansy urged on. "You always get all the spells first. You must have some sort of trick. If you tell us, we can show the others that Slytherin is the best house. I would just love to show that know-it-all Granger not to mess with us."
Us, Harry found out, did not seem to include him. Despite being in Slytherin, they never failed to remind him that he was lesser because he was a half-blood. Somewhat like how Dudley treated him for having different parents.
It was fine with Harry though; it seemed like those in other houses were much more welcoming.
Daphne tried again in her explanation to Pansy.
"It's like you really focus on what you are trying to do, so much so that you forget about the world around you and just focus on the magic."
Pansy tried again. This time with her face pinched in concentration. Still, the feather did not move.
"That doesn't help at all," sighed Pansy.
Daphne sighed too.
Harry started to ignore them. He turned his attention to the Hufflepuff beside him, Justin Finch-Fletchley. They bonded over their shared knowledge of the muggle world.
"Nothing like math class," commented Finch-Fletchley. "We were learning about right angles and triangles before I left. I used to be in the advanced program too. My mother wants me to continue my education over the summer, but I don't think I need to. If I know magic, I can just make my own money."
"Why do you need to make your own money if you're a wizard," challenged Harry. "After Hogwarts I am going to go to the countryside and make my very own wizard tower. On the chance that I ever need food, I will use magic."
"You still need galleons to purchase wizarding products," chipped in Ernie Macmillan. His family grew up in the wizarding world, so he knew more about being a wizard than the both of them.
"I guess you're right," said Harry agreeing to Ernie's point. "But Hagrid showed me my vault in Gringotts, and I don't think I will need to be worried about money for a while."
"Lucky you," said Ernie.
"Not really," replied Harry thinking he'd much rather have his parents than a single Knut in his vault.
"Hey guys," said Finch-Fletchley oblivious to the change in Harry's tone. "Did you see that Neville Longbottom was sent to Dumbledore's office during Transfiguration?"
"No." spoke both Ernie and Harry.
"Well, he did, I saw it with my own eyes. Probably got in trouble he did."
Harry disagreed.
"No way. Neville is my partner in potions, and I don't think he's a rule breaker."
"Then what do you think it is?"
"Isn't it obvious?" said Ernie. "He's surely the boy-who-lived. I bet Dumbledore's making sure that Gryffindor's golden child is getting everything his way."
"You really think the boy-who-lived is Neville?" Asked Harry seriously. The curiosity that the entire school shared over the mystery of who was the boy-who-lived was starting to grow on him as well.
"Well, the boy-who-lived isn't going to be a Slytherin that's for sure," laughed Ernie.
They were interrupted when Professor Flitwick's clock rang. They got up and Harry packed his bag and shuffled to the exit.
Somehow, Daphne had appeared walking beside him. Her gang of Slytherin girls; Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, and Tracey Davis, did not seem to notice a member lagging behind. They continued marching onwards.
"I'm going to the library," said Daphne to him.
"Sounds exciting," said Harry dryly.
Daphne grabbed his arm and paused his advance in the hallway. She looked at him with serious blue eyes.
"You should go to the library too," she said.
Harry looked at her with a confused expression. He wondered if she had more nefarious schemes planned.
So far, her plans consisted of Harry interviewing members of their grade, to which he would report his encounters to Daphne. Usually, they didn't consist of much interesting information but occasionally Daphne would shake her head and cross their name off her list.
He still didn't know much about Daphne. She had been much quieter at Hogwarts than on that day on the train. All Harry could tell was that Daphne was serious about her studies. He always found her head buried in a book. The only unusual thing about it was that the books never seemed to be related to any of their classes.
"I can't go to the library today," Harry told Daphne. "I was planning on seeing Hagrid."
"You need to work on Potions," Daphne said.
"Potions," laughed Harry nervously. "Why would I need to work on potions!?"
"You didn't have the answer for what porcupine quills were for, your potion of strength was pink instead of teal, and you got a dreadful on the essay of the properties of moonwings. You're just not very good at potions Harry." Daphne said bluntly.
Harry deflated.
"Professor Snape hates me, Daphne. I'm even in his house and he hates me. I've asked around and everyone seems to agree that its strange. What can I do about that?"
"You can give him a reason not to hate you, if you are good at potions what would he be able to yell at you for."
Harry looked out of the window in the hallway. Unlike most days in Britain, the sky was a bright blue with hardly any clouds in sight. The weather simply looked perfect.
It was too beautiful a day to spend at the library.
"I'm going to visit Hagrid," he said instead to Daphne.
"Potter," said Professor Snape in his usual nasally voice. "Explain to me why the bottom half of your ladle has disappeared."
To Harry, it was a simple explanation. Somewhere along the line their potion had gone horribly wrong. So much so that the potion had transformed into a powerful acid that completely ate the ladle whole. Neville Longbottom, his potions partner, had stuck it into the cauldron to stir, and the ladle hadn't come back out.
"Er," said Harry trying to find the right answer to say. He looked towards Neville for support but only was met with a panicked expression. A please don't bring me into this expression.
"Er… I don't know Professor," was Harry's best answer.
"Of that I'm sure Potter," said Professor Snape vanishing the contents of his cauldron. "Perhaps you can better explain why you haven't taken the time to review the strength potion."
It had been a couple of days since Daphne had offered to work on potions together. He was starting to regret his choice to visit Hagrid. At least Harry's visit to Hagrid's hadn't been dull. They had found these nasty looking worms which Hagrid said were called Flobberworms.
"I was busy with other classes," replied Harry.
"Well, I'm sure your teachers wouldn't mind you spending a little extra time on potions. Return to me two feet of parchment detailing the uses of each of the ingredients used to make the potion of strength."
"Everyone else," Snape continued. "Bring your potions to the front, we are out of time. Class dismissed."
Harry escaped potions class feeling a little more downtrodden than usual. Other classes were never as bad as Potions. Even Defense Against the Dark Arts with the badly smelling garlic and bad headaches was never so bad as potions. Well, Harry thought as he considered it: both classes were pretty awful.
"Hey Potter," called Draco Malfoy from behind him.
Harry turned around and was met with the rest of the Slytherin boys in his grade. They were gathered around him like vultures ready to pounce on their victim.
"Yes, Malfoy?" Harry replied wearily. Around him, students shuffled past them.
Malfoy put on a dumb expression.
"Er… I don't know, sorry Professor Snape. I don't know-I don't know–I don't know." Malfoy said in an imitation of Harry.
Draco's expression grew more serious. "Are those your favorite words Potter? I don't know."
Harry smiled.
"I don't know."
Malfoy's laugh turned into a frown, and he approached Harry closely, looking him up and down.
"Guess what Potter, you're bringing a bad name to us Slytherins when you keep showing everyone how much of a crappy wizard you are."
"Crappy!?" Said Harry in disbelief. "If I was so crappy how come I beat you in every other class. In transfiguration I'm better, in charms I'm better, and even in defense against the dark arts I score higher."
Malfoy laughed. "Is that so? There is only one way to settle this then. I challenge you to a duel: in the trophy room at ten O'clock. We will see who will be laughing when you hobble out of the hospital wing the next day."
"Ten O' clock?" Harry shook his head. "Why so late? If you're as great as you think you are let's do it now. No need to delay it. We don't have any classes after this."
Malfoy looked around him. His friends awaiting his response in eager anticipation. A few seconds passed as Malfoy weighed his choices. With too many people around, however, Harry knew Malfoy had to accept.
"Fine Potter," replied Malfoy bitterly. "You're on."
And so, they did do it now.
Right in a clear grass field outside the castle; outside the view of the teachers.
"Ok, Potter, when Nott counts to three, we start firing. If one of us falls down, then our second takes over. My second is Zabini. Who is yours?"
"Greengrass," Harry said.
Harry looked towards Greengrass, and she nodded her head. Although she had her arms crossed and was watching with what seemed like an impassive expression, Harry knew she was rather excited at a chance to duel. Daphne had told him this much as they walked down onto the pitch; she talked the whole way down.
Apparently, she had seen many duels with her family, travelling all across Europe to see some in fact. She had little interest in Quidditch she confessed, but dueling was much more interesting to her.
Dueling, Daphne explained, was as much to do with physical agility as it did with magical prowess. That the thing that separated the good and the great duelers was minute differences in their technique.
She even whispered a spell to Harry which came right from the Greengrass Grimoire. She believed it was useful for this kind of occasion.
"Stop yapping you two!" yelled Malfoy from across the field. "Let's get this started already!"
Theodore Nott counted from three to zero, and then it began.
Draco and Harry began firing spell after spell at each other. Flashes of blue and red streaked across the green plain. Daphne took cover behind a rock after a spell went flying over her shoulder.
The truth was that neither Harry nor Draco were very good duelers. They were not very accurate with their spells, only had the focus to use one spell repeatedly, and they lacked a knowledge of the shield charm. To avoid spells Harry and Draco hopped erratically from side to side as if they were stepping on hot coals.
After a while, Harry became more sluggish in his shooting and dodging. He was growing winded.
It was at this point one of Harry's spells accidentally missed its mark and hit Theodore Nott instead.
The action stopped as everyone turned to look towards Theodore.
Harry met his eyes and they both had a confused expression as to what had happened. Theodore reached his hand to the top of his head and gasped when instead of hair it was met with grass.
The spell had transformed his hair into tall blades of grass!
Although, it wasn't the smartest thing to do, Harry couldn't stop laughing. Theodore's face transformed into anger, and he whipped out his wand.
He shot a spell towards Harry who narrowly dodged it.
Harry rolled over and fired a spell right towards Malfoy who still hadn't recovered from the confusion. Direct hit! His pale blonde hair, which was so usually kept to form, started to stand upright, and transform into such a lovely shade of green.
At this point in the duel all formality was lost. Malfoy and Nott were charging right at him.
With two wizards zapping spells towards him, Harry knew it was time to leave. He started running back up the hill towards Hogwarts laughing all the while.
Daphne POV
Daphne found Harry hidden away in the library. He was sitting in clear view of Madame Prince's desk. Perhaps hoping Madame Prince would discourage any unwanted attacks. He grinned when Daphne walked in.
"Are they still angry?" he asked.
Daphne nodded. She grabbed the seat across from him.
"Very. They were whispering all the way back to the Slytherin Dorm. I would be careful if I was you. Draco can be quite sly at times. You never know what he might come up with."
Harry waved her off.
"Well, let Draco do what he wants. Did you see me out there!? You think I proved myself as the best dueler in Hogwarts?"
The best dueler was Daphne herself, of course. Nobody was a better witch or wizard than her, but she didn't say that. Instead, she smiled.
"Maybe."
"That was a nice spell you showed me," he said complimenting her. "Do you have any other good ones in that amazing book of yours? One that turns people's toes into giant's feet?"
Daphne remained silent. It was true she had other spells in the Greengrass Grimoire, curses that follow bloodlines and rituals that would help you gain power over others, but it wouldn't be due to reveal all her secrets. A Dark Lady needed her secrets like a politician needed their promises.
She had decided to turn the question back on to him.
"You do realize you are a Potter?" she said.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you have your own grimoire and many other magical enchantments that have been passed down the bloodline. The Potter family is also descended from the Peverell family making you have access to even more powers that even I don't know about."
"The Potters were never sacred twenty-eight however," Daphne said feeling that it was important to add.
"How do you know so much about my family?" Asked Harry. "Even I don't know that much about my family. All the Dursleys told me was that my parents died in a car crash."
Daphne shifted nervously. The truth was that Daphne realized that perhaps she had been too hasty in writing Harry off her who was the boy-who-lived list. She had assumed he was muggleborn when in reality he had come from a strong magical bloodline.
"I was curious," she replied in a soft voice. Daphne didn't meet his eyes.
"Well," said Harry not taking notice of change in her appearance. "I'm always happy to learn more about my parents."
Daphne didn't think he would be too thankful if one day, Daphne had to slip some poison into his goblet.
All for the greater good she would say to herself.
It was close to Halloween now, and for the first time this year, Hogwarts was changing its decorations. In the hallways you would see pumpkins, cobwebs, and ghosts. Though, the ghosts had always been there.
Daphne, however, paid little mind to these changes. Between her classes and own interest in furthering her magical abilities, it wouldn't be odd to find Daphne lost in her book about runes or spells. Harry once had to grab her shoulders to prevent her from walking off the rotating stairs. Although Daphne was sure they had charms to prevent her splatting from the fall, she had been thankful for that.
"Thank you," said Daphne to Harry a couple days later from the previous incident. He had just prevented her from walking into a pillar on their walk to transfiguration.
"No problem, but you should really watch where you are going."
Daphne laughed. Why should she need to watch out when she could count on Harry to look out for her?
They entered the transfiguration classroom together, both taking their seats near the back. Unlike potions, Harry seemed quite proficient at it. Never seeming to fail to get his item to transform correctly by the end of class. However, that is discounting the time he had made his beetle explode.
Daphne was not happy when she had to wipe beetle guts from her cardigan.
Today was a lecture day. Daphne sat through it listening with half attuned ears. Her mind wandered to thoughts of her conquest of Magical Britain.
Perhaps becoming minister of magic would be the easier path forward she thought. From there it wouldn't be hard to enact the changes that her father, Cygnus, always said needed to be done. She would stop the muggle influence on policies and laws. She would further spending on the Department of Mysteries and expand the DMLE to make sure that in a war of wizards vs muggles, the wizards would win.
"Greengrass." Professor McGonagall said. "What are the three most essential factors to consider when transforming a spoon into a fork?"
"Shape, depth, and material." Responded Daphne without hesitation.
"That is correct, but please try to pay more attention. That goes for all of you. I know it is Halloween, but it's important that we understand inanimate transfiguration before winter break."
Daphne nodded and decided her plans of conquest could wait another day.
The class soon ended, and Daphne made her way to the library with Harry beside her.
After the potion's incident that ended in a duel with Malfoy, Harry decided to listen to Daphne's words and improve his potions abilities. So, the two marched down to the library to begin studying.
It was times like these that Daphne enjoyed her stay at Hogwarts the most. Quiet and peaceful, with nothing but the fluttering of turning pages to accompany them.
Harry never stayed long. Deeming that after an hour he had studied all his brain was capable of, but he reassured her he had learned a lot.
Later in the evening, Daphne was ushered out by Madame Prince stating that it was time to go to the Halloween feast.
Daphne enjoyed the feast, finding it to be quite a lovely meal. The real excitement of it, however, was when Professor Quirrell barged in screaming that a troll was loose in the dungeons.
"A troll? But what about Potter, you think he'll be okay?" whispered Blaise to Draco.
Daphne who was sitting to the side of Blaise had heard him.
"What's wrong with Harry?" Daphne asked a bit more loudly.
Gregory Goyle, who heard Daphne, smiled with a mouth full of food.
"We locked him in the girl's bathroom."
Malfoy quickly punched Goyle.
"She wasn't supposed to know that idiot," said Malfoy. "Now we are all going to get in trouble if Potter gets smashed by the troll."
Daphne stopped listening to what they had to say. She got up and tried to find a prefect. When she approached Marcus Flint detailing Harry's problem, he dismissed her.
"Didn't you hear Greengrass, the troll is in the dungeon. I'm sure Potter will be perfectly safe in the girl's bathroom. I got bigger things to handle."
"Listen-up Slytherins," shouted Flint. "We are not going to go back to our dorms. The troll is in the dungeon. As you know, our dorms are also in the dungeon. We are going to be staying here till Professor Snape says it's safe to go back."
Disgruntled, Daphne decided to take matters into her own hands. She blended in with the Gryffindors as they went back to their dorms and broke free from them on the second floor.
There were a lot of bathrooms in the castle, but Daphne knew she only had to search for one's that Harry would've passed on his way back from the library. Luckily enough for her, she found the bathroom on the 3rd floor locked.
"Alohomora," she said, using the incantation for the unlocking charm. She stepped inside the bathroom and was disappointed when she saw no-one was there.
"Harry!?" she called.
There was a short pause before she heard a response.
"Daphne?"
A door to a stall was pushed open and through it Harry stepped out. Daphne smiled when she saw that he was still in good health. Well, he was fine except for the purple bruise he was sporting on his right eye.
"Did I miss the feast?" was Harry's first question.
Daphne smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. Frankly, this day was too much for her. Before she responded, she went forward to wash her sweaty hands.
"Yes, you did." Said Daphne.
Harry laughed. "Well, at least we know now what Malfoy wanted to do for revenge."
Harry was busy looking himself in the mirror. Gently tapping the bruise on his eye like it was a hot stove.
"I am glad you found me Daphne," said Harry. "I was worried what I would have to say if another girl walked in."
Daphne became a bit more serious.
"Harry, we have to leave; there is a troll on the loose."
"A troll?" Harry asked
Before Daphne had a chance to explain the situation, the wall behind her exploded into thousands of chunks of raining debris. Through the smoke of the debris the trolls large silhouette came towards them
Harry yelped.
"A troll!"
Daphne fumbled for her wand. Sooner than she had a chance to fully grab it, Harry yanked her hand and brought her along as he ran to the back of the bathroom. He pulled them both into a stall hoping that the smoke hadn't faded away yet.
"What do we do now?" Harry whispered to her.
Truthfully, Daphne didn't know. She was half a step away from writing her eulogies.
Was this how it was going to end? Trapped in a bathroom stall about to get clobbered by a troll's club. This isn't the legacy she wanted to leave behind!
At any rate, Daphne was going to go down fighting. Without saying a word, she pulled her arm free from Harry's and got her wand out. She stepped out from the stall and pointed her wand at the troll.
The troll looked at Daphne quizzically. Perhaps wondering if he should consider Daphne as a threat.
Daphne first sent a stunning spell, then a leg lock jinx, and then a banishing charm. Nothing worked. Swatted away as if Daphne's spells were nothing more than pesky flies.
The troll took one more step towards Daphne before Harry distracted him.
"Hey troll!" Shouted Harry. "I'm over here!"
Somehow Harry ended up behind the troll. Later, Harry would explain to her that he did this by crawling under the stalls, but right now Daphne was stuck in amazement as she convinced herself he had somehow teleported.
Though what happened next was far from impressive.
"Take this!" Harry yelled.
Harry threw a rock at the troll. It bounced off the troll's thick skin.
Despite its ineffectiveness, the troll grew angry at that. Maybe only just now realizing that his presence was unwelcomed. He charged at Harry.
Harry quickly turned around and tried running away. Unfortunately, he tripped on a piece of debris and crashed down onto the floor. He didn't get back up.
"Harry!" Daphne called in desperation.
They say your magic is heightened at moments of extreme emotion. Daphne figured it must be true because there was no other way, she could have done what she did next.
Using the levitating spell, she lifted the troll straight up into the air. The troll grew confused again, swinging his club in all directions hoping to catch some invisible force, but he could do nothing.
Holding onto the spell was sucking the energy out of Daphne, but she knew she had to do it to protect Harry. Her knees buckled under the force that pushed against her. She held on to her wand with both hands as she focused in on the spell. Every second that past felt like an eternity. She kept on telling herself to hold on for a few seconds longer. That was all that was needed.
The last thing she saw before her vision blacked out was the emerald robes of Professor McGonagall.
"Chocolate?"
Harry was waving a piece of chocolate under her nose, but Daphne smacked his hand away.
Her eyes adjusted to the light and told her she was in the hospital wing. The sun was an orange hue and gave the room a peaceful atmosphere. Harry was laid down in the bed beside her. He had bandages wrapped all over the top part of his head, covering his forehead.
"What happened?" Daphne asked.
"What happened is that you're a hero Daphne! Everyone keeps visiting me asking what happened, but I just said I was passed out when it happened. I would've let you answer them, but you weren't awake. Scared me half to death that did, you just lying motionless like that, but Madame Pomfrey said you were alright. Just needed some rest was all."
Daphne grimaced. This wasn't going to plan one bit. She wasn't supposed to be a hero. She was supposed to be feared.
She glanced back towards Harry, his right eye where he had been hit earlier had healed. Not even a hint of purple marked his face.
"Good morning," said an elderly voice. "Or, perhaps its more appropriate to say good evening to you all."
"Hello Professor Dumbledore," said Harry casually.
Daphne's heart dropped as she turned around.
Standing before them in blue robes, and crooked moon glasses was Professor Dumbledore. Although Daphne had seen many photos of him, she didn't expect him to be so tall. Nor did she expect him to have such a seemingly powerful all-knowing presence.
Daphne avoided his gaze.
"Quite the night you too shared. I must say I'm quite disappointed than any of my students had to face such an ordeal. Rest assured that the investigation as to what happened is already underway."
"Oh, don't worry about that." Said Harry. "Me and Daphne always appreciate a good adventure. Isn't that right Daphne?"
"No."
Dumbledore chuckled.
"Peace and tranquility should never be taken for granted Harry," said Dumbledore wisely. "We all learned that lesson in time. Why, just now, I'm starting to mourn the days in which all the problems I had where my students not turning their transfiguration homework on time."
"But surely we aren't expected to have our transfiguration homework due today after having faced a troll Professor Dumbledore." Said Harry.
"Oh no," said Dumbledore, "that wouldn't be fair at all. I have spoken to the teachers and given the two of you exemptions."
"And before I go," Dumbledore continued. "I believe rewards are in order. You two shall receive 50 points for Slytherin for your showing of bravery."
Daphne muttered her thanks and watched with narrowed eyes as Dumbledore made his way out of the hospital wing.
It was a day later that they were set to leave. Madame Pomfrey, the school's nurse, bade them goodbye.
"Mr. Potter, Miss. Greengrass." called Madame Pomfrey as Harry and Daphne made their way out of the infirmary. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I hope to never see you two here again."
Harry laughed and replied over his shoulder.
"Don't worry Madame Pomphrey, I don't plan on being here for a very, very, very, long time."
(Harry would return to the infirmary 3 months later)
AN: Thank you for all the kind support you gave me for the last chapter even though it wasn't that long. At any rate, this is what I came up with for chapter two. I don't know if it connects well to the larger story and characters, but I had fun writing some of the scenes and trying to find something that works. If you have any suggestions about the direction or writing ill be happy to hear. Anyhow, thanks for reading!
