Chapter 9

Daphne felt a shiver of dread go down her spine when Susan said that someone had been probing her wards, "But how? Why? When? Was it while I was here?"

Harry held up his hands peacefully, "We aren't sure. Whoever did it knew what they were doing, and must have either an unbelievable understanding of wards, or must be fairly powerful, but don't worry. The wards we are about to put on your flat will make them impossible to breach."

Without further words Susan began waving her wand around much faster than before, and Daphne was a little discouraged with just how fast the witch had broken her defenses. Harry seemed to catch the face she made, and he chuckled, "Don't worry. As powerful as everyone seems to think I am, not even I could have done that as fast as she did. Like I told you last night, the Bone's family history is rich with ward creating, developing, and mastering. Susan here easily could've been a very wealthy witch if she had just wanted to sit back and put wards up for people."

After a few moments Susan answered his statement, "My knowledge and your power Harry maybe we missed our calling. Could've made a fortune."

"We would be bored to tears after a week." Harry answered lazily.

"Too true! It's your turn now Harry. Give her the full spread."

Harry nodded as he pointed his wand towards the ceiling, "Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri,Salvio Hexia."

Those were the only words Daphne herself actually recognized the next five or six he cast went way over her head, but she felt the presence of powerful magic, and knew that her home was now about to be incredibly safe. It didn't take much longer before Harry lowered his wand staring around at the walls, "I placed one ward up that I can take down if you wish, but it's an emergency distress signal. If someone were to probe your wards again it would immediately alert me that someone was tampering with them. This only works from outside your home. If they did it inside it wouldn't register. So let's say your mom or Tracey was here, and started analyzing them just to see what they look or feel like nothing would happen, but from the outside I would be notified. I recommend leaving it, but Susan can take it down easily enough if this makes you uncomfortable.``

Daphne's throat immediately dried at his words. The fact that the Head of the DMLE was going to be constantly monitoring her wards was unbelievable. She asked the words rummaging through her head, "And if the wards do inform you that they are being probed?"

Harry grinned at her thoughts, "Then whoever is on the other end is going to be subjected to intensive questioning in my office."

Daphne knew it was a lot, and she wanted to object, but she also knew he wouldn't have done it if he didn't have her safety in mind. With everything that happened maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. Besides in Daphne's mind it only took her new friends less than an hour to work all this out, and she had spent much longer than that keeping him alive on her operating table, "Thank you Harry, Susan. I really appreciate this."

Susan put an arm around the girl, "Hey what do you think friends are for? You ever get a house we can really go to town. All our friends are very well protected, and we would like to include you in that group now. By the way no one will be able to floo call you without you first accepting it. All you have to do is point your wand at the fireplace and it will answer."

Daphne laughed lightly, "That in itself is worth all your troubles. My mother calls me in the middle of my sleeping hours, and scares years off my life thinking someone has broken in."

Harry smiled walking closer to the two girls, "Well you don't have to worry about that anymore."

Susan added, "So we are holding my birthday party at Potter Manor in a few weeks, if we don't see you before then I hope you will consider coming?"

"If you do bring Tracey too, I never did manage to get all three of you into my bed." Harry said cheekily.

This caused Daphne to blush slightly, but Susan nailed him on the arm, "You wouldn't know what to do with all three of us you prat."

Harry rubbed his arm making Daphne laugh, "It was just a joke Sue, Merlin!"

"I would love to come." Daphne said honestly, "And I know Tracey would too."

Susan grinned and brought the girl in for a hug, "If you aren't working let's do drinks next Friday. Me, you, Tracey, maybe a few others? What do you say?"

"I say let's do it! I will be off." Daphne said excitedly at the prospect of a girls night.

"See Harry I told you I liked this girl." Susan said happily as they began walking towards the door.

Daphne followed them, but Harry stopped before he reached the door, "Daphne, day or night, you ever need anything give me a call. You have the floo point for Potter Manor. You are welcome there anytime. My house elves will let me know you are there and I will meet you. Please don't hesitate or be embarrassed to do so."

The blonde nodded shyly, but gave him a thankful smile. Susan shouted as she walked out the door, "Don't forget to key your friends into the wards before they try and come over. The bounce would be unpleasant to say the least!"

When the door shut Daphne took a deep breath, but smiled to herself. Regardless of what Tracey thought of her budding friendship with Harry Potter she was equally happy to have found a new friend in Susan Bones. She was clearly a formidable witch that knew how to have a good time, and she looked forward to Friday more than ever.

The remainder of the day Daphne tried to get some more rest before returning to work. She took the time to add the few names to her wards, and pondered over who might've been trying to scope her place out. She wondered just how recently they had been probed, and just what had brought it on. The article only broke this morning about her involvement with saving Harry, so the timeline doesn't quite make sense. A bold sense of foreboding washed over her the more she thought about it, and eventually decided it wasn't worth worrying over any further. Susan and Harry had assured her that she had top of the line safety protections now, and she wouldn't live her life in fear.

Returning to work that evening she was expecting a quiet entry to the hospital like normal, but that was immediately proven wrong when she stepped away from the apparition point to a flash of light. When her eyes adjusted to brightness she noticed two dozen reporters with wizarding cameras, and notepads coming towards her. She was certain her face resembled something to that of a deer in a headlights when the first question came, "Healer Greengrass, how do you feel about saving the Man Who Conquers life?"

"Ms. Greengrass, is it true that you killed Death Eaters in the final battle?"

"Is it true your father was a Death Eater sympathizer?"

The last question stunned her, and more were being shouted at her before a loud bang echoed through the hallway. Tracey Davis was walking through the crowd with a furious look on her face, "This is a hospital and healer Greengrass has work to do. Now leave before we call the aurors."

Daphne did not address any of them as Tracey pushed her way through the reporters to get them to the elevator. When the doors closed behind them Daphne let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding in, "Are there more upstairs?"

"No, Healer Bulstrode started using stinging hexes on them, and forced the lot of them out. Millie's mom can be scary when she wants to be." Tracey said wisely.

There was no argument with that. When the doors opened to unveil the Spell damage ward Daphne was relieved to see normality. After the fancy party, the crazy situation with her wards, then the crazier situation with the reporters she welcomed the quiet atmosphere of her spell-damaged patients.

Getting back to her work felt almost strange after the last few days she had, but she was happy with being in her comfort zone. As she finished her nightly duties Daphne finally took a deep breath, and an appreciative drink of the coffee Tracey had ready for her, "So how was the ward installation with Susan and Harry?"

Daphne sipped her coffee some more before sighing, "More exciting than it should have been."

This made Tracey raise an eyebrow at the girl which led to Daphne launching her explanation about her wards being probed, and what Harry had done for her to make her feel safe. At the end Tracey looked troubled, "That was really sweet of Harry to put the monitoring charm on your flat, but it really bothers me that someone was looking into your stuff. The article just broke this morning too, so unless someone knew where you lived, and immediately went to try and attack you when they read the article it just doesn't add up."

"It doesn't add up anyways, because I think had the probe been only a few hours old Susan or Harry would've been able to tell. Neither could tell quite how long ago the probe was, which means that it could've happened years ago. I got that flat at the turn of the Millenia when I first tested out of training to be a healer." Daphne said clearly bothered by the turn of events.

"Maybe it was just a patient who tracked you down because he had the hots for you, or something less sinister. Spend one night with so many aurors, and we are already becoming paranoid!" Tracey said half heartedly.

Daphne looked pensieve, "I hope that's what it was. After all they told me now my wards were pretty unbreakable."

Tracey shrugged, "After last night if they say something is unbreakable then I believe them."

Daphne agreed with the girl, and changed the subject before she could increase her paranoia, "Susan invited me out for drinks on Friday with some of the other girls. Care to join us?"

This made the brunette girl smile and return, "Absolutely! Any idea who else is coming?"

"I would guess Hannah Abbott, and maybe Hermione, but other than that I am not sure." Daphne said honestly.

"Just a girls night?" Tracey asked curiously.

"That's what it sounds like. We only had a few minutes to talk about it. I will try and get more info from her later in the week."

Tracey leaned back in her chair with a happy smile, "Well that made my night. I am going to study the sixth year potions book. Mind if I bounce some questions off you if I think of any?"

Daphne gave her friend a surprised look, "Good for you on studying. Of course you can ask me anything."

"Healer Bulstrode talked to me about trying to apprentice under the hospital if I can get a NEWT on my potions exam. Apparently comprehension goes a long way, and if I can get just a decent score on my practical I should be able to get an A, which is enough with my experience as a night clerk to get an apprenticeship here." Tracey explained excitedly.

Smiling at the girl's hope Daphne said, "Well nothing better than getting paid to study. When we are slow you can read here, and bounce questions off me, and when you get closer to testing you can come over and brew in my flat!"

Tracey squealed quietly, "Thanks Daph I am really going to owe you one. This is a big opportunity for me!"

The best friends just shared the excitement, and let it fizzle out over the remainder of their shift as they busied themselves to stay awake through another shift.

Tracey left at her usual time at 6am, while Daphne finished up a few hours later happy to be heading home for more rest. The reporters were thankfully nowhere to be seen when she went to the apparition point, but something more surprising was greeting her before she could apparate home.

Aurora Greengrass was sitting cross legged in the main entrance lobby with a copy of the Daily Prophet levitating in front of her. She was wearing a light purple robe set that looked brand new, and something Daphne was certain she had seen in a fashion magazine not too long ago. Daphne made brief eye contact with the girl at the front desk who gave a shrug of her shoulders indicating she did not know why the woman was there, but as Daphne strode forward her mother looked up, "Daphne dear, just the lovely daughter I wanted to visit with. Let's go home for breakfast shall we?"

The young woman sighed realizing her sleep was being put off a few hours saying, "Why are you here mother?"

The woman put a hand on her heart in fake hurt, "Darling daughter I just wanted a chance to visit my eldest child. Is that such a crime? Besides Art is making your favorite."

This made Daphne roll her eyes, and offered her hand to the woman who daintily took it as they both disapparated. Whirling across the country to Liverpool Daphne landed softly on the carpet in her father's old office where she was instantly greeted by an older house elf, "Welcome home Lady Daphne, Art has breakfast almost ready."

Looking around the study, seeing her father's old things made her stomach clench, and nearly lose her appetite as a wave of sadness began to take over, but her mother was already moving out the door into the main atrium of Greengrass Manor without a word over her shoulder.

Steeling herself Daphne followed the woman until they made it to a sitting room that held multiple chairs, and couches. Aurora took her seat in a stiff dark colored chair, and looked up to her daughter with a look of exasperation, "Please my dear sit down."

Daphne slowly moved to the couch across from her mother, and Art appeared snapping his fingers, summoning two glasses of tea, "The usual my lady?"

"De-caf for me today Art. I need to return to my flat and get some rest soon." Daphne said kindly to the elf who gave a bow to her as two separate teapots came into the room floating in air.

"Speaking of your flat my dear is everything okay there? I tried to call you last night before you went in, but I couldn't get my network to go through." The woman asked, trying to feign interest.

Daphne took her cup of tea sipping at it carefully before saying, "Yes well I just had my wards upgraded, and-"

"You upgraded your wards? My goodness dear that must have cost you a fortune! You could've asked for some galleons and I would have happily provided them to you for your own safety." The woman exclaimed, but Daphne thought it was a little bit of an act.

"Well I didn't pay for it, so there was no need to ask for the money." Daphne said cooly as she sipped her drink some more.

Aurora Greengrass was a prodigal Slytherin, but this seemed to catch her by a little bit of a surprise, "I am afraid I don't understand my dear. You had your wards upgraded for free, but I know that is not a skill set yourself, Tracey, Astoria, or even dear Draco possess. How on Earth did you come across someone with the skills to do that for free."

Daphne glared at her mother knowing exactly where the line of questioning was going, but didn't rise to the bait, "Harry Potter and Susan Bones came over. They are recent friends of mine, and were happy to do this service for me while my name was in the paper, and worried about my safety."

"Surely if you were worried about your safety so much you would return here to Greengrass Manor." The woman responded completely skidding over who exactly had helped her out.

"Well I happen to like my flat, my privacy, and since my friends were happy to do it I was grateful."

"Least they could do after you saved their main man's life. I wouldn't be surprised if they gave you an Order of Merlin." The woman said flippantly as she lightly touched her perfectly tied up hair.

"I would refuse it because I was merely doing my job, and nothing of the heroic standard that the Order of Merlin holders are held too." Daphne said with a tint of anger in her voice.

The woman gave her a patronizing smile, "Now Daphne-"

"What is this all about mother? I have worked for Saint Mungos for four years now, and not once have you ever turned up at my job just to invite me over for tea, and breakfast."

Suddenly Art appeared with a tray that held an assortment of bagels, and Aurora Greengrass flinched at the arrival and departure of the tiny elf, while Daphne stared at her mother defiantly. The woman however straightened up, and spoke, "Well if we are being honest after I caught on to your subtle misdirection the other night about not being scheduled to work I realized what a boon this whole opportunity has created for our family."

"A boon." Daphne repeated in disbelief.

"A boon dear, I am surprised you are unfamiliar with the term." The woman said almost cheekily as she sipped her tea.

"I know what the word means mother." Daphne said through gritted teeth, "What I merely meant to question was what possible boon I created for our family."

The woman shook her head as if Daphne had disappointed her, "My dear, while I know politics were never your favorite you surprise me that you do not realize what saving the life of someone like Harry Potter could mean. The political leverage we could have from him, and his allies."

"I'm going to stop you right there mostly because I am about to lose what little of my temper I am holding on to." Daphne said angrily.

The woman gave her another patronizing smile, but before she could speak Daphne snapped, "I will not be using any political leverage against Harry Potter or his allies, because I now consider them friends. Harry Potter invited me into his home, and we broke bread together, and I refuse to take advantage of my position in such a way."

The woman's smile finally faded at the angry tone of her daughter, "I see."

"That man is making sure the people responsible for taking my father, your husband, away from me are getting their just desserts, and you would have me attempt to take advantage of that man? For what? A political favor?" Daphne spat.

"Oh Daphne don't get tied into knots. I would ask you to take advantage of your situation to provide better futures for yourself and your sister, but I see now that you do not have what it takes to do that. I hold you no grudge." The woman said as if she was doing her daughter a favor.

Daphne felt as if she had been slapped. Then she stood up, and started to leave, but her mothers voice stopped her on the way out, "Daphne dear, take a bagel to go."

She knew her mother was just trying to rile her up at this point. Trying to make her scream so that way she could say tell her how childish she was being, but instead she pulled on her magic to summon a bagel off the trey wandlessly without as much as looking behind her as she stormed back towards her fathers office to leave. When she arrived she took one last mournful glance around. It was one part of Greengrass Manor that hadn't seemed to change since he passed.

She spotted a photo of a young man in his early 30's looking proud as can be with his hand on a little girl in black robes. The man's hazel eyes seemed to shine with pride. His short black hair styled smartly, and his dress robes were impeccable. The little girl below him seemed unbelievably happy to be going off on an adventure even if it meant leaving her greatest friend behind for a while.

Daphne swallowed hard as she shook her head apparating a way as the little girl waved to her in front of the Hogwarts Express.

(A/N) This chapter has not yet been edited by my beta, but we hope to have it done before the end of the weekend, and Chapter 10 should be a fresh edited chapter on launch day with some luck.

We are still setting the scene, but the battle Harry and his friends face ahead will be more than a fight of magic. Things will be get ugly starting as soon as the next chapter so please stay tuned, and tell me what you thought of our newest addition to The Survivors!

If anyone would like to chat with I now have my own discord page on the Emerald Libarary's page. That link is on my profile. Cheers and see you next week!