chapter nineteen
Daphne's Gift
The next few weeks were all a jumble, leaving Harry with very little free time. First and foremost was the sentencing of Ernie McNair. Cornelius Fudge had come to Hogwarts to interrogate Harry, Ron, Ginny and Colin about his behavior and the events leading up to his capture. It turned out that the real Mr. Honeyduke was being held back in Knockturn Alley, along with Mr. Borgin. McNair's own wife had been keeping them under a binding charm in the backroom of Borgin's shop. McNair was sent to Azkabahn for life, and his wife, though she had received a lesser sentence, insisted on going with him.
Then the situation with Sirius had to be dealt with. Sirius gladly testified against McNair in return for his own retrial. Moody was interviewd, and he spoke of what he had witnessed through his magical eye. He, along with Dumbledore, Lupin, and Ron and Hermione, swore of Sirius' devotion to and protection of Harry. Harry was even called in to testify in Sirius' behalf, and Sirius was eventually pardoned, much to the disappointment of Cornelius Fudge.
When he wasn't answering questions for the Ministry of Magic, Harry was busy preparing for the approaching O.W.L.s and training for the final Quidditch match against Slytherin. He found himself not quite as anxious about the game this year as he had been in the past. There were just some things, Harry realized, that were more important than Quidditch. If it hadn't been Ron's first chance at a victory, Harry might not even have tried so hard. But he really wanted to win for Ron's sake.
And then there was that banquet to think about. Professor McGonagall had informed them that all the fifth year students were invited to a banquet after the O.W.L.s, in their honor. They would be allowed to escort anyone of their choice to the banquet, including younger students, but dress robes must be worn. Harry knew who he wanted to invite…Ginny. She had been on his mind an awful lot lately. He'd pass her in the hall or sit next to her at meal times, always wanting to say something, but never actually saying anything. He just didn't feel it would be appropriate, so he decided to take the safe route and ask Daphne instead.
He found her studying in the common room the Saturday before the O.W.L.s. Ron had made it clear to Harry that he wanted some "alone time" with Hermione, and Harry had obliged. So now was the perfect chance to ask her. He took a seat at the table with her and said, "Hi there."
"Oh, hello Harry. I didn't see you." She smiled that ever charming smile of hers. "Where're Ron and Hermione?"
"Oh…" Harry rolled his eyes, "they're…off somewhere. You know."
Daphne giggled and asked, "Well, is there something you want?"
"Actually yes." Harry sat up straight, gathering courage. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you, Daphne."
Daphne blinked and gave a sigh. "I've been wondering when we would talk about this." Harry looked puzzled at her, so she continued, "I know what you're going to ask."
"You do?" Harry said in shock.
"Well of course." She closed her book and laid down her quill. "Quite frankly, I'm surprised you didn't come to me weeks ago."
"You are?" Harry felt his face flush.
"It's obvious, isn't it?" She looked him in the eye and said, "Go on then…ask me. I can't do anything until you ask me."
Still a bit confused, Harry stammered, "Ok…well…I just wanted to know…if you'd like to go to the O.W.L. banquet with me?"
There was a long pause as Daphne starred, mouth open and brow furrowed at Harry. "That's what you wanted to ask me?"
"Yes…what did you think I was going to ask you?" Harry wondered, giving Daphne a very confused expression.
"Certainly not that." She leaned into the table resting her chin on her hand. "Harry, are you sure there isn't someone else you'd rather go with?"
Taken aback, Harry said, "I thought it would be nice."
"Yes, it would be nice, and I'll go with you and all, but…"
"We had a good time at the Hogsmeade party earlier in the year. I mean, we even…" Harry stopped before he mentioned it.
"Harry," Daphne said, "you're not my boyfriend. You don't have to feel obligated to ask me out just because we…you know…we…"
"I know, and that's not what it is," he said.
"Then why aren't you asking Ginny about this?" Daphne's voice went higher than usual.
Harry stared. "Ginny?"
"Yes, Ginny, Daphne played with her quill. "You should ask her out."
Harry tried to brush it off by saying, "I can't invite Ginny. She's a fourth year, and besides…she's Ron's sister."
"So? McGonagall said we could invite whomever we wanted. And you like Ginny."
"Well of course I like her…" He covered it up by saying, "…she's Ron's sister."
"I mean you fancy her," Daphne smiled.
"Sshhhhh!" Harry waved his hands at her and looked around to common room to see if anyone had heard. Then in a hush of a whisper he said, "She's Ron's sister!"
Continuing in a whisper, Daphne said, "I know, and I heard you the first two times." Then, in a louder voice she added, "And don't shush me about it. We're not talking about something that is a secret. Everyone knows."
"Everyone knows?" Harry looked dumbfounded.
"Come now, Harry…I was utterly shocked when you said you wanted me to invite you to the Hogsmeade party, let alone when you said you wanted to kiss me. I know when someone is lying to me and you most certainly didn't want to kiss me…because you're so obviously smitten with Ginny," Daphne smirked.
Deciding there was no need to argue the point, Harry said, "What should I do about Ron?"
"Why are you so worried about Ron? You're his best friend. He trusts you. I don't think he'll be upset at all."
For the first time in the conversation, Harry smiled. Then a thought struck him, "What were you expecting me to ask you?"
It was Daphne's turn to be surprised. "Oh…er…nothing."
"Oh come now, you know my secret, it's time I knew yours," he said jokingly.
But Daphne's face was serious. "That's just it. You all ready know my secret, and I thought…" she hesitated, "that you'd want me…to share it with you."
Harry let her words sink in. Before he could say anything, she added, "You had to have thought about it. I'm the one person you know that can give you what you've always wanted."
He looked away. "You can bring my parents back from the dead?"
"Yes," she said, causing Harry to give her a startled look up at her. "Well, not literally, of course…I can give you your memories of them."
Harry shook his head, "But I don't have any memories of them aside from their deaths."
"Harry Potter," Daphne's voice was firm. "You spent over a year of your life with your parents. Somewhere in your head is over a year's worth of memories. You've just forgotten them."
Harry sniffed, "And you think you could help?"
"I know I could help."
Harry thought for a moment. "What would I have to do? I mean, does it hurt? What's it like?"
"You don't do anything, really. You just sit there and watch. It's kind of like watching the telly, except you can't change what you're viewing, and you don't have any control over what happens. And, in your case, it will all be from the point of view of a baby."
"But I won't feel anything?" he asked.
Daphne shook her head, "Nothing physical, but I can't guarantee that it won't be painful."
"How do you mean?"
"Harry, I never really knew my father. He died when I was four." Harry had never known this about Daphne, be he didn't interrupt her to question her about it. "My mother took me back in a memory so that I could see him. It was very difficult for me. I wanted to run up to him and say, 'Daddy, I love you and I miss you!' but I couldn't. I just watched, knowing that in a few minutes it would all be over, and he would be gone again." She looked into Harry's eyes and said firmly, "But I'd rather have the memory of him than have nothing at all."
Harry nodded, knowing full well what she meant. "We should go someplace private," he suggested.
"Professor McGonagall told me we could use her classroom if ever you decided you wanted to do this," she told him.
Being a Saturday, the Transfiguration classroom was deserted. Harry sat across from Daphne. She told him to focus on an image of his parents. Harry chose to focus on the photograph Sirius had given him at Christmastime. Once the image of his parents filled his mind, Daphne took hold of both of his hands.
The world went suddenly dark. Then Harry saw a flash of bright white light and the world came into focus again. And when it did, Harry couldn't believe his eyes. He was in a beautifully decorated room in what he believed to be the living room of a house. Sirius was standing in front of him holding a camera, but he was much younger and looked happier than Harry had ever seen him.
A woman's voice came from behind him, "Oh dear, I think I blinked. Take another one, Sirius."
And the flash of white light went off again. Harry blinked rapidly, trying to focus his eyes, but everything was spinning. The room was turning around. Harry realized he must be moving and felt a bit dizzy from the process. When the world steadied itself, Harry found himself looking right into the eyes he had seen so many times in photographs, but never like this.
It was his mother, and his father was standing right next to her.
****If you want the truth, this whole story was written just for the next chapter! It's the chapter I'm most excited about and I really hope that you all come back to see what Harry gets to remember. I also will be bringing you the meaning behind the title of the whole story very soon. Stick with me!
****Daphne Affigo is an Alphie creation. Harry Potter and all other characters are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.
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