Chapter 15
Harry stared out the window overlooking the square.
Daphne came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"You can't save everybody."
"I know."
She pulled him around to face her. "Do you? Do you accept that you can't be everywhere, and some people are going to die?"
Harry nodded slowly. "I accept it, but…I hate it and I always will!"
Three days later, they were heading north on the Hogwarts Express.
Daphne hadn't wanted to go back, but Harry convinced her they needed their NEWTS for any future careers.
Neville accompanied them, along with Susan and Terry, but Hannah was in such a state that she'd been pulled out of school for the rest of the term.
The atmosphere at Hogwarts had changed. Usually there was a hectic cheerfulness prevalent but now a miasma of fear seemed to seep into the very walls.
There was a buzz of speculation when Harry and Daphne walked in and went straight to the Gryffindor table.
Hermione glared at them. "What is Daphne Greengrass doing at the Gryffindor table?"
"Her name," said Harry firmly, " is Daphne Black-Potter. Or if you wish to be formal, Lady Black!"
"What!" shrilled Hermione. "Harry James Potter, what have you done!?"
Neville deliberately took the place beside Daphne, and Ron next to Hermione.
"Harry and Daphne got married," the redhead announced, grinning at the gaping Gryffindors. "But Neville beat me out for Harry's best man."
Neville, depressed since the assault on Longbottom manor and the murder of Hannah's mother, managed a wavery smile.
"Yep, Harry did the noble thing, when Daphne got disowned." Ginny gave them a glittering smile laced with malice.
Harry was taken by surprise; Ginny hadn't seemed so spiteful before.
"Wrong!" Ron scowled at his sister. "Daphne got disowned for marrying Harry!"
"Ohhh, that is so romantic." Lavender Brown was practically swooning. "An elopement! I'd love that…if I didn't want a big wedding, with flowers, cake, a lace veil, a…"
"Yes, yes!" interrupted Hermione. "All the bells and whistles! But Harry and Daphne hardly know one another. Harry probably rushed into this, in his typical impetuous way…"
"I knew what I was doing, and I have no regrets." Harry's voice was firm.
Daphne found her voice. "Nor have I."
"There's an extra bed in our dorm," offered Lavender eagerly. "You can tell all about the wedding!"
Harry had to laugh. "McGonagall is giving us one of the rooms set aside for married students. There are currently three other couples at Hogwarts."
The room they'd been allotted was not a suite, but just a large bedroom with an attached bathroom, a wardrobe, and a worktable.
"However, you are not to sequester yourselves in here, but to spend time in the common room each evening. " McGonagall eyed them sternly. "You must continue to take classes with your House."
Harry had not anticipated this. "That is unacceptable, Professor. My wife will not be safe in Slytherin."
McGonagall paused. "That may well be true. Very well, she may keep to your schedule."
Daphne breathed a sigh of relief. "What about electives? I take Ancient Runes and Harry does not."
"I have been studying on my own," Harry said quickly. "I'm certain I can keep up."
"I'll speak to Professor Babbling, and ask if she'll allow it. But…" McGonagall said sternly, "this is the only concession I am willing to offer you. If you fail to maintain acceptable grades, we will be having a serious discussion."
Harry had no doubt the professor meant what she said.
Dumbledore sent for them that evening.
He had not been present at the Welcoming Feast, and Harry soon saw why: the Headmaster's condition had deteriorated greatly.
"Yes, Harry. I am dying," the Headmaster said softly. "Hopefully I can survive until the end of the year, at least. I had hoped to give you more time to prepare, but I fear that will not be happening. Tell me, do you still have your dreams?"
"No," Harry answered in relief. "When I put on the Black lord's ring, something happened and I was suddenly feeling better…cleaner, somehow."
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Yes, the link between you and Voldemort is gone. That is good for you, but not so good if you face him again."
"Was it… possession? Like with Ginny Weasley?"
"No," said Dumbledore emphatically. "It was…something else."
Harry still lay awake hours later.
Daphne could feel his distress and held him tight.
"At least Dumbledore finally admitted the truth about the horcruxes. I was beginning to think he'd die, and leave me to figure everything out on my own. I can't believe I had that filth in me!"
"It's gone now," she soothed. "It can't hurt you anymore."
"But it's what got Sirius killed!"
"No!" She propped herself up on one elbow to look into his anguished eyes. "It was Tonks who got him killed, and I hope she burns for it!"
He reached to stroke her long blonde hair. "I didn't know you could be so fierce."
"Well, I can be," she promised. "To anyone who hurts you!"
"I thought I was supposed to look after you," he teased.
"We'll look after each other," she vowed.
Astoria Greengrass huddled miserably in a dark corner of the Slytherin common room.
"Why so mopey, cousin?" Pansy Parkinson slid into the chair beside her. "You got what you wanted…well, mostly what you wanted. Well-played!"
"I didn't want Daphne disowned!"
Pansy shrugged. "It was inevitable, once she took off with Potter. I don't know what she was thinking!"
"She was thinking she didn't want to be tied to Selwyn!"
"Shhh! Not so loud." Pansy glanced around furtively. "Anyway, now you get to be the Greengrass heiress, instead of her."
Astoria gave her cousin a scornful look. "Much Daphne will care, now she has Potter! He's richer than Midas!"
"True." Pansy scowled. "Still…he's sure to get killed soon. And the dark lord will punish her, for her disloyalty. She won't benefit much from all that money!"
"Why would Daphne be loyal to him? Greengrass is a neutral House."
Pansy gave her a pitying look. "Are you really that stupid?"
Albus Dumbledore slumped wearily in his chair. He'd seriously miscalculated, and feared he was running out of time to make amends.
He'd been so sure that it would be better for Harry to be accepted into the Dursley family, rather than to grow up idolized by the wizard world.
If the boy was doomed to die young, at least he would have a normal childhood.
Yet he hadn't.
Minerva had warned him about the Dursleys, but he'd failed to heed her. All he'd wanted was to get Harry away from the likes of Sirius Black.
Instead, his plans had resulted in the worst outcome possible. Harry was filled with hostility, had immersed himself in the teachings of the Black family, and had wed a pureblood girl.
What's more, he'd managed to expel the fragment of horcrux, and made it clear he did not desire Albus' help in dealing with any others.
Although…even if he did, what help could Albus give at this point?
He knew he was dying, and could see only two paths forward: trust Harry not to turn dark, or allow Tom to succeed. A choice that was really no choice at all!
