A/N: I didn't edit this chapter very well, I just ran the spell check, so I hope it's not too messed up. I almost skipped over it and I have the next chapter ready so I wanted to get this up fast.

Chapter 26

Daisy sat in her bed humming Breakfast at Tiffany's and daydreaming as the clouds passed by the window next to her hospital bed. It had been two weeks and she still hadn't gotten her strength back.

Madame Pomphery had said that Daisy would just have to wait out her confinement and her strength would return in time. See, Daisy kept trying to things like run laps around the room or reach a new number of jumping jacks, she was up to 124. But she always tired suddenly and had to stop or would past out if she stubbornly insisted on pushing herself, which she did.

"And I said what about 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'? And she said yes as I recall I think we both kinda like it." Daisy sighed deeply, bored more each minute.

"'And I said well that's one thing we got.'" Harry finished coming into the room followed by Ginny and Neville.

"You know you could have shown some balls and sung it," Daisy said.

"Miss Dumbledore, yours is not an act I ever want to follow. How are you felling today?" Harry asked as he sat on a chair by her bed.

She shrugged. "I'm stuck here all day with only my addled mind and my schoolwork. Speaking of?"

"Yes, we brought today's," said Neville.

Daisy fumped back on her pillow. "I'm so bored! The warden refuses to let me exercise any more."

"Well, you did pass out yesterday." Ginny said.

"I did not pass out. I just needed to lay down," said Daisy.

"On the floor?" Neville asked.

Harry laughed at them. "You guys better quit while you ahead. Brought you a present, though, Wild Flower."

Harry tossed her a small Wizarding Wireless.

"Yay! A distraction." Daisy said.

"Um, Daze," Ginny stared, "I've been meaning to ask you something. What did you do on your brake? You were here all alone since we managed to get Harry to come with us."

Daisy turned very pink. "I, um, worked actually."

"I knew it!" shouted a triumphant Ginny. "I knew it was you! Nobody believed me. Well Hermione thought it might be too, but none of the boys. 'She'd have told us,' they said. Really like you would."

"Gin, what are you on about?" Neville asked.

"Isn't it obvious, Nev?" Harry said. "What has Ginny been saying for weeks now?"

"That Daisy was on the radio, but that girl's name is Roxanne Raven, not Daisy Dumbledore."

"It's called a stage name, Neville," Daisy said.

"That really is you?" he asked.

They all laughed at his surprise.

"Hey turn on the wireless. I bet we can find the song. Roxy's pretty popular," Ginny said.

"Well, it's just a cover of a Muggle song. I knew it was a good song before I recorded it," Daisy said. She turned on the dial. She really hadn't had time to think about her song, it hadn't been released before she entered the Hospital Wing and it just didn't seem important in light of everything. She had received word that it had been released and was doing quite well.

"Stop, wait a second. This station plays it pretty often." Ginny waved her hand in Daisy's face to get her to stop.

"You know the stations that well?" Daisy asked.

Ginny just listened for the song by the Weird Sisters to end. When it did a voice said, "And that was the Weird Sisters with 'Don't kill my Kneazle' next up is Roxy Raven's 'Falling for the first time.'"

That listened to it for a few seconds before an astonished Daisy said, "That's really my song!"

The other's laughed at her. "No, no, no, listen! It's me! It's really me on the radio!" At this point Daisy was jumping on the bed.

Harry was glad for her. She really hadn't had anything good happen to her for quite some time. He began listening to the words.

I'm so cool, too bad I'm a loser

I'm so smart too bad I can't get anything figured out!

I'm so brave too bad I'm a baby.

I'm so fly, that prob'ly why it feels just like I'm falling for the first time!

I'm so green it's really amazing!

I'm so clean too bad I can't get all the dirt offa me!

I'm so sane it's driving me crazy.

It's so strange I can't believe it feels just like I'm falling for the first time.

Anyone perfect must be lying.

Anything easy has its cost.

Anyone plain can be lovely.

Anyone loved can be lost.

What if I lost me direction?

What if I lost all sense of time?

What if I nurse this infection?

Maybe the worst is behind.

It feels just like I'm falling for the first time.

It feels just like I'm falling for the first time.

I'm so chill, no wonder it's freezing.

I'm so still, I just can't keep my fingers outta anything.

I'm so thrilled to finally be failing.

I'm so done. Turn me over,

'Cause it feels just like I'm falling for the first time.

Anything plain can be love be lovely.

Anything love can be lost.

Maybe I lost my direction.

What if our love is the cost?

Anyone perfect must be lying.

Anything easy has its cost.

Anyone plain can be lovely.

Anyone loved can be lost.

What if I lost me direction?

What if I lost all sense of time?

What if I nurse this infection?

Maybe the worst is behind.

Maybe the worst is behind.

Maybe the worst is behind.

Daisy sat back against her pillow with a contented look on her face. "I really did it," she said.

"Well, Miss Raven, congratulations," Ginny said.

Daisy grinned at them.

After that the radio started playing advertisements. A frustrated Ginny grabbed the little devise and started fiddling with the dial.

"They always take forever to play more music and really I don't need any magical mess remover," she had said.

"No," Daisy said, "Your mum takes care of that. So tell me what am I missing in here? Obviously not lessons." She motioned to the stack of books next her bed. "I am so ready for the OWLs, the written part anyway."

"Well," Ginny began, still turning the radio dial, "Both Hermione and Ron are now single again. You knew about Ron thought, right? Hannah was really nice about the whole thing, but Ron still felt bad. Said he just couldn't keep seeing her when he thought she should be with someone else. Ernie was ecstatic though. But poor Justin. I adore Hermione but she really shouldn't have gone off on him like she did."

"What happened?" Daisy asked excited for any bit of news.

Harry and Neville exchanged a look and an eye roll as the girls continued to gossip about two of their best friends.

"Well," Ginny continued, "Hermione was studying again. Justin felt he was being ignored. To be fair to Herm, she wasn't ignoring him and was actually spending quite a lot of time with of late. I think that's why when she actually stuck to her study schedule, Justin felt neglected. They had this huge row in the library. Hermione yelled at him for not respecting what was important to her. Made him look like a huge prat in front of everybody."

"Wow," Daisy said.

"I know!" Ginny said finally finding a radio station she liked, it was playing Muggle music. "Oh and I made Harry dance."

Harry turned bright pink. Daisy burst out laughing. "Harry can't dance."

"That's what everyone was saying," Neville said, trying to suppress his own laughter. "But Gin made him dance in front of the whole Common Room. Went pretty well actually. If only she could help me."

"No time like the present!" Ginny said.

"No really, Gin. I was kidding." Neville looked strangely like he did in first year when Hermione petrified him. Ginny made him dance anyway.

They watched Ginny try and instruct Neville. "Really, Neville! I think you've gotten worse since last year!"

A highly amused Daisy turned to Harry now. "I still can't believe you dance," she said.

He sighed. "I didn't want to, but Ginny taught me back in March. Really quite an accomplishment, and she was justly proud. However, no one believed her. She made me show everyone."

"The famous Harry Potter, your reputation proceeds you. Poor Wonderboy."

"You really don't think I can dance!" Harry said a bit offended.

"Harry I've seen you try and dance before. Key word, try. Sure you can sway and turn and stuff, but really dance? I'll believe it when I see it!"

Harry stood. "Are you up for it, Wild Flower?" He extended a hand to her.

This was just too tempting to pass up. Oh the material for teasing him. This would give her fodder for weeks. Madame Pomphery would kill her if she found out but it would be worth it.

"Oh, I'm up for it!" she answered.

Daisy stood just as a new song was starting. Ginny was still trying to get Neville to dance.

There's every good reason for letting you go.

Daisy was surprised that when she took Harry's hand he began to spin her deftly.

She's sneaky and smoked out, and it's starting to show. I'll never let you go!

He was really a good dancer! And he was taller too. No wait, she wasn't wearing shoes. He was normally only an inch or two taller, as all of her shoe had inch or two heels. At five eleven he stood a full three inches over her bare foot five eight.

You say that I've changed. Even if I changed, what's wrong with it? I'll never let you go!"

He was keeping he at arms length, yet still holding tightly.

If there's a reason it's lost on me. May be we'll be friends. I guess we'll see. I'll never let you go.

The song was ending, and that was probably a good thing.

Did you cash on your dreams? You don't dream for me, no. But I still feel you pulsing like a sonar."

Suddenly she was so tired. She rested her forehead on her shoulder.

And I would like to that girl is like a sunburn.

"Daisy!" Harry said. "Are you all right? I'm so sorry, I should never have... quick back on the bed. I was so stupid!"

Daisy wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault. The look on his face has heart wrenching. But she didn't have the energy; all she could manage was a slight shaking of her head and a wave her hand.

Finally she was able to say, "Harry stop. It was worth it. I'll be fine in a minute. I had fun. It was worth it."

She's like a sunburn.

"Hey Rory, wait up!"

"Mar, I'm really not in the mood."

"Aurora Potter! When your very own cousin asks you to wait you should! Haven't you been taught any manners!"

"Marguerite Blanc, when someone asks to be left alone it's usually a good I idea to do so! Or at least not bring up something to remind them of their dead mother or their neglective father, neither of whom were around to teach me manners!"

The two girls glared at each other. They looked very similar, both favoring their Snape jeans. Actually they both looked remarkably like Daisy, as did most of the women in her family. Rory was fair with her mother's features and her father's green eyes, but she was the only one in the entire family with curly blond hair. Maggie had much the same features as her cousin only with wavy black hair her mother's hazel eyes.

It was Maggie who relented first. "I'm sorry, Roar. It's today?"

Rory nodded. "Her deathday. Rave was ignoring it. I haven't seen Heather or Evan all day. Off playing Quidditch or being the worlds most perfect prefect, no doubt. Cloe would understand, but she's so little. James might as well but I'm not likely to see them here, am I?"

"Maybe you could talk to Uncle Allen? Or great Uncle Severus?" Maggie offered.

Rory sat on the hard ground and looked at the castle before her. "You know mum always said this place was here first home. I can remember the way she talked about Hogwarts, the place of miracles. I couldn't wait to come here when I was little. Now I just want my mum back."

Maggie put an arm around her cousin as she started to cry.


Allen was watching Daisy sleep. She seemed to be having a dream that upset her. She kept turning her hear as if to shake the images. He didn't notice a tall dark figure come and stand next to him.

"Allen you really should be at dinner," Severus said standing over his small nephew.

Allen looked up at him and then back to his sister. "What's going to happen to us Uncle Severus?"

Startled Allen's question, he stood quietly before finally saying, "Nothing. You're perfectly safe."

Allen actually laughed at him. "Yeah, that's why my sister can't even dance for three minutes."

"We're working on that. If she would just do as she was told!"

Allen looked up at the tall man. "When has she ever done that? What is going to happen next time she's in danger? Or Guy, or Uncle Albus or you? Will I end up with Uncle Ray and his family? Would Uncle Titus even take me in? Would they take Daisy? They wouldn't even take their own mother, why care about a dead sister's children?"

"Your grandmother was a very hard person to deal with."

"I know that. My earliest memories are of her... and Daisy." Allen turned back to the sleeping form of his sister.

Severus sat down next to him. "Surely you can't think we'll all fail you? You come from two of the strongest families in the wizarding world. You won't be left alone in the world my boy."

"What's wrong with her, Uncle Sev? Why is this so bad? It shouldn't be this bad."

"You've been studying?"

Allen nodded.

"You're right, it shouldn't be this bad. It was the Vericlearviocium. It's weakened her immune system, and her body is trying to absorb the magic she took from Belle. It's taking more time because of her weakened system. We thought at first it was better to let her adjust naturally, but now..."

"You know the hat wanted to put me in Slytherin?" Allen said changing the subject as his uncle's mood fell.

"Really?" The Potions Master asked with a skeptical eyebrow raised in the boy's direction.

"Oh yes! Daisy was the first gypsy in three centuries not to be put in Ravenclaw or Slytherin. I wanted to stay with her, to protect her. I really thought I could, but I can't. The hat said with loyalty like that I was definitely more fit for Hufflpuff then Slytherin. It went through all the Houses before putting me in Gryffindor. I guess that's why I'm such good mates with the Slytherins in my year; I should have been there. But I'm not really a Slytherin, and now I don't think I'm really a Gryffindor. I never fit anywhere."

Severus sighed. "Well at least that's one of you accounted for. I was worried with both of you Gryffindors."

Allen laughed, and Severus smiled slightly.

Then a groggy vioce said from the near by bed, "And just what is wrong with Gryffindors?"

Severus shook his head to hide his amusement. "Nothing," he said. "Go back to sleep."

She did quickly.

"And we should be going to dinner," he said to Allen.

With typical enthusiasms Allen smiled and said, "Race you." as he stood and headed to the door.

Severus stood and in his deadly cold voice said, "No!"

Allen laughed and ran anyway.