Chapter 18

Daphne felt chills run down her spine. It was finally time.

"Wh-Where am I? Why am I tied up?" Tracy asked frantically, "What's going on?"

Harry stood alone in front of Tracy. Blaise and Draco stood next to Daphne as the heaviness of the situation weighed on all of them. The time she had been dreading had finally come.

"Cormac McLaggen. Ernie MacMillion. Lavender Brown," Harry said slowly.

Harry's demeanor was commanding and intimidating much like he was the night they had gotten attacked, but Daphne knew it was façade. A lie to hide the fear and doubt so no one would be let down. Harry was just better at it then her.

Tracy began moving her hands frantically trying to undo the binds that held her, "What are you talking about?"

As the words spilled from Tracy's frantic and erratic lips, Daphne couldn't help but feel sick.

"Who made you put them under the imperius curse?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tracy screamed, as she desperately tried to get free. "SOMEONE HELP ME. Please."

Daphne turned toward Blaise who was stone-faced; his eyes locked on Harry. Draco wasn't any better as he looked on with unease. Daphne felt her stomach church again. As much time spent in the ward, this was entirely different. This reminded her of her own desperate begging from Caine when she was younger. This felt entirely wrong.

"What about this," Harry said as he pulled a notebook from his back pocket. "I have your notebook."

Tracy stopped moving in her seat.

"You don't deserve to live, Harry."

"Why?" Harry replied curiously

"You've killed so many people and they let you walk free. I had to... kill you if it was the last thing I did and the only way to do it was to use Purebloods. "

"You had too? No one put you up to it? No one...forced you, Tracy?" Harry asked, "You're a half-blood. Why do you care?"

"Fuck you, Potter. I make my own choices. You've destroyed entire families and you walk around her like no one can stop you. The world would be a better place without you."

It was silent for a moment.

"You've caused nothing but sadness. After you killed Theodore and his family, and got away, I couldn't let you go free again...It was up to me... No one could have suspected me, but everyone would have been joyful with your death."

"Why not kill me yourself? Why use others?"

"Only an idiot would try to take you on one on one. Multiple people. Multiple attempts."

"And how did you get in contact with these individuals, and why these individuals."

Tracy spat on the floor, "I'm not talking anymore. You can-"

Harry flicked his wand causing Tracy's body to slump in her chair. For a moment, Daphne thought she was dead but the steady breathing motion of her body proved otherwise.

"Fuck," Draco whispered. "What are you going to do? She's guilty."

"It's not her," Harry said as he stared pensively. "Or at the very least she's been tampered with by Riddle."

"What makes you think that," Blaise replied.

"You heard her. That doesn't sound like Tracy Davis," Harry said he moved away from Tracy. "The day we captured her was also the day I found out Riddle was in Hogwarts."

"But he would have sounded the alarm bells by now," Draco said.

"I still don't know who Riddle is, but if he's out to get you then this sounds like he could be setting you up to kill her. In that case, he's waiting." Daphne replied as she looked at Harry. Could that be the same girl she had sat down at the table with? It seemed impossible, but then again this year had been an impossible year.

Blaise shook his head, "Even if this is true, the only way to free anyone under her spell is to kill her, so we still have no choice. We don't know who else is a ticking time bomb. We don't have the choice here."

"Daphne's right, Riddle has tampered with her, it's possibly another trap." Draco said, "It can't be safe to do this? Maybe we wait."

Harry looked pained, "It doesn't matter. Blaise is right. We know her death will free anyone under the imperius curse since she's the master caster."

"How are yo-we going to do it?" Draco asked reluctantly.

"A choking spell. I'll...put her to sleep...and the spell will close off her airways...She won't feel it until it's too late."

"Fuck,"Draco whispered again.

Harry turned back around to look at each of them. Draco stared away, and Blaise nodded.

"It's the best option we have," Blaise said.

Harry finally looked at Daphne, and she could only nod. Harry took a long breath before moving back over in front of Tracy.

"Fuck, I...I can't." Draco said as he bolted for the door, "I'm sorry."

Harry's wand flicked and Tracy began to stir again. Her head came up slowly as she began to squirm against the chair.

"Tracy Davis, for the greater good, I'm executing you. It's the only way to free those you've put under the imperius curse," Harry said rather apathetically. "Do you have any last words?"

"Look how easy this is for you? Look how comfortable you are being a killer." Tracy cried, "Go ahead."

Harry looked saddened, "Tracy, I'm sorry."

Tracy laughed weakly, "I'm just another body to your list."

"Yeah, I suppose so." Harry whispered as he flicked his wand and Tracy's head fell. As he pointed his wand toward Tracy, Daphne left her spot to stand behind Harry, grabbing his shoulder.

Harry turned to look at her.

"I'm right here with you," Daphne whispered softly, gripping his shoulder tightly. She wouldn't look away. This was her sentencing as much as everyone else's.

Harry nodded as he turned back to stare at Tracy once more. Finally, Harry whispered the incantation to the spell. As Daphne watched, she felt tears fall unprovoked from her eyes. Tracy didn't move for a moment and then at once she began to shake violently before her eyes opened. Tears fell from Tracy's increasingly bloodshot eyes and as she began shaking even more violently before she stopped and her body slumped over against the restraints of her chair.

Harry dropped his wand on the ground, walking away from the scene.

"I'll...I'll take care of it later," He said as he plodded out of the library entrance.

Daphne moved closer to Tracy, untying her from the chair. The immediate weight of Tracy's body began pushing her off the chair to which Daphne grabbed Tracy. The weight was a surprise to Daphne who hoisted her away from the chair to be safely laid on the floor. Daphne took out her wand and whispered the incantation she had been taught.

As soon as she performed the wand motion, Tracy's eyes closed shut, her arms crossed over, and her body became straightened and stiff.

"Rest in peace, Tracy," Daphne said as she got up, her own voice foreign to her.

As she got up, Blaise stood next to her, his Hogwarts Robe in his hand.

"Here...to cover her."

Daphne nodded, taking the robe and covering Tracy with it. Finally, wiping the remaining tears that had fallen. She moved away before stopping in front of Harry's wand. Daphne picked up.

"Down the aisle and to the left...is his room." Blaise whispered, "You should bring it to him. I would hurry though. "

Harry threw the potion bottle against the floor. All he wanted was relief from the pain. It was all for the greater good, but he felt no good in him. Harry fell against his bed as he awaited for the potion to lull him to sleep. He was just tired of feeling like a monster.

As he waited, he heard a knock on his door. After a minute, there was another knock before the door creaked open. Light spilled in from outside the chamber. As a figure entered in cautiously.

"Harry,"Daphne whispered

Harry could feel himself being pulled into sleep by the potion as Daphne wandered closer.

"Harry."

Harry used the energy he had left to look up at Daphne who was staring at the potion bottle on his floor. Shame filled Harry as the corner of his vision became blurry. The girl wandered closer as Harry wanted nothing more for her to leave; to not see him like this.

"The truth is...everything crushes me," Harry whispered. "No matter how much I try to ignore...the darkness..the pain...it all just corrodes me."

Harry closed his eyes as he began sobbing.

"I don't want to be the chosen one. Not if I'm just a shell in the end."

His breathing became labored as he began drifting away. He opened his eyes briefly, his vision completely blurred as a warm soft hand caressed his face. The girl. Her hand brought a coolness that felt comforting as he felt the hand leave his face and become intertwined with his own hand. As he closed his eyes, All he could see were the most comforting blue eyes.

"Dumbledore?" Harry cried out deliriously. "I can't... do... this."

A soft spoken voice seemed to echo in his ears, "I'm right here, Harry. It's okay."

"Ginny….Sirius….Theodore...it's too much."

"I know, Harry," Dumbledore replied quietly.

"I never asked for this," Harry yelled he pounded his fist into Dumbledore's chest, "I never asked to be the chosen one."

"I know, Harry."

"Then why? Why couldn't it have been you or Aberforth or anyone else? Why me?"

"I don't know, Harry."

"Why am I the cursed one."

Harry could only grip Dumbledore's robe as he sobbed.

"You are substantially far from cursed."

Harry looked up at Dumbledore who stared back with warm smile.

"You are exceptionally gifted with an unwavering will. If you believe this doddering old fool, most of my life has been spent thinking I was the cursed one, but I've learned, we don't get to choose our life...only the way we respond. Your responses have always been made with the right intentions."

Harry looked away from Dumbledore, "I thought I did what was right, only to find out that I'm just...a killer."

"A killer is someone who destroys lives for their own gain; Killer, you are not." Dumbledore replied, "That belongs to Peter alone."

Harry turned to look at the headstone. Harry hadn't even given him a chance he so desperately sought after all those years ago. He could remember the begging and pleading. All for the chance to clear his name. The chance to possibly connect with Harry. All gone because of the clever deceit of Peter Pettigrew. As they stood there, Harry could look. It was another failure staring back at him. Another senseless death that was his fault.

Sirius Black

"Then why does it feel like I am?"

Harry opened his eyes. It was quiet for a moment. He wasn't sure where he was, but as he laid there, the rush of memories came back, all the events of yesterday flooded back to him. Except for how he had arrived here. The last thing he remembered was leaving the library...and then…Harry turned his head to look at his bedside table where a potion bottle and his wand sat closely to edge. Harry reached out grabbing the empty bottle.

He didn't remember drinking any of the sleeping potion, but it was the only thing that could explain the loss of memories and the usually dry mouth, but he could vaguely recall leaving it. Nevertheless, there was still the body he had to deal with. Harry got up slowly. As he got dressed, he knew he wasn't ready to see the body again. Not yet. As he left his room, he slowly approached the library. Each step feeling longer than the last as he as he entered the library.

As he entered, Only Blaise and Draco were in the room. Blaise was organizing books on his shelf while Draco sprawled out on the couch with a book covering his face. Tracy's body was gone. Even the seat she had been tied up in was gone.

Harry crossed his arms, "Where is she?"

Blaise turned curiously from his shelf toward Harry, "We buried her. Deep in the forbidden forest. Unless you mean Daphne and she's in class."

Harry felt like he could breath.

"Thank you," Harry replied, "How lon-"

"-A day. You missed class..well, technically you didn't, but your clone...is a bit too clumsy to be a competent lab partner," Blaise said as he moved away from the shelf, "It was Daphne's idea."

Harry came closer to the group.

"Did I miss anything? Was everything good with..the burial."

"Don't worry, Harry. It was taken care of. The bigger news at this point is that the Daily Prophet released that the Minister has confirmed your trial. Everyone is talking about it even with the Slughorn missing."

"I figured. I've always been good for their ratings," Harry muttered.

"No. This is different, Harry. You're the boy-who-lived. All that pureblood slayer stuff was just conjecture and conspiracy up until this point but an official trial? That's a declaration of war."

Harry pulled a chair across from Draco, "I know. It was Voldemort's plan all along. I was just too..."

Blaise jumped, "Busy. You've been preoccupied saving people's lives."

"Lives I endangered in the first place. Lives that might still be in danger. "

Draco twitched as Blaise moved away from the shelf and closer to Harry.

"Maybe in the next term, but it's the last week before the Holidays. I think we'll be fine this week or Let's pretend we will be."

"Agreed," Draco said as he pulled the book from his face, "Can we also agree this term was awful."

Harry nodded, "I think it's up there."

"Mine was pretty decent," Blaise replied with a wry smile.

Draco yawned before sitting up, "Fuck off, Zabini."

Everyone smiled for a moment. Blaise came over and sat next to Draco as they all sat together. It was the first time in ages. With all that had happened within this week alone...it felt nice.

"So...are we ever going to talk about you and Daphne," Draco asked.

Blaise interjected, "For once, you don't sound like an idiot."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise,"What?"

"Fuck off, Potter. You didn't trust us for years and all of a sudden the Greengrass girls know every one of your darkest secrets," Draco said as he leaned forward, "Now that I broke up with Pansy, one of us needs to be having some sort of fun."

"You...broke up with Pansy?" Harry asked

"Yeah. She wasn't good for me." Draco said awkwardly as he jumped up from the couch, "It's healthier this way."

Blaise gave a quizzical look, "Where are you going?"

"Crabbe and Goyle are supposed to be finding me some homework answers. I'll be back soon. Get the answer we deserve, Zabini."

Draco left quickly. Leaving Blaise and Harry alone in the library. Both looked at each other awkwardly, until Blaise spoke up.

"So you and Daphne?"

"We're not doing this," Harry said as he crossed his arms.

Blaise gave an incessant stare as Harry tried his best to ignore him.

Harry narrowed his eyes, "What are you trying to get at Blaise?"

Blaise replied with a coy smirk, "I'm not getting at anything. Am I wrong in saying, she surprised you?"

Harry shook his head dismissively, "Yeah, she...surprised me, but-"

"But when's the last time anyone surprised you?"

"That doesn't mean anything."

"It means a whole lot for someone like you."

"Enough." Harry shook his head dismissively, "Whatever you're pushing for, it doesn't matter. Not with who I am."

"One day, You won't be able to use that as an excuse. What will be your new excuse?"

"Fuck off, Blaise." Harry stood up, turning to leave the library, "We're just friends."

As Harry exited, Blaise said the next question in almost a whisper.

"She's a very attractive friend, right? "

Harry faltered as he stood at the entrance. It's something he hadn't thought about before, and the most surprising part of it all was the initial answer had come to him quite easily. Damn it. No, He couldn't let Blaise get into his head. Not about this. Not now.

"I knew he was always a murderer. He gives me the creep," Millicent said. "I just can't believe they're letting him stay here."

Pansy pursed her lips, "You're right. Just execute his arse before he kills someone else."

Daphne sat quietly in the common room. Her thoughts far away from the grating noise that filled it. In truth, she hadn't gotten much sleep this week. Between worrying about Astoria, the death of father, and her family home being destroyed , and the events of last night. She was more than exhausted and still had piles of HW that needed to be accomplished if she was going to finish this term.

"Daphne. Are you even listening?"

Daphne blinked, "What?"

"Are you staying here...with your house being burnt down and all?" Pansy questioned, "You're welcome to stay with me. Although, we would have to figure out something else for your sister."

Daphne shook her head, "I have an arrangement."

"You do?"

"Yes, Pansy. I'm not poor," Daphne replied, but the truth was she wasn't as sure what things would look like at Harry's Headquarters.

"Well, If you get tired of sleeping in Knockturn Alley. Feel free to reach out," Pansy said as she pulled herself off the couch, "I've got shit to do. I'll see you both at dinner."

Daphne sat back, relieved that Pansy was gone. Millicent leaned over toward her.

"Did you hear Draco broke up with her?"

"No," Daphne said, "and I don't care."

"Oh,"Milicent replied, disappointment evident by her lowered brow. Daphne glanced at her before feeling slightly guilty. She didn't want to be like Pansy who would always shut down Millicent in any conversation.

"But...did you have something in mind?"

Millicent eyes lit up, "Well...I think, You and Draco would look very cute together. You know?"

Daphne made a vomiting motion, "I'd rather be a muggle. Why would you ever say something like that"

"It's just...before this week...you seemed to be in such a good place. I just thought it would be cool to see you dating again."

Daphne gave an uncomfortable smile, "Thanks for looking out for me, but I'm just not ready yet."

In all honesty, Daphne couldn't even remember the last time she had thought about something like a relationship. Not that she wanted to either, relationships were a lot of work.

"Oh, I get that," Millicent began, "It's just that so many guys think you are really cute. I know that I would kill to be as perfect as you are."

Daphne smiled, "Thanks Milli, but I'm far from perfect."

"You are being modest. Can I ask you a question, Daphne?"

"Um...sure."

"Do you still think about Theodore? I miss him a lot sometimes. "

Daphne crossed her arms defensively , "I don't think about him as much anymore."

Before today, It had to have been a few weeks since the last time she had thought about Theodore. It was sad in a way. Someone she had at one point thought was her soul-mate had become almost a distant memory.

Daphne felt relieved as a large swath of other residents began venturing out of the common room. It was Dinner time. Millicent stretched as she got up from the couch.

"Are you coming to dinner?"

"I'm not all that hungry. I'll come in a few," Daphne replied, "I have lots of homework I should be doing."

"Oh, Okay, well, I'll see you later. Let me know if you needed anything?"

"Will do." Daphne replied as Millicent wandered away.

Daphne sat back. She hadn't stopped thinking about last night. The death. Harry. Having to bury Tracy The saddest part was that no one had noticed she was missing yet. Tracy was just as invisible in death as she was life.

Then there was Harry. The sleeping potions, and his truthful ramblings. She had never seen him in such a vulnerable position, and she knew he wouldn't remember any of it. There was so much dangerous information to try and figure out, and it was information she had to keep to herself.

Daphne let out an exasperated sigh. This had been the most chaotic term she had ever had. She really missed when things were way simpler, but she had feeling that this was only the tip of the iceberg.

A/N Thanks for reading. As always, let me know what you think.