Chapter 11

CW: Abuse at end of chapter

Daphne

Daphne was nearly ready to explode! The absolute nerve of Potter! Trusting this absolute madwoman Daphne was not even positive was of age, but not her? All the work she had done this morning apparently amounted to nothing in the ungrateful prick's eyes. Daphne had only told Potter good information, while this Lovegood girl was accusing him of serving lizard people or some other rubbish. First her father, and now Potter. The never ending disrespect this day was really too much.

Daphne may not have gotten the grades of some, she may not have invented some new communication mirror trinket, but Daphne Grace Greengrass was no fool. She had studied wizengamot parliamentary procedure her whole life. She would show her father, Potter, everyone, not to underestimate her by Merlin! She'd back Shacklebolt as Potter requested, but she was going to use every trick and contact she had to frustrate her father and promote herself in these expected reform bills they would be debating. Daphne didn't need her own vote to control the outcome. She had all her father's knowledge, without his current handicap. Then they will see who condescends to whom.

Daphne was glad the Lovegood girl was seated far away from her. It was infuriating how immediately Daphne had been shunted aside once the skinny loon had popped up. Potter paid Daphne no attention at all, while Lovegood spouted utter nonsense he seemed enraptured by. Even if Daphne were charitable and assumed he was merely humoring her for the sake of her apparent friendship with Weasley, that he invited her to their lunch at Daphne's expense showed which of the two witches he had respect for. Daphne was not even certain the girl was legal to be proxy for her father. If she was not yet in her 7th year, she very likely was not yet the required 17 years of age. Daphne knew better than to cause a stink right now, but that would certainly warrant investigating for potential future benefit.

That would be work for another time however. First, Daphne had a few minutes before the end of the break, and she intended to use them. She opened her handbag and retrieved a vial of potion, downing it rapidly. She supplemented the potion's effects with a few charms, and went about rapidly reviewing what documentation Shacklebolt had already provided about his proposed initial reforms. The potion was an old family secret for the Greengrass family. Combined with the charms, Daphne managed to fully analyze hundreds of documents and take detailed, annotated notes in under a minutes. Her father called it the Super Secretarial Potion and Charms. The Family could likely make a small fortune selling the potion and knowledge of the charms, but Greengrasses had for two centuries now made far larger fortunes by maximizing the competitive edge in administrative works they derived from the concoction. Daphne knew the potion recipe would be one of the most important inheritances she would receive from her Father. It likely was the only reason to not overtly oppose him yet unless absolutely necessary. Being cut off from the supply of potion could set Daphne far behind her father if he knew they were competing.

By Merlin was Daphne glad for the enhanced reading just now. These reforms were being pitched as merely initial parts of a broader program Shacklebolt was proposing for the government. Yet they alone were positively revolutionary. The Death Eaters had not tackled the structures of the government as directly and in such totality. There were reforms to everything from staffing procedures to wizengamot membership and voting reforms, to criminal justice reforms, and a major economic rebuilding agenda. It was staggering. This was Shacklebolt's first day?! There were pledges to tackle ethics, corruption, bribery, bigotry. It was absurdly ambitious.

Daphne used her temporary speediness to write several notes to send to dozens of members she imagined would be open to hearing her. Daphne knew it would be difficult to appear to only back the minister while marshalling, if not opposition, at least moderation, behind the scenes. She was sure that loon would be watching her like the damnable Ravenclaw eagle she somehow was. Subtlety would be key. Suggest a wording change proposed by Shafiq here, ask Macmillan if he objects to removing that clause there. Daphne imagined her father would be martialing as well, but he'd be aiming for outright opposition, and the votes likely were not there. Daphne, writing as Potter's proxy, may just be able to outmaneuver him, simply because she had room he could not.

Barely one minute after she had sent the last memo to Madame Bones asking about a few key lines in the criminal justice proposal, which were sure to draw her attention to the surrounding lines Daphne actually hoped she'd object to, Madame Longbottom gaveled them officially back into session and Shacklebolt began introducing his proposal. Daphne didn't listen, focusing mostly on trying to write responses to expected objections without being obvious she was doing so. The minister was droning on with platitudes and general principles. If Daphne could get enough of the others to start from a critical mindset, start talking with each other, she just may be able to break this dangerous spell Potter and Shacklebolt had everyone under at this moment. Even just slowing things down would be a victory at this point in Daphne's estimation.

The Minister took his full allotted ten minutes to introduce his plans. During that time, Daphne had sent almost three dozen surreptitious notes to various members, and had seen many others be less discreet about sending their own. To her great satisfaction, when the Chief Witch opened up to questions, nearly forty hands were raised. Daphne resisted the urge to smile. There was no way a vote would be held this day now. And that would give her time to come up with counter plans, amendments, compromises, etc. When a frustrated Potter would ask why things weren't passed….there would be Daphne, ready to help him overcome her father's opposition, as long as he and Shacklebolt accepted a few reasonable compromises…..

Daphne didn't even need to communicate anymore, nor raise her own questions now. Which proved greatly beneficial twenty minutes into the question period when Potter surprised her by returning far earlier than she had assumed he would.

"Hi Daphne, I'm back. Took less time than Kingsley thought it would. What did I miss?" Harry whispered as he shuffled into his seat and Daphne adjusted to make room. More family and guests had arrived in the chamber since lunch, and Daphne now found herself quite crowded, pressed right up against Potter. She could feel his leg touching her own. She struggled not to be consumed by a blush as she answered him.

"Not much, the Minister presented us with his proposal, here," she handed him the paperwork, already cleared of her annotations minutes earlier, "He spoke marvelously about the importance of tackling the route problems that led to the Dark lord in the first place, about rebuilding a truly just British wizarding society, and making sure there are no longer so many opportunities for corruption in the ministry. We are now in the questions period. I'm afraid nearly everyone has asked to speak, so I don't think passage at today's meeting looks promising, sorry."

Potter surprised her by responding with what appeared to be excitement at this news. "Brilliant, then I can still bring Seamus' request to him. Is it too late to put myself up for a question? How do I do that? Could you help me understand some of these documents, I can't make heads or tails of what these actually mean."

And just like that Daphne felt her sense of triumph from before lunch returning. Yes Potter had been dismissive and untrusting while listening to the Lovegood girl, but here, in her element, he looked to her to understand what he couldn't. Potter was utterly without tact, but perhaps he trusted her some afterall. Daphne found herself leaning even closer into Potter's shoulder as she played the role of advisor and told him how to add his name to the list for questions, and whispered explanations of various pieces of the minister's package to him. Daphne couldn't see her father, but she hoped he was fuming in impotent rage as she, at long last, showed just what she was worth.

"You really know this stuff, don't you Daphne?" Potter asked her.

"Thank you for noticing Pot-Harry. I've always had a passion for understanding how systems work."

"Where'd you learn this stuff? I never saw any of this at Hogwarts."

"Well you did miss your seventh year, to be fair. It's a special course offered to N.E.W.T. students. Though honestly this year's course was worse than useless. I learned from my father while growing up mostly."

"Well I'm impressed. This stuff just makes my head hurt mostly. How busy are you after this? I have to help with extraditing some Captured death eaters, but if it's all right, you could have dinner with me and maybe walk me through more of this stuff? If I'm going to be a bloody politician, I at least want to do it right."

That took Daphne by surprise. Her father would almost certainly be opposed, unchaperoned time after dark in her betrothed's house? But this wasn't a date, this was an opportunity! Potter respected her, and she needed to build on that.

"I'd be thrilled to, Harry! But just so we are clear, lunch wasn't a date, and neither will this be. I still hope we never have to date, but if we do, it will be proper."

"If you say so Daphne. It's not on the floo network, so I'll have to meet you on the street." Harry wrote down a street in London where he would meet her. Daphne wondered why there was no address. Just how much security and privacy did Potter have?

"By the way, what question was it you needed to ask. It'll likely be hours before you are even reached. You mentioned Seamus? Wasn't he in our year?"

"Yeah, Seamus Finnegan, he was dormmates with me actually. I can't really tell you a lot about why, but I promised him I would ask about making magical Ireland independent of magical Britain, like the muggles do."

"You...you can't just do that Harry! There are loads of Irish magical families that would affect, why would you remove them from their own country, just cus a mate asked you to? I thought you and the Minister wanted to stop the abuses at the ministry. This sounds worse than any bribery Lucius Malfoy ever did."

"I didn't say we'd just do it. But the Muggles have managed at least most of Ireland being independent for almost a century, I don't think it's impossible we at least offer it to their magical neighbors, if they wish."

Daphne was almost speechless. Almost. "You just can't resist turning the world upside down, can you? There is an entire world of witches and wizards, centuries of history, and you just smash through it all like breathing, don't you?"

"I dunno about all that, I just don't see why things have to be just because they used to be. Like, why should two people be forced to be married because their parents or even further back ancestors say so? Why should people suffer because they suffered in the past? I know what people say about me. Hermione once called it my 'saving people thing'. And maybe I am a little crazy, but I spent my life being shamed for existing. It's taken me a lifetime, but I'm not going to apologize anymore. I don't think caring about people, about doing the right thing, is a weakness, even if I'm always going to be unpopular for it. My godfather was thrown in prison without trial for over a decade, while Lucius Malfoy walked free. I'm not sorry for seeing that and wanting to make sure that never happens again!" there was a smattering of applause as they both realized Harry's voice had risen and the rest of the chamber had quieted to listen to his rant.

"Ahem, while your passion for justice may be commendable Mr. Potter, please keep your thoughts to yourself until called upon, and respect all those here who have shown respect thus far. You will have your turn. Please continue your question Madame Bones. Without interruption this time please!" Madame Longbottom fixed them both with a withering stare. Potter went beet red. From a guy who had just ranted about how little he cares for being socially acceptable, it was quite funny to see how untrained he was at hiding his emotions.

As order was restored, Daphne waited a few moments for most gazes to leave them before unfreezing her face and allowing herself to whisper to Harry.

"She's going to be a great Chief Witch I think. I have strong Professor McGonagall vibes from her. We can honestly talk more about this later, but seeing you told off like a first year caught whispering in the back of class was possibly the most hilarious thing I've witnessed in years."

Potter responded with, "Har har. I'm not sorry though. I should have been quiet, but I still believe what I said." Potter then let out a frustrated groan. "This is so boring. How do you have patience to sit through hours of this. I wish I'd skived off after getting back from Ireland. I should have trusted you to handle this if all we are doing is waiting while people argue over comma placements."

Daphne gave him a small smile, "A true man of action, aren't you Harry? I'm afraid you are a mite too famous to leave now. I imagine you'll get to let off steam and enjoy some exciting adventure with this vague extradition mission I've heard mentioned several times now. I dare say I look forward to hearing more about it this evening. Speaking of which, will we be dining, or should I eat before departing?"

"Honestly even that will probably be boring, I don't think Robbards and Kingsley will take many chances of excitement occurring. It's going to take me a while to not be living constantly under threat of death I suppose. As for Supper, I dunno really. I'm sure I'll need to eat something, but it may be late, so your choice I suppose."

Unfortunately Harry had stopped talking out of the side of his face again and let his voice start carrying again, so Madame Longbottom exclaimed, "Mr. Potter, If you cannot keep your voice down I shall have to censure you. Wait. Your. Turn."

While Harry mumbled his apologies, Daphne decided to take mercy on him and fished her wand out so she could cast some privacy charms.

"There, that should help you. I do find it amusing that you can defeat powerful dark wizards, but don't seem to know basic privacy charms."

"Wait, has everyone been using charms?"

"I don't expect everyone, no, but certainly most conversationalists. I suppose it's another pureblood thing. I had to master the charms in my first year, especially to survive the Slytherin common room."

"Bollocks! I saw the Slytherin common room in our second year, Malfoy didn't use any privacy charms then."

Daphne quirked her eye at the revelation Potter had infiltrated their common room. If it was second year, it must have been when he was under suspicion as the heir of Slytherin. A claim Daphne had always considered absurd.

"That was Malfoy though, wasn't it? Not exactly the most accomplished wizard of our year, was he? Plus his family's wealth and influence truly did allow him many privileges denied to the rest of us, especially back then."

"Either way, I took Charms, but what you just performed was ridiculous. That must have been three separate nonverbal spells in under a minute, and you barely pulled you wand from your pocket!"

"What can I say? I'm certainly not the duelist you are, but I've always had an affinity for charms, and again, as I said, being in Slytherin sort of demands that level of mastery of subtle spells."

"Well thanks, I guess. And nice spellwork. I'll deny I said this if you ever tell her, but I'm not sure even Hermione could do as well."

Daphne laughed at that, "Oh now I have to make you say that again into your stupid pocket mirror. I'd love to see her face when you admit she isn't perfect. Though really, it is just more proof why you really need to widen your understanding of how things are. Granger could never master those spells as I did because they aren't in any regular textbook, and aren't taught in school. They come from my family's personal grimoire."

"What's that?" Harry asked, continuing to look far more interested in Daphne than listening to the semantic arguments being held. Daphne was determined to keep him distracted, to see if she could get something past him at the next meeting. Plus it didn't hurt that she seemed to be raising his opinion of her.

"Most old pureblood families have one. Honestly, somewhere in the world you should have two, the Potter one, and a Black one. They hold all the secret magical knowledge any given family holds. Usually ownership passes to the head of house, who may choose individual relations to allow to read it. Since I will one day own it, my father allows me to read ours. I'll admit if the worst should happen, finding the Potter and Black grimoires would be almost worth marrying you. I imagine the Potter book is filled with impressive potions knowledge, and can't even fathom how much is likely in the Black book."

"That's mad!" Potter exclaimed at her. "I can't imagine how horrible such a Black family thing would be. I bet Sirius burned it if he had it. And that's also unfair, why should pureblood families keep knowledge from others? I'll tell you now if those books do exist, I'm giving them to Hogwarts first thing."

"Harry, there comes a point where nobility crosses over into stupidity. And that would absolutely be crossing that line. Muggle families pass wealth onto their children, don't they? Go to the best schools, have the best tutors? This is not so different from that, and if you are the only one not doing so, you are just harming yourself for no real benefit. Same thing with how aggressive you and Shacklebolt are being."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Potter demanded. She had him now, Daphne thought. He was angry, but open to her explanation.

"Look, this morning, the Malfoys were already out. But if you keep pushing too hard too fast, you're going to run into a wall shaped very much like my father. The wizengamot can be a contentious, argumentative body, but if you push too hard, you will unite them. They may not agree with each other, and you have respect today, but gratitude has a very short shelf life. They don't have to agree on much if they can agree they hate your plans."

"Well now it sounds like it's you who doesn't like these plans." Daphne noted the accusatory tone in Potter's voice. This would be the delicate part. She needed to delineate herself from her father, while still emphasizing the importance of her knowledge.

"Hey, those old systems are trying to force me into marriage too Harry, lest you forget. Yes, I'll admit I have sympathies towards traditionalists. But If tradition is a tool to force us to marry, to deny clever witches like Granger while promoting the likes of the Malfoys, then I can see now the danger of tradition. My father doesn't even see me as a daughter, but as a tool. I want to help you, believe me, if only out of spite at this point. I want to use what my father has taught me to destroy what he values. You don't have to trust my values at this point Harry, trust my spite."

"Urgh….even sitting here with you I keep forgetting about that bloody contract hanging over our heads. I guess I get how we don't want people to oppose good things just because of how they are presented, but wouldn't Kingsley know all this anyway?"

"The Shacklebolts have always been sort of on the outside looking in of British wizarding society….don't look at me like that, I just told you I'm not saying I agree with that lot, just how it has been. Shacklebolt has been a workman more than a proper politician. He focused on being an Auror, and was just a Dumbledore loyalist in the wizengamot. It's different for the likes of my family. We have neither other jobs, nor obvious leaders to follow, even if that was our inclination. Politics are my inheritance. While we try to fight the contract, let me use it to help you and Shacklebolt. Besides, you have your mirror trinket. Granger may not know anything about how wizarding politics works, but she's no fool. If I tell you anything that doesn't bear out, I'm sure you and she can catch me out just fine."

"Fine, let's just get through this day, you can get supper, and then tonight we can break down what we know about the contract, and strategize both how to proceed with that fight, as well as the fights here. Merlin though, I don't love this. It's like taking back to back double potions and transfiguration. I wasn't this tired during O.W.L.s."

"Where should I meet you then? And when exactly? Why should I even leave for supper? Wouldn't it be simpler to eat together?" Daphne wondered if Potter would let something slip under her barrage of questions.

"I've, uh, got an Auror thing. I don't know exactly how long it'll take, but I'll probably be finished around...seven pm? I hope no later than 8pm. If it goes that late, maybe I can let you know to just wait until tomorrow?"

"How would I do so? I don't have one of yours and Granger's fancy mirrors, and neither of us knows the other's address to send owls or floo messages."

"Oh yeah, sorry, I'm not actually on the floo network actually. ummm...I could send Kreacher?"

"Is that your owl, Potter?"

"No, I haven't had the heart to get a new owl yet. He's my house elf. They seem pretty good at popping into places."

"Oh, sure I suppose, I'll await your elf in my family's drawing room at this address. You are right, the elf should be able to come and go easily enough. My family elf certainly does." She quickly wrote down her address, specifying the 2nd floor east drawing room to avoid confusion, and handed it over to Potter.

"All right, I'll have him pop over and meet you whenever I can then." Daphne was somewhat disappointed that Potter hadn't revealed much more to her. She didn't want to risk being obviously nosy just yet, though.

They were mostly silent for the rest of the session. Harry wound up asking the last question, three and a half hours later, and Shacklebolt did say he was open to giving a transitional Irish home rule a try, which only set off new waves of objections naturally. Daphne would have to ask Tracey to tell her family about this particular issue. Almost certainly any issue regarding Ireland would be decided by the Selwyns backing one side or the other.

Daphne was honestly unsure if Tracey's grandmother would prefer to defend her sense of British pride, or embrace more independent, likely personal power for herself and their family. If she had to guess, there would be a very contentious family meeting, and they would land on agreeing with home rule as a means both of securing more power for the family, and increasing their privacy. And wouldn't the likes of the Finnegans in the south be furious at that.

Potter went off immediately, ready to play Auror, after the meeting was gaveled to an end. The next session was scheduled for three weeks later. That week was shaping up to be a momentous week for Daphne, being her scheduled wedding week as well if they failed to find a way out. Daphne hoped she could find out how to make Potter officially don the Black Lordship, perhaps that would give them some wiggle room in nullifying the contract. Though that plan conflicted with Daphne's other plan of challenging Potter's eligibility to qualify as a "fully adult" wizard.

Meanwhile Daphne's father found her almost immediately. He didn't start after her until they returned home, but not sooner were they through the fireplace, He began to interrogate her.

"So, I take it that you were responsible for ensuring even Potter was seen to question the Minister's idiotic plans? Well done."

"Actually, that was part of some deal he worked out with a schoolmate, Seamus Finnegan. Another Gryffindor in our year, an Irish half blood. He apparently convinced Potter to ask for treating the Irish magicals the same as the Irish muggles. I did get Bones to stall things out though."

"Clearly the boy is easily led around. That should be useful during your marriage. An easily manipulated spouse is certainly not something I was gifted, though seeing your mother's will and grace in you has been a true honor and pleasure."

Daphne refused to be fooled by this sudden propensity for compliments her father was demonstrating. She wasn't going to let him manipulate her so easily any longer. She knew he noticed her feelings towards him this morning, and he can't have missed that she didn't consult with him before making maneuvers. Daphne was utterly determined to keep her guard up around her father going forward. Though, that didn't mean she couldn't allow herself to indulge ever so slightly in enjoying the unusually positive attention.

"Thank you Father. Though I must say, there are dangers as well in how easily swayed Potter is. He prefers to keep a certain sort of company, as I was forced to endure today at lunch." Her father quirked an eyebrow at her, clearly indicating his desire for her to expand upon that. "We ate at a muggle bistro, with The Lovegood daughter. That entire family is dangerously deranged, and Potter seems absurdly fond of them."

"Lovegood….Is he the owner of that quibbler rag?"

"Exactly so. And the daughter seems every bit as mad as him. She was going on and on about some vampire conspiracy to control the gold supply, and Potter just laughed with her the entire time!"

"Is the boy that detached from reality?"

"I don't believe so. I don't get the sense he is unaware of reality, he just seems to be fond of her personally, probably just due to her family backing him so fully when most were against. He does seem to have issues with being too loyal to people. Which we could use, if only we could get viewed as his friends." She punctuated the last point with a direct look at her father.

"Yes, yes, I left you alone with him, didn't I. If the boy really is as malleable as you theorize, using me as a joint enemy to get him to view you as an ally seems prudent. Hopefully this will also allow you an outlet for your ill considered and misplaced resentments of me as well."

"Father…"

"Oh, Hush, Daphne, you are far too intelligent and capable to waste time and energy on useless personal emotions. Be the daughter who snuck into the family potion and expertly stalled the wizengamot today. Not the bratty ordinary teenager complaining about how unfair your parents are being. You are far better than such tripe."

Daphne was amazed she was ever so easily manipulated by her father that he thought such pathetically obvious tactics would work on her now. But she supposed it served her purposes to let just a little of that feeling of pride well up inside her at his half-hearted and back handed compliments.

"I am glad you approve of how I used that vial of potion today father. Now, I hope you will allow me to have a few moments to myself before supper, as I need to prepare for a meeting this evening with Potter."

"What meeting is this?" Her father demanded.

"As you suggested, I am seeking to make him view me as an ally and friend, so I accepted his invitation to join him after some secret Auror task or something to research wizarding law. I plan to use the time to try to find out more about his and Shacklebolt's plans, see how dangerous they will truly be."

" Where and when will this meeting take place? You said after supper?"

"Yes, he was unsure of the exact time, so I am to await summons by his house elf or notification of postponement by the same, between 7pm and 8 tonight, in my drawing room near my bedroom. I hope you don't mind that I gave Potter our address, but I couldn't get his without looking unnecessarily suspicious."

"Well, it seems the boy is more similar to the old Blacks than I had realized. I have never actually known their exact address, just that it was somewhere in London, and had been since the Romans ruled there. I'm happy to let his elf into our home if it grants a member of our family eyes inside that ancient stronghold."

Further conversation with her father was stopped quite suddenly though as they continued further into the house, only to be met by a truly stunning site in the ground level living room. Astoria was dancing to the wireless, set to absurd volumes, dressed only in an oversized shirt and mismatched socks. She was surrounded by a dozen or more empty butter beers, and held a half finished firewhiskey in her hand, which she was currently using as if it were some combination wand and microphone, sending drops of firewhiskey flying all around the room. Daphne was unsure if she had ever seen such a scandalous sight.

"ASTORIA! What in Merlin's name do you think you are doing?!" Daphne hadn't seen her father this angry in her entire life. She couldn't fathom how Astoria had the gall to flaunt the rules, even common decency so flagrantly.

And then Daphne followed Astoria's stunned gaze, to see she wasn't looking at the raging form of their father, but at the nearby grandfather clock. When Daphne saw the time the clock was displaying, her blood ran cold. It was nearly thirty minutes slow. It hadn't been before Daphne and their father left this morning. It stunned Daphne to consider, but clearly their father had set back the clock in a deliberate effort to set up the potential for this exact scenario. Daphne didn't know where her mother was at the moment, but if she had left the house, shopping perhaps, Father would be confident he'd catch his youngest daughter if she acted independently when left alone. Daphne didn't want to think her father could be that prepared to entrap his own daughter, but it certainly fit with everything Daphne had ever been taught about being a proper Slytherin.

Father didn't even wait for Astoria to attempt an explanation. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her up the stairs towards his study. Daphne and Astoria hadn't been cropped in over a decade, but Daphne immediately recognized what was about to occur. she was terrified that she had to wonder, how much of this situation was her father subtly reminding his family what happens if you act against his design?

Only seconds later, the sickening sound of the crop hitting flesh, mixed with Astoria cries, filled the Greengrass household. Daphne found herself utterly without appetite for supper. Mimmy was weeping in the corner, terrified she would be next for obeying Astoria's orders to serve her the alcohol. The horrid noises did not cease for longer than the briefest of respites for nearly an entire hour. Even after Astoria's cries of pain had been replaced by weeping, then later her even more horrifying silence, the sound of the crop didn't let up.

Daphne forced herself to detach. She wasn't here, she wasn't listening to this. She ate food without tasting it. Drank water. At some point she turned off the wireless that had been left blaring, and walked to the drawing room to await Potter's elf to summon her. She found herself wishing the elf would show soon. She didn't want to check any household clock to see how close to the estimated eight pm timeframe it was. She didn't even want to go to her room to look for her pocketwatch. She didn't think she'd be able to trust it just then. So she sat, as though posing for a portrait, keeping her mind and body as still as she could manage, blocking out the noises coming from Astoria's room. She didn't notice when her mother, who she would later find out had indeed been out shopping for the day since before noon. She didn't notice her mother also shutting herself away in her room in Daphne' parent's suite of the manor. It may have been years since this had last occurred, but the whole family was still well used to it from Astoria's rebellious youth.

The only strong thought Daphne allowed herself was that even if she does successfully get out of the contract with Potter, she needed to guarantee she had alternative lodging and funds ready. She would not allow herself to return to this household after defying her father directly, she was leaving, hopefully not as Potter's wife, but this event certainly reminded Daphne that either way, the less time spent around her father, the better, if she truly was determined to defy his will.

Daphne didn't notice when the sounds from Astoria's room paused, nor did she allow herself to register the new cries coming from Mimmy. She desperately hoped father didn't kill the elf, that Potter retrieved her soon, and that her mother would be all right. They were all at risk now that his rage had been unleashed. It was likely years of pent up anger that had been taken out of Astoria and Mimmy's skin, but there were years more to come. This was Cyrus Greengrass' house. He ruled here. No outsider could tell him otherwise here. Daphne was sorry for Astoria, but she was glad to remember what the stakes were for defying the head of her House. She had nearly forgotten. She would not forget again.

It was some time after she had reached this conclusion that there was a *CRACK*, and an ancient, ugly House elf appeared before her with a bow. The elf announced himself as Kreacher on behalf of his Master Harry Potter, when Daphne saw his ear twitch at the sounds of Mimmy being punished. Daphne knew he must truly be a Black family elf when she saw the old Elf's facial features show a grotesque approval at the sounds she was desperately trying not to think about. Daphne didn't want to go to Potter, thinking about her own old bruises from before Hogwarts.

"Take to your Master at once Kreacher, if you please." she commanded, her voice as steady and still as her body had been for the last nearly two hours.

"As Mistress wishes, Kreacher will take you to Master Harry so he may let you into the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black."

There was another *CRACK* and Daphne's stiff body was loosened up by the dizzying experience of sidealong elf apparition. She saw Potter looking tired in the middle of a street, and tried to ignore that she still heard the sickening smacks and whimpers in her head, even miles away.