Acknowledgments: Rpeh on the editing work.
All the World's a Stage
December was the busiest month Harry could ever remember having at Hogwarts. He would have given that dubious honor to the weeks leading up to his OWL exams. But now he thought that would have felt like relief.
Somehow, the news that Hagrid was going to be forging a sword with him spread through the castle. Just what he could possibly want to do with a weapon seemed to be a cause for concern for some. It even led to him having to talk to McGonagall about why he needed it. She seemed skeptical about but allowed him to proceed.
Dylan Harper approached him that morning and asked if he could join him as he found the art of Muggle weapon crafting to be fascinating. Harry saw no real reason to deny him. Hagrid looked skeptical as Harry approached his hut with a Slytherin. But, he grew personable as soon as Harry explained what was going on.
Harry took out his drawing and showed it to Hagrid. He'd spent some time in the library peering through some books on weaponry and had decided on a basic longsword. It wasn't flashy by any means, but he thought that flashy was overrated. His goal was something that looked well made and well maintained with a distinct appearance of function over form.
Hagrid and Harper both examined his drawing. Harper pointed toward the rounded pommel and mentioned that he thought he could manage to add in a relief of the same sun insignia he wished to put on the shield. He borrowed a quill to sketch it onto the drawing. He also added in half of the insignia at the base of the blade and asked if it was too much.
It may have been but both Harry and Hagrid liked how it looked. After a few more tweaks and some sizing adjustments, Hagrid got to work. Of course, his version of working was making Harry do it.
It took almost the entire day and involved far more molding and banging and an alarming amount of intricate wand work but at the end of it he had a blade of his very own. He twirled it around his hand, surprised at how balanced and light it felt. After that Hagrid had him chop through quite a few of the vegetables he'd pulled out if his garden. Harry gave Harper a turn at cutting up heads of lettuce as Hagrid cleaned up the debris of their day.
He and Harper spent a few minutes debating what kind of scabbard Sir Luckless would have as Hagrid gathered up some materials to make it. It took much less time to become passable than the sword had.
As the sun started to set Hagrid told them it was a good idea for them to get back into the castle. They walked back together, talking animatedly about the sword. Harper switched to talking about shields and wondering if Hagrid would help him craft one as well. Harry figured that he would, as long as Harper asked, as Hagrid had been beaming the entire time they'd worked. When they entered the castle they were swarmed by students.
He let Harper show off the sword, not wanting much more attention than he normally received. The Slytherin looked a bit shocked by that but took it in stride as he showed the weapon to every interested party. Even a few of the professors came over to take a look.
It wasn't too long before Professor Snape burst the bubble.
"The craftsmanship seems poor even by Potter's standards," he drawled as he examined the blade. He was too busy looking at Harry to notice Harper's face fall.
"I helped make it," the Slytherin reiterated with a frown. Snape turned to look at his student and paused. He wandered off before anyone else could comment.
"Ignore him," Padma said as she approached the group. "It's what the rest of us do."
"Or try to at any rate," Harry added. Padma took the sword from Harper and examined it carefully. After a moment she spun it around with a practiced grace and handed it, hilt first, to Harry.
"Woah," Harper said as the blade flashed inches from his face.
"You practiced that," Harry commented.
"Well, sort of," Padma said. "It's no epee, but I've fenced since I was six."
"I had no idea," Harry said as he sheathed the sword.
"It doesn't come up much," Padma said. "Anyway, we're doing out final adjustments of our costumes tomorrow night and we'd like it if you came. Never hurts to have another pair of eyes."
"Do I get to watch you change?" Harry teased.
"Maybe," Padma smirked back as she turned to head to dinner. "Will depend on our mood."
"Damn," Harper said as he watched her go. "Are you and she?"
"Nah," Harry shrugged his shoulders. "It's just playful banter."
"Most of the guys in the castle would kill to have Padma Patil talk to them like that," Harper said. Harry shrugged his shoulders. His mind had shifted to another project that he'd spent far too much free time on at the cost of, well, mostly his Potions homework. But the Half-Blood Prince and Slughorn's general obsession with him seemed to be all he needed to get through class without a hitch.
"Thanks for your help today. And, well, with everything," he said as he and Harper entered the Great Hall. The Slytherin nodded at him and they exchanged a few pleasantries before moving to their separate tables. A few of the Gryffindors commented on the sword and he spent a few moments showing it off before he ate dinner and excused himself to do homework.
He didn't totally lie. He did finish up an essay for Snape, although why he bothered writing the essay and not just 'Harry Potter can only get a D in any class taught by Snape' over and over again seemed beyond him. Although he'd probably get a T if he tried that.
After that he finished the project, he'd been working on. He started it about ten days ago after peering at something interesting in Hermione's Ancient Runes book. It had been a whim, at first, and not something he thought he'd be able to accomplish. But as he worked more and more it gradually seemed more feasible.
He'd gone to Professor McGonagall for some help, which hadn't been the easiest thing to squeeze into his schedule. But now he was almost done. He spent the rest of the evening behind the closed curtains of his bed until he put the finishing touches on it around midnight. He spent a few minutes testing it out and it seemed to function how he wanted it to, but he had no real idea if it would work for what he'd intended. Still, he thought as he readied himself for bed, it was close enough and he figured attempt at least.
He spent most of the next day worried about it. Which was stupid, he thought. What was the point of worrying about it? Even if it didn't work, he'd at least made an effort and that had to count for something. Although he couldn't quite figure out exactly what that would count for. Still, it occupied more of his thoughts than he cared to admit.
After dinner he followed Leanne, Hannah and Eloise toward the Muggle Studies classroom. They were the first three to arrive and Hannah asked him to create some separate changing rooms while she and Eloise put the finishing touches on the costumes. It wasn't a very difficult task and he finished it in a couple of minutes. By the time he'd done so the other girls, plus, to Harry's surprise, Astoria, had arrived and were fawning over the dresses that Hannah had set out for them. Harry noticed that only Padma had gone with the original choice and that all three had embellished different parts of the costume.
Padma's dress was grey as she'd asked for at the first meeting. The long skirt looked to be ruffled and made of mismatched feathers and cloths. It led up into a full top that looked to be made of the same material. The entire thing looked a little hodgepodge and gave the distinct impression that it had been repaired numerous times. A worn grey pointed hat in the same condition rested next to the dress on the table.
Leanne's was black, as she'd requested, but also had a fair amount of gold trim. It lacked a great deal of the ruffling and threadbare look of Padma's. It appeared to be silk or some other light fabric. It looked the least restrictive of the three outfits. Of the three it looked to be the highest quality.
Daphne's blue dress was somewhere in the middle of the other two. It had a feathered skirt like Padma's, but it looked to be of a better make, or at least less worn. It was the only one of the three to leave the arms bare, opting for a mild V-neck rather than full covering.
Hannah pulled out the footwear next. She handed a pair of worn leather boots to Padma. They discussed them for a few moments before Hannah made some slight alterations. They appeared to be well loved. They were the shoes of someone who traveled quite a lot and didn't have the means to constantly buy new footwear. In a way it reminded him of his own shoes.
Leanne received footwear that looked little better than slippers. But they were black and gold, matching her dress perfectly and she seemed thrilled with them. Harry did have to remind himself that these characters were witches and the cosmetics didn't matter as they could be charmed for any purpose.
Daphne's footwear appeared to be the highest quality of the three. They were boots with a short heel. The fresh leather on them gleamed in the light. Daphne examined them for a moment before sliding off her trainers and slipping them onto her feet.
She bounced on her heels a couple of times and shifted around as if testing out the fit before nodding to Hannah. Then she walked right up to Harry and stared at him. He raised his brows as he stared back at her. She raised her right hand to the top of her head and then brought it forward to him.
She frowned and took out her wand. She slashed it toward her boots and Harry saw the heel extend about an inch. She remeasured herself and nodded a bit before throwing her arms around him and hugging him. Harry froze.
The girls couldn't help but giggle as Daphne pulled away with a nod.
"That height should do it," she said.
"Yeah, that looked about right," Leanne agreed.
"Does it matter?" Harry asked, finding the entire exchange to be a little bit silly.
"Certain angles will look better on stage," Daphne said.
"And Daphne is short," Padma added, earning her a glare from the Slytherin.
"Well, you are," Leanne commented. Daphne crossed her arms over her chest and Harry noticed she was a few inches shorter than every other girl in the room, excluding her sister.
"Not that short," she scoffed.
"Though she be but little, she is fierce," Padma giggled. Daphne rolled her eyes.
"Let's try the damn things on," Daphne said and moved into one of the changing rooms. Padma and Leanne followed her into. They emerged a few minutes later, Leanne first, followed by Padma and then Daphne.
Hannah and Eloise rushed them while he and Astoria watched from afar. After a few minutes of alterations related to fit and general sizing they moved into a more general commentary.
"I think they look great," Harry said, looking between the three girls as they started on their adjustments.
"Of course the boy would think that," Hannah scoffed as they went about resizing part of Leanne's skirt so it fell to the right length.
"I'm not sure why you even brought him. Boys have no fashion sense unless they're…" Astoria paused and tore her gaze from Leanne and stared directly at Harry. "Oh my God! Are you gay?"
"What?" Harry blinked in surprise.
"Astoria!" Daphne yelled. "You can't just ask people that!"
"Why not? It's not like it matters," Astoria scoffed.
"I'm not," Harry said, rather dumbly He felt an odd need to defend himself although he wasn't quite sure from what. He couldn't help but notice the other girls were all giggling and blushing as Daphne and Astoria argued.
"That doesn't matter! You can't just blurt that out! It's rude."
"Oh, it's fine. He doesn't care," Astoria said, speaking for him.
"It's still rude!" Daphne countered.
"Can we get back to the topic at hand?" Padma asked. And thankfully to Harry, they did. It took about an hour for everything to be settled. Once they were done, they made Harry put on his armor and Eloise dug out a camera for the first 'in costume' photo. Once that was done the girls started talking about how they would wear their hair. That continued for about fifteen minutes before they seemed to realize they weren't accomplishing anything else and that it was close to time to call it an evening.
They all changed back into their regular clothing before exchanging the typical good evening pleasantries. As he was putting his armor back in the corner of the classroom where Professor Burbage told him to store it, he noticed Astoria and Daphne arguing about something. He couldn't hear them but it ended with Astoria storming off with Padma and Leanne as Daphne lingered behind. She waited until they were the only two left in the room before speaking.
"I'm sorry about her," she said.
"No need to apologize," Harry shrugged. "No harm no foul."
"Still," Daphne frowned. "She's obnoxious."
"It's fine," Harry said. "I got you something."
"What?" she blinked looking startled by his sentence.
"I made you something," he reiterated.
"Why would you do that?" she asked.
"Well, you mentioned an issue you were having and I had an idea that might be a solution. But I had to make something to see if it would work. For all I know you don't have the same issue anymore and it's entirely pointless anyway but it did take me almost a while of screwing around to pull it off so I hope it does work and that you need it," Harry paused as he said that and frowned at his words. "Well, actually, I hope you don't need it. But I hope that if you do need it that it functions and that I didn't waste my time. And now I just hope that I'm making any sort of sense."
"A very minimal amount of sense," Daphne said. But then she smiled at him and added. "About as much as normal."
"Gee, thanks."
"What did you make me?" she asked. She stepped closer to him as he reached into the pocket of his robes and pulled out the small box he'd stored his creation in.
"This," he said, practically shoving it into her hands as she approached him.
"You got me a box?" she teased. "You shouldn't have!"
"Boxes can be hours of fun."
"For cats."
"It's inside the box."
"I assumed."
"Sorry I didn't wrap it," Harry said, running a hand through his hair as he spoke. The same nerves he'd felt the entire day were returning to his stomach and he fought off the urge to vomit, figuring that would make him look incredibly lame.
"Oh, that's fine," Daphne said. She stared at the white cardboard for a few moments before sliding her thumb into the side and popping the box open. She reached in and took out the small, intricately carved and painted, stature of a fox.
"A fox?" she asked, staring at it in confusion.
"It's a guardian spirit," Harry said.
"I know. I take Runes."
"It's supposed to ward off unwanted attention. It's not super powerful and it took me a while to get the enchantments right. But I think I did," Harry said. "If you put it near your mirror, well, in theory it should be strong enough to counteract the enchantment that's been bothering you."
"Really?" Daphne asked, peering at the fox and then at him.
"Well, that was my goal. I didn't really have any way of testing it. And it won't dispel it or anything, but as long as it's close it should mask it. Assuming I didn't screw up," Harry said. Daphne looked at the figuring in her hands for a few moments, before looking at him. After another pause, she hugged him, tightly. This time his arms wrapped around her on instinct.
"That's very thoughtful of you," she said, leaning back away from him but not moving out of his grip.
"I'm glad you think so," Harry said. "Is the mirror even still an issue?"
"It is," Daphne said. "We've mostly been ignoring it. We did create a few modesty screens that seem to help some but it just grows more obnoxious with every day."
"I'm sorry," he said.
"I don't think you have anything to apologize for." Daphne raised her brows and peered at him. "Unless you're not telling me something."
"Nothing related to your charmed mirror, at any rate," Harry teased. Daphne smiled at him but then shifted away from him.
"I have to meet Marcus," she said.
"Okay." Harry did his best not to frown as he let his arms slip off of her. "Good night."
"You too," she said. She turned and walked out of the Muggle Studies classroom. No matter what anyone would say, she would have sworn she didn't sway her hips any more than usual as she walked away from Harry Potter.
She found Marcus in the library. He talked her into finding an empty classroom to do their homework, rather than the very public library. To their credit they did spend about fifteen minutes doing Transfiguration work before Belby wanted to move onto other activities.
They snogged until a Ravenclaw prefect caught them with his hand inside her blouse. He'd wanted to sneak back after the prefect escorted them away from the classrooms. She rolled her eyes at Marcus and told them it was time to get back to the common room, but she didn't chide them any more than that.
Belby walked her back to the hall leading to the dungeons before walking off toward the Ravenclaw common room. He hadn't bothered to kiss her goodnight or anything. Which seemed off to her as his hands had been all over her just a few minutes before.
Once she gave the password and entered the Slytherin common room she found herself distracted by her friends. Millicent and Pansy were both struggling with Transfiguration and since she'd just spent some time helping Marcus with it, it seemed like the easiest solution was to help them as well.
She excused herself to change out of her school uniform, taking the steps to the dormitory two at a time out of the common room. She walked to her wardrobe and dug through it for some comfortable lounging clothing. She tossed the items onto her bed before starting the ritual of emptying her pockets.
Her hand closed around the small fox figurine as she pulled it from her pocket. She stared at the painted marble for a few moments, marveling at how smooth it felt in her hands. As she stared at it, she suddenly realized that Marcus hadn't asked her how the fitting had gone, or for any information related to how her day had been.
"You're not seriously going to wear that, are you?" Her mirror asked, startling her. Her hand wrapped tightly around the fox as she peered down at the flannel pants and soft, baggy, long-sleeved cotton shirt she'd picked out.
"What's wrong with it," she scoffed. Her grip tightened on the figurine and her gaze turned toward the mirror.
"It leaves far too much to the imagination, my dear," the mirror said as Daphne made to sneak toward it. She creeped forward two steps and then realized how stupid she was being. She tilted her head to the side and asked.
"Right. And if I want people to notice me, I should make sure at least half of my skin is visible?" Daphne asked.
"Oh no. If you want people to notice you, I'd say at least three quarter-," The mirror started. Daphne reached the vanity and placed the figurine gently down on a back corner of it. The mirror stopped speaking the second she did.
"Did it actually work?" Daphne said, blinking at the figurine and then the mirror. She expected some type of snide comment to follow about how silly she was being but instead a much more feminine voice spoke up.
"Did what work?" the mirror asked. It paused for a moment and added. "You may need some more concealer tomorrow, dearie, it appears you are getting a hickey."
"Oh joy," she scoffed and tilted her neck to get a better look. Sure enough, one was visible on her neck. She found her wand and got rid of it before changing her clothing. She couldn't help but giggle as the mirror did not make a single comment on her appearance, even when she stood before it in her underwear.
Harry thought the days leading up to the performance were going to offer some type of respite. While their rehearsal schedule did slow down, it hadn't done anything to improve his lack of free time.
Professor Burbage insisted they attend as many of the festival events as they could manage. So Harry found himself at every event under the sun. He couldn't even remember what about half of them were. At least one of the girls usually joined him at the events. Leanne was his most common companion. She seemed to want to be out and about more than the others. Harry wondered if it distracted her from the fact that her best friend was still in the hospital. But he never worked up the courage to ask her.
Padma was the second most popular companion. Harry had to admit she was more fun than Leanne. They flirted the entire time and the banter amused him, and her from the look of it. It was a good time and he wondered if he took the wrong twin to the ball all those years ago. Except, he thought, it wasn't her sister's fault he was a cock at the ball.
Daphne joined him the least and she always seemed rather put out whenever she did. She attended nearly as many events as he did, it was just that Belby accompanied her to most of them. She pouted whenever he wasn't there. And Belby pouted whenever he was. So Harry figured it was a lose-lose situation.
It went worse when Ron lost at chess to a second year Slytherin in the finals of the school wide chess tournament. Harry didn't know enough about the game to have much of an opinion, nor did he watch much of the actual game play.
Ron ranted to anyone who would listen about how it wasn't fair and shouldn't have been allowed or some such thing. Harry knew his friend well enough to know that he needed to rant and that in fifteen minutes he'd be able to reflect on it and see what happened. He hadn't even noticed that Daphne was following them out of the room after the match.
She'd snapped at him that it was fair and he should cope with it. Which Ron took rather poorly. He didn't remember what he said to try to mediate it, in the end they both stormed away from him.
Back in the common room, Ron continued to snap at him. He raved about how Harry was wrong in not fully siding with him against the stupid snake cunt and that if he wasn't thinking with his prick he'd see that. Harry left mid rant.
Unfortunately, Daphne wasn't any better. And their next rehearsal was an utter disaster. An utter disaster that happened to coincide with their first full run through on stage in costume. They'd stumbled over and completely forgot lines, none of the effects seemed to work, the music was a disaster, Harry fell flat on his face twice during stunts, and by the end of it Professor Burbage was nearly in tears.
Padma stayed behind after to talk to her while Harry left with Leanne and Daphne. He wanted to say something to them, to scold them even though he knew his performance hadn't been any better than theirs, but the words didn't come.
No, he thought, that was wrong. Leanne had been close to perfect. She'd been far and away the best of all three of them during the rehearsal. Daphne had been the distracted one who'd missed her cues and led to more mishaps. But it didn't matter, he couldn't bring himself to comment.
Thankfully, their second attempt the next night went better. As did the third two days later. Until finally the day came.
The morning reminded Harry of a Quidditch match. His stomach did somersaults throughout breakfast and it only got worse when he realized that he wouldn't be able to go to the pitch and quell his nerves. Instead, he'd have to sit through classes and wait until the evening. And given that one of those classes involved Professor Snape, it ended up being an obnoxiously long day.
After classes finally ended, he met up with Neville for one quick task to accomplish before moving to eat a quick dinner. The Great Hall was more crowded than it would normally be on a Friday evening but that was to be expected given that the hall would serve as their stage and dinner was being cut an hour short.
Supposedly concessions would be available during the performance, but it didn't seem like most students were willing to risk finding out exactly what that would entail.
Harry ate, feeling his stomach tie itself into knots with each bite. He figured his only way to combat the nerves would be to treat the performance like a Quidditch match. He stood and wandered over to the Muggle Studies classroom where they'd agreed to change and prepare for the show.
He alternated between pacing around the classroom and putting on his costume as he killed time. Padma joined him a few minutes later. They exchanged pleasantries but otherwise twitched. It wasn't until Leanne came in and started calmly working on an Arithmancy assignment that they realized they were perhaps a little too keyed up. Harry took to going through the swordplay lessons Nick had given him to kill the time.
Daphne joined them about fifteen minutes later. She looked rather red faced and upset. She transfigured a desk into a vanity and sat at it, peering at her face in the newly created mirror.
"What's up with her?" Harry asked. Padma blinked at him like she was shocked he didn't already know.
"Belby broke up with her the morning of the chess tournament," Padma said. It was Harry's turn to feel shocked. He'd had no idea. He wondered if it meant something that she'd sat next to him for the event. At the time he hadn't through it meant anything. He'd sat next to one of the girls at every event. But had it meant something more that she'd searched him out the morning her boyfriend split with her? And what did it say that he'd practically ignored her and then sided with Ron during their argument?
Or was he thinking too hard about all of it and did none of it really matter? Why hadn't he just noticed, or asked her anything? He'd known Belby was an idiot, that much had been obvious since as long as he could remember. He should have known he'd do something stupid.
"Damn it," Harry muttered to himself more than anyone else. He'd also done something stupid. He'd only asked Neville to prepare two. Because he'd assumed Belby wouldn't be an idiot and would order the third. He turned to leave the classroom.
"Where are you going?" Padma asked.
"I have to take care of something," Harry said.
"Don't be late," Padma scoffed as he rushed from the room. He ran to the Great Hall but didn't see Neville there. He peered around for a few moments. His gaze eventually fell on Hermione as she stood to leave the Gryffindor table. He weaved through a group of Hufflepuffs to make it over to her.
"Hermione, I need a favor," he said.
"What?" she asked.
"Find Neville and tell him I need three and not two," Harry said.
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, confusion evident on her face.
"I'm having Neville make magical bouquets for Padma and Leanne for after the show," Harry started.
"Why did you leave Daphne out?" Hermione interrupted him.
"Because I thought Belby would get her one and that it would be bad form to send flowers to a girl that has a boyfriend," Harry explained.
"That was stupid."
"Obviously."
"I'll see what I can do," Hermione said.
"Thank you."
"No problem. But you will owe me one."
"Oh please, we both know I owe you more than one," Harry laughed. He hugged her and excused himself to go back and finish getting ready for the performance.
By the time he'd made it back to the classroom the rest of the assorted class and Professor Burbage were all there. Padma and Leanne were talking in a corner while Daphne sat at the vanity. Astoria stood behind her and was styling her hair. Daphne stared at the mirror while her sister worked, her expression blank.
Harry found that, much like with Quidditch, waiting for everything to commence was far and away the worst part of the day. He paced around the room before finally donning his costume. He spent a few minutes fiddling with the sword on his hip and properly affixing the shield to his back before they moved to the Great Hall.
The staff table at the far end of the hall had been replaced with a large raised stage. A few seventh years were hastily assembling the tavern scene with their wands while Professor Burbage gave some final instructions.
A few other students were helping Professor Flitwick rearrange the seating in the Great Hall. They'd moved the house tables and were creating a more amphitheater tiered setting.
Dennis Creevey asked him for help with the final lighting adjustments so he hopped onto the stage and followed the lighting around as Dennis and a Ravenclaw Harry didn't recognize used their wands to guide beams of light onto various portions of the stage. He distracted himself by watching the Great Hall transform into a theater.
Even Professor Slughorn had showed up to help. Although, as Harry watched the potions master, it appeared that his version of helping was creating his own little balcony seating that Harry had the strangest feeling would only be for members of the Slug Club and other assorted people Slughorn graced with VIP status.
After they were satisfied with all of the preparations they disappeared backstage. Professor Burbage gave them some final words of encouragement, focusing on how she knew they were prepared and that they'd do a fantastic job as a curtain closed off half of the stage.
Harry could hear people milling into the seats. As the noise grew it became clear that most of the school had decided they didn't have a whole lot better to do that evening. And, from the sound of it, he wouldn't have been surprised if quite a few parents had decided to attend as well.
Finally, the lights flashed a few times and then after a few moments some soft orchestral music started to play. The assorted extras moved into their assigned seats in the tavern. Daphne and Leanne sat across from each other at a table in the middle of the stage.
Harry heard the crowd quiet as Professor Burbage took the stage. The music stopped as she started to speak.
"Thank you all for coming to see our production of The Fountain of Fair Fortune. I cannot express how hard these students have worked to put on this show for you. I hope you are thankful for their efforts in both organizing this Christmas Festival and providing this evening's entertainment. And now, without further ado, The Fountain of Fair Fortune!" she spoke slowly and clearly and there was a polite applause as she slipped off the side of the stage. Moments later, Ernie Macmillan walked onto the stage, the magical spotlight following him.
"Once upon a time there existed a fountain of immense magical property. Bathing in its waters is said to provide a powerful magical enchantment that ensures fair fortune forever more. Ancient Wizards saw it as too powerful to be left unchecked. So, they hid it away behind powerful magics.
"But as we all know, all magic has a price. And the stronger the magic, the higher the cost. They couldn't remove it from the world entirely. Once a year it is said that the enchantments falter and one unfortunate is allowed to claim the blessing of its waters. That is…if they can pass its trial," he paced across the stage as he spoke, finishing near where Professor Burbage had stepped from the stage. He turned and waved his arms toward the curtain with a flourish. As he did the lights redirected to the tavern stage and the patrons appeared.
Harry watched from the side of the stage, hidden behind the curtain as the extras all came to life, miming chatting and eating and general revelry of a night out. Daphne and Leanne sat in the center of the stage, an uneasy air about them as they refused to look at each other. After about twenty seconds, Padma rushed by him and onto the stage.
She made a show of looking around, until her eyes settled onto the table in the middle. She stopped abruptly and stiffened, standing straight as a board until she peered toward the audience.
"Witches, here?" she gasped. Leanne and Daphne's gazes both turned to her. "That can't be. No one else should have been able to find this place."
"Join us fair friend," Leanne said. She coughed into her hand and body wracked against her illness. Padma hesitated but walked around their table and shifted into the third chair. She looked pointedly at Leanne, and then at Daphne.
"You seek the Fountain as well?" she asked in a hushed tone, side-eyeing the other patrons at the tavern.
"I arrived not fifteen minutes before you. I am Asha. I seek the Fountain in hopes that it can cure the sickness that has plagued me since birth," Leanne coughed again, wrapping her arms around herself in obvious pain as she finished.
"And I not ten minutes ago," Daphne said. "I am Amata. I seek the Fountain to heal my heart, for my lover has so thoughtlessly abandoned me."
"Well met friends. I am called Altheda. An evil sorcerer stole my wand, my home and my fortune. I seek the Fountain in hopes it can relieve my powerlessness," Padma said. "Do these others know of the Fountain?"
"Not that I have been able to determine," Leanne said. And the witches continued to talk in hushed tones. They sipped at the wine that a serving girl brought to their table. They spared a few comical glances for the other patrons at the tavern as some slinked too close to the table. They did their best to stay unnoticed as the night continued on around them. On occasion Asha or Amata waved their wands to deal with unwanted attention. Finally, as some of the patrons started to leave, Daphne spoke up.
"We should seek the Fountain together," she said. Leanne and Padma both arched their brows and turned slowly to look at her.
"That does not help my cause, fair Amata, lest you forget only one may bathe each year," Padma said.
"Only one may bathe," Daphne agreed. "But three are smarter than one and may succeed where one would fail. The road ahead is dangerous."
"We are stronger combined than apart. I will join you," Leanne agreed. Padma frowned, skepticism obvious in her expression. She turned to the crowd and muttered.
"And two is still better than one," she looked back at the other girls. "I will join as well. By the time the moon rises tomorrow, one of us shall be forever blessed."
"We should rest now, for tomorrow will be a challenging day," Leanne finished. The girls all rose then and moved to the upstairs of the tavern setting, each ducking into separate rooms as the stage shifted around them. Harry watched them descend stairs and rush to the other side of the stage.
They emerged onto it just as the tavern decorations rushed away, giving way to a forested clearing with a vine-covered stone wall as the backdrop. Padma saw the fountain carving on the wall first. She brushed some of the vines away and examined it. Letting her finger trace over the multi-tiered structure before pointing it out to her companions.
When they started to fawn over it, Harry walked onto the stage. He tripped intentionally, twice, and walked right by them without even noticing them. He wandered in a large circle around the stage, intentionally moving in a different direction as the spotlight for comedic effect. Eventually, the light gave up and instead focused on the witches examining the wall.
A few things happened at the same time then. Daphne looked over and noticed him. She furrowed her brows and tugged on Padma's robes. Padma turned to look as Harry's arms shot straight up into the air in celebration.
"Praise the sun!" he shouted. "Companions!"
"And who might you be, fair Muggle?" Padma asked.
"I am known as Sir Luckless, my lady," Harry said, giving Padma an exaggerated bow, intentionally nearly losing his helmet as he did. "And I am on a quest to seek charmed waters that will bless me with good fortunes."
The witches exchanged glances between themselves. None of them seemed to notice that the vines on the wall were wiggling and shifting closer to them. Daphne took a step closer to him and examined him.
"We should Obliviate him and point him in the direction of town," Padma said.
"Altheda!" Leanne scolded. And then she shrieked as the vines wrapped around her. She grabbed Padma as the vines swarmed her. Padma, in turn, latched onto Daphne. And finally, Daphne reached forward and clung tightly to Harry as the vines engulfed him. They pulled him toward the wall and he steadied himself against the force as the entire stage rotated around them. Once the set finished it's circle the vines abruptly let go and the group staggered forward.
They all stumbled with a practiced grace. The witches recovered quickly as Harry clanged to the ground and slid across part of the stage. He made a show of struggling to his feet only to see Padma and Leanne glaring at him. Their vitriol; however, directed toward Daphne.
"Why would you bring him?" Padma scoffed.
"It was an accident!" Daphne countered
"Only one can bathe," Leanne added.
"I know!"
"Four will only make it harder for us to decide who!" Padma yelled.
"I know!" Daphne shouted back. The women continued to argue, growing louder, more animated, and less coherent with each passing moment. After a few moments Leanne drew her wand, causing Daphne to draw hers in response. Harry threw himself between the two women.
"Fair companions!" he said, realizing that he didn't even know their names. "You have nothing to fear from me. I can tell you have powers beyond my own. I am no great duelist or jouster. I have no skills that distinguish me from any other man. I am average in every respect. I withdraw myself from the quest."
"No!" Daphne spat at him. Harry blinked.
"My lady?" he asked.
"Amata," Daphne said. She pointed at Leanne and Padma. "Asha. Altheda. You will not give up so easily. It is unbecoming of a man of your station. Draw your sword, Knight, and help us reach our goal!"
"Of course, Lady Amata!" Harry said. He unsheathed his sword at her command and led them into the enchanted garden.
The scenery shifted as they walked down a sunlit path. Pixies fluttered around them as lights flickered in the background. Leanne stopped every few steps and examined some of the plants that littered the path. They were hindered only by Asha's illness as she needed to rest occasionally as the sun shifted above them.
A grassy hill rose up behind them and they could only just make out a flickering of something capping it off.
"Look, the Fountain!" Harry yelled, pointing up at it. He and the witches pressed onward, struggling up the hill. They only made it a few more steps before a giant white serpent slithered across the path, blocking their way.
"Pay my toll," Dylan Harper's voice boomed through their minds as the engorged ashwinder slithered around them. "Pay me the proof of your pain!"
"I shall vanquish you, foul creature," Harry yelled. He charged at the worm and slashed at it with his sword. He knew the charms on it would prevent him from dealing any damage to it. He danced around the creature and continued his assault. It only lasted a few moments though before he tried to dodge over it.
He tripped and fell hard, his sword flying from his hand and sliding off the back of the stage. The worm rounded on him and rose up.
"Sir Luckless!" Padma shouted. She grabbed a rock from nearby and hurled it at the beast as Daphne and Leanne pulled out their wands and started casting spells at the worm. Harry rose to his feet and make sure his body was between the witches and the worm.
Their efforts were all for naught though. No matter what they did, the worm didn't move from their path. The sun continued to move over her head they knew their time was running out. The witches grew tired with the effort of fighting the worm.
Leanne fell to her knees with the effort of repeated casting. She banged her fists into the ground in frustration. As she turned her face toward the sun, Harry could see tears staining her face. The worm rushed forward, knocking Harry over and slithered directly up to Leanne.
Its face nuzzled against hers and drank from her tears. After just a moment it rose up once more before shifting around her and slithering away from them, leaving their path unguarded.
Harry helped Leanne to her feet and peered on ahead as Daphne and Padma rushed to hug her and cheer their victory.
"The way is clear and the sun is not yet at its zenith! We shall reach our goal before midday!" he exclaimed.
"We should press onward," Daphne said. And the trio moved up the continually sloping hill. A new cheer rose from them. They were closer to their goal than any of them had imagined they could even be. And every step they took caused the fountain to grow closer to them.
"Hold!" Harry said after a few more steps. Something was carved into the ground before them. He raised his brows at the words. Daphne raised her wand and smoke emanated from the words on the ground and into the air so the audience could see them.
"Pay me the fruit of your labors?" Harry asked the witches.
"I don't have anything," Padma frowned.
"I do!" Harry exclaimed. He reached toward where his pockets should be only to remember he didn't have pockets. He patted himself down, then spun in a circle as if he'd dropped something and now couldn't find it.
"What are you doing, Knight," Leanne asked before Harry sat down and started pulling off his left boot.
"I undertook a short quest on my way here and was rewarded with a coin!" he produced it from the boot and fumbled it immediately. It rolled down the hill, vanishing from sight. The witches looked at him as he put his shoe back on. Harry shrugged in a way that indicated he thought that would count as paying the toll. The witches exchanged a glance, shrugged, and continued on up the hill. The rest of the group followed in her footsteps.
But it didn't matter how many steps they took, they could not move ahead of the words carved into the hillside. Asha was the first to fall. She collapsed in a coughing fit where she stood. Amata fell next to her, partially form her own exhaustion and partially from concern for her new friend.
Sir Luckless and Altheda pressed on. Despite the fact that their efforts did not pull them any further away from their other companions. Harry paused, leaning over and putting his hands onto his knees.
The sun was starting to descend against the horizon when Padma finally spoke.
"Courage friends!" She gasped, panting for air as she tried to climb faster and faster against the enchanted hill. She brought a hand up and wiped the sweat from her brow. "Do not yield!"
When the droplets hit the earth the words, smoke once more rose from the words carved into the ground. The inscription vanished in an instant and Padma tripped forward as the forces keeping them stationary vanished.
"Yes!" Padma squealed.
"Well done lady Altheda!" Harry exclaimed. He helped Leanne and Daphne to their feet. Leanne hurried after Padma as they continued up the hill. Daphne leaned against him as they walked up the hill.
"Thank you," she said as they approached the top of the hill.
"Anything to help, my lady," Harry responded.
"I do not feel like I have contributed," Daphne said.
"Lady Amata?" Harry asked.
"They have overcome obstacles and I am just here. They have true problems but I am only here because I'm upset about my intended," Daphne frowned. "I do not know that I deserve to be here."
"I am sure you belong my lady," Harry said as they made it to the top of the hill.
The fountain was waiting for them. It sat in the middle of pond, grassy earth ringing the area around it. The Fountain itself was perhaps eight feet high with five large tiers, growing gradually smaller toward the top. Water bubbled upwards through it and spilled out into the pool beneath it. The pool filtered into a large stream that encompassed the entire clearing at the top of the hill.
Leanne collapsed on the edge of the water. Padma stood next to her, a hand resting on her shoulder as Leanne tried to catch her breath. Harry and Daphne walked up behind them and stared into the water.
"Pay me the treasure of your past," Daphne said, reading an inscription on a rock across the way.
"My ancestral shield will get us across!" Harry exclaimed. He tossed the shield into the water and climbed onto it. The enchantments on the shield made it float for a few moments for comedic effect as he tried to paddle toward the Fountain. After a few feet the shield slipped from underneath him and he fell into the water.
He splashed around and fought his way back toward the shore where the witches pulled him out of the water. Daphne looked him over as he gasped for air on the shore. He stared up toward the sun and shook his head.
The witches each tried to leap into the water and swim across, but the enchantments repelled them. They tried to conjure a bridge but it was washed away after an instant. Altheda tried to levitate Amata across but she was thrown back to shore. Sir Luckless caught her as well as he could. Which entailed falling onto his back as she landed on top of him.
"We are nearly out of time," he gasped as he watched the sun start to lower to the edge of the horizon.
"And we are so close," Leanne coughed as she spoke, her entire body trembling. Daphne moved toward the edge of the water. She stared at the inscribed rock and took one deep breath.
Then, without further delay, she stepped into the water. She waded out a few feet before raising her wand to her temple.
She pulled it away after a moment, dragging a ghostly tendril with it. The memory fell from her head and into the pond. Small ghostly figures floated from the water. It was an image of a radiantly happy Amata smiling brightly at a dark figure of a man.
She took a few more steps toward the Fountain and repeated the process. Her companions on the shore saw her entire relationship with her vanished lover play out before them. They saw her lover woo her, win her, ignore her and leave her. As each memory washed away in the stream a stepping stone appeared in its place.
Daphne crawled out of the water on the other side. She stood mere feet away from the fountain. She stared at it for a few moments before turning back to her companions. Padma was the first to cross the stones, joining Daphne on the embankment of the fountain. Harry helped Leanne to her feet and helped her with each step across the stream.
She collapsed onto the embankment.
"It's beautiful," she said, peering at the ornate fountain as it seemed to shimmer in the last vestiges of the sunlight. She winced as her eyes closed.
"The journey took too much out of her!" Harry exclaimed. "We need to get her into the waters!" He reached for her to help her into the pool, intent on dragging her if he had to, but she shrieked in pain as soon as he touched her and he jumped away in shock.
"No! No! No!" she pleaded, tears forming in her eyes. "Someone else. It's not worth it for me. I am too weak, it would be a waste."
"Nonsense Lady Asha! Help me!" Harry said, he spun around to beg Padma for help. But she was busy gathering up herbs that sprouted from the embankment around the Fountain.
"Give me that!" Padma snapped, gesturing to the gourd of water on Harry's hip. The knight handed it to her without question and she mixed the herbs quickly as Leanne rolled onto her side, her eyes slowly drooping closed.
Padma thrust the gourd to her companion's lips, pouring the makeshift potion over her face and into her mouth. Leanne sputtered into the life-giving elixir that bore a shocking resemblance to butterbeer.
As soon as the liquid passed her lips her eyes shot open. Leanne sat up quickly and peered around. After a moment she rose to her feet, genuine shock on her face as she stood.
"I am cured!" she gasped aloud as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I am cured! Altheda you have saved me. You must bathe!"
"What?" Padma asked. She was on her hands and knees gathering up more of the herbs and only paying a minimal amount of attention to her companions.
"The Fountain's waters should be yours!" Leanne reiterated.
"I have no need for them," Padma said. "For if I can cure your malady with these herbs I will be able to earn gold aplenty and restore my losses!"
"Then it is yours, Lady Amata. For you cleared the last hurdle and got us here," Harry said. Daphne was still staring at the Fountain, but her eyes were hundreds of miles away. She seemed to realize they were addressing her and turned her attention back to her companions. She bit her lip and shook her head.
"There is no reason for me to bathe. I can see now that my lover was cruel and faithless. He did not care for me and it is happiness enough to be rid of him. No, my problems are solved and I have no use for the waters. It is you, good sir, who must bathe. As a reward for helping all of us rise," Daphne said. She walked toward him and held her hands up to him.
"I am honored fair lady, but I am undeserving of such a reward," Harry said, taking her hands in his.. He didn't notice that Padma and Leanne moved behind him. He felt their hands on him for a moment. And then, Daphne tugged him forward before sidestepping away as the other girls pushed him into the pool.
He laughed. He couldn't help it. He laughed for his own incredible luck as he bathed in the enchanted waters of the Fountain of Fair Fortune. He floated in the water until the sun fully set behind the horizon and the stars started to twinkle in the evening sky.
He climbed out of the water, still giddy at the glory of his triumph. He detached his rusted breastplate and discarded it at the feet of his companions. The women looked at him with amused smiles at his celebratory antics and he realized that there was only one thing left for him to do. He kneeled before Daphne.
"Lady Amata, you are the kindest and most beautiful woman I have ever beheld. Please allow me the honor of your hand and your heart. I promise you that I will never be cruel or faithless and I will cherish you for all you are for the rest of the days allotted to me," Harry said as he stared up at her, offering his hand up toward her. Daphne stared down at him as Leanne and Padma giggled behind them. And then she smiled and took his hand, pulling him to his feet.
"My hand and my heart are yours, noble knight," she said. Harry leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers.
"I will strive to always be worthy of them," Harry said. He brought his hand up and cupped her face and then Daphne surprised him.
"Kiss me you silly knight," she improvised a line entirely not in the script. And then, before he could get his hand into the proper position she took the initiative and lifted her lips to his.
Harry pressed his lips back to hers as instinct took over. He forgot all about how long it was supposed to last for or how it was supposed to look or anything at all related to the performance. Instead, he simply kissed her. And he didn't remove his lips from hers until Padma spoke up.
"It is growing late," she said, taking Harry by the arm as Leanne did the same to Daphne. He peered toward Daphne and saw her face was flushed crimson as she and Harry linked arms as well.
"We should return to town and celebrate our triumph," Leanne added. The others nodded in agreement, finding nothing to sound so sweet. And so, the four of them set off down the hill, arm in arm as the exited, stage left.
Ernie Macmillan walked onto the stage from the opposite side, the spotlight flashing over toward him as he stood near the middle of it. He peered off after the witches and their Muggle knight before turning his gaze back once more to the audience, a smile gracing his face.
"And so the companions left the Fountain behind. All four of them would live long and happy lives, surrounded by their friends, families, children and loved ones. And none of them ever knew, or even suspected, that the Fountain's waters carried no enchantment at all."
With that he gave a sweeping bow as the curtain fell around him. Harry heard the applause and realized he was still standing with his arm linked to Daphne's as Ernie joined them.
"You guys were amazing!" he yelled over the din of the crowd.
"Thanks. You too," Harry said as they started to all line up. The tavern patrons queued first and walked out as the applause continued. Harry saw them bow step back toward the curtain as Neville Longbottom and a pot of Cambodian Creeper walked out from the other side of the stage. Neville bowed and then drew a laugh by having the plant pull off a bow as well.
He stepped away as Dylan Harper joined him on stage, the now regular sized ashwinder slung over his shoulders. Harry watched Harper gesture above him and the magical lights focused on Creevey and the others who helped with the effects. They all had a chance to wave and bow as Ernie trotted out onto the stage.
He too took a bow at the middle of it and then stepped back toward the curtain and Neville and made a sweeping gesture with his hands toward the side of the stage.
Padma, Harry, Daphne and Leanne emerged back onto the stage. The walked as one toward the center of it and bowed to the crowd before stepping back and gesturing for everyone else to join them, hand-in-hand, for final bow before they disappeared behind the curtain.
Harry was shocked at the amount of people that rushed up to congratulate him backstage. Neville approached them with three massive bouquets of glowing flowers and gave them to each of the girls with a muttered comment that they were Harry's idea.
"You really didn't have to do that," Padma gasped at the flowers as she took them from Neville.
"I heard it was a tradition," Harry shrugged.
"They're beautiful," Leanne said.
"Neville picked them out, I just had the general idea," Harry said.
"Marcus never gave me flowers," Daphne said. Harry realized he was still holding her hand as she took the bouquet in her free hand and examined them. She brought them to her face to smell them.
"Well Marcus doesn't do our house proud," Padma said as she pulled her hair out of the braid it was in for the performance. Before Harry could comment Professor Burbage and Professor Slughorn rushed in.
"You were excellent!" Professor Burbage said as they approached.
"Wonderful, simply wonderful!" Slughorn added. "Pius thought so to. He thinks you all have a future on the stage if you wish it!"
"Pius Pringle watched our show?" Leanne asked. Daphne's hand squeezed Harry's as the Potions professor spoke up, almost like she was nervous around him. But Harry found that silly. Why would she be nervous around Slughorn? The professor had been fairly mellow the last month. But given how they were so very busy maybe he just hadn't noticed any meetings of the Slug Club.
"Of course my dear! I should go fetch him before he leaves," Slughorn said. He turned to exit when a moment of inspiration struck.
"Hey Professor," Harry called, squeezing Daphne's hand right back.
"Yes Harry?" Slughorn whirled around again. He seemed torn between currying favor with Harry Potter and not leaving Pius Pringle waiting. But Harry won out.
"How about a party?" Harry asked as Daphne's hand clamped down even harder on his own. The effect of his words were immediate. Slughorn's face reminded him of Dudley Dursley's on Christmas morning.
"Harry, Harry, Harry!" Slughorn shouted. "Cast, crew, a couple of VIPs. You have had a splendid idea!"
"But it was your idea, Professor," Harry said. Slughorn boomed with laughter.
"Cheeky boy! I'll gather up some important people and when you and the other guests of honor are ready head on over to my office!"
"We'll be there soon," Harry said as Slughorn rushed off. Harry turned to his side and peered at a wide-eyed Daphne before addressing her.
"So," he said, letting the word trail off while her gaze shifted toward him. "Want to go to a party with me?"
Author's note: As always thanks for reading and reviewing. I am available on PAT RE ON now at TE7Writes if you are interested in supporting me there I do greatly appreciate it. Chapters do wind up posted a few days earlier there. Again, thanks for all the support!