AN:
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English is my second language. Even though I have read the chapter several times and have let other people check it as well, I apologize for any mistakes. All possible mistakes in this chapter belong to me alone.
Chapter 7 – Changes
High up in one of the castle towers were the office and private rooms of the acting headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As different as all these headmasters of the last centuries had been, they had all agreed that there was truly a breathtaking view of the Scottish countryside and mountains.
But right now, the current headmaster of Hogwarts didn't really care. Especially since one would not have seen much anyway, so late at night and in complete darkness. So late at night or so early in the morning, from whatever perspective one wanted to see it.
Because for several hours, Albus Dumbledore walked up and down in his office, not able to rest, too upset he had been by what he had experienced when the night was not quite as advanced as it was now. Again and again he had to think about it.
Originally, he had wanted to watch Harry, who, as he had planned, had used his Invisibility Cloak the day before and had finally come across the Mirror of Erised. It had deeply relieved him that Harry had apparently seen his parents in the mirror. No wealth, fame, or power. Just love. That had confirmed his belief that Harry could protect the Philosopher's Stone. He had been worried about how much he was going to lose himself in the mirror, but that would not have been irreversible. After one or two further nights, he would have stepped in and prevented Harry from chasing the mirror's illusions any longer. After all, the discovery of the mirror by Harry had only served the purpose of familiarizing Harry with the unique nature of the Mirror of Erised. So that Harry would remember it at the appropriate time.
Then, however, everything had turned out very differently that night, and nothing would ever be the same again. For he did not enter all possible factors into his equation - once again, one had to say. For Harry had led Daphne Greengrass to the mirror. He should have thought of that. Since Harry had arrived at Hogwarts, the two had been inseparable, at least that's what Severus had told him. He also suspected that she was the reason Harry had come to Slytherin in the first place, something Dumbledore hadn't foreseen either. He hadn't foreseen so many things.
With great dismay and tears in his eyes, he had learned details from the lives of the two children that he would never have thought possible. Harry had apparently experienced terrible things with his family, certainly no love and affection. He had been wrong about Petunia, that lovely little girl who had written the letter to him, so many years ago, asking him to be admitted to Hogwarts and to accompany her sister. And Daphne's life had probably been even worse. His hands were still trembling at the thought of her words. No child should suffer this from their own parents! He had really thought that after the war Morpheus and Roxane had been changed, that they had regretted their actions, but he had also been wrong there. They were even more despicable people than he could ever have imagined.
What had really terrified Dumbledore though had been the subsequent feelings and words of the two children. They had been full of hate and pain. Broken souls that have turned away from the world and their fellow human beings. Or had the world turned away from them before?
He sighed. It was his fault, his damned fault! He just couldn't learn from his mistakes. Would everything be the same as with Tom? Would history repeat itself? Was his hope for a bright future already in vain?
No, it just couldn't be! He banged both his fists on the table. Fawkes, who had just been sleeping peacefully, looked at him with a questioning look.
Dumbledore gasped and was all of a tremble.
No, the future wasn't a foregone conclusion! It was still changeable. He would change it. He owed that to the children and this world. He would make up for his mistakes! He would do everything better in the future!
Harry would never go back to the Dursleys, he decided! It would probably be more difficult with Daphne, but at least he had to try. Maybe they could stay at Hogwarts? Then he could also keep a wary eye on them.
Yes, he would save them both! And this world, too. He would dissuade them from following this dark path.
He was confident again. His previous plans were discarded, but he had a new plan.
Dumbledore noticed how exhausted and tired he was, his eyes wandering to the phoenix who was still looking at him curiously.
"Fawkes, my old friend. I will need your help today. Let me rest a few more hours, but then we'll have to look after a subversive defense teacher. I let him do as he likes far too long…"
The red flash of light vanished, and Daphne squatted in a corner, her arms wrapped tightly around her legs. She sobbed, trying to take a breath, but every breath tore her lungs.
"Useless creature!"
Why? Why did her parents do this to her? What had she done? She would change, she promised! She loved them!
"You waste of life!"
She just wanted the pain to stop! Please…
"Crucio!"
Daphne's world was nothing but pain and agony. She cried out, but at some point, her voice failed. And all she could see was the veil of blood in her eyes.
She pleaded that they should stop. She couldn't go on. But they didn't stop.
At some point, Daphne passed out.
…
There was only darkness around her. Was she dead? Had death been her salvation?
Suddenly she saw a hand in front of her face. Daphne looked up. Leaning over her was a tall woman with flowing blond hair, dressed in a long black dress, her eyes ice-blue, a smile playing around her lips. She was really beautiful, Daphne thought.
She heard a bright voice in her head, but the woman's lips did not move. Rather, she continued to smile at Daphne and still held out her hand.
You hope you're dead?
Should death be your end?
Yes, Daphne would love to die. She couldn't bear the pain anymore. Every day again. It had long since cut into her soul, deep into her heart. She couldn't take it any longer. Not an hour ... minute ... second ...
How about fighting back?
She was too weak, far too weak ...
Yes, little soul trapped in eternal night.
Frail and helpless through all your suffering ...
You are too weak, but I am not.
I am what you have to be! I am your future! I am you!
No, she wasn't. She was a child, not this woman ...
I am. I am a part of yourself.
Your agonies were my birth.
Your cries of pain my breath of life.
Your spilled blood my elixir.
Take my hand and let's be one again.
Let me be your fire in this eternal night.
May this world, in which we are not welcome, turn to ashes.
And from the ashes of this old world, we will create our own new world.
She couldn't do that.
She wasn't evil.
That was wrong, she knew it!
My little beautiful, hideous soul, what they're doing is wrong.
We will only repay it.
This time we will let them feel our pain, so deeply that the spilled blood will cleanse us.
Then we will be free.
Be free? She wanted so much to be free.
But was that the right way? Would revenge redeem her?
The woman was still smiling at her, her hand outstretched.
She just had to take it…
She seized the hand. It was freezing cold.
…
Daphne woke up with a loud cry, drenched in sweat. Suddenly she felt very queasy, reaching the bathroom just in time before she had to vomit. Sitting and choking in front of the toilet bowl, she remembered the details of her dream. How her younger self had seized the hand of the woman she had seen in this mysterious mirror just a few hours ago. How her younger self had seized the hand of her future self?
Daphne had to vomit again.
Draco Malfoy braced himself for the worst. The last few days his father had hardly spoken to him, even mostly ignored him. The fact that he had called him to his study so early in the morning suggested nothing good for Draco. He knew that immediately after receiving his father's "invitation". Which is why he immediately left out his frustration on the deliverer of the invitation. What else were house-elves useful for?
He reached the large front door to his father's study that made him always feel so small and insignificant. Gulping, he knocked, and his father's voice came from inside, requesting him to come in. Nervously, Draco entered. His father, Lucius Malfoy, one of Britain's most influential and richest men, sat behind his dark wooden desk, reading a piece of parchment in his hand.
"Sit down, son," he said to Draco without looking up from the parchment.
Draco did as he was told and waited. And waited. And waited. Several minutes passed without his father speaking to him, causing Draco to get more and more nervous. The room was dead silent, so Draco could only hear his own breathing, which now seemed far too loud.
Finally, his father put the parchment on the table in front of him, giving Draco a scrutiny. He then spoke in a calm voice, "How did you fare with the task I had given you before the school year?"
Draco squirmed in his chair, knowing that his father would not be pleased with him. "Potter refused my friendship," he replied hesitantly.
"And how could that happen if you ended up in the same house, despite all expectations? Fate handed you the chance to befriend the Boy-Who-Lived on the silver platter. Why couldn't you grab this chance?"
Against his better judgment, Draco felt the emotions rise. "Potter is an arrogant weakling," he said angrily. "He had already made friends with Greengrass. I generously offered him my friendship, but the mudblood refused, I had to -"
Suddenly his father banged his fist on the table and jumped up, his face contorted with rage.
"And instead of just trying again later, you ruined everything," he yelled at Draco. "I heard what you and your cronies did to Potter afterwards. And with the Greengrass bitch too. Do you actually know what you have accomplished with your actions? You made sure that Potter was looking for the company of the one person in Slytherin that we can't use! In their misery, Potter and Greengrass have moved together, and you have lost your chance forever. At least if Potter has even the smallest piece of backbone, which unfortunately can be suspected considering his parents."
He had now walked around his table and stood directly in front of Draco, who was trying to make himself very small in the chair.
"You failed, Draco. Because of you and your vanity, we lost the Boy-Who-Lived forever." His father grabbed his wand, which had previously been on the desk. "That might have been forgivable. After all, Potter would have been just a tool for us anyway. And the chances that you could have befriended him were negligible from the beginning. But still, failure is failure. And what is even more unforgivable ... I could just take it from your grades that Severus sent me. How can you allow that a filthy mudblood girl has better grades than you? You are truly a shame for the name Malfoy - Crucio!"
His father only held the spell for two seconds, but that was enough for Draco to make up his mind to never upset his father again.
Veils of mist formed in front of Daphne's face as she breathed out, walking along the frozen lake in the morning cold, the snow crunching under her feet. Everything was the same as on her other morning walks, all but one thing: unlike usual, she had a companion today. Harry walked next to her, his breathing clearly visible in the cold air as well, his feet sinking slightly into the snow with every step, even more than Daphne's did.
Harry had surprised her earlier this morning when he had stood grinning in the common room, already dressed in a thick winter jacket, scarf, hat, and gloves. He would go with her today, he had said. And so it happened that they both now walked side by side around the lake of Hogwarts.
Neither of them had said a word for some time, both probably too absorbed in their own thoughts. At least that was definitely the case with Daphne. Over and over again she thought about yesterday's events. The words she had said to Harry. And the words he had said to her. How she had cried and laughed in his arms. How safe and snug she had felt in his embrace.
Who would have thought that possible before?
She had always been alone, always avoided. She had come to terms with it long ago, accepted her fate. Even though there was a small part of her soul, hidden deep within her, that had longed for a friend, a companion, but she had tried to lock that part of herself up. Rejected by the world would be one thing, but the fact that there was still a part of her that hoped for a friend had only made her feel pathetic.
Then Harry had come out of nowhere and had become part of her life. And for whatever reason, he had been looking for her company. Even quite pushy, as Daphne had to admit. He could have found better friends than her, but he had only bothered with her. When he had come to Slytherin, to her great surprise, both of their fates had been sealed. She had long since resigned herself to hers.
Since then he had been following her almost all the time. Daphne remembered her words from the previous evening. She had told him to stop clinging to her so much. She called him pathetic, but the part of her that had made her feel pathetic had been secretly happy that she had not been completely alone at Hogwarts, that there had been someone she had could spend time with. Even if she had not dared to admit that to herself.
She had been wrong about Harry! She had really thought that he had been just a naive boy, much too kind for this ruthless world. That it had been a terrible jest of fate that had drifted him to her. That it had destroyed his entire life. In Gryffindor, his parents' house, he would have fared better for sure.
Harry had seen a part of her yesterday which even filled Daphne herself with terror. And with disgust. Again, she had to think back to her dream from the night. Hatred and thirst for revenge, that was what she had felt looking in the mirror. She had felt senses of pleasure when she had seen her own self throwing the red flashes back at her so-called parents. When she had seen how she had killed them. It had felt so good! Even now, her entire body trembled at the memory, and she felt a certain heat rising within her.
Should that really be her predetermined path? She did not want to be a monster. She did not want to be like her own parents. Like the parents of their blasted classmates. Like Voldemort. The murderer of Harry's parents.
At the same time, however, she felt this deep hatred and anger. Part of her just wanted to see this world burn, and she wanted to be the one who set it on fire.
Until last night, she had not dared to admit that part of her soul to herself. It had been a shock to her. After that, she had just wanted to be alone with herself and her terrible, excruciating thoughts, but Harry had not let it rest. He had wanted to know what she had seen in that damned mirror. At that moment she had just hated him. She had been firmly convinced that he had not really wanted to know what she had seen, what the deepest desire of her heart was. And if he had known, he would only have been afraid of her anyway or even been disgusted. Or worse, his noble nature would have made him want to dissuade her from this dark path. To save her from her hatred and anger. To move her to forgive.
None of this had happened! He had seen the deepest, darkest part of her soul ... and he had not turned away. Neither had he tried to save her. Rather, he had bound his fate to hers. She still had to shiver at the memory. He would not leave her alone, he had said. He would not let her thread this path alone. He would be her partner. Together they would rewrite their story. They two alone!
Daphne had never felt so happy as at his moment, when she had agreed to this pact, looking into his emerald eyes. Even now she felt the memory warm her heart.
But was Harry really aware of what he had chosen? Who he had chosen?
She had to know, needed certainty.
"Harry, did you really mean what you have said yesterday? That you would be my partner?"
Her voice was so low that it was hardly audible in the morning winter wind, but Harry had heard her and stopped beside her. Daphne, however, kept her eyes on the ground in front of her.
Hesitantly, she continued, "You don't know anything about me ... You don't know me at all. If you commit yourself to me like this, if will bring you only suffering. I don't see hope for myself anymore. But you still have hope! You can still live a good life! Without me, you can –"
Suddenly she felt her hand gripped. Looking up, she stared directly into Harry's face, which was now right in front of her. Secretly, she had always been a little fascinated by his shimmering green irides, she had to admit, but her pride had prevented her from saying this out loud. Harry took her other hand. His hands in hers felt warm, as if a fire was blazing in him.
He began to speak vigorously, "Daphne, I was absolutely secure in my decision yesterday. And that hasn't changed. I am your partner. I will not leave you alone."
His breath stroked Daphne's face, and she felt the tears rise again. What the hell has been going on with her lately? Otherwise she wasn't that emotional!
"But ... But would you really give up the life that you could have ... risk your humanity?"
"What I have now, what I have had in recent years, cannot really be called life. I only existed and was pushed around by this world as it pleased. I've already told you, Daphne. Ever since I saw you for the first time, in Diagon Alley, I've been under your spell. You had that slight smile which looked like you normally suppress your smile. And yet it was genuine, beautiful! And I couldn't get you out of my head since. Every time I look into your eyes or hear you laugh, I feel more alive than I have ever felt before in my life."
Harry tightened his grip on her hands and moved even closer to her.
"I got to know you better yesterday. And myself too. We share the same desire. And the idea that this should be the end of us hurts. I don't want this to be the end of us. We both have to start living properly before. And for that we have to be free, to go our own way. And I want to go this way with you!
"I don't worry about my humanity, Daphne. Because how much humanity has this world shown me so far? You are the most human being I've ever met. With you, I feel like a human. I feel alive. Life is suffering anyway. But together we can endure that."
Daphne's heart pounded. She wanted to say something, but she just couldn't open her mouth.
Harry now looked away from Daphne.
"There's ... there's only one thing that I cannot forget," he said haltingly, clearly struggling for words. "You said that your parents made you regret talking to me in Diagon Alley the same evening. Did they torture you, Daphne? Because of me?"
Now he looked at her again. In his eyes Daphne saw shame and guilt.
Daphne knew exactly what was going on in Harry's head. And it hurt her. She let go of his hands to hug him, her arms wrapped around his torso. He felt much more tensed than with their hug yesterday, which had been so comforting to her.
"Oh Harry, you don't have to blame yourself. My parents tortured me almost every day anyway. It wasn't your fault. They would have done it anyway, just for a different reason."
She raised her head to look at Harry. Tears ran down his cheek. And his face revealed pure anger.
"I'm going to kill these bastards for doing this to you, Daphne! They don't deserve to be kept alive!"
Now Daphne had to weep tears as well. So, the two cried together in each other's arms. Neither was interested in how much time passed. At some point, however, both of their tears dried up and the two children simply stared at one another, looking deeply into each other's hearts, any deception long forgotten.
Finally, Daphne spoke again. "Harry, I'm scared. There are parts of me that I'm afraid of. I'm afraid of what I could become. And now I'm even afraid for you!"
"I feel the same way," Harry said. "But I also feel alive for the first time in my life. Our future is uncertain. We can shape it completely freely, without showing consideration for others. I don't care about the world and the people in it. Only you and I matter. Maybe we'll perish by it, but maybe we'll be free."
Daphne could not help but smile and hug him even more tightly. "Yes, we will be free. I feel it."
She actually did. She felt confidence and hope. Maybe the path she chose would only bring suffering and pain, but so did her life so far. Now there was at least the hope that they could create a better future. Together. She was no longer alone! She had a partner. She had Harry. That thought made her truly happy.
At some point they continued their walk around the lake. Harry was still holding her hand, but Daphne didn't mind. She even liked it. There were still things she wanted to know from Harry though.
"Harry, now that we're partners, I don't want us to have any secrets from each other. I will tell you everything you want to know about me. And I also want to learn more about you, more about your family with whom you have lived for the past years."
Harry next to her just nodded and hesitantly began to tell…
Harry and Daphne sat in their usual seats at the end of the Slytherin table in the Great Hall. There were a lot of free seats, but the two of them had, as a matter of course, headed for the place where they always sat. From here, Harry had a good view of the other house tables and the teacher's table. Maybe he had become a little paranoid in the past few months, he thought.
By now he had calmed down a bit after his early morning revelations. He had told Daphne about his life with the Dursleys. It had hurt to relive it all. He had told her all about his life there: his sleeping place under the stairs, Dudley's used clothes, the often missing food, the beatings. He had almost been ashamed to tell Daphne about his experiences, since she had it much, much worse! Compared to her, his life was almost harmless, maybe even pleasant.
It had been difficult for him to describe his feelings. This constant notion that something had been missing in his life, that what he had had with the Dursleys could not be called family life, that love had been missing. The last one had only now become clear to him. That he had grown up as a child without love, without care, without a home.
Daphne had been listening to him all the time, holding his hand, and just been there for him. In the end she had hugged him, as she had done earlier in the morning. Harry had felt comfortably safe at that moment.
He liked the changes that had taken place in their relationship since last night, even if he found himself giving Daphne sneaking looks from the side and smiling shyly at their morning breakfast, but he had the feeling that she too kept glancing at him, smiling slightly. It would take time to understand all of these changes to its full extent, he knew that, but he was looking forward to exploring this new partnership with Daphne.
Harry had just poured them new pumpkin juice when Daphne spoke again after a time of not uncomfortable silence. "Harry, we still have to talk about the cloak you got for Christmas. I don't like the idea that we don't know who gave it to you."
He looked at Daphne, who was also watching him intently. She was right, he had to admit. He hadn't thought about that anymore. "You sound like you've already thought about it."
"I have. I think the person must obviously have known your parents when they got the cloak from your father."
Harry nodded in agreement with Daphne's words as she continued.
"And I don't think the house-elves would put any harmful gifts on your bed. Because I think it is very likely that your presents were put there by them. Or someone else at Hogwarts, because who else would have the possibility to enter the dorms? Incidentally, I don't like the idea that there are people in our dormitories at night and we don't notice anything. But back on topic: The house-elves should at least have known that the cloak poses no danger to you if they were the ones who put it there. Or they have to know and trust the responsible person. Or it was a person who has access to Hogwarts everywhere anyway."
"I think I know who the person is you think of," Harry said pensively.
Now Daphne looked at him challengingly, replying in a teasing tone, "Then tell me, Harry. I'm excited to see what conclusions you draw." She raised the goblet with the pumpkin juice to her mouth and started to drink, but kept an eye on him all the time.
Harry had to smile. Was it a kind of test? Then he should rather give his best.
"Well, we could definitely ask the house-elves what they know," he said. "That would probably make sense if the gift had come in the mail, as presumably that of the Dursleys. Incidentally, it would also be interesting to know how Muggle mail gets to Hogwarts. But even then, I think relevant people at Hogwarts should know about it. In terms of your guess that there could be people at Hogwarts who could otherwise get into the Slytherin dorms at night, there are actually only two for me. Our beloved head of house Snape and of course Dumbledore. It is out of the question for me that Snape would give me anything, and I don't think he would have been friends with my father. Other teachers might be able to get into the Slytherin dorms, but I lack information in this regard. In any case, the second person is the most likely for me: our headmaster Albus Dumbledore. He must have known my parents, I'm sure of that. He was definitely their headmaster as well. And he can certainly move around freely in the castle, after all, he is the headmaster. And otherwise he would surely have to know, or at least be aware of something. Therefore, I would speak to Dumbledore."
Here he stopped talking and noticed how Daphne beamed at him, a wide smile on her face. "These are exactly my thoughts," she said. "In fact, I'm very sure that Dumbledore gave you the cloak. Or rather returned it, after all, it's actually yours. And all this secretiveness would also suit him if what I heard about him is true."
Harry's eyes wandered to the teacher's table. The pompous chair in the middle was still vacant. "Then we should talk to Dumbledore. But he doesn't seem to be there yet. Rather unusual, he is almost always present at breakfast..."
"Do you know where his office or living quarters are?"
Harry could only shrug. He didn't know where Dumbledore actually lived, but he had an idea.
"We can ask McGonagall. She is the deputy headmistress. And she told us at the beginning of the school year that we can always turn to her if we have a problem or concern."
He looked at Daphne. She nodded in agreement with his words. "That doesn't sound too bad. I guess you should actually go to your head of house first for that, but somehow I don't think that would be a good idea for you and Snape," she said thoughtfully.
Harry had to laugh. Yes, he didn't want to ask Snape anything. Daphne grinned at him. "Then let's ask her right now."
They rose from their seats and went forward to the teacher's table. They greeted Hagrid briefly, but they just passed Snape without looking at him. Harry could already imagine the bastard's scornful looks. Finally, they stood in front of the deputy headmistress, who was already eyeing them curiously.
"Good morning, Professor McGonagall," Harry said to her.
"Mr. Potter, Miss Greengrass, how can I help you so early in the morning?" McGonagall raised her right eyebrow.
"Professor, we need to speak to Professor Dumbledore urgently. You wouldn't happen to know where we can find him?"
"This is highly unusual, Mr. Potter. Usually, students approach their head of house for all of their relevant concerns. In your case, that would be Professor Snape. Why do you want to speak to Professor Dumbledore?"
She gave them both an obviously curious look.
This time Daphne spoke up, "It's a family matter of Harry, Professor. The headmaster is really the only one who can help us in this regard. And it's urgent, so we really need to speak to him."
"And you can't tell me what this family matter is exactly? And you, Miss Greengrass, don't belong to Mr. Potter's family as far as I know."
Daphne was more his family than his blood relatives, Harry thought.
"I want to have Daphne with me, professor," he replied. "And I can't tell you exactly what it is about. Only Professor Dumbledore can help me with that."
McGonagall was silent for several seconds and it seemed as if she was thinking hard. Finally, she spoke again. "Well, I'll take you at your word. I will take you both to the headmaster's office, where you can speak to him. But I hope that's really serious for you. Professor Dumbledore is a busy man." McGonagall rose from her seat. "Please follow me."
Harry and Daphne left the great hall behind Professor McGonagall, feeling the venomous glances of a certain Potions Master in their backs. Harry smirked.
"Are you otherwise fine?" McGonagall asked them in between.
"Better than ever," Harry replied with a smile, looking briefly at Daphne, but she kept her eyes away.
Finally, they stood in front of a large gargoyle.
"Caramel eclairs," McGonagall said aloud, and the gargoyle turned to the side. Now they could see a spiral staircase winding itself upwards. They quickly stepped up the stairs and were carried up. Harry was once again surprised by the many secrets and wonders of this castle. Without McGonagall, they probably would never have found Dumbledore's office.
They came to a stop right in front of a wooden door with a copper doorknocker in the shape of a griffin. McGonagall used the doorknocker and after waiting a few seconds, she opened the door and led them into the headmaster's office.
It was a large round room. Many portraits of former headmasters hung on the walls, at least that was what Harry suspected. Some of them looked at them curiously, but many just seemed to be asleep. He even heard occasional snoring. In the middle was a large clawed desk. On the walls and everywhere in the room were shelves and tables, fully loaded with books and strange-looking silver instruments that made quiet noises and occasionally emitted smoke. Harry could even see the sorting hat on a shelf, but it looked rather lifeless now. Overall, the office made a friendly and pleasant impression on Harry.
Only Professor Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.
"Professor Dumbledore will be here soon. Just wait and don't touch anything." With that, McGonagall left the office, leaving Harry and Daphne alone.
They looked at each other, and Harry shrugged. Apparently, they had no choice but to wait. He was about to say something to Daphne when she shook her head slightly and nodded to the portraits on the wall. Harry understood her gesture. She did not want to talk in the presence of the portraits. That was probably not a bad idea, after all, several dozen former headmasters would have listened to them. So they just waited in silence. Daphne had now sat in the single chair in front of the desk, Harry standing next to her, and continuing to look around the room.
After a while - Harry had already become impatient - the door to the office suddenly opened with a loud creak. Turning around, he saw Albus Dumbledore with his silver hair and long white beard, a kind of bird with red and gold feathers sitting on his right shoulder. Harry had never seen such a bird before. Suddenly the bird rose from Dumbledore's shoulder and, with a single stroke of its wings, had overcome the space between the door and the desk, where it sat on a kind of perch. Daphne looked at the bird with wide eyes.
Harry turned his eyes back to Dumbledore. Only now did he notice that his long, purple robe on the side looked singed as if it had come into contact with fire. Dumbledore made an overall somewhat tired and exhausted impression. He slouched his shoulders, and Harry saw deep dark circles under his half-moon glasses.
"Good morning, Harry, Miss Greengrass," Dumbledore said in a calm voice that was quite in contrast to his appearance.
Dumbledore walked past Harry, sighing and collapsing into his cushioned chair behind the desk. He made a brief movement with his wand and next to Harry another chair appeared out of nowhere next to the one in which Daphne was already sitting, who was now alternately looking at both Dumbledore and the red and gold bird. Harry sat down.
Dumbledore spoke again, "What gives me the pleasure of welcoming you both to my office?" Dumbledore leaned forward, eying Harry through his glasses with a curious look.
Harry took a deep breath. "Professor Dumbledore, we would like to ask if you gave me a cloak for Christmas that once belonged to my father?"
Now it was up to Harry to look at Dumbledore curiously. Dumbledore sighed and sank again into his chair. "Yes, I did, Harry. It belonged to your father and now it belongs to you. I am impressed that you found out that I gave it to you."
"It was the only logical option," Daphne said coolly next to Harry.
Dumbledore stroked his long beard. "Yes, it probably was..."
"Professor, why did you give me the Invisibility Cloak anonymously?"
"I thought it was better this way, Harry ..." Dumbledore had closed his eyes now, seeming to be lost in thought.
Daphne gave Harry a meaningful look from which he read that she would have something to say to him later. He, however, did not know what to say now. They had been able to confirm their suspicion that Dumbledore had given him the Invisibility Cloak, but somehow the conversation had fizzled out.
Suddenly, Dumbledore rose from his seat, turning his back on them as he looked out of the window at the snowy grounds of Hogwarts. "I'm so terribly sorry, Harry, Daphne," he said in a trembling, throaty voice.
Harry was confused. "What do you mean, Professor?" he asked.
"Just everything. What you both experienced at your homes…" Dumbledore turned back to both of them, tears sparkling in his eyes. "Harry, I should never have taken you to the Dursleys. I really thought you would have a family there who loved you. And Daphne, I'm so terribly sorry what your parents did to you. I should have done more to get them punished for their crimes ..."
Harry was speechless. He saw that Daphne had cramped beside him.
Dumbledore just kept talking in a broken voice. "You can stay at Hogwarts. I owe you that. You don't have to go back to your families. You are safe here!" He looked at them both desperately, as if hoping for an answer.
"How do you know all this," Daphne said with clenched teeth. Harry felt the air around her get colder.
Dumbledore looked away. "I ... I didn't know about it until last night. I could never have imagined it ... Please believe me. I will change everything. Please do not follow the dark path that you have committed to –"
"You spied on us?!" Harry's heart pounded. That was incredible.
"I just want to protect you! Please let me help you, let me save you!"
Harry's whole body trembled. His hands were clenched into fists. Dumbledore had spied on them. He had listened to everything he and Daphne had discussed. And he had been responsible for his life with the Dursleys!
When he looked at Dumbledore, he saw only an old, scheming man whom he hated deeply. How could he presume to want to save them?
Daphne, however, was quicker with an answer. "We don't need a savior," she said with venom in her voice. Harry wouldn't have been surprised if Dumbledore instantly crumbled to dust considering the murderous look with which Daphne was looking at him.
Dumbledore actually winced and looked at them desperately. Harry cheered inside.
"But ... Harry, Daphne, please ..." he stammered.
"No, Professor," Harry replied angrily. "I think we've heard enough. And you've done enough. Just leave us alone in the future."
With that, Harry rose from his seat. Daphne got up too, and it seemed to Harry that a fire was blazing in her eyes. What really surprised him though was that he could feel the fire in her. He felt the heat of the flames inside her, but at the same time a blast of cold air came from her.
Suddenly the bird moved on its perch and then was in the air where it wheeled above them. Harry looked at the bird with fascination. With its red feathers it looked like it was a tail of fire. It was really beautiful.
Then the bird abruptly descended, settling on Daphne's right shoulder. Startled, Daphne screamed and froze, as if she did not dare to move in any way. The bird seemed to be watching Daphne carefully, and Daphne turned her head slightly, looking at the bird on her shoulder, but Harry could not see her eyes. After some time, the bird spread its wings again and thrust itself up into the air. After a short glide it sat back on its perch, where it turned its back on them.
What was that, Harry wondered. He looked back and forth between Daphne and the bird. Dumbledore also looked at the bird with wide eyes, and Harry thought he saw surprise on his face. Before Harry could think about it more intensely, he felt Daphne take his hand. Suddenly Harry felt a blazing, pleasant warmth rising inside him.
"Let's go," Daphne said firmly, pulling Harry behind her as they left the office without looking back.
They left an old man who felt the burden of his years all too much at that moment.
"Fawkes, my old friend, don't tell me you are under her spell too ..."
They ran through the deserted corridors of Hogwarts. By now Harry had taken the lead, his thoughts pure chaos. He needed to find a place where they could talk to each other undisturbed and above all without being overheard!
Eventually he could not stand it anymore and dragged Daphne into the next storeroom they passed. It was crammed with brooms and cleaning supplies, but they both still found a comfortable place.
Harry's heart was still pounding, too shocked he was by what he had just learned. Dumbledore had spied on them! He knew everything about them!
Daphne gasped and trembled too. It was almost as if he could hear her racing heartbeat.
Harry tried to calm himself down, taking several deep breaths. He looked at Daphne and found her ice-blue eyes. She looked at him seriously, and at that moment he felt a deep intimacy with his friend, his accomplice in this mind-boggling play of life.
"We need a place where no one can eavesdrop or spy on us," Harry finally gave voice to the thought they both had been thinking.
Daphne nodded in agreement. "It will be difficult. There are portraits and ghosts everywhere that can report to Dumbledore. And apparently he can even follow and eavesdrop on us without us noticing anything."
That damn old fool, Harry thought. Did he have to destroy everything again?
Harry pondered and pondered, but he didn't have any ideas. It was enough to drive him mad! Angrily, he kicked a floor bucket that crashed loudly against the wall. He flopped down and sat with his back against the wall. Daphne did the same, so the two children sat shoulder to shoulder in one of the countless storerooms of Hogwarts.
Harry suddenly felt Daphne put her hand on his and squeeze it gently. Turning his head, he met her gentle look. She leaned towards him, crossing her fingers with his.
"We'll find a way, Harry." Her voice was sensitive and tender. Harry had to smile. How much everything had changed.
"Yes, Daphne," he replied, squeezing her hand making Daphne smile too.
Harry closed his eyes and regathered his thoughts. In his mind's eye, he imagined every passage and corridor he knew at Hogwarts. Somewhere there had to be a place where they were spared from unwanted company.
At some point Harry had to admit that he did not know Hogwarts well enough for that. Sighing disillusioned, he opened his eyes again. Daphne next to him was still looking at him intently.
"Are you back?" she asked teasingly, before continuing with an encouraging tone, "I think we could both need a little refreshment now. Let's stop by the kitchen again. The house-elves said we should definitely come back."
Harry's heart skipped for a second.
"That's it!" he called out loudly, but Daphne only looked at him in confusion. "The house-elves, Daphne! They have to know Hogwarts inside out. They can help us!"
Slowly understanding began to emerge on Daphne's face. "You're a genius, Harry!"
"I know."
"Idiot," Daphne replied, slapping his shoulder playfully before her expression darkened again. "But we should always assume that the house-elves also report to Dumbledore. But anyway, your idea is better than nothing."
So the two made their way to the kitchen. Both hoped to get valuable information there for their future plans, but Harry was also looking forward to a large portion of the delicious chocolate pudding that the house-elves served.
On the way Harry remembered what happened in Dumbledore's office. "Daphne, what kind of strange bird was that earlier, and what was its deal?" he asked.
"That was a phoenix. His name was Fawkes." Daphne's voice sounded somehow dreamy.
"How do you know his name?"
"I can't explain it. Somehow, he communicated with me. Not with words, but with feelings, impressions. He was in my head. I cannot explain it precisely. Didn't you feel anything?"
"No, nothing at all ..."
Another new mystery in his still short life in the wizarding world.
The house-elves had greeted them warmly. Mipsy, who had led them to the kitchen at the beginning of the school year, in particular, had jumped up and down with excitement when they had arrived, wiggling her long bat-like ears.
Harry just liked these lively creatures, even though it all seemed a little too much hustle and bustle for Daphne. Now, however, they were sitting at a small table in front of the burning fireplace and both had a large steaming cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows in front of them. Harry also happily spooned chocolate pudding out of a small bowl.
"You will die from an overdose of chocolate someday," Daphne said, probably not quite seriously.
"You wish"
"No"
Before Harry could reply, they heard the squeaky voice of Mipsy next to them, "Do Mr. and Miss need anything else? Mipsy can bring it right away."
"Thank you very much, Mipsy, but we're well cared for," Harry said, genuinely friendly. "But maybe you could help us with another thing. Mipsy, do you know a place in Hogwarts where Daphne and I can be completely undisturbed? Where nobody can follow us or eavesdrop on us unnoticed?"
"Mipsy knows many such places. Most couples use secluded broom cupboards for this. Mipsy can show Mr. and Miss the cupboards."
Harry felt the blood in his head. That was really not what he meant!
Daphne answered first. "We're too young for that, Mipsy," she said calmly, but Harry thought he saw a slight red glow on her face too. "What Harry meant was that we need a place where we could meet and practice magic. But what is most important is that nobody can spy on us there. Really nobody. Harry and I don't just have friends at Hogwarts -"
"Mipsy knows that. We house-elves see a lot at Hogwarts. We see how other Slytherins treat Mr. and Miss. They have always been kind to us. Mipsy will help."
"Then you know such a place?" Harry leaned forward intently.
"Yes, Mispy knows the right place. The Come and Go Room. We house-elves often use it to store cleaning items. Others also call it the Room of Requirement. It can be anything you want."
It could be anything you wanted? That actually sounded very interesting.
"Where can we find this room, Mipsy?" he asked excitedly.
"On the seventh floor. Opposite the tapestry of the wizard and the trolls in the tutus. You must go up and down three times and think hard about what you want. And then a door to the room appears. When you are inside, you can change the room further and make the door disappear again. Nobody can follow Mr. and Miss into the room unnoticed, if this is your wish. Mipsy can take Mr. and Miss there!"
That sounded too good to be true. He looked at Daphne, who was grinning broadly at him. She had to think exactly the same as he did.
"Thank you, Mipsy!" he said beaming with joy, "we'll try it alone first. But if we have problems, we will come back again. You really helped us a lot!"
Harry and Daphne then said goodbye to the house elves and hurried to the seventh floor. They were both eager to see and test this room. Panting, they reached the corridor. There was not a soul to be seen.
"There is the painting with the wizard and trolls," said Daphne, pointing to the wall.
"Okay," Harry mused, "what had Mipsy said? We have to go up and down three times in front of the opposite wall and think about what kind of room we wish for."
"Let me do it. It's probably better if the room only has to consider one person's thoughts."
Harry let Daphne do as she said and stepped aside. She went up and down in front of the wall with deliberately emphasized steps, exactly three times. She did not say a word but seemed to be thinking intensely about something. After she ran past the wall for the third time, a door actually appeared out of nowhere!
"Daphne, it worked," he called enthusiastically, approaching the door.
He took Daphne's hand, which was trembling noticeably, but whether from nervousness or excitement he could not say. Carefully, he turned the doorknob, opening the door and entering the room with Daphne at his side.
What he then saw took his breath away. The room was larger than the entire house of the Dursleys. It seemed to consist of two different parts. On the left he saw huge shelves full of books. There were even ladders leaning against the shelves so that the books further up could be reached. There was also a large, heavy wooden table and two cozy, dark wing chairs in front of a fire. Furthermore, this entire area of the room was covered with a soft, reddish carpet. Overall, this side of the room looked like the perfect place to study and relax. However, the right side of the room was very different. Harry thought it looked a little like the gym at his old primary school. It was a large, free area, but there were numerous chunky dummies that somehow looked like real people. The dummies held wands in their hands. Harry immediately knew the purpose of these figures. They were the perfect way to practice magic, especially for fighting.
"Do you like it?" Daphne asked him, looking at him with shining eyes. He was more and more pleased to see her so enthusiastic and happy. He tried to express his emotions with a big grin and beamed at Daphne as well.
"It's really perfect! Here we can learn and practice magic. What are these books?" He pointed to the bookshelves.
"Books with spells," Daphne replied, starting to move. "I wanted books that would help us train magic, especially combat spells. We can look at the books right away."
"Wait, Daphne. Before that, we should dissipate our excess energy. Therefore, I, Harry Potter, hereby challenge you, Daphne Greengrass, to a duel."
He had tried to say that as seriously as possible, but apparently he had failed quite a bit. For now, Daphne started laughing out loud, but it was not a mocking laugh, but an expression of true joy. Harry was about to start laughing too but could only just pull himself together and forced a calm expression on his face.
"What is? Are you scared, Greengrass?"
"Only in your wildest dreams, Potter," Daphne replied with a devilish smile that made Harry shudder comfortably.
The two entered the duel ring that the room had suddenly created, drawing their wands.
When the other students returned from their christmas vacation, they saw no changes in the two Slytherin first-years Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass, although both their lives had changed completely. However, they had spent most of their time together before, so it did not attract attention that they were even more inseparable now. And before that, they had spent a lot of time in the library or abandoned classrooms as well, so it was not apparent that they vanished off the face of the earth and were nowhere to be found for most of the day outside of class. Not that they were searched for. However, if you took a closer look, for example because the headmaster had instructed you to do so, you might notice how the two children often took each other's hands when they walked through the corridors of the castle. Or how they gave each other smiling looks as if they lived in their own world.
And in fact, Harry and Daphne did not care about the other students. They still had irregular arguments with the other Slytherins, but for the most part they avoided each other. The other students had not wanted to have anything to do with them before, and this only continued in the new year. Perhaps the farouche and detached demeanor that the two had adopted also did its bit.
One change that caused a lot of conversation and speculation at Hogwarts was Dumbledore's announcement that Professor Quirrell had disappeared over the holidays and could therefore no longer give lessons, but apparently that was not unusual for the position of the DADA teacher, as Harry learned from the conversations of older students. For many years no teacher had lasted more than a year, although Quirrell's four months were exceptionally short indeed. Quite a few rumored that the position was cursed.
For Professor Quirrell, Dumbledore himself took over the lessons. Although Harry had a deep dislike for the headmaster, he also had to admit that he was indeed an excellent teacher with whom they learned a lot. He showed them a wide range of magic and was able to give the students a profound understanding of it. He also shared his vast knowledge of practical experience with dark creatures and wizards with them. Thus, DADA became almost Harry's favorite subject, but only almost. For what really annoyed him was Dumbledore's constant attempts to toady to Harry. He really couldn't think of another word for it. Almost after each lesson, he asked Harry and Daphne to stay a little longer. He asked how they were doing and if he could help them with anything. During the lesson he let them answer questions very often and gave them many house points, which of course was realized by their classmates as well. However, the Slytherins did not increase their sympathy for them because of that and the other students were also not happy about this obvious preferential treatment.
Harry and Daphne made no secret of their resentment to Dumbledore, and it had become a kind of ritual for them to rebuff him and his pathetic attempts to build trust and sympathy. Thanks to the Room of Requirement, they did not have to worry that he spied on them. The room had indeed become their permanent safe haven and sanctuary in Hogwarts in the past few months.
And that was exactly where Harry was heading after one of his numerous evenings spent with detention with Snape. The curfew would start in one hour, then the students were no longer allowed to leave their common rooms, but Harry was certain that Daphne was still in the Room of Requirement because they never stayed in the Slytherin common room without the other. Why should they? Without the other's backing, they would be easy prey for their tormentors all the more. He also had to give her something. So he hurried through the corridor on the seventh floor to the door to their hiding place. He had no idea how the room was doing it, but he met Daphne's wish that only he could see the door. So that he could come later, but nobody else.
As soon as he entered the room, he heard Daphne's voice.
"Diffindo! Reducto! Bombarda! Incendio!"
Turning his head, he saw one of the dummies go up in flames at Daphne's last spell. She stood panting in front of it, her face drenched in sweat and her honey-blonde hair stood on end, her entire body trembling.
Harry was immediately at her side, taking her hands, which were trembling like crazy now. "Daphne! What's wrong with you?"
Now she faced Harry, but he really was not able to read the feelings in her eyes. Anger? Anxiety? Despair?
"I'm too weak, far too weak!" Daphne replied irritably, pulling away from his grip. "I should be much stronger. My spells should be much stronger."
Harry realized what was bothering her. "You are not weak, Daphne. I saw you make the dummy go up in flames. Look, it's still burning," he said encouragingly, pointing to the dummy that was indeed still blazing.
"After I have tried unsuccessfully numerous times before! And my previous spells have had almost no effect. So, I will never be able to…" Daphne's voice stopped, and she seemed to tremble even more than before.
Harry put his arms around his partner feeling her heartbeat now. "Daphne," he began, "do you remember the charms lesson when we were supposed to levitate this feather?"
"What about that?" Daphne asked quietly.
"In the beginning we just couldn't do it. Although we did everything properly. But at some point, after countless attempts, it worked. And now we can let several pieces of rock float at once. Something that probably no other of our classmates can do. And do you know why? Because we practiced like crazy, again and again, day in and day out." He lifted Daphne's head so that he could look into her fascinating blue eyes. "Besides fortitude, magic is above all training and practice. Lazy people don't become great wizards or witches. You told me that at King's Cross. And it's true! Just look at the progress we've made over the past few months. Then what will we be able to do in a year, in two years, or in many more years?"
Daphne's tremors had calmed down a bit now. Stepping back, she tried to smile but failed miserably. "Thanks, Harry," she said. "You're right. But I can't help it. I…" Here her voice stopped again as if she did not know how to describe her feelings.
Harry did though. "You're scared, aren't you? Afraid to go back to your home." He tried to sound compassionate, but his voice sounded like a lump in his throat.
"Yes, I'm afraid. I don't want to go back. But I have no choice. I'm still too weak, not yet prepared…" Now she looked deep into Harry's eyes, putting her right hand on his cheek. "But Harry, you have a choice! Stay at Hogwarts in the summer. You don't have to go back to your relatives. Accept Dumbledore's offer. I loathe the old fool too, but you don't have to suffer on purpose just to have the last laugh. I would also like to stay at Hogwarts with you, but my parents would rather kill me than allow it…"
"I can't stay at Hogwarts comfortably while you go back to your parents. While you're ... being tortured ... while these bastards..." This time Harry was running out of words and he felt his entire body get hot.
Now Daphne looked at him angrily. "Listen, Harry Potter. You can't do anything. I have to go back to my parents. But it doesn't make any sense for you to go back to the Dursleys. At least I will be able to use and practice magic in my home. You couldn't use a single spell with the Muggles. Here at Hogwarts you can! You wouldn't be helping yourself or me if you left Hogwarts during the summer. So forget your pride and feelings of guilt and accept the old fool's offer."
Harry was speechless. Daphne's words made sense, he had to admit, but he did not feel comfortable with the idea.
Daphne was still looking at him with her deep ice-blue eyes. She was trying to make an angry and determined face, but in her eyes he saw also her concern and affection for him. She really had just his best interests at heart. Relucantly, he nodded, and Daphne's face relaxed again, but Harry had still a surprise for her.
"But I don't have to like that you will go back to your parents," he said. "And most of all, I won't let you go unprepared. We'll be training more than usual the next month before we leave."
"That wouldn't help much, Harry. They will torture me anyway. And if I tried to fight back, they would do it all the more to punish me. But I've survived that before. I will survive it now." Harry got the impression that she was trying more to convince herself than him.
Harry reached into his cloak and took out a short, chunky wand. "But when you cannot help yourself anymore and you have to make a choice, you must always choose yourself, Daphne! And then I would prefer you don't use your own wand. So take this one with you!"
With that, he handed her the wand. Daphne stared wide-eyed at the wand, before looking at Harry again. With a chuckle, he continued, "I stole it from Goyle. It was almost too easy. He really is a complete idiot and absolutely blind and deaf." He tried to laugh.
Daphne was still looking at him wide-eyed, her expression astonished. Suddenly she jumped forward, hugging Harry so tightly that he almost fell over.
"Thank you, Harry!" she shouted.
"It wasn't really an issue, Daphne. As I said, Goyle is really completely brainless – "
"No, Harry. I mean: Thank you that you really care! Thank you for accompanying and supporting me on my way through this life. Thank you that it makes a difference to you!"
"Of course, Daph! We're partners."
Daphne ended their hug and looked at him with an arched eyebrow. "Daph? That's what my sister used to call me."
"Astoria, right? You haven't talked much about her yet."
Daphne seemed to have to think for a moment, but then apparently made a decision. In a calm and cool voice, she started to speak, "Because there is not much to tell. I don't have much to do with her. We live different lives."
"Do your parents do the same to her as they do to you?"
"No, not that I know of. At least not when I'm there. But otherwise there aren't any indications as well. As I said, we don't talk much." Daphne was silent for a few seconds, staring into the distance, before continuing, "It's not like I take on all the torture upon myself to protect her. Or that I hate her because she is spared from it. That may sound harsh now, but I don't care about my sister. I don't love her. But I don't hate her either. Is that bad?"
Harry had to think about it himself for a while. Was it bad that Daphne didn't love her sister? He didn't love Dudley too, though they certainly had had a lot to do with each other.
"You are not accountable to anyone, Daph," he finally replied, using the previous nickname again. "Love has to be sincere. Insincere love, forced smiles and feigned feelings would only hurt yourself in the end."
Daphne looked at him for a few moments and then nodded slightly. "We should go back to the common room now," she said. "I'm not a fan of sneaking through the corridors with you under your cloak. So let's hurry."
Harry just shook his head, amused. It had not been that bad. And above all, it had always been Daphne who had stepped on his feet and bumped into him, but he suppressed his snappy reply, instead saying, "You should probably leave Goyle's wand here. I guess nobody would be surprised that the numbskull loses its wand, but we shouldn't risk getting caught with it."
"Right. You already spend too much time in detention with Snape and neglect your partnership obligations towards me," Daphne replied with a big grin on her face.
"Hey! I really don't do that by choice. That's unfair!"
"I can't help myself. I'd much rather set fire to you than these stupid dummies here!"
"That was only once. And that also contravened our rules!"
"Life ain't easy, Potter. Better get used to it."
"Witch…"
With such banter, the two children laughed and hurried through the corridors to the dungeon and to their beds.
The last month of the school year flew by. Harry had lived up to his promise and had trained every day with Daphne in the Room of Requirement, their hiding place from the rest of the school. Therefore, they passed the practical components of their final exams with flying colors. To the great astonishment of their teachers, who then enthusiastically praised them. However, they had not spent quite as much time studying for their written exams, which is why seven of their classmates in their year had in total better final grades than them, but they did not care about their grades anyway. Or about Slytherin's victory in the house cup.
Daphne grew more and more taciturn the closer the Hogwarts students' day of departure came. It hurt Harry to see his friend like that, but he could not do anything. In those moments, he resolved to fight for a life in which neither of them would be afraid anymore and in which they could be completely independent. A life in which they could be happy.
That is how it came that on a sunny June morning Harry and Daphne were alone in what appeared to be a self-driving carriage on the way to Hogsmeade. There, Daphne would get on the train and they would not see each other until the first day of school in September. If they would see each other again, a cold voice spoke in Harry, making his heart cramp. He could not even imagine that!
"Daphne," he finally said to break the uncomfortable silence. "I know I won't be able to send you anything on your birthday. And that I also can't write letters to you. Or even visit you. But I really want to give you something. Even if I can only give it to you in the next school year. So please know that I will think of you on your birthday. Also on every other day of the holidays."
Daphne took his hand and squeezed it. A sad smile formed on her face. "The only thing I wish for is that when I will get off the train in Hogsmeade on September 1st, I'll see you again and we can start our second year at Hogwarts, together."
"We will," Harry replied, squeezing her hand.
When they reached the platform, it was already full of students, the Hogwarts Express sparkling majestically in the sunlight.
"I'm going to get on the train now," Daphne said, turning to Harry.
"Yes" Harry's throat felt tight.
"Harry, I ..." Daphne paused. There was a moment of uncertainty on her face, before she suddenly reduced the distance between them, pressing her lips to his.
To Harry it felt like his heart was going up in flames, but in a pleasant way. He felt a cozy warmth in himself and knew that it came from Daphne. The background noise stopped.
When they finally broke apart - probably only a second had passed, even though Harry had completely lost his sense of time - he saw his own reflection in Daphne's ice-blue eyes. At that moment he somehow felt connected to her as if she were an extension of himself.
Daphne was the first to speak again, her cheeks slightly flushed. "I still have a lot of plans for you, Harry Potter. So survive this summer."
After that, she turned around and hurried to the train. Harry was still completely speechless.
He then heard the mocking voice of Pansy Parkinson who stepped out of the crowd and was now standing in Daphne's way. "Gross! That was so disgusting, Greengrass, making out with your lap dog in front of everyone."
Daphne did not stop, just making a brief movement with her wand, causing Parkinson to fly through the air into the crowd. When she got up again, Daphne had disappeared on the train, but not without giving Harry a last, quick look. She smiled at him, which Harry replied from the bottom of his heart.
When Harry finally watched the train getting smaller and smaller in the distance, he felt an ever-increasing emptiness rise within him. The past year had changed his entire life. He had come across a whole new world he had no idea of before. He had learned that there were completely different opportunities in life than he had thought for his first eleven years. And he had found a friend in Daphne, a partner with whom he wanted to take this path together. Together they would be able to free themselves from all the constraints of the world. Together they could do anything, he was sure. If only they could survive the next three months. If only it were already September.
With these thoughts and a strange coldness in his body, Harry made his way back to the castle, while many miles away tears run down the cheeks of a lonely girl.
Next chapter: Incompletely Separated
Preview:
Fuck off, Malfoy!
AN:
We have now reached the end of Harry and Daphne's first year of school. But this was just the end of the beginning of their story.
What will the second year have in store for both and how will they survive the summer? I know it, of course, but I have to make a detailed plan for the next chapters and then write the next one. Therefore, I cannot yet say when the next chapter will come, because I am also approaching the end of my master's degree and, if at all, only come to write every now and then. But I'm trying not to keep you waiting too long.
In the meantime, I would appreciate feedback on this chapter and the story in general. Can you empathize with Harry and Daphne? What do you think their future will look like? Did you find any clues in this chapter? What kind of chapter lengths do you wish for (this chapter was quite long, definitely the longest chapter so far)?
Until next time! I appreciate every comment and of course every follower and favorite!
Finally, a list of my favorite completed Harry/Daphne stories, both short and long, in alphabetical order. Maybe someone will find something interesting
A Marriage of Convenience by Dorothea Greengrass
A Most Peculiar Girl by KingOfJacks
A Very Good Reason by expectopadfoot
Attraction by padfootastic
Daphne Greengrass and the Importance of Intent by Petrificus Somewhatus
Harry Potter and the Lightning Lord by Colt01
How A Slytherin Gets What They Want by Captain Cranium
Memories of You by R.W. Maxwell
Paid In Blood by zaterra02
The Aftermath by Colt01
They Don't Know You At All by Miz636
Wait, what? by Jem Doe
