Many thanks to my great beta reader Verlor (id:1113787)!


Chapter 36 - The Demoness and the Warlock

...

With a loud bang the wooden door flew off its hinges, the protective spells had been broken. Immediately Dumbledore stormed in ... and froze at the sight that met him.

In the middle of the room sat Harry and Daphne, their heads turned to him, their faces full of surprise. Beside them sat two other human bodies, hugging each other tightly, but they did not move, and before them lay Fawkes, his body limp. But what shocked Dumbledore the most was the shimmering figure of a pale woman in green robes, with black hair and unnatural red eyes, a smile on her lips.

"Albus, my friend, finally we meet..."


"Who are you ?!" shouted Dumbledore, his wand raised, ready to fight. "What's happening here?"

"Now, now, Albus, is that how you greet an old friend?"

Before Dumbledore could respond, Harry suddenly jumped up, placing himself in front of the malevolent apparition, his hands raised in a pacifying manner. "Professor, please calm down," he said urgently. "It's not what it looks like."

"What did you do to Fawkes?" Dumbledore yelled fearfully, his hand trembling violently like it hadn't in many years. "What –"

"He's alive," Harry said. "Nothing bad happened to him! I swear it to you!"

"W-Why is he lying on the floor then?! And who is that?" He stepped past Harry, pointing his wand at the woman, who was still smiling at him amusedly.

"That's –"

"I'm Fawkes," the woman said. "Or rather, Fawkes is a part of me."

What was she talking about? That was nonsense!

"You're lying!" yelled Dumbledore. "You –"

"Oh, I'm speaking the truth, and I can prove it to you. Tell me, do you remember where you first met Fawkes? It was in the Andes by the Rock of a Thousand Tears, shortly after you defeated Gellert."

Dumbledore froze. How did she know? He had never told anyone about it…

"Your tears covered the stone that day too … and do you remember the next time you met Fawkes? It was shortly after you first heard the name Lord Voldemort. Fawkes offered you his help in the upcoming fight that day. Help became friendship … and the fight is still going on."

Suddenly Dumbledore felt dizzy, his legs giving out under him. Instantly, Harry and Daphne were by his side to support him, conjuring a chair into which he collapsed in a daze. The upholstery was warmed up ... the two were truly extraordinary wizards...

"Professor, are you okay?" their voices reached him as if from far away.

Dumbledore had to blink several times before he could again see their worried faces above him, behind that the mysterious figure ... who might be Fawkes. And the two motionless, entwined bodies, one of which, on closer inspection, looked exactly like the shimmering woman with the dark aura.

The thoughts were racing in his head. He had to approach all that rationally, not let his feelings cloud his judgement. That had always been his great strength, damn it.

It was obvious that Harry and Daphne were only concerned about him and not about Fawkes. And the woman knew things that no one but himself and Fawkes could know...

Taking a deep breath, he glanced over the small assembly. "It looks", he spoke in the calmest voice he could, drowning out the wild pounding of his heart, "that I am missing critical information." A state that he did not like to be in at all. "Please ... explain."

The shimmering figure knelt in front of him, her blood-red eyes glowing warmly. "Albus, I'm going to tell you a story, a story of pain, suffering, and death ... but most of all it's a story of love..."

If Dumbledore had previously thought his head was spinning, it was nothing compared to the sensations that shook him over the next few hours. Little by little he learned the whole moving, tragic, and most of all, unimaginable truth.

So Fawkes was born from the tear of an ancient demoness? A demoness who was married to Salazar Slytherin's son and had become partially human through a soul bond with him? And Harry and Daphne helped her save her soul from vanishing so that she could see her husband and daughter again in death? And besides, they had learned powerful dark magic from Fawkes ... no, Valeydis?

All of this was just astounding. In just one evening, his entire life had changed; everything he had thought he knew until then, believed to be true ... gone with a simple story.

"I hope," said Valeydis at last, "that we can still be friends. I've enjoyed your company for the past few decades, Albus. And we still have a common enemy…"

Slowly Dumbledore raised his head, seeing that Harry and Daphne had sat down on the floor together, arms around each other, while Valeydis looked at him in anticipation.

Dumbledore swallowed. Did he even have a choice?

"Of course," he replied hesitantly. "All of this here," he waved his hand, "I would never have thought it possible, but ... I will try to understand it. Fawkes, he is my friend, so … I will try to be Valeydis' friend as well…"

At his words, a warm smile spread across Valeydis' features. "Thank you, Albus," she said, "you are –"

Suddenly her form began to flicker, and the next moment she was gone. At the same time, a violent jolt went through Fawkes' body. With a scream, the phoenix opened his golden eyes while Daphne began to gasp violently, causing Harry to immediately lean over to her, his face filled with worry, while he spoke with her through their bond.

Dumbledore, too, jumped up in horror, hurrying to her side. "What's wrong?" he said. "Is –"

Slowly Daphne straightened up, still panting hard, her hand on her chest, but shaking her head. "No ... don't ... worry ..." she pressed out between her breaths. "It's just ... I couldn't hold her soul here anymore ... was too strenuous."

Dumbledore's eyes slid to her left hand, which was still clutching the black stone they had found in the Gaunt shack. The fabled Resurrection Stone ... Daphne had used it against its intended purpose; instead of echoes of dead people, she had used it to summon the soul of a damned woman. It was remarkable that she had persevered in this for so long.

Suddenly a wonderful, comforting melody rang out, which could not be heard by anyone's ears, only by their hearts. The reawakened Fawkes had swung himself into the air, where he was now circling and singing above their heads. The Music of the Phoenixes – Dumbledore had never seen magic more sublime. In it all the good, all the beautiful in this world came together, the epitome of the hope that drove him every day.

With one last tone, Fawkes landed on Daphne's shoulder, where he rubbed his head against her cheek for a moment. As if in a trance, Dumbledore reached out to touch the red and gold plumage of the phoenix but stopped mid-movement. Fawkes, however, turned his head to him, a magical glimmer in his golden eyes that looked almost like a smile, before rising back into the air with another flap of his wings. There was a loud, fiery bang, and he was gone, smoke filling the air.

To Dumbledore it felt like he had awakened from a deep dream. Dazed, he shook his head before noticing the equally dreamy glances of the two children in front of him. "You've been keeping quite a secret from me," he said with a small smile. "Harry and Daphne Potter, you never cease to surprise me."

Harry returned his gaze. "It was necessary," he said. "And it's still necessary. Nobody can know."

"My lips are sealed," replied Dumbledore, slowly straightening up, feeling like he had aged several years in the last few hours.

All of a sudden, there were loud stomach growls from Harry and Daphne, making Dumbledore laugh out loud.

"I think we have to eat something," Harry muttered with an apologetic look, glancing at the clock on the wall. "It's almost midnight. We haven't eaten since breakfast."

"Do so then," Dumbledore said, amused, his eyes sliding to the door, which was still hanging crookedly on its hinges. "Dobby and Kreacher will certainly be relieved to see you too. I am afraid I was a little reckless in trying to get in here."

"Yeah, I could use some of Dobby's chocolate pudding," Daphne said softly, making Harry chuckle. "But Professor," she then turned to Dumbledore, "why did you want to see us in the first place?"


Soaked and shaking all over, Harry and Daphne dragged the still mumbling Dumbledore out of the icy water onto the next boulder, exiting the cave Dumbledore had identified as the hiding place of one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. And indeed, in one of his coat pockets, Harry felt the weight of the locket they had found in the middle of the lake. Dumbledore, however, had had to drink an unfamiliar potion, which made him relive his worst memories, at least that was what Harry concluded from his incoherent, pleading stammer.

On the way back across the lake, their little boat had been attacked by hordes of Inferi who were finally destroyed by Harry and Daphne and their demonic magic, but that had cost them much of their strength.

"Harry," Daphne called in her mind. "You have to get us out of here before we freeze our asses off."

Her words might've sounded like a joke, but Harry could indeed think of better places to have a sudden fit of magical exhaustion than a boulder in stormy seas during winter, especially when their clothes were soaked with icy water. Gathering all his remaining mental strength, he focused on his target, and with his hands around Daphne's and Dumbledore's upper arms, he enveloped himself in the familiar but this time exceptionally painful stream of magic which carried them far away. Then the smell of salt disappeared, and they found themselves on the worn steps of Grimmauld Place. Everything was quiet around them, the darkness only lit by a few streetlights and the illuminated windows of the houses.

Harry did not hesitate for a second and immediately yanked the door open, dragging Dumbledore over the threshold.

"Dobby, Kreacher," Daphne called loudly as the door slammed behind them. "We need your help!"

Instantly there was a double loud bang and the two house-elves appeared right in front of them, their tennis-ball-like eyes wide in horror as they saw what was happening.

"Lay him down," Harry ordered quickly. "And examine him. He drank some kind of potion we don't know. If necessary, we'll have to take him to Hogwarts."

"Don't worry," Dobby said, letting Dumbledore's now unconscious body float with a snap of his fingers. "Dobby and Kreacher will take care of him."

"Exactly," confirmed Kreacher with a wild nod. "The Black family has many poisons and antidotes." Suddenly he froze. "But Masters!" he cried in panic. "You're freezing." Now he jumped forward, touching both of their bodies with his bony fingers. Harry felt himself being wrapped by a cozy warmth as if he had spent the whole day in front of a blazing fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate instead of swimming through icy water and fending off walking corpses.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Daphne said with a pleased sigh. "We needed that. And now…" Another sigh. "Now please see if Dobby needs help."

With one final reverent nod, Kreacher turned around, hurrying up the stairs behind Dobby and Dumbledore's floating body.

"What did Dumbledore say?" Harry asked with a smile. "Sometimes the light is hidden behind the darkness."

"Yes, yes, you two poets," Daphne replied with an imaginary roll of her eyes. "I, on the other hand, have more physical needs. I'm hungry!"

"That doesn't surprise me," Harry said, grinning. "But please no meat. The smell of the burnt Inferi spoiled my taste for a long time, I'm afraid."

"Pff, you wimp."

Laughing, Harry and Daphne walked to the kitchen. Dobby had certainly hidden Christmas biscuits somewhere…

When half an hour later they stepped into the bedroom on the first floor, their hunger sated and traces of chocolate on their lips, they were greeted by a curious sight. On the bed, Dumbledore lay in the same clothes as before, only now dry, and his boots were exchanged for plush slippers. On his stomach, which lifted and lowered slightly in his sleep, Fawkes was curled up, eyes closed, presumably asleep too. And on two armchairs by the window were Dobby and Kreacher, snoring loudly.

"Looks like everything's alright," Harry said, suppressing a yawn.

"We can go to sleep too," said Daphne tenderly, "but first we should take care of the Horcrux. We've completely forgotten that."

Daphne was right, Harry thought. Somehow he had not thought of the locket in his pocket anymore ... Carefully, he took out the piece of jewelry, its metal sparkling in the light of the candles. Somehow he had felt a stronger magical aura emanating from the diary and the ring. Granted, it was not cursed, unlike the ring, but still…

His fingers slid over the locket, which could be opened.

"We shouldn't do that, I think," Daphne said. "Who knows what else he's done with it. Just put basilisk venom on it and be done."

Harry agreed. Better safe than sorry. "The vial should still be with Dumbledore," he said, walking to the bed with Daphne by his side.

He was about to stretch out his hand to the sleeping wizard to feel in which of his innumerable pockets he kept the vial, when suddenly Kreacher jumped up from his chair, his eyes wide open.

"Where did Master get that from?" he yelled, lunging at Harry and causing him to fall to the floor. "Where from?"

There was a loud bang and Kreacher was thrown against the nearest wall. Harry looked up, seeing both Daphne and Dobby standing over him, her with her wand raised and the elf with his arm outstretched.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he said quickly. Then he got up, taking Daphne's hand in his so that she could see again.

"Dobby always knew that Kreacher was a bloody –"

"No, Dobby," Harry interrupted him. "Don't say that." He did not know what exactly had happened, but Kreacher's gaze had been very different from when he had pounced on him after destroying his old mistress' portrait. This time it was more frightened than angry and hateful.

"Let's ask him," Daphne said, pointing to the groaning Kreacher, who had slipped along the wall to the floor.

Hand in hand, Harry and Daphne walked up to him, wands raised threateningly in case they were wrong and Kreacher tried to attack them.

"Kreacher," Harry said in his commanding tone, which he did not like to use normally. "What has come over you? Why did you pounce on me? Speak the truth!"

"Becauuuuuuse Master has the locket of Young Master Regulus", Kreacher sobbed, "Where does Master get it from? Where?"

Harry looked at Daphne in surprise, but of course only saw her blindfold. Would he ever get used to it?

Daphne had to sense his feelings, but did not reply, just squeezing his hand briefly while saying to Kreacher, "What do you mean, Kreacher? Who is Young Master Regulus and why do you think that's his locket?"

"Master Regulus!" sobbed Kreacher. "Young Master Regulus was the son of the Mistress! The good son, the decent son, the one who brought honor to his family."

Harry froze. That would mean ... Regulus was Sirius' brother!

"And Regulus is no longer alive?" Daphne asked further.

Kreacher just shook his head quickly as heavy sobs grabbed his body, big tears rolling from his yellow pop eyes. Meanwhile, Dobby had knelt down to hand him a handkerchief, but Kreacher didn't even notice him.

"And why do you think that's his locket?" asked Daphne again.

"Because it is!" he cried under sobs. "Kreacher took it away with Young Master Regulus."

His words surprised both Harry and Daphne. Did Kreacher know about the Horcruxes?

"Where?" Harry called tensely. "Where did you take it?"

Kreacher's body started shaking violently as he shook his head. "Kreacher can't tell," he sobbed. "Young Master Regulus ordered Kreacher. His last order! He wanted Kreacher to escape!"

His last order? And escape? Would that mean –

"Kreacher," Daphne asked, her thoughts already much more ordered than Harry's. "Has your Master Regulus brought you into a cave with a small island with a bowl in the middle of a lake? And the lake was full of Inferi, walking corpses? If we already know, you won't violate Regulus's orders if you tell us."

"Yeeeeeeesssss," Kreacher croaked. "Yeeeeeesssssss." He sobbed. "The corpses dragged Young Master into the water. Kreacher… Kreacher must flee, ordered Young Master Regulus. And destroy the locket…" Kreacher's voice failed, and there was nothing more to be heard except his terrible weeping.

"Harry, give me the locket," Daphne said quickly, her body and soul trembling with excitement.

Confused, Harry handed her the jewelry. "What do you want with that?"

"It's not the real locket, not the Horcrux. See."

She opened the locket and, contrary to their previous fears, nothing happened, only a folded piece of paper coming to light. With trembling fingers, Daphne unfolded the piece of paper so that they could see what was written on it.

To the Dark Lord

I know I will be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more.

R.A.B

Harry was speechless. If this message actually came from Sirius' brother, as the ending initials indicated, and he had found the Horcrux and given it to Kreacher to destroy, then that would mean –

"Kreacher," he said stormily. "Were you able to destroy the locket?"

"No!" Kreacher sobbed. "Kreacher tried everything, shot it with spells, threw it into the fire, hit it with an axe, but nothing worked! Kreacher failed!" He curled up in a small ball.

"Do you still have it?" Harry asked fearfully.

Kreacher nodded.

"Then you haven't failed," Daphne began to speak, her voice filled with excitement. "We can destroy it right here and now. You just have to bring it to us, Kreacher. Can you do that?"

Kreacher froze before slowly lifting his head, his eyes wide. "Mistress can destroy it?" he asked.

"Yes, Kreacher. If you bring us the locket, we will destroy it, just as your Master Regulus wanted. Then you will have fulfilled his order."

At her words, Kreacher's body jerked. As if struck by lightning, he suddenly jumped up, running out of the room. His footsteps could still be heard for several seconds before he was finally too far away.

"I hope we're right," said Daphne with a hint of doubt.

Harry squeezed her hand. "We'll soon see."

After only a minute, Kreacher stormed into the room again, panting from the exertion, but holding a gold locket in his hands – and this time Harry could feel its dark aura. "Here it is! Here it is!" Kreacher shouted, stopping right in front of them. "Kreacher kept it all these years. Can Masters destroy it?"

"Yes, we can," said Harry, nodding. "For that we just need –"

"This," came Dumbledore's voice.

Harry spun around, seeing that Dumbledore had woken up by now. He had sat up on the bed, in his hand a vial with a liquid that shimmered brightly in the dim light of the candles.

"Harry, Daphne, I think I owe you my deepest thanks for carrying me out of the cave," Dumbledore said, his voice perhaps still a bit exhausted, but much healthier than his previous mad stammer. "And Dobby, Kreacher, thank you very much for your help." He nodded in the direction of the two house-elves. "Now it is time, I think, to take another step closer to defeating Voldemort."

With that, Dumbledore rose from the bed, gently pushing the still sleeping Fawkes aside, before stepping up to Harry, Daphne, and Kreacher.

"Kreacher, please put the locket here on the carpet," Dumbledore said.

Kreacher looked questioningly at Harry and Daphne, who both nodded, before complying with Dumbledore's request.

"Which of you would like to destroy the Horcrux?" Dumbledore asked. "I'm afraid I still feel a little too shaky to handle such a dangerous liquid."

Harry glanced at Daphne, sending her a questioning thought. After a few seconds, a slight smile fell on her lips. "Yeah, I think that's a nice idea," she said, nodding.

Also smiling, Harry then turned to Kreacher. "Daphne and I find it would only be appropriate if you destroyed the locket, Kreacher," he said. "With that you would finally fulfill your master's last wish after all these years."

Kreacher looked at him with wide eyes, his mouth opening and closing like a fish on land, unable to utter proper words.

"Oh, that's an excellent idea," said Dumbledore. "Here the vial, Kreacher. You have to pull out the stopper and then slowly and carefully pour the venom onto the middle of the locket. Be careful not to let the venom come into contact with anything else, including the floor, unless you want to burn a hole in it."

With shaky hands that made Harry fear that it wasn't a good idea, Kreacher reached out for the vial in Dumbledore's hand. As soon as his bony fingers closed around the glass, however, the tremors disappeared, Kreacher's eyes shining with a new determination.

"This is for you, Master Regulus," he muttered, removing the stopper.

With bated breath, Harry watched as Kreacher slowly turned the vial and the first drop poured out. The drop of venom fell through the air as if in slow motion before it finally hit the gold of the locket with a soft splash. The first drop was followed by many more until the vial was empty, and in the places where the venom landed, the metal began to smoke and finally melt.

Suddenly there was an ear-splitting scream that made Harry's blood run cold, just like with the diary and the ring before, but after a few seconds it was all over. The scream fell silent, and there was now a large hole in the locket from which a black, blood-like liquid dripped.

They did it. Another Horcrux was destroyed. But how many more did they have to find and destroy before Voldemort was mortal again?


After the Horcrux was destroyed, Harry and Daphne's life in Grimmauld Place quickly fell back to its normal routine, albeit with a few changes. Already the very next day they tried again to make Valeydis appear with the help of the Resurrection Stone, and they actually succeeded, but they decided to only do it for a maximum of three hours at a time, so as not to overexert Daphne, even if Harry supported her with his magical power.

Thus, Valeydis could actually begin teaching them both her magic, using a kind of dream world, not unlike Harry and Daphne's, only that there everything was subject to Valeydis' will. Daphne said that this world felt just like her dream at her parents' house after their first school year when Fawkes had appeared to her and she had felt Harry's presence for the first time.

Right then, Harry, Daphne and Valeydis were facing each other in that dream world, a limitless white as far as the eye could see. And Valeydis had not exaggerated when she had said she would not be a merciful teacher.

"You are too weak," she hissed as their black fog shattered against her invisible shield. "You must work harder. Feel the magic inside you, gather it in your soul before you unleash it. In a fight against many stupid opponents like the Death Eaters, wielding it like an axe may be enough, but to defeat me you have to use it like a spear. Fast, powerful thrusts. Only when you both can defeat me will I let you fight against Voldemort. Once again! But first" – her gaze turned to Daphne – "you have to put your blindfold back on, Daphne. You can't see in the real world, so you have to train blind, too."

Daphne groaned in exasperation but followed Valeydis' order. Harry was about to step over to take her hand so she could see again when Valeydis said in a cutting voice, "Don't help her, Harry. Stay separate. You are already pretty good at fighting close together, but you also have to prepare yourself for the possibility of being separated."

"But I can't see anything," Daphne said indignantly. "How –"

"Haven't you learned anything yet?" Valeydis interrupted her irritably. "Relying only on your sight to perceive the world is like trying to stare at the starry sky through a crack in the door. Trust your magic, Daphne. It is more powerful than any of your physical senses. I will prove it to you."

Valeydis closed her eyes, and it seemed as if a transparent veil was covering her face. The next moment, when she opened her eyes again, her blood-red pupils were gone, replaced by the same dead white as Daphne's, only it looked even more sinister on her. A chill ran down Harry's spine.

"Now attack me!" said Valeydis coldly. "We will keep doing this until you manage to shed my blood, or you collapse unconscious. Pray it will be the first."


Who was Valeydis? Harry kept asking himself that question over and over again in the weeks that followed. A merciless slave-driver? That might be true if one would watch them practice, but ... there was more. Harry noticed it in her wistful gaze whenever she appeared in the library, focused on her dead husband, who had his arms wrapped around her as if he wanted to protect her from any harm.

That was her drive, her reason to carry them to the limit, and maybe even beyond ... the hope of seeing her family again. To be with them in eternal life after death. Love had once made the demon human, and even now it was love that spurred her on.

In Harry, who had longed for nothing more than a loving family, the feeling of security, the certainty of being welcomed somewhere, that wish stirred up more than just pity. He wanted to help her! Not sometime, when maybe, hopefully, they would find a way to save her soul, but now!

He sensed that Daphne was being filled with the same desire as himself, and together they came up with a plan. Convincing Dumbledore was easier than Harry had thought, and so it came about that they all sat together in the library for Christmas – Harry, Daphne, Dumbledore and the unsuspecting Fawkes.

"Fawkes," Harry said, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. "Instead of having Valeydis appear as usual, we would like to try something different today. Please lie down in front of Daphne, our magic will do the rest."

Fawkes gave them an unfathomable look, but when Daphne and Dumbledore both nodded and smiled at him, he finally complied. Daphne then placed her right hand on Fawkes while her left hand closed on the black stone around her neck. Harry grabbed her wrist to support her with his strength while Dumbledore stood behind them, ready to intervene should an emergency arise.

"Are you ready?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Daphne replied firmly. "Let's do something for others for once."

With a smile on her face, Daphne took a deep breath before plunging into the magic. Unlike usual, today she would pull on several strings at the same time, which is why Harry closed his eyes, opening the gates of his soul. Like two streams, their wills merged into a huge river on which they could only sail together, as Harry let his partner lead them.

Suddenly Daphne's body began to shake violently, and Harry was about to jump up in panic when a shimmering figure appeared in front of them, and Daphne's tremors subsided. Harry looked up, heart pounding.

"What was that about?" asked Valeydis. "What was –"

"Hello, my darling."

Valeydis whipped around, her eyes wide in surprise. And there behind her stood two more shimmering figures, that of a tall man with dark hair and, on his hand, that of a little girl who had the same black hair as her mother, but her father's warm brown eyes.

They did it. Tenderly, Harry squeezed Daphne's hand.

"V-Valeydor?" Valeydis asked in disbelief. "Cera? How is this possible?"

"That doesn't matter," Valeydor replied. "It's only important that we are here. I missed you."

Harry could not see Valeydis' face, but her body trembled at her husband's words. "I missed you too," she sobbed. "Both of you. So much."

At her words, a jerk went through the little girl's body. "Mummy!" she screamed, detaching herself from her father's hand and running to her mother, but when Cera tried to hug her, her hand just went through Valeydis' shimmering form. Cera started crying. "Mummy! Mummy!"

"I'm here, honey," Valeydis said desperately, crying as well. "I'm here. I will always be there for you. Always."

"Mummy," Cera sobbed through tears. "I ... I miss you. W-When will you come to us? I want to play with you like … like we used to. I want you to read me stories again, take me in your arms, brush my hair. I ... I also promise I will never be naughty again. Please, Mummy, I miss you so much!"

"I miss you too," Valeydis sobbed. "So very much. I think about you all the time. I want to hug you and never let go. I want to be with you, with you and your daddy."

"Then why don't you come? Why aren't you with us?"

Harry felt his eyes well up at the heartbreaking sight; Daphne, too, leaned against him with tears in her eyes, but suddenly Harry felt Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder. "Take my strength and magic," he whispered to them.

"Cera, sweetheart," said Valeydor, who had knelt next to his daughter and was gently stroking her back. "I've already explained it to you. Your mummy has something to do before she can come to us. It's not your fault. Mummy and daddy love you and soon we'll all be together again." He looked at Valeydis, whose body was shaking with tears. "We'll wait for you. However long it will take. I love you, Valeydis."

Slowly he reached out his hand to Valeydis' tear-streaked cheek, but he had to know that he could not touch it … thus the greater the surprise on his face when his hand touched her skin, wiping away her tears.

"V-Valeydor?" Valeydis asked, stunned, before suddenly turning around and looking in their direction.

"That's ... our Christmas present," Daphne gasped from the exertion, even though Harry and Dumbledore's strength flowed through her. "But ... you don't have much time."

"Oh, Valeydor," Valeydis yelled, throwing her arms around her husband, who in turn put his arms around her, hugging her tightly, his face also streaked with tears. At that moment they mirrored their physical bodies just a few steps away until suddenly another figure pounced on them.

"Mummy!" shouted Cera, throwing herself around Valeydis's neck, who now also put her arm around her daughter. Now the family of three sat tightly embraced on the floor, weeping uncontrollably.

"I'm so happy," sobbed Valeydis. "I love you, both of you! So incredibly much!"

"I love you too, mummy," cried Cera, but her body was starting to fade again, just like Valeydor's.

"Listen to your daddy," sobbed Valeydis, hugging the two of them one more time. "Be good and be patient. I'll be with you soon. I promise!"

"Yes, mummy! I –" Cera could not finish her words, her body vanished as if it had never been there.

"We love you. Always," Valeydor's voice rang out one last time before he also disappeared.

Valeydis slumped on the floor, her arms wrapped around her body, which was shaking from her crying. "Thank you," she sobbed. "Thank you."


From that day onwards nothing was like it had been before in Harry and Daphne's relationship with both Valeydis and Dumbledore. Valeydis did not mention what had happened after she thanked them, giving them an even harder time in their practice lessons, but Harry and Daphne knew it. The secret pact between them, a pact of love and gratitude, had been renewed that Christmas. And Dumbledore? He did not say it either, but Harry thought he saw something like appreciation and respect in his gaze, and this time he did not think the light was just playing a trick on him.

The months passed, winter turned into spring and spring slowly turned into summer without the war of the outside world taking a decisive turn. Although Harry and Daphne were not part of the war, they were determined to be its end. So it happened that Harry was in Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts again on a warm June evening to analyze more memories and hopefully find the last remaining Horcruxes. Only when they knew for sure that the weren't any left would they try to destroy the cup in Gringotts, since such an act of madness would undoubtedly attract Voldemort's attention.

"Today I have two memories," said Dumbledore. "The first gives us an indication of how early Voldemort was already interested in Horcruxes. The second is mine and it shows Voldemort coming to me with an insightful request..."


Next Chapter: The Birds and the Potions Master

Preview:

"So how do I look?" Daphne asked with a mischievous smile as Harry stepped out of the bathroom. Her normally honey-blonde hair had turned as black as a raven's wing, while her skin took on a tanned complexion as if she had been on a long summer vacation in sunnier climes. In addition, she was dressed in a red silk robe with long sleeves and thin gloves, her eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.

"Hot," Harry said the first thing coming to his mind.


AN:

I hope you enjoyed the chapter; the scene with the Resurrection Stone was probably pretty clichéd – at least I've seen similar scenes several times in fanfiction (for example, with Haphne I think of Paid in Blood, which made me cry a lot) – but I wanted to include the scene to show more of Valeydis and her character.