Author's Note: Forgot to mention in the past chapter, but if you've been following me for a while, you'd know I have another story entitled Realization, which also takes place during GoF. I started writing this story in 2017, back when I was starting high school and had some issues with time management. I've lost notes to that and am trying to figure out where I want that to go, but am still chipping away at it. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this slightly longer chapter! (They'll slowly get longer as we dive more into the plot). Thanks for all the support so far on the last chapter - maybe leave a review so I know how I'm doing? I'm not the strongest writer but do enjoy doing it.

Chapter 2: One Week Free Trial

From Chapter One:

Not trusting her, but having nowhere else to go, he followed her. They trekked in silence, an obvious awkwardness between them, up to the seventh floor. He stared at her, worried she was going insane, as she paced in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy three times. To his shock, a door materialized. Opening it for him, she said, "Welcome to the Room of Requirement."

Harry let out a soft, almost unnoticeable gasp, that, if it wasn't for the silence in the hallway, Daphne would have missed. Inside was a cozy fireplace, like the one in the Gryffindor common room, and two cozy chairs. "What is this place?" he asked in awe. Silently, he wondered why this place wasn't on the Marauder's Map.

Daphne smirked, "We're at the Room of Requirement, or, as the elves say, the Come and Go Room. Probably one of Hogwart's best secrets. You have to know the right people to find it. If you pace in front of that tapestry, thinking of specifically what you want, the room will give it to you."

Harry couldn't believe the wonders of this room. "Reckon now's the time I should thank you for showing me this place?"

Daphne rolled her eyes, "Well that would be nice."

Harry sighed, "Thank you Greengrass but why are you even talking to me?"

Daphne paused for a second. She should have been expecting that question, but she really hadn't been thinking. She saw the school's reaction, and she should have expected that also, but she had been enraged by it. Being annoyed with Potter, bullying him, was one thing for Malfoy to do. But wanting him dead? "Look - I'm not stupid. I don't think you are either - you're just pretty good at hiding your intelligence. Let's be frank. Hogwarts is easily swayed. Take your second year - Slytherin's heir, remember? I never believed that nonsense, but I couldn't really do anything about it. I'm making up for that, now, okay? This tournament - all the odds are pitted against you, and you neeed all the help you can get. I don't see Weasley helping you any time soon, Granger probably won't disagree with him, and the rest of the school is against you too, so I'm you're only hope. You'd be dumb not to accept my help. I'm an above average student if I do say so myself. I've had training from my father and access to a library nothing like Hogwarts'. If after a week you don't want it, fine. I'll go."

Harry stopped, Daphne sounded almost passionate? But his prejudice was already rooted in him. "Snakes always have some sort of ulterior motive. Like chess. You gotta figure out what your opponent is trying to do in the long run, and be five moves, if not more, ahead of them," Ron's words replayed in his head. "What's in it for you?" he asked.

"Look - if the rumors from my dad are true, Voldemort's going to rise at some point again. My uncle picked his side, and I've picked my own. Dad's neutral, but his brother was a Death Eater in the last war. Like Lucius Malfoy," she hissed the name, "he claimed Imperius. Which is false by the way, you have to get the mark willingly. I don't know what foolishness got him to support a half-blood with all his pureblood righteousneses, but I don't want that. And I want to be on the right side of the war, if it comes to that. I don't want to be anywhere near Riddle or his side. I also don't want to follow my dad's path - I want to make a stand. And being a Slytherin, you're my best bet at being accepted to Voldemort's opposition. Notice I didn't say light - I'm not light or following any of Dumbledore's greater good hogswash."

With that, Daphne took a breath, looking searchingly at Harry, who sat in quiet complentation. "Fine. One week. Let's see what you have, Greengrass. Where do we start?"

Daphne smirked, "Knew you'd accept my offer. First, I want to see where you're at. Nothing lethal or causing permanent damage."

With that, she whipped out her wand, pointing it at him. She silently cast a curse emitting an orange light. He quickly dodged to the side, before casting his classic expelliarmus. However, she also was able to roll out of the spell's path, before launching into a chain of curses pushing him to the defensive. His shield charm eventually wore out, forcing him to duck.

Once he saw a gap in Daphne's spellcasting, he launched into the offensive, but found that instead of backing down, she easily ducked through his spellfire and behind the chair she had previously been siting on and continued on the offensive. They traded spells, almost evenly matched. What Harry lacked in knowledge, he made up for in power. His movements were almost instinctive to him, yet Daphne had a certain flow to her casting. Eventually, she caught him off guard with an Avis and Oppugno, swarming him with attacking birds. As he sought to fend them off, she was able to hit him with a stunner.

"Rennervate." Daphne stood over him, smirking, "Nice job, you did better than I expected, Potter."

"Harry," he said. "If you're going to be helping me for the next week, call me Harry. Hearing Potter sounds like Snape or Malfoy is talking to me."

"Well, Harry, your spells are clearly powerful and Quiddittch gave you some nice endurance. We're going to work on teaching you more spells, as well as how to do them nonverbally. If your opponent doesn't know what to expect, than they are already at a disadvantage. I'm also going to show you how to chain your spells, and we'll see what else you need to do."

Harry nodded, not being able to know what she was casting half the time did make it harder for him to fight against her. "Now, I should probably get back to the common room before Snape makes too big of a deal of me being out, but I'll meet you here tomorrow after dinner. Don't listen to Weasley okay? Leave like five minutes after me in case anyone's in the halls so they don't see us together."

Harry nodded, and with that, Daphne was out. He sat down, puzzled at Greengrass. He still wasn't sure if she had been completely honest with her motives, but figured like she said, that she was his best bet for now. He wondered what the rest of the school would think if they knew she was helping him. For now, it seemed like Daphne didn't want them to know, and he was in agreement.

After about five minutes were up, he headed towards the Gryffindor common room. He was in no rush to get back, not wanting to hear all the insults. Most of all, he dreaded entering the dormitory, where Ron, Seamus, and Dean, some of his biggest opponents for now, were probably waitting for his return. He didn't really know where Neville stood, but figured he probably didn't want to stand against the three other boys, and Harry wouldn't blame him at all.

By the time he made it back to the common room, he was relieved to see it was mostly empty. A few seventh years he didn't really know sat by the fireplace, so he headed up tto his room. Neville had his curtains drawn close, and Ron, Seamus and Dean were huddled around Ron's bed. Seamus saw his return, and loudly said, "So the celebrity finally graces us with his presence, eh? To what do we owe the honor?"

Ron and Dean chuckled, and Harry couldn't form the words to respond. He still couldn't believe how easily Ron had left his side. He knew Ron's jealousy got the best of him, but the glare shooting out of Ron's eyes screamed pure hatred. "Don't know what I ever saw in you, you're almost as bad as Malfoy."

With that Ron shook his head and turned his back to Harry, and the boys returned to their conversation. Probably starting some Potter Hate Club, Harry mused, they might as well join forces with Malfoy. He snorted, thinking of all the similarities between Ron and Draco Malfoy. Getting ready for bed, he tried to forget Ron's betrayal and the impending danger of the Triwizard Tournament.

The week quickly passed by, despite the Pottter Stinks badges and the constant glares from his fellow Gryffindors. He found he began to look forward to his nightly sessions with Daphne - the Gryffindors never questioned where he went and frankly, they didn't care. They were just glad that he was gone.

His training sessions with Daphne was a welcome break from the rest of the day. Behind Daphne's cold mask in school, he found she was witty and fun to be around. They made quite a duo. She put him through his paces too, and by the end of this week they had learnt up to the six-year curriculum in DADA, transfiguration, and charms. His theory was a little weak from rushing through it, but she ensured that he knew how all the spells could be applicable in a fight and that he could perform them with relative ease before proceeding to the next spell.

At the end of their last training session of the week, Daphne stoppeed him. "So my one week free trial is over, what did you think? Are you retaining my services?"

He snorted "they have those in the Wizarding World?"

He pretended to think for a second, despite having already made his decision a few days ago. "Looks like you're stuck with me," he responded.

She rolled her eyes, "How tragic. Here I was hoping you'd say no."