Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 10
Contrary to a common belief, there was one reason for Daphne to skip classes, though she always prayed for it never to happen. It was a blessing in disguise, though, that it happened on weekend. Since her sister started attending Hogwarts, it was only the second time that her condition worsened. When she was younger, Astoria would be pinned to bed much more often, and if Daphne had to guess, she would say that it was the Magical Aura of the Castle that helped stabilize her sister's health.
But it certainly didn't ease her worries.
Ever since it became undeniable that the Blood Curse had manifested itself in Astoria, Daphne couldn't remember a day she didn't feel fear. It only worsened when she had to leave her younger sister when she turned eleven and, alongside the rest of her peers, she traveled to Hogwarts for the first time. Although hidden behind her perfected mask of indifference, her fear always managed to tighten its grip around her heart each time a flock of owls entered the Great Hall. Her heart would always leap into her throat when one of the birds landed in front of her with a letter from her parents. She could never figure out how she managed to keep her fingers from trembling while breaking the seal or how she managed to hold back a sigh of relief when it turned out that the content of the letter didn't carry the information she always dreaded to receive.
The Hogwarts staff had been informed of Astoria's condition, of course. Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout always did their best to help stabilize her sister's health each time it worsened, and Professor Snape was there as well, to help as much as he could, providing them with all the potions they needed. Daphne would never forget the concern on her stern Head of the House's face when Astoria first required their aid. In fact, she barely managed to recognize the man back then. Although she respected him, Daphne was more than sure that the Potions Master was unable to feel even basic emotions. Before she arrived at Hogwarts for the first time, she'd been practicing her mask for years, patterning herself on her father. However, to her, it seemed as if the greasy-haired Professor took that game to a whole new level. And so, it became almost unbelievable to see him concerned because of her sister's condition. If the stories were accurate, Professor Snape was more familiar with the Dark Arts than Potions. That would explain why he was so worried about Astoria's Blood Curse.
And seeing her normally stern Head of the House so clearly concerned made Daphne drop the whole 'Ice Queen' mask as well. If Snape can feel basic human emotions, so can I, she reasoned with herself as she was sitting on a small chair right next to her sister's bed; the curtains were drawn, and a couple of silencing charms were placed around them as well, giving the two sisters some privacy.
It wasn't the mere prospect of a Blood Curse that frightened Daphne to her core, but rather what it was doing to her sister. Ever since Astoria was born, the two were complete opposites in almost everything. While Daphne inherited their mother's straight honey-blonde hair and icy-blue eyes, Astoria received dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Contrary to Daphne's, Astoria's nose was perfectly straight.
When Daphne was perfecting her stony mask, Astoria was enjoying all small things in life, even those that seemed meaningless. When her younger sister was laughing, running around the vast gardens of their house, she was staring at her, hidden behind the windows of her room, afraid that the worst could happen at any moment. Each time Astoria smiled, Daphne's mind forced her to relive the trauma of seeing the Blood Curse's effect on her sister for the first time.
It wasn't any different at that moment. Astoria's usually soft brown hair was white and fragile, as if she gained a few dozens of years overnight. Her eyes, always filled with life and joy, seemed empty and dull. In fact, if Daphne had to be honest, she would say that her irises have lost all color. Her skin, which resembled the finest Acromantula silk, was as dry and coarse as sandpaper. It was also incredibly thin and almost transparent.
The worst, however, was that her sister would never be so calm on her own. Even asleep, Astoria would thrash around the bed, always struggling to find a comfortable position. When her condition worsened, though, she wouldn't move even a single centimeter. Sometimes Daphne had to make sure that she was even breathing. When the Blood Curse stroke, Astoria's bones would practically turn into glass – one wrong move, and she would simply break apart.
"It's terrifying to see you so worried," a gentle whisper brought Daphne out of her musing. She looked up from her sister's fragile form and directed her eyes onto her face. Color slowly started returning to her hair and eyes, though it would take a few more hours at least until her condition became stable again. "Imagine the drama if a rumor spread around Hogwarts that the Ice Queen actually has feelings."
Daphne huffed at that, shaking her head in disbelief. "You're one to talk. At least I don't look as if I was one foot in a grave," she countered. Her eyes locked with her sister's. In a few spots, her white irises were already turning brown, causing Daphne to release a long-held sigh of relief. It wasn't the day her sister was going to die. "How do you feel?" she asked softly.
"As if I switched bodies with Granny," Astoria replied, forcing a small chuckle from Daphne. The older sister blinked a few times; tears began forming in the corners of her eyes, though she wasn't sure if they were tears of joy or sadness. Perhaps a mixture of both, she decided, wiping her eyes. "But I'm getting better," Astoria added with a weak smile. "I even managed not to break a single bone this time."
"Well, don't pat yourself on the back just yet," Daphne countered, leaning forward in her chair. "I won't be here all night, and who knows what you'll do when I'm gone." She grasped Astoria's hand gently, caressing the top of it with her finger. She sighed heavily again when she felt that her sister's skin was slowly becoming soft again.
"You're right," Astoria said, slowly nodding her head. She brushed her thumb against Daphne's fingers. "And then you would be forced to cancel your meeting with Potter in order to stay with me. That would be a tragedy, wouldn't it?" she asked, doing her best version of a wide smile. Daphne rolled her eyes.
"Tracey?" she asked with a sigh.
"Yup," Astoria replied with a mischievous glee in her eyes and voice. "I must warn you that if you kill her, I'll lose my best source of entertainment in my current condition, and it would make me angry beyond measure. You wouldn't be able to talk yourself out of it in front of Daddy," she added, her smile widening as much as it was possible. Daphne rolled her eyes again.
"I'm sure He would understand in time," she countered. "Though I think I have some things to… discuss with Tracey."
"I'm surprised I've learned it from her and not from you if I have to be honest," Astoria commented, pulling herself upward on the bed. Immediately, Daphne rushed from her chair to help her sister, though the younger Greengrass dismissed her efforts with a wave of her hand. "I won't break anything just by sitting up," she said. You can't be sure of it, Daphne commented in her mind, watching her sister's struggles. She let out another relieved sigh when Astoria's words turned out to be true.
"I simply didn't have an opportunity to tell you," Daphne answered her earlier accusation. Whenever Astoria's condition would worsen, she managed to get as much from her older sister as she wanted. No amount of ice around Daphne's heart could stop her from making her sister's life easier if possible. If she desired stories, then stories she would get. The moment her weakened body hit the pillows, nothing was inaccessible for the youngest Greengrass anymore. "But I guess Tracey has already filled you in on everything, right?"
"Of course," Astoria replied, shrugging her shoulders as if it was something obvious. "I have her wrapped around my finger, just like you," she added with a teasing smirk. Daphne rolled her eyes again, though she was unable to contradict that statement. "So, his success in the First Task was in no small part thanks to you, right?" she asked, smiling mischievously as she eyed her older sister.
"You could say so," Daphne answered, nodding her head. "Although I haven't done much, to be honest. I've only taught him the Accio spell and suggested what he could use it for. I had nothing to do with him casting the Patronus and that water shield."
"Makes one wonder if those stories about what happened at the end of last year are actually real, huh?" Astoria asked. "I mean, it's not a secret that he can cast a fully corporeal Patronus, so maybe he actually dealt with those Dementors."
"Maybe," Daphne agreed, pouring some water into a glass before handing it to her sister. Astoria accepted it with a weak smile before lifting it towards her lips. Some of the water managed to escape her mouth and ran down her chin. Still, that didn't stop her from sighing contently as Daphne wiped the small droplets with a sleeve of her robe.
"So, what is he like?" Astoria asked, closing her eyes. Daphne blinked away a few times, not allowing the tears to fully form. She still has time, she reminded herself.
Although that statement was correct, it failed to provide her with some sort of comfort. Truth be told, no one was sure how much time Astoria Greengrass truly had. Blood Curses were extremely rare, and none of the Healers at St. Mungo's were able to correctly assess Daphne's sister's health. That fact especially angered their Mother as she was one of the most competent workers in the Magical Hospital.
Some said that her little sister would die of old age, and those symptoms of the Blood Curse would simply be unpleasant incidents. In their opinion, all Astoria had to do was to remain cautious when her condition worsened. Others speculated that the Curse would shorten her life drastically, saying she wouldn't live long enough to see her grandchildren. If she managed to give birth to a child first, of course. The worst possibility, however, was the fact that each 'attack' of her Blood Curse could end her life. Each time her bones turned to glass and her entire body aged drastically could mean the end of her little sister's short life.
Daphne forced those thoughts aside. She's not dying today. She still has time, she reminded herself.
"Surprisingly ordinary," Daphne answered Astoria's question, pouring herself a glass of water as well.
"You wouldn't be wasting your time with someone ordinary," Astoria countered, smiling at her sister from above her glass of water.
"I'm spending much time with Tracey," Daphne replied. Astoria giggled slightly; some of the water from her glass landed on her bedsheets because of that. The older sister allowed her lips to curl up in a small smile as well. "What I meant is that… I've expected something different after hearing all those stories and Malfoy's constant whining about Potter," Daphne clarified, choosing her words carefully. "I thought I've learned much about him by simply watching him, though I was proven incorrect."
"I never thought I would have heard those words from your lips," Astoria snickered, taking a sip from her glass. Daphne rolled her eyes.
"Don't get used to it," she replied. "I'm starting to believe Potter is an extremely talented Occlumens in his own way," Daphne continued, returning to their original topic. Astoria raised one of her eyebrows at that. "I'm sure you've noticed how easy he actually is to read, right?" she asked, receiving a confirming nod from her younger sister. "I'm wondering if perhaps this is some elaborate scheme of protecting his mind by creating a shield of chaos around himself," Daphne mused; a small smirk was dancing in the corners of her lips. "But beneath all this is a… rather shy boy, too insecure about himself and his abilities for his own good," she said, staring absentmindedly at some random spot on Astoria's bedsheets. "As I've said, that's not what I've expected to find after hearing all those stories, though I'm pretty sure I've only scratched the surface."
"Don't scratch that surface too much, or you will have a horde of furious fangirls chasing after you, ready to hex you into the next millennium," Astoria countered with another snicker; Daphne huffed at her words, shaking her head in disbelief. "When do you think is someone going to slip him a Love Potion?"
"With the Yule Ball in a month, I would say sooner rather than later," Daphne replied, pretending to be deep in thought. "If it hasn't been done yet, that is."
"What do you mean?"
"You seriously haven't noticed how he's staring at Chang all the time?" Daphne asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm surprised he hasn't asked her out yet."
"I'm sure that the Weaselette wouldn't allow anything like that to happen," Astoria countered with a small smirk. "I may not know what was happening during that whole 'Chamber of Secrets crisis,' but she's had her eyes on him during the entire previous year. I thought she would jump at the opportunity to get closer to him when everyone turned their backs on him. And when it comes to Chang, I think Potter simply fancies her, that's all. Diggory would be the target of her Love Potion in the first place."
"When did you become so observant, sister?"
"Well, surprising you has always been a great hobby of mine," Astoria replied with an innocent smile. You're certainly able to do that when you lay here on a brink of death, Daphne thought, though she did her best to push those thoughts out of her mind. "So being able to share with you something that you've failed to notice has become somewhat a necessity, wouldn't you agree? Besides, I thought you would be proud that I followed in your wake."
"I wasn't aware I had an apprentice," Daphne commented, placing a few strands of her hair behind her ear.
"Is the sky falling? I think I've just heard the Ice Queen admitting that she didn't know something," Astoria said, chuckling slightly. "Easy there," she added, noticing Daphne's furrowed eyebrows. "I'm just messing with you. I know you would turn me into a glass if that Blood Curse hasn't done it already," Astoria said, chuckling again, effectively wiping away Daphne's frown from her face. Even though she knew that her sister was using her condition against her, she couldn't stay mad at her. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she caused Astoria even more pain than she was already suffering.
"Potter asked me to Hogsmeade," Daphne informed her, attempting to steer the conversation towards more joyous topics, or at least the neutral ones. As she expected, that caught Astoria's attention. When it came to boys, her sister was more like Tracey, though she could only guess why. "As a 'thank you' for helping him with the First Task," she added before Astoria's grin managed to reach its full width.
"Tracey didn't tell me that," Astoria replied, taking another sip from her glass.
"That's because I haven't told her that," Daphne replied.
"When did he plan to take you?" she asked, not bothering herself to contain her grin.
"Yesterday," Daphne replied without a second of hesitation. Instantly, Astoria's smile faded away from her lips.
"I'm sorry," she muttered, looking away from her sister. "If I'd known-"
"Stop that," Daphne said immediately. "It's not your fault. Besides, it's not like we've been planning it for some time. He suggested it only after the First Task. I'm sure I'll be able to make him understand."
"Still, I'm sorry, Daph," Astoria whispered; two pairs of eyes – one icy-blue and one white with a few brown spots – met. "I don't know if you'll like what I have to say, but ever since you've started seeing him, something changed in you. I can't exactly pinpoint it, and only recently have I learned that you've been meeting him, but there's something different about you."
"What do you mean, Tori?" Daphne asked, mimicking her sister's usage of an affectionate nickname. Astoria shrugged her shoulders as much as she could.
"You seem calmer, more at peace," she said with a weak smile. "Maybe he managed to get your mind off of me."
"You're my sister, Tori," Daphne replied, processing her words in her mind. "Nothing is ever going to take you off my mind," she promised, placing her hand on top of her sister's fragile palm. Astoria smiled weakly, turning her hand around to grip her older sister's fingers.
"I know," she whispered back. "But it wouldn't hurt you to find some happiness in life."
"You are my happiness in life," Daphne countered, once again blinking furiously.
"For now, Daph, for now," Astoria replied, sighing deeply. "I think I'll call it a night. If I manage not to thrash around in sleep, I should be able to return to normalcy tomorrow morning." Daphne glanced at a clock standing on Tori's bedside table; her eyes widened when she saw that it was almost one in the morning.
"I'll be waiting for you in the morning," Daphne promised, standing up from her chair. She straightened her skirt and stretched her back. She sighed contently when her joints popped loudly.
"I know," Astoria replied with a weak smile. "Did you inform Mom and Dad?"
"Not yet. I didn't want to worry them too much. But I'll write to them first thing in the morning and say you're okay."
"If I were in their shoes, I think I'd want to know immediately if my child had an attack," Astoria said, resting her head against the pillows. If you're ever going to have children, Daphne couldn't stop that thought from entering her mind. She shook her head to get rid of that. She will have children, she tried convincing herself. She'll live long enough to see both her children and her grandchildren, she added as she slipped past the curtains, allowing her sister to go to sleep.
"How is she?" Madam Pomfrey whispered as soon as Daphne came into view. She and Professor Sprout were sitting on conjured chairs, right next to the doors that led to the corridor outside of the Dormitories. Even though she couldn't see him, Daphne was sure that Professor Snape was standing right outside the door, waiting to be summoned if needed.
It surprised her when Astoria's attack happened the first time in Hogwarts, almost a year earlier. Back then, when she left her sister's side for the first time to go to sleep, she found her Head of the House standing right outside the door of the Girls' Dormitories, not wanting to invade his students' privacy. It was also the first time in Daphne's life that she saw on Professor Snape's face something else than a mask of indifference and boredom. That night, the common belief that the Potions Master was incapable of experiencing emotions was shattered. If anything, he at least cared about the students of his House.
"She went to sleep," Daphne informed the two women. "I think she's going to be alright in the morning."
"She should drink this when she wakes up," Madam Pomfrey said, handing two vials to Daphne. She accepted them with a nod of her head, quickly recognizing a Pain-Relief Potion and the Skele-Gro Potion. She nodded her head once again, pocketing the two vials in her robes. "It will help her to recover faster."
"Thank you," Daphne whispered, unable to look the two women in their eyes. Without another word, the three left the room. Just as she expected, Professor Snape was waiting just outside the door.
"How is she?" he asked the same question as Madam Pomfrey. Although it was carefully hidden, Daphne managed to recognize the concern in his voice. It became easier when she learned what to look for in his words.
"Better," she answered with a sigh. Her Head of the House nodded his head.
"If needed, you and your sister will be excused from tomorrow's classes," he informed her.
"Thank you, Professor," she whispered, once again fighting back tears. She rubbed her eyes furiously before raising her head. "But we were supposed to start brewing the Sleeping Draught tomorrow."
"Don't think about that, Ms. Greengrass, your sister's health is much more important right now," he countered immediately. In the darkness of the corridor, Snape's silhouette was almost unable to make out. "I have no doubts in your brewing abilities, but if you insist, I'll find you another date to finish the assignment. And if I'm not wrong, Potter will have to find another time to complete it as well."
Daphne nodded her head. "Thank you, Professor," she whispered once again.
"I hope this goes without saying: no one knows, and no one will know of your sister's condition. Not if I can help it," he said, earning himself a nod from Daphne.
"I know. Professor?"
"Yes?" he asked, stopping right in front of the stairs that led towards the Common Room.
"I know you've seen a fair share of Dark Curses in your life," she began hesitantly, wiping the palms of her hands against her robes. She gulped heavily. "How would you assess my sister's condition?" she whispered, unsure if she wanted to know the answer to that question.
"If I have to be honest, Ms. Greengrass," Snape began, deepening Daphne's fear. "I would say that your sister is lucky to be still alive," he said before disappearing behind the corner.
I will find a way to save you, Tori, Daphne promised as she was lying behind the safety of the curtains of her bed. Even if it's going to be the last thing I'll do in my life, she added, finally allowing a single tear to fall from beneath her eyelashes onto a soft pillow.
He was floating across the sky, but unlike during his flight on a broom or on Buckbeak, there was no joy or euphoria connected to that sensation. He watched as, in the darkness of the night, a large shadow began taking shape. From time to time a bolt of sudden lightning broke the dark curtain, illuminating the area around him. He was soaring across the sky, a few hundred meters above the waters of the sea, rippled by the storm around him. The large triangular shadow was growing bigger and bigger with each passing second.
In a blink of an eye, he found himself inside of the large shadow. It turned out to be a building. He was standing in a dimly lit corridor with countless doors on each side. Soon, he was joined by other people; each of them seemed to materialize out of thin air, right next to him. Small droplets of water were running down the walls of the corridor as the storm outside continued raging.
A figure, dressed in what he recognized as the Aurors' robes, appeared, seemingly surprised by their presence. Before the man managed to even draw a wand, his entire body was consumed by a sickening green light. A split second later, it dropped to the floor.
"This way," a voice hissed as he made his way through the corridor. Other people followed him without a word. They marched in silence and darkness, sometimes broken by another flash of green light as other figures appeared in the corridor.
He had no idea how much time they'd been walking through the corridors, nor where they actually were, even though he was leading the way. Every now and then, he would turn left or right, sometimes going up a few stairs and sometimes going down.
Except for the men dressed in the Aurors' robes, shadows would sometimes fly right next to him. Shadows he recognized to be the Dementors. However, they seemed to ignore him and his companions, going after the people they didn't bother to register instead of them. He could only watch helplessly as three shadows cornered a defenseless man who tried his best to conjure a Patronus but failed. He wanted to help him; he wanted to pull out his wand and send the silver stag to help the poor individual, but his body wasn't listening to him. No matter how hard he tried, his arms wouldn't listen to his commands as his legs continued moving forward.
"In here," the same voice hissed, pointing his hand at a door that looked exactly the same as any other. Again without a word, his companions obeyed the command and opened the iron door, quickly entering what looked like a small room. There was haste in their movements, mixed with exhilaration and fear; fear of him.
As soon as they were inside, he pulled out his wand, but he didn't recognize it. It wasn't brown but white, just like his fingers, curled around the wood. With a flick of a wrist, he locked the iron door, sealing the room with five of his companions inside, but none of them uttered a word of protest. They seemed to know what he expected of them, and they were aware that that room would become their grave.
He turned around, satisfied with the result of his job. His eyes landed on the carved number on the wall: seven hundred seventy-seven.
Harry woke up, drenched with sweat and with his head feeling as if it was ready to explode at any moment. He gritted his teeth, pushing his head deeper into the pillow as he fought against the scream that was doing its best to burst out from his throat. He breathed in sharply.
Even though he's never seen Azkaban, the presence of the Dementors was enough to reveal what he had seen in his dream. The rapid flashes of green light were flying in front of his eyes each time he shut them. Floor seven hundred seventy-seven.
That's it for today. As always, I hope you've enjoyed it. In advance, thank you so much for the 100 reviews. I'm not sure if I'll be able to write another chapter this week so, just in case, Happy Easter to you all! See you next time!