Chapter 6: Fourth Hour
A/N: If you find any spelling and grammatical errors please bear with me and inform me.
Thank you all those who have added my story to their Favourites and Alerts and obviously those who reviewed.
AND A THOUSAND SORRY TO ALL THOSE READ THIS STORY FOR BEING EXTREMELY LETHARGIC ON MY PART.
I tried to add some humor, what do you think?
Chapter: Fourth Hour
"Never mind I got work for you." This was Neville's way of revenge, after all Harry had disrupted his last evening with Susan Bones and that too not in a very civil way like he did to him now.
Time was 11:15 A.M.
"Doesn't matter, I'm busy. Close that door after you." Harry closed the discussion.
"Aww… and I love you too." Neville pouted. "Hurry up now. You wouldn't want Mad-Eye to wait on you." He bent down, picked his pants and threw it at him. Harry grudgingly took it. Making Mad-Eye wait ended in personal training session - Mad-Eye hurling his favorite repertoire of spells and you dodging wand-less, in the name of timing your reflex (which wasn't exactly a walk in park).
"At least wait outside." Harry grunted offended at being called for work on a no work day.
"You didn't exactly leave me when I was with Susan." Neville shot back.
"I turned around." He said desperately.
"No you didn't you turned to talk to Susan who was sitting opposite to me. And I had to wear the pants under the sheet balancing on the sofa." He still held a grudge against Harry for that. They both glared each other for some time, with Harry finally buckling in and grudgingly wore the pants under the sheets while Neville chatted amicably with Lyra who was enjoying the banter. Harry got out of the bed collecting fresh clothes headed to the washroom. He came out five minutes later found both of them deep in discussion over which colour was better raven black or midnight black. He sighed dejectedly.
"Lyra you can stay or do as you please. And Neville stop ogling or I will tell Susan." He grumbled and dragged Neville out.
Lyra sent a flying kiss to both of them. Neville grinned, "She is a lovely and cute girl besides of a hot damsel."
"Don't let Susan hear you. No matter what I want my 'minion' in one piece." Harry deadpanned.
"Oh give it up Harry, you won't ever be a Dark Lord." Neville groaned for hundredth time.
"That's very supportive of you." Harry huffed and twisted on spot, apparating to the Ministry of Magic.
"I try my best." Neville shrugged and followed him.
They popped in entrance hall and marched towards the checking area. "So what's the situation?" Harry asked.
"Your girlfriend's in trouble." Neville replied and got on the platform.
Harry arched an eyebrow, "Lyra's absolutely fine." They headed to where Daphne was.
"Not your muse, your girlfriend as in your love of life, your soul mate." Neville insinuated.
Confused Harry insisted, "I still say Lyra's absolutely fine."
Neville ignored him and continued towards the lift. Harry glared at his 'minion'(friend), "You will answer your Dark Lord right now, minion." Several people stared incredulously at Harry while others shook their head knowingly or simply ignored. Harry, since he left the post of captain Auror, had taken up a self assigned project of becoming a Dark Lord (the result of him being almost dead out of boredom, in his words of course).
All the way Harry kept muttering to himself like a ten year old and Neville continued on his way humming to himself. They reached the interrogation corridor, submitting their wands at the entrance they went inside. Harry continued behind Neville, retuned to thinking of the very hot blonde in his apartment. At first he didn't even notice the occupant of the room they entered.
11:25 A.M
A hot headed Daphne fed up of being kept for more than an hour in a dingy depressing cell, started pacing in the room. Designing various plots of repaying for loss of her dear time to the imbecile duo, 'I thought better of Neville.' Just then she heard the door to her cell open. She looked up and saw the man she was most uncertain of how to react, when they met (her plans all forgotten momentarily).
Harry walked straight into Neville, "At least warn me, Nev" he massaged his shoulder while frowning at Neville.
"Harry, meet your client Daphne Greengass." Neville introduced cheerfully.
The name hadn't yet registered in his mind, "Good morning ma…" the face however did. He schooled his features to fake cheerful, "My friend has seemed to make a mistake. I'm sorry on his behalf. Your agent will be arriving shortly. Neville take me to my client." He said and advanced to the door.
Neville glared at his friend but Daphne kept her calm, "Harry I need your help."
Harry paused and said without turning, "You knocked the wrong door, ma'am. Don't waste your time after me."
At last Daphne cracked, "Waste my time… waste mine… FUCKING HELL I WAS WASTING MY TIME INDEED. Do you know what's at stake? Tori's life's at stake. I've got just eight hours to save her. Tell me Potter, what do you think now? Who's wasting time, me or you?" she was furious with this insufferable twat, furious enough to drag him straightaway to fight Malfoy, she didn't how and didn't think for the consequences.
Harry's grip tightened on the handle, he muttered stoically, "Neville take the notes and bring it to me. I will take up from there."
This got Daphne in cross, "I wouldn't have asked your help if I could have asked it from Aurors, Potter. Fine go on then be the ruthless savaged beast. What happens? An innocent dies, Tori dies, not much…" she knew this would do. Astoria was like a sister he never had, and he would go any lengths, do anything for her.
Harry turned around and glared at her, "What are you waiting for? Blurt it already, girl."
"Stop being a jerk Potter. I'm not enjoying this anymore than you." She retorted. They were both already at each other's throat.
"SHUT UP! Both of you just shut up." Neville butted in. He glared at both of his best friends, "we are here for an important mission which includes a very precious life. So stop being a jerk both of you and settle down." he sighed and asked gently, "You really don't want Astoria to be dead do you?" and they grunted no, "Good now we settle down and talk civilly. At least do this for her." They glared at each other but settled on the chairs nevertheless.
"Good, now Daph brief him." Neville stood beside Harry while Daphne explained the happenings of the day.
"So Malfoy's behind this" Harry looked at Daphne (he felt a strange feeling return when looked in those beautiful eyes). He averted his and went for the lists Daphne still carried on her. "And he wants ledgers, documents and smuggle the homicidal lunatics out. Wow just how stupid can he get." He then goes through the lists, "Alas I stand corrected, Black family ledger, I hope he doesn't throw a tantrum before his dad when he doesn't get these. I don't it Lucius would appreciate that while in Azkaban." He flipped the lists back on the table, and still refused to look back at Daphne. He felt conflicted within, 'It shouldn't matter, what happened between us was in past. Our problem shouldn't affect Astoria.'
He went into pure business mode he normally kept for not-so-pleasant-clients. For him Daphne was not more than a potential client. He looked back at her and spoke impassively, "So you wouldn't happen to his current status?"
"Apparently not or I would've already told you." Daphne was observing his every minute action. He was in a constant state of conflict with himself on how to react to her. After her explanation, when he looked at her she saw that familiar look that he used to give her back then at school. Though it was only for a fraction of second as he averted his eyes, but this was enough for her to conclude, 'He lives in denial.' This did rekindle the long lost flame in her, of hope, 'If you can play this game so can I, Mr. Potter.'
"Miss Greengrass…."
"Miss Greengrass…. Great now she's lost to us. Neville wake her up, lest we did be talking to a zombie. I really hate this type of clients…" Harry glared at her while Neville snapped his fingers in front of her eyes to zone her in present.
She snapped out, "What?"
"Listen miss, we can't afford to waste more time. So concentrate here." Harry castigated.
Daphne flushed not at the fact that 'He' told her off but the fact that she lost her mind over such silly thing when she should concentrate on her sister. She scowled, "What did you ask?" she wasn't the one to bow so easily even if it was her mistake (a nasty slytherin trait).
Neville spoke before Harry could, "That where are your other stuffs? Like that mirror and that bracelet."
"On my table." She said neutrally to Neville.
Neville got from the table he perched upon, "Fine I will get them."
"Don't Neville, that would prove to be a grievous mistake. Take Miss Greengrass with you to retrieve it. I'm sure that there must some tracking charm and touch identity sensory charm. Anyone besides designated people touches it an alarm triggers off thus creating havoc in its go." Daphne had not thought of this possibility, 'Daph you are really letting things to slack too much.' She cursed to herself but hurried along Neville to her cabin.
Time was 11:35 A.M
Harry was now alone in the cell, he hadn't even budged a muscle since they left. Things were taking an awkward turn for him lately almost at every point. This meeting, was it fate (which neither believed nor depended upon, mostly in the post-Voldemort period), was it accident (not at all a possibility. He was the only one whom she would trust things like upon) or was it planned (most likely, but why). He needed to remain wary of this storm (Daphne), for she had turned and churned and twisted his life last time, gave him some definition of life and totally changed some rock marked beliefs. What would this encounter bring upon him this time?
He remembered how Neville had turned up in their gang apparently one of the better aftermaths of the storm (called Daphne).
Chapter Ends
A/N: Okay I finally came back to this story. I know a small update but I was really stuck on how to proceed. I think now I have some ideas. Okay next chapter an insight on how Neville joined the group, some fun facts and some serious Slytherism, some dark magic and maybe some more.
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Until Next Time…
Night…...