5th January 1998
Hogwarts was a nightmare. Half of the students had returned to the school after the Christmas break. Some had dropped out of school, choosing to enrol in other schools while others were either missing or dead along with their families. Daphne sat on the steps of the owlery, not really wanting to return to her dormitory. Luna was still being held hostage somewhere and Stacy Grey, Astoria's best friend was dead. Stacy's six year old brother had apparently hacked the entire family to death before killing himself. From the Christmas ball thrown at the Malfoy Manor, they realized that the little child was under the imperius curse and he was made to kill his family because the Death Eaters controlling him were bored.
Daphne shivered not really surprised that tears wouldn't come to her even if she wanted to cry. Some part of her realized that people all around her were so shocked by their current state of imprisonment and abuse that they had dissociated themselves from their reality. No one cried at Hogwarts anymore. Students lived like the undead, shuffling around listlessly, watching over their shoulders in fear.
They had been back for less than two days and it felt like they had been trapped forever. The Carrows had come down harder on the DA, using the Cruciatus curse openly on any and everyone they pleased. Ginny Weasley skidded to halt in front of Daphne as she made her way to the owlery. The two girls looked around carefully before Daphne shifted and Ginny quickly took a seat next to her.
"How are you holding up?" Ginny asked.
"Just like you are." Daphne replied quietly, "They killed Stacy. They made Stacy's brother do it. It's horrible. Tori has not been herself lately."
"I know… We heard about it on Christmas eve."
"I don't understand. If they had to kill her, why let her go home at all?"
"I don't know Daphne, I wish I did. But if we understood why they do what they do, we wouldn't be in this situation would we?"
"Will we survive this?" Daphne asked.
"I don't know. But I do know this; I won't go down without a fight."
Daphne smiled, Ginny gave her hope.
"Hey," Ginny said. "We are training any and every student on basic defensive spells, you could come join us. I dare say, if our little bluff fails the four of you would be in grave danger."
"That is very thoughtful of you, Ginny. But we will be fine. We have been battle training ourselves for a while."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Quite."
"Okay, then do me a favour and pass this on to Blaise, please." Ginny said, pulling out a tightly rolled piece of parchment from her pocket. "You should go get some sleep."
"I can't." Daphne replied helplessly, "The dorm makes me sick, especially Pansy acting all high and mighty and proud of her father being a Death Eater."
Ginny nodded in understanding. "If you want, you can go sleep in the room of requirement. It's empty for tonight."
"Thank you."
The two girls sat in silence for a few moments.
"You shouldn't stay here so long." Daphne said idly, looking over at the castle. "If someone sees us, we are as good as dead."
"Yes. I will leave you be. I have a letter to send. Goodnight Daphne."
"Goodnight, Ginny."
Daphne brushed the snow off her clothes and wearily walked towards the Slytherin common room. She heard commotion as she neared the potions lab, a moment later Tracey Davis ran out of the room. Her uniform torn in several places, a black eye shining on her pale face and blood soaked socks. Before Daphne could react, Tracey had collided with her and the two girls lost balance.
"Tracey? Are you alright?" Daphne asked shaking Tracey, who had not moved since the collision.
At her touch, Tracey curled into a ball, staring blankly at the wall.
"Tracey?" Daphne asked, alarmed at the girl's glassy eyes. "Tracey." Daphne said shaking the girl, "Hey, please say something. What happened to you?"
"She has been raped, again." Blaise said stepping out of the shadows.
"What?" Daphne yelped. "Who- who- who would do that to her?"
"Who do you think?" Blaise asked bitterly, squatting next to Tracey.
"Crabbe?"
Blaise nodded, waving his wand over Tracey. "Her vitals are fine but she is in shock. We have to take her to the infirmary."
Blaise conjured a stretcher, warning Daphne to not touch the traumatized girl lest she kicks up a storm.
"Madam Pompfrey!" Daphne called urgently, "We need your help and it is serious."
"Oh Merlin!" Madam Pompfrey gasped, "What happened to Miss Davis?"
"She was raped." Blaise replied calmly as Madam Pompfrey performed a couple of diagnostic spells.
"Mr. Zabini," Madam Pompfrey said. "When was she raped?"
"All of last term, including tonight." Blaise replied ignoring Daphne's gasp of horror.
"She wasn't raped tonight, Mr. Zabini." Madam Pompfrey said sadly.
"There is blood pouring down between her legs. She has a black eye, her clothes are torn." Blaise pointed out stubbornly.
"True. But tonight she was administered with an abortive potion. I believe that she was forced to take it."
Daphne and Blaise stared at the nurse in horror.
"Wasn't forced." Tracey said in a strangled whisper.
"Did you say something, my child?"
"I said I wasn't forced to take the potion." Tracey said, her voice stronger than before while her eyes remained glassy.
"I don't understand." Blaise said.
"Of course you won't, Zabini." She snapped, "I took it. I was beaten up because Cobblepot caught me taking it. I was beaten up for killing a future follower." She cackled like a madwoman as she finished her statement. "You hear that you little Death Eater. I killed a future spawn! I killed that monster in me. I killed his monster child." She rolled on the bed laughing madly.
Daphne grasped Blaise arm painfully as he stared at the girl in front of him horrified beyond belief. Madam Pompfrey had jumped into action, restraining Tracey and tipping a dreamless sleep potion down her throat. Soon Tracey's mad laughter subsided into gentle snores.
"She is quite distressed." Madam Pompfrey said, "I think we will have to send her back home. You two should go sleep. I will take care of her for now."
Daphne held Blaise's hand all the way to the common room which was empty save for Theodore sitting by the fireplace with a book on his lap. Daphne burst into hysterical tears as soon as she saw Theodore, rushing into his arms and clinging to him. The two boys sat on the couch in silence as Daphne continued sobbing.
"How could they do this?" Daphne hiccupped. "She is supposed to be safe. She is one of our own."
"That's why she is an easy target." Theo said softly, "No one in Slytherin would stand up for a half blood and no one in the whole school would stand up for a Slytherin. At least not right now."
"Are there others then? Other half blood girls in the lower years."
"Could be." Blaise hissed, struggling to contain his anger and horror. It had not occurred to him that there would be half bloods in lower years too, easy targets for Crabbe.
"Do you think the other girls in the dorm know about this?" Daphne asked.
"I don't think so." Theo assured her softly, "I am sure Pansy would have gloated about it had she known."
"How could I be so blind?" Daphne asked aghast, "I have been running around the whole school, helping everyone else and I never noticed that my dorm mate was being raped."
"Hey," Theo said comfortingly, "Its not your fault. All of us have been too caught up with the outside to really pay attention to our own rooms. Just take care of her from now on. Okay?"
Daphne did not say a word but leaned on Theo's shoulder with a sigh, reaching out to hold Blaise's hand.
"You okay?" She asked squeezing his hand.
Blaise nodded choosing to stare at the fire.
"Ginny, sent this for you." She said quietly, slipping the rolled up parchment in his hand.
"The two of you should get some sleep. Its almost dawn." She said kissing Theo's cheek before leaving for her dorm.
"Your mother was raped by one of her husbands?" Theo asked watching Daphne's back.
"Why would you say that?" Blaise asked quietly, not really surprised that Theo had guessed that much.
"Do you want me to give you an explanation?"
"No, and she was raped by all of her husbands." Blaise said, "That's why they are all dead now."
"Your father too?"
"She doesn't know who my father is. She was raped by some death eaters. I was born because of it, after my birth, she identified them and married them. The rest is history."
"Is that why Davis' situation is bothering you so much?"
"She aborted the foetus and was bloody happy about it. She hated the innocent child for the father's crime. I wonder if my mother felt that way about me too."
"I don't think she hates you." Theo said.
"You wouldn't know it, would you Theo?"
"From what I have observed of her, she cares about you deeply. In her own way she does."
Blaise shook his head, Tracey's hatred filled eyes and laughter filling his mind. Theo got up and placed a hand on Blaise's shoulder.
"Just remember this Blaise- she is not your mother. You cannot see your mother in Davis. She is her own person and she will make her choices and you have to treat her as Tracey Davis."
With a final squeeze to his shoulder, Theo left Blaise alone. For a long time Blaise kept staring into the fire, wondering if his mother hated him just as much. When he was exhausted of thinking too much, he unwillingly opened Lupin's letter thoroughly convinced that Lupin had nothing to say to make him better.
Dear Blaise,
I feel honoured to have been your teacher. Compassion like yours is a rare thing, becomes scarcer because of the times we live in. I am equally horrified to know that a student of mine has been through so much of pain already. I can't imagine what the young girl must be going through, Please impress upon her that should she feel suffocated at Hogwarts and is afraid of returning to her home, the doors of my humble abode are always open for her.
Now moving on to how you could help her. I would suggest you let her be. Win her trust but don't force her to trust you and don't lose patience with her. You might mean the best for her but she doesn't know that and given the trauma she has been through, she would be wary of you. Ask a female friend to talk to her but please do not force her to come to terms with has happened. Let her take those baby steps herself.
Please keep reminding her that it wasn't her fault and that she doesn't deserve such treatment. But also remind her that there is more to life and this does not define her. Help her grieve. But first and foremost, let her trust you. It took a long time for your mother to trust us.
Do not confuse her with your mother. The reason why your mother is so consumed with her revenge is because she had nothing else to hold onto. Your mother had started recovering Blaise. She had started smiling and laughing and singing and you were greatly responsible for it. I would admit that she was devastated to find out that she was pregnant but she didn't blame you for a second. For her, you were as much an innocent victim as she was; she was devastated nevertheless because she had no means to support the two of you.
She didn't want to return to her family, she knew they would want her to get rid of you. The woman you know today is a shadow of the woman I left and I hold myself responsible for your mother. After the Halloween of 1981, I was a broken man. I had lost my best friends, I had even lost Harry. I was nothing, I remember returning to the safe house after their funeral. Your mother begged me to stay with her and you. Begged me to at least let her help me but I left. I left because I couldn't stand the wizarding world then. I learnt a couple of years later that your mother had returned to her family. You were the child born out of a wedlock with a wizard from Uagadou who was murdered by the Death Eaters. I never contacted her believing that the two of you were safe and that she had moved on.
It was only after the death of her first husband that I realized that your mother was on a dangerous path. This young girl would be different Blaise. She could heal and you have it in you to help her heal and seek justice. Just be honest with her and be very, very patient. She might choose a different path for herself. Please look at her the way she is.
I hope I was able to help you a little. I am not an expert, being a survivor or a supporter does not make people experts on handling emotional distress of this level. Every individual has a unique response. Just stand by her and let her come to you.
I am proud of the man you have grown up to be Blaise. I sincerely wish I was around to watch you grow.
If we survive this, I would like to get to know you better.
Best Wishes
Remus Lupin
Feeling considerably lighter, Blaise read the letter enough number of times to memorise it by heart. After which, with great regret he burned the letter. A small smile played on his lips as he passed out of exhaustion on the common room couch.
Blaise was rudely awakened the next morning when Draco levitated him out of the way, just as Crabbe fell on the couch. He gave Draco an annoyed glare before nodding his thanks, turning to the scene unfolding in front of them. Daphne had her wand trained between Crabbe's eyes, Pansy and Milicent were struggling to pull her back.
"Back off both of you. Right now." Daphne screeched, firing non-verbal knock-back jinxes at the two girls.
"And you!" She thundered, pointing her wand at Crabbe. "How dare you!" She growled swishing her wrist violently, forcing Crabbe to make a run for it.
"SHE"- BANG- "IS"- BANG- "ONE OF"- BANG- "US!" BANG! BANG! Daphne flicked her wrist one more time.
The last curse levitated Crabbe upside down, making him knock violently into a decorative shield which fell down with a loud clatter.
"How dare you?" She screeched, now staring wildly at an upside-down, profusely bleeding Crabbe.
"You should stop her." Draco whispered to Blaise and Theo.
"Why?" Blaise asked, "I am enjoying this show."
"Because this would be reported to him." Draco hissed, "Do you want her dead?"
Theo walked swiftly towards Daphne, grabbing her wrist and cutting her rant. "That is enough, Daph. You should stop." He said softly, "Don't forget he is one of us."
"He is one of us? This- this- scum?" Daphne shrieked, baffled at Theo's choice of words. "She is one of us too. Slytherins protect their own. That was the first thing they told us when we joined the house!"
Theo pulled Daphne closer. "I know." He whispered softly, "But this would be reported to the Dark Lord and we don't want dissention in our ranks. Do we?"
Daphne lifted her curse, letting Crabbe crash on the ground. "Stay away from my sister." She said, before firing her last curse at Crabbe. Crabbe screamed with pain. "Slinker! Cobblepot! You cross the line and you would be next." She called, struggling against Theo as he dragged her away from Crabbe.
"She used the Cruciatus on him!" Blaise whispered awed. "That girl is something."
"That girl is stupid." Draco whispered with a frown, "She would get herself killed if she keeps walking around with her heart on her sleeve. Bellatrix, actually likes playing with such idiots."
"And you would know all about Bellatrix's preferences, won't you?"
Draco gave Blaise a furious look before turning on his heel and marching towards the common room.
"Draco! Wait up, Will you?" Blaise said, catching up with Draco as he exited the common room.
"Why?" Draco demanded, "Is there anything else you need to remind me of? Like how many people I have seen being tortured before being fed alive to- to-to that beast?" Draco shouted the last word before sinking to the ground and pulling hair.
"Draco!" Blaise said getting down beside him, "Draco, get a grip. I didn't mean it like that. Draco? Draco? Come on say something."
"She asked for his help." Draco whispered, his eyes unfocused, looking at something else.
"Who?"
"Charity Burbage. She- She asked Snape for his help and he just watched her die and being fed to the snake." Draco whispered.
"I don't think Professor Snape could have been able to stop it without being killed himself." Blaise reasoned.
"But Bellatrix laughed. Later she said she was disappointed that she didn't get a chance to torture her. They-They- They have the Lovegood girl." Draco said grabbing Blaise's arms, looking like a scared animal in the clutches of a hunter. "I could hear her screams all the way to my room." He whispered, scratching his arms before covering his ears and rocking backward and forward. "So much pain, so much pain." He whispered over and over again.
"Draco." Blaise whispered urgently, "Please get up. You cannot say all this, that too in the corridor. Do you have a death wish? Get up please." Blaise said trying to pull Draco to his feet.
"It hurt so much." Draco breathed, his hands shaking. "It hurt so much. I just want this to end and I know I shouldn't want him-"
"That is enough." Blaise said covering Draco's mouth as Theo and Daphne came along.
"What's going on?" Theo asked, tugging at a seething Daphne's hand.
"Nothing. Draco just lost his balance."
"I did not lose my balance." Draco snapped, "I just feel infinitely horrified that I want him to-" Draco clutched his throat, glaring angrily at Theo.
"Yes. We know what you want." Theo whispered, "You don't need to be an idiot about it. Do you want your family dead?"
Draco shook his head, "Good, let's go for breakfast." Blaise said, pulling Draco forward, as Theo did the same with Daphne.
"Greengrass!" Amycus Carrow barked as soon as he spotted her in the great hall.
"Here we go." Theo muttered under his breath.
"What are you playing at?" Carrow demanded, as he got close to them. "How dare you attack Vincent and humiliate him in front of the entire house?"
"What is the problem here?" Slughorn asked, as he hurried over to his students, with Professor Snape on his heels.
"Severus." Amycus said, "The Greengrass girl attacked and humiliated Mr. Crabbe without any provocation. I believe this reflects where her true allegiance lies."
"My sympathies are in place, Professor." Daphne hissed angrily, "Maybe you should ask that vermin the actual reason behind my attack."
"Miss Greengrass." Slughorn said uncomfortably, "What is the meaning of this behaviour?"
"Professors, if I may be allowed to suggested something." Theo said holding Daphne's hand, "Please take this conversation to one of your offices. It won't be good for the school if disagreements among Slytherins are discussed publicly."
"That's a fair suggestion." Slughorn said, "Severus, Amycus if you would join Ms. Greengrass and I in my office, I am sure we would get to the bottom of this problem amicably."
"I would like to join you too." Theo said, wrapping his arm around Daphne's waist possessively.
"Why, Nott? Are you afraid this little girl would spill some your family's well kept secrets." Amycus sneered.
Theo pulled himself to his full height and looked down at the considerably shorter death eater.
"Daphne is to be my wife this June." He said quietly, looking Amycus dead in the eye. "If you question her allegiance, you also question the allegiance of the Nott household. I would not stand such mud- slinging on my family's name or loyalty. I am sure my parents would have liked to join this conversation too, had they been informed on time. I hope I have quenched your thirst for Nott family secrets, Professor."
Amycus took a step back, visibly intimidated by the Nott scion. Theodore nodded respectfully towards the Headmaster and Slughorn before pulling Daphne along and marching towards the potions master's office. The young Nott had however not missed the triumph in Slughorn's eyes or fleeting pride in Snape's eyes and it was the latter's reaction that confused Theo the most.
"Miss Greengrass." Snape said contemptuously, once they were all settled in Slughorn's office. "Would you like to explain yourself?"
"I don't have to explain anything. We know that Crabbe has a tendency to molest every student he could get-"
"This is a lie!" Amycus protested, "He has not molested anyone. Are you telling me that you are going to take the words of mudbloods seriously? How do we know that they did not try to win favours from him in return of sexual favours? He is a model student, such allegations are harassment."
"Professor, he molested a first year the first month we were back." Daphne countered.
"That little whore-"
"Amycus." Snape said silkily, "We have been over this. Hold your tongue and let Miss Greengrass finish. Continue Miss Greengrass."
"Crabbe raped Tracey Davis all of last term. From what I understand, Slinker and Cobblepot were involved too and-"
"Preposterous!" Amycus exclaimed. "That Davis girl is just trouble. Such a liar. How could you believe her? Hawthorns have been famous for lying."
"Amycus." Snape snapped, "I don't like repeating myself. Miss Greengrass."
"Tracey got pregnant. She collided with me last night outside a potion's classroom. She looked like someone had beaten her up and she was bleeding. Madam Pompfrey said she was administered with an abortive potion. She was hallucinating last night, I think she was overdosed. She is in the infirmary, unconscious." Daphne explained, shaking her head to get the images out of her head. "I would not have attacked him for raping anyone in this school. But Tracey is one of our own, Professor." She said looking beseechingly at Snape, "You told us in when we joined the House, that Slytherins look after each other. He broke that rule. He attacked and brutalized one of our own."
"What a load of rubbish." Amycus said, with a dismissive wave of his hand. "How do we know that she did not get pregnant by some other low life? She could be using her pregnancy to harass Mr. Crabbe. I say, we give her a week's worth of detention with me. That should teach that Davis girl that lying is not tolerated in this school."
Snape glared at Amycus. "Detention Miss Greengrass." He said, "I will personally supervise your detention. Mr. Nott and you are free to go. Amycus, join me in my office. Now."
Without a second glance Snape swept out of Slughorn's office, with Amycus in tow.
"I have had enough of Vincent Crabbe, Amycus." Snape hissed as soon as he entered his office.
"The Davis girl is lying. She is a mud-"
"For Merlin's sake Amycus!" Snape exclaimed angrily, "You don't fool me. I tolerated all his indiscretions but he attacked one of my students, I am not going to take it lying down. Crabbe would be serving detention, with you in your style. Am I clear?"
"You are thinking of torturing the son of a respect Death Eater, the dark Lord will not be happy." Amycus threatened.
Snape moved forward, towering over the shorter Death Eater, "One of the Dark Lord's most trusted servants. The one who sits right next to him, his right hand man even, is asking you to discipline a young inductee. Do you really want to question that? I believe the Dark Lord would not be happy about it."
Amycus took several steps away from Snape. He gave a begrudging nod before swiftly scampering out of the room.
"That was impressive acting, Severus." Dumbledore's portrait complimented. Snape gave the portrait an angry glare.
"I blame you." He snarled before retiring to his quarters.
AN: So, there you go! One more chapter. We are reaching an end to this one too. It's January already, the war ends in May but lots to do in between. Have fun reading it. Please leave a review, pretty please. Also, don't forget to follow/ favourite this story and me if you haven't already done that.
Happy Reading.
Much love,
The Fishes.