Rise of Nation

Chapter 2

Memoirs of A Slytherin

A Nation is Born not Through Money but by Sweat and Blood

Three weeks previously

Daphne turned to Blaise and nodded.

"I'm fairly certain that those two Hufflepuffs know more than they let on. They rarely speak to boys for a reason and it's not because they swing the other way." Daphne whispered.

"Well, we could contact them. After all, I'm not too fond of being engaged to Miss Deathy. I'm willing to take the risk." Zabini whispered.

"Bulstrode is such a pig." Daphne agreed with a sniff.

"Gotta love politics." Blaise agreed with a disgusted whisper.

"So how should we go about it?" Daphne asked.

Blaise frowned.

"Why do I always have to come up with the plans?" He smirked.

"Because I'm too busy plotting and confusing the rest of our 'esteemed' house. I do my best to make sure that they're ineffectual as much as possible. Infighting, a little bit of blackmail…Well, you get the idea." Daphne replied with an arrogant air.

"Only one you can't control is Dray." Blaise and even Daphne snickered.

"I'm still pretty sure he bats for the other team." Daphne huffed.

It was still a sore subject for the Slytherin ice queen that she hadn't been able to control Draco. Of course, all the 'blackmail' that she accumulated in regards to Draco would seem to vanish; no Draco was too well protected. Malfoy Sr. saw to that.

With that Daphne prodded Blaise and he nodded after a long moment.

"I'll go ahead and contact them. If we can get them on our side we might have a chance."

"I still believe that we need to get Lovegood in on this too." Daphne replied.

"Loony? She'd make things too tough I think." Blaise replied.

"I hear Potter has a bleeding heart. If need be she could be a great asset and we'd be able to come up with some…mutually beneficial agreements." Daphne smirked.

"That's easy enough. We protect her and she helps us."

Daphne nodded in agreement.

"Still, who would have thought that two of the highest ranking Slytherins would be conspiring to become friendly with 'Dark Lord Stomper Potter'?" Daphne grinned.

"Where did THAT name come from?" Blaise asked with a snicker.

"I overheard a Hufflepuff cooing about how manly, and awesome Harry Potter is." Daphne replied.

"Anyone I know?"

"Yeah, but I don't think you want to approach him."

"Wait…him?" Blaise said hesitantly.

"Most of the 'Puffs think he's gay."

"That's rather…shocking." Blaise admitted.

It truly was. However, as long as he would eventually produce an heir his family wouldn't care either way.

At that the bell rang and the combined students began to make their way to their next class. For the fourth year Slytherins and Hufflepuffs it was Herbology.

"Uh oh, we better hurry. Blaise go talk to those 'Puffs. I'll go deal with Sprout." Daphne promised.

"Alright." Blaise agreed as he made his way to secretly intercept the Hufflepuff girls.

And thus the alliance between the students to connect with Harry Potter was born. While Susan never mentioned who had the 'ins' to discover where Harry sat on the Merlin index it was Blaise Zabini who had an older brother on the committee.

After that meeting between Bones, Abbot, Potter, and Granger ended Blaise and Daphne sighed in relief and vowed to meet the Gryffindors at the edges of the wards. They were already hated by the so called 'leaders of the light' because they were Slytherins. Thus, making them perfect for initial guidance of their not so distant future king.

That was one thing that the Hufflepuffs hadn't been told. They were planning put the young man on the throne. A young nation that was born from the magic of their king. Powerful, symbolic, pure. It was written in ancient magic. To create a country from nothing. The land would bind itself to the blood of the one who gave birth to said land, and thus as their leaders blood flourished so would their nation. It was much like the legends of the mighty King Arthur. Naturally, this was a magic only known to a few pureblood families. The Greengrasses were one such family.

Ever since she had been a little girl she dreamed of a mighty king who would raise his nation from the void, and give her the right to choose whom she would marry. Of course, it went without saying that nine times out of ten she married the one who created his kingdom.

After all, deep down, every girl wanted their prince in shining armor.

However, as Daphne grew older she conceded that she would simply be happy being unwed and ninety years old if it meant that she would be able to choose whom she would give herself to.

As she entered Hogwarts her dreams began to take form and shape into hope. Her hope became known as the boy-who-lived. At first she had been skeptical. He was a scrawny, tiny thing. Meek and nervous. He didn't fit the profile for a powerful wizard, let alone a great leader. But, she watched nevertheless and her first indication that he was indeed her hope was born when she heard whispers that he boldly jumped on the back of a mountain troll. Smart? Maybe not, but brave certainly.

Her second year gave her more valuable knowledge about Harry Potter and it was then that she learned that he typically was soft spoken, but had a will of steel and more than ample magic.

He proved at least physical prowess by slaying a basilisk. That secret was really hard to ferret out and she actually had to break into the headmaster's office and speak to the sorting hat to find out. She had to call in several favors to pull that one off.

Third year she called in more favors but gained the last critical piece of knowledge she needed to confirm that he was able. The Slytherin Ice Queen had to demean herself and give a ridiculously bookish Ravenclaw a kiss to find out that Harry had indeed driven off one hundred Dementors.

While the bookworm walked on a cloud for a week afterwards he was smart enough to not tell anyone that she had kissed him. Who would have believed him anyways?

The boy had been a terrible kisser on top of that.

Not that she had a lot of experience but she was pretty certain that wiggling as much as he did wasn't a sign of a decent kisser.

With that she pushed those thoughts out of her mind and focused on the four figures approaching.

The night was young, but still late enough that they couldn't get caught.

"Daphne, you plan on being the guide?" Hannah said with only a little surprise.

"If that's okay with Mr. Potter. I was also hoping that Blaise would be able to accompany us." She said respectfully.

"I think the fewer people who go the better." Harry whispered.

Blaise nodded after a long moment.

"I'd have to agree. Besides, I'll stay here and hold the fort down in the Slytherin sector until all of our allies are ready to leave." Blaise said.

"You're going to stay?" Daphne asked in a betrayed tone.

"It'll be easier on Mr. Potter I think if there's only one of us snakes with him. Two's a little more dangerous." Blaise said dryly as he departed back to the common room.

Daphne sighed in disappointment.

She knew she had to trust Potter but, all the same…He was still a boy and it was magical England.

With only a moment's hesitation however, she strengthened her resolve and led Harry Potter and Hermione Granger out of the front doors. There was no need to use a secret path; in fact she was pretty sure they were better guarded. And so within a few minutes she led them outside of Hogwarts wards.

"Dally!" Daphne whispered.

"You called Miss Greenie?" The house elf announced quietly after a muffled crack.

"Get us to Tintagel ruins, there's something I need to pick up, then take us to Stonehenge." Daphne whispered.

"Certainly Miss Greenie." The house elf saluted and a few seconds later Harry, Hermione and Daphne found themselves inside of the ruined castle.

There wasn't much left of the castle Harry noted clinically as he observed the first traces of stars through the gaping holes in the ceiling.

"The birthplace of Arthur. Everyone knows who he was." Daphne whispered reverently.

She drew her wand and saluted a pile of rubble in the center of the ruined hall.

"Hail King Arthur. While we leave our homeland we shall never forget you." Daphne whispered as she finished her salute.

The air itself felt sacred and precious and so Harry found himself following Daphne's lead. The two Gryffindor's saluted the pile in honor.

While they did so Daphne was moving a pile of stones away.

"Here it is." Daphne whispered in reverence as she gently lifted a small box out of a forgotten secret storage space.

It was a moldy box, falling apart; just being held together by the gold edges. The rotting wood box was merely a few inches long and a few inches tall. Much smaller than even half of a square foot.

Harry turned to Hermione who merely shrugged in confusion.

"Alright, we can go to Stonehenge now, but be careful." Daphne addressed the elf.

"Yes Miss Greenie." The elf saluted again and a moment later they found themselves on an ancient hill.

Daphne turned to the two of them before she began to speak in a soft melodic tone. Magical, ancient, and powerful. Harry was enthralled. He didn't understand her words, all he knew that it was a forgotten tongue, even more ancient than Latin or Greek.

Suddenly she let out a cry in old English.

Hermione seemed to be feverishly trying to translate Daphne's words but was unable to before she turned to Harry.

"Now, focus on your land. Do you see it?" She asked.

Harry closed his eyes, and a vivid picture of lush forests, a few proud mountains, and saw both gentle and swift rivers. He saw a pure land, unspoiled; he saw a gentle beachhead that was accessible from the southern tip of the land. He saw an outcropping where a bastion for learning, for protection could be built. He saw rich valleys and his heart swelled as he saw a land that was everything a man could dream of.

Harry nodded slowly.

"Good now, focus your magic. Pour your intentions into your command." She ordered.

Harry didn't know how he understood but he did. He began to gather up his magic, his mind, and his will united behind him.

"Now, pull on the seafloor, a safe distance away from the shores. Make it gradual, as though no force can stop its rising, and only your will makes it safe." She said gently.

Harry's brow was covered in sweat, yet as the world trembled beneath him he felt more and more power flow from him. It was as an inferno. His body burned.

"Hold it together Harry. That's good. We shall do more tomorrow." Daphne said with a smile.

Yet, Harry felt unable to move, magic continued to pour from him and a silent maelstrom of power whipped around him.

"Harry?" Daphne's smile faded.

"I…I can't stop." Harry said weakly.

"You have to. If you don't-" Daphne stated nervously.

"I didn't say I didn't want to." Harry replied as his magic surged.

"What?" Daphne gasped.

"What's happening to Harry?" Hermione asked shrilly.

"I don't know." Daphne admitted as tears rolled down her face.

She was in a panic. That much was evident.

Harry murmured, and a moment more the surface of the ocean shattered, waves rolled in and crashed against the beach and as Harry's vision faded he could see more, and more land rising.

What….Did I manage...to do…?

Harry knew no more as Hermione and Daphne began to cradle him.

He wouldn't awaken for a full day.

For those wondering...I cut my hand badly at work at the end of April and only now is my hand starting to heal enough to type even a bit...Updates will be slow until I get full range of motion back and it doesn't hurt to type. (I hate voice transcription...)

This is a story I have in backlog so... (It has about 7 more chappies.)

Sorry if I didn't respond to reviews from last chapter...I'll get back to responding ASAP.

Sincerely,

Defender Paladin