Chapter 10 – The Marauder's Map
Halloween the first year ever for Harry passed without incident giving rise to the Hogsmeade weekend that followed. Like before he and Daphne spent the day looking at shops, buying things they needed for classes, buying sweets to curb the cravings, basically having a good time as a rising exclusive couple. Harry as he promised told her how he knew where the Slytherin common room, about his tale of the year before where Hermione whipped a batch of Polyjuice Potion to impersonate Crabbe, Goyle, and Millicent Bulstrode, to interrogate Malfoy about the heir of Slytherin.
"I was wondering why Goyle looked like he actually had a brain in his head that evening," Daphne giggled.
"So you saw us?" Harry asked.
Daphne smiled and nodded, "You might have gotten the voices down but not the mannerisms, thankfully Malfoy was too thick to realize that. What happened to Hermione?" Harry then told her about how Hermione accidently mixed a cat hair into the potion. "Oh dear," Daphne gasped. "I guess Madam Pomphrey never asked why Hermione was a cat."
Harry shrugged, "She did we just told her Hermione jumped a head a bit to becoming an Animagus. That was what Hermione used anyway I didn't know you needed a potion at the time to become one."
Daphne just shook her head her smile still warm and inviting something Harry felt like he was taking for granted, they've had a few arguments mostly involving school work aside from that their relationship was running surprisingly smooth. He wanted to ask someone if that was considered normal, after all he had very little to go on with female role models. The only ones he could construed as normal would be his godmother and Molly Weasely, as his Aunt Petunia smothered and spoiled Dudley rotten, McGonagall was way past her prime in terms of showing romantic interests in anyone. He felt he needed someone who knew what the difference was; he stopped blinking then mentally slapping himself. He knew who to ask if his romantic interest with Daphne was normal or not.
The two had lunch at the Three Broomsticks meeting up with Blaise, Tracey, and Neville, who looked both embarrassed and happy. Harry noted that Ron and Hermione wasn't present but felt they were probably at the library getting Ron caught on his History essay that would be due in a month. Harry was doing his own research using what books he had in the Potter-Perevell vault, Marie had told him there was a set of books locked in a cabinet that she wasn't able to open and suspected it needed blood from him to open it. So he went with what he had, mostly meant reading the books that saw Merlin as this mythic hero of Wizard kind betrayed by his lover, which never seemed to sit right with him.
"What's wrong Harry?" Daphne asked noting his face was looking frustrated.
Harry rubbed the tip of his nose thoughtfully, "Did you ever feel like the stories we read about Merlin were fabricated like the ones about me?"
Daphne had read the rubbish about what Harry supposedly did after he defeated Voldemort, and it was laughable especially after finding out the truth. She thought about what Harry meant with Merlin's stories they never seemed right to her either, and a part of her was downright offended at Morgana's portrayal in the myths and legends she was even more annoyed that most naturally assume she was bad from the start. "Yes, most of the stories were made nearly hundred years after his death, the first being Godric Gryffindor's account near the end of his life when he's suffering from various mind affecting ailments. Why do you ask?"
The boy just shrugged not really sure why until an image popped into his mind, "No real reason I just think it's strange that there is so little about Merlin and even less about Morgana."
Daphne nods, "Yeah, been driving myself mental trying to find information on her for my essay, all I get is she showed up one day, coerced Merlin into loving her and teaching her magic, she shags her half-brother gives birth to a son who turns around and launches a war that ends the Pendragon line creating a power vacuum for nearly a thousand years. No details about her before her rise to power, only details on how beautiful she was and how dark she was, and none of it was from Gryffindor, he never uttered a single word about her, right maddening."
Harry chuckled running his hand along her shoulders, "Still going to be an O essay though, you're always brilliant."
The blonde haired girl blushed leaning in and resting her head in the crook of his arm, at that moment she felt that she wanted to reveal her Patronus to him, to show that she would always be his, just as he would always be hers but it was her fears that kept her from doing so, fears that she would be rejected even though to this point there was no sign of such rejection. Images of a long forgotten battlefield and of her blasting apart knights in silver armor, as a man in blue robes appeared before, the woman she was in that image felt a deep hope and even deeper sorrow. It was this sorrow Daphne felt was blocking her from showing Harry how much she felt for him. "You okay?" came his question.
"Yes just a bit tired, we have done a lot today," Daphne stated hiding the sadness in her voice. A few moments later the couple got up and left heading back to Hogwarts. Harry escorted Daphne back to the Slytherin entrance to her common room; he stood there a moment after giving her a kiss on the cheek looking a bit confused at her reactions. With a confused mental shrug he decided to seek out answers to a question about the normalcy of his romantic feelings from someone he thought knew a bit about it. Heading to toward the professor's office he was grabbed by two distinct people as they looked exactly alike and took great joy in that fact. "Fred, George what are you two doing, I'm on way to see Professor Black."
"Give us a minute, dear Harrikins," George stated.
"Yeah we got something we want to show you," Fred followed up.
Harry looked confused, "Look I'm sure your quite loving people but I just don't bat for the other team," he smirked.
"Ha, good one Harry for a five year old," George snickered.
"But that's not why we're here, see we have a method to our success in mischief making that could benefit you," Fred snorted.
"A way to keep track of your lovely Miss Greengrass when she's stuck in the Snake's Den," George followed.
"How'd you know I'm worried about her?" Harry asked.
"Please Harry your face can really write books on expressions," George smiled.
Fred shrugged, "Besides wouldn't be good teammates if we let our Seeker get distracted cause that git Malfoy is accosting her and you have no way of knowing. Therefore no way for you to hex his bits if he tries to make a move."
Harry narrowed his eyes, "Has he tried?"
"Once or twice that we know of since beginning of term both times, Davis and Zabini were present," George stated.
Harry nods, "okay what is your secret?"
XXX
Narcissa Black spent most of her free day having a nice late lay in, showering, then enjoying a nice breakfast with the rest of the staff. She then asked to accompany Yugi to Hogsmeade for some more parchment and owl a few old school friends she lost touch with when she married Lucius. She found Yugi's company to be rather pleasant afterward for someone six years younger than herself he was amazingly wise in the ways of magic that she never believed possible, his only odd quirk was using a bunch of strange cards, powerful cards with spells strong enough to even reflect the Killing curse. She picked his brain on Ancient Egyptian magic as it seemed to be an area of expertise for him. He was night and day more refreshing than Lucius ever had been, he talked about magic as though it was a passion and not a tool to be used for one's own ends. She was a bit intimidated by him though and more than a little jealous at his aide who was bouncy, giggly, and cheerful reminding her a little of her niece Nymphadora. Wincing slightly thinking of her niece immediately got her thinking about her eldest sister Andromeda, she vowed to visit her sister and make amends, she already lost one family member, she would curse Merlin before losing another.
Making her way back to her office after a lovely time she found the head of House Black standing at the door to her classroom, "Lord Potter-Black what do I owe the honor?"
"Please Professor, it's just Harry outside of class," Harry smiled weakly.
Narcissa nodded a smiled playing her features, "What can I do for you?"
Harry entered the classroom looking a bit pensive, "Um, Narcissa is it normal for wizard and witches to develop feelings toward each other before reaching the age of maturity?"
Narcissa blinked a few times before sitting down on one of the desks ironically it was Harry's. "Most witches and wizard develop faster than say muggles therefore they develop feelings for a member of the fairer sex faster as well. Though I'm not one to judge I was forced into my marriage with Lucius and did not love him, I'm also disgusted at Draco's behavior but his father has always had more influence on him than I ever did."
Harry sat on the desk across from Narcissa, "Did you have someone you were attracted to?"
Narcissa nodded her gaze drifting to the floor, "A good man Amelia Bones's brother he eventually married had Susan, was killed by the dark lord. We dated during our time here, shortly after graduation was when my life dictated to me, my mother forced me to marry Lucius or be disowned like my sister Andromeda. I had no choice at the time but to break off my relationship.
"Sounds like your mom was a tyrant," Harry stated.
Narcissa smiled, "Accurate description Harry, two people openly defied her, my eldest sister and my cousin Sirius. I suppose he wanted to stick it to my mother when he was named you his heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, including annulling my marriage and restoring Andromeda to the family, I can guess mother's portrait is screaming bloody murder right now."
"So romances in the magical world are a bit faster than in the muggle world," Harry stated trying to get back on topic though he was intrigued by house matters.
Narcissa nods, "It's not hard to find many betrothal contracts carried out before the fifth year at Hogwarts, Frank and Alice Longbottom broke the record by marrying in their fourth year," she smiled. "Talk of the school for nearly two years."
Harry's eyes widen, "Neville's parents married when they were fourteen?"
"Quite, they were smitten with each other for years before that, their parents made sure the two spent all their time together growing up, which is usually what occurs. I wasn't that lucky, mother gave me to Lucius and gave Bellatrix to Rudolphus, but I bet she rather spread her legs to the dark lord than her husband," the blonde haired shuddered. "Never could see what they see in him."
"They fear him nothing more or less and they believe in his ideals even though they're being hypocritical," Harry stated softly.
"What do you mean?' Narcissa asked looking confused.
"Voldemort," Harry started watching the older woman flinch, "Is a half-blood, I don't know all the details probably need to talk to Professor Dumbledore in the near future about it. But he started here at Hogwarts like any other student, his name was Tom Marvolo Riddle, if you rearrange his name like an anagram you get I am Lord Voldemort. He was a Slytherin, a prefect, and Head Boy, he was also the one responsible for opening the Chamber of Secrets both times."
Flinching again at Harry stating Voldemort name she was surprised at her Head of houses investigative abilities and impressed. "Why did you wish to talk about romantic situations, are you and Lady Greengrass not progressing?"
"We are I just feel like she puts up a barrier like she wants to go further but something is stopping her," Harry stated rubbing his forehead.
"Things will work out Harry, let her work this at her own pace pushing it only cause's resentment," Narcissa stated. "It's why I'm taking my time finding a new man," she giggled.
With a nod Harry excuses himself and heads to his dorm room, sitting down in his bed he brought out a piece of brown parchment, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he recited and markings began to appear, having seen it earlier when George and Fred showed him he was amazed at the detail. However he focused on the dungeon area and the Slytherin dorms where he saw the name D. Greengrass hovering over her bed with T. Davis next to her. He silently wondered what they were talking about as he scanned for other people, he spotted Y. Moto in his office with Arcana and Mana hovering nearby no doubt going over next week's lessons. S. Snape was hovering around in his office, same with most of the over teachers. He was scanning over the map and briefly caught a glimpse of a name he thought was miles away or at the very dead P. Pettigrew. He waited a few seconds where he thought name had disappeared before shaking his head thinking he imagined it going back to watching D. Greengrass.
XXX
Tracey watched her longtime friend in quiet agony as said friend sobbed into her pillow, "Daph what's wrong? Did Harry do something?"
Daphne shook her head wiping her eyes, "Harry is wonderful like he always is, it's just I-I can't stop being cowardly, I want to reach out and grasp him claim him as mine," she stated looking down at her hands as if she never seen them before. "Above all I want to show him my Patronus show him that it's mastered and that it is an elegant doe to his noble stag," she eyes began to water again. "I don't know what to do it's like I'm facing this huge bloody wall."
Tracey got up and walked over to her friend giving her a hug, "You'll get pass this if you truly love Harry, you'll get pass this wall probably blasting it to bits, you'll push him into a broom closet and snog him until your both good and breathless."
"Wish I had you confidence," Daphne stat mournfully, "Or Pansy you here her dad changed her marriage contract from Malfoy to Terry Boot, something about no money in Malfoy's account at Gringotts."
Tracey giggled and nodded, "Poor Malfoy not a penny to his name save what's in his trust vault and one word out of line around Harry, poof goodbye trust money. If it was anyone else Malfoy would be leaving Hogwarts by Christmas."
Daphne smile was faint but she nodded, "I know," she sighed standing and pacing focusing on her fears pushing them to the forefront to give them voice. Why am I afraid? A whisper in her mind states she didn't deserve him or his line. Why don't I deserve him, he's friendly, welcoming, has never asked me to be more than I am. Whispers of doubt, that she'll betray him, that she'll go dark. Never, who are you, why do you torment me? The whispers vanish and now she knew what was wrong. "I've been hexed or something."
"You're positive?" Tracey asked.
Daphne turned to her friend her face grim and looking upset, "I'm not sure but it does make some sense doesn't it, a wall of fear and anxiety blocking my true feelings, I'm getting whispers of doubts in my head making feel like I'm off my rocker. I confront these whispers and they stop, something or someone is messing with my heart."
"Well if that's the case we need to talk to Professor Moto, don't we," Tracey stated she then smirked. "Besides gives me more chances to ogle him."
Daphne's eyes widen, "Tracey he's a teacher, that isn't right."
"I never said I'd ask him out, just said I get to ogle him, big difference lets me compare," Tracey giggled. "Neville still the best choice for me, might slip to dad that he can arrange something this summer." Daphne simply groaned shaking her head looking at the time to see if the two had enough time to talk to the professor before curfew.
"We'll have to wait till tomorrow," Daphne sighed getting dressed in her nightgown just as Millicent and Pansy appeared. Tracey nodded to her friend before glancing side long at her other two dorm mates.
XXX
Harry yawned noting that both Daphne and Tracey's movements had still indicating they had gone to bed, "Mischief Managed," he folded up the map slipping into his trunk and locking it with a specialty rune lock keyed to his magical signature, before taking off his glasses and sliding into the bed deciding tomorrow he would spend some time with his future sister-in-law.
Author's Note: I feel I need pump these out like crazy right so I don't stall or lose interest which has been happening a lot so expect me to probably pump these out till it's done. As for the little thing involving Daphne having trouble admitting her feelings for Harry is central to the final climax in the story so please be patient, it's well worth the wait.