(Here, we will leave JKR's work in HBP, which I tried to blend into my own. We leave her work after their appearance at the gate, and Dumbledore's departure. I do, however, want to give the book credit, even though I changed much of the text.)

Chap. 14: Traveling back to Greenhill, the library, and Voldemort.

Braced, this time, Harry was ready for the side-along apparition, but still found it unpleasant if he wasn't doing it, and at that, he still didn't care for it. When the squeezing pressure disappeared, and he had found himself able to breathe properly again, he and Daphne were standing on a tarmac country lane beside Dumbledore and looking ahead at the gates of Greenhill Manor. In spite of the feeling of dread that had just swept through him, his spirits could not help but lift up at the sight of it. He had returned Daphne home, safe and sound.

"If you don't mind, Harry and Daphne," said Dumbledore, as they walked up to the gate, "I'd like a few words with you before we part. In private, and perhaps here before we announce our arrival?"

"I hope that you will forgive me for mentioning it, Harry, but I am pleased and a little proud at how well you seem to be coping after everything that happened at the Ministry and afterward. Permit me to say that I think that Sirius would have been proud of you, and especially of your acceptance of young Miss Greengrass here."

Harry swallowed; his voice seemed to have now deserted him. He didn't think that he could stand to discuss Sirius. It had been painful enough to hear his uncle say "His godfather's dead?"; and even worse, to hear Sirius's name thrown out casually by Slughorn, but he didn't know any better.

"It was cruel," said Dumbledore softly, "that you and Sirius had such a short time together. It was a brutal ending to what should have been a long and happy relationship."

Harry nodded, his eyes fixed resolutely on one of the gate's brick columns now. He could tell that Dumbledore understood and that he might even suspect that something had now, changed.

"It's just hard," Harry said finally, and in a low voice, "to realize that he won't be writing to me again, or that I won't be seeing him at No. 12."

His eyes suddenly burned, and he blinked as Daphne wrapped her arms around his waist. He felt stupid for admitting it, but the fact that he had someone outside Hogwarts who cared about what happened to him, almost like a parent, had been one of the best things about discovering his godfather…, and now the post owls would never bring him that comfort again…, but he had Daphne, and she did make him very happy.

"Sirius represented much to you that you had never known before," said Dumbledore gently. "Naturally, the loss is devastating…"

"But while I've been at the Dursleys'," interrupted Harry, his voice growing stronger, "I realized that I can't shut myself away or, or, crack up. Sirius wouldn't have wanted that, now, would he? And anyway, life's too short…, look at Madam Bones and Emmeline Vance…, it could be me next, couldn't it, though I'll try to dodge that with Daphne now in my life. But, if it is me," he said fiercely, now looking straight into Dumbledore's blue eyes that were gleaming in the street light, "I'll make sure that Daphne and her family are protected, and that I take as many Death Eaters down with me as possible. You-Know-Who, too, if I can manage it. He and his flunkies crossed the wrong wizard's path when he crossed mine."

"Spoken both like your mother and father's son, and, Sirius's true godson and heir!" said Dumbledore. "I take my hat off to you – or I would if I were not afraid of showering you in the few bugs that have dropped onto it from the tree above.

"And now, Harry, on a closely related subject… I gather that you have been taking the Daily Prophet over the last several weeks?"

"Yes," said Harry, "of course," while wondering where this was leading.

"Then you will have seen that there have been not so much as leaks, but floods concerning your adventure in the Hall of Prophecy?"

"Yes," said Harry again with a sigh. "And now everyone knows that I'm the one –"

"No, they do not," interrupted Dumbledore. "There are only two people in the whole world who know the full contents of the prophecy made about you and Lord Voldemort, and they are both standing here. It is true, however, that many have guessed, correctly, that Voldemort sent his Death Eaters to steal a prophecy, and that the prophecy concerned you.

"Now, I think I am correct in saying that you have not told anybody that you know what the prophecy said?"

"Only to those that I hold dear," Harry said, as he finally wrapped his arms around Daphne as well, and kissed her brow. Of course, Rufus, Gareth, and Cyrus knew as well, but that was none of the headmaster's business.

"A wise decision on the whole," said Dumbledore. "Although, I think you ought to relax it in favor of your friends, Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger. Yes," he continued, when Harry looked to take on a stubborn frown, "I think they ought to know. You do them a disservice by not confiding something this important to them."

When Daphne started to say something, Harry gave her a slight squeeze, and she clammed up.

"I will think on it, Headmaster," Harry replied.

"Also, I wish you to keep your cloak with you at all times, and from this moment onwards. Even within Hogwarts itself. Just in case, you understand me?"

Harry nodded.

"And lastly, while you stay at your aunt's, No. 4 has been given the highest security the Ministry of Magic can provide in a muggle area. These measures have caused a certain amount of inconvenience to Petunia, I'm sure, where all their post, for instance, is being searched at the Ministry before being sent on. The ministry does not mind doing so in the slightest, for their only concern is your family's safety."

"I understand," said Harry quickly. (Partly from Chap. 4, HBP. End of JKR)

"Very well, then," said Dumbledore while turning toward the gate and drive. "I now see a light on at the front, so let us not deprive the Greengrasses any longer of your arrival."

Here, Dumbledore gave Harry and Daphne a slight smile, said "Take care of yourselves," turned on his heel, and disapparated away.

Daphne sighed and dropped her head against Harry's chest for a moment before she stood back, raised herself upon her toes, and gave Harry a gentle kiss.

"Let's head inside to the inquisition, Harry," Daphne said, "as I'm sure Mum and Da' want to hear everything."

"Yea," Harry said, "I was afraid of that."

The two ended their embrace and made their way to the gate, which opened for them over Daphne being with Harry. Here, Harry took Daphne's hand, and the two started making their way up the graveled drive, and by the gatehouse.

"What did you think of Slughorn?" Harry asked. "Did you think he was prejudiced against muggle-borns?"

"No, Harry," Daphne said. "Purebloods, or any that are from our world, start Hogwarts with an advantage. We already know magic, and have studied it, whereas anyone from the muggle side most likely hasn't. That was why he was so surprised about your mother, as she was very smart, and already knew about magic."

"Oh," said Harry. He would have to rethink what he thought about the potion's master.

Next, Harry glanced over at Daphne and smirked. "Before we enter the manor, you need to be read into the program, dear."

"What?" Daphne asked in surprise.

"The Magic Eye paper that you saw, well, I knew all about that, and was lying the entire time, since I am the managing editor, of course."

Daphne stopped dead in her tracks.

"YOU WHAT, NOW?"

Here, Harry only chortled and wrapped his arm around Daphne's back.

"I actually own that paper through a shell company down in the Caribbean, and now employ five people, besides myself. I own the printers and everything through that company, and rent a place at Godric's Hollow as an office."

Here, Daphne crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at Harry while waiting for an explanation.

"Yes, well, you see, dear," Harry said after clearing his throat, "it was the minister and I's plan. It's a smear campaign aimed at You-Know-Who and his little ragtag group of flunkies. It's also Top Secret, and I wanted to bring you in on it. The ministry agrees, and your uncle and father knows."

This was the first time that Harry had witnessed Daphne flummoxed, with her mouth moving, but with nothing being said. He thought it wise not to laugh.

"How long?" Daphne said in a low, and almost hissing voice.

"Er, well, you see, the plan started before we finalized our contract, dear, which is when we set up the shell company. It had to be kept secret, especially over this first run. Didn't you notice anything odd about the date of the premiere issue?"

"Your birthday!"

"Yes," Harry sighed in relief. "I want to have you there beside me, and put good use to that Slytherin brain of yours."

"Who are the employees?"

Here, Harry looked off into the distance. "Bathilda Bagshot, Muriel Prewett, Rita Skeeter, Nymphadora Tonks, and Daniel Davis."

"Tonks and Tracey's brother?"

"Yup, as Tonks is Mildred Knowes or anyone else that I need, and Daniel is our photographer and artist."

"And you have three of the biggest gossip peddlers working for you?"

Harry nodded.

Finally, Daphne snorted, put her hands on her knees, and gave out a very loud and braying guffaw.

"How did you keep it away from my sight?"

"Really," Harry said as he scratched his head, "I simply didn't think about it, so there were no surface thoughts."

"That, darling," Daphne said, "is Occlumency. It's really that simple.

"Why weren't you in Slytherin?"

Now, the couple had started walking again, with Harry having his arm around the young witch, and his hand on Daphne's shoulder.

"Over Malfoy," Harry deadpanned. "I think he's a ponce."

"You're kidding me," Daphne replied.

"No, and since he was sorted before me," Harry explained, "and when the Sorting Hat mentioned to me that I would do great in Slytherin, I told it to put me in Gryffindor."

Daphne gave out another loud laugh at that.

"They seem happy together," Helen said as she watched Daphne and Harry make their way up the drive from the guest room's window.

"Yes," Cyrus said, "and they seem a little close, too!"

"Darling," Helen said, "leave them be, as they will be married before long.

"I'd much rather have them being married as a happy and close couple than not."

"She's still my little girl, Helen," Cyrus commented.

"She always will be, Cyrus," Helen said, "but she will be Harry's wife, too."

Here, Cyrus sighed and made his way to the door. "Shall we make our way downstairs and await their arrival?"

"Yes," Helen said as she took one last look at her daughter, who was now laughing and turned to leave.

When Splodgey opened the manor's front door, Helen and Cyrus noticed Daphne and Harry chortling about something, before they tried to stifle it.

"Well," Helen said, "I see that you two have had a grand time out this evening."

Daphne hugged Helen and smiled. "Yes, we did, Mum, and Horace will be taking his old position back."

"You're a little late, though," Cyrus groused as he looked at his pocket watch.

Harry quickly looked at his wristwatch and saw that it was now nine o'clock.

"I'm sorry, sir," Harry replied. "We tried to leave as quickly as we could."

"Nine's not that late, Cyrus," Helen said. "Now, both of you, come. Let's make our way to the library, and have something to drink, shall we?"

Harry and Daphne followed her parents out of the receiving hall, across the great hall, and into the library, where they found Astoria reading a book at the grand mahogany roll-top desk.

"Finally catching up on your school work for our vacation, Sister, dear?" Daphne asked.

"Oh, hi, Daph," Astoria said without stopping reading. "No, I was studying some new jinxes and hexes for school, especially after that new paper appeared today."

"Why?" Harry asked in surprise before taking a seat at the end of the long burgundy sofa and resting back into the corner against the armrest.

"Oh, hiya, Harry," Astoria said after finally raising her head. "That headline story will have turned many people's ideas upside down, and I imagine that Hogwarts will not be like it once was."

"If they as much as harm a hair on your head," Daphne said after taking a seat very close to Harry, and snuggling up against his chest, where he immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "they will answer to me, and Harry has taught me some rather unpleasant spells for their lot."

"Really?" Astoria said as she noticed how the two were now sitting with each other.

Of course, Helen and Cyrus noticed this too, and when Cyrus started to comment, Helen's glare stopped him.

"What kind of spells, daughter?" Cyrus inquired.

Here, Daphne blushed. "Well, I already knew one of them, the Congelo Testiculis."

Helen gasped, and Cyrus grimaced.

"The other two, well, they are the Vaginae Putisco and Torquent Testiculis."

"Those are curses, Daphne!" Exclaimed Helen.

"I told her that the first of the latter two was for someone like Bellatrix Lestrange," Harry remarked with a yawn, "and the second is for any wizard that would dare to lay an unwanted hand on her."

Cyrus' eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline at this. "I see." Cyrus noticed that Harry didn't seem disturbed by the use of those three spells, either, and that he had his daughter's protection in mind.

"Where did you learn of those, Harry?" Helen asked.

"The Black library," Harry nonchalantly remarked. "It's all mine now, well, both of them. They have two, one at the townhouse and one at the manor."

"Harry, uh," Cyrus said, "would you mind if I had a look through them?"

"I guess," Harry said, "why?"

Here, Harry noticed Cyrus and Helen give each other a quick glance much like he and Daphne did. He also felt Daphne tense up beside him, and he heard Astoria gasp.

"Well, son, you see," Cyrus explained, "the blood disease that killed my brother's daughter, Alcmene, was a blood curse, and it runs in the Greengrass family."

"What?" Harry asked, as he, not noticing, hugged Daphne closer to him.

"It skipped Daphne, but Astoria has it," Helen whispered.

Harry sat there stunned for a moment. "How can I help?"

"Well," Cyrus said, "we've tried everything to find a cure, and have been unlucky so far. The Black family, though, Harry, was always known to have one of the largest libraries on the dark arts, and it was said to hold many rare tomes, which may lead me to find a cure."

"Well, of course, I'll give you full access to both," Harry replied, "but I'll have to be there with you to retrieve some of the books, as many are cursed, and I can only handle them."

Here, Harry looked over the sofa at Astoria, who had her head hung while sniffling. "I'm sorry, Astoria, and I'll help in any way that I can."

"Thanks, Harry," Astoria said in a timid voice. "I think I'll turn in early, Mum, Da', Daph."

Astoria stood, wiped her eyes, and left the library.

Harry didn't know what to say, so silence hung in the air for a few moments.

"Splodgey!" Cyrus finally called.

"What can Splodgey bes getting for Master Cyrus this evening?"

"Splodgey, if you would," Helen cut in, "please bring us tea for four, and bring the good Assam black tea from Darjeeling. Also, please take Astoria a hot chocolate to her room."

"Splodgey will bes beings right back, Mistress!" Here, Splodgey snapped his fingers and disapparated with a slight pop.

Next came one of the longest conversational pregnant pauses in British history, where everyone sat around staring at the other, until the tea was served, and Splodgey had left.

Once Daphne made Harry's tea and sweetened it the way he wanted it, he took a sip.

"Hmmmm, that's quite nice, to be honest!"

"High in caffeine, though," Daphne remarked, as she sat back against Harry with hers. "Mum and Da' must want to keep you awake."

"Daphne!" Helen scolded, only to make their daughter smirk.

"It's all right, Helen," Harry said, "as I am very tired after everything today. I didn't make it to bed until very late and woke at seven. I'm running on fumes."

"Was it about your project?" Cyrus asked, and took a sip of his tea.

"Yes," Harry said, as he closed his eyes for a moment while he began running his fingers through Daphne's hair.

"You knew?" Daphne asked.

"Of course I did," Cyrus said with a smirk of his own. "How do you think it went, Harry?"

"Won't know what the fallout will be until tomorrow," Harry replied, his eyes still closed. "However, I'd bet that You-Know-Who would be pulling his hair out right now if he had any."

Daphne let out another unlady-like snort for the evening, causing Harry to smile.

This began a discussion about a retelling of The Magic Eye and the birthday party, which ended when they noticed that Harry had dozed off with his arm still around Daphne.

Voldemort was seething in anger after the Carrows brought in a copy of The Magic Eye that evening, which they had obtained just outside the Hogshead.

Narcissa and Draco, who were also sitting at the long dining table, kept their heads bowed as Voldemort clutched the paper tightly in his fists as he read.

"My Lord," Bellatrix simpered, "It's only the mudbloods and blood traitors spreading their lies again!"

Voldemort, though, didn't say anything and kept reading.

This went on for another few minutes until Bellatrix tried, again.

"There is nothing to be upset about, my Lord! Nobody will believe any of it!"

Finally, Voldemort snapped, and roared out,"ENOUGH BELLA!"

Bellatrix leaned back in her chair as Voldemort launched himself up, wand in his hand, which he aimed at the large stone-mullioned window to his right. A bright red curse leaped from his wand, which not only destroyed the window but took part of the wall along with it.

Finally, Voldemort turned to sneer at everyone, before he turned on his heel and apparated.

A/N: I hope that everyone receives this chapter this time. Again, thanks for all the reviews!