Chapter Seventeen – Starting a New School Year
Death had come to Hogwarts.
Or so it seemed to Harry as he and Daphne watched the events unfold on the borders of the castle grounds. Hundreds of Dementors floated past them at a distance, but the effect of these sinister creatures, of which Harry had only heard, was still clearly felt.
It was like despair dressed in dark robes. Like an emptiness that filled everything around you. It was like a coldness that ate into your heart and bones, sucking out all happiness.
Daphne leaned against him. She shook her head. "This is... uncomfortable."
"Yes," Harry agreed.
"Absolutely unbearable."
Harry looked at her. In that moment he had made a decision and shared it with her. "We must learn to defend ourselves against them. I will not rely on the goodwill of these monsters. I will not trust them not to attack us, no matter what the Ministry says."
"This is very advanced magic, Harry."
"It hasn't stopped us before, has it?"
Daphne gave him a brief smile. "But it's also magic I'm not that familiar with," she said. "You remember how difficult I found, say, the Cheering Charm."
"How fortunate that we know an expert in fighting dark creatures who feels the need to make amends with me. Looks like we may be able to put your idea into action sooner than we thought."
Harry meant Remus Lupin, of course. He still didn't know what to make of their new teacher. He was... a weak man. The way he had broken down after Black's betrayal and the death of his parents, the way he had fled, fled from the memories and the responsibility.
He could have helped me, Harry thought. He could have been there for me. He should have been there for me. If he really loved my parents as much as he said he did, he wouldn't have let their son suffer.
But that was in the past. There's no point crying over spilt milk, or in his case, ten years of misery and a childhood without love. But there was no point in letting the past shackle him, in letting it dictate how he should live his life. Everything that had happened, everything he had experienced, had made him who he was today, but it would not determine his future.
That was also what he had told Lupin when he had trusted him with his life, the whole sad story. Surprisingly, it had taken Lupin the most effort to tell him that he was a werewolf, as if he had expected that to be the news that would turn Harry against him. But what did he care if Lupin was a werewolf? It didn't matter. It didn't matter at all. It wasn't something he had chosen, and only a person's choices mattered.
But how was he to deal with Lupin now? How should he face him? If his parents hadn't died, or at least if Lupin hadn't fled, he would probably have become a very important person in his life, almost like an uncle. But Lupin had lost that chance because of his choices in the past. But what would that mean for the future? Only time could tell.
Daphne, of course, saw the whole thing much more pragmatically, as usual. "Your feelings are what they are, Harry," she had told him. "And nobody can force you to do anything. But who knows, maybe Lupin can still be useful to us one day..."
And that moment of usefulness seemed to have arrived.
Daphne raised one of her dark eyebrows. "Well, that could be interesting."
And so the two teenagers made their way back to the castle. In the entrance hall they met Filch, who was scrubbing the floor with a mop in a dull, mechanical motion, presumably to make it spick and span for the start of the new term tomorrow.
Tomorrow Hogwarts would be full of students again and Harry could hardly wait. It had been a great summer, the best of his life, but somehow he missed the magical atmosphere of life, excitement and wonder that filled the castle when it was allowed to be what it was built to be. A school and a home for young witches and wizards.
Harry and Daphne walked past Filch without looking at him, and he didn't look at them either, not even when they stepped onto the still damp floor. Head down, eyes blank, he just kept on scrubbing the floor with the mop.
"Pathetic," Daphne muttered quietly.
Harry couldn't bring himself to agree.
They soon reached the third floor and knocked on Lupin's office door.
"Come in," a voice said from inside.
Harry and Daphne entered and Harry stopped in surprise as the office was unrecognisable. Only a month ago it had been completely empty except for a table, two chairs, an empty shelf and a lot of dust, but now the shelf was full of books and on the walls were more shelves of books, jars, parchment scrolls and some buzzing magical instruments that Harry had only a vague idea what they were for. Under the ceiling of the room were some glowing round objects, and it took Harry a moment to recognise them as the Sun, the Moon and the planets of the solar system. They were moving, no doubt in harmony with the real celestial bodies, so that their position in relation to each other could be checked at any time. The position of one particular celestial body in particular, Harry guessed, and his gaze lingered for a moment on the silvery image of the moon above their heads.
There was an atmosphere of knowledge in the room. Harry looked forward to the new Defence class that awaited them, now that they finally seemed to have a competent teacher in the subject.
"Ah, Harry, Daphne, good afternoon to you both," Lupin said, sitting behind his desk and smiling kindly at them. It was almost amazing what a month's rest and good food could do for a person. And a reliable supply of Wolfsbane Potion. At least Snape was useful for something. But as recovered as Lupin looked, the scars and lines on his face were still unmistakable, and Harry didn't think anything would change about the latter, at least as long as Black was still at large.
"Professor, we –"
"Please clean your shoes before you go any further," Lupin interrupted. "Have you been walking on the edge of the forest again?"
Harry looked down, and sure enough, both his and Daphne's shoes were full of dark soil, and it was indeed soil from the Forbidden Forest. Daphne was convinced that the life power of real animals was stronger than that of conjured ones. But alas, they had found no animal, no rabbit, no deer, no wild boar. It was as if the animals of the forest had given them a wide berth.
"Of course, sorry," he said. "Evanesco."
"Evanesco," Daphne repeated.
After cleaning their shoes, they entered the office and sat down in the chairs in front of Lupin's desk. He gave them a curious look. "So, to what do I owe the honour of your visit?"
"We're here to learn how to defend ourselves against Dementors," Harry said.
Lupin nodded. "Ah yes, I can see why that seems important to you. And it doesn't just seem important, it is important, I'm afraid. I was against putting Dementors on the borders of Hogwarts..." Lupin sighed before looking at them again with full attention. "This is very advanced magic. It goes far beyond what most witches and wizards ever learn."
"We know that, and we're prepared for it," Harry said.
Daphne gave him a knowing smile.
"You've already read up on this, I take it?" asked Lupin.
"Of course," Daphne replied. "The only way to defend yourself against Dementors is to use the Patronus Charm. It creates a positive energy force in the form of a protector, and it's powered by thinking of a pleasant memory while casting the spell."
"A textbook answer, and theoretically correct. But you must not just think of the memory. You must feel the power of that memory within you. In your heart. It must fill you completely. It is, as some say, magic in its purest, most sublime form, and thus the antithesis of what is commonly called the Dark Arts."
Harry saw and felt Daphne about to click her tongue, but she controlled herself. Instead she said, "Can you help us learn it?"
"Yes, I can," Lupin said.
"Right now?" asked Harry.
"We can start now, but don't get any false hopes that you'll master the spell perfectly this afternoon. It takes time, even for wizards as talented as you two. I'm afraid, from what the others have told me, this will probably be a rather unique experience for you."
"Then we shouldn't waste any time," Harry said, drawing his wand. Next to him, Daphne did the same.
"As you wish," Lupin said. "The incantation, as I'm sure you already know, is Expecto Patronum. And as you cast the spell, you must think with all your might of your happy memory. I will give you a moment to choose one."
Harry searched his mind for a happy memory. Of course, nothing he had experienced with the Dursleys came into question. Finally, he settled on the moment when Hagrid had handed him his Hogwarts letter.
"Good," he said, trying as best he could to remember the wonderful feeling of that time.
"Very good. Have you got anything, Daphne?"
"Yes."
"Very good. Now then, the incantation is, as I said, Expecto Patronum. Now, on the count of three. One, two, three."
"Expecto Patronum."
"Expecto Patronum."
Suddenly something came out of the tip of Harry's wand. It looked like a beam of translucent silvery mist, the kind you might see over the Great Lake on some mornings. He glanced at Daphne, whose black wand also emitted a translucent silver mist. But disappointment was written all over her face.
"This is a Patronus?" she asked.
"It's a start, and a sign that the magic has already worked," Lupin said. "With more practice, the magic will become more powerful, don't worry. And it depends on the memory you use, of course. Which memory did you use, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I do mind," Daphne replied.
Lupin looked surprised, but quickly got himself under control. "Of course," he said calmly. "Such memories can be very personal. But are you sure the memory is strong enough?"
"Let that be my problem," Daphne replied.
Harry wasn't really surprised by his best friend's behaviour. Daphne always wanted to master a spell as quickly as possible, but her faint mist still seemed very, very far from the Patroni whose images they had seen in the books. But he was also interested in which memory Daphne had used. He would ask her later.
"Would you like to tell me about the memory you used, Harry?" asked Lupin.
"I was thinking about the moment Hagrid told me I was a wizard."
A shadow flitted across Lupin's face for a moment. Then he cleared his throat. "Ah, yes, that must have been an important moment for you. But tell me, did you really feel happy?"
"What do you mean, Professor?"
"You had no idea who you were before, did you? Your relatives never told you, right?"
Harry nodded hard. That had been the case.
"So it was an important experience, no doubt," Lupin said. "But weren't you confused? I know I would have been very confused anyway. Overwhelmed, shocked, maybe even a little scared if my whole life had changed completely from one moment to the next."
"I wasn't scared," Harry said firmly.
Lupin chuckled. "I don't doubt that. I mean, were you really happy at that moment? Happier than you've ever been in your life?"
Harry had to admit that this was probably not the case. In retrospect, he saw that moment as his liberation, but at the time he had been mostly confused, as Lupin had said. And so he shook his head.
"Do you perhaps have another memory you can use?" asked Lupin.
Harry searched his memories again. When had he been truly happy? When had his heart swelled so much that his wings could have encompassed the whole world?
Only one moment came to mind. When he had completed his Animagus transformation and had been able to help Daphne in the Chamber of Secrets fight the Basilisk. That had felt damn good.
"Yeah," he said. "Let's try it again."
"All right. Daphne?"
"Let's do it," Daphne said firmly.
"Okay. On three."
Harry closed his eyes. He remembered the feeling of everything inside him rising up, like a bird in a cage trying to break out of its prison. He remembered the heat, the blazing heat that had filled him, that had swelled inside him, sweeping away like a firebrand everything that had held him back before, all his fears, his doubts, his worries.
"One."
He remembered how it had felt when his body had changed, when the feathers had sprouted and the arms had become wings. He could almost feel it, so strongly did he think of it. How the air had glided through his feathers and how wonderful it had felt to take to the skies for the first time.
"Two."
But most of all, he remembered how it had felt when he had managed to distract the Basilisk long enough for Daphne to escape. After all she had given him, he had finally been able to give something back in that moment. Not that it was about give and take between them... what bound him to Daphne went far beyond that. They had each other's backs, no matter what happened, no matter what the world would do to them. They would always be there for each other, just as they had sworn to each other before Christmas when they had mixed their blood.
We really like blood, don't we? Harry thought with an inner grin.
"Three."
"Expecto Patronum."
"Expecto Patronum."
Harry felt a comforting warmth take hold of him. His hand tingled and his wand vibrated slightly. He opened his eyes as silver wisps of mist rose from the tip of his wand, much stronger and denser than the first time.
He looked at Daphne, who was beaming with delight as similar wisps of mist emerged from her wand, enveloping her face in a bright, angelic glow. It looked so unusual that Harry started to laugh. Daphne's amber eyes flashed, as if to challenge him, but her smile broadened, and at that moment she seemed to Harry even more beautiful and graceful than usual.
"Yes, very good, both of you!" said Lupin. "That is an impressive achievement, especially at your age. Of course, it would be quite different if you had to use the spell in the presence of Dementors, but it was a very promising start. I'm beginning to understand why my colleagues are so full of praise for you..."
Harry and Daphne were still in high spirits when they left Lupin's office shortly afterwards, having extracted a promise from him to meet again in a few days to continue practising the Patronus Charm.
Harry could tell by the look on his best friend's face that she would not be satisfied until she had mastered the spell perfectly, and that meant creating a corporeal Patronus. What form would it take? Well, Harry had an idea.
But there was something else that interested him even more.
"Hey, Daph," he said as they walked slowly towards the seventh floor and their secret sanctuary. "What did you have in mind when you cast that spell?"
Daphne looked at him sideways. She tucked a strand of her silky black hair behind her ear. "The first try, the moment I consciously used magic for the first time. And then the moment you told me what you'd done to Mrs Norris."
Her expression didn't reveal whether she was joking or not. Harry could imagine both. He shook his head. "You're evil, Daph..."
Daphne clicked her tongue. "What, I just don't like cats. Spawn of hell they are, I tell you. The world would be better off without them."
Harry was about to reply when they rounded a corner and suddenly saw a familiar figure coming from the direction they were heading. It was not unusual to see their Headmaster in the corridors, but the way Professor Dumbledore approached them made Harry pause. Dumbledore was shuffling across the floor as if he had no strength left to lift his feet. His arms hung at his sides like dead branches, and like dead branches in the wind, they shook, except of course there was no wind in the corridor. Their headmaster's face seemed to have lost all colour, and his hair was even whiter than usual. But the whole frightening appearance was offset by the smile that filled Dumbledore's face, as if Christmas and Easter had fallen on the same day.
"Ah, Harry and Daphne. How nice to see you on this wonderful day."
"Um, Professor, are you all right?" asked Harry cautiously.
"Of course I am. I have never been better. Why do you ask?"
"I'm just saying..." Harry gestured in Dumbledore's direction. "You look a bit, er, exhausted."
"You look like a walking corpse," Daphne said.
"Ah, no sword is as sharp as the honesty of youth," Dumbledore said, his smile still on his face. "Yes, I am indeed exhausted, I must admit. But exhaustion is a small price to pay for the great victory I, we, have won, and a price I am happy to pay, especially as the exhaustion will pass, do not worry."
"Victory?" asked Harry.
"Yes, a victory. You see, I have just returned from a wondrous place, but with a dark secret. It seems that our greatest enemy, yours and mine, has become more attached to this castle than I ever thought possible. For a part of him has literally stayed here all this time. Well, I should say had stayed, for that part no longer exists."
Harry and Daphne understood at once. They exchanged a look. A Horcrux! One of Voldemort's Horcruxes had been at Hogwarts! And in the Room of Requirement of all places, for that had to be the wondrous place Dumbledore had spoken of. There was no other possibility.
"This is fantastic," Harry said, feeling his heart beat faster. "One step closer to victory."
Dumbledore smiled at them. "Yes, one step closer. It is amazing, when you think about it, that even on the longest journeys, the ones that seem impossible at first, every step, no matter how small, brings you closer to your goal. And this was no small step, I humbly submit for the record."
Harry could not agree more. Persistence and perseverance always seemed to pay off in the end, as he knew only too well from his own experience. His gaze shifted to Daphne. They, too, had been on a long journey with many small, often arduous steps behind them.
"But the journey is far from over," Daphne said.
Harry could only agree.
"Oh, before I forget, I have something for both of you," Dumbledore said. His trembling hand reached into his wide robes and pulled two folded pieces of paper from one of the countless pockets inside. "Your permission for Hogsmeade. As Headmaster of Hogwarts, it is my responsibility to grant it to you."
Harry and Daphne reached for it. "Thank you, Pro–," Harry began, but Dumbledore continued.
"I give you permission in good faith and because I know you would go anyway, even without permission. But there is a dangerous man out there, and I know Remus has told you his story, Harry. So I am asking you not to take any chances."
Harry's expression hardened, but he nodded. "I'm not a fool, Professor. I'm not going to run around Hogsmeade looking for a homicidal mass murderer. But if he finds me somehow, whether in Hogsmeade, Hogwarts or anywhere else, I will defend myself."
He didn't say what that meant, but he didn't have to. There was a deep sadness in Dumbledore's face, even more obvious after the smile that had been there a moment ago. "And that is your right, Harry. But please remember that revenge and justice are not always the same. And if you are in danger, you too, of course, Daphne, please don't play the hero. Run and get help."
"We will, Professor," Daphne said. "We wouldn't want all those Aurors and Dementors to be here for nothing."
This drew a small chuckle from Dumbledore, even if it sounded a little forced. "Yes, I suppose that is true. Well, I won't keep you any longer. I am sure you have many important things to do, as eager as you always are. But try to enjoy this last relaxing evening before the craziness of a new school year starts tomorrow. There is always something wonderful, I think, when these venerable halls are once again filled with laughter and the magic of awe. And I am sure that your friends are also looking forward to seeing you again..."
"And are you looking forward to seeing Harry again?" asked Ron next to Hermione as green meadows and flowering fields flew by outside.
They were in a compartment of the Hogwarts Express, heading north. They, that was just Ginny, apart from her and Ron. And, of course, Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, curled up in her lap for a snooze. Her hands gently stroked his fur, which was pleasantly warm from the incoming sun. But Hermione knew her cat was not fast asleep. His yellow eyes kept darting over to Scabbers, who was nibbling at a pumpkin pie on Ron's lap.
"Yes, very much," Ginny said. She was beaming happily, and at this moment there was nothing left of the distraught, traumatised girl from last year, Hermione thought. Ginny looked refreshed and well tanned, she noted a little enviously. It went well with Ginny's flaming red hair and added to the vibrancy and vitality she exuded.
Mostly, though, Hermione felt guilty looking at Ginny. She knew how the now twelve-year-old felt about Harry, had comforted her just a few months ago not to give up hope ... but should she ignore her own feelings because of that?
Her feelings...
Yes, Hermione couldn't ignore them any longer. She fancied Harry. Very much.
And how could she not? He was brave and selfless, bold and kind. And he was clever and hardworking too, not for nothing had he been Top of the Year with Daphne last year.
Which brought Hermione's thoughts back to the one person who occupied her mind almost as much as Harry. She knew that Harry and Daphne were close, but surely only as friends, right? If Harry had feelings for Daphne, he would have said something at some point, right? And even if he did have feelings for her, nothing was decided yet!
She still had every chance of winning Harry over, Hermione thought determinedly. She had a lot to offer. Daphne may have been prettier in the classic sense, at least that's what most people would say, but she was taller! And she had been friends with Harry before Daphne! And she was in his house! They would have every lesson together that year, Daphne couldn't keep up, even if they met in their spare time.
And Ginny couldn't keep up either, because she was a year below them.
With that, Hermione's thoughts returned to the beaming girl across from her. Yes, she was sorry that Ginny and she liked the same boy, but in love and war, it was every woman for herself... or something like that.
"I'm looking forward to seeing him again too," Hermione said, her heart pounding at her words.
Yes, she was going to win Harry over this year, she decided.
Harry and Daphne walked along the platform looking for their friends. The platform was already full of students and students were still getting off the train, but there was still no sign of Ron and Hermione. But then Harry heard familiar voices.
"Watch out for that thing. If –"
"Yes, yes. I'll look after him. Don't worry."
"I'm just saying. Scabbers is no spring rat. Any scare could –"
"I told you. Now give me a break."
And then they stepped out of the crowd, arguing fiercely as they often did. Ron, who had clearly benefited from the Egyptian sun, hugged Scabbers to his chest and glanced warily at the wicker basket in Hermione's hands. Ron was about to reply when he noticed Harry. A broad grin spread across his tanned face.
"Hey, Harry!" he called.
Hermione snapped her head around. She too was beaming happily at him and rushed towards him.
"Harry," she cried and threw herself around his neck. She hugged him tightly, so tightly that Harry briefly feared she would crush him this time if she didn't have to hold the basket. Hermione's hug lasted for several seconds until the sound of someone clearing her throat could be heard next to them.
"Hello, Hermione," Daphne said. "What's in your basket?"
It was then that Hermione finally broke away from Harry. He gave Daphne a quick, grateful look, which Daphne only acknowledged with an amused roll of her eyes.
"An innocent rat-hunting monster," Ron said, coming over to them.
"Not at all!" said Hermione. "Harry and Daphne, may I present Crookshanks?"
Hermione lifted the wicker basket and Harry saw an orange and red cat locked inside. The cat had a strangely squashed face, as if it had run into a brick wall, and he was downright ugly. In fact, Harry didn't think he'd ever seen a cat that ugly, and that had to mean something, because there were some mangy critters in the bad parts of Little Whinging, especially in the industrial area by the dumpsters.
But that wasn't what made Harry jump at the sight of the animal. Something inside him reared up and a feeling of disgust and revulsion overcame him. Every fibre of his body bristled at the sight of Crookshanks, as if he were a more terrifying monster than even a Basilisk. Now Harry understood how Daphne must have felt every time she saw Mrs Norris. Crows and cats really didn't seem to get on, if that feeling was even engraved in their deepest selves.
"Ha, you see, Hermione. Harry doesn't like him either," Ron said triumphantly.
"Not true at all! Right, Harry?"
"Um..."
More newcomers saved Harry from the awkward situation in which he would probably have had to lie.
"Hey, Harry!" shouted Seamus as he came up to them with Dean. "And of course the lovely Daphne. How was your summer?"
Daphne gave him a murderous look, but just said in a cool voice, "It was pleasant."
"I'll bet it was," Seamus said. "I hope you got out once in a while. All that studying isn't good for you in the long run, I think, and anyway, I always say that..."
And so the group of third years made their way to the carriages that would take them back to the castle. On the way, they kept running into familiar faces. They saw Fred and George waving at them, Hagrid greeting the new first years, Neville not noticing them because he was deep in conversation with Susan Bones from Hufflepuff. Harry had noticed last year that the two of them seemed to have become good friends. Some project in the greenhouses or something.
They walked quickly past Malfoy, Parkinson and the other Slytherins, who seemed to ignore them, although Harry thought he saw a scornful grimace on Malfoy's face for a moment. Behind their backs, the Slytherins were still bitching about him and Daphne, Harry knew, but they usually didn't dare say it to their faces anymore.
But it was the sight of a young girl with long auburn hair and a graceful face that caught Harry's attention. She looked different to her sister, but Harry had studied Daphne's face long enough to see the similarities. This had to be Astoria. She was starting at Hogwarts this year.
Astoria walked past them towards Hagrid's towering figure, not even glancing at them. If she recognised her sister, she didn't show it. But Daphne must have seen her, because a shadow flitted across her face and Harry saw that she was deep in thought.
He took Daphne's hand and squeezed it, but only briefly, for at that moment another familiar voice suddenly came.
"Hello, Harry." Ginny was standing beside them, smiling shyly at him. But at least she could look at him without blushing like a tomato, which was quite an improvement on before. "And hello, Daphne. How are you?"
"Good, good," Harry said. "Are you coming with us?"
"Sure."
Ginny waved to a group of other second years before getting into one of the waiting carriages behind them. Hermione and Ron got in as well, while Seamus and Dean got into the carriage behind them, along with Parvati and Lavender. And then the carriage began to move. The other carriages followed, and so a long column went up the road to Hogwarts.
"So how was your summer?" asked Ginny, addressing him and Daphne. "I mean, you had the whole castle to yourself for two months. I probably would have died of loneliness."
"Oh, it wasn't that lonely," Daphne said. She looked at Harry. "We had each other, after all."
"What have you been doing all day?" asked Ron. "Not just studying, please..."
Harry shook his head with a smile. "No, not just. We did other things too."
"Like what?"
"Hmm," Harry exchanged glances with Daphne. "Practiced spells?"
Ron shook his head. "You two are impossible."
"We've also been relaxing," Harry said. "Exploring the castle and grounds, going to Hagrid, meeting our new Defence teacher and..." He thought about what else they had done that they could tell their friends about. Reading forbidden books, practising blood magic and torturing innocent animals to absorb their life power were not among them, though. And then it became hard.
"Don't forget flying," Daphne added. "We used to fly a lot together."
"You don't have your own broom though, do you?" asked Ginny.
"No, I'm afraid I don't," Daphne said. "I used –"
Harry kicked her in the shin before she could say anything stupid. What was she thinking, talking about flying now?
With a mischievous smile on her lips, Daphne continued. "I used one of the old school brooms," she lied.
"I guess I'll have to do the same if I want to make the team," Ginny said in a rueful voice.
"You want to be on the team?" asked Hermione.
"Hmm. Oliver's looking for a new Seeker, Fred and George said. McLaggen hasn't convinced him, and who can blame him? That last match was just embarrassing. Getting knocked off your broom by a Bludger after ten seconds because you were too busy posing for the crowd!"
Laughter rippled through the carriage. Perhaps he should go to a match again, Harry thought.
"No one will come close to you, of course, Harry," Ginny continued. "But I just want to do my best. I've always loved playing Quidditch, and even if I don't have as good a broom as others, I just hope to be good enough. And it looks like Oliver wants to put some back-up Chasers in the team too, so maybe I'll have a chance even if I don't become Gryffindor's new Seeker."
Harry had just come up with an idea of how he could support Ginny when Hermione grabbed his hand.
"You could try again, Harry," she said, "I'm sure Dumbledore would let you play again. Six months ban was really more than enough."
"Oh yes!" agreed Ginny, "That would be best of course."
Ron nodded vigorously at their words.
Harry removed his hand from Hermione's and shook his head. "That's over for me."
"But you always enjoyed it so much," Hermione said. She seemed desperate to convince him of her idea, but Harry was sure of his decision.
"Enjoyed it, yes," Harry said. "Not anymore, we're all moving on." He turned to Ron and Ginny. "So tell us about Egypt. Did you visit any tombs of ancient sorcerers?"
After the feast, a party was held in the Gryffindor common room. A fitting farewell to the summer of idleness and a welcome to the coming months of intense study. At least that was the reason Percy had given for allowing it.
Fred and George had procured several crates of butterbeer, though Harry had no idea how, and Lee Jordan had returned from a brief trip to the kitchen with arms full of chocolate frogs and other sweets. The latest hits from the Weird Sisters were playing on the record player and the mood was boisterous and cheerful.
Harry had just returned from the dormitory, where he had picked up something important, and joined the laughing Ron and Hermione.
"Did you see the way Snape looked at the new guy?" said Ron. "Like he wanted to wring his throat. Hey, Harry, what have you got there?"
"Have you seen Ginny?" asked Harry, not answering Ron's question.
"She was here a moment ago, but – oh, she's over there. Say, what are you doing with your –"
Now Harry had seen her too. She was standing in front of the fireplace with two of her friends and they seemed to be having a funny conversation. But the three girls' hair was standing on end as if they had been electrocuted, and dark smoke was rising from one girl's wand.
Harry weaved his way through the crowd, careful not to bump into anyone or spill a drink. He finally reached the three girls and said, "Hey, Ginny."
Ginny turned to face him. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the butterbeer, but her expression was clear. "Hey, Harry. What are you doing with your –"
"I want you to have this," Harry said, holding his Nimbus 2000 out to her. "If we're going to beat the other houses, our new Seeker needs a proper broom."
Ginny's eyes widened and there was a hush around them as many pairs of eyes locked on them.
"Harry, that..."
"What, you're not going to take it?"
"You're really giving me your broom?"
"Sure," Harry said with a shrug. "I think you can make much better use of it than I can."
He had a different way of flying, Harry added in his mind. An even better one. And he was glad that the Nimbus, which had served him so well, would be in good hands instead of gathering dust in a corner of his dormitory.
Cautiously, Ginny reached out for the broom, as if unsure if what she was seeing was real and not just a dream. An amused smile spread across Harry's lips. It was kind of adorable, really.
Ginny's hands closed around the broomstick and Harry let go. Ginny hugged the broomstick. She looked at it, then at Harry, then back to the broomstick, then back to him, and suddenly she jumped forward and fell around Harry's neck.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried, "I'll never forget this!"
Around them, the common room erupted in applause. People were clapping and cheering. Harry saw Ron grinning and giving him both thumbs up.
Ginny broke away from him and was immediately surrounded by people congratulating her and inspecting her new broom. Harry watched with satisfaction and a little pride in himself.
"Thank you, Harry," Fred said as he came up beside him. "You can't imagine what this means to her."
"Yes, once again you have done the Weasley family a great service. And, of course, the venerable house of Godric Gryffindor," George added, pressing a bottle of butterbeer into his hand. "Let's have a toast. Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
They clinked the bottles together and Harry took a deep swig – when suddenly he noticed a quick movement on the floor. It was Scabbers, squealing as he ran between the legs of the partying students, with Hermione's new cat hot on his heels. But just then, someone stepped into the common room from outside, and Scabbers managed to escape through the Fat Lady's portal just before it closed again. Not so Crookshanks, who slammed into the blocked exit with all his might, hissing in frustration. His squashed face seemed to be squashed even more.
Lucky for Scabbers, Harry thought, before turning his attention back to the laughing Fred and George, who were already dreaming of how they would upstage Slytherin in the next match.
At the mention of Slytherin, Harry's thoughts returned to his best friend. He wondered what she was doing right now.
"Out."
The younger girls looked at Daphne in surprise. One girl, whose pointy face and protruding eyes reminded Daphne of an ugly lizard, complained, her toothbrush still in her mouth, "But we're not finished and –"
"Out," Daphne repeated, more forcefully this time. "Now!"
She drew her wand to emphasise her words, but it didn't seem necessary. As if sensing that they'd better not mess with her in this situation, the new first years quickly gathered their things and left the bathroom. All but one.
Astoria remained at the sink, calmly washing her hands. "Was that really necessary?" she asked.
"I wanted to talk to you alone," Daphne said. She came over to Astoria and leaned against one of the sinks. "Without those model pureblood princesses eavesdropping."
"That's not polite. And it's not true. I think Amelia is half-blood."
"You know what I mean."
"No. Honestly, I don't." Astoria turned to her and Daphne was surprised for a moment to see her little sister with such a hard face. This was new. "I have no idea what you mean or what you want here. We have nothing to talk about."
"I came to see you and –" Daphne started, but Astoria stopped her in her tracks.
"If you didn't come to apologise, then there's no need to continue."
That stopped Daphne. "Apologise?" she asked, confused.
"Yes, apologise," Astoria repeated. "For abandoning us."
Daphne looked at her, confused. "Abandoning... Abandoning you?"
"Do I have to spell it out for you? You used to be so smart. Or has all the time you spent with Potter set you back so far mentally that you can't even understand the simplest sentences?"
That was enough for Daphne. She pushed herself away from the sink and looked down at Astoria angrily. She was still more than half a head taller than her. "Don't you dare insult Harry. Insult me all you want, but not him."
"Oh, I apologise profusely," Astoria said, her voice dripping with mockery. "I had no idea. That you, of all people, would find your Prince Charming, I never thought it possible. Pity not all of us are so lucky."
"He's not my – wait, what do you mean?"
"I had to take your place, you see," Astoria said. "The contract with the Malfoys has already been signed."
The words hit Daphne like a blow to the gut. A very hard blow, as if someone was trying to squeeze her heart out through her throat. She felt blood on her tongue.
"Those bastards," Daphne cursed. "You're eleven, goddamn it! You shouldn't have to carry such a burden."
"And you were only a year older when you got rid of all your burdens. But at least one of us knows how to serve their family."
"Family?" asked Daphne. "You mean our cowardly parents, I suppose!"
"I see only one coward here!" Astoria whirled around with that. "And leave me alone in future before you ruin this too!"
With quick strides, Astoria stormed through the door, slamming it behind her with a heavy thud. Daphne was left behind, seething and hateful.
At the same time, in another part of the castle, two men sat facing each other, one deeply marked by the scars and wounds of the past and the exhaustion of the present – the other was Remus Lupin.
The thought almost made Albus laugh himself as he sipped his tea. It was only the beginning of September, and the nights were still comfortably warm, but he was feeling decidedly cold more and more often. And tired. But he had to keep his mind sharp, there was still so much work to be done.
Remus sat across from him, and he also looked pensive. Who could blame him.
"So how was your first welcome feast on the other side?" asked Albus.
Remus smiled slightly as he said, "I never thought I'd be clapping for new Slytherins."
"The burden of being a teacher," Albus said with a chuckle. "But I had the same thought in my first year. It settles down over time, and eventually you stop seeing colours and houses, just children entrusted to your care."
"Hmm, maybe I'll get there."
"I'm sure you will," Albus said, and he meant it. With Remus he had no worries. He would be a fair teacher, for all the students. Unfortunately, he could not say the same about all his colleagues. "And you have had already some dealings with one of the Slytherins, I believe, haven't you?"
Remus nodded slowly. "It's a bit odd that Harry's best friend is from Slytherin."
"Do I detect scepticism in your voice?"
"Not scepticism, more like... I mean, I see the way Harry looks at her. And how much fun they have together and how well they get on. But I've also heard some very unpleasant things about her parents..."
"I think we can safely assume that she does not share her parents' views."
"Because she was disowned by them," Remus said. Albus nodded. "So was Sirius at the time..."
"Daughters do not necessarily follow in their parents' footsteps and there isn't a dark shadow lurking around every corner," Albus said thoughtfully. He looked deeply at the younger man in front of him through his half-moon glasses. "I have not the slightest doubt that her feelings and intentions towards Harry are sincere. You should have seen them when they faced her parents, in this office. The way Harry stood up for her. Lily and James would have been proud of him."
"Then I will continue to be open with her," Remus said. "Even if she is a bit cold towards me."
"Not just to you," Albus agreed with a smile. "I am afraid that's the fate of anyone not named Harry."
"Do you think those two..." Remus' voice trailed off.
"Only time will tell. But I would not be surprised."
Remus exhaled heavily. "Who would have thought it possible? I certainly didn't when I first got here..."
"What did you expect?" asked Albus calmly.
"I ... I don't know. Harry looks just like James did, except for the eyes, they're Lily's. It's so strange to look into his face and see them in him. But at the same time, of course, he's his own person, and yet I keep looking for similarities."
"And do you find them?"
"Maybe, but I'm not sure. But I've only met him a few times. Anyway, I know James wouldn't have befriended a Slytherin. And neither would Lily, at least not after what happened with Sna–Severus."
"And apart from that?" Albus continued. "What is your impression of Harry?"
Remus frowned slightly as he searched for the right words. "He's still a bit of a mystery to me, but he seems to be a very intelligent boy and a talented wizard. But somehow I also see a certain hardness in him."
"I am not entirely innocent of that, I fear," Albus said with a sigh. "He has had to endure more adversity in his young life than I would wish on anyone. He didn't get the childhood he deserved."
"Lily's sister and her husband," Remus concluded correctly. "I got the feeling even then that they weren't exactly open-minded about magic."
"That is actually an understatement, I'm afraid. But Harry never has to go back to them, he is a ward of Hogwarts now, at least until he comes of age."
"So is Daphne."
"Yes, that goes for both of them."
"This wouldn't have happened in the past."
"Things don't always have to stay the same," Albus said. "Sometimes we have the chance to make things better."
Remus nodded. "I see." He laughed weakly. "Times really have changed, haven't they?"
"I hope so, Remus. I hope we can put the dark times behind us..."
With quick steps, Daphne hurried through the corridors of the castle, and it was probably only by luck that she had not yet been caught. But Daphne didn't care. She just wanted to get to the Room of Requirement as quickly as possible so she could vent her anger. For she was seething with fury. Her feelings burned like red-hot coals in her heart. In her mind she cursed and cursed and cursed.
She cursed her parents. She cursed the Malfoys. She cursed the whole damned Pureblood culture, with its archaic traditions that belonged in the dustbin of history.
How could Astoria stand it? Why didn't she fight back? Why was she so weak?!
Daphne's heart pounded in her chest and she quickened her pace. Her fingers gripped her wand so tightly it almost hurt. How bloody far could it be? She swore to Morgana that this walk hadn't been so long yesterday. Bloody magic castle with its bloody whims.
Daphne had just reached the seventh floor when she suddenly noticed movement ahead of her. She reacted instinctively. Her black wand shot through the air and a bolt of purple lightning struck. It lit up the darkness and Daphne recognised an ugly, fat, grey rat, which fell victim to the spell she'd cast. With a thud, the rat sank to the ground, stunned.
Daphne was disgusted at the sight of the animal. It really was a hideous, ugly rat. It was as if fate wanted to mock her even more by giving her such a wretched creature. Of course, Daphne would never believe in such a thing as fate.
Or... maybe the rat was a gift, or just a lucky coincidence. Lucky for her anyway, not so much for the rat.
A grim smile played on Daphne's lips. Again her wand flashed through the air and the rat began to float.
Daphne let it float in front of her until she finally reached the Room of Requirement. As she had wished, it had taken the form of a high, windowless room, lit only by a faint light from above. The corners and walls were in shadow.
With a quick flick of her wand, Daphne lowered the rat to the floor in the middle of the room. It was still stunned and unable to move. Daphne wondered if that would make it easier for it, but quickly dismissed the thought. It didn't matter.
Her smile widened. Gathering the magic within her, she raised her wand and murmured, her voice almost trembling with anticipation, "Crucio."
The rat squealed in pain and a comforting warmth filled Daphne as she felt the rat's life power, puny as it was, flow through her. It was no match for the life power of a Basilisk, not even the life power of a rabbit, let alone the sweet, delicious, heavy potion that was Harry's life power, but it was wonderful nonetheless, that feeling of power and boundless control.
Damn them. Her parents and Astoria too. Their cowardice and weakness. Let them do their thing. She would go her own way, and the world would tremble before her like rats and rabbits before a violent storm. But not her. The thunder would be her life's symphony and the lightning her spotlight.
Daphne felt the moment when the rat's mind broke. Suddenly, without warning, there was only emptiness. Then the flow of its life power flattened out and finally ceased altogether. The curse was still active, the red ray and her trembling hand showed it more than clearly, but it was no longer useful. And Daphne hated useless things.
She finished the spell and brushed her sweaty hair from her face.
Okay, maybe I lost my temper a little, she thought as she saw the rat's shriveled body lying on the floor in a pool of blood and urine. It stank horribly and Daphne held her nose in disgust.
It was at this moment, as Daphne looked at the dead rat in front of her, that something suddenly struck her. The rat... it was missing a claw on its right front paw.
Oh, damn.