Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter Universe. All recognisable characters, plots, and settings are the exclusive property of Joanne Kathleen Rowling.
I make no claims to ownership, nor am I making any profit.
Pairings- Harry Potter/Daphne Greengrass aka (Rhaenys)
Beta:- Ares Alexander Peverell. (≧▽≦)
Author's Notes: My dear Wizards and Witches ＼(°o°)／
The new chapter of Dance of the Fates is here.. (~³)~
I would like to thank the lovely gentleman Ares Peverell (≧▽≦)
Who helped me here and is my new beta.
Please enjoy XOXO
Dance of Fates
By
Irene Blackwell
Chapter 25
"It was such a long road down the temple, my feet are hurting me," Eva said to Berz, sighing in her tired state.
"You owe me an entire month in an expensive resort," she complained, stretching her arms in the daylight.
It had taken the duo two entire days before they could reach the tomb of the founding member. And it took another two day's trip to return back
She was impressed by the temple. It was said that only four people were allowed to enter: the king, the head commander of knights, the priest or should be called the servant, and the heiress.
She was surprised that it was only four people and silently wondered why king Phobos demanded others to bring the sanctities. As a king, he must know that they couldn't. It was an act to fool the people of the council and make them think that he wanted to change the old ways and share the powers with the other families.
The temple was more like a crypt or the pyramids of Egypt.
It was chilly and the dark crypt was accessible by narrow and winding spiral stone steps which lead to multiple levels. Too many floors and mazes in her opinion.
She wondered why didn't the royal family bury their members in tombs there?
She saw some old language written on the stones. When she had asked, Berz had told her that it was the names of all members of the royal family.
The founder was buried at the lowest level.
"We should have brought horses or a car at the very least. I'm tired of walking all the way back to the hanging gardens," she whined like a spoiled princess
He said nothing.
The silent treatment she was receiving from the sandy-haired man irritated her to no extent.
"Commander?"
He turned to look elsewhere, still not speaking.
Eva walked closer to him. "Commander, are you still thinking about what Rh–Daphne said?"
He turned to look back at me. It felt somehow awkward for Eva to be the one doing all the talking, getting only stares as answers, but she was nothing if not persistent.
"You always told her that' If one door closes, another opens. She is following your own words, Eva,"
"I have fulfilled my duty towards her, I'm only acting under the words of the king.."
How come that now when they finally talked, she would prefer him to answer silently?
"Don't push yourself, you did your best till now to keep this estate together," she said, stepping closer to him. He stopped in his tracks
"...How is your arm?" He asked.
Eva blinked at his strange question.
She looked down at the bandaged arm affected by the poison that the man from their previous encounter had thrown at her.
"Without magic around, it hasn't healed yet," she said, showing it to him.
"Change your bandage." He said, continue on his path.
"Okay!" she playfully told him.
She looked down at her arm, feeling the blisters over her burned skin. Eva didn't want to worry the commander but in the last two days, her arm kept bothering her. The acid or potion or poison thrown on her didn't hurt at all. But eventually, it felt as if it was eating her skin every time it started to heal.
She was trained well and her body was made immune to all kinds of poisons and venoms. She had worked her entire life as a bodyguard to Queen Diane.
She hoped that she could be her daughter's assistant. not ending like a vice commander to the head of the Knights.
It wasn't as if she was complaining, she liked to stay by Berz's side. Her eyes landed on his back, he always walked with pride.
And this was something she always admired him for, Rhae–Daphne, it was hard for Eva to adjust to the name, no matter how many years since the little princess changed her name.
The latter knew about her admiration to the head commander, or why she would order Eva to stay by his side even though she was the ultimate servant to the Princess.
"He needs you more,'' she had told her.
She hated to admit it but Daphne was wrong. The head commander would never romantically look at her. She was just his vice-commander, nothing more.
She would never take a place in his heart. After all, his heart had always belonged to the mother of his child. Even though his wife died during childbirth, he never looked at another woman, not even once.
She sometimes envied her wife, even in her grave.
What did she have that made the strongest man in the world so devoted to her?
Lost in her own thoughts, she never noticed anything until she collided with Berz's back, snapping her out of her musings. Her instincts flared as she immediately realized that they were surrounded by danger.
She scanned the area with her eyes, trying to find a trace of their enemies.
Some masked men were gathered around them in the forest. The masks seem familiar to Eva's memory.
She counted ten men, notwithstanding those who were still hiding. They had worn black hoods and masks with snake-like eye slits to cover their faces.
"Commander, I think I know them," she hushed in a low tone, "These are Death Eaters,"
He looked over his shoulder at her and before turning his attention to them.
It all happened so fast. It was as if she froze and time swept past her before she could blink her eyes and realize what had just transpired. She heard Berz's earnest voice telling her to fall back and the next thing she saw was his huge body acting in the attack.
She felt something drop on her chest. It was a small object that seemed like a box of jewellery.
"Go back inside," that was the only thing she heard before she ran back to the entrance of the shrine.
As they started to run, he stayed to hold them back, buying her time to regroup and eliminate their enemies.
Eva wanted to curse herself. The pain on her arm wasn't helping either. But she would soon prefer to be burned alive rather than running like a coward from a fight.
Berz pulled a sword out of his black coat and ran to the men, slaughtering them one by one.
The Death Eaters were ready to use wands and attack when they realized that they couldn't.
Berz smirked, apparently they did not discover their problem till now.
They, as soldiers, didn't want to show weakness, so with all they have, they attacked.
Berz kept fighting all those men that kept appearing out of nowhere, he looked by the corner of his eye, Eva was also fighting.
'Foolish woman. Why can't she just do what she was told to?'
But he didn't have time to scold her. He was far too busy with all those enemies pouring down on him.
He turned around to face another one that was coming too near for his taste.
Berz snapped the neck of the man before he could advance any further.
Suddenly he felt piercing pain just under his left collarbone. Looking there, he saw blood running from a circular wound in his shoulder. The pain made him stumble and fall on one knee, but he forced himself to stand up with a groan. He had been shot by a bullet.
A question kept playing inside his head "Who is it, who is the traitor?'"
From the corner of his eye, he observed the Death Eaters throwing themselves on Eva, hoping to overwhelm her with force Trusting her to handle the situation, he focused on the enemies advancing towards him.
Eva had managed to kill several of her attackers. However, the scene that captured her attention was loud gunfire. Berz had been shot with a sniper.
She tried to find the hidden enemy. However, the culprit had hidden himself extremely well and she found nothing.
She caught something glimpsing between the bushes. Without hesitation, Eva jumped in front of Berz. Two bangs were heard all around the surroundings. Seconds felt like an eternity as she hoped to shield him.
One bullet hit her stomach while another pierced her right rib cage. She felt pain course all over her body. Her eyes opened wide as her mouth opened in a silent scream. She pressed her hands over the wound in a vain attempt to stop the flow of blood. However, it trickled between her fingers, staining her dress red. She stumbled backwards. Her knees gave away, and she fell on Berz, writhing in agony.
Severus Snape took off the mask after he shot the woman, it was suffocating for him.
He had missed the initial target and cursed himself for that. The woman had managed to shield the man.
He usually gave an easy death to his victims. Sure his shoulders got heavier with each Avada Kedavra and Crucio he made over his life, but this was the first time that he used Muggle weapons. He saw the woman fall and the man's guard lowered as he faced her dying body. Snape knew that it was highly unlikely that she was going to survive.
The Meeting with the Order ended with the conclusion that Sirius Black would soon face a fair trial, and Severus was summoned by the Dark Lord minutes later. He demanded of Snape to show him his loyalty, but unlike the previous demands, this conversation was different. You could even say that Snape was rather puzzled by the demand.
The Dark Lord did not make him torture anyone, but rather asked him to carry out an assassination.
When Severus told Dumbledore, the old man was surprised. But he had no choice but to go along with the task, and even more surprising, was Voldemort's extreme caution as he chose to share the information at the last minute. He had been told of the location at the last possible minute.
Voldemort had decided to have a private chat with Severus.
"You lived with muggles, am I correct Severus?" Voldemort said, in his serpentine voice. Severus could only nod at that statement.
"And you know their daily lives and machines?"
Once again, the potion master nodded.
"What about their weapons?" Voldemort questioned as he approached inches from his face.
Severus was taken aback by that. Why would the dark lord ask him that?
He soon received an answer when the Dark Lord pushed a box towards Severus and when the latter opened it, he was surprised to see a gun in it along with several weapons.
He peered down his scope lens with caution before aiming for his targets. He had never come in touch with Muggle weapons before and had less than 24 hours to learn to wield them.
'These bullets are full with Nagini's poison, Finish the targets,' His lord commanded.
It was a simple mission. A man and a woman, the details of the mission were to end their lives. They seemed to have earned the ire of the dark lord and to bring the treasure that they had with them.
Berz grasped Eva that shielded him from the two shots.
And took out of his coat a gun, and started firing at every person that came near them "Hold one," he said.
Eva could feel the uncertainty in his voice, he was panicked. She felt the same burning on her hand all over her body, and it felt double where she was shot. The discovery hit her at that moment,
She yanked Berz from his arm between her heavy breaths.
'I don't think I have a chance this time,' she murmured to herself.
When Berz finally had a break to glance at her, she wanted to smile, she got the opportunity to see that kind of emotion for her.
He was worried for her.
"It's poi–sonous...t-the bu–llets," she said to his chest, she started to lose her focus and felt sleepy. She felt that she was drowning in darkness as her body was filled with piercing agony.
Berz felt her body's weight heaving, he had no choice, Eva was weak at the mere moment and she was losing blood, he was on his own. He put her down as she lost all the strength in her body before fainting.
Berz screamed in rage, hissing in rage before slicing the first man in half before he could harm Eva's body any further. With agility that surprised even himself, he beheaded the next person before slamming his sword down the third and snapping the neck of the fourth.
Slowly and surely, he slaughtered the men like pigs as he approached Severus Snape.
Snape was stunned when he saw the man approach him with a danger that promised painful death.
He pulled the trigger.
The explosion echoed through the nearly empty forest as the rifle was fired and the bullet raced towards Berz. It entered his body, just below the sternum.
Pain again coursed through his body as he fell to his knees again. Looking up slowly, he saw the remainder of the enemies.
Turning again, he was barely able to move his sword, though he put all his body into his swing.
"I won't fail the little ones. I will fight to the death for them. And I know it will be to the death."
Each stroke he doled out was filled with the precision he had fought with all his life. Precision he was renowned for all across his world. His wife, his daughter. Would he ever see Eliza, again?
BANG!
The third shot into his stomach took any strength he had left in his body. Reeling backwards from the force, it was all he could do to land on his knees instead of his face. At that moment he knew it was over. His journey would end here. He would enter into the halls of hell before sunset on this day.
He saw Eva's fallen body and with the strength that was left for him, he decided to end it all. He didn't have any other choice and he wanted to take the bastards down with him
He raised one arm and called his signature weapon to his hand.
He refused to die in such an easy mission, by some ridiculous men, who used poisoned bullets to finish him.
The lightning bolt came to his hand. History has referred to it as the lightning bolt of Zeus. The lightning zapped at the centre.
As a head commander, he was the owner of it until the next commander arrived.
Four people could use magic in this area: The King, Heirs and Heiress, Priest, and the Head Knight.
His magic gathered around the wounds to heal. But against his wishes, the wounds refused to heal, rather concentrating into an even more intense ball of energy in his palms.
"FEEL MYYY WRAATHH!"
Lightning shot from his palms and thunder rumbled in the sky. Rain fell, pattering heavily on the sand as they turned it into sticky mud.
"GAH!" Berz screamed and threw his master bolt, which arced through the air like a missile of doom, crackling and hissing. The resulting explosion knocked every living being into a 5-mile deep crater, flames enveloping his body while he smiled in triumph and laughed as a man possessed. A man that had nothing to lose.
Severus, along with Rodolphus who accompanied him to lead the unit of Deatheaters ran as fast as they could. But running was futile as they all got hit by the lightning, leaving them with burns on their sides. Only Snape was able to evade most of the burns, as he ducked and turned himself into a ball.
"I thought it was magicless land!" Rudolphous screamed.
"Wait! The box, we need to get the box." Snape recalled the artefact.
They turned back and were shocked to see that the man was still on his knees. Finally defeated but not dead yet. He had pride in his eyes and even Snape had to offer him a nod of respect at his valour. The Death Eaters took the box and escaped, not willing to prolong the confrontation.
Footsteps drew near. Another one who had stepped in front of him again. Raising his eyes to meet the steely and barbarous gaze, Berz did his best to look defiant as the beast was about to maliciously knock another stab. A devilish grin played across his face and as he stood there to finish the job. Berz wished he could stand but the pain that coursed through his body was too strong.
'So you are the traitor...I will die with honour. I hope it will be long and painful to make up for what I have done.' As the demon drowned the stele, Berz lowered his eyes, waiting for a blow that never came. A noise of a man came into the clearing, pushing the demon away from him.
He was vaguely aware that Eva had already fallen and would be dead soon. He had been so caught up in the fight he had forgotten what he had done. Another wave of shame washed over him, enveloping his whole body in the sense of grief over his actions.
"I wasn't even able to protect her," he murmured in regret.
Kamel ran over after he heard and had seen the thunder. Eva was laying on the leaves struggling for death. He was barely able to collect his thoughts as he reached up to grasp Berz's shoulder.
The knight made a move to remove the bullets, hoping to save his captain. His commander stopped him, no his father.
The father of the chivalry said, "It is futile and is merely a waste of time."
Speaking words, unable to recall what he had just said, he tried his best to form intelligible sentences. "I have activated the emergency protection ward, the thieves have taken a box. Bring it back and take it to Phobos,"
As he felt the doom of death draw near, he reached for his lightning bolt that disappeared. He breathed hard, forcing out the words. "She has a chance, take her back to the castle," Taking one more breath he added, "good luck."
"No…" Eva said, in a silent voice, she lost the ability to talk minutes ago, but she was fighting between consciousness and fainting from time to time.
She reached into one of her pockets, for a bottle.
A bottle that Daphne pushed to her hands when she hugged her goodbye.
Daphne's blood.
She thought that it could save the captain. And a tear fell on her cheeks, the bottle wasn't there, she must have dropped it. Oh! How fate loved its irony.
Harry did not let the hot water of the tub bother him as he entered it. When his body was completely submerged, he couldn't help but let out a soft groan and his eyes flutter closed. His head and neck rested against the marble edge allowing his muscles to relax under the healing powers of the waters.
His mind drifted back to the accident a couple of hours ago. His eyes opened slowly as he glanced down at his hands; he almost let Davis die but also he saved her life
But the whole incident bothered him. Did Daphne do that to her friend, unconsciously? The revelation had completely taken him off-guard.
What did his father promise Diane? Also Lily had said that she was mad but hoped to believe in Daphne's mother as well.
Lilith, his mind instantly shifted towards the Mother of demons and magic, the enemy of his family.
The woman that had caused the suffering to his wife. She used Daphne to kill and slaughter while torturing her with her presence.
He had never seen the blonde witch that scared. Since the time Harry has known her, there has never been a shred of desperation and fear filling Daphne's aura, EVER.
There were plenty of times that she had tried to confess as well. Like when she told him that she had done worse than him and she was more dysfunctional. Yet, at that moment, not only was he shocked but also tried to put himself in Daphne's shoes.
He had witnessed the attack on Arthur while she killed a whole village of muggles with her hands.
At first, he thought she had told him that to justify her actions toward Tracey Davis. but before he left her alone in the chamber, her eyes had bored into his as if she had been telling him her last words. Daphne could have easily walked through it without letting him know that she had done any of that.
She could have lied and let the whole crime be swallowed by time. Except for Berz and Eva and her late brother, who else knew about the massacre?
He had witnessed her skills in a fight and her wide knowledge of magic. If only she hadn't been full of emotions, she would have been a perfect killing machine;
He let out a loud groan when he remembered the look on his face when she had confessed. He left without saying anything, no matter how much he wanted to admit it.
He truly could withstand enormous pain and pressure without even blinking, but it hurt him to look at her troubled face, he did not know what he was supposed to do. First, she was almost as strong as Dumbledore and Voldemort and secondly, she was the daughter of his family's enemy. And for heaven's sake, her aura always seemed nice for him to read. While he wasn't the most adept at feeling auras yet, he could feel her as soon as she was nearby.
Harry let his body fall deeper into the depths of the hot waters so the bottom of his face was under the water hiding.
Thinking…
What would his parents do if they were in his place, why did everything fall on his shoulders?
Why did she curse herself, why did she have to be Lilith's descendant?
After that, tension filled the air between them, as he sat far away from her and Davis, trying to digest the information.
He stayed awake all night, soothing her as she slept, her head resting on his lap. By dawn had arrived, he told her to return to Tracey and act as if nothing had happened.
He may have been a bit harsh with her, but he had to. She needed to be stronger than she usually acted.
As for him, he was unable to go back to his room and laid on the sofa of the common room until Ginny came and woke him up.
He had breakfast with the girl that saw as a little sister before her brothers joined the gathering.
And here he was, having some private time before the party in the room of requirements.
"Dobby," he called.
"Yes, Mr Harry!" The elf answered.
"I'm sorry to suddenly call you in your free time," the boy who lived, apologized.
Dobby blinked and laughed, he said that all that Harry Potter deserves all the time in the world.
Harry looked down at the elf who was wearing a full outfit of trousers and shirt. "It's good to see you wearing like that,"
"Is it master! Mistress told me that she won't talk to me or Twinky unless we wear something presentable," Dobby exclaimed.
"Speaking of the mistress, I would like to do something for me," he said, coming out of the tub, walking toward the chair.
"So, what are you going to wear for tonight?" Tracey asked her, brushing her hair.
"Does it look like I have decided?" said Daphne as she looked up at the flying clothes in the air. She had been trying on every dress for the last ten minutes, and none of them was fitting her.
She had lost weight. She admitted to herself. But even with the size charm over her dresses, they seemed not worth wearing. She required a new wardrobe by summer.
"No need to be angry," Tracey said excitedly, applying the lip gloss.
"I'm not angry! I'm…"
"Trouble in paradise?"
"Kind of…" Daphne looked away, she was happy when she returned to the dorm earlier, she hugged Tracey for dear life, and Draco thought that something bad happened.
Seeing Tracey unharmed and healthy made her so happy. She never thought that she truly loved her friends that much. Looking at them, she knew that she couldn't handle seeing them get hurt.
Even Draco was a good friend to her. But Harry was silent, and she hated that attitude. It freaked her out.
He must think that he had made a grave mistake by marrying a murderer! But she wasn't a murderer, the demon in her was!
She hated her life for that horrible accident every day, sure she wasn't innocent and had done a lot of terrible things. Burning the Greengrass Manor, throwing her maid in the castle from the window and even poisoned her stepmother a few times, and having serious fights here and there. But she never would try to kill innocent muggles, it was a forbidden rule.
Ugh! He better not dump her just because she confessed that she had been possessed by the mother of demons once.
Once!?
'Shut up! Who told you to eavesdrop on my thoughts!?' Daphne shouted at Lilith
Pfff, you're so virgin, I can't believe that you are descended from me…
'What's that supposed to mean?'
First of all, you are a woman and that's your strongest spot, child...
'And?'
A man is a man, you are his wife aren't you. In the end, if you show him too much selflessness, he will take it as his. You don't have to feed his ambitions or he'll take advantage of it against you.
'Why should I listen to you!? First of all, I can handle any man. Secondly, he is my husband and even more importantly, he is my life partner…'
"Why don't you wear this….one!" Tracey took one dress in her hand and pushed it to her friend's chest.
"I can't!" Daphne shouted, her face red.
"Come on," Tracey, after many tries, succeeded in putting the dress on the blonde.
Being shy is not a key if you want your husband's back.
'I'm not shy! And I'm too self-respected to wear such a dress!'
She waited for Lilith's reply but the demoness disappeared from her thoughts.
"Have you visited Astoria, I heard from her friend that she was staying in the infirmary lately," Tracey questioned.
"She had eaten a lot of candies from the Weasley twins that resulted in some stomach problems, nothing serious," she told Tracey, spotting her taking out her goblin whiskey from the trunk.
"We can't start a night without the opening shots, now can we?" Tracey smirked as the bottle poured in four shot cups.
Daphne felt guilty that morning over Astoria and decided to visit her again in the hospital wing.
Astoria refused to talk. She didn't even look at Daphne but she was not going to give up.
"I know how it feels to lose a mother," she started. "I lost mine when I was six and I barely remember a lot…" she smiled at her brief yet happy memories.
"Eleanor…" When she mentioned the name, she could see Astoria's little body shaking.
"She was a nice lady, she never let me feel like a stranger in her home. Not all women are like that. My stepmother kicked me out of my house," she laughed. Getting no response, she decided to change the topic.
She looked down at her folded hands, holding something within them.
She grabbed Astoria's hand and put the thing in the palm of her hand.
When Astoria looked at it, it was a pin made of crystal and engraved with turquoise stones.
When she raised her eyebrows in confusion, she saw a warm smile on Daphne's face.
"It belonged to my real mother, she always wore it,"
Astoria did not understand the significance of where Daphne was leading her with this talk but was suspicious.
"Now it's yours,"
"Why?"
"Let's say it was a good initiative on my part for you. As a token of pardon for your desperate attempt to kill me."
Astoria's eyes widened at the news, she tried to get out of bed but it seemed as if her body refused.
"I have lived my whole life subjected to attempted kidnappings, assassinations and many more, so don't be surprised." She paused, moving to sit on the nightstand next to Astoria.
"I can understand your situation, but because of your recklessness, you almost killed an innocent person yesterday."
"What are you going to do to me?"
"It's hard to say for sure, the choice is yours, stay here and continue your studies as if nothing had happened, or leave, the decision is yours."
"Two in a row?" Daphne suggested to Tracey, shaking away the memory of Astoria and hers.
Tracey gave her a shrug.
It didn't take long before Harry joined his friends, making his way down the dungeons.
"Oh! would you please forget about studying for one night!" Ron rolled his eyes.
"I don't know why I agree to come with you, we are supposed to make sure not to allow this kind of activity as prefect, not join them,'' Ron rolled his eyes as Hermione eyed him with contempt. "I should be preparing for m S," she pointed out.
Now it was Harry's turn to try and sway her decision to go.
"Mione," he started kindly, "You are working yourself too hard. Look at you, you study so much you were starting to fall asleep during dinner last night." she looked away as Harry continued "You and I both know that you need this."
"Well I have been studying an awful lot; maybe one weekend without it wouldn't be too bad, would it?" Hermione smiled at the boys.
When they entered, there was music playing around. How they had managed to find a way to play music was something that neither of them at the moment were curious about. It felt as if the entire dungeon was vibrating on different frequencies.
They walked in and were met with a green-tinted room. People were dancing. Either alone or with each other. From their mannerisms, it certainly wasn't something appropriate in Hermione's eyes anyway.
Fred and George had wide grins displayed over their lips, ones that met their eyes and stretched from ear to ear. They shoved their way into the dancing crowd and joined them.
Now; it was just Hermione, Ron, and Harry all standing there awkwardly. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and glanced over at the two of them.
Harry saw people from all different houses. Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, was that another Gryffindor? Merlin's beard, there were more Gryffindor's there than he anticipated.
"Look what we have here." The voice drew out.
The trio lifted their heads quickly, spinning around to see who was speaking to them.
Draco bloody Malfoy.
"Malfoy," Harry muttered, bitterly.
"Isn't it a miracle to have lions in our den, fellas?" Malfoy scuffed to his friends.
Harry could feel his face reddened.
Draco's eyebrows slowly raised, noticing the reaction.
"I specifically said no Gryffindor's. Yet..." Pansy came and joined Draco's side and looked around the common room and back at the trio before she settled her eyes on Hermione.
"Mudbloods are not welcome here" He bit out; jaw tight.
Hermione glared up at her, her brows knitting tightly together before she could react, both Ron and Harry stepped in front of her protectively.
"There is no need to say low-level words, Parkinson," Harry said flatly not a hint of anger showed on his face nor his body's behaviour. He was calm.
"Harry!" Ron shouted.
Harry ignored Ron and continued "We are not barbaric to arrive without an obvious invitation," he shrugged.
"And who would invite someone like you?" Pansy scuffed.
"I did," a voice said from behind her.
Daphne came forward, looking as poised and graceful as ever.
Harry's jaw dropped.
Daphne was standing a few feet away from him, with a smirk, her fingers coiled around her drink. Her figure was framed in a halo of flowing candles, which highlighted the snug red short dress.
This silk mini dress with the low open back was super chic and sexy for her to wear, so perfect that Harry wanted to wrap his hands immediately around her and steal her from the dungeons. The softness of her lightly curled hair. For some strange reason, the sight of her wearing such a dress in a room full of men filled him with strange heat.
It was the first time he saw her wear something bold and daring. The dress seemed to have a criss-cross adjustable strap and a cowl neckline with a low back made from silk satin.
As if, she would wear anything less. It was also cut on a bias to follow the woman's curves and to hang with a graceful flow, reaching above the knee length fabric that created a hypnotic yet graceful movement.
Making her way toward them, she turned to face Pansy. He got to see that the dress had elegant crossover straps at the back that showed her bare smooth back.
The lipstick she wore matched her dress. She seemed in a lighter mood and like a girl on fire. The length of time he'd spent gaping at her must have been longer than he'd realised,
"Do you have problems with my guests, Pansy?" She fluttered her eyelids.
"Yeah, who told you that you could invite them?" she snapped.
Daphne was bored by the uncivil behaviour of Pansy and decided to shut down the useless power-play.
"As far as I know, I have every right to invite whoever I like to my party. Including the Gryffindors,"
"Your party!"
"Pansy not now," Blaise put his hand over her shoulder.
"Get lost…" Daphne said, voice full of venom.
Blaise took Pansy away and Daphne, at last, turned to her husband and his group of friends.
"I apologize for my housemate's behaviour, please enjoy the party…" She gave them a polite smile.
Hermione gave her a suspicious stare but Harry's reply shocked her even more.
"Greengrass! You smiled, and you defended us, how strange. Hell seemed to have frozen," Harry snarked, a smirk tugging on his lips.
"Careful! Potter," Malfoy said, calmly enjoying his drink.
"But I must say, you overdone yourself by organising this party," he said looking around.
Daphne smiled at his reply, he knew how to play, before her cool facade was back in place again.
"Think you can handle a Slytherin party?" Draco smirked.
"Please enjoy your time, after all this party was planned to make a truce between us, isn't it Draco?" She said, wrapping her arm around his.
Harry didn't like that gesture.
Draco shook his head and then smiled "You heard the lady, enjoy," he replied Daphne covered her face behind Draco's arm, trying to hold her giggles.
The reaction of the trio was priceless and Draco loved it.
It felt better than the stupid childish fights. Perhaps Daphne was right, the war between the houses was a silly game.
Daphne heard a song playing and exclaimed that it was her favourite song, she dragged Draco with her to the floor.
Leaving three awestruck and speechless Gryffindor behind.
"It's the end of the world," Ron said "Malfoy was nice,"
Harry was not happy.
The night was in full swing. However, his visit to the dungeons was a big mistake. By all accounts, it should have been a happy time. A time to play around with the girl he loved, tease her, dance with her, the girl that he loved to listen to her stories and dote on her the way she deserved.
Sometimes he wondered if he had some kind of chaotic god, deliberately pulling at the strings of his carefully made plans until they unravelled like a cheap suit. Then he remembered. He had someone like that. Voldemort.
Half hidden in a corner, Harry leaned against a wall overlooking the common room. He glanced sidewards at the windows facing up the lake, lost in thought as his eyes skimmed over the water. He lifted a bottle to take a couple of sips from whatever he was drinking.
Sirius had given him the lowdown on the wizarding world situation months ago. His stomach twisted itself into knots nonetheless, especially when he thought of every conversation he had about this world before.
Clenching and unclenching his fists, Harry tried to contain the restlessness prickling his skin like a thousand tiny needles. It was a restlessness that would not heal itself. Only Daphne could save him from it.
He was worried.
What was wrong with her? She was supposed to be happy that he hadn't reacted badly?
She paid him no attention from the moment he arrived and spent all her time with Malfoy? MALFOY!? The fucking ferret! Why was she dancing with him?
A low growl escaped his throat before he could help himself. Something dark and surprisingly primal rose inside his chest. A level of possessiveness didn't know he had. It wasn't jealousy. NO. Instead, the slow-burning anger spread through his veins like poison.
"I'm not that innocent..." she had once said during their training.
"He was a monster, that his only pleasure was to torture his kids ..." she once told him why she hated her dad.
How dare he? Chronos, how dare he make her feel that way? Especially someone as wonderful, sweet and downright kick-ass as his wife.
Harry was going to make damn sure she remained safe, that she wasn't scared. Not around him. Never around him.
"That can't be the lion looking so glum, can it?"
Harry's head turned at the sound of her voice, and his eyes widened. All at once, the rage boiling in his blood tempered, to be replaced with entirely different heat.
All he could think was he was very glad he was hidden by the corner of the crowded room.
Daphne began to move towards the wall, glancing at her cup. "Fucking heels," she chuckled, her voice sounding high and squeaky.
Over the six months Harry had come to know her, he recognised her voice tended to get that way whenever she was excited or nervous or...drunk, "This." she waved her cup in the air to be refilled again "It is my only true best friend these days…"
That was not good, Harry thought, because it certainly wasn't.
When Daphne began to frown, the slight crinkles on her forehead conveying just the slightest hint of worry, Harry managed to kick himself out of his reverie. Shaking his head, he walked over to her, staring directly into her eyes (he couldn't stare at her in that dress, he didn't want to be that guy, especially considering she was technically in a drunk situation at that moment in time) and reached for one of her hands.
"I thought a party would be an interesting idea, I was wrong apparently," she laughed.
"Drunk?
"Extremely, and this dress is suffocating," she said as she threw her hair to the side, showing Harry a generous amount of her slender neck.
He smiled certainly for that gesture, not because that neck was inviting.
But for the first time, he knew that she was not embarrassed by the burning scar on her neck, and she was showing it proudly, which was probably the result of her drunk state.
"I can help you with that," he coughed.
"Yeah right," she scuffed.
"Excuse me ?"
"You're offer is not that good Potter. I may be drunk and horny right now, but you're not getting anything tonight,"
Harry blinked twice at her answer, "Really, then who turned you on, Malfoy or Zabini?"
He wasn't happy. The way she had danced with them wasn't a pleasant sight. And he couldn't do anything in public while she knew that. He didn't know whether she even cared or not.
"Both,"
"It seems that I let you fly freely these days, little bird. I may look very open-minded but everything has limits,"
"You have no idea, but I was bad. Wasn't I? But I really want to escape this crowd," she whined, taking off her heels.
"You certainly were bad, Princess," he uttered as his lips brushed against her knuckles.
How he found it in himself to speak, he had no idea. "And your knight is here to help you in your quest."
Harry dropped his cloak on her before anyone noticed.
"Hey!" She screamed under the invisible layer.
Harry hushed her, in blue he swiped her up over his shoulder without letting her figure slip out of the cloak.
"Don't you trust me, fire witch," he said.
"Is that my new nickname now?" Daphne bit her lip, forcing herself to be quiet.
"You keep burning everything around you. In case you haven't noticed. Now be quiet!" he said as he slapped her arse.
Daphne stopped caring about where he was taking her, she was feeling dizzy and wanted to puke.
"Harry!" Daphne cried when he blindfolded her eyes with a flick of his wand.
``Great! First, he snatched me from my party and now blindfolded me.' she groaned.
"Hahaha!" was the answer Daphne got. She became increasingly exasperated but stopped asking questions.
Daphne's eyebrows rose as confusion settled deeper in her mind. "What is going on here?" By the smell of water around, she could know where the destination was leading to.
She raised her hand to take off the blindfold but Harry stopped her first, using his wand to blindfold her.
"Just wait a moment…" he said, moving around.
"Harry, how much longer do I have to wear this blindfold?" The petite witch pouts, clearly not amused.
Harry chuckled. "You could take it off, now."
She did, facing him. She frowned, crossing her arms across her chest glaring at the emerald-eyed wizard. "So, let me get this straight. You blindfold me, making me think we are going somewhere else only to arrive at the chamber of secrets?"
He smirked. "Yeah, that's about right."
She punched him in the gut. "You did all this, just to bring me here, I was having fun up there,"
He groaned at the pain. "Daphne."
She stuck her nose up. "I'm going inside."
Just as she stepped inside the dark chamber, the candle lanterns flickered on to reveal familiar smiley faces.
"Surprise! Happy Birthday, Mistress Daphne!" They all said in chorus. By they, she meant Winky and Dobby.
She stared in awe at the rose theme decorations. The atmosphere was quiet and exceedingly romantic with dim lights hanging all over the place
Rose petals were all over the long dump stones along with candles to lead the way.
She was so caught off guard and mind-boggled that she couldn't say anything.
When she finally came to her senses she blinked rapidly and stepped inside. There was a banner hanging in the air from the ceiling proclaiming "Happy Birthday Daphne!" To the right was a refreshments table. Scattered around the place were circular roses.
Daphne's mouth was slightly open already and she said faintly, "Can someone please explain to me what is going on in here?"
"It is what it is, mistress," giggled Winky.
"Your birthday party!" squeaked Dobby, running to Daphne and tackling her with a hug that almost knocked her down.
Harry snickered behind her and she turned around to face him. "Did you really think I wouldn't do anything special for your birthday?"
She frowned looking away from him, too stubborn to admit anything. "I'm still mad at you."
"For what? In case you forgot, I'm the one who should be mad here" he said, hiding behind a statue.
He appeared three minutes later, dressed in some black fancy clothing which made his figure really show off to the general public.
'He'll be a heartbreaker if he keeps wearing those…'
She couldn't help but think that and mentally slapped herself for even thinking about such things while she was looking at him.
If he changed to this, Daphne thought that her dress was inappropriate so she changed the length to be a long evening dress instead.
"Daphne..." Harry murmured, huskily. "I'm sorry I was not myself today. I hope you understand that I was busy putting this together for you. I did not, in any way, forget your birthday, also I was just adjusting to the number of pieces of information that rushed on me in the last days,"
She was about to giggle when she saw Harry's eyebrow twitch. "I know," Daphne said, softly. The look in her eyes softened as well and she continued, "Thank you so much, Harry. I absolutely love it." She then faced the elves to address them. "Thank you for coming and surprising me. I don't think I can feel any happier than I am right now."
"I think Mistress means she absolutely loves you!" Winky said.
Daphne blushed so hard that her face resembled the colour of her dress. She looked up and saw Harry look away, the messy bangs covering what seemed to be his pink face.
"When did you plan this?"
"Well, a very long time and besides I had the help of our dearest friends here. I didn't care how long it took, I wanted you to remember this day as long as you lived." Harry said as he looked lovingly at his beautiful wife.
Daphne looked around feeling her tears gathering in her eyes, they had gone all this way to do this for her, while she thought stupid things.
They were not people who held grudges, those people in front of her were the complete opposite of where she was raised.
At this, Daphne threw her arms around Harry, touched that her husband would go into so much trouble just for her.
"Awwww," the elves said, dreamily.
"U-Uh…Let the festivities begin!" Daphne exclaimed, making a desperate attempt to stop the elves from looking at them. She was highly embarrassed and she could see them smiling mischievously. "If I want to remember this, someone better give me a sober potion now!"
Harry gladly gave her one.
"We better leave! See ya later master, mistress!" Dobby said.
"Wait!" Daphne called.
The elves stopped and blinked confused.
She stared at Harry with a smile then back to them.
"You got all the way to do this, if I'm going to celebrate my birthday, I would like my family to be with me...and you are part of it," She said.
Harry could not help but smile tenderly at the change of situation.
The elves ran and hugged the girl, crying from happiness, before dragging her to the table.
Her eyes widened upon seeing the cake in front of her. It was a lemon cake just like she loved it.
She silently counted seventeen candles. She looked towards Harry in confusion.
"But I turned sixteen…"
"There's an extra one for good luck!" Harry said cheerfully with a grin. Daphne raised an eyebrow slightly and shook her head playfully, laughing to herself.
"Happy birthday to you," Harry's beautiful singing began, and the elves joined him in singing the song.
"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Daphne! Happy birthday to you!" The cheers roared louder than they had ever been before. Daphne had grabbed onto Harry's hand when she felt her knees go weak from such a rush of emotions. Harry bent his head closer to her and spoke just loud enough to be heard.
"It's good that you were born, ugly."
Daphne tears spilt over when she heard this, and her heart leapt. Daphne blew the candles after making a wish and sliced it with the help of Winky. Harry took the lead by taking one of the slices in his hand, and Daphne followed suit.
Dobby took a lot of pictures, and Daphne insisted that at least they take one with them.
Daphne gasped as the lights went on and music filled the air.
She gasped as she realized the kind of song that was playing
"Dalida…" she gasped, excited.
Harry made his way to his teary-eyed wife and held out his hand, which she gladly accepted. Leading her to the floor as husband and wife shared a birthday dance. The lyrics of the song bouncing off the walls and striking a chord in their hearts.
I found my love in Portofino
Perché nel sogni credo ancor
Lo strano gioco del destino
A Portofino m'ha preso il cuor
Nel dolce incanto del mattino
Il mare ti ha portato a me
Socchiudo gli occhi e a me vicino
A Portofino rivedo te
Harry's arms encircled Daphne's waist and her arms at his neck. The couple held a quiet conversation as they danced about the room, the whole world quickly forgotten and dissolved into the background as they centred the world.
"Stop crying," Harry told her gently, "Today is supposed to be a happy day,"
"I'm crying because you are a horrible dancer" Daphne laughed, and stared up into her husband's emerald eyes and smiled. "I was planning for a surprise evening after the party, you know? I even asked Tracey to help me, but I never expected to be the one that was surprised." She laughed.
Harry smiled and answered "Actually, I wanted to do it during the new year but with the ball and me being grounded. However Sirius kind of liked my idea more and helped me plan this whole event, I wasn't trying to be cold for not listening to you."
Daphne sneaked a peek at the elves and smiled, seeing them happy. Little did she know they were talking about her and Harry.
"Harry?"
"Hmm?"
"You're unbelievable, I thought you would dump me for being a crazy woman," Daphne said as she gazed into Harry's emerald eyes.
Harry chuckled at this and softly gave his answer, "It's just a past life mistake, consider this day as the day you reborn as a new woman," A faint smile played on his lips as he leaned down to kiss his wife.
It was to be a birthday she would never forget in her entire life.
She hugged him then. It was a soft embrace. Harry closed his eyes, feeling her warm supple body pressing against his.
They pulled back, and the kiss she placed on his lips was as soft as her hug had been, but much briefer. Neither of them went very far.
This was it. This was the moment. Harry knew he couldn't deny it any longer, couldn't hold back anymore.
Say it! His mind cried as he froze, staring at Daphne's suddenly quietened expression. She seemed to be in her own little world. Say it now! Be honest with yourself, be honest with her!
"I love you."
And there it was. The thing he absolutely did not want to admit. Under any circumstances. He'd accidentally blurted it out, in a moment of sheer desperation. As if something like his love for her could save him.
What have I done?!
But it had saved him. It had. Daphne had taken his hand and brought him into a world full of happiness and colour, which had allowed him to find people he could care for and who would care for him in return, no questions asked. She'd breathed life into his decaying civilian side. She'd given him so much, and he was still trying to catch up to her, still trying to give her the moon when she'd already given him the sun.
Now he stood, with his arms wide, with her filling the space between them, her heart facing his own. Now she stood, having heard half of his confession, and Harry had every intention of telling her exactly who he was, of telling her everything.
Until she uttered the phrase, "I love you too," and his resolve turned to ash.
He loved her! He said he loved her. Three words, and suddenly all of the late nights spent pining, Training, the longing gazes, the space in her heart which she'd left for him, it was all worth something. It all meant something. Her love for him wasn't a waste, had never been, because he'd somehow, someway, fallen in love with her.
No, he said it to her even after all she said, all harsh words, all her mistakes.
"He said it!"Daphne squealed with happiness in her mind.
So she kissed him, almost knocking over her mannequin as they stumbled backwards, and Harry broke the kiss to trail her neck, heated kisses from her jawline to the soft skin between her shoulder blades. She moaned in response, losing herself to the feeling of Harry, of him holding her, his hands roaming freely and near-frantically.
Standing on her toes, Daphne clutched his hair tightly, tugging it back until she could get at his neck instead, leaving hot, open-mouthed kisses against the skin there. He gasped, something between a groan and a moan escaped his chest and it set Daphne's soul of fire, making her crave more, more and more.
In the middle of their passionate make out, the elves disappeared, embarrassed and blushing.
The young couple had completely forgotten about them being there, trapped in their own little world of lust and passion.
Daphne allowed him to pick her up. Wrapping her legs around his waist, and her tongue around his, Daphne felt her back come to rest against a statue wall. She used it to tilt her hips and felt him shudder against her.
"I love you," he whispered against her lips, breaking apart for air, both of them panting still, yet coming back together again because it seemed as though they'd always be that way. "I love you," he said again, as he nipped her neck, and her fingernails dug into his back. "I love you, Daphne, I love you so much."
He said it almost like a prayer, Daphne thought, and wasn't that the worst thing of all? How could they hide their whole relationship from the world? She wanted to scream that she belonged to him.
She wanted to say to Voldemort that she was already taken. She wanted to declare to her family that she was already ruining the thousands of years old purity through this marriage. She officially wanted to be Lady Potter in public.
They were running on fumes. Together, they could forget about the world, and make their own rules. They could forget about the ticking clock, they could forget about the secrets, and instead, only remember the love they shared.
Maybe, just for this night, things could be perfect.
Daphne pulled Harry's lower lip between her teeth ever-so-slightly, and he moaned, pressing into her, his fingers gripping her thighs tighter. They were sure to leave marks. Daphne liked the idea, to look in the mirror in the morning and remember how his lips felt on her neck, biting and sucking the skin there until a little bruise formed.
She pushed his collar as far down as it would go and did exactly what she wanted. Harry responded by crying out her name and she smirked against his skin.
And then her feet were dropped onto the floor, and her arms were pinned by her head, and Harry was growling as he kissed her again. She felt dizzy, breathless, completely lost to a world of her own making. A world which they'd both set alight and were now dancing amidst the flames, knowing it was only a matter of time until it burned to the very ground.
"You- you say- you love me. Tell me that you love me." Daphne painted in-between kisses, and Harry lifted his head. Never had she seen green eyes so dark, and it sent a shiver through her spine. A shiver of thrill, anticipation and lust-filled passion.
"I do," he replied, his features turning gentle as he brushed his nose against hers.
Squirming out of his hold on her wrists, she used one finger and prodded him backwards. Her heart raced as she reached up to the zipper on the back of her dress, tugging it down as she watched Harry's eyes widen, his jaw drop.
"Prove it," she said as her dress fell to the floor.
No matter how many times, every time felt like their first time.
Harry gently ran his fingers through her hair while she curled up. He hated how tired she looked, hated how she could barely keep her eyes open as she let him support her. "You should be sleeping."
"I don't want to sleep…Do you?"
Harry sighed as he lay next to her, his muscles relaxing slightly when she smiled warmly at him and snuggled closer.
She hummed softly while her chilled fingers danced across his face, tracing his features gently as her ice blue eyes followed her fingers movements. He watched her as she watched him and a small upturn of his lips brought her fingers down to lightly trace them. "I love it when you smile…I love that you're so strong….I love that fierce…I love that you don't show this side to anyone but me."
A small rumble filled his chest as his arms curled around her waist, bringing her closer. She'd rarely voiced emotional words aloud. He couldn't help but preen under her praise, pride filling his chest. This fragile-looking woman was his wife and he was hers, he wondered if now after all this time she was saying these things aloud. "You are strong…fierce…stubborn…lovely…kind…thoughtful…cunning and MINE."
A smile played across her lips at his words, replacing her fingers with her lips she kissed the wizard deeply. Slim fingers sliding through his get black locks to pull him closer. He flipped them over so that she straddled his waist as one hand held onto her hips and the other was locked into her sun-kissed tresses.
She sighed happily as she pulled away, fingers once again tracing patterns into his skin as she watched his muscles jump and flinch depending on where her fingers glided over. He watched her constantly, enjoying these relaxing moments before the pain of her leaving came, his hands rested gently on her thighs as his thumbs massaged circles on her skin. He shuddered lightly when her fingers drifted down to the exposed flesh of his collar bone.
She smiled warmly at him when their eyes met, he approached her slowly because, for some reason, something about this moment felt sacred. This time his own delicate looking fingers traced her face in quiet awe, a small smile curled her lips as she slowly closed her eyes leaving herself vulnerable to him.
"You were different this time?"
He scoffed softly into her hair, "How could I not."
She laughed lightly, "why?"
"Jealousy from you being closer to other males."
He winced slightly as she elbowed him roughly in the ribs but he took the good-natured abuse. "Anyway…"
Harry's ears perked up at the way she paused, as though she was hesitant to say what was on her mind. "Don't be...you trust me just as I trust you. Besides, there is no way those two idiots would see me in that way,"
He opened his mouth to question this but she continued, "Blaise sees me as nothing but his little kitten and he is a womaniser, Draco however..."
Harry kept listening. "I'm his actual friend around the den, and he's in love with someone that he could never be with. Poor Draco,"
Harry let out a good-natured growl at Draco being called 'poor' and her answering laugh made him smile as he buried his nose deep into her hair. Taking a deep breath his muscles relaxed at her natural scent. "You really like him."
He waited to hear her chuckle but there was nothing and for a moment his heart froze. He gently turned her around to see her eyes sad. It tore at his heart. "His life is hard, I'm happy just by being with you, but he on the other hand acts roughly in front of all of you. But he's hurting. He needed me to act like a girlfriend just so he could break up with Pansy,"
"HE WHAT?"
"It's okay, I just took the blame for their split, nothing is going on. Besides, I'm lucky that I got a lot of back-ups, but he hasn't. I got closer to him this year. And to tell the truth, he's a sweet boy. If we could destroy Voldemort, we could save him,"
"I'm proud of you." The glare he got for the act was enough to make his lips twitching up for a second. "You always act so strong…even when you are sad or hurting...Why?"
"Because it would be better than way, it makes it easier to mingle with a hard time,"
"Then why do you still keep so many walls up around you?" She touched his chest, right above where his heart beat steadily. "I am still not connected to you as I should be."
Harry hesitated for a second at what she was getting out. She wanted a true marriage bond, she wanted him. Completely. He was surprised that the jolt that went through his body was fear.
"Not to you…" his voice held a tint of fascination. She now had a clear way of knowing what he was feeling all the time. It was only then that he realized he'd never really said it out loud, he was so used to showing how he felt that the idea of saying it never passed his mind. He ran a hand through his hair for a second before he slowly nodded his head. "Never let anyone say otherwise."
A smile spread across her sleeping features as she pulsed lightly, the last of her strength slowly ebbing. "My name…Say it again Harry."
He laid his forehead against hers as he whispered her name softly, "Daphne...Daphne Potter"
He felt her heartbeat flutter for a second before it beat a little stronger. "Potter..."
She let out an approving hum before she said softly, "I'm so tired…"
"Don't go asleep, Lady Potter." Daphne let out a soft laugh, kissing him lightly when he was against her lips. "I haven't given you my gift yet,"
"Okay." She sat down, waiting for her gift.
he whispered, "Close your eyes,"
She did. Her curiosity killing her to know what he bought for her.
Harry covered something in her ears.
The headphones seemed to fit snug, strangely enough. It wasn't long before drums brashly hit her eardrum in a way.
However, it wasn't too long before it started to sound harmonious, intriguing the Slytherin. She focused on how the cords blended and the notes paralleled. The music ended much too soon. Daphne gasped in delight as she heard her favourite music.
"Do you want to hear more," Harry asked, a sly smile forming across his lips.
"Yes!" Daphne exclaimed.
Music was still blaring out of her headphones. Even though they had slipped down, and were now hanging awkwardly around her neck.
"You love music, so I decided to bring you a...Walkman!" He grinned.
"This is the best gift ever!" Daphne jumped at him.
She then figured out that this muggle machine Walkman worked at Hogwarts. And Magic tended to disrupt electronic currents.
"How does it work here? I mean Hogwarts wards don't allow us to use muggle machines?" She asked him, her hands still around his neck.
"You're the witch, figure it out," he smiled.
In the morning, they got a lovely breakfast and Daphne enjoyed every slice of it.
"I want you to never lose appetite again, Food comes first after me," he said between bites.
"Food comes first," she giggled.
"You know how much I love food, it will never happen again. I promise," Daphne was happy. Suddenly, she had a strange feeling something was wrong. Not with the food, but something else… Daphne had a strange feeling that 'something else' bad had happened. The same feelings every time someone...died.
"Not again…" she murmured frustrated.
"Daphne, are you alright?"
"Merlin!" Harry moved to her side. When he noticed some burns appearing on her neck and arms. He looked at them, and they looked like runes.
Daphne's shock didn't last as she saw the burning runes.
'Why did the protection system activate?' she frowned.
The pain was seizing down slowly and finally, she got to catch her breaths, Harry gave her water to gain some energy.
"The temple protection system was activated…" she said standing to change her clothes.
"What system, wards?"
Daphne nodded "The worst,"
"Care to explain,"
"Someone activated the protection system there. Something bad happened and it means an attack. The danger is grave or it wouldn't have activated. This is a disaster,"
"Why is this a disaster?"
"Because the magicless ward has spread to all of Iraq!"
Harry felt a wave of air around him and sensed something besides him. He looked up to see a strange Asian man look down at him.
He grasped his wand, ready to attack when the man lifted his arms in surrender.
Daphne turned around.
"Kou?"
"Long time no see, brat,"
Harry's eyes widened and stared at the man, the famous demon that he had always heard about was there, and in the chamber of secrets no less. He looked so human.
"What happened?" Daphne demanded an answer.
"No hugs?" The man faked a frown.
Daphne tilted her head, with knitted brows. A sign signifying her seriousness at the matter.
"Bad news,bad news," Kou's face turned completely serious. He murmured.
Daphne tried not to think the worst. In case someone activated the protection wards in Iraq.
Kou slowly shook his head. "They are both alive."
Daphne and Harry let out a sigh of relief.
"There was a trap. They were hit and are in serious condition,"
"What is the degree of danger?" Harry asked.
"I don't know yet, I came here in a hurry. Kamel followed them or they would have died…Yanlin is taking care of their treatment." He said, massaging his neck.
"You're not telling us everything…" Daphne said. It wasn't how she wanted to have her reunion with the fox. A warm welcome could wait.
"Firearms were used against them, but with poisoned bullets. Kamel said that someone had been following them a few days ago. Generally, this thing was found among the objects of the dead," Kou said as he took something out of his pocket.
Daphne didn't understand what that iron mask had to do with anything until Harry grasped the mask from Kou's hands.
"Death Eaters mask, I saw it in the graveyard," Harry said.
"What? You mean Vold–" Daphne wasn't able to finish the words as Harry nodded.
Daphne shook her head in denial, but the worst hasn't been heard yet.
"So you know them?" Kou asked, "I haven't introduced myself. I'm Kou, fox demon from Japan," Kou offered his hand.
"Harry Potter. Nice to meet you," he accepted the handshake. "Yeah, I had some ex encounters with them and their leader,"
"Well, here is the thing then. They have stolen the sanctities. The worst part is that you are accused of being involved with them. Apparently, Kamel found something of yours, when you explored the place. Your blood blade," He stated.
"My blood blade is up in my room, in my trunk," Daphne chuckled at him.
"Are you sure?"
Daphne's smile turned into a frown.
"What's this blood blade again?" Harry.
"Blade made of the holder's blood. Like a wand, it has an owner," Kou said.
"Your brother is trying to hide the scandal from the eyes of the council. So he decided to send the knights behind you...But it will not last until they know, the Minister of Iraq will try to calm the tourists,"
"What will happen in case the sanctities were not back?" Harry asked.
"Your wife rebelled against the king's sciences. Another royal war, Execution even." Kou said.
Daphne felt numb, the sanctities were stolen, Voldemort stole them, he used her blood blade to throw the blame on her, Berz and Eva in grave condition.
She didn't even have the power for such a piece of news, can't she for once have a normal day.
Why does it feel like the entire history was repeating itself?
Harry's eyes were as wide as ever and scoffed at the man.
"So that's it!" Harry said, almost scuffed.
Daphne walked a few steps back, looking completely mind blanking. Resting her back against a stone snake, slicing down, hugging her knees.
"Unfortunately it is," the man said.
Harry glared at him," I will not allow this," he gritted his teeth.
"I will not stand aside as they execute my wife,"
"Be realistic," Kou the kitsune demon said.
"I have had enough of your lies, all of you!" he growled, looking between Daphne and Kou.
There was a heavy pause between the two men,
But it ended with a hysterical female laugh.
They turned to see Daphne laughing hysterically at the two… She took a loud sigh before looking at them, "well, we're fucked," she simply let out, flatly.
Harry wanted to kill her at that moment.
Kou couldn't help but smile at that comment "What are you gonna do, pup?"
Daphne looked up at him before she moved to the exit " Give me some time to think all of this," she waved her hand around, signifying the events
"This will be very interesting," the man said as he walked to the breakfast table.
Harry sat next to him, trying not to snap.
"Can I have the full details, please?"
"Well, of course…."
Daphne kept walking until she found herself in front of Black lake.
The world was back crushing down at her again. After she caught a little semblance of peace.
The ache in the blonde's chest intensified painfully as she realized it The swelling of discomfort made it harder to take in air. Gritting her teeth against it and swallowing the urge to burst into tears, gradually the pain dissipated, leaving her feeling empty and hollow.
'I can't let all this happen again.' Daphne thought dully, ignoring the vice-like grip on her heart. 'If Berz falls, the whole state will fall.' Not too long ago that idea would have had her on the verge of crying again as she contemplated the possibility of losing the only true person she considered as a real father. And she had badmouthed him in their last meeting.
Returning to the present, she stared at the huge lake, face void of any expression, concentrating on remaining carefully numb as her thoughts and emotions turned dark. She hated herself for nothing, hated Phobos a little because the half brother of hers couldn't see what was in front of him, fully hated Chronos for destroying her life and forcing her to be the lamb offered up for their greediness.
Daphne hated and hated. She was filled with it and the emotion burned her from the inside as it ignited the queen of demons' rage, letting the murderous magic mutate into something that was not under either's control but reacted to Daphne's negative emotional state. It was like a third magic system that was only there to maim and destroy and Daphne had kept silent about its existence, afraid that it would be the final excuse the council needed to lock her away in some God-forsaken oubliette.
She had swallowed it all down for years, forced it all deep inside her, turning the destructive force on herself as an outlet because if she didn't, it would be unleashed on innocents.
Like the last time
Daphne knew what it was like to be innocent of wrongdoings yet punished for it anyway and sympathized. She did not want to harm anyone undeserving of it and knew that if she ever did let all that hate-filled magic out, it would destroy everything in its path, innocent and guilty alike.
Such a thing would be unacceptable and unforgivable. So she contained it behind mental barriers held in place by willpower alone. She redirected the wisps that escaped back into her body where it could run rampant and destroy things in relative safety.
Well, safe for Hogwarts and the world at any rate since Daphne was now the only one who suffered damage.
She needed a vacation desperately. In a place far, far away from the wizarding world and its people. Away from the hateful glares sent in her direction, away from the words laced with venom. The emotional toll of enduring such things constantly was beginning to show on her skin in physical ways, manifesting as actual burns or lacerations thanks to Lilith's essence circulating through her among other injuries
It was exhausting and made her sick, slow. She was hurt all the time and no one, apparently, noticed or cared and that hurt most of all. It was becoming harder and harder to find a reason to go on...
Harry was the only one to notice but it wasn't enough for her, not because she didn't want him to notice, but because she didn't want him to see her as another heavy burden.
Daphne screamed. She screamed and shrieked until her throat burned and her lungs could burst. She held her head as she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks nonstop.
The screams that she latched out, let her magic pour into and mix with it.
The water in front of her split into two or was it moved back a bit? She didn't concentrate on it.
She wiped her tears and quietly went back to the dorm.
Using her magic to feel Berz and Eva's condition and see it herself, the image that appeared in her mind was painful.
She saw Yanlin, a powerful healer and a captain of a knight division trying to use a magical healing needle to close Berz's wounds.
Daphne felt her energy running out as she breathed back to reality.
Walking into the common room, she saw Draco sitting on the sofa, laughing with Tracey and Blaise.
"Someone had a real slutty night," Blaise smirked to Tracey as they noticed the blonde finally back. while all four sat happily conversing with one another.
"Welcome back, the newly crowned queen," Tracey bowed her head giggling.
"We should make more parties in future," Draco nodded in agreement while Theo just rolled his eyes.
"I would love to organise one, but you better pay for it," Tracey said.
"What's the new queen of Hogwarts thinking about it," Draco finally piped in,
"The one who united the houses," Theo looked up from his book "I'm sure the professors are having a hard time believing the new development,"
When Draco noticed the silence from the blonde witch he turned his focus to her.
"Daphne, what's wrong?" Draco asked urgently, looking at her with concern. Daphne had gone as white as a sheet and was now struggling to keep up with their conversation,
When she tried to move towards them, she felt heavy.
She saw Draco hold a hand out to help steady her. She was standing now, but just barely.
When she tried to reach it, her legs gave up and everything turned black for her
Daphne fell on her knees, collapsing on the hard floor. Tracey looked up just in time to see her fall.
"Daphne!" Draco yelled, running to her side. "Theo, go get Madam Pomfrey. NOW!"
Theo nodded before running out of the room.
"Daphne, hold on. We'll get help."
Daphne looked at Draco with unfocused eyes. She moaned softly before her eyes slid shut and she fainted.
"Merlin! Daphne!" Drack called, shaking the girl. He cast some spells and frowned at the result.
He moved her to her room as the Slytherins students stood aside wondering what happened to the ice Queen.
Madam Pomfrey arrived immediately. Draco moved away. With a last concerned look at the unconscious form of Daphne before the door swung shut, the three Slytherins headed back to the Common Room.
Madam Pomfrey forced a potion down Daphne's throat and she woke with a gasp.
"What happened?"
"You fainted, Miss Greengrass." Madam Pomfrey replied.
"Oh." Daphne looked down.
"You need to eat more. You're wasting away." She sighed.
"It's not like I don't try. I just get so ill all the time!" Daphne moved up.
'Damn it, Aberforth! When will you ever clean this filthy joint of yours?' Remus Lupin thought when he entered the Hogshead after a long day that had been far from successful.
"Hello, I think I have a reservation here," he spoke as Aberforth Dumbledore turned around to look at the new visitor.
Remus looked at the taproom as dirty as it was, was deserted and since the word "Closed" was written in crooked letters all over the door and Aberforth had additionally charmed the place so that it was protected from unwanted visitors. There was no risk of being disturbed by unwanted company.
"Name?" he asked and turned, wiping his hands on an old towel.
"Padmoon," he replied, uneasy.
"The last room on the left,"
"Thank you," Remus said as he left, wondering why in Morgana's name would Sirius meet him in this Inn of all places.
Remus knew how stressful days had been for Sirius, ever since the announcement about his case. The last few days were all about that lawyer that suddenly showed up in Grimmauld place, saying that he would take over the case.
The place became a centre of research to the man, he brought every single document and file related to Sirius Black over history.
Dumbledore found it hard to trust the man but Sirius was determined to let the Knightwalker be in charge.
So in the end Dumbledore gave up on Sirius and permitted him to do whatever he wanted. Which brought him here at... Hogshead inn.
Remus knocked, but when no one replied he decided to let himself walk in. Only to have entered a battlefield, not a simple room.
There was shouting and cursing everywhere.
"Forgive me for intruding," He apologized, he got into the wrong room and was about to close the door, when he spotted Sirius sitting on a chair next to the window, drinking from some bottle.
He closed the door and even though he looked around, no one seemed to notice his arrival.
"If we don't, Daphne will be executed either way," Kou shouted
"Not again! What are you saying?" Daphne groaned.
"Most likely, Voldemort plotted with Aurelia," Kou added
"That's it ya bastard, come here!" Remus saw Harry run at some Asian man ready to punch.
He ducked and aimed lower at the last second to punch Kou in the stomach. Kou tackled him in retaliation. The fight continued on and on with insults flying from both of their mouths.
Remus noticed Daphne Greengrass, he shook his head at Daphne Potter. He may have been there from the very beginning of this story but seeing the girl in front of him, made him find it hard to believe that Harry was married for real. She was surely dragged into the brawl.
"I'm tired of this, every time the same problem happens," Daphne massaged her forehead right temple as she looked at Sirius helplessly.
"You will not interfere." Harry snapped at her.
"What did you just say?" Daphne glared deadly at him before she jumped to give him a proper punch.
"Ok Daphne, calm down," Kou held her from behind, trying to stop her from killing Harry.
"He used Nagini so he would make you run for his help, indicating your complicity," Harry shouted. "Didn't I tell you that you fucked the story,"
"Don't talk stupid," Kou snapped, while Daphne was trying to release herself from Kou's grasp.
"Let me at him, What did I tell you, Kou, what did I tell you?" She said, hitting his face with her elbow.
"Well, it's not your goddamn problem, I will solve it on my own. Don't you dare tell me what to do again, I'd kill you…"
"You're both crazy. Damn the day you came into my life and fucked it,"
"Moony, get in getting in," Sirius caught him and jumped to the side of his friend, helping him enter. "Let me introduce you to our beautiful family,"
They all stopped looking at Remus for a second as Sirius kept chuckling before they continued their fight
"They have been fighting, it's so funny," Sirius laughed before showing the fellas to Remus "This brag is a fox demon and this blonde is my daughter in law, well and that's our... Harry," he sipped his drink.
"Are you drunk?" Remus frowned.
Sirius shook his head off.
"What's my fault, this lunatic got us all into the story," Kou said, hitting her back.
"Shut up, I didn't involve anyone,"
"Don't call her that!" Harry snapped. "Let me kill him!" He said, wrapped his hands around Kou's neck to choke him.
Remus couldn't understand which side was right.
"You both stop!" Remus shouted as he ignored Sirius' cold behaviour.
The fight stopped and the fighters froze. Remus had a deadly aura surrounding him. They all realized the show they caused. They all stood silent, looking at him with anger and annoyance filling their eyes.
Kou looked at the werewolf upside down, with a raised blow, the fox kind would never be getting along with the wolves.
Daphne tried to show some dignity in front of her previous defence against the dark art teacher, while Harry shoved his hands in his pockets, looking away.
"What... is... happening...here?" He slowly exclaimed in a threatening voice.
They all inhaled deeply. Harry finally decided to be the one to speak. A sentence that would be changing the tide of the conflict.
"We are going to Iraq," Harry spoke defiantly, glaring at the people around, expecting someone to oppose him.
Ta da ( ╹▽╹ )
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