Chapter 17: Breaking for Winter

Percy

Perseus!

Percy jerked awake, shooting upright in the bed, hand darting towards his pocket and drawing the ballpoint pen from within. There was a time where a voice would fail to cause him to even shift in his sleep, and Annabeth would always mock him for being quite the heavy sleeper. Citing the line of drool that ran down his cheek quite often.

Those days were long past, however. As it turns out, watching many of your friends perish, only to anticipate some vicious monster popping up with no warning intent on ripping out your throat because you 'smell tasty' turns one into quite a light sleeper after many looong years.

After his eyes had cleared their drowsiness, Percy noticed a soft, white glow filling the cabin. He turned around, and his eyes landed on the source of the light. A radiant doe gracefully stood just in front of his door, patiently waiting for him to acknowledge its presence. The light obscured his vision briefly when his eyes first landed on it, the bright glow contrasting with the darkness that had filled the room until just now.

Percy had seen other order members utilizing that very spell to send messages during his short time there. They called it a patronus. Percy had not yet bothered to learn it, however. It seemed like a fair bit of complicated magic that may very well have been out of his limited magical ability. Maybe one day…

However, he was thoroughly thrown off guard when the doe opened its mouth. Whatever he was expecting to happen, it was certainly not the greasy potions Professor's voice echoing from the corporeal deer. The sight shot Percy's eyebrows up on his forehead and forced his arm hair to stand on end. The greasy Professor's cadence that contained thinly-veiled loathing of everyone and everything in sight was not supposed to come from something so magnificent and pure as the deer standing before him.

Dumbledore requests your presence immediately. Something to do with Potter.

The deer spit out Harry's surname as if it were the most scathing insult a man could muster. Once the message was delivered, the doe began to dissolve, separating into thin strands of bright mist that soon dissolved into the black void, and Percy was left alone in the pitch black of the cabin once again.

Once Percy registered what the doe has actually told him, he sprung into action towards the dresser, lighting his path in the process. It's a good thing he was paying attention, seeing as how the apparition left immediately after it delivered the message. What if someone had gotten distracted during that, there would be no chance for the message to be received. There's plenty of ways to get distracted, especially around here. What if Percy had-

Percy shook his head violently, putting himself back on track. Right - Harry.

He hastily threw on an orange shirt, covering it with a blue hoodie - it was nearly winter break, after all - and stepped into his sneakers before bolting out the front door. He had left his pants on, idly wondering what people would think of his Finding Nemo pj's as he continued his torrid pace up the hill to the castle. He was briefly held up when his sneaker had slipped on the frost that had accumulated on the grass, forcing Percy to a knee briefly. But he continued after a quick dust-off, determined to reach Dumbldore's office before long. His lungs had begun to burn from the frigid air when he reached the massive doors, which had opened on their own accord during his approach.

He passed the threshold and darted towards where he surprisingly remembered Dumbledore's office was located. He had taken extra care to memorize it for situations specifically like this. As he sprinted through the abandoned halls, his footsteps echoed across the stone and thoughts raced through his mind. What could the problem be?

Of course, his mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario, but he did not entertain that thought much longer after it popped in his head. Had Harry disappeared? Is he injured? The possibilities flew through his mind like the stones that made up the walls he raced by. He skidded to a halt, quickly backtracking when he missed a turn.

He flew up the grand staircase, taking the steps two, sometimes three at a time in his haste. He made sure to avoid the trick stair, lest he be more tardy then he already was.

Di Immortales!

Percy listened as his own frustrated shout echoed to the depths of the staircase. That godsdamned set of stairs had decided to shift just before he reached the platform, delaying him again for however long it took until it floated back. He was only one flight away from the Headmaster's office, he could practically see it. Percy began to pace as his Latin curse finished echoing off the stone - it was a phrase he had picked up during his time at Camp Jupiter.

Percy never checked the time when he had awoken, but judging by how long it took his shout to putter out, there was hardly anyone else awake in the castle. A huge sigh of relief left him when the stairs finally started to float back to the platform where he stood. Percy couldn't contain himself, his legs began to twitch in anticipation, and he shot off like a bullet once the stairs had settled.

It only took him three steps to reach the final platform and he burst through the door and to the end of the hallway, screeching to a halt in front of the emotionless gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office. He didn't look back, but Percy couldn't be sure his sneakers hadn't left skid marks on the floor.

He paused, then smacked his forehead as he tried to rack his brain for the password Dumbledore had given him at the beginning of the semester. It was some sort of candy, some sweet treat… all he could think of were mortal candies from his mom's old store. He was not as well versed in wizarding sweets.

Chocolate frogs! No…

Sherbert lemon! That was the old one…

Turns out, he didn't have to strain his seaweed brain any longer as the gargoyle jumped into action.

You may enter. A stoic voice came from the stone guardian as it leaped aside, revealing the spiral staircase behind that led to his destination. He bounced through the entry and up yet some more stairs, though these spiral ones were much tougher and slower going. He eventually reached the top and the last guardian of the headmaster's office - the heavy, thick wooden door - opened on its own accord.

He stepped into Dumbledore's busy office, the machines whirring off to the side with no break, Fawkes perched on his stand, and the portraits of every previous headmaster were eerily silent, all focused on one spot directly in front of the desk. Percy followed their gaze, breathing out a sigh of relief when he landed eyes on Harry. Harry was alive and - well… he wasn't well.

Harry was kneeling on the floor, Ron holding a shoulder from behind to steady him. He was very pale, his shoulders rose and fell as rapid breaths racked his body. His shirt was stained with a large, dark patch on his back, sweat pouring down his forehead, and Percy could see that his glasses were constantly fogging up. It looked like Harry was having a tough night to say the least.

Three pairs of human eyes, and one avian, jerked his way when he entered the room. He looked towards Dumbledore, through his half-moon spectacles for an explanation. Percy never hid the fact that he disagreed plenty with how Dumbledore ran the Order, but at that moment, Percy could see the genuine concern for Harry shining through that old, wizened gaze.

"Harry, m'boy." Dumbledore said, forcing Harry to look away from Percy. "Inform Perseus of what you told me."

Harry took a deep breath, steadying his breathing for a moment, and nodded in response to Dumbledore's request. "Mr. Weasley is in danger. We have to send help."

Percy's brow furrowed and he dropped to a knee on Harry's level. "How do you know that?"

"I saw it, in a… a dream." Harry hesitated, probably realizing how ridiculous and far fetched that sounded to Percy. Fortunately, he was wrong. Percy had plenty of experience with dreams.

"Tell me."

"I saw him. He was attacked, it was a giant snake."

"Where?"

"I- I don't know. It was dark, lots of rows of shelves, I think." Harry struggled to remember. "There were these… glowing balls everywhere."

Percy turned to Dumbledore, hoping the old man knew where Harry was talking about, because Percy certainly didn't. "The Department of Mysteries."

"Is this true, Albus?" Percy hadn't noticed McGonagall standing over to the side, but it made sense that she were there. They were her students, after all. She had most likely been the one who had brought them to Dumbledore in the first place.

"Of course not. Just another stunt from an attention-seeking brat." Of course Sanpe was here too, he always helped calm situations and never escalated them. Percy suppressed the need to roll his eyes, instead focusing on what Harry needed.

Dumbledore didn't answer, looking towards Percy instead with a questioning gaze. The whole situation would sound a little odd to someone without the experiences that Percy had throughout his life. But, Percy was not going to dismiss Harry's claims.

"It was so real." Harry whispered to Percy. "Please, we need to send help, there was so much blood." The sincerity and panic shining in Harry's eyes was genuine, so desperate for Percy to believe him, and Percy fully bought in. That what Harry had seen to be true. You cannot fake that emotion, the sheer panic of seeing someone you care about on Thanatos' door. That was all Percy needed. He nodded to Dumbledore, his endorsement clear. Dumbledore immediately sprung into action, extremely agile for one so old, turning to the portraits that hung in the room, sending them off on tasks that would hopefully get the help that was needed. "Percy." Harry whispered while Dumbledore was directing the portraits along with McGonagall and Snape. "I was the one that attacked Mr. Weasley."

That immediately caught Percy's attention, and he focused completely on Harry, blocking out all the other activity. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't just see what happened, I was the snake. I stalked him while he was asleep, and I attacked again, and again, and again." There were tears pooling in Harry's eyes, Percy imagining that what Harry had seen was harrowing, it's not everyday you get a first row view of someone you care about being mauled by a giant snake, and the image would stay with the boy for a long time.

"Harry." Percy placed a hand on his heaving shoulder. "It wasn't you, it was a vision. It's not your fault."

Harry perked up immediately following what Percy told him, as Dumbledore spoke up from his desk. "Arthur has been found, he is now being treated at St. Mungo's." Everyone in the room breathed a heavy sigh of relief, except for Snape - heartless bastard. A quiet 'Thank, Merlin' came from under Ron's breath as he leaned heavier onto Harry, the adrenaline that had been running through him fading out in his relief.

"Perhaps, Dumbledore." Percy spoke up. "A few extra days of winter vacation wouldn't hurt."

"I believe you are correct, Perseus." He turned towards the other two professors. "Minerva, please gather the rest of the Weasley siblings and Ms. Granger."

"Very well, Albus." McGonagall replied as she left the room with purpose in her stride, as always.

"Severus, your presence is no longer needed tonight. Thank you." Percy was not sad to see that overgrown bat leave the room with his overly dramatic, billowing cape - or cloak, rather. He didn't understand why Dumbledore trusted that man so much, he had never seen Snape show a shred of concern or compassion over anything, and it rubbed Percy the wrong way. Dumbldore shifted, drawing Percy's attention once McGonagall and Snape had vacated the room. He carefully grabbed a red feather that had been lying on his desk, clearing the space around it. Percy could only assume that feather originated from Fawkes. He drew his wand, performing slow, deliberate movements over the object. His wand cut a path through the air, mesmerizing the three remaining in the office as it swished and twirled. The wand's dance soon ended, capped with a soft glow from the feather that remained on the desk. Percy half expected the feather to grow legs and begin a little jig after that display, but it disappointingly remained still on the wooden desk.

McGonagall returned to the office shortly after Dumbledore's display had finished, the requested students in tow with the swing of the heavy door announcing their arrival. Her and Hermione's brown hair stood out against the backdrop of bright red mops that followed. A loud gasp erupted from Hermione when she realized the state that Harry was in, rushing to his side opposite where Ron kneeled. Percy rose then, giving the trio of friends their time and space for the moment. The rest of the Weasley's sported identical, quizzical and exhausted looks, not used to being woken up at an hour such as this.

"What gives?"

"Yeah, McGonagall wouldn't tell us a thing." The twins were eager to get to the point after being so rudely woken up during their good night's sleep… probably dreaming of more joke products to whip up. However, Dumbledore's face gave them pause. Percy could imagine it was a similar look to the one the headmaster wore following the Triwizard tournament tragedy. They quickly ceased their complaining, suddenly on edge.

"I regret to inform you all." Dumbledore wasn't beating around the bush, which Percy mentally applauded him for. Might as well just get to the point. "That Arthur Weasley was attacked at the Ministry tonight." Ginny gasped and her hand flew to her mouth, mirroring Hermione's action. The twins stood rock still, shell shocked.

"Well, how is he? Where is he?" Hermione snapped out of it first, always practical.

"Arthur is being treated at St. Mungos. I have just received word that he is in stable condition." A collective sigh came from the family, their shoulders relaxed. "Given the circumstances, I felt it was prudent to give you all an early start to winter break. I have a portkey made up," he raised the feather from the desk. "That will take you back to Grimmuald place. Perseus will be escorting you."

Percy had felt that would be his job for the night. Before he sent them off, Dumbledore waved Percy closer, and he complied. "Perseus, was Harry's-" Percy knew what he was going to ask. There were some one key difference between Harry's vision and a demigod dream. Percy had always observed the events from afar, never seen one in the first person.

"No." Percy shook his head. "It was similar, but there was something different."

"Very well." Dumbledore said. "We shall have to discuss this more at a later time." He turned back to the rest, raising the feather. "Is everyone ready?" At their confirmation, he placed the feather on a small, round table in the middle of the room. Percy moved towards the feather, crowding around it with the rest of them. They all placed a finger on it, the Weasley family's noticeably shaking.

Percy took a deep breath, and with a simple wave of Dumbledore's wand, he felt a pull behind his navel, a brief, uncomfortable claustrophobic feeling, and before he know it, Percy crashed into a dark, gloomy room with six other people.

Shortly after their landing, they were hounded by one Sirius Black, pun unintended. He ushered the distressed kids out and, presumably, to wherever Molly Weasley was at the moment. He was left alone then, his job completed with the kids safe and sound for the time being.

Percy remained on the floor, taking in the events of the night. He definitely needed time to process what had happened, and what Harry's vision means for the future of their conflict. There was one thing that continued to bother Percy though; how Harry had witnessed the event. The fact that he was looking through the eyes of the attacker, a snake no less, could not mean anything positive in the slightest.

Before he could rise and dust himself off, another figure appeared in the doorway with the small crowd departed, this one quite a bit more feminine than Sirius' still scrawny frame. She reached out a hand, grasping his forearm with her steady hands.

"Hell of a bloody night, huh Perce." She assisted Percy to his feet and immediately dragged him into a desperate, warm hug. With her arms wrapped around his broad shoulders, Percy was forced into a faceful of pink hair. Tonks breathed a sigh of relief into his shoulder, the warm air washing over his skin and rustling the short hairs that resides on the back of his neck. "Just glad everything worked out."

"Yeah, me too." He admitted, relaxing into Tonks' comforting embrace. "Everyone's alive at least."

"Thank Merlin for that." They remained locked together for a minute, each one relishing in the warmth and comfort the other provided in that moment after such a hectic night. Tonks broke the embrace, disentangling her arms from around Percy's neck, releasing a deep breath. "We should go join them."

"Yeah…" Percy agreed. He took a moment to compose himself, swiping the dust off his pants and shirt. Clearing his throat, he gestured towards the exit and took a step forward. Tonks got the hint and fell in next to him seamlessly, placing her hand on his shoulder in the process.

"Lovely pants, by the way."

That made Percy snort, releasing some of the pent up tension in his shoulders. "You like my pajamas?" He gestured towards the orange fish that adorned the fabric covering his legs.

Tonks smiled, the warmth filling Percy as she made an 'ok' sign with her fingers; Percy thought he detected a hint of sarcasm when she raised her eyebrows with a smirk. "Very stylish."

Daphne

"Any special plans for winter break?" Tracey forced Daphne away from the rolling landscape outside of their compartment window. They had left for the break a short while ago, boarding the train and heading back towards normal life… well, as normal as it could get anyway. Daphne was not looking forward to it to put it lightly. At the very least they were able to find a compartment to themselves for the lengthy ride.

She shrugged nonchalantly, not really giving Tracey an answer. Instead, she returned to the snow-covered trees and shining mountains that were sprinting through her field of vision. She sighed, truly wishing to go back to Hogwarts instead of facing whatever happened to be back at the Greengrass manor. Her less than loving Father, the impending contract with Malfoy… she wished to avoid all that. Maybe stay at the castle over break, open whatever presents she may have gotten in peace, she even actually longed for more of those D.A. meetings.

The only reason to go back, was her mother. Her poor, ailing mother… "Nothing important." She finally answered her friend, keeping her eyes on the passing horizon. "Hopefully avoiding my father and the Malfoys. Spending time with my mum." A tear threatened to slide its way down her cheek. "You know, hoping every minute with her isn't my last." She choked out. It was a rare occurrence for the so-called Ice Queen to show any human emotion, but with Tracey and only Tracey in the compartment, she could afford to be a bit more vulnerable.

A soft weight settled beside her, shifting the cushion beneath her legs. A comforting arm snaked its way around her shoulders, the hand coming to rest on Daphne's upper arm. She was slowly drawn into Tracey's warm embrace, resting her blonde curls on the offered shoulder. A weight settled itself on Daphne's head, brown hair slightly obscuring her vision. The lone tear that had been struggling to break free finally succeeded, leaving a watery trail in its wake. It held onto her chin for as long as it could manage, before dropping to her lap with an inaudible plop.

Tracey tightened her arm that lay across Daphne's shoulders, drawing her friend closer towards herself. Daphne leaned into her embrace, finding some measure of comfort. "Wish I could see your mum."

"You can't." Daphne said, voice slightly muffled by Tracey's clothes. "He won't allow it."

"Your father doesn't know me."

Daphne sighed, suddenly tired and in dire need of a snooze. "He knows every pureblood family." She finished with malice.

"We can just say I'm from a lesser known family." Tracey suggested. "He'd never know."

"He would." Daphne shook her head against Tracey's shoulder, brown hairs tickling her face at the motion. "And if he didn't, he would send an owl to the family to find out. And when he found out, there'd be no more hiding." Daphne quieted.

"What if-" Tracey starter excitedly, not willing to let the issue lie.

"Just let it go, Tracey." Daphne cut her off, annoyance seeping into her tone. It hurt to watch Tracey's expression fall and eyes well in concern. "Please." Tracey slowly nodded, agreeing with her request. "Can we talk about something else."

"Like what?"

Daphne lifted her shoulders, unable to conjure a solid topic of conversation as they fell back down. "Anything."

"Right, then." Tracey adorned a concentrated look with matching noises, presumably searching for an appropriate topic starter. "Don't know about you, but I'm going to quite miss those DA meetings over break."

That sent a jolt of amusement through Daphne's slumped shoulders, forcing an exhale from her nose. "Me too, Trace."

"After the first few meetings, I reckon everyone forgot we were in Slytherin." Tracey said into Daphne's hair. "It was nice."

"Know exactly what you mean." Daphne replied. Neither witch elaborated on their feelings, they didn't have to. Both of them knew exactly what the other was talking about, that feeling of anonymity that had been so foreign to them since their sorting night. Every action they had taken in their few years at Hogwarts had been done through the lens of judgment that belonged to the rest of the school, all because of the color that distinguished their clothes. Distrustful glances and snide remarks had not gone unnoticed in the halls, following them to nearly every class they had ever attended.

Once Harry had made the expectation clear, and the subsequent banning of house robes from the DA meetings, all that went away while they were in that room. It was a relief to just exist as part of a group, to simply fade into the background.

Daphne leaned back in the seat alongside Tracey, and as her back hit the cushion of the train bench, she felt more comfortable about going home. At least she knew that Tracey would be there for her when she got back to Hogwarts. No matter what happens at home.

Her eyes drifted shut and she relaxed into Tracey's robe, releasing a contented sigh as she did. Well, she tried to relax, anyway.

They rocketed back up, Tracey's arm vacating its spot around Daphne's shoulders so rapidly that a small breeze ruffled her blonde hair. Someone had chosen that exact moment to yank the door open unceremoniously, forcing Daphne to enter the cold, emotionless state she had perfected through her short life. She never particularly enjoyed slipping into it, but one had to do what was necessary; especially in Slytherin.

A sense of dread and disgust tore throughout her body, though Malfoy, who turned out to be the culprit, would never know that from her face. "There you are, Daphne." He smirked. A smirk that made her skin crawl. "Why don't you come sit with us? Join your sister in our compartment." He phrased it as a question… it was anything but. Daphne had no desire to submit to the Malfoy heir's request, however.

"And why would I want to do that?" She glared back at him from her seat, voice frosty as a stiff winter breeze. He remained hovering in the hallway, taking up the entrance to the compartment her and Tracey occupied. Daphne couldn't see his two bumbling lapdogs, but they couldn't have been too far away and would most certainly come to heel should he only call.

"You should be seeking better company." Daphne watched as his infuriating smirk morphed into a snarl when his eyes shifted towards Tracey. It made Daphne's blood boil. "Not sullying yourself with company such as this."

Daphne glanced over, and she was proud of the way Tracey kept her head held high. Though Daphne noticed the slight tremble of her bottom lip. She resumed glaring daggers at Malfoy. "There is nothing wrong with the company I keep."

"Please." He scoffed. "A half-blood? We're much better than that, dear Daphne. You should leave her behind, where she belongs."

If looks could kill… Well, Malfoy would've been long gone ten times over by now, but if Daphne got her way, oh the things that Malfoy would be forced to endure…

As it was, looks did not kill unfortunately. Daphne rose from her seat, stalking across the small compartment towards the arrogant boy. "We don't need your advice, Draco. So why don't you take your whiny, greasy arse back to your own compartment and continue your game of hide-the-pecker with your two dogs, you pathetic little excuse for a wizard."

She had finished closer to him than she had intended, and her tirade hadn't cut quite as deep as she was hoping. He took it in stride, that same nauseating smirk on his face as they were only separated by the width of the entryway. "Found a sore spot, have I?" He teased, eyes fluttering between Daphne and Tracey, who remained still on the bench. He took a moment to bask in whatever victory he thought he had achieved before addressing Daphne again. "Now, is that any way to address your future husband? Astoria has accepted her place in society, now it's your turn. How does that feel, to be trailing behind your little sister?" He mocked. "Now come." Malfoy beckoned her towards him with an outstretched arm. Daphne didn't move a centimeter.

"There's nothing that would make me ever follow you willingly."

His cheeks reddened, anger at Daphne's dismissal seeping to the forefront of his minuscule brain. "You best take care how you address me from now on Lady Malfoy, lest you-"

The beginnings of what was shaping up to be a mighty elitest tirade was cut short, as the blonde prick tumbled to the ground with a satisfying oof!

"Oh, sorry mate! Didn't see ya there." A dark-skinned boy exclaimed, exaggerated in a way that anyone with a shred of intellect could tell that the boy had, in fact, seen Malfoy standing there. The boy was familiar to Daphne, she had seen him at every DA meeting, but his name eluded her memory still. She had also seen him around the castle a few times, traveling or causing havoc with the Weasley twins. At least at this moment, he was messing with the correct unsavory individual.

He stood up straight from where his shoulder had run over Malfoy's with a mischievous smirk bared on his face. A smaller girl calmly walked up behind him, one that Daphne certainly recognized, and even remembered the name of. "What's the matter, Lee?" Angelina Johnson casually asked from her spot behind him. They had both moved forward into the doorway, as Malfoy had been knocked down the corridor.

"This bloke was blocking the hall, didn't even see him." 'Lee' explained innocently. "Accidentally bowled him over."

"Is that so?" Daphne caught the sly look Angelina sent to two of them, and her cheeky wink told Daphne that she knew exactly what had happened, and it wasn't an accident. Daphne allowed a small smile to spread on her face now that Malfoy was out of eyesight, and a hand covering Tracey's mouth with a slight shake of the shoulders greeted her when she turned around to check on her friend.

Malfoy finally returned to his feet with an indignant huff, upturning his nose towards the pair while scrambling to straighten out his robes. He glared at them, well he attempted to glare, as if anything would ever be intimidated without the other two standing behind him.

"You dare!" He took a second after his outburst presumably to collect himself. Daphne knew all about how Malfoys and the like were expected to act, and yelling and screaming in anger were not a part of those criteria. He sighed, keeping his pathetic glare trained on them. "I would watch your back from now on, if I were you."

"Right, but you're not me." Lee said with a perplexed look that was entirely too dramatic.

"Tha- that's what I just said." Malfoy continued to attempt to be intimidating, which continued to fail miserably despite his best efforts. Especially with him stammering through his sentences. Malfoy bristled at the condescending tone being thrown his way, and he smoothed back his normally pristine hair with both hands, it had been thrown out of place during his altercation with the corridor floor.

"Did Draco Malfoy just threaten a fellow Prefect, Lee?" Angelina asked her friend while Malfoy relentlessly straightened himself out.

"That's what I heard."

Malfoy drew in a deep breath amidst their taunts, tugging on his robes to straighten them one last time. "I don't have to deal with the likes of you." He huffed. "It isn't worth my time." He turned on his heel, stalking away amidst the sniggers coming from the two Griyffindors he had butted heads with, head held high.

Angelina and Lee kept their eyes trained down the corridor, their smirks never fading as they followed the source of their enjoyment back into his cabin. Once he had left their sight, and the cabin door closed, did the Gryffindor pair allow their eyes to trail from the corridor. They both sported wide smiles as they turned, Lee giving an over-exaggerated bow towards her and Tracey, nose nearly touching the floor, as if he had just performed an elaborate stunt for their enjoyment. For all they knew, he had.

Angelina was much more subdued, with only a small nod along with her wide smile. Daphne assumed Lee's extravagance could be attributed to all the time she had seen the older boy with the Weasley twins, and who knows what the three had gotten up to when they weren't in anyone's vision.

They didn't say anything, simply turning away and returning to their own compartment. Daphne stood for a moment, watching them go. She had always been too proud to ask for help, a fact Tracey constantly harped on as what would be her downfall. That being said, if help wandered into her path in the form of two rogue Gryffidors, who was she to turn them away? Especially regarding her blonde prick dilemma. She slid the compartment door shut, taking extra care this time to ensure it was locked, before sinking back into her spot next to Tracey.

The comfort of Tracey's arm immediately fell upon her shoulders once again, and she relaxed into the half embrace, falling into the seat fully this time without interruption. Tracey followed her, and they both settled with laying down on the soft material, Daphne's head resting on a familiar shoulder.

"Trace." Daphne called softly, eyes closing on their own. The train always made her drowsy, and the altercation with Malfoy did nothing to cure her of that, it only made her more sleepy if anything. "I'm falling asleep." She barely got the words out, forget about hearing Tracey's response, and her eyes fully shut as she settled down for the train ride as has become her custom.

She was shaken awake by Tracey when the train had stopped, an unspecified amount of time later. Daphne rapidly blinked away the black splotches in her vision after sitting up too fast. She groaned and rubbed her eyes with closed fists. "How long was I out?" She yawned out.

"Dunno." Tracey shrugged back. "I fell asleep shortly after you passed out. Half hour left announcement woke me up."

"Didn't want to wake me up?" Daphne was still trying to get her bearings from the edge of the seat.

"You looked tired." Tracey explained simply.

"I was."

"From what you've told me, seemed like you would need all the rest you could get."

"S'pose you're right." Daphne admitted, finally feeling grounded enough to stand and stretch her arms above her head, dispelling the remaining drowsiness from her being. "Thanks, Trace. Where would I be without you?"

"Probably brooding and lonely." Tracey answered snarkily. That coaxed a smile and an amused huff from the blonde Slytherin. Their attention was drawn away by a shrieking whistle followed shortly by a commotion, as the passengers began to disembark in what was surely an orderly fashion. They waited patiently, allowing the herd to thin before they exited their compartment.

Most of the older Gryffindors had the same idea. A large group was passing when they opened the door. A group that consisted mainly of DA members, including Lee and Angelina, who shot a couple of smiles their way when Daphne and Tracey showed their faces. The others were too engrossed in their excited chatter to notice their appearance. They let the group pass, filing out behind them with their minimal belongings - they had left almost everything at Hogwarts for the break. They were some of the last students on the train, nearly all of the compartments had already been vacated.

They stepped off the train with their belongings, just catching the last whistle reminding everyone to depart. A sea of parents greeted them, some tearily reunited with their children, some still craning their neck in search. Those who had already said their greetings began to leave the station, thinning out the herd. A shiver ran down Daphne's spine as she caught a glance of her father.

She quickly turned to Tracey, who was still scanning for her own parents. A cursory glance didn't alert Daphne to anyone paying attention to them, and they were still hidden from her father by the remaining crowd. She quickly threw her free arm around Tracey's shoulder before she could talk herself out of it. Drawing her in for a goodbye embrace, surprising Tracey who let out a startled oof! Daphne shortly released her friend before they could draw any attention, clearing her throat and composing herself. A confusing look greeted her when she looked back to Tracey, clearly not used to Daphne showing any affection, especially in public. To be honest, Daphne even surprised herself with that stunt.

"Good luck, Daph." She said after a pause between the two.

"I'm gonna need it." Daphne whispered back, though Tracey could barely hear it. "Have a good break."

"You too." Tracey smiled back. "Have fun with all your other friends."

Daphne's smile and huff of amusement fell as Tracey turned her back to go in search of her family. She took a few steps, paused and looked back to Daphne, offering one more goodbye wave. Daphne returned the smile to her face, but it did not reach her eyes. She wondered if Tracey could tell, or if she was too far away already. Tracey finally turned fully, and Daphne watched her only friend disappear into the remaining crowd.

She sighed, fully regretting the arrival of her turn to find her 'family'. She startled at one last piercing whistle from the scarlet engine, and it began to roll away from the platform with low rumbles and puffs of smoke filling the platform. She watched it retreat, wishing she could've just stayed on the train and returned to the magic castle, instead of facing whatever was waiting for her here.

She regretfully turned, resigning herself to fate. By the time she accepted it, the crowd had severely thinned out, and she was in clear view of her father and an Astoria who was smirking for all that she was worth. Her father didn't show it, but Daphne could feel his radiating annoyance even from a distance. As she closed the gap, she could even see his distinguished shoe tapping on the floor as he waited, arms crossed.

Daphne's father was an intimidating man, but not due to his size. He was tall, standing nearly another foot above Daphne's head, but he was not big, like so many other rich purebloods. The Greengrass patriarch was lean and athletic, a fearsome dueler back in the day of rumor was to be believed, with a constant frown etched on his angled jaw. He was clean shaven, as anything else was seen as lazy and undignified, but with dark, glowering eyes that passed a scrutinizing judgment with nearly every action Daphne had ever taken, contrasting with his pale skin. She had never seen him smile, not even anything close to what could be considered one.

That was all thrown away when compared to what made him truly intimidating; his famous temper. Well, his temper was only famous to Daphne and her mother; Astoria had so far been exempt along with the rest of pureblood society. To them, he was just cold and calculating, a normal pureblood head of house vying for more power and influence at every turn. That was the only thing he cared about, and Daphne's mother had embarrassed him more than once with her ideals of freedom and independence. Daphne had never seen him strike her mother, but she could certainly hear his screams echoing through the manor late at night.

Astoria had immediately shared his ideals as soon as she could understand, vowing to do whatever was necessary to further the power of the Greengrass name. That had immediately slotted Astoria as his favorite person in the house. Daphne, not so much. Daphne had fallen in with her mother and their 'radical and outrageous' ideas, hoping to be free of their essential servitude to the cruel patriarchy that ruled over the elite sect of wizarding England. Her mother was already one stain on their reputation, there was no way he would allow Daphne to become a second.

Daphne had fallen into her other persona, the emotionless mask she adorned in the presence of her father to avoid sparking the fire that was his temper. "Father. Astoria." She greeted with monotone indifference.

"Daphne." He replied, voice deep and rumbling, like a volcano ready to erupt at any time. He stared at her down his nose. "Not in any rush, are we?"

Daphne stared right back up at him, pointedly ignoring her smirking sister. "Apologies, father." He raised a thick eyebrow. "It was not my intention to waste any valuable time." The fact that it was her Father's valuable time was left unsaid.

"Hmm." He pondered, piercing blue eyes trained on Daphne. She had to restrain from sinking into herself under the weight of his gaze, standing tall and staring impassively back at him. "Very well. Come along, Astoria, Daphne." Astoria slipped her arm around their father's, holding it close against herself and smiling up at him. He outstretched his other arm towards Daphne, gesturing her towards him. She stepped and reached, clasping her hand around his forearm from as far back as she could… her hand immediately got colder.

Not a second passed after she made contact, and Daphne was whisked away with the always uncomfortable feeling of being squeezed through a small tunnel, a yelp being forced out of her throat. It felt much longer than it actually was before her feet landed on solid ground once again. Her shoes clacked on the tiled floor of the manor's entry, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She always hated apparating, it was one of the most uncomfortable feelings anyone can go through.

The trio wasn't standing there for long before another, smaller snap greeted them, this one revealing a house elf that was missing a chunk of his left ear. Bundy was the house elf that was 'in charge', so to speak. He coordinated the house elves that belonged to their family, and there were quite a few. She never learned what happened to his ear, and probably never will. Daphne hadn't had many interactions with Bundy, he mostly kept to the other elves. But, he answered directly to her father, and couldn't lie, so Daphne wasn't to keen on that.

"Mistresses." Bundy greeted the two girls with a bow so low his crooked nose brushed the tile. "Welcome home."

"Hello, Bundy." Astoria replied down her nose, imitating the way their father tended to look down upon others. It was a lot less intimidating. Daphne didn't say anything, focusing on keeping her mask up until she got to the privacy of her bedroom.

"What can be done, master?" Bundy quickly turned his attention to her father.

"I believe some food is in order, yes?" He wore the same expression as Astoria, though much more effective. Astoria still hadn't removed her arm from around his.

"Of course, father."

"Very well, master. It shall be done." Bundy bowed low once more, and with another snap, he was gone, presumably rallying the other elves to prepare dinner.

"You girls have one hour. I expect you to be at the dinner table when I arrive, and dressed appropriately." Her father instructed them. "You may do as you wish until then."

"Thank you, father." Astoria said, finally releasing his arm before excitedly walking in the direction of her room. Daphne made to follow her, intending on relaxing in her room, but a strong hand on her shoulder stopped her before her first step. She waited with the cold weight on her shoulder while Astoria rounded the corner at the end of the hall. Her father's hand was heavier than it had any right to be.

One her sister had left eyesight, Daphne felt him move, and his voice, low and dangerous, came directly next to her ear. "Do not presume that I don't know about the time you are spending with that half-blood, Davis." He hissed. Daphne stiffened involuntarily, and there was no way he didn't notice. She was hoping that small fact would keep itself away from his prying eyes. "We do not fraternize with them. You know this, Daphne."

Daphne didn't answer. If she did, she couldn't be sure it wouldn't come out meek and unconvincing. She held her breath for a few agonizing minutes, expecting her father to speak more on the subject. No more words came, and then her mind wondered what else he would do. If word got out about Daphne, well that would stain the Greengrass name yet again and that was inexcusable.

Just when she was reaching her limit, his grip loosened, allowing some warmth to deep into her skin once again. He appeared to be satisfied that he had gotten his point across, and his hand slinked away from her shoulder. She took a deep breath, inwardly steadying herself and began to walk away, step by slow step. Her shoes echoed on the tile with every stride, revealing her movements in the manor. She dared not look back at her father, still sensing his gaze on her back. She passed by family portraits and candles hanging on the stone walls steadily, focusing on keeping her posture proud and head high while in his sight.

She finally rounded the corner that Astoria had passed what seemed much more than a few minutes ago. Daphne struck out her hand to the cold wall to steady herself as she released the breath she was holding and relaxed her shoulders. A moment of collection later, Daphne hurried the rest of the way to her room, strides much shorter and quicker now that her father wasn't scrutinizing her every step. She glanced in the slightly propped door to Astoria's room as she shuffled by, her sister having planted herself in front of the mirror, fiddling with her almost perfect dark hair.

Daphne swept into her room, taking care to softly close the door, unwilling to give away any signs of her distress. She bounced slightly when she dropped down onto her four poster bed, the extra force having been caused by her legs nearly giving out. Her hands flew up to support her head, elbows resting on her knees and she took rapid, deep breaths in an attempt to regain control of herself. Tears began to well up behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

In through the nose, out through the mouth. That's what Professor Jackson always instructed them to do. It was helping, her breaths became slower, more controlled. She began to focus on more joyful memories, Tracey, Professor Jackson's class, Blackjack, DA meetings… They began to expel the darker thoughts from her head. Her father, Malfoy, the rotten society she had been born into… they all were pushed into the back of her mind as her breathing returned to normal. She wiped one stray tear that had broken free, raising her head from her hands and expelling one last breath into her empty room.

She startled, a snap catching her off guard with the appearance of another house elf. The house elf's eyes went wide at Daphne's reaction. "Apologies, Miss Daphne!" She rushed out. "Tippy didn't mean to scare you!" Tippy was smaller than Bundy, with the same wide eyes and thin limbs. Though her nose was smaller, more upturned, and both of her ears were fully intact.

"It's alright, Tippy." Daphne said. "It's not your fault."

Tippy smiled, wide eyes staring up at her from the floor. "Thank you, mistress. It is good to see Miss Daphne back home."

Daphne offered a small smile in return. "Good to see you too, Tippy." Tippy was the house elf that had always served Daphne and her mother personally, and Daphne always made sure she was nice to the elf. Tippy always took care of them. Except, this time Tippy said something that made Daphne's blood run cold, and her shoulders immediately stiffened back up.

"Miss Daphne, your mother wishes to speak with you."

Daphne's head whipped towards the elf, brow furrowed and a light in her eyes. It was the main reason she had even returned to this bloody manor in the first place. "Where?"