He had changed so much.

Daphne could not believe her eyes when she saw that Harry was back. He was bigger, taller, and more confident than she remembered. He wasn't the boy she bid goodbye to a few months ago.

This is a man prepared to fight with everything that he had.

People around her started whispering, but she didn't care what they said. Her focus was entirely on Harry.

Daphne has spent nights praying to every divinity she knew, hoping he was alive. She couldn't help but send a silent prayer, thanking the gods for answering her.

But it was still far from over; Daphne gripped Tracey and Astoria's hands as a confrontation soon occurred. She quickly pulled both girls behind her, afraid that a stray spells might hit them.

It wasn't much of a fight though, as Harry quickly cast Snape away. Relief seemed within their reach, but it was soon shattered by the chaos that ensued.


It was chaos—pure, unadulterated chaos.

Daphne kept a firm grip on Astoria as she traversed the pack of students running from every direction. She needed to get her sister to safety before anything else.

"Daph, where are we going?" her sister asked amidst the mayhem.

"To safety," was the only answer Daphne gave as she immediately pulled Astoria before she could be pushed away by some students running in a different direction.

"Tracey, are we almost there?" she asked her friend who was navigating her way out of the traffic. Tracey, for her part, tried to answer, but an explosion that shook the castle caused them to stumble.

Daphne quickly regained her balance and pulled her sister with her while keeping an eye on Tracey. Once they reached a hallway with an open portrait, she gently pushed Astoria and her best friend toward it. Tracey stared at her incredulously and was about to say something, but Astoria beat her to it.

"You're not coming with us?!" Astoria grabbed Daphne's hands, her voice laced with panic and confusion. The fear in her eyes almost swayed Daphne, but she shook her head and pulled her hand from Astoria's grip. She held her sister's hands instead and looked her straight in the eye.

"I can't. I need to be here and fight for Hogwarts." Daphne answered. She couldn't stomach the idea of running to safety while Harry and their friends were out there fighting the war. She was capable of fighting too, and she would fight for their side.

"Daphne," Tracey pleaded. Daphne knew what her friend wanted to say, but she would not be swayed.

She looked at her best friend and silently pleaded with her. It was Tracey that she ran to when everything became too much for her. She was the one who listened to her prayers, cries, and longing. Tracey was one of the people that Daphne trusted the most, and she prayed that her best friend would extend her patience and understanding to her right now.

Tracey gulped down the words she wanted to say and hugged her tight instead. Daphne returned the hug with the same ferocity, thinking that this might be the last time she would ever hug her best friend if things ended badly.

"Be careful," Tracey whispered, and Daphne nodded as she let go of her. She immediately hugged her sister, not knowing what to say, but she was surprised at what Astoria said.

"Potter better win this war, so you can come home." As she let go of the hug, Daphne saw her sister's teary eyes. Astoria nodded at her fiercely, not allowing a single tear to fall.

'Come back safe.' Daphne nodded back, and after a quick goodbye to them, she immediately ran with her wand in hand.


She felt lost.

The magical staircase was already difficult to traverse, and now it was more confusing than ever. Fuelled by adrenaline, Daphne was skipping steps and squeezing herself between students just to get through. She had no idea what to do exactly, but Daphne knew that this was where she had to be.

As she landed on the floor where she needed to be, her eyes caught on a young Hufflepuff girl who was on the floor crying. The girl was young; most likely a first year. Daphne wasted no time as she immediately helped the little girl.

"Hey," she called for the little girl's attention who was shaking and crying. Daphne crouched down and held her hand to help her stand up. The girl looked up to her, fear heavy in her eyes—it only intensified when she saw the color of Daphne's robes.

The girl tried to run away, and Daphne couldn't even blame her, but this would not stop Daphne from helping.

"I won't hurt you. I'm here to help." She tried to assure the little girl. "My name's Daphne, what's yours?" she continued, looking at the little girl.

The girl calmed down a bit, although she was still cautious, she was now willing to hear her out.

"My name's Sarah," she replied, her voice quivering.

"Do you have any friends you were with?" Daphne asked again. This time Sarah accepted her hand as she helped her stand up.

"We were running, and I got separated from them." Sarah sobbed. Daphne stood up and held the girl's hand. She needed to get her to safety as soon as possible.

"Let's get you to safety, ok?" Daphne said. She was about to start moving when the girl tugged her hand.

"Can we also look for my friends, please?" Sarah pleaded.

Daphne was not sure how they could look for her friends. For all she knew, her friends were already on their way to safety or they'd already been evacuated. Yet, she didn't have the heart to break the girl's heart by rejecting her request.

"Sure." She tried her best to smile and assure the girl, and she was relieved as the girl calmed and stopped herself from sobbing.

They were about to go when she saw him.

And for a moment, it seemed like the world came to a stop.

No one seemed to exist outside except for him as soon as their eyes met.

Those familiar green eyes were staring at her, sucking her in, and she didn't resist.

His eyes were weary, the burden he always seemed to carry only intensified, but he also looked more determined than ever. There was a resignation that she couldn't place, a sense of acceptance of a fate he could

not escape.

There was also hope that continued to shine behind them, and Daphne could not help but hold onto that light in his eyes like a lifeline.

Even if Voldemort attacked the castle in full force, she probably wouldn't feel it. Harry was in front of her, and he was alive. After nights of worrying, and praying for him to be well, it seemed like the gods had answered her prayers—by delivering him here at this very moment, alive and breathing.

Daphne wanted nothing more but to run towards Harry and hug him. To feel the rhythm of his beating heart, his breathing, and his arms around her.

If she could, she would.

But Daphne knew it was not the time for reunions. They were in the middle of the war and both of them had responsibilities to uphold. Both of them knew this bitter truth.

Like a shattered glass, Daphne was violently aware of the chaos that surrounded her again. Her heart ached, feeling a part of her had been ripped off, leaving a gaping hole in its wake.

Maybe it was only seconds, but it felt like a lifetime passed between them. In their last moment, the two simply shared a bittersweet smile.

And then Harry was gone.

Daphne gave a shuddering breath before looking back at Sarah, collecting herself and focusing on the task at hand. She would fight this war, and do her part. Hopefully, when this is all over, she can finally reunite with Harry.