Daphne was both devastated and lost. It was a novel experience for her.
She had not felt like that even after Headmaster Snape called her and her sister into his office to inform them of their father's death. Naturally, she was devastated by the news but unlike her sister, she was not lost. Her father was fighting a war and she understood all the ugly details and risks that it entailed.
In days that followed, her path laid clearly before her. She was the new head of the Greengrass family. It was a role she trained for and despite the suddenness with which it was thrust on her, she felt ready.
Even when a group of snatchers brought her the golden trio, all chained and helpless, she still knew exactly what had to be done – she would hand Harry Potter to the dark lord, thus securing her position among the death eaters and her family's place in the new order.
And had the dark lord not wanted the other two, Daphne would have made use of them as well. The blood traitor Weasley would have been a fine hostage to bring his family into line. As for the mudblood, the receipts from her sale would have gone a long way towards repaying her insults of the Greengrass family.
It would all have been so easy, had she done so immediately after their capture. It would have been her ultimate triumph!
But there were so many strange things surrounding her captives that she allowed her inquisitiveness to get the better of her. She began talking with Harry Potter and from that point, her perfectly aligned plans for the future started to fall apart.
First she learned the dark lord mutilated his soul not one but multiple times in order to achieve a mockery of immortality. Such act was against nature… against magic. More importantly, it was profoundly stupid and made Daphne question the dark lord's past actions as well as his true plans for the future.
Right when she was getting ready to accept that an unnatural monster was still the best hope for the magical world and the pureblood cause, she learned the final bit of information that changed everything.
Halfblood.
The dark lord was a filthy disgusting halfblood who only pretended to be pure.
His name was made up by rearranging letters in the name he inherited from his retched muggle father who have begotten him. His mother was a blood traitor who became infatuated with and spread her legs for an animal. The idea made Daphne sick and she had to control the urge to throw up. It would have been bad as she has already cried in front of her captive. No reason to add further humiliation on top of that.
The dark lord… NO! Daphne cried in her mind. She refused to call him that way anymore. Voldemort was no lord. He was an abomination. A broken soul and blood mixed with that of a useless animal.
And such filth would demand that purebloods of Magical Britain kneel down before him?
NEVER!
Some people might have looked the other way given how powerful Voldemort was but Daphne could never do that. She would never accept a halfblood filth lording over her and hers, not knowing its place. As far as she was concerned, 'Lord Voldemort' was just as bad as the mudbloods who refused to acknowledge their inferiority and he should share their fate.
'Huh, I guess my path is clear after all,' she suddenly realized, finally somewhat accepting the new reality she was now living in.
Now that she knew what Voldemort was, she could never pretend otherwise and join his ranks. Neutrality was not an option for her either as Voldemort would not let her stay neutral and Daphne would never tolerate a halfblood as the absolute ruler of magical world – her world.
And as she looked at the beautiful gardens outside which surrounded her ancestral home, she knew in her heart she would not be running either. Here she stood and here she would fall if necessary. This left her with only one option – fighting!
She would have to fight Voldemort. The prospect filled her with dread. She had no idea how yet but that's what she would have to do.
She briefly glanced over her shoulder at Harry Potter. To his credit, the boy did as he was told and did not say a word. Instead, he sat quietly in his chair even as she cried and contemplated her future near the window. She wondered what to do with the boy-who-lived now. In this new world, Voldemort was her enemy and a rabbit halfblood dog she would have to put down.
But what did that make Harry Potter?
He was a halfblood too but he was the much more acceptable kind, with both his parents magical. Most importantly, he did not lie or pretend he was anything better than that.
Was he her ally now? She immediately knew the answer to that – not really.
Daphne fully agreed that Voldemort had to be stopped. But what Harry Potter and the people around him represented was just as bad. Because of that, she could not just let him go and let him do as he pleases even if they were fighting on the same side for now. She would have to be very careful and make sure that by destroying Voldemort, his regime is not just replaced with a mudblood revolution or anything else equally as repulsive.
But even if Harry was not a fully trustworthy ally, he could still be helpful to her.
The fact that a prophecy destined him to destroy Voldemort was something she could not ignore. In hindsight, it made a lot of sense there was a prophecy involved, considering the uncanny amount of dumb luck that the boy seemed to have experienced in all his adventures. Daphne suspected that his friends and especially Albus Dumbledore have helped him on many occasions. In addition, Harry was more skilled and magically powerful than he himself believed or let on. But it was still not enough to explain how he survived all the deadly situations he has encountered. Especially the Basilisk. Not unless one considered it as destiny running its course…
Bottom line was that Daphne would have to somehow include Harry Potter in her plans to deal with Voldemort. Not doing so was simply too dangerous with that prophecy hovering above their heads. Despite being forced into it, Daphne was surprised just how little the idea of working with Harry Potter annoyed her. The boy was definitely not what she expected and so far, he had her intrigued. Most of the time, she even liked him and enjoyed his company…
But since she clearly could not just let him go, how exactly can Harry Potter help her?
To answer that question, she needed to know more about him. Much more. His plans, previous actions and especially any details of his interactions with Dumbledore and Voldemort.
And although she no longer doubted him, for the peace of her mind, she needed one final confirmation of that Tom Marvolo Riddle story from some independent source.
With that thought, she wiped away her tears with a handkerchief and slowly walked back to her table.
Time for self-pity and indulgence was over. She had work to do.
'Stupid… so stupid!' Harry cursed himself even as he stole glances at Daphne crying by the window. Why did he have to bring up her father's death? She was already convinced so what was the point in being so cruel?
The obvious answer was that he wanted to teach her a lesson! Daphne was arrogant and constantly showed her haughty attitude towards him. She also held him and his friends as prisoners. She was dangerous and considered herself superior by virtue of her blood. She was maybe the worst kind of pureblood supremacist he has ever met. Even Malfoy was not that bad compared to her. He should hate her and be delighted that he made her cry.
So why instead of happiness, he felt like a mule kicked his stomach? Why all that he wanted to do right now was walk over to the girl and let her cry on his shoulder?
He almost obeyed his instinct and did just that, despite Daphne explicitly ordering him to stay where he was. But he knew that she would not accept it. Not from him. So he silently remained where he was, feeling like the cruelest bastard in the world.
When she finished crying and walked back to him, he again tried to say he was sorry but once more she stopped him before he could do so. The girl had real trouble accepting apologies.
"Don't apologize," she told him and added. "You were right. My father died for a halfblood," she said with sadness and leaned on the table before saying resolutely. "Never apologize for the truth."
"It hurt you…" Harry pointed out in apologetic voice.
Daphne gave him a contemplative look before saying. "And that's something that concerns you?" Her cheeks twitched into a smile. "I think you are making a mistake but still… thank you."
She then picked up one of the bells on her table and rang it. "Relax," she told Harry when she saw his concerned expression.
For a moment, Harry thought she was calling her guards for some reason. He was relieved that was not the case when he saw the summoned person who entered the room. It was a young Asian girl and she was not wearing the robes he saw all the Greengrass guards wearing. She was about their age and looked strangely familiar as well.
"Yes, Daphne? What can I do for you?" the newcomer asked as she approached. Harry was surprised by her relatively casual attitude towards Daphne.
"I need you to go through Hogwarts yearbooks. Look for a graduate named Tom Marvolo Riddle. He should have graduated around… 1945?" she said, glancing at Harry for confirmation. Once he understood what she was asking, he nodded.
"Once you find him, bring me the yearbook," she then told her. The raven haired girl then asked her if she wanted anything else to which Daphne shook her head. "No… thank you."
During their entire conversation, Harry had a nagging feeling he knew the girl. It finally clicked in his mind just as she was about to leave. "Sue Li?!" he asked in surprise, hardly able to believe his eyes.
Sue paused to look at him. "Yeah, Hi Harry… good to see you," she said and smiled briefly before turning on her heel and walking away to do what Daphne asked of her.
After she left, Harry immediately asked. "What's she doing here?"
"She works for me," Daphne simply stated like that explained everything.
It only brought up more questions in Harry's mind. He wondered whether he should say the next part. He did not want to get Sue into trouble. But he figured, given what he knew about her, that it was not possible for Daphne not to be aware of it. So he said very carefully, "You know she is a muggleborn, right?"
The look the girl gave him suggested she questioned his sanity. "Yes, I am well aware of her blood status," she said.
"Well… don't you hate muggleborns?" he then asked her, deeply confused.
"Is that what you really think of me?" the blonde spoke and shook her head sadly. She sat down in her chair and then said, "I suppose I understand why you would get that impression." She sighed before she started explaining. "Not every muggleborn… or mudblood… is like your friend Granger," she said and then added with a chuckle. "Some of them I can actually stand. Like Sue."
"How do you even know each other?" Harry asked next. He could not imagine Daphne just getting to know a muggleborn. Not after hearing Hermione narrating her own encounter with the pureblood girl.
"We met in the library. She asked me for help with what we were both studying at the time," Daphne recalled. "I found out she was really smart. A typical Ravenclaw, really," she mentioned and smiled. "I guess in that, she is similar to your friend. However, unlike Granger, Sue actually listened when I explained the role of muggleborns in our world."
Harry did not accept that. "She agreed that her blood status made her inferior to you?" he asked skeptically.
"Not right away, of course," Daphne admitted. "She hated what I told her. But even though she did not want to hear it, she still asked me for books to reference my claims. As I said, a typical Ravenclaw," Daphne finished and smiled fondly at the memory. "In the end, she accepted my… guidance."
"And that's it?" Harry asked at the end before recalling an important detail. It was the reason he had trouble recognizing Sue Li when he first saw her here. "I haven's seen her in Hogwarts last year," he told Daphne.
The girl nodded. "Yes. She left after her OWLs," she explained. "When the dark lord's return became public knowledge, she knew she was in danger and begged for my help. I granted her sanctuary with my family. In return, she serves me now."
When she finished, Harry was speechless. He couldn't imagine Daphne doing anything like that. Protecting a muggleborn? Granted, Sue worked for her but still. "If you really don't mind muggleborns, then why are you being so harsh on Hermione?" he asked with burning curiosity.
"Do not compare Sue to that damnable mudblood!" Daphne hissed in response. "I made her the exact same offer I did with Sue and she threw it into my face!" she said with a deep frown. "She didn't ask for more details or any proof of my words. She simply started ranting that I was a bigoted fool. I can still remember her ridiculous five-minute speech about her equal rights," she said the last two words with distaste. "She barely paused to take a breath. I was worried she would faint."
'Sounds like Hermione,' Harry thought fondly before he considered Daphne's version of events, "That's not what she said to me," Harry admitted, recalling what Hermione told them about her encounter with Daphne when they were brought into the Greengrass manor. "She said you offered her to be your slave."
"Did she?" the blonde asked and chuckled darkly. "I guess I should not be surprised. Selective memory is one of her many failings," she mused. "But enough about the mudblood… she's in the dungeon now. It's where a trash like her belongs."
"Don't hurt her… please," he pleaded with her. Daphne might not hate all muggleborns but it was now clear to him she deeply hated his friend.
"That really depends on your cooperation, doesn't it?" Daphne answered with a sneer and then glanced impatiently at the door through which Sue left a moment ago.
"My cooperation? You already know the truth! What more do you want from me?" Harry asked in frustration.
Seeing as Sue was not coming back just yet, Daphne turned to look at him. "Tell me what you have been doing this year… where have you been. Everything. The last report my father has on you placed you as a guest at that blood traitor's wedding," Daphne said, her expression thunderous at the mention of Bill Weasley.
And so Harry started telling her about the last year, starting with the three of them taking sanctuary at the Grimmauld Place.
"You are the Black heir!" Daphne exclaimed when he mentioned they have been living in the ancestral home of the Black family.
"Yeah, I know. Sirius Black made me his heir," Harry said and briefly explained the history he had with his godfather. At the end of it, Daphne was looking at him speechless.
"I can't decide whether it's funny or said," she finally spoke. "I mean you are the heir to one of the most ancient and famous families in Magical Britain and you don't even know what that means, do you?"
Any protests Harry might have made at her mocking tone died in his throat when he realized she was right. After all, it's not like he ever discussed with Sirius anything related to his family. It was a deeply uncomfortable subject for his godfather. "I guess I don't…" he admitted.
Daphne smiled and said. "As long as I decide to let you live, I could teach you everything." She even winked at him at the end.
'Did she just playfully threaten my life?' Harry thought in shock at her audacity. But she also gave him a very sweet smile so he smiled back and said. "Don't know about that. I mean one evening, Kreacher tried to teach me some pureblood manners… I guess it did not take."
"What's a creature?" she asked and Harry realized he did not mention him yet. "Kreacher. He's an old family elf of the Blacks," Harry answered and quickly explained how he inherited him from Sirius last year.
"You have an elf?!" Daphne asked in a startled voice.
"Yes," Harry confirmed and watched with confusion as the girl stood up and recoiled from him in fear. He wondered what that was about. Did he do something wrong? It's not like he was a threat to her, shackled and wandless. "What's going on?" he asked her.
Daphne was already on her feet and calling out, "FLOSY!"
A split second later, what Harry presumed was a Greengrass house elf popped into the room and bowed down deeply to its mistress. "What can Flosy do for young lady Greengrass?" the tiny creature peeped in distinctly female elf voice that Harry once heard Winky use.
"Flosy, we will have a hostile elf incoming. Be ready!" Daphne ordered.
Harry watched with concern and ever increasing confusion as she then took out her wand. "What's going on? What are you doing?" he demanded to know.
"You must be joking," Daphne replied but then she saw the honest confusion in his eyes and she corrected her statement. "You are not joking," she said and sighed as she explained. "I didn't know you had an elf! You could have called for him and escape all along."
Harry shook his head. "I tried to call him last night when you send me to that cell," he admitted.
Daphne gave him a small approving smile. "Good. At least that's something," she said and gripped her wand more firmly. "But then why are you still here?"
"Obviously, he did not come when I called," Harry answered sadly. "I think death eaters killed him when we had to flee the house."
Daphne turned to Flosy. "Do you sense elf binding on him?" she asked and the female elf nodded after studying Harry for a moment. "Yes, mistress. Flosy senses there be elf bound to the boy."
Harry looked between the elf and Daphne with sudden ray of hope. He feared Kreacher was dead when he failed to come to him last night. At the time, he thought him a yet another person he failed and it only added to his anguish. "Then why did he not come?" he wondered out loud.
It was Flosy who spoke up this time. "Boy sleep in dungeon. Dungeon magic keeps elves away," she explained and Harry understood. He also instantly regretted not trying to call him when all three of them were still in the nice room the first night.
Daphne looked at her in surprise. "I did not know that. Remind me to see if we can possibly extend the protection to the entire mansion," she mentioned and the elf nodded. Daphne then focused on Harry. "Now, let's deal with this. Call for your elf," she ordered him.
Harry did not really want to but Daphne's expression made it clear she would not be denied. "What will you do with him?" he asked with worry.
"Flosy will stun him as soon as he arrives. He will be kept asleep until I decided what to do with him," Daphne explained.
"You can't do that!" Harry tried to protest. "He's very old, he could be hurt. Please!"
The blonde pursed her lips in annoyance. "You don't get to deny me anything, Harry," she said and stroked the house elf gently on her head. The tiny creature even purred at her touch. "Flosy will be careful but you will do as I say and you will do it now," she finished, her icy blue eyes twinkling dangerously.
"Death eaters could trace him here…" Harry tried one last time. After all, that was the original reason why they did not summon Kreacher to them after the entire Ministry of Magic debacle – Hermione insisted it was too risky.
He expected Daphne would agree with that reasoning. She would not want anyone to know he was here. But his argument did not have the desired effect as she simply laughed. "Nonsense… you cannot trace elves to their masters. Even tracking charms do not stick to them," she said.
"W- what…?!" Harry gasped in shock. If that was true, they could have called the elf any bloody time they wanted while on the run. It would have made their camping experience infinitely more bearable.
At that moment, Flosy spoke up again. "If Flosy may speak," she said, looking uncertainly at Daphne who nodded, indicating her to continue. "…dungeon boy hurt his elf more by forcing him away. Elves are strongest with their master."
"There you go," Daphne said, pleased at Flosy's words. She then pointed her wand at Harry and said. "Call him… or else."
Harry knew he had no choice and so he did as she asked and cried out. "Kreacher!"
Two seconds later, the elderly elf apparated right next to him but as soon as he arrived, Flosy snapped her fingers and he fell down unconscious. "Kreacher be sleeping now. He be fine," she said when she saw Harry's concern for him.
"Keep him asleep for now," Daphne ordered, taking control of the situation.
Flosy nodded. "Yes, mistress." Two more elves popped into the room, grabbed hold of unconscious Kreacher and then vanished. Harry looked sadly at the empty spot where his elf and probably his best and last hope of escaping from Daphne's control just disappeared.
He glanced at the girl and saw her self-satisfied smirk as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. He wanted both to wipe it off her face and, at the same time, keep looking at it as she looked really beautiful when smiling. Even when enjoying his misery.
"Excellent work, Flosy," she said, complimenting the elf much to its delight. "Thank you. You may go now."
The elf did not pop away but instead looked at Harry suspiciously. "Mistress, Flosy sense another elf binding on the boy!" she suddenly squeaked.
"What?!" Harry and Daphne said at the same time. "That's impossible, I do not have any other elf," he insisted.
Daphne looked at him and must have concluded he was telling the truth because she did not give him her trademark frown she used when she suspected him of lying. She glanced at the elf for confirmation but the little female elf insisted she was right. "It be old binding, mistress, but it be strong!"
Harry saw Daphne pondering her words, something he was also intensely doing right now. It was not that difficult to figure out, really. There was just one other house elf he had any sort of contact with over the years… but it was impossible. Dobby was not his elf!
Could he have formed bond with him without his knowledge or consent? Harry did not think so but then he did not really know how the bond was formed. He tried to remember if Hermione ever mentioned it at all. He was coming up blank. All he could recall were her endless speeches about how the role of house elves in magical world was abhorrent. He publicly agreed with her, but mostly to make her stop talking about it and get some peace and quiet. Privately, he believed the house elves were happy in their position and did not really need or even want their help. Dobby being a notable exception which made Harry believe that he would surely not form a bond with him. Dobby was a free elf.
In any case, Harry really hoped that Daphne would not make the same connection. He considered Dobby his friend and did not want him to fall into her hands as well. Unfortunately, he already briefly mentioned him when he was talking about his second year and the Chamber of Secrets adventure.
"What about that Malfoy elf you freed?" the girl suddenly asked.
'Shit…' Harry thought. He tried to convince her that Dobby was not his elf but after Flosy insisted she could sense it on him, he was not so sure anymore. It showed in his words and Daphne insisted he calls for him. "Humor me, Harry… just in case," she told him sweetly but he knew it was a command and that she would not let it go.
So with heavy heart, he called out. "Dobby!"
Unlike with Kreacher, there was no immediate reaction and Harry dared to let out the breath he was holding, relieved that it did not work.
But then it happened.
The familiar elf popped into the office, jumping up and down on his feet. "Great Master Harry P-" he began to say excitedly right before Flosy stunned him too. Harry watched sadly as his friend fell down to the floor in a heap.
When Flosy popped both of them away, Daphne turned to him, tired and trembling from all the excitement. "I could use a drink, what about you?"
Daphne had the servants bring them some sandwiches and she poured both of them a glass of Whiskey. Harry eagerly devoured the food as he had not eaten that day yet. He did not even realize how hungry he was. As for the drink, it worked wonders for his frayed nerves after learning he had not one but two house elves bound to him and after witnessing both of them getting captured by Daphne Greengrass.
"Why did you do it?" he asked her at one point. "Why did you take my elves?"
"You know why, Harry," she answered. "I can't have you leaving whenever you want."
Harry frowned at the implication. "You are not letting us go, are you? Even after knowing the truth," he said, looking at her with accusation. Instead of answering, Daphne avoided his eyes.
Harry shook his head and sighed. "Well… what are you going to do with us?"
This time, she answered. "I don't know Harry… I really don't. I need more time to think about this. For now, you and your friends will remain here. As long as you behave, you will not be harmed. I promise you that."
"That goes for my friends as well?" he immediately asked and watched as the pureblood girl reluctantly agreed. "Yes, Weasley and… the mudblood are safe to," she said with obvious distaste.
Harry nodded in satisfaction. It was the best he could hope for now. He and Daphne finished eating and she poured both of them another glass.
"May I ask you something as well?" she said politely even though Harry knew she was going to ask anyway. Still, he appreciated the gesture and said, "Shoot."
"The Malfoy elf… Dobby," she started. "Did you really not know he was bound to you?"
Harry shook his head. "No. He was my friend for years but he never said anything."
"Unbelievable," Daphne said in exasperation. "You do not even sense a house elf binding. You are either really powerful or remarkably unaware of your magical flow," she suggested.
"My magical flow?" he asked, puzzled and weary. It was yet another time when Daphne Greengrass would use term he never heard before. Either she was making stuff up to mess with his head or he was really unaware of it. Both options were bad.
"I keep forgetting you were raised by muggles," Daphne said, looking at him with a mixture of annoyance and pity.
"What has that got to do with anything?" he asked, thinking that she was about to go on another anti-muggle speech.
"There are many exercises magical parents do with their children to increase their awareness of magic," she instead explained. "It helps to reduce the accidental magic, among other things."
Harry did not know that but he believed her. It sounded reasonable enough. "What kind of exercises?" he wondered out loud.
Instead of answering, Daphne smiled at him mysteriously. She took a sip of her drink and then stepped closer and said, "Close your eyes."
"W-what?" Harry asked in surprise and looked at her suspiciously. The girl just rolled her eyes. "If I decide to kill you, I will do it when your eyes are open," she told him in what was meant to reassure him. And strangely enough, it did. "Now, close your eyes," she repeated and this time he obeyed.
A moment later, he felt her hands on his temples. He had to suppress the shiver he felt when she touched him like this. Her hands were cold from holding the glass but her touch was soft and pleasant. "What are you doing?" he asked and almost opened his eyes.
"Shhh… keep your eyes closed," Daphne whispered. "Just feel."
Before Harry could wonder what she was talking about, he felt it. A sort of tingling but very pleasant sensation where Daphne's hands touched his skin. It was over so quickly that he was not even sure he felt it in the first place.
But then it started again, this time lasting longer. "What are you doing?" he asked, no longer fearful. Whatever she was doing, it made him feel safe and wonderful.
"You can feel it. Even with the suppression cuff, you can feel it. Impressive," Daphne whispered as she massaged his temples with her thumbs. This time, it was like a pulse of pure blissful energy going into his head. When it was gone, he felt a sense of a profound loss. "What am I feeling?" Harry whispered.
"Magic," she simply answered and finally, Harry understood. It was the same feeling he experienced when he first held his now broken wand. He opened his eyes at the same time as she let go of him. In that moment, everything around him looked different. It was hard to describe but if he was going to give it a name, he would go with… glowing. Everything in the room, including the walls had a glow… a second dimension to them that he has never seen before but at the same time felt like it was always there.
But the biggest shock was the girl standing before him. There was bright aura around her that filled him with awe. It worked seamlessly with her already great beauty and made her seem otherworldly. A goddess on Earth. Like a fool, he blinked at the vision before him instead of looking at it forever and then it was gone and he could barely remember it.
And he missed it.
"Everything looked different for a while…" Harry uttered, stunned after the enchanting experience. Inside, he tried to make a sense of what he just experienced.
Daphne looked at him appreciatively. "I am really starting to feel jealous of you, Potter," the blonde said with a slight shook of her head. "It took me many tries before I could see it… I still need to focus to do it, even now."
"I saw… I saw magic?" Harry asked as he was finally starting to understand.
"You did."
"What exactly was this exercise?" he then asked. "What did you do to me?"
The girl pouted at his accusatory tone. "Nothing bad, don't worry," she smiled innocently. "I just sent small pulses of magic into your brain," she said and giggled at his horrified expression. "It's not as bad as it sounds. It's merely an exercise meant to train your optic nerves to carry information about magic… in essence, to see magic."
"And magical children are taught this?" Harry wondered. The thought made him regret even more that his parents died, if that was even possible. He realized just how much of the magical world was a complete mystery to him.
"Yes, they are," Daphne said and then added. "With varying degree of success, of course. Most purebloods and halfbloods can sense magic on an unconscious level. The trick is to retrain your mind and body to do it consciously."
"Well, I couldn't do it for long," Harry said dejectedly, prompting Daphne to frown and punch his shoulder. "Hey!" he complained.
"For Merlin's sake, Potter!" she cried in exasperation. "Seeing magic on the first try is excellent!"
"It is?" he asked uncertainly. "But I can't see it anymore," he protested.
Daphne walked away from him while shaking her head. "Give yourself some credit, Harry," she said as she sat back behind her table. "With more exercises, I am sure you could master it in no time.
Harry nodded and asked. "Will you teach me?"
Daphne thought about it for a moment. Eventually, she said in a strangely quiet voice, "In order to work, the exercise requires certain amount of trust on the recipient. That's why they are normally done by parents with their children," she said and paused. Her eyes then met his as she spoke next, "The fact you already saw some glimpses of magic on our first time suggests that you trust me… on some level, you trust me. But how can you after everything I put you through?" she wondered, her gorgeous blue eyes little misty as she spoke.
Harry was shocked and didn't know what to say to that. She totally put him on a spot with her question. Did he trust Daphne? From day one, the girl kept taking and pushing him around. His brain immediately responded with a resounding 'NO!' while other parts of his being had much more complex feelings on the matter.
He finished the rest of his drink before speaking. "I- I don't know," he admitted in a quiet voice as he stared at the beautiful and powerful witch in front of him. The alcohol was pleasantly buzzing through him, giving him the courage to be completely honest. "What if I do trust you?" he told her. "Does that make me a complete and utter fool?"
The pureblood girl giggled at his question before she turned serious and answered. "I have put you through hell, Harry. And yet some part of you trusts me," she pointed out. "In short, yes I think that makes you an utter fool…" she said.
Harry was getting flooded with feelings of other dejection when she added. "… or a really good man."
The feelings of misery were swiftly replaced by elation at hearing her words. "Really?" he asked with a goofy smile.
"Really," she confirmed and returned the smile. Her words encouraged him and he asked her next, "And what about me? Do you trust me, Daphne? Even a little?"
The girl's smile vanished and Harry instantly regretted asking the question. He did not want to hear the answer. He feared the answer. Of course, she did not trust him. He was her prisoner! There was a long pause before Daphne said, "Give me your hand."
She reached out across the table and Harry allowed her to pick up his right hand in her own.
"Do you promise that you won't try to escape or attack me?" the pureblood witch asked him.
"I promise," Harry said quickly but inside, he felt that he really meant it. He did not want to attack Daphne Greengrass and he knew that he would have to do just that to escape from her. No matter what she had done, he hated the idea of hurting the girl in front of him. He felt awful after doing it the first time by accident and the idea of doing it on purpose was even more appalling.
"Pull up your sleeve," Daphne then told him and when he did, she pointed her wand at him. "Don't make me regret this, Harry," the blonde said before tapping her wand against the magic suppression cuff on his wrist. The device cracked open and fell away.
Harry gasped as he felt something surging within him… his magic. Never before has he realized how wonderful it felt and how much he missed it when it was taken from him. He felt it practically crackling on his skin and he was surprised Daphne did not let go of his hand in shock. Instead she said, "Your question. Does this answer it for now?"
Harry smiled and squeezed her delicate hand gently.
"Yes… thank you."