"Here be wand, mistress," Dobby said in his typical broken sentence structure as he handed the Elder Wand over to Daphne. The pureblood girl extended her hand towards the diminutive creature and smiled triumphantly as she finally grasped the coveted object with her fingers.
"Thank you, Dobby. You have done very well."
Harry watched as Daphne gently stroked Dobby's head as she did earlier with the female house elf. Dobby shrank back a little in fright but when he saw that she was not hurting him, he leaned into her touch. "Dobby happy to help friends of Harry Potter," Dobby said enthusiastically while looking at Harry with hopeful look, seeking a confirmation that he indeed helped.
"You did help, Dobby. Thank you," Harry assured him. The elf visibly puffed up with pride at his words but Harry felt that Dobby earned it and more. They couldn't have done this without him. After receiving his commendation, the elf popped away to do the tasks that Daphne assigned him, leaving the two of them alone.
Earlier
In the end, it took them less than a day of planning to get the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's tomb.
The biggest problem was figuring out how to get to Hogwarts undetected. After Voldemort took over the ministry, they made the castle and its grounds impregnable. Nobody, not even the dark lord, could get inside without the headmaster's permission.
And since Severus Snape was unlikely to provide Harry with one, the first step was figuring out the way around that problem. As a student, Daphne Greengrass had permission to enter Hogwarts but that didn't mean she could just waltz in, break into Dumbledore's tomb, and then walk away with the dead man's wand.
All arrivals and departures were monitored and she would be caught in an instant.
"Easter is coming up. Maybe our friends could get it for us then?" Harry suggested as they brainstormed various ideas but Daphne shook her head.
"Your friends are being watched," she told him. "Longbottom… Ginny Weasley… Finnigan…" she listed. "They aren't even allowed to leave the castle. As for my friends, I would not trust them with the Elder Wand. Not ever. Besides, they could never deliver it to us. Death eaters check all mail and search belongings of any person coming and leaving."
Harry nodded unhappily but then he remembered his second year and Dobby's midnight visit in the hospital wing. "Couldn't a house elf get it for us?"
"House elves can't get inside without permission either. Not anymore," the blonde informed him before her eyes went wide as she realized something. "We would need a willing elf who has already been issued that permission!" she exclaimed.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked with confusion before it dawned on him. "Oh, you mean Dobby! He works in Hogwarts," he said. Harry felt some lingering resentment towards Daphne for capturing and imprisoning Dobby and Kreacher earlier but the act, however questionable at time, opened up new possibilities for them now.
After a lengthy debate and some alternative ideas later, Daphne and Harry decided that enlisting Dobby's help was probably their best hope. The only problem was that Daphne categorically refused to trust Dobby as long as he was not sworn to serve Harry, despite being bound to him magically.
"You didn't even know you had him!" the pureblood witch pointed out. "He swore no oaths to you. No, I shan't have it," she decided firmly. "Not unless he properly submits as a house elf should. Without the oath, he could potentially reveal all your secrets should he be caught!"
Naturally, Harry did not like the idea of demanding that Dobby kneels to him and swears an oath of obedience. "Dobby is my friend… and he likes to be free. I won't make him do this. I won't take away his freedom," he protested. When she kept insisting, he refused to budge. "I am sorry. I can't," he said.
Daphne was very displeased by his refusal but eventually she shrugged. "As you wish, Harry," she said, seemingly accepting his decision but then she added. "If you do not bring him to heel, then I will," she said and gave him a chilling smile. "I think it will be better like that, anyway. Even though Dobby might not like it."
"What do you mean?" he asked her with sudden worry, wondering whether he made a mistake by refusing her demands.
"You will see in a moment," she replied cryptically.
And so, half an hour later, the still unconscious Dobby was brought before them, flanked by Daphne's own house elves who were using their magic to keep him trapped.
"Great master Harry Potter!" Dobby cried after he was awakened and got over the shock of being held prisoner by the unfamiliar elves. He was even more shocked when Daphne informed him that he would swear an oath of obedience towards House Greengrass and serve her family from now on. "No. Dobby is a free elf!" he protested when Daphne demanded his submission.
Before the situation could escalate, Harry asked her to speak with Dobby alone. Daphne obliged and walked away but the two elves remained, keeping silent watch over Dobby.
"Dobby… I know that you bonded with me," he began to speak.
His words started an intensely emotional conversation, with Dobby constantly crying and apologizing for bonding with 'Great Master Harry Potter' without his permission. Dobby explained that it was done on instinct and he could not prevent it. He needed to bond with someone to restore his magic and heal himself after the abuse he suffered with the Malfoys. And by the time he was finally healthy again, Dobby was then too embarrassed and ashamed to admit the truth to Harry.
"It's alright, Dobby, I am not mad," he assured him before explaining what they needed him to do. As Harry expected, Dobby did not like the idea of swearing obedience to anybody ever again. But he ultimately agreed when he realized he would then be allowed to help Harry with something so very important.
And so he agreed and recited the oath to Daphne.
One quick pop to Hogwarts and back again and the Elder Wand was theirs…
Present
"He really likes you," Harry commented with a smile. He was pleasantly surprised how gently Daphne Greengrass treated her house elves. Given her philosophy of pureblood supremacy, he had been worried. "He's been through a lot. Please do not hurt him," he pleaded with her.
"Only an idiot would mistreat creature so devoted and mindful of its place, Harry," the girl retorted.
Harry had to agree with that. House elves were amazing and to treat one like Dobby had been by Malfoys took either an idiot or a really sadistic bastard. He had a brief silly thought that Daphne's attitude towards the house elves could be the one thing she and Hermione would agree on.
He quickly perished the thought. Hermione would hate the fact that Daphne had (and expected) house elves serving her, no matter how nicely they were treated by the pureblood girl in return.
"The Malfoys did. They were horrible to him," he pointed out and Daphne frowned deeply at his words.
"You mentioned that earlier. Tell me about it," she demanded and so Harry briefly explained all the abuse Dobby suffered and the way he witnessed Lucius Malfoy tormenting him. When he was done, Daphne's knuckles were white as she clenched her fist angrily.
"Most elves would rather die than betray their masters. Malfoy must have treated him like total shit to drive a sworn house elf into betraying him. That's probably the reason he needed to bond with you to survive. He must have cut himself off magically from Malfoys long ago. Even knowing it would eventually kill him," Daphne speculated and shook her head sadly.
"You know, if only my sister did not like Draco so much, I would be inclined to cancel their betrothal," she said and then added in frustrated voice. "But I can't do that. Astoria would resent me forever. Still, I'll be keeping a very close eye on him."
Harry could only smile sympathetically. Privately, he thought it would be better to let your little sister hate you than allow her to marry someone like Draco Malfoy. But he also felt it was a Greengrass family matter and knew that Daphne would not appreciate his interference.
After a moment of silence, he turned his attention to the Elder Wand, now adoring Daphne's office desk where she placed it.
"What are you going to do with it?" Harry asked her, having no illusions about the fact that the decision will be completely up to Daphne, despite their newly found accord. He was quite worried about her answer too. He knew that he just handed her the most powerful magical weapon in the world.
But in the end, it came to a choice between Daphne Greengrass or Voldemort getting their hands on it. And then it was a no-brainer.
"Lock it in the deepest vault I have," Daphne answered slowly as she picked up the Elder Wand and gazed at it reverently.
Harry was pleasantly surprised by her answer. "Truly? I would have thought you would want to use it," he mentioned.
Daphne smiled. "I admit the temptation is great, but…" she twirled the wand in her hand. "It is way too dangerous and far too corruptive. Everybody who ever used it met a horrible end. Besides, if we play this right, we shall not need it to stop Voldemort."
Harry was relieved and completely agreed with her. "Perhaps we should just destroy it," he proposed, reasoning that it would be best to forever remove the danger of it falling into the wrong hands.
Daphne looked at him strangely. "You are serious, aren't you?" the girl asked and chuckled. "Alright Harry, I agree. The Elder Wand is too dangerous to exist. So go ahead and destroy it," she challenged him.
She then spanned the wand around in her hand and offered him the handle.
"W-what?" he stammered even as he took the wand from her, his mind in fog.
"Snap it in half!" Daphne instructed.
Harry looked between her and the wand and nodded. He took it in both hands, ready to break it apart and end its threat once and for all. But just as he was about to do it, he grew uncertain. What if this wand was the only way to stop Voldemort? What if by destroying it he was destroying the only chance to win this war? Maybe it was not such a good idea…
"What are you waiting for? Do it, Harry!" Daphne repeated her command and it snapped Harry out of his reverie. He once again realized it was a safer option to just destroy the Elder Wand and was about to break it… but then he hesitated.
"You can't do it, can you?" Daphne said after a while, watching his trembling hands as he uselessly struggled with his decision.
Harry looked up and met her eyes. There was not a hint of mocking in her voice. If anything, she looked at him with sympathy and understanding and said, "It's alright, I can't do it either. I doubt anyone can."
Daphne then extended her hand, telling him wordlessly to give the wand back to her.
In that instant, Harry realized he had a fully working wand in his hand – the most powerful wand in the world. The urge to use the opportunity and hopefully change his situation was brief but strong, the freedom his for the taking! He looked into Daphne's blue eyes and saw her watching him expectantly, her eyes flicking briefly towards her held out palm.
Harry could claim that he gave his word he would not try to escape. Or he could say that he was worried his friends would suffer if he tried something. That he was not sure he could defeat her and did not want to hurt her. Or that the temptation of Daphne was greater than the temptation of freedom…
No matter what it was, the result was the same and Harry found himself placing the Elder Wand back into her exquisitely sculpted hand. The blonde flashed him a tell-tale smirk as she took it from him, their fingers brushing as it happened. Harry could not help but feel like he just passed some sort of test in Daphne's eyes.
He gathered his thoughts when he saw her studying the wand curiously, like she was inspecting it for damage he might have caused. There was none, of course.
"What happened? Why couldn't I destroy it?" he asked, wondering why he became so indecisive when it came to snapping the wand.
"Harry… do you really think we are the first people who recognized the danger and are having this debate? If it was that simple to destroy the Elder Wand, don't you think people like Albus Dumbledore would have done it a long time ago?" Daphne asked in slightly patronizing voice.
Instead of getting angry, Harry remembered something she mentioned earlier. "You said wands are enchanted so they would not break by accident, is that it?"
Daphne smiled approvingly. "Yes, partly… it is highly likely that the basic design of our wands is reserve engineered from this," she said, holding the Elder Wand up to examine it. "Only the magic in this is much stronger and primordial. No living creature could bring themselves to damage it. Such idea goes against the very design of our reality," she explained.
"Ok, but what if you threw it into fire?" Harry asked.
"You could not bring yourself to do it. And even if you did, I do not think it would burn. Fire is part of our reality too," she said and looked pensive before saying. "In fact, I am almost certain that Dumbledore having it buried with himself was also some misguided attempt to destroy it," she spoke. "I doubt he would have done so out of personal vanity, no matter how quirky he was."
"Dumbledore was a great wizard," Harry automatically said in the defense of his old mentor.
"No doubt," Daphne agreed. "He had this for at least seven years, likely longer, and did not go megalomaniac or insane. That's probably a record."
Harry was mollified by that answer and asked, "But does it even work? Perhaps he managed to destroy its power somehow."
"Are you telling me you did not feel the power in this when you held it?" Daphne questioned in disbelief before proclaiming, "Stand aside!"
Harry took a step to the left before Daphne aimed the Elder Wand in front of herself. "Expecto Patronum!"
A brilliant glowing mass jumped out of it, so bright that Harry had to squint. As it ran around the room, looking for danger, he saw that it was some quadruped animal. Proud and noble. For a moment, he thought that Daphne's patronus was a stag too but that was before he shifted his gaze to look at its head. Instead of two antlers, there was only a single protrusion sticking out of the middle of its forehead.
Harry could not help but smile and giggle when he saw it. "Your patronus is a unicorn?!" he asked Daphne incredulously. The girl tried to throw him a deeply annoyed look in response but her face twitched into a smile instead.
"Just laugh it up, Potter," the pureblood witch said, amused. She then lowered her wand and the unicorn slowly disappeared. "And the wand is definitely still working. My patronus is normally not that bright."
"Where did you learn to cast it?" he asked with curiosity, impressed that Daphne could do it, although he supposed it was to be expected. He knew she was a powerful witch.
"Snape taught us in our third year," she answered.
"Us?"
"All the Slytherins," she clarified. "When Dementors were posted in Hogwarts, he insisted everyone from sixth and seventh year knew how to drive them away."
Harry gaped at her in disbelief. "He taught all of you?!"
"You sound surprised," Daphne quipped, amused by his discomfiture. "As hard as it may be for you to believe, Snape actually always cared about us Slytherins."
Harry heard her loud and clear but he would never acknowledge that bastard and murderer having any positive side to him. "So you knew how to cast it from your third year too?" Harry said with perhaps a small hint of disappointment.
"Of course not. I only knew the theory and on a good day, I could make some silver smoke appear," Daphne admitted. "I only managed to make it corporeal by the end of my fifth year," she said, cocked her head and pouted. "Don't worry, Harry. You are still very much special," she said and laughed, obviously picking up on his earlier tone.
Harry turned red in embarrassment but he laughed back. He could never resist her when she laughed, even when it was partly at his own expense. Daphne looked so cute when she smiled and he wanted to hear her laugh more often.
"That's not what I meant!" he insisted and for the most part, it wasn't. Mostly, he was just pissed off at Snape that he would teach only his Slytherins and not everyone. After all, Dementors were a veritable danger to all. "What is Snape's patronus, by the way?" he idly asked her to bring the conversation back on track.
"A doe," she replied absentmindedly but then became more alert when she saw a look of shock briefly pass over his face. "Are you alright?"
"Fine…" Harry assured her quickly. But in that very moment, his mind was running through the Forest of Dean, following the silvery doe to the frozen pond where he found the Sword. 'Impossible. It can't be! Must be a coincidence,' he decided before putting the thought out of his mind for the moment.
Meanwhile, Daphne picked up the Elder Wand again. "When I was a little girl and first saw Torsten's portrait… I used to dream about what I would do if I ever got this," she admitted to him, looking wistful.
"What did you dream about?" Harry asked, somehow finding the idea incredibly cute.
"Oh, the normal things, I guess," Daphne said. "Protecting my family, making the world a better place, putting mudbloods in their places…" she listed casually, lost in her memories.
'Ok, so little less cute,' Harry mentally corrected himself.
"And I have no doubt many of it would be so much easier with this wand," Daphne continued to speak. There was an increasingly mean gleam in her eyes as she rumbled on about what she could do with the Elder Wand. "So much power…" she said and gripped it firmly in her hand.
"Daphne," Harry called out, causing the girl to almost jump on the spot as she seemingly remembered he was still there. "Maybe you should put the wand down now," he tried. He did not like the look in her eyes when she held it. "You said it yourself that its power is corruptive."
For a split second she looked at him with an expression of supreme hatred that was quickly replaced with confusion. "Harry, I–" she stammered, her eyes flicking between Harry and the wand before going wide. She quickly said, "Harry… the Cloak! Put it on me!"
Harry did not understand what was happening but he heard the urgency and fear in Daphne's voice and did not hesitate a second. He grabbed his invisibility cloak which has been lying folded on Daphne's desk. He spread it while covering the distance between them. When he reached her, he threw it over her shoulders, leaving her back partly invisible.
"What's going on? Are you alright?" Harry asked her with concern.
The blonde visibly sagged with relief as soon as he covered her with his Cloak. "What's going on is that Dumbledore was even more strong willed than I thought," she finally said and turned to face him.
"I don't understand," Harry said after which Daphne said, "See for yourself," and handed him the Elder Wand again. Just as before, he felt a rush of power as he held the ancient wand. Before he could ask what he was supposed to see, Daphne took off the Cloak and placed it over his shoulders.
In that instant, the power rush stopped and Harry felt like a ringing noise from his ears disappeared as soon as the cloak touched his back. A noise so imperceptible he didn't even notice it was there. He could still tell the wand in his hand was very powerful and he didn't want to break it. But he no longer felt so overwhelmed by its presence.
"It feels different with the Cloak," he said, beginning to understand what was happening.
"Yes," Daphne agreed. "I think the Wand affects the mind somehow… makes people eager to use it. And it looks like the Cloak protects you from it," she explained, confirming Harry's suspicions.
Harry put the wand down on the desk and took off the cloak. "I don't like the idea of it controlling my mind," he said and shuddered a little.
Daphne briefly touched his shoulder in a calming gesture. "I think it's more instinctual… now that we know what it does, we could probably resist for a long while," she reasoned. "Still, I suggest that we only ever use it while wearing the Cloak."
"Agreed," Harry said. "I wonder why the Elder Wand would do that. It seems evil."
Daphne smiled at his words. "It has no agenda, Harry, beyond wanting to be used. If the legends are true, then wizards and witches are meant to use it to finish the creation of the world. I suppose it's up to us if we turn it into heaven or hell."
"True, I guess," Harry admitted, making a note to read some of the legends Daphne spoke off. The girl already agreed to let him access her family library.
He then watched as Daphne put on the cloak and picked up the wand. "Before I am going to put it in the vault, there is one more thing I wanted to try… but first things first," Daphne said and looked at him strangely.
Harry felt cornered as she stepped very close. "Harry James Potter… do you swear that you will not try to leave the manor without my permission?" the blonde asked him while gazing into his very soul.
"I already promised," Harry answered.
"That's not good enough anymore," Daphne said, shaking her head. "I want you to swear on your honor as Potter and Black," she clarified and repeated, "Do you swear you will not leave the manor without my permission?"
"Fine… I swear it as the last Potter and Black," Harry said.
Daphne was not done yet. "Do you also swear you will obey my orders until Voldemort is defeated?"
Harry looked at her incredulously, wondering whether the girl was serious but the look in her eyes told him she was. It gave him a pause as he considered the implications of such an oath. Although temporary, what she was asking him for was essentially his unconditional support in all her actions!
How could he give it to her when he knew he would potentially disagree with so many of them?
"Why do you want me to swear this?!" he asked her, slightly crossed.
"It will be necessary going forward," Daphne merely explained and then said, "Please, Harry. You must swear it to me."
Her icy blue eyes pinned him down with her gaze. It always made it difficult for him to deny her requests when she did that and the girl knew it. In all honesty, if it was just him who would be affected, he would give her such oath. He liked Daphne and knew how much it pleased the pureblood girl whenever he agreed with her. And in a way Harry did not fully understand, it pleased him too.
But he had to remain strong since he was not the only one affected by the consequences. Harry was certain that Daphne meant him no harm now. He believed that she even liked him. Unfortunately, he could not say the same about his friends, or at the very least one them.
Yesterday, he had achieved a great success when he convinced Daphne to release Ron from the dungeons and to treat him as a guest rather than a prisoner. Earlier this day, Harry had a long talk with his best male friend to make sure that he was alright. When he explained to him that Daphne Greengrass was willing to help them fight Voldemort, Ron even supported his decision. He was not enthusiastic about it, but he witnessed how rich and powerful the Greengrasses were and agreed that they could be a big help if they were really sincere in their wish to fight.
After their talk, Harry was considerably less worried about Ron. If only the same could be said about his other friend.
Harry tried all he could think of to make Daphne see reason and release Hermione as well. But unlike in Ron's case, Daphne categorically refused to do so and it led to a huge argument.
Earlier
"Absolutely not!" Daphne hissed. "I will not let her go. How can you even ask me that?!" she said furiously and added. "You know what she is!"
"Yes, she's my best friend!" Harry answered back. "You seriously expect me to work with you while you keep her in chains like a criminal?!"
"She IS a criminal, Harry," the pureblood witch pointed out before saying, "Worse, she is my enemy. To you, she is your best friend. To me, she is just as bad and dangerous as Voldemort!"
"She's not like Voldemort! Don't be ridiculous," Harry protested. In his mind, it was completely absurd comparison.
"Isn't she? Both of them would gladly destroy my world if they got a chance," Daphne told him and then asked, "Would you ask me to let Voldemort go if we captured him?" the girl asked and pressed him when he would not answer. "Well, would you?!"
"No!" Harry finally snapped.
"Right, of course you wouldn't. So don't ask me to let Granger go!" Daphne said with a tone of finality.
Harry was silent for a while as he desperately thought of anything else he could possibly say to change her mind. He could not think of anything he hasn't said already during their fight. Eventually, he made his last attempt and said, "Do it for me… please."
The stern expression on Daphne's face fell away for a moment as she heard him plead.
"Harry…" the blonde said as she stepped closer. "Everything… everything about her, I do for you, she said softly. "I have spared her for you. And I am willing shelter her in my home and protect her from all the enemies she made… and there are many," Daphne warned him before telling him reproachfully. "But you can't ask me for more. Not with what she is and what she did. I don't trust her."
Harry swallowed nervously as he considered his answer. He could see how difficult of an admission this was for Daphne. He knew he was pushing way past the limits of the pureblood girl's patience when it came to Hermione Granger.
At first, he thought it was only Hermione's blood status that antagonized Daphne so much. He reasoned that being a muggleborn did not win her any points, but then Harry learned it was mostly the fact that Hermione refused the offer to serve the Greengrass family that made her the object of Daphne's ire. Apparently, his friend committed one of the worst insults by refusing the offer in the manner she did. Harry knew the odds of Daphne forgiving Hermione were slim. But what else could he do? He had to try and make sure his friend was safe.
Eventually he said, "Daphne, I- I understand you hate her. I understand she insulted you and your family… and I am not asking you to like her. But would you at least consider giving her a chance?" he asked in the most conciliatory voice he was capable of.
At his request, Daphne looked ready to bore a hole in him with her gaze. She opened her mouth and was about to retort angrily but hesitated when she saw his forlorn expression. After few moments, she sighed and said "You'll be the death of me, Harry," she complained but then she gave him a weak nod and rested her forehead against his chest. "Alright. I will think about it. For you. Only for you."
Harry let out the breath he was holding. "Thank you," he said as he gently stroked her back.
Present
Harry did not bring the subject of Hermione since their argument. For one thing, he did not like arguing with Daphne. But more importantly he also felt that pushing the issue now would only cause the pureblood girl to push back even more. He believed that the only way forward was to give Daphne more time to work out through her issues.
The unfortunate result of that strategy was that Hermione was still held in the dungeons and Harry did not get to see her yet though Ron assured him she was unharmed when he last saw her. When asking to see her earlier, Daphne strongly suggested they 'finish their work first before bothering with some mudblood.'
Now that the Elder Wand was secured, Harry would be seeing Hermione this evening.
"Harry!" Daphne exclaimed, bringing him back to the present and out of his reverie. "Answer me! Do you swear as the last Potter and Black that you will obey my orders until Voldemort is defeated?" she repeated the question.
Harry has already decided on the answer but there was an oath he would ask the girl for first before he could give himself over to her like that. He simply could not carry on without knowing his friend would not have her throat cut in the meanwhile. So, instead of giving Daphne the answer she desired, he asked for a vow of his own.
"Do you swear on you honor as lady Greengrass not to harm Hermione Granger? Do you also swear to give her another chance?" he asked her challengingly. He was tempted to demand Hermione's immediate release in return for his vow but knew that for now, it would be too much.
For a moment, the girl looked like she swallowed something sour but then she composed herself. "You are growing bold, Harry," she chastised him. "I am still a pureblood lady. A halfblood does not get to demand oaths from me," Daphne Greengrass said and then added with a smirk. "No matter how much I like him."
Harry ignored both her attempt to assert dominance as well as the butterflies fluttering in his stomach at Daphne's declaration that she liked him. So far, he had always caved whenever the blonde pulled her rank on him like that, finding her proud smile and playful arrogance towards him irresistible in a deeply confusing way. But this time, he had to stay strong.
He sat his face in stone and after a while, Daphne noticed that he would not be giving in on this. She hesitated before she said, "Very well, I swear not to harm Hermione Granger. As for giving her another chance, I shall talk with her first. If she is reasonable, I swear to give her another chance."
Harry nodded in gratitude and said. "Then I swear on my honor as the last Potter and Black to obey your orders until Voldemort is defeated."
"What is this all about, Daphne?" he asked her nervously afterwards. "Why did you make me say these oaths?"
Instead of answering, the girl walked over to the other side of the desk, pulled out the drawer and reached inside. Harry's breath caught when he saw her holding the broken pieces of his old wand in her hand. Part of him never expected to see it again.
"I wanted to return this to you," Daphne said as she placed the broken wand onto the desk. Harry felt sad as he looked at it. "Thank you," he said. "It will be a nice memento, I guess." He was grateful to have it back but still he did not understand why Daphne would ask him for the oaths. After all, it's not like he could use the broken wand to fight her.
Daphne smiled. "Oh, it will be more than that," she said and pointed the Elder Wand at the broken holly wood with the phoenix feather sticking out of it. "Reparo!" she cried and Harry watched as his wand fixed itself at her word. Sparks even came out of it.
Harry was touched by her gesture but he knew it was futile. "Hermione already tried that. It didn't work," he said sadly.
"I am not Granger. And this is no ordinary wand," Daphne replied tersely before adding in kinder voice. "Just try it… please," she insisted even as she handed the repaired wand to Harry.
He reluctantly took it from her, certain there was no point to it. His skepticism vanished as soon as he took the wand in his hand. He could feel it. He could actually feel his magic reacting and connecting to the wand! Possibly another benefit of the magical exercise that Daphne taught him, he thought.
"Lumos," Harry spoke and almost cried with happiness when the Holly wand lit up without breaking apart. "Expecto patronum!" he then incanted, bursting with excitement. The silver stag jumped out and ran around the room, much like Daphne's unicorn did a moment ago. His patronus practically pulsed with power, reflecting the happiness he felt in that moment. "You did it!"
"You sound surprised," the blonde quipped in amusement. The silvery stag finally stopped next to Harry and Daphne walked closer in order to pet it. "You should know by now that I am perfect in every way," she spoke to him once again with the mock arrogance as her hand passed through the silvery apparition.
Harry smiled. "Yes, I suppose you really are," he said and they both laughed. Harry was about to hand the wand back to her but she stopped him. "It's yours again, Harry. I trust you," she told him and then asked in serious voice. "Please do not make me regret this."
"Daphne… I don't know what to say," he said, humbled by the level of trust she was showing him and overwhelmed with the possibility of doing magic again, not even realizing how much he missed it. He hesitated for just a moment before he gently pulled her in for a hug.
"I won't make you regret it, Daphne, I promise," he whispered over her shoulder, fully intending to keep that promise. Daphne tensed in his arms for a moment but then she relaxed into his embrace, her hair tickling his face as she hugged him back. "See that you don't," the pureblood girl whispered back warningly but there was no malice behind it anymore. Without letting go of each other, they both leaned back so they could look into each other's eyes.
Harry was instantly captivated.
The bright silvery light from the Patronus gave Daphne's pale skin an otherworldly glow and highlighted her aristocratic beauty. Reflected light danced in her silky blonde hair framing her beautiful face. The smirk she gave him was the perfect mix of flirtation and haughty superiority. It never failed to both infuriate and enrapture him. 'She really is perfect…' the male part of him realized with resignation even as he felt the curves of her womanly body as he hugged her.
Oh, if physical beauty was all that Daphne Greengrass possessed than Harry would find it possible to resist. But he could also see her icy blue eyes smouldered with intelligence. He admired her determination and integrity even as he disagreed with most of her opinions. And ever since she taught him how to sense magic, he could even feel her body brimming with it, giving a testament that she was a powerful witch as well.
How could he resist such a woman? More to the point, why would he even want to?
Intellectually, he knew that Daphne's morals were very different from his and that he should better keep his distance. He also felt like he owed it to Hermione not to fall for Daphne as long as the girl continued to treat his friend like dirt.
But a much larger part of him just didn't want to! He was a boy with the most perfect girl in his arms and he didn't care if she was evil. At least for this moment, he did not care what her political plans. He was just tired. So tired of resisting what he wanted the most.
And what he wanted the most… was Daphne.
He leaned closer. Their lips were about to touch. The silver stag pulsed with blinding light…
.
.
.
Several things happened at once. His scar exploded with pain and Harry cried out as he dropped his wand and clutched his head. "No…" he cried in agony as he heard the familiar and much hated voice echoing through his head.
"Where is it, Grindelwald… tell me! Crucio!"
Harry knew that once again he was experiencing what Voldemort was doing. But this time, it was worse than ever before. Not only could he hear and see few images or perceive strong emotions. This time, he was there… he was him.
He was Voldemort.
The last thing Harry heard was Daphne's panicked voice, calling to him from the edge of the abyss into which he was falling.
Daphne was mortified by what was happening. She was about to kiss Harry Potter!
It's not like it was her first kiss. True, she never had a boyfriend but as a pureblood she regularly attended social events where she came into contact with boys of her age. Then there was Hogwarts and the late nights in the Slytherin common room. She even once kissed a girl on a dare during one of their silly games in the dormitories.
But this was the Boy-who-lived! Whenever she and her friends played kiss-marry-kill, Daphne would place Harry Potter into the kiss category, much to the snickers of the other girls. But to her, the choice was logical. She never really wanted to kill him and knew it was politically unacceptable for her to marry a non-pureblood.
Now her silly old fantasy was coming true. She knew from a start that Potter found her attractive which was ultimately not that surprising. Boys always had trouble saying no to her. Heck, even girls did as evidenced by Millicent Bulstrode and her not-so-secret crush. Daphne allowed Harry's attention, even encouraged it. It boosted her confidence seeing even the chosen-one could not resist her. It also placed Harry at a perfect position to be manipulated and controlled.
So at which point did it become real to her? When did she start to care for the boy too?
By confessing the truth about the dark lord, Harry Potter might have saved her family and the magical world. She was forever grateful to him for that alone. But as she worked with him, Daphne also started to sense the great untapped potential in the boy. Magically speaking, he was a powerhouse – something every pureblood witch found irresistible in men. Under Daphne's guidance, Harry Potter could become something truly great. He was also kind, intelligent and pleasantly handsome. If only he was a pureblood, Daphne would move him to the "marry" category in a heartbeat. As it stood, she could at least have this…
But before their lips could touch, everything went to hell as Harry started to scream.
"HARRY!" she cried out, taking a step back as the boy writhed and spasmed.
"Where is it, Grindelwald… tell me! Crucio!" Harry spoke in a voice that chilled the pureblood witch to the bone. She had heard that voice before. Her father showed her some of his memories from the death eater meetings.
When Harry yelled out the torture curse, Daphne barely dodged the red light which erupted from his hand. It was not aimed at her but rather at some invisible person lying in front of Harry. His hand was also positioned like there was a wand in his hand even though he dropped it when the fit started. Another bolt of red light impacted the carpet.
For a second, Daphne admired the fact that Harry could repeatedly do wandless Cruciatus curse before she went into panic. She has never seen or heard of anything like this! Harry told her about having visions of Voldemort but he never said it was that bad! This was no vision or dream… it was plain and simple psychic attack. Something or someone was attacking Harry! It did not seem possible seeing as she activated the magical protections around the manor right after the Golden trio was captured.
And yet, looking at the boy, Daphne could sense his magic literally coming apart at the seams. Whatever it was, seemed to be centered around the scar on his forehead, a pulsing tendril of magic reaching out… far out.
Daphne quickly regained control after her shock and went into action. "Protego totalum!" she cried as her wand flew into her hand. She followed it with, "Salvio hexia!"
Daphne felt the magical protections go up around them but sadly, it had absolutely no effect on Harry's condition.
Her next thought was to call for her guards but what could they possibly do? She also did not want them to misinterpret the situation and hurt Harry! In desperation, she looked around the room, looking for something… anything that could explain this attack or help to stop it.
Meanwhile Harry performed another impossible feat of magic as he cried out, "Avada Kedavra!" and Daphne watched with horror as the sickly green spell flew out of his stretched out hand and past her office desk where it impacted her chair and made it explode. It was followed by a strong convulsion and cry of pain from Harry.
Daphne followed the spell as it went, standing safely aside. Her eyes fell on her desk and the Cloak and the Elder wand she previously set aside there. With a sudden flash of inspiration, she grabbed the Cloak and threw it over Harry's convulsing body. 'Please work…' she prayed in her mind
In an instant, the spasming stopped and Harry just stood there, taking deep breaths as if resurfacing after a long dive. "D-daphne," he said weakly after few moments.
"Harry! Are you alright?" she asked even as she helped him walk to a couch where he sat down heavily.
"Scar hur- hurts. But I am fine now," he said hoarsely, his throat parched from the screaming. Daphne grabbed a glass of water from the coffee table in front of them and helped him to drink it.
"I- I saw him question and torture Grindelwald… he wanted to know where the Elder wand is," Harry said slowly after finishing the glass.
"Yes, I heard," Daphne said. "You were speaking in his voice as if he was here. You were performing the spells too," she informed him.
Harry stared at her in disbelief. "I was?" he said before his eyes went wide. "Oh, god. I haven't hurt you, have I?" he asked before checking her out, searching for injuries.
"I am fine," Daphne said and squeezed his hand in assurance. "But tell me… your visions, were they always this intense?"
"No," Harry admitted. "This was much worse. I was actually there… I saw him torture… saw him kill…" he explained.
Daphne nodded and closed her eyes briefly as she considered what happened. There was one explanation of why Harry's vision became so much worse and it made her feel like shit. "Harry… I am so sorry," she said with a sigh. She opened her eyes and they were filled with guilt. "I think this is my fault."
"No, it's not. How could it be your fault?" the boy immediately protested and it warmed Daphne's heart that he would jump to her defense so readily. Still, it did not lessen her guilt.
"The magical exercise we have been doing…" she started, "it is designed to strengthen your connection with magic," she said and paused. "But its possible side effect is that it also strengthens whatever magical ailments a person has," Daphne finally admitted. "I did not consider how it would impact your visions," she said and looked at him sadly. "Can you forgive me?"
"Of course," Harry said and smiled. "Don't worry about it." He then noticed the Cloak around his shoulders and was about to take it off.
"No, don't!" she cried when she saw what he was about to do. "The Cloak stopped whatever was happening to you," she explained. "Keep it on at least until your scar stops hurting."
Harry nodded and said, "I didn't know it could do that." He clutched the cloak closer to his body.
"I didn't know it either," Daphne admitted. "But I figured if it can hide you from the Elder Wand and possibly Death himself, it should be able to hide you from whatever was hurting you."
"Smart thinking," Harry said and smiled at the blonde girl in gratitude.
She gave him a cheeky smile in return. "That's the only way I think, Harry."
"Right… because you are perfect," he said. He laughed a little but Daphne was surprised how serious he sounded.
They rested in silence for a while until Harry's scar stopped hurting.
"Take it off… slowly," Daphne instructed and watched carefully for any signs of trouble as Harry slipped off the Cloak.
"It's fine. I am alright," Harry announced and laid it down on the couch beside him.
"Right," Daphne let out the breath she was holding. "Still, I want you to keep the Cloak in your pocket at all times. If you feel your scar hurting, put it on immediately," she ordered. "At least until we figure out a more permanent solution."
"What solution?" Harry asked in surprise. "I had these visions since he came back. I don't think I can stop them."
Daphne shook her head. "I don't know how yet, Harry. My first idea would be to teach you Occlumency but I am not sure it would help," she said.
"Snape tried to teach me," Harry mentioned. "It didn't exactly take," he said and sighed. "Daphne, I had these visions since he came back. I don't think I can stop them."
"I will help you fix this," she assured him instantly. "Do you think I could just watch and let you suffer like this?" she let the question hang in the air for a moment before she continued. "First thing we will do is that you will come with me to the infirmary and my people will have a good long look on that scar of yours. I'll be damned if that's an ordinary black magic wound."
She helped him to stand up and was about to lead them way when Harry hesitated. "You said you will let me visit Hermione this evening…" he reminded her and Daphne cursed internally. After all that happened today, she completely forgot she promised Harry to take him to see that thrice damned mudblood.
"Tomorrow," Daphne finally decided. "The only place you are going after you are checked over is bed."
"But-" he was about to protest.
"No, Harry. Do as I say," she ordered. "You have been through something very traumatizing. I can see your magic is deeply unsettled. I think you can now sense it too, correct?" she asked and watched as he lowered his eyes, acknowledging her point but still hesitant.
"Believe me that Granger is most definitely not going anywhere. You can see her tomorrow morning," she told him which finally seemed to convince him.
"Ok… if you say so."
Daphne smiled even though deep down she was still deeply worried about him. "Good… let's go," she said and took his hand as they walked out of the room with Harry following beside her.