Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K.R!

This story is a collaboration's work between Avoranger and Cal the Wandcrafter!

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A/N:

Good day, all!

Long holiday is over, school starts again! Yeay! \(0w0)/

I never thought that the 'war' for the exam seat would be that hard. LOL

So, I will have an exam next month. Good luck to me! \(OvO)9

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Without further ado, Let's go!

Hope you like this chapter!

Enjoy! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

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...

Christmas was supposed to be a fun day celebrated with loved ones; however, it instantly turned out to be an unpleasant day for Amelia. First she had to deal with Umbridge and her niece, then to top it off, the mass breakout in Azkaban.

The Azkaban Breakout. What an absolute train wreck.

Amelia wanted to make a move on Umbridge as soon as possible, but with this situation, it was impossible. Tracking them down was now the most important task!

It really made her head throb with a headache. While she was busy ordering her Aurors to speed up the investigation of Azkaban and split up to catch the escaped prisoners, Fudge was manoeuvring in the wrong direction by stupidly shouting accusations, claiming it was Sirius Black's doing to help his family. If there were no political entanglements involved, she would have already thrown his airhead into Azkaban! All the Intel that the DMLE had, and Fudge was well aware of it, indicated that Black was somewhere in the the Philippines - after all, there were multiple solid leads into it, and more than one confirmed sighting.

For the last almost twelve hours, the Aurors successfully caught almost half of the prisoners who had escaped - Most of them had caused chaos in a few locations in Britain, so they were easy to track. But unfortunately, it seems they were just decoys for the Aurors because so far, they still couldn't find the most dangerous one and the lower levels of his followers, like Bellatrix Lestrange, the Lestrange brothers, Antonin Dolohov, and Augustus Rookwood, who were at the top of the list.

As she made her way through the bullpen of the Auror department, she stopped and turned her head when a voice called out for her. "Madam Bones, I have a letter for you," said one of the Aurors while handing her the letter. She glanced at it and recognized the handwriting. Immediately, she pocketed it and instructed the Auror to return to his post, and continued on to her office.

After ensuring she was alone in her office, Amelia promptly opened the letter she had received a few minutes ago.

'Meet me at the usual place.'

Amelia frowned, understanding why Cyrus wanted to meet. She quickly informed her secretary not to disturb her and then secured her office with a spell. She used her personal Floo network to return home and then apparated off to the Muggle Marina that her friend seemed to be so fond of.

"What do you want, Cy!" Amelia asked, getting straight to the point.

"A mass breakout of Azkaban?" he asked, disbelief evident in his voice. "On Christmas day?"

"Let's pretend I already know about it!" she retorted.

"I know, Damn it! I was so close to being able to bring my case against Fudge to you. But this is going to throw a wrench in things."

Amelia was stunned by Cyrus' statement. She looked at him with a serious expression, "So you've already uncovered what he's been hiding all this time?"

"Almost! I dug deeper than I thought I would end up searching. There's a huge money operation going on that is on the scale I've only ever seen in the Muggle world. Honestly it feels like something out of a spy novel!" Cyrus paced back and forth. "I planned to reveal all of it to Internal Affairs later in the January session, while the Wizengamot is tied up in session. But with the breakout… I won't be able to afford to miss that meeting!"

"And when were you planning to tell me about these plans?" she squinted at him, arms crossed. Cyrus winced.

"This week! I promise. And besides the plan… I wanted to tell you that I spoke with Mr. Potter yesterday!"

Amelia looked intrigued. "Oh? As much as I want to hear what he said to you, this isn't the right time. Get me a preliminary report, and make sure to include the source of the funds."

Cyrus raised his eyebrow and chuckled. "You want to implicate them too?"

"Of course! If it's too I suspect, they have been slowly rotting our civilization over the years. They need to be dealt with."

Cyrus smirked, "Though it may take a while to bring them all down at once, let's do it! Go big or go home, am I right?"

.


.

Harry and the Weasleys departed for the station, closely guarded by members of the Order. Harry was relieved that he didn't have to take the Knight Bus like in his previous fifth year, so he could meet Daphne and spend time with her. Apart from making out, of course, they needed to discuss their plans. The Azkaban breakout a few days ago had caused a stir at Grimmauld Place because, according to McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore had let Voldemort's plan to free his lieutenants go unopposed. The adults suggested that children returning to Hogwarts would be better off using the Knight Bus rather than taking the train with the others. However, Harry firmly rejected the plan and provided quite logical reasons.

"Wouldn't that be dangerous? Anyone can take the night bus, and all it would need is one person getting off at an early stop, sending up a patronus, and then the Death Eaters could easily stop the bus anywhere. The Knight Bus does not have magic to detect the intentions of its passengers," he explained.

Sirius was the first to support his reasoning and persuaded the others to let them continue using the train to return to the castle. Despite various considerations, whether happy or not with the decision, the reasons given by Harry were quite reasonable, and in the end, they allowed them to return to the castle by train but with tight security from the Order, which Harry didn't mind.

Harry's eyes twinkled when he saw Daphne enter the carriage and closed the door before sitting next to him, giving him a tight hug. "I missed you!" she whispered in his ear.

"We just had a mirror-call this morning, do you really miss me already?" teased him.

She pouted, "That's different! I could only see your face and hear your voice, but I couldn't touch you. It was really a completely different thing!"

"Good point!" He kissed her cheek happily. She blushed and hid her face on his shoulder.

"You're so affectionate, Mister… I'm happy that you're mine!"

"Only for you, love," he whispered to her.

"You know… before we get carried away, let's talk about business," She said with a blush.

He chuckled. "I would be happy to be ravished by you, awwwh!" he groaned after receiving a hit to his shoulder.

"Be serious, Harry! You won't get anywhere if you keep teasing me like that!"

He grinned innocently, seeing how flushed Daphne was, "I highly object to that statement based on previous evidence to the contrary, but alright, so where should we start?"

"I brought the cup!" she said in a lower voice. "Do you have yours?"

Harry reflexively locked the door and cast a few security charms. Yeah, the locket is safe in a secret compartment I made in the bottom of my trunk, with a lot of strict security around it."

Daphne nodded, "Same here. Dragonhide pouch, which is anti-dark-magic, but I still can't trust it to withstand the dark aura for a long time. So I added some of the strongest security spells I know," she then frowned, "It's such a shame that three out of four of the sacred artefacts of the founders of Hogwarts have become something we need to destroy if we want to live in peace."

"Riddle was so fixated on those items," Harry mused. "He must have thought possessing them would elevate him above everyone else. Like he wanted to be some kind of emperor, showing off his power to the world."

"Yeah, he was a real piece of work," Daphne agreed. "I doubt he cared about anyone's opinion but his own. Anyway, did you ever consider another way to protect it, besides resorting to using our daggers?"

Harry shook his head. "No, it hadn't crossed my mind until now."

"The thing in your forehead," she said, pointing to his faded scar, "it was destroyed by the Killing Curse, right?"

Harry touched the scar. "Yeah, it was..." His voice trailed off as he considered the idea. "Do you think we could use it?"

Daphne raised an eyebrow. "Using the Killing Curse? That's a risky move. But if it could work, why not? Flitwick would probably be ecstatic to see Ravenclaw's Diadem after all these years. But who would we target? Got anyone you really can't stand?"

Before Harry could respond, a knock interrupted them.

"Is it time for the prefect rounds?" Harry asked, exchanging a glance with Daphne.

"I have no clue," Daphne said as Harry removed the protective spells on the carriage and opened the door.

To their surprise, it was Hermione standing outside.

"Hi, Harry… and Daphne," she said with an awkward smile. "Uh, Harry… Can we talk?" Seeing Harry about to retort, Hermione stopped him and added, "You can stay too if you want, Greengrass. I don't mind."

Harry and Daphne exchanged a glance. Daphne nudged him and whispered, "Let's hear what she has to say before you respond."

"Yeah, come in," Harry said with a sigh, ushering Hermione into their carriage. She sat across from them. Harry closed the door and cast a silencing spell. "Don't worry, it's just a silencing spell, so people couldn't listen to what we're talking about here. So, what can I do for you, Ms. Granger?" Hermione flinched at the formal address.

"Harry!" Daphne warned, nudging him.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, waiting for Hermione to speak.

"Harry…" She began, "During the holiday, I had a long talk with my dad. He explained a lot to me, and since then, I've come to realise that I was wrong. I'm so sorry for acting like a... well, you know. I know I place a lot of respect on our teachers, and even if Umbridge is a bad teacher she still is a teacher nonetheless… and I'm not sure why she has you so worried, but an argument like that is not worth the possibility of almost losing my first friend." Her face turned red with embarrassment, tears glistening in her eyes. Daphne offered her a handkerchief, and Hermione smiled gratefully as she wiped away her tears before continuing, "And on top of that, I shouldn't have listened to someone who clearly had feelings for you. I don't know what her intentions were, but I swallowed everything she said without filtering it first. I feel so stupid for being so easily influenced. I should have known better."

Harry raised an eyebrow at the last bit. He knew about Ginny's attempts to manipulate Hermione into antagonising Daphne. After the news of the Azkaban breakout, Harry spent most of his time between his room, the dining room, and the library. But after Mr. and Mrs. Weasley attempted to defend Ginny's actions and asked for forgiveness on her behalf, Harry refused to set foot in the dining room again. It felt like a repeat of the summer holidays. He was disappointed in their attempt to shield their daughter from consequences. So he made it clear to them that he would only forgive Ginny if she apologised herself. Mrs. Weasley urged him to understand, which Harry found laughable. Ginny needed to grow up and learn that she couldn't have everything just because she was their only daughter.

Breaking from his thoughts, he noticed that Hermione shifted her gaze towards Daphne, with shame in her eyes. "I know... I've been cruel to you too, Greengrass. It wasn't fair. I'm so sorry, Harry... Greengrass," she continued, admitting her mistakes. "I hope you two can forgive me, and we can be friends again," she said, her voice tinged with hope as she bowed her head.

Harry tousled his hair, a grin spreading across his face. "Hermione, come on, you know I'll always be your friend. We can't let a little spat get in the way of that. But seriously, next time, just talk to me sooner, okay?"

Daphne reached out, resting her hand gently on Hermione's. "Hey, it's cool, Hermione. I get why you were upset, but judging me just because I'm in Slytherin wasn't fair. I mean, I thought Ron would be the tough one with his anti-Slytherin stance, but you surprised me. Anyway, I'm glad we're all cool now," she said, flashing a reassuring smile.

Tears welled up in Hermione's eyes once more. "God, I feel so dumb," she admitted.

Harry leaned in, a twinkle in his eye. "Come here! You're getting a hug, don't try and argue!" With that, he enveloped Hermione in a warm embrace, holding her tight for a moment before returning to his seat beside Daphne and giving her a quick peck on the cheek. Hermione was visibly touched, tears still streaming down her face as she smiled at them, feeling relieved.

"Thank you! I promise I won't make the same mistake again," Hermione said earnestly.

"I believe in you, Hermione," Harry said sincerely.

"So… um, would you join the study group again?" Hermione asked, her eyes full of hope.

"Unfortunately, I can't join the study group, Hermione. I'm really sorry," Harry began solemnly. "Just make sure to be careful with your group. Umbridge isn't just here to interfere with our education; she's on a vendetta. You were right, I Didn't tell you everything about my detention with her. It was... torture. She has this quill that makes you write with your own blood. There was some sort of compulsion in the classroom, forcing me to drink a drugged tea. I'm not sure what she gave me, but it nearly killed me from blood loss. I didn't tell you because Umbridge was blackmailing me into silence, she was threatening to give the same punishment to first years if I told anyone, and I couldn't let that happen. It was lucky that Daphne was waiting for me to get out of detention to help me heal it… thinking back on it, I think Umbridge knew I'd have to heal the wound and cover up the evidence, making it harder to prove anything—or maybe she was just hoping I'd die. But she's evil, Hermione. She won't hesitate to do everything in her power to ruin your life," Harry finished, his tone heavy with regret.

"Merlin's pants, Harry! You should..." Hermione paused, letting out a weary sigh. "Well, I suppose I can understand why you thought you couldn't tell anyone. I still think Professor McGonagall would have done something about it, but it's in the past now, I suppose. And that does explain a bit. A few students in my study group mentioned similar detentions, though nowhere near as bad as that. I'll ask them about it when I get back."

Harry cut in, his expression grim as he flexed his hand involuntarily. "I had a feeling she would be using the blood quill on other students, but my worry was that other people's detentions would be as bad as mine. Trust me, if they were, it would be very obvious to tell. McGonagall knows something's up, and that her detentions are horrid, but until there's enough evidence to get Umbridge thrown into the deepest hole under Azkaban, I'm not saying anything. If we act too quickly or if she catches wind of any moves against her, it might mess up any investigations... and I'm pretty sure Madame Bones is looking into her and Fudge by now."

Hermione paused, recalling her conversation with her father, and nodded in agreement. "I understand... I don't entirely agree why you didn't tell anyone, but I understand. We can talk about this later if you want, but for now, I need to get back to my rounds. I don't want the others to worry about me missing after prefect duty." Harry leaned in to give her one last hug before she stood and made her way to the door.

As Hermione left the carriage, Harry once again cast security spells around it, ensuring their privacy.

"What was that? I didn't expect her to come up to me and apologise out of the blue!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah, and it sounded pretty sincere too," Daphne added.

"Definitely. But what do you think made her change her mind so suddenly? I mean, I'm glad she did, but it caught me off guard!" Harry pondered.

"Well, from what I overheard, she had a chat with her dad. But hey, you're happy to have your friend back, right?" Daphne said, offering a supportive smile.

"Absolutely! It's great to patch things up," Harry nodded. "And yeah, it's good to see her reconnecting with her parents."

"True, true. But hold up, reconnecting with her parents? What's that about?" Daphne asked, eyebrows raised.

Harry leaned back, reflecting. "Well, after everything with the Ministry at the end of this year, Hermione and her parents kind of drifted apart. They finally started to grasp how dangerous the magical world actually is after she got hurt and had to go to the hospital. It led to a huge fight. They even wanted to pull her out of school, but she insisted on staying. Then, you know, there was that whole memory thing. They were really upset when they found out what she did, erasing their memories and all. It took them years to forgive her and get back on good terms. But, it's never been quite the same between them since then."

"That's really sad," Daphne said, her tone sympathetic.

"Yeah, it is. I hope things turn out better for them this time around," Harry responded.

"Anyway, getting back to the end of that silly argument. Hermione pretty much admitted to everything Sirius told me about. Remember I told you about my conversation with him?" Harry asked, glancing at Daphne for confirmation. She nodded, encouraging him to continue. "Well, Sirius thought she was feeling insecure because, well, you're beautiful and one of the smartest girls in our year. And with my grades shooting through the roof ever since we've been together, I guess she felt like she wasn't needed anymore."

Daphne chuckled. "Speaking of grades, it does feel like we're cheating somehow, considering we've already finished everything."

Harry grimaced. "Yeah, blame it on the bloody Time-Turner! Oh, and speaking of... are we going to the village to search for him next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Definitely! We'll kick off the investigation. But before that, let's take care of the horcruxes," Daphne suggested.

.


.

"Hermione! Where have you been? Ron came back from patrol half an hour ago. Did someone hold you up?" Ginny asked, her tone sharp and protective, her ginger hair seeming to bristle with anger.

Hermione giggled, her relief evident. "No, nothing like that. I just ran into Harry earlier," she explained.

Ginny looked surprised, while Ron, who had been busy munching on snacks, perked up and turned his attention to Hermione. "Are you making up with him?" he asked hopefully.

Hermione smiled shyly and nodded.

"Yes! Finally, I get to stop walking on eggshells around you guys!" Ron exclaimed, jumping out of his chair with excitement and pulling Hermione into a tight hug. Ginny, however, wore an expression of annoyance.

"You... made up with him?" she questioned, her tone laced with something Hermione couldn't quite place. Hermione furrowed her brow as she stepped back from Ron's embrace.

"Yeah... and I also made up with Daphne," Hermione added, hoping to disprove what she was beginning to suspect.

But then, Ginny abruptly stood up and seized Hermione's arm. "What?! Why would you make up with them? Don't you remember how cruel he has been to you? And that snake is trying to get rid of you!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with disbelief and accusation.

Hermione's eyes widened in shock at the words coming from the girl she considered her closest female friend. The entire compartment fell silent, taken aback by Ginny's sudden outburst.

"GINNY!" Ron snapped, his own surprise evident. "You've gone too far! Didn't you listen to what Dad said?" he scolded, his tone stern.

"Shut up, Ron! It's none of your business!" Ginny snapped, shooting her brother an angry glare.

Ron didn't back down. "This is my business too because you've been bad-mouthing my best friend! If you're bitter about Harry having a girlfriend and not choosing you, just let it go!"

Hermione, visibly hurt by Ginny's words, interjected. "What do you mean, Ron?"

Ignoring Ginny's attempts to interrupt, Ron turned to Hermione. "Oh, I forgot, you don't know yet. Ginny has been using you to try to split a wedge between him and Daphne, trying to make him choose between your friendship and his girlfriend!"

"Shut up, Ronald!" Ginny panicked, hoping to prevent Hermione from finding out the truth. "Don't listen to him, Hermione. Ron's just lying."

Ron wasn't having it. "No, you shut up Ginny! I am sick of this! You have been trash talking Daphne every chance you get, spreading rumours all around the common room, making up lies! You've never once talked to Daphne! She's not like Malfoy, she's not potioning Harry, she's not brainwashing him, and she is not evil! The only person acting like an evil snake here is you!" he snapped, growing increasingly frustrated with his sister's deceit.

"Ron! I'm your little sister, and you're not even going to defend me?" Ginny pleaded, trying to deflect the conversation.

"Defend you!?" Ron frowned. "You should be embarrassed! You have been acting the exact way you've been claiming Daphne has been. You are the one who has been manipulating people, you are the one who is trying to hurt Harry! I've had enough. I want my two best friends back!"

"I've done nothing wrong! I'm saving Harry from that girl's grip because Harry is mine!" she screamed with a red face.

Hermione was left reeling by Ginny's confession. She never expected her closest friend to betray her in such a callous manner, using her for personal gain. It was a painful realisation, and Hermione felt a surge of hurt and betrayal wash over her. How could she have been so blind?

"Yours?" scoffed Ron incredulously. "Harry's not some object! Are you out of your mind?" Ginny shot Ron a fierce glare, ready to retort, but Ron wasn't finished. "You've read too many fantasy books about Harry Potter that have nothing to do with reality! Haven't four years of hanging out with Harry shown you that he's nothing like the hero in those books?"

"But he saved me! He's supposed to love me! Why else would he have gone down to the chamber! He was supposed to be mine! He killed a basilisk for me! He saved me from Tom! It's not fair that some bitch gets to have him!"

"...Get out." Hermione spoke in a low, dangerous tone. "Get out of this damn carriage, and don't you dare talk to me again. If I even hear rumours that you are trying to split up Harry and Daphne, I will go straight to McGonagall and make sure you have detentions for the rest of your time at Hogwarts." She rose to her feet and slammed the door open, her wand grasped tightly at her side, and she glared daggers into the redheaded girl, who returned them in kind.

"He would rather choose a Slytherin over his friends." Ginny grabbed her bags and pushed her way past Hermione in fury. "I'm not sure if that says more about him or you."

And with that, she was gone.

.


.

A week passed in the new semester, and the friendship between Harry and Hermione slowly began to improve. The atmosphere in Gryffindor Tower was also improving, bringing happiness to many. However, beneath the surface, there were several underlying tensions. Hermione, who used to spend most of her time with Ginny when she wasn't with Harry and Ron, now found herself gravitating more towards Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones. Whenever Ginny crossed paths with Hermione, she looked visibly angry, as if she wanted to hex her. Hermione, on the other hand, seemed outwardly oblivious to Ginny's hostility whenever she thought the ginger-haired girl wasn't around.

Harry noticed Ginny's behaviour and couldn't help but frown in disgust, choosing to avoid anything related to her whenever possible, a hard task considering their close proximity in the Gryffindor Tower, which had led to many liberal uses of the invisibility cloak around the common room.

"Hey, what are you daydreaming about?" Daphne asked during their lunch break. It was Saturday, and they had decided to have a picnic by the Black Lake.

"Hmm? High School drama I suppose. Being friends with Hermione again, and the changes in dynamics around the tower. Honestly it feels like a badly written teen romance novel. Brad is in love with Stacy, but Jeff is Stacy's ex and Brad's best friend, and Brad's nerdy sister Rebecca has a crush on Jeff, but Jeff doesn't realise she exists, and now the homecoming dance is coming up and Rebecca just asked Jeff, but the drama is affecting the football team dynamic. Do you think we could make that into one of your movies?" Harry replied, lost in thought.

"I'm pretty sure that plot has been way too overdone to make a box office hit," Daphne laughed lightly, leaning into Harry's shoulder as they enjoyed the shade of the willow they were beneath. "I"m glad Hermione is now friends with Hannah and Susan, though. She needed to branch out a little more," she remarked.

"Oh, definitely! That's quite surprising, actually. Susan mentioned that she found Hermione crying the day after term started, and invited her to study in the library with a couple of her 6th year friends. But Hermione never mentioned that," Harry added, shrugging.

"Either way, I'm glad for her."

Harry nodded in agreement. "You're right," he said, then turned to Daphne with a broad smile. "But you know, most people wouldn't think of having a picnic this time of year, especially with this much snow… Aren't you afraid we'll freeze to death out here?"

Daphne playfully nudged her shoulder against Harry's. "Are you saying you don't want to spend time with me?" she teased, pouting.

"I could never get enough time with you," Harry replied, hugging Daphne and planting a kiss on the side of her neck. "But maybe we could have our picnic in the Room of Requirement instead? It's more practical and warmer."

Daphne giggled at Harry's suggestion. "As wonderful as the Room of Requirement is, it still can't beat the feeling of fresh winter air."

Harry continued to pout. "True, but I can't help but think of that time we vacationed in the Alps and spent the weekend curled up in front of the fireplace," he said, trailing his lips up to her jawline and nibbling on her earlobe. His hands moved down her side, giving her backside a firm squeeze as he pulled her closer.

Daphne grinned, letting out a soft moan as she enjoyed his touch through the smooth fabric of her skirt. "I know what you mean. The things we did on that rug… I still fantasise about it sometimes. The way you ripped off my leggings, and bent me over…" she admitted. Harry stopped his movements, and Daphne felt him pull her onto his lap. Surprised but pleased by the gesture, she ran her hands through his hair and pressed her chest against him as he rocked his hips forward. The cold winter air made her lack of a bra very clear to him, as he trailed kisses down to her exposed clavicle. "Maybe we can recreate that vacation after that we deal with our current problems."

"Then let's start dealing with the horcruxes tonight. We can retrieve the diadem from the room of requirement."

She hummed in agreement, as she threw her head back, giving into his kisses, and relished in the peaceful afternoon.

An hour later, they finally agreed it was too chilly to remain outdoors indefinitely and began packing up their lunch before heading inside.

"Harry!" Hermione called out, waving as she spotted Harry and Daphne strolling towards the castle hand in hand. Harry waved back.

"Hey, Hermione. How's it going?" Harry asked casually as he approached Hermione, who was waiting for them.

"Hi, Daphne," Hermione greeted with a slightly awkward smile before answering Harry's query. "I was just in the Greenhouse, helping Professor Sprout gather some winter medicinal plants. Hannah and the others were there too. You both should join us!" she said eagerly. "It's really interesting!"

"Sounds intriguing, and you seem to be enjoying it. I'm surprised Neville wasn't invited," Daphne remarked with a smile.

"Oh! He got detention with Professor Snape, remember?" Hermione reminded them.

Harry shook his head, "With how many times Neville has discovered ways to blow up a cauldron, I'd say he's an unintentional potions genius. Move over 'Dumbledore's 12 Uses of Dragon's Blood', make room for 'Longbottoms 10,000 Improvised Explosives'" the three friends shared a laugh before making their way through the courtyard and through the front gates.

"Have you eaten lunch?" Hermione inquired again.

"We've just returned from a picnic by the lake," Harry said, grinning.

Hermione nodded, "Alright then, see you both later!"

As Hermione walked away, they continued towards the Room of Requirement.

"That was odd, but in a good way," Daphne commented with a smile. "She's quite enjoyable to be around, I have to admit."

.


.

Daphne's eyes widened at the sight of the mountains of discarded items scattered across the room, filling it almost to the brim—a space seemingly larger than the Great Hall itself.

"You're joking, right Harry?"

"No, I'm dead serious."

"Do you still remember where it is?"

Harry turned to Daphne, flashing a grin. "Nope."

Daphne was speechless.

"In my defence, I was pressed for time back then. All I recall is it was near where I stashed Snape's potions book. Then Draco Crabbe and Goyle tried to kill us. Crabbe cast Fiendfire, and nearly killed everyone."

Daphne winced. "Let's not dwell on that. I remember what happened next; you've told me about it, albeit not in such vivid detail."

"Right! And now I can't recall which way to go. Seems like the layout has changed," Harry frowned, scanning the surroundings.

"How is that possible? Who would bother?"

"Magic?"

"Very funny, Harry." Daphne sighed. "So, should we split up now?"

Harry pondered for a moment. "No, let's stick together. Easier not to get lost that way.

They navigated through the maze of objects, searching for a mannequin adorned with a Diadem.

"This place is massive... How many centuries do you think it's been accumulating like this?"

"I have no idea, maybe close to a thousand years?" Harry replied casually. "last time, I found it by listening to the whispers of Voldemort's soul that were coming off of it. I'm not sure how we are going to find it this time, because I barely remember the spot it was at. I know it was sitting on top of a ugly looking bust of a warlock close to the vanishing cabinet Draco used to get the death eaters in to kill Dumbledore, but that's about it."

"Well obviously we're going to use magic to find it."

"Summoning spells don't work, we tested it last time"

"Not a summoning spell, silly. But the Point Me spell. The diadem is probably charmed against it, but if we can find the vanishing cabinet, we should be able to make our way from there."

Harry was silent for a moment, "I would have thought of that eventually."

"Of course you would have," Daphne remarked with a smirk. "Come on, Point Me Vanishing Cabinet," she chanted, and within seconds, a grey, transparent thread extended from the tip of Daphne's wand, leading them towards the centre of the room

The two followed the thread, arriving at a familiar and ominous looking cabinet… and a nearby pile of chairs where, at the top, rested a half-bodied mannequin adorned with a Diadem.

"Oh, we've found it!" exclaimed Harry with a broad smile.

Daphne deactivated the spell. Despite the Diadem showing signs of wear from time, its elegance remained striking. However, the longer she gazed at it, the more she sensed dark tendrils probing at her Occlumency defences, attempting to breach them. She quickly averted her gaze.

"Harry!" Daphne noticed her boyfriend shaking his head. "This thing has some serious magic on it!"

"I know, don't stare at the Diadem for too long. Winky!" Harry called, and Winky promptly appeared, handing him the dragonhide pouch as if she already knew what he needed.

"Thank you, Winky. You may go," with a pop, the elf disappeared once again. "Daphne, I'll open the pouch, and you use the levitating spell to transfer it into the pouch," he instructed, opening the pouch wide.

Without hesitation, Daphne cast the levitating spell on the Diadem, carefully guiding it into the pouch. With a swift motion, the Diadem was safely secured within the dragonhide pouch, which Harry promptly sealed shut. Daphne added additional security spells to reinforce it.

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief once the task was complete.

"It seemed so straightforward, but I'm guessing this is where the hard part is going to start," remarked Daphne. Harry stowed the pouch into the undetectable expansion pocket on his pants, and cast a quick Tempus.

"Damn! It's already dinner time. No wonder I'm starving. Let's head to the Great Hall; I'd rather not ruin it with an empty stomach,"

Daphne giggled, "Absolutely!"

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After dinner, they split up to head back to their dorms. Besides catching up with friends, they needed to fetch the object from their bags' hiding spots. They agreed to meet in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom an hour later. Daphne felt uneasy knowing she had a dark object temporarily tucked in her jacket pocket.

"Where are you off to, Daph?" Astoria asked, surprised to find her sister gearing up to leave instead of winding down for the night, especially with curfew approaching.

"Oh, hey Tory! What's up?" Daphne eyed her sister suspiciously, sensing an ulterior motive behind her sudden visit.

Astoria flopped onto Daphne's bed, eyeing her with curiosity. "Planning a rendezvous with Harry?" she teased, earning a playful swat from Daphne.

"Mind your words, sis!" Daphne's cheeks flushed slightly.

"Wait, are you sneaking off to hang out with Harry?" Tracey chimed in from the doorway, snacks in hand, having arrived with similar intentions as Astoria.

Daphne rubbed her temples, trying to keep her cool. Despite her mature appearance, their banter could sometimes grate on her nerves. "I just need to return a book to the library! So can you guys clear the way?" she replied, tossing a book she had borrowed the previous day into her bag as proof of her library trip.

"Would you like us to tag along? Curfew's creeping up..." Tracey offered, while Astoria nodded eagerly.

Daphne shook her head, declining the offer. "No, thanks. I think I'll be quicker on my own!" Their faces instantly fell into pouts, their eyes wide and pleading, reminiscent of puppies.

"No! It's alright, chatting with you two will make me late for curfew. Catch you later!" Daphne said, swiftly making her exit with her bag in tow.

"Say hi to Harry for us!" Astoria called after her.

"Zip it!" Daphne shot back, half-yelling. Laughter echoed from her room as Daphne chuckled, heading off out of the common room.

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Daphne arrived at the second-floor bathroom to find Harry engaged in conversation with Myrtle, who seemed rather smitten with him. "Harry! Sorry to keep you waiting!"

"Daphne! You're finally here!" Harry's face lit up upon seeing her.

"Aaah! You?!" Myrtle barked disapprovingly, shooting Daphne a glare, clearly feeling threatened.

"Scram, Myrtle! Have you forgotten our little chat the other day? I have a powerful spell ready to send you to the afterlife if you keep bothering me!" Daphne warned, brandishing her wand.

Myrtle huffed and sulkily departed, muttering, "I won't give up that easily!" as she shot one last flirty wink at Harry before disappearing.

"You took forever! I've been dodging that flirtatious ghost for ages," complained Harry.

"Sorry! Astoria and Tracey ambushed me in my room; they almost insisted on tagging along. Luckily, I managed to shake them off," she sighed, "aren't Ron and Hermione suspicious of you sneaking out before curfew?"

"Nah, they're on patrol at the moment," Harry chuckled. "They're probably roaming somewhere in the castle. Let's get inside before they catch us."

Harry hissed, tapping on the sink. As they waited for the secret passage to open, Daphne cast a few security spells around the door.

"Did you bring it?" Harry asked, double-checking.

"I've got it," she confirmed, patting her pocket.

Harry nodded, "Let's go!"

The journey to the Chamber of Secrets took about ten minutes, during which they walked in silence. Upon entering, they were greeted by the sight of a giant snake skeleton, its condition unchanged from their last visit—large, decayed, and menacing.

"At least the smell isn't as overpowering as last time," remarked Daphne as she circled the snake to inspect it closely.

Daphne noticed Harry retrieving two pouches of dragonhide from his pocket and placing them on a nearby table, alongside two boxes as thick as their charms textbooks.

"Where did these tables and boxes come from?" she asked, surprised, joining Harry at the table and hurriedly placing her own dragonhide pouch on it.

"I fetched them from the Room of Requirement before heading to Myrtle's bathroom to wait for you. As for the box... I had Winky buy it, specifically tailored for storing extremely dangerous cursed objects. According to Winky, the seller assured her it can safely contain any malevolent item," Harry explained, nodding. "More reliable than dragonhide pouches."

"Wait! What do you mean 'put this damn thing in a box'? We're here to destroy these things, right?" she gestured towards the collection of Horcruxes on the table, her expression disgusted.

"Right now we can only afford to destroy one."

Daphne was rendered speechless, staring at Harry in disbelief.

"Why can't we destroy them all at once? The quicker we get Voldemort out of the way, the quicker we can stop the bombings from reoccurring!" Daphne demanded, arms folded as she awaited an explanation.

Harry scratched his head before responding. "Do you think I don't want to destroy them as well!?" he began, "but in this case, it's different. Destroying a soul isn't like tearing up a piece of parchment and tossing it in the bin. It's like… Ok, what does your finger look like? You start with the nails, then move on to the skin, muscles, and bones. Destroying one Horcruxes is like trimming a nail—you hardly feel the half a millimetre you remove. But the more you destroy, the less fingernail there is to remove. Eventually, it's just cutting into the flesh itself. Right now, we have three destroyed, four counting my scar, but he never knew about it so it's not likely he will notice it is gone. If we destroy any more, it will cause him excruciating pain. We have to wait until the last possible moment, or Voldemort will sense it." Harry ruffled his hair and took a deep breath before continuing, "But don't worry, we're going to destroy the Slytherin Locket. I made a promise that I have to keep." Harry explained. The look of frustration was clearly visible on his handsome face. Daphne immediately grabbed his hand and squeezed it, giving him strength.

"I understand Harry!" Daphne shuddered in horror. Harry hugged Daphne who looked shaken tightly. "But… I know you destroyed them last time, but how do you know so much about soul magic?"

He kissed the top of Daphne's head gently. "So, remember at that time I still had a scar on my forehead, right?" Daphne nodded. "I could feel the pain that Voldemort felt when his Horcruxes were destroyed. It gave me visions, and I could practically taste his paranoia and anger."

"Oh, I'm sorry you had to go through such a terrible thing, Harry!" hugged Harry tightly.

"Thanks, Daphne. Don't worry though, we're going to beat him when we want this time, not when he wants." he said with a big smile.

"Alright, let's destroy the Locket! How do we do it?" Daphne said, retrieving the Basilisk fang dagger from the pocket on her thigh where she always kept it.

Harry grimaced, "Well, actually, of the three Horcruxes we have now, the Locket is the toughest to destroy. Besides needing me to open it with Parseltongue, you have to swiftly use our dagger or a Killing Curse to obliterate it before it can manipulate you and attempt to kill you with its tricks,"

Daphne winced at Harry's explanation of how to destroy the Locket. "Is it like when we fought Nagini the other day?"

"Somewhat similar, but instead of battling snakes, we're battling ourselves. Our strength of will,"

Daphne took a deep breath. "Who destroyed the Locket last time?"

"Ron did," Harry replied shortly, placing the locket he had retrieved from his pocket onto a nearby rock.

"Harry, I'll do it," Daphne asserted confidently, surprising Harry.

"Daphne—,"

"No, Harry! I'll handle it… trust me." she looked deeply into his emerald eyes.

"Are you certain? It won't be easy,"

"I'm sure," she said firmly.

"Daphne... promise me you'll strike the dagger in as soon as I open the Locket. No hesitation. No procrastinating. Kill it immediately."

"Harry—,"

"Promise me, Daphne… please," he pleaded.

"Alright, I promise," Daphne reassured him, addressing his concerns.

Harry nodded, offering her a supportive smile despite his underlying worry.

"Kreacher?"

Daphne looked at Harry in confusion as he called for Kreacher instead of immediately opening the Locket. Before she could inquire further, the telltale popping sound of a house-elf's apparition reached their ears.

"Master summoned Kreacher?" he said in his hoarse, deep voice, bowing deeply.

"It's time, Kreacher. We're going to destroy the Locket now," Harry said, flashing a wide smile at the old house-elf.

Kreacher's eyes widened, glistening with tears. "Master… Master will destroy the Locket now?"

"Yes, Kreacher. Stand somewhere safe and a bit away from us," Harry instructed.

Kreacher, eager to see the object entrusted to him by his late master destroyed, positioned himself a short distance away but still within sight.

"Daphne, are you ready?" Harry asked one last time.

Daphne nodded confidently, clutching the basilisk fang dagger in her left hand and her wand at the ready in her right.

Seeing Daphne's determination, Harry felt a twinge of relief. He trusted her to get the job done.

"On the count of three! One… two… three! Open!" Harry hissed the last word with the harsh Parseltongue accent. As soon as he uttered the password, the locket sprang open, releasing a swirling black mist.

Daphne was momentarily stunned, her eyes widening at the immense power emanating from the small object. Soon after, a hissing sound emerged from the locket, causing her body to tremble as she sensed it attempting to breach her Occlumency defences.

"I have seen your heart, and it is mine."

"Don't listen to it!" Harry snapped. "Kill it now!"

"I have seen your dreams—"

Before the object could finish its next sentence, Daphne mustered all her strength and drove her dagger into the heart of the Locket. Within seconds, the same agonising screams that had echoed in the Hall of Prophecy resounded in the Chamber of Secrets, causing them both to sink to the cement floor. They exchanged wide smiles, relieved by their accomplishment.

Kreacher, who had witnessed the scene, approached them soon after. "Master kept his promise... Kreacher is happy that Master Regulus's last wish has finally been fulfilled," he sobbed, repeatedly expressing his gratitude as he hugged Harry tightly. "Kreacher will forever serve the Great Master Potter, for as long as Kreacher lives!"

Before Harry could object, Kreacher vanished from their sight.

"Well, looks like you've got yourself a new house elf!" Daphne teased, congratulating Harry with a grin.

Harry rolled his eyes in mock annoyance but couldn't suppress his smile. "Guess I'll have to figure out what to do with him. What do you think I should tell Winky?"

"I think she already knows," Daphne replied, amused. She stood up with Harry's help, eyeing the broken Locket with a mixture of sadness and relief. "I didn't expect it to be damaged like this. It's unfortunate. Any plans for it?"

"Dispose of it?" Harry suggested. Daphne shot a pointed look at Harry, who just grinned.

"I don't know, maybe keep it for now? Along with other cursed objects here. We can decide after the war is over."

"Sounds reasonable," Daphne agreed.

"Let's go, I'll walk you back," said Harry, taking Daphne's hand. But she halted in her tracks.

"Harry… would you stay the night with me?" she asked, locking eyes with him.

There was a moment of silence.

"Sure, in my dorm room or the Room of Requirement?"

"You kidding? Room of Requirement!"

Harry chuckled, "Alright, princess!"

...


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