Harry pov
Harry walked into the abandoned classroom, the heavy wooden door creaking slightly as he pushed it open. Dust motes floated in the shafts of sunlight streaming through the grimy windows, and the air was thick with the musty scent of old parchment and forgotten lessons. The classroom was cluttered with dusty desks and faded posters that barely clung to the walls. Daphne was perched on one of the desks near the window, her feet lightly swinging as she absorbed herself in a worn book.
The door slammed shut behind him with a resounding bang, making him jump slightly. Daphne looked up from her reading, her eyes narrowing playfully as she caught sight of him. "Ah, Potter, finally you're here," she said, her voice laced with a teasing tone that made Harry's cheeks flush with embarrassment.
"Sorry," Harry mumbled, scratching the back of his neck and feeling a bit self-conscious.
Daphne waved off his apology with a dismissive hand. "Jeez, Potter, you really can't take a joke," she said, a smirk playing at her lips.
Before Harry could muster a response, Daphne stood up with deliberate grace, her movements fluid as she retrieved her bag from the floor. "I was thinking during lunch about what to teach you," she continued, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "I believe the summoning charm would be a good place to start." She pulled out a timeworn book from her bag, its cover creased and edges worn, and flipped it open, scanning the pages with interest. "Do you know the charm already?" she asked, her gaze fixed on him with genuine curiosity.
Harry shook his head, a flicker of curiosity evident in his eyes. He was eager to learn but a bit nervous about how he would perform.
Daphne sighed theatrically, as if resigning herself to the task at hand. "Okay, let's start then." She glanced at the book, her finger tracing the text as she read aloud in a clear, instructional tone. "The charm is called Accio. It summons an object. The wand movement is an upward arc."
Harry nodded, determination setting in his features. "Okay, let's do this. What should I summon?" he asked, his voice steady but tinged with excitement.
Daphne held up a delicate feather and carefully placed it on one of the desks, her movements precise and deliberate. She stepped back, gesturing for Harry to begin. Harry aimed his wand at the feather, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Accio," he said, performing the wand movement with a focused effort, but the feather remained stubbornly still. He tried again, his movements growing more hurried, but still, the feather refused to budge. Frustration etched across his face, he let out a groan. "Ugh! What am I doing wrong?"
Daphne, who had been observing closely, stepped closer, her eyes thoughtful. "Your wand movement is too jerky. It needs to be smooth and controlled. Try to imagine you're drawing a graceful curve through the air," she advised, her tone encouraging.
Harry took a deep breath, nodding as he refocused. He raised his wand once more, making an effort to smooth out his motion. The wand movement improved, flowing more naturally, but the feather still only wobbled slightly before falling to the ground in slow motion. Harry's frustration grew palpable as he cast the spell repeatedly. Each time, the feather twitched and jerked, but it stubbornly refused to come to him.
Daphne's eyes were steady and encouraging. "Keep your focus. It's about finding the right rhythm. Picture the feather moving towards you as you cast," she instructed, her voice calm and patient.
Harry's face reddened with the strain of repeated attempts. He adjusted his grip on the wand, visualizing the feather coming closer with every incantation. Despite his efforts, the feather moved a bit more with each try but never fully obeyed. His frustration was evident, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
In a moment of exasperation, Harry sent a Stunner at the feather, which disintegrated in a burst of sparks. Daphne watched him with a raised eyebrow, then started slow clapping with a hint of mockery. "Great job, Potter. You really showed that feather," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Harry whirled around, ready to snap at her, but before he could say anything, Daphne added, "I wonder if it's stress." Harry blinked at her, confused. "What?"
Daphnes pov
She rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed with his reaction. "Very high levels of stress have been known to affect a wizard's ability. I happen to know a way to relieve it." Her lips curled into a knowing smirk, adding a mysterious air to her words.
"It's a process called hypnosis," Daphne explained calmly. "It's known to make a person calmer and less stressed."
Harry looked uncertain. "I'm not sure, Daphne."
Daphne's smile grew reassuringly. "Trust me, Harry. It will work." Harry's eyes widened in surprise; it was the first time she had addressed him by his first name instead of Potter. "Fine, let's try it," he said with a resigned sigh. "It's not like it will hurt." Daphne's smile turned triumphant, her plan coming to fruition.
Daphne grabbed two chairs and pulled them to the center of the room, positioning them to face each other. "Sit," she commanded. Harry complied without complaint and took a seat, his expression a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
"The spell I will use is called Tranquillus," she explained as she sat in the other chair, her tone serious yet soothing. "It will put you in a deep trance."
"Ready?" she asked. Harry nodded. "Ready."
Daphne pointed her wand at him. "Tranquillus," she intoned, moving her wand in a gentle, spiraling motion, as if drawing a slow spiral in the air. The room seemed to hush as the spell took effect, the atmosphere growing still and serene.
Slowly, Harry began to relax, all the tension in his body melting away. His posture became completely relaxed, his muscles slack. Daphne smiled to herself, now ready to put her plan into motion. "When I say the word 'programming,' you will fall back into this state of deep relaxation, being completely susceptible to what is said," she explained with a touch of satisfaction. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "You want to listen to Daphne; she is always right."
Harry's face scrunched up slightly as he repeated, "Daphne is always right." Daphne cringed a bit at how far she'd gone, but it seemed the suggestion had taken hold. Not wanting to push her luck, she decided to stop there.
"When I say the word 'wake,' you will wake up from the trance, feeling completely stress-free and not remembering anything from while you were in the trance." Now satisfied, she said, "Wake."
Harry's eyes opened, and he looked around, astonished. "Whoa, I feel great!" His face scrunched slightly as he added, "I can't remember anything." Daphne smiled with relief; it worked!
"That's supposed to happen," she confirmed. Standing up, she added, "Now let's try the spell again." She grabbed another feather and placed it on the desk, then stepped back and gestured for Harry to try.
Harry, accepting Daphne's explanation without complaint, stood up, pointed his wand at the feather, and cast the spell. The feather floated toward him and landed in his outstretched palm. He smiled with joy and looked at Daphne. "It worked!" he exclaimed, his voice full of wonder.
Daphne nodded happily. "Yeah, I told you the hypnosis was a good idea." Harry nodded in agreement, a grin spreading across his face.
"Maybe to make sure you aren't stressed at the beginning of every session, I should put you back in trance," Daphne suggested tentatively. Harry agreed enthusiastically. "Yeah, that's a great idea."
Daphne smirked. "It's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow, same time," she said, walking out the door, which closed with a bang.
Harry, with a smile, walks out of the room and back to the tower. Under his cloak, he briefly wonders how Daphne will get back to the Slytherin common room. Since she didn't seem concerned, he doesn't dwell on it—she must have a way. As he makes his way back, his thoughts drift to what Daphne might teach him next and the soothing sensation of being back in the trance.
Upon arriving at the Gryffindor common room, he finds it empty. Moving quietly, he heads up to his dorm and discovers Ron and the rest of his dorm mates passed out. Harry quickly changes into pajamas, pulls the curtain closed, and settles into bed. The soft, familiar comfort of his pillow welcomes him, and he falls asleep almost instantly
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Thank you for reading I hope you liked this chapter!
I would love to hear your feedback and suggestions for the future
One thing I need help deciding is Harry's female name when the Time comes, i would love to hear ideas for names
I hope you all have a great day!