"Is that a cab?" Daphne asked as a car passed by them, the headlights of the grey vehicle the only light for miles.

Harry almost groaned at her words, continuing to walk forward. "For the fifth time, no, that is not a cab."

Daphne huffed, walking with him. "Well, how am I supposed to know what a cab looks like?" She complained. "It's not like I know what a cab looks like."

She had a fair point—she wouldn't know what a cab would look like. Didn't mean that she had to guess that every bloody car that passed by was a cab.

He huffed. "To be honest, I was hoping we'd see one whilst we walked." Harry admitted. "That hope is dashed. We could just take the Knightbus?"

"No." She immediately refused, shaking her head. "I will not ride the Knightbus."

"Of course." He muttered. "You're so ridiculous. If we take the Knightbus, we'd not be forced to walk in the freezing cold just to find one cab."

Almost to prove his point, the wind picked up. The flurry of snow quickened, even more frozen particles of water falling from the sky.

"So?" Daphne argued back. She didn't seem remotely fazed by the cold. While heating charms help, they aren't perfect. "The Knightbus is utterly miserable to ride on. I took it once—never again. The cold is far preferable to…that."

Harry gave her an exasperated glance and kept moving forward. They were somewhat following the Thames eastward. They had to get to Islington and they were far too south-west of it right now.

Of course, the Thames wasn't going to bring them north, but he just wanted to go east for now. He'd deal with going north later—preferably by finding a bus or cab, but apparently most people aren't up at three in the morning. Who'd have guessed?

"Harry?" Daphne called, pulling him out of his thoughts. Her eyes were lit up, almost as if they were tiny, cerulean-shaded balls of sunlight.

He was almost afraid to ask. "What?"

"What do you think of sailing on the Thames?" She brightly said, giving him a small grin. "Wouldn't that be lovely? A boat ride?"

Harry gave her a blank look. "...a boat ride on the Thames?" He repeated, flakes of snow pelting him in the face. "Really? A boat ride on the Thames? Are you daft? How do you even propose we find a boat?"

That's it. Daphne is utterly insane. Just…crazy. She might be wildly intelligent, but she was missing a few cells in the logical thinking centres. Because a boat ride? Really? That's what she comes up with?

A boat on the icy cold river? The Thames river? Touching it would probably give them cancer! Or something worse. He bloody well would not step a foot near it, let alone ride on it.

"Don't sound so put-out." She protested, stopping and turning towards the riverfront. "Are you a wizard or what? We could transfigure a boat. This is the reason you got placed in Gryffindor—there isn't much going through that brain of yours."

Okay, she may have had a point about transfiguring a boat, but… "Hermione is a Gryffindor and she is the top student." He argued. "And Crabbe and Goyle are in Slytherin. They could make a zombie look intelligent."

"A zombie…?" Daphne muttered in confusion. "Regardless, the exceptions don't prove the rule. It takes a certain kind of idiot to stare down a dragon."

"A zombie is an undead creature that feasts on brains." He responded before getting on track. "...and that feels rather pointed."

"Because it was."

"Ouch." Harry's lips twitched upwards. "But you aren't wrong. I did feel rather stupid staring down a dragon."

Daphne patted his shoulder, the blonde having a look of faux-pity on her face. "There there, Harry. At least it made you look dashing."

His cheeks warmed slightly. "I'll take you with me next time, then. You can see how dashing I am up close."

"And you'll be my knight in shining armour?" She sarcastically responded, flicking her wand and doing, well, something.

He snorted. "Is that what you want? For me to be your knight in shining armour?"

"Let's just make the bloody boat." She said, rolling her eyes. "Mr. Knight Potter the Great."

"What a title—wait, I didn't agree to making a boat! That river will make us zombies!"

"So?" She said with a shrug, brushing snow off of her puffer. On the brown Thames' water floated a couple planks of wood. "You didn't disagree. We are making a boat and sailing the Thames."

"We are absolutely not doing that." He responded, shaking his head. "Let's get back to walking. We'll find a bus or cab eventually."

Against his better judgement, they ended up making a boat and sailing the Thames.

"Still can't believe you got me to agree to this." He muttered, sitting on their dinky raft. "Was the Knightbus really worse than this? Really?" Harry sighed, shaking his head. "Daphne, you are such a strange girl."

The boat pushed forward, a makeshift sail propelling them eastward at a rather high speed. Daphne was using a spell that produced a constant gust of wind to push them onwards. She wanted to try and make an engine at first, but he shut her down. He wanted to get to Sirius's house sometime today.

They were making decent speed, though. The constant bouncing of the raft on the waves wasn't, however, great. The disgusting river water wasn't any better.

"Isn't this more fun, though?" Daphne asked him, her wand held out towards the sail, sending them forward. "Aren't you supposed to live for the journey, not the destination? Do better, Harry."

He sighed. "You're ridiculous."

"So you've said." She agreed, nodding.

This was one of the most eventful days in his life by far. He was somewhat terrified to imagine that Daphne would manage to keep the trend going. Harry didn't think he could deal with every day being as…full…as this one.

In the distance, a massive structure with a large white dome filtered into view. It was on the side of the Thames, almost directly north of where they were. That was St. Paul's Cathedral. Or so says the map they…well, they obtained a map. The how isn't necessary.

"Make sure to hold on." He ordered her, readying his own wand. "We have to stop soon."

"Couldn't have guessed." She muttered, grabbing onto the length of the sail. He grasped the mast, hand clenching onto the roughly-cut wood. Harry prayed he wouldn't get splinters.

He waited for the boat to become parallel to the cathedral. After several moments, that occurred. With a flick of his wand and one spell, he spoke. "Impedimenta!" He incanted, his wand pointed at the raft. It immediately came to a near stop.

His teeth jittered as his body was carried forward by the inertia. Both he and Daphne were flung forward, only kept onto the raft by trying their damndest to hold on. Harry refused to touch the Thames water. He'd been poisoned by a basilisk, but he was willing to bet that a swim in the Thames would be worse.

"Are you alright?" He asked her, laying down on the unmoving boat.

Daphne looked dishevelled, hair flung about as she panted. Her eyes were brilliantly bright. "Why wouldn't I be? That was wicked."

Harry closed his eyes for just a moment and sighed. He had a feeling that Daphne and Sirius would get along like a house on fire. "Aren't I supposed to be the brave one?" He complained. "Get back to being a Slytherin."

"My apologies, Sir Potter." She offered to him, standing up as she started to propel the boat to land with a series of depulsos. "I'll be sure to have less fun in the future."

The boat skidded across the top of the water, diagonally moving as the current tried to move it forward.

"Good." He muttered tiredly, laying his head on the wooden floor as they moved towards land. "Slytherins aren't supposed to have fun. Be sure to fix that."

"Mote it be." Daphne sarcastically promised, the raft striking on a bank of sand. It was probably the only bank of sand still existing in the river, most of it gone and replaced with stone walling.

"Mote it be." He agreed in amusement, standing and brushing himself off. "Well, time to go due-north. We could still take the Knightbus?"

"No."

Harry didn't even try to act surprised.

After two hours of walking, they stood outside of a dozen or so unimpressive buildings. It wasn't because 12 Grimmauld Place was two hours out from St. Paul's Cathedral, no. It was because they were absolutely horrible with directions.

Horrible as in they managed to get caught in loop after loop after loop. And they argued over where each place was on the map. No one ever should trust Harry Potter with a map, let it be known.

"So…" Daphne began, staring at the buildings with an unimpressed look. "One of these is the ancestral home of the Blacks? It's…not very impressive."

"Agreed." Harry nodded. "But it's what we currently have to deal with."

"Which one is it, then?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak, then he immediately closed it. The words were on the tip of his tongue…but he just couldn't make them out. "I can't tell you." He revealed. "It's protected by magic. I'll need to get the secret keeper to tell you."

"The secret keeper?" Daphne wondered aloud. "This must be a powerful ward of protection, then. I've never heard of a charm that can prevent people from speaking a concept."

"Mhm." He agreed. "Give me a moment."

Harry approached the door, snow crunching under his feet as his knuckles rested against the door. He rapped his fist against the door and waited. And waited. And waited.

After several long seconds, the door swung open. A mangy man appeared in Harry's view, black hair wild and face gaunt. The man had clearly smiled a lot in his life, given by the sheer volume of smile lines on his face. On the other hand, though, they were incredibly faded. Like those very same muscles had once been in frequent use and then abandoned for a long, long time.

"Harry?" The man spoke, Sirius's eyes widening. "You—bloody hell, where have you—the Order has been going barmy searching for you! What—" Sirius paused, eyes glancing past Harry. The man visibly lit up. "Wasn't aware you were a ladies man, Harry."

"How about you get one of those papers that let people see the place?" Harry replied, eyes drooping tiredly. He just wanted to go to sleep. The day had been far, far too long.

Sirius flicked his wand, a piece of paper flying out from somewhere in the old house. "Give this to your girl." Sirius patted him on the head, handing him the secret.

Harry exhaled deeply. He'd dealt with Daphne. He could deal with this. "Oi! Daphne, get over here."

"For?" The girl called out, walking towards him. He just handed her the paper which she subsequently read. Her eyes immediately widened. "You—you're Sirius Black! I mean, obviously. I suppose that was expected…" Daphne muttered to herself.

"In the flesh." Sirius said with a grin. "How about you two come in? Tell me your story before the rest of the Order chomps at you."

Sirius beckoned the both of them in, the pair following after the wanted criminal. "What do you mean, the Order?" Daphne asked aloud.

"You haven't told her, Harry?" Sirius sent him a glance as they moved towards the kitchen. The Black ancestral home was, as always, terribly unhomely. It had a real knack for that.

Harry inhaled deeply, feeling quite frustrated. "I haven't exactly had the chance given we only met today—yesterday—whatever."

Sirius barked out a laugh. "So you go on the run with a girl you just met? Even James wasn't as batshit crazy as you, Harry. And you already have her meeting the family!"

"Yes, yes—Harry and I are quite the duo. Star crossed lovers. Blah blah blah." Daphne cut in sharply. "But I'd be quite grateful if somebody could fill me in?"

The room was silent for a moment, the three of them standing still at the entrance to the kitchen. It wasn't an awkward silence, per say, but it was strange.

"The Order of the Phoenix." Harry provided, wanting to be rid of the weird moment. "It is like an older version of the DA. They were Dumbledore's crew in the old war against Voldemort."

"Exactly!" Sirius agreed. "We were the ones keeping Voldemort from conquering all of Britain. The Ministry likes to take credit for a lot, but the aurors didn't do bloody anything in the last war. It was us—people like myself, James and Lily Potter, the Longbottoms, the Prewetts…" Sirius seemed to lose a lot of his joy, deep in thought.

"Brave people." Daphne picked up, giving Sirius a small smile.

Sirius's eyes were glazed over, but his lips twitched up. "Very brave, very good people. Damn shame that…" Sirius sighed, ruffling his hair. "Well, you two lovebirds don't want to hear me reminisce, do you? Come, take a seat. I'll get Kreacher to get you some tea. Kreacher!"

Harry wanted to say that he really didn't mind that Sirius was talking about the past—after all, the only way for him to learn about his parents was through such means. Unfortunately, the pop of Kreacher's apparition prevented him from doing so.

"Filthy, blood-traitor Master calling Kreacher at such hours." Kreacher hissed out. "Master Regulus would have never done such a thing."

"Oh quiet your damned mouth, Kreacher. You'd have wiped my brother's ass at any hour of the day." Sirius looked at the elf hatefully. "Be useful for once in your bloody life and put on the tea."

Kreacher glared. "Filthy, dirty Master ordering Kreacher…" The elf swivelled its head, looking towards. "Kreacher doesn't want to serve the dirty Mudblood lover and…" The elf paused, looking at Daphne. "...and a nasty blood-traitor whore."

Daphne went rigid, fists clenching. "Who are you calling a blood-traitor whore, elf?" She hissed out, eyes tight with fury. "I am the heiress of the baronetcy of House Greengrass! Mind your manners lest I rid you of your tongue!"

The elf eeped, vanishing in a pop.

After a pause, the blonde immediately started laughing, Sirius and Harry both staring at her with wide eyes. Daphne rolled her eyes at them. "What? The elf deserved it for being rude. Why's it so wrong for me to mess with it?"

"Brilliant." Sirius breathed out. "Just bloody brilliant. Never seen the elf so terrified!" He turned to Harry, meeting his eyes. "Harry, mate—I know how blokes your age are. Trust me, stake your claim. It isn't often you meet someone so terrifying."

"Sirius…" Harry just sighed, sitting down in a chair. "You two are so strange…" He laid his head on the table, closing his eyes.

Daphne immediately sat next to him and pushed his head lightly. "If I don't get to sleep, you don't get to sleep. Up, Harry."

He groaned as Sirius sat across from them, pulling his head up. "Not one person is keeping you up, Daphne."

"Dumbledore's clan is going to be here to interrogate you, yes?" Daphne rhetorically said. Harry just groaned again—he was utterly exhausted. Daphne continued. "If they're as brainwashed as the average Gryffindor or Slytherin or whatever house they are from, I'm about to be accused of corrupting you."

"You're a Slytherin?" Sirius curiously said. "I'd say I couldn't have guessed that, but you remind me too much of my cousin 'Cissy as a kid."

"Cissy?" Harry wondered aloud.

Sirius began. "She is—" The man was not allowed to speak.

"Narcissa Malfoy?" Daphne exclaimed in horror. "No, don't even joke about that. To be anything like a Malfoy?" The girl shuddered.

Harry felt himself shuddering as well—Daphne being anything like a Malfoy was a scary thought. Mostly because she was attractive. Malfoys aren't. It was a fact of life.

Daphne continued her rant, horror shining in her eyes. "Be serious, Sirius. I'm not that dreadful."

Sirius snorted out a laugh. "Has 'Cissy really become that bad?" He choked out, madly giggling. "Well, it makes sense. She did marry Malfoy. Lucius was always a right bint."

"She is far wors—"

With a pop, Kreacher appeared. The elf had its head bowed. "Tea for the Lady Greengrass and…others." It placed a hot kettle, a container of sugar, and milk on the table before vanishing.

The three of them took a moment to pour themselves cups of tea. Harry made sure to put ample sugar in it to keep himself awake.

Taking a deep sip of his tea, Harry released a sigh of relief. He decided to finally start participating in the conversation. "Daphne, what'd you mean by them accusing you of corrupting me?"

The girl shrugged. "It's just typical anti-Slytherin propaganda. I mean, most Slytherins are norma—okay, a portion of Slytherins are normal people. Not all of us are little Lucifers trying to make everyone evil, but there's a stereotype that all Slytherins ever do is try and manipulate people into doing their bidding."

"So you're, like, some kind of evil seductress?" Harry chuckled into his drink. "Seems apt to me."

"Yes, Harry—I'm manipulating you for my woeful ways." She snickered, rolling her eyes. "Be fearful, Harry, for my grand beauty will turn you to sin…" Daphne nodded her head very seriously.

Harry snorted. Sirius snorted. Daphne managed to keep up her straight face.

Latching his arms onto Sirius from across the table, Harry faked a shudder. "Sirius! Please, defend my honour!" He struggled to not laugh, pretending to hold onto his godfather for dear life. "My innocence is at risk!"

Sirius snorted again before correcting his expressions. "But Harry! I am the evil Sirius Black…" The black-haired man shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Harry, but this was all part of the plan. You've been tricked. It was all part of our plan, Harry."

"Yes, Harry." Daphne agreed, trying her damndest to not grin. "It was all part of our terrible plan. It is over, Harry. Your innocence is mine!"

"No!" Harry gasped, clutching onto his heart dramatically. "Not—not my innocence. Anything but that, Daphne!" He shook his head side-to-side rapidly. "This—this can't be. My innocence threatened by the corruptive Slytherin? My honour betrayed by the machiavellian Sirius Black? No, that's not true! That's impossible!"

Sirius sighed, seriously shaking his head seriously. "Search your feelings, Harry. You know it to be true."

"No!" He shouted in horror, palms resting on the table. "Nooooo!"

After a long moment, he snickered. Soon, the other two joined him in devolving into mad giggles. Harry struggled for air, gasping for breaths that wouldn't come as he kept laughing and laughing.

He held onto Daphne for dear life as the both of them nearly died from snickering. They were only forced to stop when the kitchen door banged open. His head darted to look at the entrance. The Order was pouring into the room in droves.

The fun police were here. They were not taking prisoners.

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley said, running up to him and pulling him into a hug. "Oh, we've been so worried about you, dear. Stunning Umbridge, running from Hogwarts? What were you thinking?" Mrs. Weasley pulled back, only then just noticing Daphne. The redhead looked at Harry and sighed. "Oh, Harry, I know what it's like the be young and in love, but you really can't be doing things like this! Even Fred and George were not so…well…" She shook her head, drawing to a stop.

They both knew Fred and George were far worse than he was. Also, he had many things he needed to clear up—

"—Potter!" Mad Eye spoke, accosting him next. Just form a line to assault him, would you? "What in the bloody hells were you thinking, Potter! What if Voldemort had captured you? What then!? Use that noggin of yours!"

He got swarmed by people. Some Harry knew well and some he could barely recognize. He was getting dizzy from all of the attention.

"Settle down!" Came a voice he recognized well. "Please sit and give Harry some time to answer for himself."

Harry tried to meet the man's eyes, but Dumbledore carefully avoided his gaze. It hurt. "Good to see you too, Professor."

A flash of guilt crossed over the bearded man's face before it settled. "It has been far too long, Harry. Far too long. I hope you have been well?"

"Better than usual, Professor." Harry gave the Headmaster—ex-Headmaster—a smile. "I'm having a rather cheery day."

"So I have heard." Dumbledore sounded amused, lips twitching upwards. "But stories do so love to twist as they stretch farther from the source. Could you perhaps, Harry, illuminate us as to what happened?"

Daphne sat incredibly still next to Harry as bunches of eyes landed on him.

"Should I start with once upon a time?" Harry said, eyes curved upwards.

"I have found quite the surplus of good tales starting with those words, Harry." Dumbledore spoke with a twitch to his lips. "If you so wish to start with those words, I hope I can find myself with a good story."

The Order and Daphne were looking between the two like it was a match of tennis. Back, forth. Back, forth. Back, forth. The Order looked flabbergasted. Daphne seemed just as shocked by Dumbledore's behaviour.

"Once upon a time…" Harry began with a smile. "A witch and a wizard were in a hallway. They were of different houses, yet they found that friendship truly goes beyond the colours of your robes. In the midst of their discussion, a wizard struck! The brave, incredibly handsome wizard—" that earned him a snort from…everyone…"—defended the witch. Eventually, though, great flames roared into being! Indistinguishable fires assaulted the pair, yet they overcame it!"

Harry waited for an applause. His crowd was too stuck up. "But, this was not the end of the tale. For then, the great bat Snivellus decided to strike! It accused the wizard of starting the flames and swore to banish him from the lands! The bat took them to the toad-beast Umbridge, who called the witch bewitched and the wizard a monster. The witch, slighted by this offence, stunned the beast and the pair fled the lands…"

Daphne and Sirius clapped. A few of the other Order members looked amused, yet they didn't applaud.

"Hm…yes, that was quite the story, Harry." Dumbledore's brows were furrowed, the great wizard deep in thought. "I presume that fire was fiendfyre, yes?" Harry nodded. "That is worrying, worrying indeed. I'll need to talk to Severus about his perspective—"

"—but Professor!" Harry complained.

"Now, Harry." Dumbledore calmly spoke. "I understand you hold great distaste for Professor Snape. But, you must understand I hold only the highest trust in him. Do not worry, Harry, I will try and get an unbiased answer from him. His distaste for your father…clouds his vision."

"That's an understatement…" Harry muttered darkly.

Dumbledore pretended he didn't hear Harry's words. "While we have been only hearing Harry's perspective here—" The man turned towards Daphne. "Could you tell me what happened after you fled Hogwarts, Daphne?"

Daphne froze like a deer in headlights, clearly not expecting to be called upon. "Me, sir?" She said in slight surprise. Dumbledore nodded, making Daphne continue. "I doubt I'll tell it as well as Harry…" She hesitated for a moment. "Well, we got a house elf to apparate us to Diagon Alley. Once there, we managed to get someone to remove the Trace for us. We left to muggle London and walked south-east. We found a map, made a boat, and sailed the Thames until we were due-south of here. Then we walked until we reached here."

"You had the Trace removed, dear?" Mrs. Weasley spoke for the crowd. "How did you two accomplish that?"

He and Daphne exchanged a glance. They weren't going to snitch on Ollivander.

Dumbledore almost seemed to sense their silent communication. "Harry, Daphne—you two have had an incredibly busy evening. Perhaps it is best for the both of you to settle down for the night?"

Harry could sense when they were being kicked out. He and Daphne left soon after, going off to bed.

AN: Thank you all for the comments! The plot will deepen soon, but it's still early so I am developing it. Bear with the less intense stuff for now.