Chapter 38 : A Pause
I do not own Harry Potter, as surprising as that may be
Author's Notes :
1) There, some hints of Haphne for those who care.
2) Short update I know, but I'll be back with a longer one soon. Next pair of updates are almost done as I post this.
| Department of Magical Law Enforcement | Ministry of Magic | Whitehall | January 7, 1994 |
A peace offering.
That's more or less what Head Auror Rufus Scrimgeour stopped short of saying when he called Nymphadora Tonks into his office and placed a file labeled CONFIDENTIAL : EYES ONLY before the metamorphmagus
Scrimgeour was many things, but chief among them was politician.
Following Dawlish's "inquiry", he had sought to placate Dora from starting a power struggle that spill over into the Ministry at large and raise questions about his leadership of the Auror Corps, for that would be detrimental to his ambitions of becoming Minister for Magic. He offered to let her see a separate report filed by the Department of Mysteries, focused on the only casualty of the party - Anna Fawley.
She decided to take the deal.
Dawlish would get his dues, but there was no reason to scare Scrimgeour into thinking she was his enemy. The Head Auror though of himself as the "peacemaker" of the department that was gradually splitting along the lines of pro-Potter and anti-Potter, but really he was only someone looking to keep both sides happy, maintain the status quo, and be generally inoffensive enough that none see him as a bad prospect for the top-job.
Choosing pragmatism over moralism, the Auror assured Scrimgeour she would do nothing that could blow up onto him, and took the Unspeakable's report.
It provided more than one answer.
Some time later, at Grimmauld Place
The report Tonks had read concluded that Anna Fawley had been under the Imperious curse.
That explained how they were able to get in so easily, why they knew as much as they did, and why her heiress hadn't been seen in public since the holidays began.
Who cast the curse on her in the first place, and did they mean for her to die?
The Late Lady Fawley seemed normal enough when Harry, Andi & Ben had met her at the start of the holidays, which left a window of, at best, just over a week since it was concluded she'd been under the influence of the curse for some time. During that period, she'd met no one out of her regular course of affairs
A chilling theory presented itself when the day's Evening Prophet arrived
EVENING PROPHET
Lord Montague takes over as Fawley Regent
"It doesn't make any sense," he growled, his voice low and filled with disbelief. "Why would Anna appoint Montague? She was desperate to clean up the family's tarnished reputation, and everybody knows Montague's a Death Eater."
"What if her grand daughter was behind it all? Imperiused her own grandmother and then quietly had her disposed of in the chaos?"
As sinister as it sounded, Andi found herself in agreement. "I heard rumours Anna threatened to disown her if she didn't marry someone she chose... it's twisted beyond words to have you own grandmother murdered, but it certainly made Gemma's life a lot more comfortable."
Harry asked if the DMLE would investigate Gemma, but Tonks replied she thought it unlikely. The Auror explained that, first, it was an independent study carried out not by the DMLE, but the Department of Mysteries, at a special, private request by the Head Auror. Given how Scrimgeour played his cards, she doubted if even Madam Bones knew about the report.
And therein lied the problem. Scrimgeour, his eyes on the ultimate prize - the Minister's seat, could act on the study, but it would mean going against the Conservatives, who had just replenished with their ranks with the addition of House Fawley, and most of her voting members. With polls calling the electoral race to be right down to the wire, it would be unwise for 'Rufus the Peacemaker' to move against a faction whose support he might need to rely on in the future.
"He's the Head Auror! How can he let an obvious murder just pass through!" objected Harry
"Because he wants to be more than 'the Head Auror'" answered Sirius "Besides, given how hard it is to detect Imperious exposure, we can't even be sure the report is correct. And even if it is, you'd still have to prove Fawley appointed the Regency under coercion, and somehow tie it to her heiress. I don't think it would have stood up in Court anyways."
"But-" started Harry again, but his godfather cut him across "Which isn't to say he's doing the right thing" appeased the Marauder "It's a selfish decision borne by the ambition, greed, and delusion of a man thinking he's a 'peacemaker' when he's little more than a power-hungry conformist."
"You'll have to be more careful at school now"
Harry nodded. With the Malfoys lesser in favor, the dynamics at Hogwarts were shifting, leaving room for figures like Fawley and Montague to rise to prominence. And neither of them held Harry in high regard, to put it mildly.
Andi ended the discussion there, as far as Harry was concerned. Though miffed, the boy left and lied down for a potion-regimen induced nap.
The next day
"Sure you don't wanna stay an extra few days?" questioned Ted as he finished examining Harry "We love having you, you know that"
"I know" smiled Harry, having smoothed things over with the adults since his chat with Tonks "I just don't wanna miss the dueling club's induction day"
"You have been working pretty hard for that" agreed the Healer "Well, Andi's not gonna be happy, so make sure you see her plenty before heading out or she won't-"
"-stop making me feel guilty me till I'm back for Easter"
"Well whaddya know, there might be hope for you yet" the two chuckled together, as a ping alerted them of the activation of the secret Floo Network.
"That's probably the Greengrass'" guessed the Hufflepuff "Let's go"
Harry may have voiced his opinion, but it held little sway over the looming decision regarding his return to Hogwarts. In the realm of their parents' council, and particularly for the muggleborn Hermione's family, the fate of their children hung precariously. Today marked the verdict day, where parental decrees would determine the path ahead for each student, regardless of their desires.
The denizens of Grimmauld Place welcomed Benedict, Elizabeth and Daphne. He'd last seen the Slytherin girl's parents when they visited him at St Mungo's, but this was the first time since the "incident" that he'd seen Daphne.
They exchanged awkward greetings before their respective guardians departed, leaving the two youngsters to their own devices.
As soon they were out of earshot, Daphne embraced Harry fervently, her arms encircling him with such intensity, as if she feared he might vanish into thin air should she release him.
"Thank you"
"I didn-"
"Shh. Don't ruin it"
"Ok" said Harry, embracing her in return their shared past anchoring the tenderness of the present moment, and heralding a future ripe with possibilities and an unshakeable companionship.
Harry took in the Lavender emanating off of her hair, inhaling its soothing, floral scent as he was transported into a realm of subconscious. His senses heightened, he couldn't help but notice the softness of her skin as their arms entwined, feeling her right palm just above his upper back, the gentle brush of her dress against his. His fingers grazed her skin as he felt her chest pushing into his. A surge of desire coursed through him, an intensity he'd never experienced, reacting to her in a way that'd never happened before.
Startled by his body's response, he abruptly broke the hug before the Slytherin noticed, his mind coming crashing down off of its momentary euphoria.
"Let me get you something to drink," he murmured, hoping to conceal his dazedness as he shuffled into the kitchen, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
After handing Daphne a "Cranberry & Shrivelfig" juice he realised a second too late no human would ever want to drink voluntarily, the twosome made their way outside, sitting down onto the soft grass of the now well-kempt gardens of Black Manor.
"Does it scare you?" asked the elder Greengrass eventually
"What?"
"Well... all of this" her arms fidgeted as she pondered over the right words "the bizarre conspiracies, the danger, the expectations... it seems so unnerving to me, and, well... I feel really scared about it so I was wondering if you did too?"
"I-" He started to speak, a single hesitant syllable escaping his lips before it was swallowed back by a wave of second thoughts.
As Harry finally admitted to himself what he had known deep down for a long time, his reaction was a mix of relief and vulnerability. His shoulders had sagged as if a heavy burden had been lifted, yet there had been a rawness to his expression, a vulnerability he hadn't allowed himself to feel before. His gaze had flickered downward momentarily, unable to meet the eyes of the person he was confiding in, as if ashamed of his own admission.
"Its alright if you don't want to answer" said Daphne "I know I'm probably being silly, and all of this sounds a little vain and-"
"I am," he had finally confessed, the words tasting bitter and unfamiliar on his tongue. Admitting his fear had felt like stepping into uncharted territory, a place he had avoided for far too long. But with the admission had come a strange sense of freedom, a release from the self-imposed pressure to appear strong and unyielding.
As Harry's tension began to dissipate, a chuckle bubbled up from deep within him, surprising both him and Daphne.
"What's so funny?" Daphne asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
Harry took a moment to collect his thoughts, the laughter fading as he met her gaze. "It's not really funny, it's more... relief, I guess," he began, his voice tinged with a newfound clarity. "I am scared. Have been for a long time, but I finally admitted it today."
Daphne's eyes widened in surprise, "Scared of what?" she echoed softly.
"I threw everything I had at the Death Eaters, but I got overpowered. It gave me this feeling that everything I'd been doing to get better is a waste and I'm..."
"Scared of not being enough?"
Harry nodded, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders with each word he spoke. "Scared of not being enough... of failing. Scared of what's to come, of what Voldemort might do next. Scared of losing the people I care about because they keep getting into danger because of me" he admitted, his voice steady despite the vulnerability of his confession.
"And I hated myself for it. Of this 'weakness' that was my fear...I denied it, I lashed out at it, I tried to play it off as something else. Lately I've just been down because of it... But I think now, I've finally come to terms with it."
Daphne took his hand and pressed it supportively, sending currents of delight all the way up the Gryffindor's spine.
Feeling the Slytherin's warm hand enveloping his own, Harry couldn't help but reciprocate the gesture. As he attempted to return the comforting squeeze, their fingers naturally intertwined. "Hey, I think that was all five of stages of grief" he laughed at his own joke as Daphne rolled her eyes.
She didn't let go of his hand, though.
"For a little bit I thought I should start learning dark magic so I wouldn't be weak."
"Well that's bloody stupid"
"I know, I know" the boy laughed at his own expense "And I get that now, so... thank you."
"I didn-"
"Shh. Don't ruin it"
"Ok" nodded Daphne, as they smiled at the little reversal of roles.
"I saw you being so open and honest with fear and it finally made me realise what everyone's been trying to say to me all this time" explained Harry "I'm a student going up against convicted killers and mercenaries for hire, obviously I'm going to be overmatched. And that's ok. I won't see the results of my training right now, and that's ok too. I'm going to be scared, and... well, that's ok."
"Its actually a good thing" started the blonde "You said you're afraid of losing those you care about. That's what makes you human... and different from them."
A pregnant pause followed, and Harry looked down to their still intertwined hands. He looked up to notice Daphne gazing into the horizon, her eyes distant. Taking the opportunity, he looked at more liberally than he normally would have, knowing she wouldn't notice.
He had no idea why Daphne had come early today, but he was glad she did.
While Harry enjoyed his time alone with the Slytherin, he was also happy to see the rest of his friends.
His mood swung radically when Ron and Hermione finally told him they were strongarmed into leaking Sirius' secret to Dumbledore.
"Are you serious?!" Harry's voice rose, anger coloring his tone. "The ONE person I specifically - "
Daphne, ever perceptive, placed a calming hand on his arm. "Harry," she said gently, "They didn't have a choice. They were set up."
Harry understood her point. While he still felt frustration, the white-hot anger reserved for his trusted friends simply wasn't there for Daphne. Her empathetic gaze held a silent agreement: his anger was justified, but misplaced. He conceded, agreeing not to yell.
Daphne, however, wouldn't settle for halfway. Her stubbornness, rivaling his own, shone through. "Not cross either," she insisted. "Sometimes, like with Peter's escape, things happen beyond anyone's control. It's tempting to blame, but not always productive."
Harry recognized the truth in her words. Daphne, it seemed, had a knack for understanding his emotional turmoil and using it to offer a more rational perspective. She didn't dismiss his feelings, but she gently nudged him towards understanding the situation's complexities.
He agreed to let it go, leading to a smile from the Slytherin, and a sigh of relief from his friends.
The rest of the afternoon went much smoothly, as the sextuple enjoyed a relaxing, regular afternoon, as opposed to the intense, bizarre events that had unfolded. A pause, after days that had passed, and those that were about to pass them.
It was time to go back to Hogwarts.
That's all for now, see you all next time!