Author note:Hey all! Just wanted to stop by to say thank you again. Also exciting news i have another story coming out soon!

Brick by Brick first chapter release on the 15th!!

Chapter 30

The sun had barely begun to rise when a tapping at the window stirred Molly Weasley from her sleep. A regal-looking owl, clearly not a typical postal bird, waited impatiently outside. With a sigh, she threw on her robe and unlatched the window, taking the sealed parchment from the bird's outstretched leg.

Her stomach twisted at the familiar elegant handwriting. Albus Dumbledore.

This can't be good.

She opened it swiftly, eyes scanning over the words.

Dear Molly,

I have been made aware of the arrival of both Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass at your home. Given the events that transpired last night, I must speak with them both at once.

I shall arrive this evening, accompanied by Daphne's father. It is imperative that this matter is settled swiftly.

Until then, I trust they are in good hands.

Albus Dumbledore

Molly lowered the letter, her grip tightening.

Daphne's father?

She had never met the man, but she knew of him. Cyrus Greengrass had long held a reputation in the Wizengamot—cold, calculating, and deeply embedded in the old ways. Not quite a Death Eater, but no friend of Muggleborns or blood traitors. The kind of man who would never tolerate his daughter running off to rescue Harry Potter.

Molly's stomach clenched.

She had seen the way Daphne had looked at Harry last night. The way she had hovered near him, protective, fierce—more than just a friend.

This is going to get ugly.

By the time breakfast rolled around, the Burrow was full of its usual morning chaos—clattering dishes, lively conversation, and the smell of sizzling bacon.

Ron and the twins were grilling Harry and Daphne about what happened at the Dursleys, but neither gave too many details. Harry, ever reluctant, just muttered that "it wasn't great," while Daphne remained silent, her expression stony.

Molly noticed that Daphne barely touched her food, pushing eggs around her plate.

She knows her father is coming.

Arthur arrived home just as breakfast was wrapping up, looking exhausted but troubled. His gaze found Harry first, taking in the thinness of his frame, the faint bruising around his wrist.

Arthur sighed heavily and pulled up a chair beside Molly.

"I spent the night dealing with things at the Ministry," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "The Dursleys were taken in for questioning by Muggle authorities. Their treatment of Harry—" He broke off, shaking his head. "Disgusting. Absolute filth, those people."

Molly pressed a hand to her chest, her eyes misting.

Arthur then turned to Daphne, his expression unreadable. "Your father will be here tonight."

Daphne stiffened, her fingers curling around her fork.

"I know," she said quietly.

Ron exhaled loudly. "Daphne… he's not coming to take you home, is he?"

Daphne's grip on the fork tightened until her knuckles turned white. "No," she said, voice barely above a whisper. "He's coming to make me fall in line."

Silence fell over the table.

Harry glanced at her, jaw tightening.

He didn't say anything, but she felt it through their bond—the sharp, protective anger simmering beneath his skin.

Later that afternoon, Molly found Daphne standing outside alone, arms crossed as she stared into the fields.

She hesitated before stepping closer.

"Daphne?"

The girl turned, her expression carefully neutral.

Molly studied her for a long moment.

"I won't pretend to know what's going through your mind right now," she said softly. "But I do know that you love Harry."

Daphne's breath hitched.

"I—" She faltered, eyes darting away.

Molly reached out, gently touching her arm.

"I see the way you look at him," she said kindly. "And the way he looks at you."

Daphne swallowed.

"I never meant for any of this to happen," she admitted. "I just… I couldn't leave him there." Her voice cracked slightly. "I felt it, in my core he was hurting and in pain. I knew he needed me. I didn't think—I just went."

Molly nodded, as if that made perfect sense.

"Would you do it again?"

Daphne's eyes burned with conviction. "A thousand times over."

Molly smiled.

"Then you're always welcome here."

Daphne blinked, stunned.

Molly squeezed her hand before stepping back. "No matter what happens tonight, you have a place here. You can have a home here. You have already proven your dedication to Harry, and you also saved my Ronald. Daphne dear we would love to have you stay if it comes to that."

Daphne's throat tightened. Not sure how to feel, so much has happened so quickly and now this.

"…Thank you."

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, the tension around the Burrow thickened. Everyone knew tonight would change everything.

Daphne sat beside Harry on the back steps, knees drawn up, staring at the sky.

Harry nudged her gently.

"You alright?"

She exhaled. "No."

Harry reached for her hand, squeezing. She squeezed back.

They didn't need words.

They just waited.

For the storm to come.

Harry squeezed her hand a bit harder.

"Let's go inside Daph, Mrs. Weasley made biscuits and tea."

She took a deep breath before standing.

"Okay."

The knock at the door came just as the sun disappeared beyond the hills.

The Burrow fell into absolute silence.

Daphne's fingers curled tightly around the fabric of her robes. She felt Harry tense beside her, his magic simmering just beneath the surface, ready to explode.

Molly exchanged a glance with Arthur before rising to answer the door.

She barely had it open before Cyrus Greengrass swept inside.

Tall, sharply dressed in dark green robes, he carried himself with the cold, effortless authority of a man who was used to getting what he wanted. His icy blue eyes immediately found Daphne, narrowing as he took in her presence beside Harry.

And then his gaze slid to Harry himself, and his lip curled.

"Ah," he said coolly. "The Boy Who Lived."

Harry did not move. His emerald eyes locked onto Mr. Greengrass with an intensity that made even the older man pause.

Dumbledore entered behind him, closing the door gently.

"I trust we can keep this civil," the Headmaster said lightly, though his gaze was sharp.

Mr. Greengrass barely acknowledged him. Instead, he took one step toward Daphne.

"Stand up," he ordered.

Daphne's hands clenched into fists. She didn't move.

A muscle in Mr. Greengrass's jaw twitched. "You will not embarrass this family further, Daphne. You will come home. Now."

Daphne's heartbeat pounded in her ears.

"No."

Her father's gaze darkened. "You don't have a choice."

Daphne forced herself to her feet, stepping in front of Harry.

"I do have a choice," she said. "And I made it. I'm not going back."

A flash of something dangerous crossed Mr. Greengrass's face.

"You are my daughter," he said softly, voice like steel. "And you will obey me."

Daphne's entire body tensed, but she did not back down.

"Not anymore," she whispered.

Something in her father snapped.

Faster than anyone could react, he struck her.

A hard, sharp slap across the face.

The sound echoed through the Burrow like a gunshot.

And then, everything happened at once.

Harry moved without thinking.

His magic erupted.

Before Mr. Greengrass could even process what happened, an invisible force slammed into him, sending him flying backward into the kitchen. The entire Burrow shook.

Molly gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

Arthur stood abruptly, wand half-raised, staring at Harry.

Daphne's father groaned, struggling to push himself up. Harry was already moving toward him.

His magic poured off him in rolling waves of silvery white and black. Each wave crashing into Mr. Greengrass forcing him to his knees.

And for the first time in his life, Cyrus Greengrass looked afraid.

Harry's voice was deadly quiet.

"If you ever try to touch her again," he said, each word dripping with power, "I will destroy you. You are nothing but a fucking worm, crawl back to you hole."

Mr. Greengrass tried to sneer, but Harry took another step forward, and a deep, unnatural pressure filled the room. The walls of the Burrow creaking as they struggled to contain the magic.

Magic. Wild, unrestrained, devastating magic.

Daphne's father felt it. And for the first time in his life, he felt powerless.

But still, he lashed out.

With no hesitation, Mr. Greengrass flicked his wand—

Straight at Daphne.

Harry's magic exploded.

There was no incantation. No thought.

Just raw, instinctive power.

The moment the spell left Mr. Greengrass's wand, Harry's rage surged forward like a tidal wave.

The spell never reached Daphne.

It backfired violently, slamming into Mr. Greengrass with a force that sent him crashing through the kitchen table.

He didn't move.

The room was deathly silent.

Daphne's breath was shaking.

Harry…

She turned.

And froze.

Because Harry's magic was still burning around him, flickering like ghostly black and silver fire. His chest was heaving, fists clenched—he was furious.

More than that.

He was dangerous.

Dumbledore was watching him carefully now, his wand out ready to intervene.

Harry barely noticed. His gaze was locked onto Mr. Greengrass. Daring him to move.

When Mr. Greengrass finally stirred, he coughed, groaning in pain as he struggled to sit up.

His wand lay several feet away.

Harry hadn't even noticed when it flew from his hand.

Mr. Greengrass lifted his head, and when he met Daphne's eyes, there was no more fatherly pretense.

Only pure, unfiltered hatred.

"You are no daughter of mine, you are filth and I cast you out of my family, enjoy your life in the gutter." he spat.

Daphne's heart twisted.

But she didn't flinch.

"I know."

Her father sneered, slowly getting to his feet. "You will regret this, girl."

Harry took a step forward, but Daphne grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"I already don't," she said softly.

Her father's expression twisted.

And then, without another word, he turned and left.

The Burrow was silent after the door slammed shut.

No one moved.

No one breathed.

Until Molly suddenly crossed the room and wrapped Daphne in a tight hug.

Daphne froze.

And then, slowly, she melted into it.

Molly's voice was thick with emotion.

"You'll always have a home here, dear, I meant what I said." she whispered.

Daphne swallowed hard.

"…I know… thank you."

The silence that followed Mr. Greengrass's departure was heavy, thick with the weight of everything that had just happened. Daphne stood still, her fists clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms. Harry hadn't moved from his spot, his breathing still steady but deep, as if trying to rein in the magic that had nearly exploded out of him.

Dumbledore surveyed the room, his expression unreadable, before giving his wand a small, fluid wave. Instantly, the damaged walls and shattered furniture shifted back into place, as if time itself had reversed. The Burrow, though still tense with emotion, was once again whole.

Molly, who had remained at Daphne's side, let out a quiet breath of relief, but her eyes never left her new charge.

Dumbledore finally spoke. "Harry, Daphne, if I may have a word outside."

There was no room for argument in his voice.

Harry and Daphne exchanged a glance before following the headmaster through the door, stepping into the cool night air. The sky was a deep, endless black, dotted with countless stars, and the world outside was still, as if even nature itself was waiting for what would come next.

Once they were a short distance from the house, Dumbledore turned to face them. The warm glow of the Burrow's windows cast long shadows over his face, making his piercing blue eyes all the more striking.

"What happened in there, Harry?" he asked, his voice gentle but firm. "That was no ordinary display of magic."

Harry, still feeling the remnants of his earlier power coursing through his veins, set his jaw. His right fist clenched at his side as he replayed the moment in his mind—the way Mr. Greengrass had struck Daphne, the way she had staggered but refused to fall, the way his magic had surged forward, completely unbidden, when her father tried to curse her.

Harry said, his voice unwavering. "I'd do anything to protect Daphne." He met Dumbledore's gaze head-on. "Anything,"

Dumbledore studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. The weight of his scrutiny was immense, but Harry did not falter.

Finally, the headmaster let out a quiet sigh, his eyes filled with something that looked like both concern and understanding. "That, Harry, is both your greatest strength and your greatest risk." He glanced at Daphne. "And you, Miss Greengrass?"

Daphne lifted her chin, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "I don't regret a single thing," she said. "I won't be controlled. Not by him. Not by anyone."

Dumbledore nodded slightly, as if that was the answer he expected. He took a slow breath before continuing.

"There will be consequences from today's events. The Ministry will investigate, though I am certain that neither of you face any repercussions. Due to the facts that Miss Greengrasses actions were in defense of a wizard in danger and more iver the minister deciding that this incident would be better off forgotten about. More importantly, both of you need to understand what has begun." His eyes flickered between them. "Magic, especially magic as powerful as what I witnessed these last two nights, does not simply appear without reason. This is something that will require guidance, training, and restraint."

Harry and Daphne both remained silent.

Dumbledore's voice softened. "For that reason, I believe it would be best if you both remained at Hogwarts full-time, atleast for now. I will make the arrangements."

Daphne tensed beside Harry, and he could feel the uncertainty ripple through their bond. "I don't—"

She stopped.

Dumbledore waited.

Daphne clenched her fists, the weight of everything bearing down on her. "I don't have anything anymore," she admitted, her voice almost a whisper. "No home. No family. And… I don't have money for tuition or supplies."

"I'll pay for everything." Harry stated.

Daphne turned to him, her eyes wide. "Harry—"

"It's not up for debate," he said firmly. "This happened because of me. Because you saved me." His voice dropped lower, quieter, but no less certain. "And I meant what I said inside. I will always stand by you."

Dumbledore watched the exchange with quiet contemplation.

"I will have the necessary paperwork drawn up," he said finally. "You will both remain at Hogwarts under my care."

Daphne let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"I will return with the details," Dumbledore continued. He gave them both one last glance, then nodded. "Goodnight, Harry. Goodnight, Miss Greengrass."

With that, he turned and walked back inside, leaving them alone in the cool night air.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The night was calm now, a stark contrast to the chaos that had unfolded just minutes ago.

Daphne let out a shaky breath and wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."

Harry hesitated only a moment before reaching out, gently taking her hand in his. "You don't have to figure it out alone," he said quietly.

Daphne turned to face him fully, her heart pounding as she met his gaze. He was so close, the moonlight reflecting in his emerald eyes. There was a warmth between them, something deeper than words, something that had been building for so long.

Harry lifted a hand, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. "You saved me, Daphne. And I swear to you—I will always do the same."

Daphne swallowed, her throat tight. "Harry…"

Her voice barely made a sound, but she didn't need to say anything more. He understood.

Slowly, they leaned in, the distance between them disappearing, their breaths mingling—

A loud crash from inside the Burrow made them both jerk back.

Harry groaned, and Daphne let out a short, breathless laugh, shaking her head.

"Figures," she muttered.

Harry chuckled softly, but then his expression grew serious again. He squeezed her hand. "This isn't over," he murmured.

Daphne looked at him, her heart still racing. She gave a small nod. "No, it's not."