A/N: Woohoohoohoo, 100,000 words! Surreal. I'll jump right into this though. Review answers are being moved to the end of this and future chapters as crazily they are getting more frequent! The support means so much you guys!
And away we go!
Chapter 15: Fallout Part 3
Harry stared at Dobby who matched his gaze. The two were measuring up the other. Harry had caught Dobby in the corner and after ordering Dobby to tell Harry why the Elf was grinning Dobby had begrudgingly told his Master about the door he had opened just enough to trick Daphne into walking in and why the Elf had done it.
Finally Harry grinned. As embarrassing as it had been Harry couldn't deny that it was kind of funny in a karma kind of way. Harry had walked in on Daphne, and Daphne had walked in on Harry. No harm had been done. And Dobby had made sure that Harry at least had his boxers on. But it wouldn't do not to punish the Elf just a bit.
"Well played, Dobby" Harry said and Dobby enjoyed the praise for just a moment before Harry's large hand descended on Dobby's head. Dobby soared through the air and landed on the bed when Harry tossed him like a ragdoll. It was the only punishment Harry had agreed to when Dobby and he were just starting their Master and House Elf relationship. He rarely used it but after Dobby had said that House Elves were sturdy creatures for a reason, and that Harry needed to decide on some form of punishment, Harry had agreed on the condition that he would only throw the Elf onto something soft. It was more fun than harmful, and carried the message that 'yes, you did something wrong' without causing any damage.
"Now clean this up" Harry said laughing as he stepped into his closet.
***Break***
Daphne tried to quiet her beating heart. She had just seen Harry in a very improper state of dress. The tight boxers were a far cry from the Lord's swimming briefs that had been baggy and much more modest. Why in Merlin's name were they so tight she thought to herself, face flushed. And Harry had worn a shirt for the party, even when he dropped into the water next to Tracey. Sure she had seen him shirtless earlier but that had been with an eye for his wounds not his body. She hadn't moved from her spot in the hallway for almost 5 minutes completely lost in thought and aghast at her impropriety.
Her leaden feet finally moved and carried her back to the room she had left Astoria in. The young girl had settled down from her exuberant behaviour but was currently fighting Balto. Astoria had dumped the contents of her clothes bag from fleeing Greengrass Manor onto the bed and the dog was rolling around in it while wrestling with Astoria over a bodice that had looked like it would be fun to chew.
"Balto! No! I actually like this one, let go! Let go!" Astoria pulled hard but her frail body wasn't a match for the energetic dog. Daphne took in the scene from just inside the doorway and her presence was noticed by Astoria who gave up the fight with the dog and decided to let him have the piece of clothing.
Astoria had heard Harry's yell from the doorway that Daphne had left open and immediately took in the blushing face of her sister before she grinned smugly, putting 2 and 2 together, "Why the red face Daph? Did you find him, Harry?"
Daphne jumped slightly at the mention of Harry and hid her face just a bit as the rest of the words caught up to her as well as their potential double meaning. Astoria laughed at her sister, the noise boisterous and sincere. It served to give Daphne a small smile as well at the karmic justice. Harry had walked in on Daphne, and Daphne had walked in on Harry. Even if Daphne knew that she had gotten a bit more of an eyeful than Harry had.
***Break***
Harry stepped out of his room, lazily dressed in a T-shirt and shorts. The walk down the hall was short and he came up behind Daphne who had stopped in the door. Harry's sudden appearance behind her sister made Astoria laugh loudly at the blushing girl who didn't realize that Harry was there.
"Something funny?" Harry said and Daphne jumped at the noise from behind her, letting out a short expletive.
Harry looked at Daphne oddly for her reaction, so very unlike the normally collected girl. Then he laughed as he realized the word she had let out when she jumped.
"Bollocks, Daphne? Really? Come on, we should continue our talks" And Harry left the mortified girl to process the hidden meaning behind Harry's words. Astoria was cackling at this point and joined Balto in rolling on the clothes on the bed, bodice long forgotten.
***Break***
Harry stopped by his Study to retrieve the pensieve, newspaper, and portrait once more. He also grabbed a book off the shelf. He met Astoria in the sitting room and got set up.
"Where's Daphne?" Harry asked the girl who curled up on the couch with Balto quick to put his head in her lap. At the mention of her sister Astoria giggled again, the hilarity of Daphne's embarrassment being apparent to a girl who read romance novels and had caught the double meaning of bollocks.
"She's getting ready. Something had her all flustered" Astoria giggled harder at her own words. Harry let out a quiet chuckle of exasperation, and took his spot in his armchair.
"Yes, karma can sometimes work in mysterious ways" Harry quipped to the girl who laughed a little harder. Astoria was interesting to Harry, the young girl having an energetic wit and intense curiosity. It was clear to Harry that Daphne cared for the girl more than anything else.
"How are you?" Harry decided to ask the girl. His interactions with the girl could be counted on one hand with fingers left over so he took the opportunity to talk to her one on one.
Astoria stopped giggling after a short moment and let out one final big breath to regain her composure. She pet Balto's head in her lap for another short moment before speaking. "I'm actually… good? I don't know. It was a lot to learn in a short while and this is all still a huge change for me. But I have Daphne, I have Balto. So… yes, I'm good"
Harry added surprising optimism to the list of traits he now associated with Astoria, and then eyed Balto. There would need to be some ground rules laid out but that could wait as the dog was clearly a calming presence for the girl. He was happy that Dolly had no issues getting the dog out of the Manor.
"That's good. I know that this is all so sudden, it is for me as well. I can barely function without Dobby and now I have 2 more people in my care. But if you need anything, anything at all, please let me know." Harry watched Daphne cross the room when the older sister joined them both. She had clearly recomposed herself and her sitting was the definition of proper.
"That goes for you as well, Daphne. Anything at all, if it's within my power to provide I will." Harry's words were sincere, "This is going to take some getting used to for all of us."
Astoria thought for a moment before asking, "Can we go to Diagon Alley? I wasn't able to for… reasons, and I still need my supplies"
Harry looked at Daphne with a questioning look, wondering why they hadn't picked up the girl's supplies yesterday.
Daphne spoke clearly and politely, but with a small measure of warmth at Harry's earlier words "Astoria had her treatment yesterday which keeps her in bed for a while. But she deserves the experience of getting her first-year supplies and wand. Tradition. We were going to go later in the week when the crowd quieted down a bit"
"Hmmm. Well we can probably go but," Harry's mood darkened a bit at what he still needed to do, "But we still have some things to talk about first"
The girl's shifted at Harry's change in tone and shared a small look. Harry sighed and got up to walk over and place the Special Issue of the Daily Prophet in Daphne's hand. He settled back into his seat and motioned to Dobby who nodded and started prepping some drinks and snacks. Astoria leaned against her sister to be able to read the article.
It didn't take the 2 girls long to get through the article and Harry watched a range of emotions play over Astoria's face at the words before she glanced at Harry with a look of outrage. Not at the implications in the article, Astoria knew her sister better than that, but at the audacity of the idea that there was some sort of affair between Harry and Daphne.
"What utter shite" Astoria said when she settled back and channeled her anger into aggressively loving pets for Balto. She glared at the wall. No one insulted her sister like that.
Daphne however was staring at the picture. She remembered that moment, when Harry had been coming over to reassure her when her father had been screaming for her to come to her father's side. The sense of being lost wasn't so long ago and her still slightly raw emotions burned at the reminder. She was still staring at the picture when Harry plucked the newspaper from her fingers. It broke her from her introspection and as annoyed as she was for having anything plucked out of her hands she also appreciated Harry's interference.
"I agree, Astoria. What utter shite" Harry said with his back turned to them. He crumpled the newspaper and tossed it into the fireplace. With a smooth motion his wand came up as if summoned in his hand and he said "Incendio."
The newspaper flashed under the intense stream of fire from Harry's wand. He did not let up the spell until the newspaper was a small pile of ashes.
Charms Skill has increased! It is now 56!
Deed done, Harry again sat in his seat. Astoria was wide eyed at the powerful boy. The spell was flashy and the young girl had keenly felt the heat from the flames.
"Dolly! There seems to be something in the grate, it has a terrible smell. Please do something about it" Dolly popped in and had the ashes vanished in a moment. Harry smiled at the Elf who preened under the gaze before disappearing once more.
Daphne however had a different reaction and shot a small smile at Harry for his action. The message had been clear, Harry put no stock in the words of Rita Skeeter. But then a thought came to the girl.
"What about Tracey? Surely she's seen this article" Daphne asked, having not had much time to think about Tracey. She was shocked when Harry's eyes darkened at the mention of her best friend.
"Things are… over, between Tracey and I. It happened last night, before the article came out. I haven't seen her since" Harry said with finality. Daphne was shocked, she had thought that the 2 would last a bit longer.
"Why?" Astoria chimed in, her inquisitive nature getting the better of her. Tracey had come over in the days since the party and had happily gossiped with Astoria about her relationship with Harry.
Harry dragged his hands through his hair, and stared at the pensieve before gesturing to it. "That's why I have this out. I figured that I could tell you about the things that happened yesterday but I know that I would want to see it for myself if it had happened to me."
"What is it?" Daphne asked, having not seen a bowl like this before. Astoria too was enthralled by the beautiful stone basin but had not been able to infer its use or why Harry kept bringing it out.
Harry chuckled to himself, remembering another time and place where he had asked a similar question of Albus Dumbledore "It is a Pensieve. An artifact used to view and review memories. One who is skilled in the art of Occlumency can" and Harry placed his wand against his temple before twirling it oh so gently, gathering the gossamer strands of thoughts "pull memories from their minds and place them in the bowl"
The gossamer silvery strands were watched in fascination by the two sisters as Harry's wand dropped them into the Pensieve. The surface shimmered slightly. "Then, when the person wants they can use it in two ways. They can touch the water, and dive wholly into the memory or" Harry tapped the side with his wand and a ghostly image of Daphne rose up and repeated her earlier question her voice distant but clear "They can view a projection of those memories"
"Wicked..." Astoria said from her spot on the couch, clearly fascinated. Daphne too was intrigued by the artifact but also wary of it. Her thoughts were her own and the idea of sharing them with anyone intimidated her.
Harry remembered his past life's trouble with Pensieves. They were powerful artifacts but also intrusive if used improperly. A fact HJP could attest to when he had snuck into Snape's office in his 5th year. This Harry had experimented with the artifact a bit when Dobby had placed it in the Study. He had been curious how the artifact would work with his Gamer power. It had been to his immense shock that nothing involved with the Game made it into his memories. The Character Sheet did not show up and Harry had long memories looking like an idiot staring at nothing. The Chamber and any private moments that Harry had had with Tyran or any moments that were solely focused on the game were completely blacked out. Pauses were not captured at all, no break in the memory to indicate that Harry had been frozen in time at that point of the memory. And the Player's Handbook was a very explicit and steamy romance novel. Harry's ears had burned for hours when he had curiously read some of the lines of the book that the Handbook impersonated.
It made sense though, Fate would hardly want him finding a work around to reveal the Game. Harry stopped his thoughts and got back to the matter at hand. "Now, we do not need to use this. But I wanted to convey my sincerity at offering to provide closure or explanation for how yesterday went. … Including how things had ended with Tracey"
Harry looked at Daphne when he said the last part. "It isn't pretty, but I don't want to show you to try and put anything between you two. I know that you 2 are best friends and this new situation in life could cause some tension. But again, since I would want to see it for myself I thought I would present the option."
Daphne hesitated for a moment. Did she want to see it? Whatever 'it' was? Astoria's excited voice interrupted when she said, "I want to see it!"
Harry was shocked at the girl's excitement, the girl was clearly more interested to see how the Pensieve worked rather than understanding the level of exposure viewing memories afforded a person. He was saved from having to comment when Daphne spoke up as well.
"I… I want to see it" Daphne softly before politely clearing her throat and saying louder and more firmly, "I want to see it."
Harry nodded and his wand raised to his temple.
***Break***
The falling sensation ended and the 3 of them were in the entryway where faint crying could be heard. Harry looked around for a moment until a 2nd, much bloodier and dirty Harry descended down the stairs before their eyes. Daphne and Astoria both gasped at the sight. The dueling robes were torn in multiple spots and 2ndHarry had a tired look in his eyes. Tracey too looked exhausted. The trio followed the duo when they walked by. Astoria tried to touch the 2nd Harry but her hand just went through him.
The worn out couple sat heavily on the couch in the sitting room, the same one that Astoria and Daphne had occupied. 2nd Harry sat on the couch heavily and Tracey sat next to him in a more subdued manner. To the observers, the teenaged couple looked lost and defeated. Daphne watched her friend's face carefully to ignore the crying upstairs. Dobby walked through Astoria to bring tea to the seated pair.
The two daughters watched in rapt fascination as the scene unfolded before them. 2nd Harry got on his knee before Tracey "No. Absolutely not." Daphne turned her attention to the real Harry who had an unreadable expression.
"Then why did it start? Why did it have to go the way it did?"
They watched as 2nd Harry looked like the weight of the world forced him back into the seat. "Lord Greengrass said some things. Things that triggered something within me. That coupled with my intense dislike of the man from the moment I first met him and the accusations he threw at me, and Daphne as well, made him inexcusable in my eyes"
Astoria looked up at the much taller teen boy next to her, the reality of viewing another person's memories starting to set in. "But a duel? To the death? She's my best friend Harry but calling someone a whore doesn't potentially forfeit a life. And now a man, no matter how vile of a man, has had his whole life ruined and family torn apart"
At the truth of the words, Astoria started to tear up. She was happy, but that didn't mean that the new situation didn't still sting a bit.
"Are you seriously trying to defend him?" pure disbelief rang in 2nd Harry's voice.
And then the explosion happened. Daphne watched the memory of her friend as she screamed, "I'm not trying to defend him! I'm trying to come to terms with the fact that my boyfriend tore apart a family, uprooted my best friend's life, a life that she was perfectly capable of navigating on her own before you came along, and now will be LIVING with that best friend! All while displaying skills no 2nd year should have and knowledge that you had no business knowing! Who told you about Astoria? Why were you so offended when Lord Greengrass called her a whore? Yes, it was vile, it's always vile being around that man which is a fact that I WARNED you about but it was hardly the first time that he had called her that! Why were you so able to challenge that man to a duel, TO THE DEATH, over that? You've known Daphne for what, 4 weeks?" Tracey finally let it all out and breathed heavily from her standing position that she had risen to.
Daphne looked at the real Harry once more, and was shocked to see the tears in the Lord's eyes as he watched the scene unfold while also reliving it internally. The risk of negative reaction from either Astoria or Daphne from seeing the memory in all its truth, the intimate exposure that Harry had gifted them to allow the 2 daughter's into his mind like this settled onto Daphne.
2nd Harry rose to his feet in a fury, looking clearly conflicted about something before Tracey's voice caught the attention of the 2 girls. Harry's eyes went to the floor, knowing what was coming and unable to look.
"You like her," Tracey's accusatory tone cut through the silence.
"What?" 2nd Harry asked in clear disbelief.
"Oh Merlin, you do, you like Daphne" Tracey stomped away for a moment in outrage before whirling back around to face him, "So, what, this was all some ploy? You saw a chance to save the damsel in distress and bring her under your care? Bring her into your home?"
Astoria looked at the real Harry, wishing that she could know if the accusation had a color of truth but not daring to ask. All she saw was Harry looking at the floor and holding back tears. The first true moment of weakness that Astoria had ever seen in the boy.
"What are you talking about?" 2nd Harry's took Astoria's attention once more.
"You're ridiculous! You can't even admit it! You know what? I'm leaving" Tracey stormed past Harry, shaking off the arm that 2nd Harry had extended out to her to rip the pot of Floo powder off the mantle. Tracey grabbed a handful and stepped into the fireplace. When she turned to face him her eyes were full of tears, but her voice was clear as she threw the powder down and green flames rose up.
"Davis Manor"
The real Harry let out a breath, centering himself. That had not been easy to relive so soon. The memory continued but only showed 2nd Harry standing there. Harry wiped his eyes and looked at Daphne, who was staring at him with an intense look. He looked at Astoria who also had some tears in her eyes at the emotional scene.
Harry looked up, and the Pensieve pulled them out of the memory and back into the sitting room. The room looked the same but so different.
***Break***
Harry settled back into his armchair and subtly sniffed the last of his tears away. He composed himself quietly and then looked up at the 2 girls who had retaken their seats. Harry let the silence continue, not feeling like breaking it.
"Wow. That was… That was real" Astoria said once Balto had gotten comfortable once more. Harry snorted at the casual and almost callous observation.
Harry cleared his throat before replying, "Yeah. That's the magic of Pensieves for you. Great for reviewing things and spotting patterns, not so great for watching your girlfriend dump you"
Astoria grimaced, "I'm sorry, Harry, that was inappropriate"
Harry waved away the apology, having not really taken offense. Instead he was watching Daphne who had not said anything since the memory ended.
Daphne was staring at her hands as she went over the memory in her head. That had been an intimate look at a very private moment for Harry. She didn't know what to make of it to be honest, it had been so much so fast. The girl looked up at Harry for a moment before looking down once more.
"Can I… Can I see it again? Alone? From the beginning?" Daphne asked quietly.
"Which beginning?" Harry idly stirred the shimmering waters of the Pensieve with his wand, watching something in its depths.
Daphne thought for a moment, before looking at her sister who had clutched her hand. Daphne shook her head, and pulled her hand away. "When we first arrived at your House."
Harry stared at her intensely and Daphne looked back at him. That would be when the Portkey landed them in the entryway. It would have some tough moments for the girl. The look in Daphne's eyes was one of determination though. Harry sighed and nodded. He pulled the strands from the bowl, put them back in his head for a moment and then pulled another strand infinitesimally thicker which he added to the stone bowl. He stirred it for a moment.
Harry stood up, picking the Pensieve up as well. It would hardly do for Daphne to watch the memory in here, both due to the awkwardness of someone having their head in a bowl with an outside audience and also due to the fact that seeing it all, especially the bawling Daphne herself, needed a bit of privacy.
"Come on, you can use the Study" Harry said, and walked into the hallway. Daphne looked at her sister for a moment and stood up. Astoria started to get up as well but huffed and stopped when Daphne shot her a look and shook her head once more. Daphne needed to see this alone, to have it all make sense to her.
The Study looked the same to Daphne as the last time that she had been in here, except the chairs were closer this time. Harry placed the Pensieve on the desk and pulled a chair up to it so that Daphne could view the memory while seated unlike the standing position they had used before.
"Thank you, Harry… I know that could not have been easy for you" Daphne said softly yet sincerely to the boy when he turned around from the desk and chair. Harry smiled a small smile.
"None of this has been easy for any of us, Daphne, that's the point." Harry replied in the same tone. "You know how this room works, rejoin us when you're ready"
And with that Harry walked passed the girl, closing the door of the Study.
***Break***
Harry walked back into the sitting room and rejoined Astoria. They sat for a while in silence, sipping on the tea that Dobby had brought them.
Finally Astoria's curiosity got the best of her and she felt compelled to ask, "Do you like my sister?"
Harry coughed on his tea, spilling some of it. He vanished the mess with a wave of his wand before setting the cup down. He looked up at Astoria, honestly a little annoyed at the question.
"If you're asking if I like her as a person, yes. If you're asking if I like her romantically, I will remind you of the breakup that we just watched which happened just yesterday" Harry replied slightly heated at the question.
Astoria at least had the decency to look a bit sheepish but she wasn't about to back down, "That doesn't answer the question"
"No." He stated before she could ask again.
Astoria pet her dog, nodding at the proclamation before a look crossed her face, "No to the question or no to me asking again"
Harry groaned, the girl was relentless. "No to the question, I don't like your sister in a romantic sense"
"Hmm." was Astoria's only response. Well she at least had that in common with her sister. Suddenly Harry found himself missing Daphne's propriety, she would not have asked such a brazen question.
Harry tapped his finger idly on the arm of his chair. Astoria played with Balto's compliant ears, putting them in weird orientations, the dog content to let his human do whatever she wanted as long as she didn't hurt him or stop petting him.
A minute passed.
"Are you sure?" Astoria asked.
Harry groaned, louder this time, but didn't comment. Instead he floated an ottoman over from the corner and put his feet up. Anything to shield himself from the precocious girl. He settled lower into his armchair and crossed his arms.
Another minute passed.
"You see, I think she likes you. Or at least might. And it's not like she's going anywhere. We live in your house now, and certain things are bound to happen. Like earlier, when she caught you naked." Astoria hinted. Still she played with Balto's ears but got bored with that and started maneuvering the dogs lips into funny faces which she matched with her own.
"She didn't catch me naked" Harry stated defiantly.
"Bollocks" Astoria replied, repeating the expletive from earlier but using the other meaning this time.
Harry groaned again, having his own joke used against him. "She caught me in my boxers, right out of the shower"
"You wear your boxers in the shower?" Astoria asked, none of her books had said anything about that.
"No I don't w- you know what? We're gonna stop talking about this" Harry honestly didn't know how this girl was in any way related to Daphne. She was rude, improper, inappropriate, and dropped innuendo like it was going out of style.
Astoria grinned unseen from Harry's position, she had him right where she wanted him.
Another minute passed.
"Have you kissed?" Astoria asked innocently.
"What? No!" Harry pulled himself up at the question and glared at the girl.
"Then how do you know if you like her?" Astoria pushed once more, still making faces with Balto.
Finally Harry had had enough. Time to fight fire with fire "You look like an idiot doing that" and settled back into his lowered position. Surely he would not be subject to this torture much longer.
"No, I look like Balto and Balto's cute therefore I look cute" She stuck her tongue out at Harry who couldn't see her, "You look like an idiot for avoiding the question"
"Keep talking and I'll show you how much you can look like Balto" Harry's wand was waved ominously in the air.
Astoria shut up.
Another minute passed.
"You really think she likes me?" And there it was. Astoria grinned triumphantly and accepted a high five from Balto, one of her favorite tricks. The bait had been bitten.
"Nope. Your feet are too weird" Astoria said and she fell into a fit of giggles when Harry moved his feet off the ottoman and glared at her. His face was smushed from his weird position and he honestly looked a bit ridiculous.
"My feet are not weird." Came Harry's witty rebuttal and Astoria only giggled harder. Harry grinned at the girl, her laughter infectious. When she looked at him again and saw his grin added to the smushed face she started laughing audibly.
"You look ridiculous!" She managed to breathe out and clutched her sides, a stitch forming. Harry chuckled and scooted down a little lower, smushing his face more. Astoria dislodged Balto with her laughter and the dog fell off the couch making Astoria only laugh harder and Harry join her. Balto walked away a few steps and looked back at Astoria, sad. The dog walked into the breakfast nook to look for anything he might have missed from breakfast.
"Oh no! Balto, come back!" Astoria wheezed, still laughing along with Harry. Harry scooted back up in his seat and chuckled heartily as he grabbed his tea while Astoria tried her best to coax back the Husky who was still offended at being evicted from his seat.
Astoria had successfully baited him, he saw that now. He would have to watch himself around the young girl, she was more shrewd and manipulative than she let on. Harry turned to check the clock when he saw Daphne in the doorway, tears on her face and unmoving. Her arms were crossed and she shook slightly from the tears.
Like falling in an ice bath, the warm moment was forgotten and Harry jumped up from his seat. He hopped over the couch that separated him from Daphne and stopped, unsure what he could do, but concern was very clearly on his face. Daphne looked at him and simply stepped forward to close the gap between the 2 to rest her forehead against his chest, Harry being a head taller than her. With a panicked look Harry looked at Astoria who had rushed over to join them. Astoria mimed a hugging motion, knowing that Daphne was having a minor breakdown. But Daphne had strict rules over who could and could not touch her in moments like these, and as she was clearly choosing Harry in this moment, Astoria stayed away.
Harry wrapped his arms around the girl and had to squeeze tight when she practically fell. Carefully, slowly, he guided Daphne along and fully into the room.
***Break***
Daphne let the falling sensation take her, and was in the entryway once again. She watched, silently, as Harry walked the 2nd Daphne into the sitting room. The bawling was loud, and it hurt Daphne to hear the defeat that was apparent in her own cries. It hurt just a little bit more to see her own sister, crying in the sitting room. She followed them upstairs and watched detachedly as Harry carefully guided 2nd Daphne into the bed. She watched as Tracey did the same with Astoria.
It was so surreal to see, to be able to watch herself move around in the memory. Amidst all the emotion she remembered from that day, yesterday even Daphne reminded herself though the time already felt so long ago, she vividly remembered the feeling of gratefulness she felt towards Harry for his treatment of her. Despite the tears Daphne had felt secure in his arms, a feeling usually only afforded to Astoria or Tracey. Even in her weakest moment Harry had shown respect and care towards her. No judgements were cast or disdain for her weakness. No. It was clear to Daphne, as she watched Harry move around the room checking locks before leaving with Dobby and Tracey, that Harry only had compassion and empathy for her plight.
She followed Harry and Tracey down the stairs, and watched it once more. The fight was every bit as intense as the first time she had seen it but she tried to read between the lines, had gotten close and stared at the minor actions and reactions of the pair. She saw the sincerity in Harry's words when he denied the allegations. She analyzed all of Harry's words and facial expressions. All of her skill at reading between the lines being brought to bear, Daphne watched Harry's face and only his face. Daphne needed to understand and it was going to take all of her focus and attention to do it.
"And now a man, no matter how vile of a man, has had his whole life ruined and family torn apart" Daphne observed 2 flashes of emotion, righteous anger at the idea that somehow Lord Greengrass hadn't deserved his fate and regret at how it had shook the life of Astoria and Daphne.
"All while displaying skills no 2nd year should have and knowledge that you had no business knowing! Who told you about Astoria?" There was something that Daphne had wondered herself. Harry's skill was obvious, he had faced her own father on even footing. But at the mention of Astoria worry became apparent on Harry's face for just a moment. And not worry for Astoria but … because of Astoria?
"You like her...What?...Oh Merlin, you do, you like Daphne…" Here was another part that Daphne was keenly interested in. But seeing Harry's reactions made it clear to her. Harry didn't like her, not like that, but he understood her and at least a part of what she went through.
Daphne released her breath and fled the memory. That was no easier the second time and Daphne felt terrible for Harry who had had to relive it earlier. Daphne had tried hard to put herself in Harry's shoes, and keenly felt the boy's struggle at how everything had blown up for him the way it did. She could only imagine how it had felt for Harry himself. Not for the first time Daphne found herself feeling a kinship with Harry. Their upbringings clearly had a few similarities and despite their new friendship, for it was indeed friendship, there was a level of mutual respect for the other's struggles. What Daphne did for Astoria, putting herself in front of the young girl to protect her from the harsher realities of life, Harry did for everyone. The boy who wielded the Sword of Gryffindor definitely personified a lot of the traits of the House.
There were some key questions still, Daphne really wanted to know how Harry knew about Astoria, but that hardly mattered at the moment. What mattered was what Harry had almost lost yesterday. And partly what he did lose. Seeing the state of Harry after he had finally made it home, remembering his steadfast nature in the face of danger, knowing that if a single spell had gone just a little bit faster or stronger the duel could have gone the other way. It drove home what Harry had done for Daphne. Astoria as well.
Tears tickled Daphne's eyes. She had, in her weakness, drawn Harry into her struggles. First at the party, where Daphne had been unable to even handle casual conversation. And then again in Diagon, when Lord Greengrass had grabbed her wrist and called her a whore. At the party, when Daphne had felt so scared at the thought of even casual conversation Harry had sacrificed his privacy both by letting her into his Study and by sharing deep and personal details about his personal life just to let Daphne know that he understood and did not judge her. It had been inspiring, and she had found the strength to stay at the party and actually have a lot of fun.
Daphne had never dared to stand up to her father before. In that apothecary, she had challenged him. That was what had started it. Everything that Daphne, Astoria, Tracey, and Harry had gone through yesterday had been caused by her, because she dared to let herself be inspired by Harry Potter. She didn't regret it, of course, it had felt great for a moment to stand up to the man. But she understood that it was the man's reaction to the defiance that had prompted Harry to intervene on her behalf. And what did Harry potentially sacrifice this time? Only his entire House, his fortune, and his own life. Then, as if Harry had known what that defiance would mean for Astoria, Harry had extended that same protection to her sister. And with his victory Harry had asked for nothing else except 'What else can I do for you?'
Daphne opened the door, the tears coming harder now. She wanted to thank him, she had to thank him. She hadn't had a chance to earlier. But it was as Daphne took slow quiet steps down the hallway to the sitting room that she heard it. Something that in all her life she had not heard before, not like this.
"Nope. Your feet are too weird" Astoria said and a fit of giggles echoed around Daphne.
Step.
"My feet are not weird." Harry's voice this time and Astoria's giggling getting louder before breaking into actual laughter. The sound seemed to boom off of the walls.
Step.
"You look ridiculous!" Astoria said breathlessly and Harry's chuckle joined Astoria's in echoing around Daphne, and the cacophony seemed to be causing her world to shake.
Step.
A thump sound and then Astoria's laughter and Harry's reached deafening levels.
Step. Daphne was finally in the doorway and she saw it. Her sister's smiling face.
"Oh no! Balto, come back!" Astoria wheezed.
Daphne couldn't take another step.
The girl was trying to get Balto's attention while being unable to contain her laughter and the sight was so unfamiliar to Daphne. The easy happiness that the girl was displaying was such a foreign sight. There had been times, far too few, where Daphne would be able to joke with Astoria and hear her laugh but largely the House stayed quiet in fear that the wrath of Jackson Greengrass would be drawn. The picture before her now would never have been possible at Greengrass Manor, her father would have never allowed it. Harry just laughed from his position on the armchair, the noise of his movement drawing her attention for a moment. Seeing the boy was the final straw and the gravity of what Harry had almost sacrificed for Daphne and Astoria crashed down onto her and she couldn't move. Her arms wrapped around herself in a vain attempt to keep it together. Daphne had never thought that she would get to hear her sister laugh like this and Daphne knew, in that magical moment, that she couldn't thank him. Not enough, anyways.
Harry noticed her and he just jumped over the couch like it was nothing, Daphne wondered why he hadn't just gone around like a sane person instead of just being so very Harry-like and going the fastest, hardest route to help someone. And again, he was just Harry who, despite the concern clear on his face, despite the urgency of his movements and a clear desire to want to help her if he could, never once tried to take her autonomy away from her. That freedom of autonomy is what Harry had given Daphne, and it was not something Daphne had ever had before. That freedom to laugh, hard enough that you can't breathe. That was what Harry had given Astoria, someone he had never even met. How do you thank someone for that?
Even though she was still shaking Daphne took a step forward. She had to. She wanted to. She knew how she could thank him, at least a little bit. She rested her forehead against his chest. The heat of the contact surprised her. But she allowed it to flow over her. Despite her rules, in defiance of propriety and everything that Lord Greengrass had taught her she let herself be close to Harry. Daphne could thank him by trusting him. Harry's warm arms came up around her and that same sense of security flooded her senses and washed away the last of her strength. Her legs failed her but instead of dropping her the arms just squeezed tighter. Daphne felt herself being guided slowly, carefully, and she was able to step into the room.
***Break***
Harry looked around, where the heck was he supposed to bring her? Astoria luckily proved the saving grace of the day as she pulled the couch he had jumped over. She was able to move it enough that Harry and Daphne could walk by and get in front of it. Now the difficult part. The position that Daphne had put him in was awkward. He could tell that if he stopped holding her that she would fall.
Sense Intention Skill has increased! It is now 32!
'Not now, you stupid Game' Harry thought to himself. He looked around again. Astoria came close and leaned up to him with the intent to whisper something to him. Harry did the best he could to tilt his head over to her.
"Just lay down and hold her" Astoria whispered into his ear before she stepped away once more.
Okay. Lay down. Lay down? That was simple enough in theory but how in Merlin's name was Harry supposed to manage that in his current position? He thought for a moment before he came up with an idea. Harry moved his hand just enough and with a wordless, wandless Wingardium Leviosa Harry brought Daphne up off the floor just a few inches. The Levitation charm allowed Harry a small enough freedom of movement that he was able to get a leg onto the couch and maneuver into it without jostling Daphne or letting her go though the movement was awkward and required multiple steps. Harry released the spell once he was situated and allowed Daphne to settle. He had managed to situate them so that Daphne was mostly on top of him but it was the best he could do. Harry looked over at Astoria who nodded with a small thumbs up. Reassured, Harry floated one of the throw blankets that he had gotten on his birthday over to them and used it to cover both him and Daphne.
Astoria smiled, teary eyed, at the sight of her sister and knew what it meant for Daphne to take the chance she was taking. Astoria understood that Daphne, who was a careful, methodical, and guarded person, was, in her own way, saying thank you to Harry for saving her and giving Daphne the chance to be the person that Daphne wanted to be. Not the one that their father made them be. Astoria, even in her young years, could tell that this likely wouldn't be a regular occurrence for her sister and the real healing would take a long time, but Daphne was going to heal. Daphne was free now.
Astoria led Balto out of the room. There had been mention of a Library so it was time to see what sort of books Harry Potter bought.
***Break***
Daphne's tears didn't slow, but she was able to turn her head and rest it more comfortably against Harry's chest. The thump thump of Harry's heart was easily heard in her ear. This was a position that Daphne had never been in. Even with the intense love that Daphne had for Astoria, sharing a bed growing up, and the oh so rare hugs she had experienced, Daphne had maintained the habit of keeping anyone and everyone at as close to arm's distance as she could. Her father's upbringing had demanded it. Daphne had never heard a heartbeat this close up before and the sound was fascinating. Harry's arms had relaxed, but stayed wrapped around her and those warm arms coupled with the throw blanket wrapped around her made her very cozy. She finally relaxed her own arms and let them fall on either side of Harry.
Years of built up tension, of not allowing herself to allow such intimate comforting contact, it was hard to let go of. Harry's presence seemed to slowly melt that away though, and Daphne felt something that she had not felt before. Peace. There was no upcoming lesson. No dark figure, looming in the back of the mind, threatening to ruin any attempt Daphne took at happiness. There was only warmth, and the steady thump thump of Harry's heart.
The tears dried on her face. Yet Daphne just lay there. The warmth and security she felt, it was hard to let go of. Years of ingrained lessons, though, let Daphne know that she couldn't stay like this forever despite a small desire to. Harry, through all of this, had not yet said a word. For that Daphne was grateful. Words would rob the moment. But words were also needed so she took a breath.
"Thank you" Daphne said quietly, the words easily reaching the boy she was so close to. She expected words in return but instead Harry just squeezed her a little tighter for just a moment. The message was clear. You're welcome.
The thump thump continued before the vibrations of Harry's voice, another new experience for Daphne, carried the words, "Are you okay?"
Daphne nodded against his chest. In a burst of selfishness, an emotion she never let herself have, she buried her face closer to him for a moment. He smelled of … she wasn't sure what it was but it was a smell that she now associated with Harry. She took a deep breath and pushed herself up with her arms. They were face to face, Daphne's hair fell around Harry's blocking any sight except Harry's face. His eyes, so vivid green and intense, looked up at her and she was lost for just a moment. They sat there for a moment, a small moment, just looking at one another. But Harry didn't move or attempt to do anything, so Daphne moved on and pushed herself up onto her hands and knees above him and then one dainty foot touching the floor was enough to bring her up to a standing position.
***Break***
Daphne's eyes were bloodshot. That was the first thing Harry noticed. The girl's hair, that was almost never down, tickled his face with wavy golden lengths. If Harry was honest with himself, he could objectively admit that Daphne was gorgeous. The girl hovered over him for a moment longer, but Harry knew that to try anything, to act upon the flare of energy his stomach experienced in that moment, would change the nature of his and Daphne's relationship in a way that he did not want.
Sure, Harry felt a pang of loss at the warmth of the girl as she got up from the couch. And he knew that if he had kissed her in that moment, that Daphne probably would have let it happen. The level of trust that the girl had shown him, though, when she had put her forehead against his chest. That would have been forever lost. Harry understood what Daphne's closeness had meant. He had had the same internal battle when he had learned to accept hugs from Hermione, Ron, Molly Weasley. Touch, so previously associated for the 2 kindred spirits with the sensation of pain, was rarely welcomed. It was a big step for Daphne, and she had dove right in. Harry would never have been able to forgive himself if he had taken advantage of that trust.
Releasing a breath of tension Harry hadn't realized had been trapped, he sat up. Daphne stood over him, looking at him with eyes that were slowly losing the puffiness they had built up from the day's emotional events. Harry met those eyes. The situation they both now found themselves in was new. The entire 2 days had been a roller coaster of emotion with frequent derailments. Hidden, though, in the small moments throughout the day were signs of a new beginning. For Astoria as well. It was faint but it was there. Harry still wasn't entirely sure how it would play out. Albus's words rang in his mind once more. You will stumble. You will fall. And you will find times where you lose that path and the way is not so clear. You will never have all of the answers. You will never have all of the facts. The only thing you can do is decide for yourself what you are going to do and live with the choices you make.
"Thank you" Daphne said once again, her voice much stronger this time.
"You're welcome, Daphne" Harry said, and he meant it.
***Break***
Feeling refreshed, but still wary, Harry walked with Daphne to the Library. As much as he wished it weren't so, there was still some stuff to talk about. Harry had wanted, debated actually, on telling the girls what he had learned about Jackson Greengrass. Maybe some other time he finally decided, and in that decision felt a connection with Albus Dumbledore. Knowledge was power, and Dumbledore had taught young Harry that if one was to aim Power at another, no matter the reason or the form of that power, that it must be done with the utmost care. It shined a light onto the Headmaster's actions over the years that actually served to increase Harry's respect of the man.
Astoria was walking around the Library in awe. There were so many books! And the Library wasn't even full! Most of the books were normal, ones that she had seen in the Library back at her old thought had paused her for a moment. Old home. Already she was feeling a connection with her new living situation and the thought turned her walking into a skip. That was the Astoria that Harry and Daphne saw when they entered the Library, a happy, skipping, girl who danced among the shelves noting where the hidden jewels were amongst the stacks. Balto happily bounded with her, caught up in his human's excitement.
Seeing her sister and Harry, Astoria skipped over to them. Ending her movement with a happy jump Astoria stood before them and looked between the two expectantly.
"So, Harry, did you kiss Daphne?" Astoria asked simply.
Crickets would have been a concerto in the silence of the room at the question until… Harry facepalmed hard at the question, the hard slap of his hand against his face making the young girl laugh loudly. Daphne glared at her sister.
"No, Tori, we didn't kiss. What has gotten into you?" Daphne steamed, her face red at the question. Her little sister was such a brat sometimes, always asking when Daphne would get a boyfriend.
Harry's response was different though and he walked toward the girl with strong strides. Like an oncoming storm, Harry got larger to Astoria who's giggling stopped at the sight and the change in demeanor of the young Lord. Harry loomed over her, hand raising and Daphne almost flinched at the connections she was making with Harry's approach to the memories of her father walking up to Daphne in the same way. The hand came down and Daphne prepared herself for the sound of the slap. It didn't come.
"Awww, you're messing up my hair! Stop!" Astoria's whine made Daphne open her eyes that she hadn't realized she had closed to see Harry messing up Astoria's hair. Astoria glared at the boy, who just laughed at her, trying with her fingers to bring her hair back into the orderly style Astoria had had it in before.
"Meanie" Astoria whined once more when she gave up. Without a mirror it was hard to tell if she was doing more harm than good. Daphne recovered from the shock of the very different treatment Harry had given her sister, the boy in question walking over to a small reading nook. Of course Harry wouldn't harm Astoria, how could Daphne had thought that. The older sister came to Astoria's rescue and with practiced hands sorted the girl's hair.
***Break***
Harry led the girls over to a reading nook, a deep bay window set between the shelves that had benches on either side and high armrests. The benches were perfect for either sitting, or laying, but they all chose to sit. Harry stared out of the window for a moment not saying anything. The two girl's looked at him oddly, wondering what else Harry would share with them today. Finally Harry pulled something unrecognizable out of his pocket and looked at it. Astoria tried to crane her head to see what it was but couldn't tell, Harry's hands were too large to see the small object.
"I wanted to apologize to you both," Harry began, raising a hand when it looked like the girl's wanted to object. Harry took a deep breath and released it. "When I started that duel with your father, Lord Greengrass, it was to protect you both. It worked, but not in the way that I wanted. I never meant for you to lose your home and for that I am so, so sorry."
Harry took another breath, "The place probably had a lot of bad memories. I know that I would never want to set foot in my relative's house again when thinking about what I experienced there." Daphne wanted to reach out to Harry at his words, being one of the rare few who knew what he meant, Harry's continuing words brought Daphne's hand back into her lap.
"But. That place is and forever will be a part of who you two are. I have a memento from my relatives. A coat hanger," Harry chuckled to himself, the oddity of his memento striking him. The coat hanger was in his closet, the only tangible gift he had received from the Dursley's, and on it was Harry's favorite shirt. A sign to himself of how far he had come while reminding Harry of what he had to do to get there. His chuckling stopped and he looked at the picture of Allisandra in his hand.
"In the wake of the arrival of the Aurors, knowing that you were about to lose your home and being unable to stop it I grabbed this" Harry wandlessly unshrunk the portrait and the girls gasped loudly "before escaping with Daphne. I wish that I had been able to grab more. I'm sorry. It was a spur of the moment thing and I understand if it brings back bad memories. You can do what you like with it."
Harry set the portrait into the back of the nook, almost covering the window. Daphne's and Astoria's eyes were glued to it. Their mother's portrait, while not magical, was well painted and beautiful. Lord Greengrass would often stare at the painting for hours, unmoving. The girls had no memory of their mother, but when they looked at their father when he was looking at this photo it was one of the only times either girl could remember their father showing emotion outside of rage, coldness, or disdain. A deep, mysterious sadness. Daphne's hand reached out and ran her finger down her mother's face.
"Thank you, Harry" Daphne whispered. Astoria nodded as well but her eyes were locked onto the portrait.
"Of course. We can hang it wherever you would like, if that is your wish" Harry said, and Daphne's eyes broke away from the portrait to look at Harry. To offer to hang up the portrait, indeed for even finding time to save the portrait amidst the chaos of their flight from the manor, Harry had done them a great service.
"It is your manor, you decide where to hang it. Thank you for the offer but I couldn't impose on you like that" Daphne slipped back into her proper tone for a moment, the stiff mannerisms being her comfort zone. Astoria took her eyes away from the portrait as well, to grab her sister's hand and nod her agreement at the decision. It was Harry's home.
Harry thought for a moment and then stood up, picking up the portrait. When he walked away the two girls were quick to follow. Surprisingly he did not leave the Library. Instead Harry took out his wand. On the back wall were a string of empty bookshelves that rested between 2 windows. Harry Transfigured the center shelf to half its height and then floated the portrait up onto the wall. He hit it with a powerful Sticking Charm and looked up at his handiwork. Allisandra Greengrass looked down upon the three young people. Children, strangers still to one another, but somehow Fate had put them all into one place. If the portrait had been magical, Allisandra would have smiled down at the look of happiness that Astoria and Daphne had when looking up at the visage of their mother. And then Allisandra would have laughed when Harry's hand came up to ruffle Astoria's hair once more before dodging the swat the girl threw his way to run out of the Library laughing. Daphne ignored them to stare up at her mother still, captivated by the almost mirror-like appearance her mother had with her own features. Daphne didn't know what she would do, where she would end up. Right now, however, she was safe, happy, free. The manor was new but it had the makings to be a good home. Daphne smiled before a crash and resounding laughter Astoria from the other room brought her attention to the two rowdy people in the sitting room. Sighing, she stepped out of the room with a measured pace. Whatever foolishness the two were up to, Daphne would put a stop to it. There were rules, dammit, and a certain propriety that must be observed or they'd bring the whole manor down around them. She'd give them a piece of her mind.
*Fin*
A/N: Dammit. I wanted to keep going. I know it feels like I'm drawing this out but I'm really not trying to. Part 1 was Harry. Part 2 was Daphne/Astoria. Part 3 was Harry/Daphne/Astoria. It felt wrong to try and cram more into this chapter. Part 4, next chapter will have the public opinion, a splash of Ron, Hermione, the Weasleys. A lot less introspection and touchy-feely moments.
Review answers below where I'll try to answer them more completely since they're no longer cluttering the top of the page.
Chuysaurus: Thank you! I'm trying to make the character's feel alive, I hope I'm not trying too hard. Glad you're enjoying it!
TheGreatBubbaJ: Dude. Dude! You gotta stop dissecting my plots, you're making me feel predictable :P I hope this chapter met your high expectations. The funds will play a part in the next chapter, when Harry and the Greengrass daughters head to Diagon one last time. Stay tuned!
Reader of Harry Potter: I'm keeping them coming! Luna will be in the story at some point, but probably not until Hogwarts.
Adrian King1: The Greengrass daughters, as seen above, have a lot to think about and a lot still to get used to. I wanted them to have an opening up moment each, while still stressing that there will still be some level of strangeness. Harry has this sort of magnetic presence to those around him, that's what I'm stressing most in case that wasn't obvious, but the change they all experience from this new development isn't meant to seem instantaneous. The seeds were planted though and will be watered and tended carefully.
Firetemplar415: Muahahahaha! Daphne caught a big ol' eyeful of Harry that any teenage girl would think about for quite some time. I'm trying to make the most natural growth I can in my characters while still showing how fast Harry's growth is in comparison. Not quite ready for nudes, but getting there.
Navn Ukjent: Good notes! Harry has a taste for American cuisine, as shown in his birthday chapter with the hamburgers and such. I debated crepes for a moment, but it just didn't feel right with Dobby's interfering presence. There will be, maybe, some more traditional UK food in the future but honestly I'm American and don't have much experience with food from across the pond. Sticking to my strengths at the moment. Thank you for the review!
Frankieu: It ain't over yet. As you saw above. But we'll be stepping away from it a bit for a wider picture in the next chapter and get the story back on track.
7: No, the Gamer system wasn't demonized. Instead I was going for more of a harmonization between Harry and his Gamer traits. He'll be more mindful of the Gamer stuff while also stepping away from it in a few parts. He wants to live his life, and while the Gamer stuff can help him with that Harry doesn't want to let it control him.
Metadork: Some great stuff in this review. Thank you for your remarks! Sitcom/romcom definitely suit some parts of what I'm going for. It's a Game but it's also Life for Harry and he came to that realization finally. I will go ahead and drop spoilers, this is probably not going to be a harem fic. Instead Harry will probably date around a bit, try new things and experience the life that he didn't get to before. Also Tracey may come back as a friend, but right now she's gotten the boot. Daphne hasn't made her mind up yet, but Harry knows that romantically he and Tracey are D.O.N.E.
Guest: Whoever you are, thank you for the review! Harry didn't put stasis charms on the food simply because he didn't want to. He has no real need to eat but also enjoys the act and doesn't want to make it monotonous. So instead of saving for future meals he simply just ate a butt-ton of food. It's not like he has to worry about it going to his thighs, the Game controls that.
Slocuautla: Thank you for the review! And Healing Charms, to answer your question. Or some other excuse if Daphne brings it up. Luckily she was more focused… elsewhere and hasn't quite made the connection yet. I only know my own personal struggles with abuse. Wizards have unique and different tools at their disposal though as seen with the Pensieve and actually have a whole branch of magic around the Mind Arts. That is going to play a big role in the speed of their separate recoveries. As far as pairing Harry and Daphne, you get to see some of the attraction they both have for another war with their new situation. There's definitely something there but it probably won't play a role for a while as the two will need to build up trust for one another and get over their unique ordeals that led them to their new lots in life. Sirius is coming, and will play a large part in Harry's life for sure. But as I've shown, mental illnesses and abuse definitely show up in my characters and Sirius? He's gonna have a lot to deal with.
Beccasullivanwrites1: Glad you like it! You inspired the creation of the first scene, building upon some of the interplay between Dobby and Harry. Slowly we're gonna get to see the whole House come together in some sort of weird yet functional family and we got to see the first signs of it in this chapter.
Polydicta: Definitely. Dobby had immense respect for Harry, but also trust and love. He's not afraid to push Harry a little bit which is something Dobby would never have done with the Malfoys.
Dibbley: I teared up a bit at this review. I love seeing that what I'm going for, that human interaction in the face of how the Gamer life could honestly be abused or used poorly and thus ruin Harry. I honestly think you'll really have enjoyed this chapter but probably not as much as I enjoyed this review. I'll admit that when I started this fic Dumbledore was going to be that punching bag. But I've been writing these chapters back to back and growing these characters from the ground up especially in the last few chapters. The first 4-5 chapters were Gamer focused. The next 4-5? Life focused. And the last 5? How that has come together for Harry and what he will do for it all. Dumbledore presented too good of an opportunity to present a wise old man, flawed, but one who had learned hard hard lessons through his life but also still was able and willing to grow. I like a good harem fic, but I really wanted to bring Harry into his own first and really explore his attractions as they come along. We'll see where it leads but again thank you for this review!
'Til next time!