It was like the last three months had never happened. Milicent, Lily, and Pansy welcomed her back as though she'd been on holiday rather than that they'd spent most of the term shunning her very existence. Even Draco raised his goblet in her direction in a silent toast, a satisfied smirk visible before he took a drink.

It was as though nothing had changed, but Daphne's perspective was irrevocably different. How many times had she stared longingly at Pansy, wishing she could be back where she was sitting at this very moment? Too many to count. But now that she was actually here, it felt like someone had slipped her Polyjuice Potion, like she was having to try hard to act like someone else, lest the others notice that she was a fraud.

Plastering a smile on her face as Pansy offered Milicent 'friendly' advice on using depilatory spells on one's upper lip, Daphne's eyes darted to the entrance of the Great Hall as Harry and his friends walked in, her heart plummeting at the stony glare affixed to his face in the direction of the Slytherin table. Only, she realised, his vitriol wasn't aimed at her; no, he was glaring furiously at Draco, his gaze having slipped right past her as though she didn't exist.

Somehow, that was worse.

Harry had barely taken a seat when Filch took him away. She frowned, realising he'd been dragged away without even a bite to eat. Daphne waited for his return, but he never did; instead, the Great Hall - along with the entire First Floor - exploded into conflagration with an incredible array of magical fireworks.

Not having any classes with Gryffindor for the rest of the day, Daphne didn't catch a glimpse of him again until dinner. He arrived late and his head down to confer with Weasley and Granger. This time, he didn't even bother with a glance at Malfoy.

When he stood up not long after arriving, moments after Snape left the Great Hall, she knew that finally an opportunity had arisen to speak with him. Making excuses to Pansy and her other roommates, she hurried after him; unfortunately, she wasn't the only one who had that idea.

"-you have to understand, the DA meant so much to all of us. We can't believe that Marietta would have done something like that," Chang said. Daphne silently peered around the corner, watching sullenly at the way she reached out to touch his arm.

Harry grunted at her words. "Then I suppose she fooled all of us, yea?"

"It's not like that, she's not a bad person, not really! It was her mother, she works for the Ministry-"

"You're going to defend her? Ron's dad works for the Ministry too! Somehow he managed not to betray us!"

"It's not like anyone was hurt…" she mumbled.

"Well, at least anyone that makes the mistake of trusting her again will have ample warning, now that it's written all over her face."

"That was a rotten thing to do, jinxing the list like that, Granger should have warned us!"

Harry's face might as well have been carved from stone, for all he reacted to Chang's plaintive words. "You don't really expect me to say a word against Hermione, do you? Didn't you learn anything from the DA? I stand by those who stand with me."

"Mustn't speak ill of Saint Granger, is that it?"

Whatever he might have replied, their conversation came to an abrupt end when the door to Snape's office opened, and the Potions master ordered Harry inside. Chang made a frustrated noise at the abrupt end to their argument and stormed away.

'Stupid bint! My one chance to speak to him privately, and she stole it away!'

Daphne lingered in the corridor for several moments more, pondering whether it was worth remaining here and waiting for his lesson to end. She didn't much relish the idea of a confrontation with Granger, so this might very well be her only opportunity to get Harry alone.

That indecisiveness paid off, as shortly after the door closed Draco arrived, fetching Professor Snape to assist with some emergency or other. Her Head of House hurried away with Draco in tow. This was her chance!

With hurried steps, she made her way to the entrance to the office, coming to an abrupt halt at the open door. 'What was this?' Whatever was going on in these lessons, it certainly wasn't Remedial Potions!

Harry stood motionless in front of Snape's desk, his finger dipped inside an elaborate stone basin within which ethereal blue light swirled, illuminating his face with a ghostly hue. She called his name, but he didn't respond. Daphne tried again, louder this time, but still there was no reaction.

She stepped closer, entering the office, intent on physically pulling him away from whatever it was that had bewitched him so, when Professor Snape returned. He took one look at her, then his dour gaze locked onto Harry's stilled form, his face twisting in rage and hatred. Physically shoving her to the side, he stormed into the office and grabbed Harry, jerking him away from the artifact on his desk.

"Had a good laugh?" Snape snarled. "Your father was an amusing man, wasn't he?"

"No- I-" Harry was white as a sheet, looking more shocked than she had ever seen.

Snape, still clutching Harry's upper arm, suddenly threw him bodily towards the door. "Get out! Don't ever come back here again, Potter!"

Harry ran, and Daphne froze, abandoning her intent to chase after him as their Potions Professor rounded on her. His long, crooked nose was red with anger, chest heaving as though he'd just run a circuit around the castle.

"Greengrass," he hissed, coal-black eyes burning into her own. "How is your… project coming along?"

"Sir?" she asked, feeling her head start to pound. For some reason, the conversation with Elysant about only needing Harry to survive long enough to get Astoria's cure came to mind.

An ugly smile spread across his face. "Nothing. Five points from Slytherin for intruding into my office unbidden. Get out."

Hurrying out of the dungeons, Daphne ran as fast as she could, taking the most direct route she could towards Gryffindor Tower. Unlike the Hufflepuff and Slytherin dormitories, whose locations were hidden, it wasn't hard to nail down the general locations of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Towers.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of him anywhere she looked. Maybe he simply had too much of a head start? Daphne had been exercising more, but Harry was an athlete. Dejected, she turned back to return to the dungeons. It was probably for the best, she thought to herself; after her sprint through the castle, she must have looked frightful, what with her hair wild, clothes wrinkled and askew, and cosmetics smeared with perspiration.

Laughter and familiar voices just off the Grand Staircase near the fourth floor drew her attention. Slowly creeping forward, she was greeted by the sight of Graham Montague and Theo Nott crowding Luna Lovegood in the corridor.

"Where's your shoes, Looney? I think that'll be ten points from Ravenclaw for failing to adhere to the standards of dress," Nott said, the gleaming inquisitor badge pinned to his robes.

"Maybe we ought to inspect her closer, make certain the rest of her uniform is up to standards," leered the other boy, Montague, who Daphne remembered propositioning her only a few weeks prior.

She steeled herself, straightening her robes and trying to smooth down her hair, then approached the three with her wand drawn. "Hello boys, caught a little birdie outside her nest?"

"Just doing our duty in cleaning up the school," Nott said, still focused on Luna, while Montague turned to rake his eyes up and down her own body.

"What are you doing here, Greengrass?"

"I happened by and didn't want you to have all the fun," she said, trying to project as much confidence as she could muster. "I think for the sort of discipline that Looney's in need of, only another girl would know how to make certain the lesson sinks in."

"Oh, this I want to see," Montague grinned, but she shook her head, hitting Luna with a Jelly-Legs Jinx and gathering a fistful of her robes.

"Maybe next time. I'll take it from here."

As she dragged Luna away, the other two laughed and wandered off, likely in search of other students to terrorise. Daphne counted to five, slowly, then countered her jinx and helped the small blonde to her feet.

"Sorry about that, but I didn't know how else to make them go away. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Luna said in an airy tone, not bothering to fix her mussed robes. "It was nice of you to help me."

"I guess that's the one good thing about being part of the Inquisitorial Squad," she offered. 'Wait - that IS good!' Why hadn't she thought of this before? "I'll do what I can for you and your friends. Watch out for Montague, though; he's bad news."

Luna 'hmm-ed' in agreement, and Daphne used the following quiet to look her over more closely. "Where are your shoes?"

"The nargles took them. They're attracted by the stress from other students, and they nick items here and there and hide them. It happens at the end of the year as exams get closer."

"I've never noticed any of my things go missing."

Luna's already protuberant eyes widened even further. "Really? I wonder, maybe some of the ingredients in the potions you use serve as a repellent of some sort!"

Daphne felt her face heat up. "What potions?"

"The ones from Madam Primpernelle's. The older girls in the dorms talked a lot about the ones you might be using after Valentine's Day."

"Erm, okay. That's not what we're talking about, though; do you ever get back what these 'nargles' take from you?"

"I put up flyers at the end of the year. Most of the time, everything turns up before I get on the train," Luna replied with a dreamy smile. "So really, it's just a minor inconvenience."

The stone floors of the castle were punishing enough even with shoes; being forced to walk barefoot didn't sound 'minor' to Daphne. "You should probably head back to your dorms. I wouldn't want you to get caught by Filch."

"I suppose you're right."

"C'mon, I'll walk with you," Daphne offered, and the two of them made their way to Ravenclaw Tower in companionable silence.

Once there, Luna surprised her with a firm hug goodnight before shoo-ing her away so as not to give up the secret of the Ravenclaw entrance. The younger girl had a way of catching her off guard, and so Daphne ended up walking away in the wrong direction, heading away rather than towards the Grand Staircase. Naturally, it was this aimless wandering that led her right to the person she'd been seeking.

"Harry?"

It didn't seem like he'd recovered at all from his encounter with Snape, wearing a pensive expression with a sickly pallor. There was no response from her greeting, so she called his name again, and at last he looked up. At first, it was like he didn't recognise her, then he blinked and his emerald eyes hardened.

"What do you want, Greengrass?"

She tentatively approached, sliding down the wall to take a seat an arm's length away. "I wanted a chance to explain about Umbridge and the Inquisitorial Squad, and…" she took a breath, her exhalation coming out as a sigh. "And I wanted to make sure you're okay, after what happened in Professor Snape's office, I mean."

"What, were you spying on me again?" He asked, attempting sarcasm but failing.

"I wanted to talk to you, not spy on you."

"Right, just like how you spent the whole term creeping through the stacks in the library, trying to eavesdrop on me and Hermione. I hope you and Pansy practice hard with those notes you swindled from me - if you try to use them on any of my friends, I promise I'll-"

"I wouldn't- that's not why-" This was worse than she'd thought. How did they go from gentle flirtations to outright threats? "I haven't shared them with anyone except Tracey. Would you just give me a chance-"

"I'm done giving chances! In case you haven't noticed, the lines are drawn. You're either with Umbridge, or you're against her. That badge on your robes shows you made your choice."

He made to stand up, and Daphne reached out, lightly holding onto his arm. "Don't go."

Harry jerked away from her touch. "Sod off."

She hastily followed as he stormed away. "Can't you cut me some slack? I mean, we're sixteen years old, can't we just be normal teenagers for a little while? Does everything have to be so serious all the time?"

"You think I chose this?" Harry whirled around to face her. "That I want to be singled out, hated one day and worshipped the next? Do you have any idea what I would give to be normal?"

Harry seemed ready to go on, but his rumbling stomach interrupted him . "You missed all the meals today," she stated rather than asked.

"No, I didn't," he replied dismissively.

"Yes, you did. I was," she blushed, then decided there was little point in pretending. "I was watching you."

"No one asked you to. Why can't you mind your own business?"

"I-" As if on cue, her own stomach growled.

The barest ghost of a grin on his face, Harry raised an eyebrow. "I suppose following me must be hard work."

"More than you can imagine," she groused. "But really, I'm just hungry all the time." It was true, between her diet and her exercise regimen, her appetite had increased considerably.

His face softened. "C'mon."

Confused, she followed him, having to hurry to keep pace with his longer strides. "Listen, about the Inquisitorial Squad, it's not what you think."

"Oh? You're telling me you accidentally signed up?"

They exited the Grand Staircase to the first floor and made a sharp turn, taking a passage behind a painting that led out to a small staircase heading down. "No, but I was scared. Umbridge is the Headmistress now, she's running the school! I was afraid, afraid of what she could do, of what my Housemates could do!" Harry didn't reply, just continued walking. "Is it really so unforgivable?"

"Here," he said, gesturing to a painting of a bowl of fruit. "Tickle the pear."

"What is this?" Harry merely motioned to the painting, so she reached out and did as he instructed, glancing back at him when the pear giggled and transformed into a door handle.

Harry opened the door, and Daphne stepped inside to an enormous room with high ceilings and multiple fireplaces, laid out with five large tables in the same configuration as the Great Hall. A horde of house-elves all turned as one at their entrance, and she was overwhelmed as more than a score of the tiny figures charged towards them, offering food, beverages, cleaning, laundry, and more.

"Back! Back! Dobby be serving Harry Potter!" One elf, a number of ill-fitted and - if she was honest - hideous hats balanced carefully on his head waved a rolling pin threateningly. "Yous leave them be!"

While the Greengrasses had owned house-elves for as long as Daphne had been alive, she'd never seen so many, nor witnessed them show the slightest aggression towards each other. She watched, dumbfounded as this strange elf engaged in a shouting match with several of the others before he finally turned back to them, an unhinged smile of adoration on his face.

"Hey Dobby, have you been doing okay? Umbridge hasn't been mistreating you, has she?"

"No sir, but she be asking the elves to watch the students, and report to lazy caretaker."

"Filch?" Harry frowned. "I see."

"Don't worry, Dobby and the others just watch students eat, or study. Elveses obey without getting children in trouble!"

He leaned down and put one hand on the elf's tiny shoulder. "Thank you, and please thank the others for me as well. You're a good friend, Dobby." The elf preened at his words. "This is Daphne Greengrass. Is there any extra food leftover from dinner for her?"

"Harry Potter's friend is hungry?" That innocent question resulted in a flurry of activity, some elves 'popping' a table and chairs into existence, others shoving preserves and fruit into a basket, still more setting steaming dishes of fresh food and beverages before them.

It was a mouthwatering spread. Daphne sat down, accepting a goblet of pumpkin juice when Harry cleared his throat from behind her. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Pardon? Um… did you want the juice?"

His scowl told her that was the wrong answer. "Thank you, Dobby, this looks wonderful."

'Who thanks a house elf?' They enjoyed serving witches and wizards! "Right, thanks very much, ah, Dobby." The elf in question gave her a radiant smile and bobbed his head in acknowledgement, nearly losing his hats in the process. "Aren't you going to join me?"

"I don't think so. Now that you know where the kitchens are, you can come back before school lets out to stock up. If you learn the Preservation Charm, you'll have enough to last you the first month after the term ends."

There was the feeling that she was missing something, something big, but Daphne couldn't figure out exactly what it was. "Harry, wait - tonight, what was that about in Professor Snape's office? It's obvious you aren't meeting him for remedial lessons."

He froze, and that morose expression he'd worn when she encountered him upstairs flashed across his features. "I can't tell you that."

Carefully setting her goblet back on the table, she stood up to intercept him before he could leave. "Okay, I can understand that. But- listen, before, you said all you wanted was to be normal, right?"

Harry sighed. "Greengrass…"

"I'm being serious! If you really want that, why are you so eager to run away? Why not sit down, have some food, and spend some time with me? Two normal sixteen-year-olds, talking about normal teenage stuff."

"I'm fifteen."

"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" She grinned, happy that he didn't ignore her and leave anyway. "We don't have to talk about Umbridge, or You-Know-Who, or anything bad. We can just be Daphne and Harry, two Fifth Years getting ready for their OWLs."

She waited while he stared intently at her, idly wishing that she'd planned this out for a time when she didn't look so harried. "You know, I can almost understand your excuses for signing up with Umbridge. But that's the thing, Greengrass; the people that earn my trust are willing to do the right thing even when they are afraid. That's why I trust them, and why I don't trust you."

With that, he turned and walked out, leaving her standing there, stunned.

"I don't know what to do. He hates me."

Elysant 'shush'-ed her. "Nonsense. The boy is angry at his circumstances, and venting that anger on you. You did well to mitigate the damage that joining the Headmistress caused."

"You weren't there. He basically called me a coward and told me he didn't trust me!"

"After he'd put aside whatever had happened with your professor to ensure that you had dinner. You're focusing on the wrong things because of hurt feelings."

Daphne pondered their exchange in the kitchens while she fixed her hair. "There was something odd about that. Why does he take food from Hogwarts home over the holidays?"

"Perhaps his guardians are impoverished. You did say his clothes are little more than rags," Elystant noted.

"Yes, but why? It doesn't make sense; he's the last heir of an Ancient family."

"Find out. Your family's wealth may give you an easy advantage."

She rolled her eyes. "Right, that'll work. I'll just show him my family's vault and he'll immediately declare his love."

"Don't be sarcastic, it isn't lady-like," Elysant immediately responded. "Regardless, that's something to consider in the future, not right now. What will you do next?"

"I'm going to prove I'm someone he can rely on. I'll help his friends when I can, and- and, um…"

"You need to be more forthright. I didn't get Harlan to notice me by being nice to his friends. You're a young woman, act like it."

"That doesn't sound very lady-like," Daphne pointed out.

"What did I say about sarcasm? Wit and a sharp tongue are far down the list of qualities a man looks for in a woman."

Daphne huffed her annoyance, setting the portrait back in her trunk. "I have to go, we'll finish this later."

Today was her career counselling appointment, and would mark the first time she'd encountered her Head of House since that night, several days before, when he'd caught her in his office. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she approached his closed door, hesitating for several seconds outside before lightly knocking.

"Miss Greengrass, do come in."

So far, so good. "Hello, Professor."

"Take a seat, please. This meeting is about helping you map out a path to your intended career. I presume you will be following in your father's footsteps?"

"Yes, sir."

He scratched something on the parchment on his desk. "For family ventures, curriculum and exam scores don't carry as much weight. That does not mean you should neglect your studies, however."

She nodded. "My parents expect me to maintain high marks."

"I'd expect little else from Cecil and Ava. Still, just because you've already selected your future work doesn't mean I can't be of some assistance."

"I appreciate any advice you have to offer." She chose her words carefully, still on edge from him physically shoving her away.

"I've been thinking about the best way to help you, and it occurred to me that the sort of assistance you require does not necessarily involve academics."

"Sir?"

Snape reached into his robes, withdrawing a potions' vial and unstoppering it. "Tell me, do you recognise this?"

A heady scent of warm soil and summer breezes consumed Daphne's senses, with the hint of something else, something masculine and- "What is that?"

Light spirals of smoke drifted upwards from the mother-of-pearl sheen on the exposed surface. "I need a single strand of hair from you, if you would." It was not phrased as a request.

"Sir, that potion, is that…?"

He replaced the stopper, his customary sneer forming. "It is. Did you really think a conspiracy against the Headmaster's favourite student would go unnoticed?"

Daphne felt her blood freeze in her veins. "You- you know?" she whispered in horror.

"How else could a pathetic little boy survive so many attempts on his life without the staff intervening to protect him? Of course I know about your plan."

"I- I'm not trying to hurt him, I swear, I just-"

His silky voice cut through her sputtered denial. "Have you forgotten that your sister was one of my Slytherins? Your parents informed me of the reasons for her withdrawal from school. I'm trying to help you, Greengrass."

Eyes still locked on the potion he held, she was slow to reply. "But that- if you know what I'm doing, you must know potions won't help me."

"No? The term is nearly over; tell me, how much progress have you made thus far?" She was silent, so he continued. "I spoke with the Headmistress and received permission for you to use my Floo. I'm sure that your sister would appreciate an Easter visit."

"What?"

"The Floo powder is above the hearth. I expect you back before curfew."

The icy feeling inside her had not abated. "Sir, I know why you're doing this, and-"

"Do you really?" He asked. "I know far more about that boy than you could possibly imagine. Believe me when I say there's no need for you to have any reservations about extreme measures to ensure his cooperation."

"What does that mean?"

"Attend to your sister, remind yourself why you're doing this. Go!"

Daphne stumbled to the fireplace, tossing a pinch of powder into the flames and calling out her family's address, glancing over her shoulder at her professor's hateful expression before stepping into the emerald fire.

When she emerged into her family's parlour, she was greeted by her mother hurrying into the room.

"Daphne! What a lovely surprise!" Some of her tension bled out when she felt her mother wrap her up in an embrace, but the unease from Snape's offer still lingered. "What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine. Professor Snape allowed me to spend the rest of the day here, to see Astoria before the Easter holiday ends."

"Really? That's wonderful! I know your sister will be so pleased to see you. Can you stay for dinner?"

She nodded. "I have to return before curfew, so that won't be a problem."

"Well, let's not delay, come along."

Daphne followed her mother to Astoria's room where her younger sister lay unconscious, pale and sweaty. "How has she been holding up?"

Ava's face tightened, and Daphne took in the way that her mother seemed to have aged a decade over the last year, worry lines creasing her previously youthful appearance. "The illness saps her energy. Your father and I let her sleep as often as we can to ease her discomfort." She gently rubbed her youngest daughter's shoulder. "Astoria, darling, wake up. Someone's here to see you!"

"Daffy?" Her voice was nothing like the last time they'd spoken. Now, Astoria was hoarse, that one word coming out as a croak. Her eyes were bloodshot and sunken in, her skin yellowed and diseased. "What-"

A coughing fit prevented her from speaking further, and Daphne quickly moved to assist her mother in elevating Astoria, adjusting the pillows to prop her up at an angle that eased the pressure on her chest. She was so light and underweight it took no effort to do so.

"Hey Tori, it's great to see you," she said, blinking back tears at how quickly her condition was deteriorating. "I hope you had a happy Easter."

"Why don't you talk to her about Hogwarts, while I go gather her medications? I'll have Teensy prepare lunch for us when you're done."

Daphne did just that. She spoke of Umbridge replacing Dumbledore as Headmistress, of her falling out and reconciliation with Pansy, of her unlikely friendship with Luna Lovegood. She tried to leave out the more distressing aspects, such as the Dark Lord's return and owning up to her past behaviour.

She'd just started to describe the Hogwarts kitchens when Astoria interrupted.

"Daphne? The last time we talked, you said- you told me that you had a plan."

Throwing a quick glance to the door to make certain her mother hadn't returned, Daphne nodded. "I do."

Astoria swallowed heavily, wetting lips before speaking again. "Can you help me? I'm really scared, I- I don't want to-" she abruptly went silent, a single tear tracing a path down her cheek. "Mum and Dad are so sad all the time; I have to be strong for them, but there's so many things I want to do."

Daphne ran a hand through her sister's sweaty brown hair. "You will. You'll do all that and more, baby, I promise."

Astoria seemed exhausted from the effort of speaking, and sagged back against her pillows just as their mother came in with a tray of potions vials. "Okay sweetheart, time for your medicine-" she took in Astoria's haggard appearance and moist eyes, as well as the way Daphne clutched her hand and was perched close to her pillows. "What happened? Is Astoria okay?"

"She's okay," Daphne said, standing up from the bed. "I'm going to freshen up before lunch."

Daphne managed to make it to the washroom before she dissolved into tears. She sobbed for what felt like ages, not bothering with Elysant's modified Glacius when she emerged to join her mother for lunch.

"I know how hard this is, honey. I'm proud of you for being so strong for your sister."

She nodded, not wanting to talk about her sister's impending doom. Not while she still had a chance to save her, at least. Thankfully, her mother seemed just as eager to change the topic.

"You look very nice. I see you were serious about making those changes. Did it work?"

"Did what work?"

Her mother accepted a cup of tea from their elf, waving her wand and snatching a bottle of gin out of mid-air. "Your little crush. What happened with that?" She punctuated her question by pouring a generous helping of liquor into her tea.

Merlin, where to begin? "He wasn't as impressed as I thought he'd be. But I think, I mean we're starting to get to know each other a bit more."

"You mean all that gold was for nothing?" Her mother asked, hiding a grin behind her teacup. "Sounds like your young man is interested in more than just a pretty face."

"If this is your way of saying 'I told you so', I don't really want to hear it."

"Come now, let me have my fun! It's not as though you've ever shown any interest in boys before now."

"Mum…"

"All right, all right, I'll stop," she said, though she still looked amused. "The best things never come right away."

"I just can't seem to get him to notice me that way."

"Well, teenage boys aren't known for their insight. Subtlety might not be the right tact."

"You don't understand, he- it's complicated," Daphne said, feeling the anxiety from earlier seeping back into her. "He doesn't believe I've changed."

A bit of liquid splashed over the rim of her teacup as Ava replaced it in the saucer with more force than necessary. "You don't need to change for any boy!"

"No, it's not what you think-"

"I think it's time you told me who it is that's got you so mixed up. Beauty potions and diets are one thing, but now you think you need to change yourself?"

How could she admit the things she'd done to her own mother? How could she cope with the judgment from her parents for her bullying and cruelty? Or worse, what if her mother didn't judge her for the way she'd acted? "It's not like that-"

"Daphne."

She rocked back and forth in her seat, anxiety blooming into panic. "I- it's embarrassing, I don't want to tell you," she mumbled.

"If this boy is telling you you're not good enough the way you are, I think I deserve to know who he is."

Daphne floundered under her mother's stare. "It's Harry Potter."

Ava gasped. "Why, for Merlin's sake, are you getting involved with him? The boy's an unstable crackpot!"

"He's really not-"

"Surely there are others that are better matches, that would treat you better, that wouldn't put you through this!"

"It has to be him! There isn't anyone else!" Her mother stood, approaching her but Daphne pushed her chair away from the table, rising to her feet and clutching at her ebony strands with both fists. "He's the only one that I want. I have to be with him!"

"Daffy, I know what it's like when you're young, but-"

"No! You don't know anything!"

"Wait! Come back here, young lady-"

But Daphne didn't stop, she kept running, all the way to the parlour, where she tossed a handful of powder into the fireplace and called out Professor Snape's Floo address.

"Back so soon?" He was in the same place she'd left him, marking essays at his desk.

Daphne thought about her sister's trembling, terrified face, crying for the life she'd been denied, her frail body too weak to even properly weep. About how she'd had to bravely face her own mortality, day after day, watching her family and friends do things she'd never have the strength to attempt.

Her mother was wrong - Daphne did need to change who she was. Not for Harry, though, but for Astoria. What was it he'd said to her? The people he trusted were the ones who acted despite being afraid?

Nothing and no one would stand in her way. Determination flooded her entire being. In the face of her resolve, everything was on the table.

Reaching to the nape of her neck, Daphne didn't even wince as she plucked out a long strand of hair, holding out her other hand expectantly.

"Give me the potion."

A/N: Hey all! Been a bit since I updated. Haven't felt much like writing recently, but I wanted to give a big thank you to my reviewers. It's you folks that got me in front of the keyboard again.

Daphne's starting to toughen up! Harry's his typical moody self.

In canon, it was Montague who got stuffed in the Vanishing Cabinet (which is what prompted Draco to go get Snape during Harry's occlumency lesson). In this story, it was [insert random Slytherin] instead.

I'll try and keep updating regularly. Lot of RL stuff keeping me busy, unfortunately.

Stay safe, healthy, and happy! ~Frickles