Been a while, I know. Had a couple extremely tough months due to some unfortunate things happening in my personal life. It took some time for me to move on but I'm back for good now. Apologies for the wait... hope you haven't given up on this story.
Quick recap...
Narcissa finds out Bellatrix has an informant within Hogwarts...
Daphne, Tracey and Lily have a sweet moment in their dormitories...
Harry arrived at Bones Manor in spectacular fashion...
Harry and Tonks reunite and began making plans to escape with the others...
Fight ensues, Harry kills Fenrir Greyback and then proceeds to brutally kill Rabastan Lestrange...
Just when things were looking good, Antonin Dolohov joins the fray and kills Jacques Rousseau, a French ICW Hit-Wizard who was tasked to protect Amelia...
Before Harry and Dolohov could fight, Dolohov has a change of heart and releases Fiendfyre not before fleeing with the remaining Death Eaters...
When it looked as though Harry was about to be consumed by the cursed flames, the fire touches the Phoenix tattoo on Harry's arm somehow summoning Fawkes and in extension, Dumbledore, who quells the flames saving everyone...
In the aftermath, it is revealed that there is quite a bit of fallout especially with Harry's use of the Unforgivables. Hermione and Ron confront Harry in the Hospital Wing...
During the night, Daphne visits Harry in the Hospital Wing. Haphne ensues. Daphne then finds herself unable to leave "forcing" her to sleep with Harry...
And boom, we're all caught up!
Chapter 20
CwD
October 2nd, 1996
"What're you doin' here?"
Aberforth didn't bother looking up as he spoke, though the contempt in his voice was sharp enough to draw Albus' gaze all the same. The resemblance between them had only grown more striking with age and yet, only their expressions differed.
"Must I have a reason to see my only brother?" Albus said softly.
"Aye," Aberforth grunted, "because m'ears are too old for your shit, Albus."
One corner of Albus' mouth twitched, but his shoulders dipped ever so slightly. Even after all these years, their relationship remained a thing of splinters.
"I'm meeting some associates, Aberforth. A private booth if you would be so kind."
"Of all the ruddy places…" Aberforth muttered under his breath.
Still, he jerked his chin toward the shadowed alcove at the side of the tavern; a cramped booth shielded from most sightlines and prying ears.
"Thank you."
Albus made his way over without further comment. Once seated, he withdrew his wand and layered several subtle privacy charms over the space enough to discourage even the curious. Only then did he settle back, blue eyes drifting to the warped windows overlooking the grey stretch of the Hogsmeade High Street as he waited for his guests to arrive.
Five minutes later, the door creaked open, admitting two men so unremarkable they might have slipped from memory the moment one looked away. However, as Dumbledore watched the men as they walked up to the bar to speak to Aberforth briefly, he easily attributed the unassuming features of the men to their magic.
The concealment was well-crafted not specifically in illusion but in perception itself. It was strong enough to fool the regular folk but not blatant enough to ping the more magically attune individuals.
Genius. A perfect blend. And I expect nothing less… Dumbledore hummed internally.
"Albus," the taller of the two greeted as he took his seat whilst his partner did the same.
"Saul," Dumbledore smiled, rising just enough to shake his hand before offering the same courtesy to the other man. "And how are you, Elton?"
Elton Elderberry sighed. "As well as I can be. Been a couple trying days, Albus."
"Indeed… indeed it has."
After accepting the jugs of mead from Aberforth, Dumbledore clasped his hands in front of him and eyed the men carefully.
"What can I do for you gentlemen?"
Saul Croaker did not waste time. "What do you know of the protections surrounding Bones Manor?"
"Only that the Bones family maintained some of the most sophisticated ward structures among the old lines."
"They've never been breached," Elderberry piped up. "Throughout the Bones family's rich history, not once have the wards of that manor ever been breached."
Dumbledore frowned. "Until recently."
Croaker inclined his head. "Until recently."
"Then how? I can imagine Voldemort himself breaching them but my intelligence has him in Germany the day of the attack."
"Germany?" Croaker's brow lifted slightly. "Any idea what he's up to?"
The old man looked out the window. "There have been talks of him parlaying with the Vampires."
"Well, that's not good," Elderberry frowned. "Vampires are notoriously self-satisfied creatures. Thankfully, they haven't involved themselves in wizardry affairs since their subjugation by the previous Premier Mage of France, Nicholas Flamel, centuries ago. I can't imagine the deal Voldemort struck to bring them into the fold."
"Nor I," Dumbledore murmured before looking back at the men. "Now, what was that about Bones Manor?"
The two Unspeakables exchanged a look with one another.
"You arrived after the Death Eaters had fled," Croaker began, staring at Dumbledore keenly. "What did you feel?"
"Pertaining to what, exactly?"
"The wards."
The old man stroked his beard as he leaned back into his chair. After a moment of pondering, his eyes slightly widened.
"Nothing. I felt… nothing," he whispered. "That – that shouldn't be possible."
"Then it is as I feared." Elderberry's shoulders sagged whilst Croaker let out a strew of curses under his breath. "I had warned you, Saul, about him."
"The magical ley lines beneath the manor were severed." Dumbledore clenched the table tightly. "I would've felt their resonance otherwise."
"Fucking Rookwood!" Croaker spat as he slammed his fist on the table. "I should've thrown him through the Veil when I had the chance!"
"How?"
Elderberry leaned forward in his seat. "Tell me Albus… what do you know of the Wail of Cecelia?"
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed dangerously until they widened as he put two and two together. "Merlin's beard."
"Quite," Elderberry said gravely. "We have on good conscience that Augustus Rookwood had stolen the horn during his tenure as an Unspeakable."
"Surely such a powerful artifact would have been protected?"
"And it was!" Croaker snapped. "These protections have been around for decades – periodically reinforced every year."
Dumbledore hummed softly.
"Then he had assistance," he concluded. "Voldemort's knowledge on magic even back then was unprecedented, not to mention Rookwood himself was certainly nothing less than exceptional."
"Augustus was brilliant," Elderberry reluctantly agreed, after sipping his mead. "I believe he grew quickly stagnant at his work with us. There's only so much of Time Magic you can understand before you begin to hit walls and he, being so young back then, was likely enticed by Voldemort just like many others."
"The horn is devastating, Albus," Croaker grimaced, his shoulders sagging as his anger left him. "Think of the damage it has done to Bones Manor. I shudder to think of the damage it could do to the other families, especially the Ministry or even Hogwarts."
Dumbledore shook his head slowly.
"Hogwarts' wards are not comparable to those of any family estate. Not Hogwarts. But yes… any family that Voldemort deems an enemy is in danger. Is that why you came today?"
Elderberry's gaze did not waver. "Tom Riddle has always held an attachment to Hogwarts. Can you truly guarantee he would not attempt to claim the castle?"
"I have no doubt he will eventually try and claim Hogwarts but that will likely be when I'm dead and I say that in the most modest way possible, gentlemen," Dumbledore smiled. "The artifact on the other hand, though deadly, it is not omnipotent. It will likely not destroy the wards. That I can assure."
"You could always grant us the peace of mind by just letting us examine the wards ourselves," Croaker said dryly.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
"And just as I have said before, old friend, when I took the role as Headmaster of Hogwarts, I took an oath to protect the school and her charges. Revealing the architecture of the wards that have protected the school since its inception is something I can't and would never reveal."
Elderberry simply smiled before his face grew serious again.
"The Minister will need to be debriefed regarding the horn."
"And how is Amelia?"
"Stable," Croaker answered. "Lady Fawley has personally assured me that she'd likely awake either tonight or tomorrow morning. I do not envy the position she will be forced in."
Dumbledore let out a sigh. "Alas, some good news."
"And Potter?"
"Harry is awake."
"There's only so many times you can protect the boy, Albus." Elderberry's gaze sharpened. "You understand that fingers will turn toward you again for his unruliness."
"And that is my responsibility as his instructor," Dumbledore said quietly.
Croaker interlocked his fingers in front of him. "You don't need us to tell you the kind of magic he used at Bones Manor."
"No."
" – If this was still Crouch's time when he was Director of the DMLE, he'd have the boy thrown in the Veil by now."
"Do you really believe Charlus Potter would have ever allowed that?" Dumbledore asked mildly.
Elderberry snorted.
"The point is," Croaker continued, rolling his eyes, "the snakes within the Wizengamot will be vying for Potter's head if they find out even a smidgen of the rumours of his use of the Unforgivables had any weight to them. Don't get me started on the international coverage that's all over the country."
Dumbledore looked as if he had aged decades. "Andromeda Black has assured me she will manage the political fallout."
"So, Potter's finally using the weight of his name to cut deals, huh?"
"Harry doesn't know yet," Dumbledore replied. "We have yet to speak after the whole ordeal."
"And what of the ICW, Albus?"
"They have scheduled an emergency meeting by the end of the week. They will go after me, like they did last year and naturally, I will defend Harry. It is my duty."
Croaker raised an eyebrow. "You condone the magic he used then?"
A pause.
"No," Dumbledore replied distastefully, "and Harry knows it. There has always been a darkness in him. I had sensed it earlier on but attributed it to Voldemort's hold on the boy. It was only after I truly began training him that I realised that perhaps this was a darkness that always existed in him, outside of Voldemort's reach."
"And you're sure it wasn't the Horcrux?" Elderberry questioned.
"I wish it were so," the old man sighed. "After that night, I truly realised I can control Harry no longer. I cannot dictate the spells he uses or how far he is to go to ensure his enemies cannot harm another. Harry had all but proven to me that he will no longer listen to me on the war front. For now, I can only be there for him and trust he will do the right thing."
"This is turning out to be one large shitshow. I'll be blunt, old friend, the day you die from your idiocy will be the day Britain crumbles."
Dumbledore smiled sadly, shaking his head as he took out his withered hand from his glove and flexed it gingerly. "Harry will be here. It won't be long before he far surpasses me. He'll be here for Britain and despite his opinions on the people, he will protect them. I have faith in him."
"Perhaps your faith in him is misplaced," Elderberry said, draining the rest of his mug before standing up. "You made a good decision by letting us know that madman had created those abominations. My only wish was that you had told us sooner. Perhaps then you wouldn't have been so foolish by attempting to seek out these Horcruxes yourself."
"Such knowledge needs to be protected to the highest degree, old friend. In all actuality, if I hadn't succumbed to this curse, I likely would not have told anyone."
The Unspeakable offered Dumbledore an unhappy frown. "We will continue to search for Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes, though what good that is without knowing how many he had created, is aimless."
Dumbledore stood up, shaking Croaker's hand and then doing the same to Elderberry.
"It is a work in progress. For now, I propose you leave the Horcruxes to me. Between Harry and myself, I believe we can make good groundwork to discover the identity of the remaining ones. The two of you need to focus on Britain. I expect your work is already cut quite thin."
Croaker barked a humourless laugh.
"You don't know the least of it. With the security breaches, the limited Aurors and the constant Obliviations on the Muggles, my staff and I are being worked to the bone. We have far less numbers in all departments as compared to the previous war. I'm not much of a betting man, Albus, but I'm afraid the odds are against us this time."
"All the more reason to work harder to ensure the society we know doesn't fall into disrepair."
"Aye. Oh, and one more thing. Our intelligence has reported that the House of White is on a warpath. It was one of their own that was killed after all."
"Jacques Rousseau… killed no less by Antonin Dolohov," Dumbledore frowned. "I can't say I knew the man very well."
Croaker waved a negligent hand. "From what my contacts have told me from the ICW, he was a fairly competent Hit-Wizard. Definitely one of their strongest agents and closely allied with the House of White. I believe Lucas White's father and he went to Beauxbatons together."
Elderberry shook his head. "With the current climate, we absolutely do not need a foreign Premier Mage sticking their noses into our affairs, Albus, and White's opinion on us is already skewed with your support for Potter."
Dumbledore hummed thoughtfully.
"Lucas White possesses extraordinary power but his lack of experience in controlling his emotions makes him volatile. It doesn't help when his family is someone like the Whites. The Blacks and them have always had a temperamental relationship for centuries."
"He sees Potter as a rival?"
"Naturally, even if it's one sided for now… You must remember, he and Harry were not so dissimilar in age from when he became his predecessor's apprentice."
"Fucking kids," Elderberry grunted under his breath.
"Shall my department run interference?" Croaker raised an eyebrow.
"I'd advise not to," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "Though Anglo-French relations are cordial on paper, there is much animosity between the two nations. A friend of mine, Bernard Delacour, has been pushing for a new general election, hoping to get elected himself but without support, it's likely it won't happen."
"Then what do you suggest?" Elderberry queried.
Dumbledore stroked his beard. "I suppose I'll have to contact Nicholas. He may no longer be the Premier Mage of France but his voice still holds considerable weight. He will not like it though. He no longer wishes to involve himself in his country's political climate but I do think I can convince him."
Croaker snorted. "He will not thank you for dragging him back into politics."
"No," Dumbledore agreed mildly. "He will not. However, if you remember, he was once my mentor. Being me, has its privileges."
Croaker stood up unhappily.
"First Lily Potter and now her blasted son… Will I ever escape the Potter curse?" He huffed. "You know, we still haven't figured out the ritual she used to protect Potter against the Killing Curse all those years ago. Bloody woman was a bloody menace even to this day."
Elderberry and Dumbledore shared a chuckle.
"By your leave, Albus."
"Take care, old friends."
CwD
October 3rd, 1996
Daphne surfaced slowly from sleep, her awareness blooming with the warmth of morning sunlight across her face. It was still early. She could just about see the pale gold of sunrise creeping up from her rather comfortable position –
Oh.
Harry was pressed flush behind her. His slow, even breathing ghosted against the nape of her neck giving Daphne a strange sense of unfamiliar peace.
It was then she realised that this was the first time she truly had a restful sleep. Not that she had nightmares or that her usual nights were restless but sleeping with Harry felt oddly… right?
Like something long misaligned had clicked into place.
She let herself sink back slightly, her head nestling into the cradle of his shoulder. Their cheeks brushed and the faint rasp of his growing stubble grazed her skin. A tiny, involuntary smile curved her lips.
The scene was utterly and entirely picturesque and then, her smile started to dim. Because how on earth could she return back to her normal bed after experiencing a night's sleep like this?
She tilted her head just enough to press the faintest kiss against his jaw. She knew in the back of her mind that she was getting bold with her affections but Daphne couldn't find it within herself to care.
Morgana was she helpless.
"The world is cruel, sweetie."
Daphne's gaze followed the line of Harry's arm that stretched underneath her head and she couldn't help but wince. She'd unabashedly used the ongoing source of her heart palpitations as her personal pillow for the night.
But it was when she looked lower that her mind briefly stopped working.
No wonder the stupid prat looks so blissfully content…
The boy's hand was wickedly cupped around her breast.
The faintest shift on Daphne's part sent his fingers brushing involuntarily against her nipple. Her breath hitched in a sound she swallowed whole, else it would have woken the whole castle.
With blooming cheeks, she carefully guided his hand away and instead placed it somewhere safe. The logical answer would be anywhere not on her body.
Apparently, her hand had other ideas… mainly the curve of her hip.
Cursing her traitorous hand, she looked back to see if Harry had awoken but let out a sigh of relief when the silly boy still had that same dopey look on his face as he slept like a log.
But as the faintest sounds of birds chirping filtered into her ears, the blonde knew she couldn't stay. As wonderful as this was – and Morgana help her, it bloody well was – it wouldn't be long before Tracey and Lily woke.
Or worse, Madam Pomfrey.
That thought alone nearly had Daphne bolting upright.
Catastrophic didn't even begin to describe it and yet, even with the impending doom, she found herself hesitating.
Daphne fiddled her fingers between his, letting her spine melt into the cradle of Harry's body. Their legs tangled beneath the blankets like roots of a tree whilst she breathed him in.
If someone had pinned a wand to her throat and demanded she choose her final moment, she suspected she would not protest if it looked like this.
Time slipped by in a gentle silence; the sounds of Harry's soft snores coupled with Daphne's soft breathing were the only constants in the small corner of the Hospital Wing.
She didn't know how long had passed as she lay under the covers, seemingly content in her position but knew she was undoubtedly playing with fire the longer she remained. Deciding reluctantly that it was time to leave, she extended her hand towards the nightstand for her wand and whispered the Tempus charm.
05:47 - October 3rd, 1996
With a touch of amusement, she gently removed Harry's hand that had in the meantime, crept up her stomach and shifted slightly into a sitting position. Looking down at the boy who had begun to be the centre of her life, she brushed his cheek with her hand before slowly rising.
That was until the same hand that she had removed, suddenly wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her back onto the bed.
With an indignant squeak, Daphne fell back into Harry's warm embrace, the blanket once again covering the pair.
"Cold…" Harry mumbled, pulling Daphne closer as he buried his face in her hair.
Despite the situation, the blonde giggled as she felt his nose nudging against her ear. She twisted her head to look back at his face and saw that Harry was half awake.
"Ow," Harry grumbled sleepily as Daphne pulled his ear.
"I've got to go, else I'll be caught, Harry." She whispered, soothingly rubbing the ear she pulled.
"You can't go…"
"And why's that, darling?"
"Cold…" he repeated, "I'll be cold."
Daphne gasped dramatically. "We can't have that."
"Exactly…" As if he was dreaming, Harry's lips twitched victoriously in a smug, sleepy grin.
The blonde shook her head exasperatedly, threading her fingers gently through his hair.
"Unless you want the entire school to find out, I truly need to go, you dolt."
With that, Daphne made another attempt at extracting herself but not before a disgruntled sound rumbled out of Harry who then tightened around her waist.
"You're too warm to let go."
Her cheeks burned at the boy's audacity. "I am not your personal furnace, Potter."
"Strange… I could've sworn you were last night," Harry mumbled.
Daphne blinked rapidly. "T-That was due to extenuating circumstances!"
" – Just shut up and go to sleep. It's too early for your rabble." Harry tsked, proceeding to tuck her head under his chin.
"Dear Morgana…" Daphne breathed, torn somewhere between arousal and annoyance. Sometimes she wanted to just slap him.
She tried to wiggle out again but the stubborn donkey was relentless.
"Stop it," he complained as if he was a sleepy dragon protecting his treasure.
"Harry, let go!"
"Noo –"
" – We're going to get caught!" Daphne tried.
"S'Fine… Poppy's usually quite slow in the mornings…"
"Is that right, Mr Potter?"
Every inch of Daphne went rigid just as Harry's eyes snapped open. Painfully, the pair turned their heads toward the source of the voice and saw Madam Pomfrey standing at the foot of the bed with her arms crossed.
"Well," Madam Pomfrey drawled with an amused raised eyebrow, "I see the patient is recovering… robustly."
For the second time in the school year, Daphne wanted to die.
"P-Poppy…" Harry tried grinning, "f-fancy seeing you so early… Had a goodnight's rest?"
Madam Pomfrey amusement quadrupled.
"Not as good as you did it seems…" Her gaze turned to the frozen blonde. "Miss Greengrass – I trust you have an excellent explanation for why you are in my patient's bed at dawn, looking, dare I say… quite comfortable?"
Daphne opened her mouth but no sound came out.
Harry, bless his heroic Gryffindor soul, attempted to sit up and speak –
– and promptly realised he was still fully tangled around Daphne.
Madam Pomfrey pinched the bridge of her nose as both teens' faces began blushing up a storm.
"Poppy, I can explain – "
" – I doubt that very much," she cut in lightly, "but by all means, entertain me, Potter."
Daphne, mortified beyond reason, attempted to scoot away but Harry's arm tightened in instinct around her waist and with a soft poof, she fell right back against him.
"My, my," the matron raised both eyebrows. "Quite attached this morning, aren't we? Honestly, you kids are getting more and more audacious by the year."
"Potter, let go of me!" Daphne hissed.
"If you could let go of me, then I can let go of you, Greengrass," Harry groaned with a wince when Daphne's knee connected hard against the side of his thigh. "Stop moving around, you're making it worse – "
" – Me? You're the idiot that grabbed my – "
"Children," Madam Pomfrey interrupted with a hint of a smirk. "If the pair of you would stop blatantly flirting in front of me, I might pretend that this predicament is salvageable."
Daphne pressed her hands onto her face in an attempt to alleviate the colossal humiliation whilst Harry simply fell back onto his pillow.
"Now then, if you two are quite done, I think it's time you, Miss Greengrass, head back to your dormitory immediately. No dawdling."
Whilst Madam Pomfrey had thankfully given them some wiggle room as she began tending to some potions off to the side, Harry poked Daphne on the hip, indicating to his Invisibility Cloak and thankfully, she got the message.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Daphne, with a flick of her wand, summoned Harry's Hogwarts robes and seamlessly put them over her nightgown before snatching up the Cloak, just as the matron turned to them. If Madam Pomfrey noticed Daphne wearing robes that looked as if they were two sizes too large, she didn't comment.
The older woman sniffed at the pair.
"Now, I've decided I won't pry into what either of you were doing last night – "
Harry groaned. "Poppy…"
" – but for future reference, I have strict rules in my hospital and one of them is no fraternisation with my patients, Miss Greengrass." she continued, ignoring him.
Daphne smoothed her hair, trying to regain even a shred of dignity. "Of course, Madam Pomfrey."
"I won't even question how you even got in but don't let me catch you again."
The blonde bowed her head.
"And you," the matron rounded on Harry who raised both of his hands in surrender. "Stop corrupting her. Miss Greengrass is a good girl. You definitely had a hand in this."
Harry gaped at the woman. "Me?! I didn't do anything! Princess here is the one who – "
Daphne glared at him and Harry promptly shut his mouth with a scowl.
" – Fine."
Lips twitching, Madam Pomfrey turned to Daphne. "Off you go then, Miss Greengrass. I trust you don't need Mr Potter's assistance returning back to your dormitory?"
Despite her effortless mask which had fallen back into place, Daphne blushed. "N-No ma'am."
She parted the curtains carefully and strode towards the exit slowly, not trusting her legs to give up on her due to her utter humiliation. That was until Madam Pomfrey's voice stopped her.
"Shoes, dear."
The blonde looked down.
Both feet were bare.
She heard Harry's amused snort behind her and wanted to strangle him.
"Oh, for Morgana's sake," she muttered, snatching her shoes from the floor and practically bolting from the exit with as much dignity as she could muster.
"I don't need to tell you not to tell anyone about what you saw, right?" Harry said after he saw the hospital doors slam behind the blonde. "And I mean anyone."
Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes. "I'll take what I walked into this morning under my healer-patient confidentiality vow though I won't deny my curiosity on how such a partnership came to be…?"
"It's complicated to say the least."
"With you involved, I'm not surprised it isn't."
Harry smiled wryly.
"So… Miss Greengrass…" the matron raised an eyebrow. "She must be important to you."
"I-I suppose she is," He replied rather reluctantly.
"Enough for the pair of you to sleep with one another on my hospital bed."
He blushed. "We didn't… we didn't do what you think we did."
"Oh…? And what am I thinking exactly?"
Harry opened his mouth but then closed it right away.
"I want another healer."
Madam Pomfrey smirked. "Unfortunately for you, you're stuck with me. And here I thought you were all over that Granger girl."
At the mention of Hermione's name, Harry's expression changed. "It's… complicated."
The matron looked over at the boy and thought better of goading him and decided to shift the conversation into something else.
"Andromeda said she will be visiting in a few hours."
Harry perked up. "Really?"
"I wouldn't sound too happy if I were you. From her letter, she doesn't seem too happy." Madam Pomfrey said dryly. "Now, sit still for a moment."
The teen allowed the woman to trace her wand carefully over the length of his body and with a flick of the stick, diagnostic diagrams and charts appeared above his frame. For Harry though, he couldn't even imagine what on earth he was looking at.
"Why would mother be upset with me?" Harry pondered aloud. "I did a good thing by going over to Bones Manor."
" – Without consideration of your own wellbeing, if I may add."
He scoffed. "I can handle myself."
"Perhaps when you have children of your own, you'd understand," Pomfrey muttered, shaking her head. "Now regarding your vitals, everything seems to be normal. Your wounds are healing rather well and you should have complete mobility of your arm in a day or so."
Harry looked down at his wand arm. The memory of his Phoenix tattoo burning through the Fiendfyre and then ultimately summoning Fawkes himself, still fresh in his mind. He was displeased but until he could speak to his grandfather, he would still be in the dark about how such a thing happened in the first place.
" – And so, no magic. At least for the rest of the day. Understood?"
He blinked. "Sure."
Madam Pomfrey looked at him suspiciously for a moment before sniffing. She picked up a few potions and handed them to him.
"Drink your daily potion first and then these two exactly three minutes apart from each other."
Harry looked resignedly at the potions.
"Fine…"
"And Harry."
The teen looked up at the mention of his name.
"I truly hope you know what you're doing."
At his confused expression, Madam Pomfrey huffed.
"With Miss Greengrass."
Harry's face turned expressionless. "Oh."
"News of her betrothal is not merely idle news. I said I won't pry and I will not but pursuing a betrothed woman will only cause problems not only for you, but for Miss Greengrass as well if her or Mr Warrington's family finds out.
"I'm not pursuing – "
"Whatever you youngsters call it nowadays," Madam Pomfrey interrupted with a negligent wave of her hand. "All I'm saying is that the Greengrass' are of old blood; centuries and centuries of tradition and decor. The situation between you and Miss Greengrass is not uncommon but it's certainly not looked well upon by even today's society no matter how they feel about the Pureblood ideology. Can you really afford another slight against your name if such a relationship came to light?"
She touched Harry's shoulder when he didn't answer, giving him an almost apologetic look.
"You're a good boy, Harry, but If you're serious about the two of you, then expect for the world to turn against you. If it's some silly little dalliance, save yourself and her, the future headache and heartbreak. Believe me, it's never worth it." Madam Pomfrey said as she began walking away, not before mumbling something over her shoulder, loud enough for Harry to hear. "Although to me, it certainly looked anything but serious."
The teen sat in silence for a moment, contemplating what Madam Pomfrey said before picking up his potions and downing them one after the other. After he was done, he fell back onto his pillow and pulled the blanket up to his chin, unconsciously inhaling Daphne's lingering scent as he closed his eyes.
"When isn't the world against me?"
CwD
Amelia stifled a hiss when she stepped off the lift with an awkward tilt of her foot, sending a charge of pain up her leg.
"Ma'am?"
" – I'm fine, Shack."
Kingsley pursed his lips. "Permission to speak candidly, Ma'am?"
Amelia rolled her eyes. "We both joined the Aurors at the same time and hold the same rank, I think we can forgo the formalities."
"And yet one of us holds the highest position in our country's office. It's only right I ask."
The redhead glared at the man until he raised his hands. "You should be in bed, Amelia. Resting."
"And you should be with the Muggle Prime Minister."
"Orders have changed," Shacklebolt shrugged. "Until Tonks is fit for duty, you'll be stuck with me, I'm afraid. Scrimgeour's orders. Unlike you, Tonks is utilising the full extent of her sick days."
Amelia's eyes softened. "Well she deserves it. You should've seen her, Shack. For someone so young… She made me proud."
The man nodded as the pair turned the corner. "I've read the reports. She's one of our best for a reason though I shall pass on the message to old Moody. I'm sure he'll be thrilled."
"In his own way," the woman chuckled, imagining the grizzly ex-auror's rare wry grins.
The pair reached Amelia's office where outside, a woman was pacing impatiently.
"Dorothy?"
At the call of her name, the woman turned sharply and her face sagged in relief whilst she hurried over to them.
"M-Ma'am I-I tried stopping her b-but she just walked in! I-I told her that s-she needed an appointment – t-there was n-no stopping her – "
" – Dorothy calm down!" Amelia frowned. "Start from the beginning."
Dorothy blushed, mumbling out an apology. "Perhaps it's better if ma'am sees for herself."
Amelia and Shacklebolt shared a look before the former walked past the others and opened the door to her office and blinked in surprise.
"Good morning, Amelia."
"Andromeda."
Andromeda, who had risen, inclined her head in greeting. "I was hoping for a moment of your time… seeing as you were occupied, I hope you didn't mind that I let myself in."
The two women eyed one another for a moment until Amelia sighed. She turned to Shacklebolt. "Wait outside."
Shacklebolt nodded and left, shutting the door behind him leaving the room buzzing in an almost awkward silence.
"Tea, Andromeda?" Amelia asked after a long moment, shuffling over to her desk.
"Thank you but a rather kind elf named Zipper was more than happy to bring some to me. I've already poured ourselves a pair. Here you go."
Amelia raised an eyebrow but nevertheless, took her seat behind her desk with a wince and accepted the beverage.
"You should still be resting," Andromeda lightly reprimanded. "I know for certain no Medi-Witch would've given authorisation for you to be discharged so soon."
The redhead grumbled something under her breath before fixing the other woman with a glare. "Dorothy is a good girl, you know. I don't particularly appreciate you putting her in that position."
The Lady Black merely sniffed. "You should hire someone with more of a backbone, then. You are the Minister of Magic after all."
Amelia pinched the bridge of her nose.
"What do you want, Andromeda?" She asked tiredly.
Instead of responding, Andromeda placed a folded piece of paper and slid it across.
The headline screamed in lurid gold print:
"POTTER UNLEASHES UNFORGIVABLES? BRITAIN'S FUTURE PREMIER MAGE… OR FUTURE DARK LORD?"
"Merlin…" Amelia muttered as her eyes skimmed the first few paragraphs. "The bloody jackals filled in the silence with their own jargon."
"Your silence," Andromeda cut in icily; her earlier kind pretence fading immediately. "They are twisting your silence, Amelia."
A moment passed between the two before Amelia leaned back into her chair. "So, I assume you're here to demand I refute the story?"
"Not refute but to correct."
Andromeda rose to her feet. "My Hadrian saved your life. He saved your Aurors' lives. He killed Fenrir Greyback and Rabastan Lestrange when no one else could. If not for him, Bones Manor would have become a tomb so hear me clearly, Amelia…"
She placed both palms on the desk and leaned forward and looked directly into the redhead's eyes. "Your Ministry has done a disservice to my boy over the years – do not for one second think I'm not aware. I was not there for him then but I'll be damned if I'm not there for him now. I will not allow Britain to turn him into its next boogeyman because the Ministry refuses to grow a spine."
Amelia inhaled slowly. "You're asking for a public absolution."
"I am stating," Andromeda corrected, "that my Hadrian is a hero. And that I expect the Ministry of Magic to behave as though they are grateful to still have a Minister left alive to sign orders."
The redhead's gaze flickered to the paper's headline again.
"I can't simply wave away the public's concerns," she muttered. "They're not blind, Andromeda! You must know how it looks. The future Premier Mage of Magical Britain, a powerful title that comes with legal immunity, casting Unforgivables. Forget about Britain, the international magical community are calling it – " she gestured vaguely at the parchment, " – a prelude."
Andromeda's eyes narrowed at the hidden meaning. "My son is many things, Amelia, but I assure you, he is nothing like Voldemort."
"He used the Killing Curse, Andromeda! Multiple times!"
" – To put down pathetic dogs!" Andromeda snarled. "Dogs who if Hadrian wasn't there, would've ripped you all apart, my daughter included!"
"There were alternatives," Amelia tried. "The way he mercilessly tore through their ranks…" She shook her head. "Look, I admit, without him, we would be dead but with the level of skill he showed with his wand, he could've easily subdued them. He didn't need to resort to what he did."
"And have Greyback and Lestrange come back and attempt to harm you again? Attempt to harm my daughter again?" Andromeda balled her fists tightly as she glared at the other woman. "They're criminals, the worst of the worst. They escaped from Azkaban for Morgana's sake! For crimes so heinous that they should never have seen the light of day again. They were marked for death the moment they escaped. It just so happens that Hadrian was their hangman."
The woman released a breath. When she spoke again, her voice was measured.
"I understand politics. I understand optics. And I understand that you are under enormous pressure. But Hadrian acted in defence of you and your people."
Amelia pursed her lips tightly. "What would you have me say to the press?"
"That without my son, you and your men would be catalogued corpses in the mortuary by now."
The redhead exhaled through her nose. The truth was a bitter thing. She could still remember Harry pushing back against Dolohov's Fiendfyre whilst she and the others could only stand and watch even as he burned and screamed. And even then, he survived.
They survived.
She rubbed her temples. "If I issue a press statement clearing him, I'll be accused of political collusion with House Black, of shielding a dangerous young man because of his title. The Wizengamot will vie to have me impeached!"
"Then choose your words wisely."
"How?" Amelia frustratedly responded.
Andromeda titled her head. "Focus on the facts. Hadrian defended the innocent during a terrorist attack. The Ministry confirms he acted with necessity and restraint given the circumstances. No further comment."
"That won't alone justify why he was there in the first place," Amelia shot back.
"Then push for the Premier Mage angle."
"Excuse me?"
"There was a simultaneous attack at Diagon Alley," Andromeda said patiently. "Detail that Albus Dumbledore had ordered Hadrian to assist you whilst he deals with the attack in the Alley."
Amelia paused, begrudgingly finding merit in the other woman's reasonings. "That won't kill the rumours."
"There will always be rumours surrounding my boy. What you will be saying is fact and the people will have to accept it."
"And if I refuse?" Amelia asked bitterly.
Andromeda's expression turned stone cold.
"Then," she began softly, "I will bring forth the full might of the House of Black on this Ministry. To start, perhaps by holding my own press release…"
The redhead froze.
Andromeda smiled thinly as she turned her back to her and moved toward the door. "I see you finally grasped the urgency of the situation, Amelia. You and your Ministry owe a considerable debt to my Hadrian. See to it that it is repaid. If I see that blasted headline run again tomorrow, I will ensure the Prophet will not survive the week. Your tenure on the other hand, won't even last three days."
"You'd go that far, Andromeda…? For a boy you barely knew a couple of months ago?"
"Do not presume to understand the lengths I wouldn't go for him, Amelia." The Lady Black spoke over her shoulder; her voice as quiet as a whisper. "You have no idea."
CwD
Tonks shifted slightly on her bed. Letting out a soft groan, she blearily opened her eyes and was instantly assaulted by lights so bright she felt her eyes were burning.
"Turn 'em off…!" She reached for where she thought her wand was when a sudden spike of pain travelled up her arm. "Ow – "
"Easy, Dora."
The familiar voice was filled with abject relief. A moment later, the lights dimmed slightly and that's when Tonks felt his presence.
"You're late, you stupid dog."
Remus Lupin chuckled wearily as he squeezed her hand. "From what I've heard, it didn't sound like you needed me at all."
"Bollocks." Tonks slowly turned her head toward him, noticing the worried lines on his face as he smiled at her. "Where am I?"
"St Mungos. You were injured pretty badly," he said, nodding towards the lower half of her body.
Tonks warily lifted up the covers and held back a wince when she could see thick bandages sticking out of her hospital gown. Her legs felt completely numb as if she was paralysed from the waist below.
Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Harry!"
She made to sit up but was instantly held back by Remus who gently coerced her back onto the bed.
"Relax, Dora. He's at Hogwarts with Madam Pomfrey. He suffered a few cuts and burns but from what I've heard, he'll be fine."
"That git…" Tonks mumbled as she sunk into her pillow. Turning her eyes to the man next to her, she couldn't help her tone turn accusatory. "Remus, where were you?"
Remus sighed. "Remember that mission Albus gave me? To try and convince the werewolves who had thrown their lot with Greyback to withdraw from the war?"
She nodded.
"That fell through and so I was sent to the Continent. We had received intel that Greyback had begun recruiting werewolves from different factions to join the war front. I was tasked to convince them otherwise."
"Did you?"
Remus smiled slightly.
"Some, yes. There were some factions who already knew of Greyback's atrocities and had only agreed to join the war only to get Greyback off their backs. Some wanted monetary concessions, others wanted new homes and cheaper deals on Wolfsbane… Point is, that most were all coerced one way or the other."
He intertwined his fingers with hers and dropped his head. "D-Dora… if – if I had known what was going to happen the other day… I would've done everything I could've to be at your side."
Tonks' chin wobbled as she turned away from him. "I needed you, Remus… for a second I – I thought I was going to die."
"Never again." Remus vowed, enclosing his other hand over theirs. "I've already spoken to Albus. I won't be leaving for any more missions unless it's in Britain. I won't leave you again, Dora. I promise you."
The Metamorph turned to look at him, her eyes misty.
"I was scared…" she whispered. "I really thought that it was the end."
Remus kissed her hand.
"If – If it wasn't for Harry… I would've never seen you again or mum or-r anyone. He saved me, Remus. He saved us all." Tonks gripped Remus' hand tighter.
"Then I owe Harry a debt. For bringing you back to me." The werewolf smiled softly at her as he turned his gaze to the window. "He's become so strong – a hero to many. They would be proud of him."
"Mmhmm."
Just then, the pair heard someone knock on the doors behind them. Looking at Tonks who nodded, Remus greeted the person in.
"Nymphadora Tonks, I'd wish I'd say I'm happy to see you, only I wish it was under better circumstances."
Tonks scowled at the woman who spoke. "For the fiftieth time, Aunt Leanne, it's just Tonks."
"Nymphadora…"
Tonks winced as she caught the warning eyes of her mother trailing after the giggling Head Medi-Witch. "Yes… hello to you too, mother."
Andromeda reached Tonks in a few strides, completely ignoring Remus who in the meantime, had stood up and walked over to the foot of the bed.
"How are you, baby?" Andromeda mumbled worriedly, brushing Tonks' dark brown hair.
"M'fine, mum. Just a few scratches."
"Silly girl," the Black Matriarch huffed before hugging her daughter gently. "I'd say your brother is a bad influence on you but it's likely the other way around."
Tonks chuckled gingerly from where she had buried her face in her mother's shoulder. "How is he, mum?"
Andromeda pulled back, wiping away at the tears that had fallen.
"Poppy's assured me he's stable and ready for visitors. Normally, I wouldn't have waited but with you heavily injured and the fallout over that night, there was a lot to do. I'll be going to see him straight after."
"What do you mean fallout?" Tonks frowned.
"Nothing you need to worry about, darling. It's all being handled."
The younger girl nodded unconvincingly. "When can I leave?"
Leanne Fawley, who had been busy reading over Tonks' charts looked up.
"You've healed enough that your condition is no longer in the critical stage, so to speak. I will however not authorise your discharge so soon."
Andromeda shushed Tonks with a look when the girl was about to protest.
"You're lucky that those curses missed the arteries in your thighs, Nymphadora, otherwise we would not be having this conversation right now," Leanne said seriously. "Nasty business, Aurors. I've always agreed with Andromeda that you should've chosen a different profession."
Tonks gritted her teeth. "I'm a damn good Auror."
"Aye lass, you are."
"We're just worried about you, sweetheart," Andromeda comforted, rubbing Tonks' arm.
"I knew the risks before I took the job, mum. They just… just caught me on a bad day, that's all."
Leanna snorted; her eyes looked as if they were replaying a distant memory. "You're just like that idiot mentor of yours. He too was a stubborn oaf – one track mind and all and now look at the state of him."
Despite herself, Tonks couldn't help the grin appearing on her face.
The older medi-witch caught her smile and wagged her finger at the now wary Tonks. "You're staying here until I'm certain the curses have run their marks. I'm especially worried about any infections surfacing so until then, you're not going anywhere. Who's the current Head Auror?"
"Proudfoot," Tonks admitted as she slumped back into her pillow defeatedly whilst Remus, who was standing at the foot of the bed, sighed in relief.
Leanne nodded. "I'll send him a letter detailing your condition and inability to return to work at this time. I'll pop back in an hour or two to check up on you."
"Thank you, Leanne, for everything." Andromeda said thankfully.
Leanna smiled fondly at Andromeda before turning to leave but not before she caught the tatty looking man standing against the wall.
"I'm not sure we've met, Mister…?"
Remus cleared his throat awkwardly whilst Andromeda's face cooled as she returned her gaze back to Tonks.
"Lupin, ma'am. Remus Lupin."
Leanne hummed interestedly.
"Your name is familiar; I just can't seem to remember from where..." She then looked between the man and Tonks and her eyebrows slightly rose before a smile graced her features. "I… see."
Tonks groaned as Leanne walked away laughing.
As soon as the older woman left, the room turned deathly silent.
Tonks tried catching Remus' eyes but Remus was looking everywhere else but at her.
Andromeda cleared her throat delicately. "I think it's time you leave, Remus – "
" – He's staying," Tonks snapped, glaring at her mother who glared right back.
"I would like to speak to my daughter alone."
Remus nodded mutely in the background and turned to leave until Tonks' voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Anything you need to say, you can say in front of him, mum! I'm not doing this with you again!"
"Dora… s'fine – "
"If you take another foot towards the door, I will shove my foot so far up your arse you'd wished you left, Remus!" The Metamorph growled. "Park your backside in that chair, now!"
Remus hesitated only for a second but folded immediately when he saw Tonks's bravado flickering. Walking over, the man sat on a chair on the other side of the bed, pretending he couldn't see Andromeda glaring daggers into the side of his head.
Andromeda rose up swiftly. "Either I stay, or he goes!"
"Then there's the door, mum. Don't let it hit you on the way out!" Tonks shouted.
Andromeda's nostrils flared at her daughter's audacity. Sending one last scowl at the pair of them, the Black matriarch stormed out of the room, slamming the doors behind her with a thud.
A second went by before Remus broke it. "Well, that was pleasant…"
CwD
" – She gets her bloody stubbornness from her father, bless his heart! Definitely not from me! Honestly, the nerve of that girl to choose that no-good coward of a man over her own mother… after everything I've done for her!"
Harry sighed as he listened to Andromeda rant on and on about Tonks and Remus. The woman had started as soon as she had barged into the Hospital Wing and after fretting over him and then having a go at him for his recklessness, she had begun to spit fire the moment he brought up Tonks.
"Mmm," Harry agreed half-heartedly. He went to put on his tie but his hands were slapped away as Andromeda took over for him, looping the fabric over his neck.
" – I don't even know what she sees in him! The bloody man can't even look me in the eyes when I speak to him," she hissed, pushing up the somehow impeccable looking Windsor knot right up to his neck before straightening his collar over it. "It's like she's rebelling on purpose!"
"She's a big girl, Mother, she's old enough to make her own decisions," Harry consoled placatingly, loosening the knot a little at his throat so he could breathe. When it looked as if Andromeda was going to retort back, he continued on. "Look, you know I don't have the best opinion on him either but he's good to Nym and she likes him enough. Isn't that enough?"
Andromeda shot him a scathing look. "When you grow up and have a daughter and she enters into a relationship with an older man just to spite you – because that's exactly what Nymphadora is doing – let's have this conversation again."
It's like deja-vu. Harry rolled his eyes.
With a swipe of his hand, he grabbed his jumper and after putting it and then his robes on, he swished around on the spot and struck a pose to Andromeda.
"How do I look?" He exclaimed dramatically.
Andromeda huffed, crossing her arms. "Don't think for a second I'm pleased with you either."
"Do we have to have this conversation again?" Harry groaned. "I said I was sorry already."
"Sorry doesn't excuse you for your recklessness! Does your life mean so little that you're so willing to throw it away at a drop of a hat?!"
Harry's jaw twitched, the frustration he'd been holding back surfacing. "That proverbial hat could've resulted in Nym dying… Would we still be having this conversation if that was the case?"
He knew the moment he spoke those words that he'd gone too far.
The room fell deathly still and for a long moment, Andromeda said nothing. Then slowly, she turned her back to him. Harry, expecting some harsh retort back or even tears, faltered when he saw her shoulders sag.
"Don't…" Andromeda whispered so quietly that he almost didn't hear her. "Don't make me imagine that."
"Mother – "
" – You remind me of them so much, you know. Not in how you look but how you act like them."
She turned back to him but there was no fury in her eyes but only fear.
"I hated Dumbledore for how he enticed them to join the Order, how noble he made the whole affair out to be and honestly, what did they know? Fresh out of Hogwarts, barely adults themselves. We had thought Lily accepting the job offer with the Unspeakables was a step in the right direction. Away from the war and the sense of duty that Dumbledore and the others indoctrinated in them. And then you were born and that should've been their wake-up call but instead, they delved deeper into their work. James going off on more missions, Lily spending more time at work and when she wasn't there, she'd be running headlong into danger with James and Sirius and Alice and Frank."
She crossed the space between them in two strides when she saw Harry drop his head. Seizing his face in her hands, she forced him to meet her gaze.
"I have already buried too many people I loved because they believed the world could not survive without them," she said fiercely. "I will not bury you as well."
Harry's throat tightened. "I wasn't trying to die."
"I know, sweetheart, I know, and that's the worst part." Her eyes shone with unshed tears. "You're the strongest person I know, Hadrian and that terrifies me. All it takes is one mistake – one wrong spell and I… I-I can't bear to lose you or Nymphadora… I-I couldn't – wouldn't – survive…"
Harry pulled her into him without thinking, arms closing tight around her shoulders as Andromeda finally let out a strangled sob.
"I can't change who I am, mother," he whispered after a moment. "I will not rest until I destroy every last one of them."
She pulled back just enough to look at him. "Just promise me this then. Promise you will come back. Every time."
Harry turned his gaze to the window. Outside, clouds slid over the sun, dimming the light until the ward was cast in shadow.
"I promise."
CwD
Harry flicked his wand and saw that it was lunch and as if on cue, his stomach rumbled. Walking towards the Great Hall, he recounted the conversation he had with Andromeda just before she had left.
"They want your blood," she said flatly as she put her coat on. "And they will not hesitate to take it if given the chance."
"I don't care what the world thinks, Mother."
"You have no choice. You are in the spotlight, Hadrian, whether you like it or not. This world eats its saviours the moment they stop being convenient and right now to them, you're beginning to stray from their idea of a hero. This is what was released this morning…"
Harry eyed the newspaper clipping with a sneer.
UNFORGIVABLES USED AT BONES MANOR! HARRY POTTER AT THE HEART OF THE SLAUGHTER!
"What do you want me to do?"
"Nothing."
He blinked. "What?"
Andromeda smiled at him as she took his hand.
"I have already taken measures to ensure this drivel will be published no more." Her smile then turned positively deadly as she continued. "I will shred them. Every columnist, every politician, every disgusting viper who dares suggest you acted out of malice that night."
"You are a hero, Hadrian," her voice softened, "and the world will know it. Amelia and the Aurors survived because of you and I assure you, I will not let them forget about it."
Harry didn't yet know how Andromeda intended to do it, only that someone, somewhere, was having or about to have, a very bad morning.
Shoving his hands into his pocket, he eventually turned the corner and couldn't help but cringe when he reached the entrance hall.
The damage was impossible to ignore.
Scorched stone marred the walls where ancient tapestries once hung. Several suits of armour lay dismantled in neat, almost reverent piles. Even the great chandelier; a glittering anchor above the hall was gone, leaving behind a yawning emptiness in the vaulted ceiling.
Harry felt a pang of pain in his chest.
The familiar sense of permanence Hogwarts usually exuded was fractured here and it was his fault.
He slowed before the massive front doors. To the normal eye, the doors looked completely normal but Harry knew better.
Conjuration…
Such expert conjuration could've only been done by either McGonagall or Dumbledore. Despite their efforts, however, the magic wouldn't last and eventually, the doors would have to be replaced.
How on earth he'd talk his way out of this predicament, he honestly didn't know. Turning around, the teen eyed the second pair of doors which led to the Great Hall with great apprehension.
Harry wasn't lying when he said that he didn't care what the world thought of him, least of all, Magical Britain and its inhabitants, but it didn't mean he wanted to be put in this situation again. As if he was the main attraction in a circus about to make his grand appearance in front of a crowd.
The same crowd that watched him destroy their castle.
With a sigh, Harry pushed the doors open and slipped inside. Whatever minute hope he had of being able to eat unnoticeably, evaporated rather instantly.
Conversations withered mid-sentence as though someone had thrown a Silencing Charm over the hall. Hundreds of eyes turned toward him, a few with awe and yet the majority was with fear and anger.
Harry kept his expression impassive as his gaze swept the room, searching for one person in particular.
He's not here…
Dumbledore's seat sat conspicuously empty at the staff table.
McGonagall's, however, was not.
The Deputy Headmistress was already rising to her feet, tartan robes bristling as she fixed him with a glare that promised a reckoning.
Well, if I'm going to get shouted out, I deserve some food at the very least.
Harry pivoted smoothly and headed for the far end of the Gryffindor table, ignoring the growing noise level of the hall as students began to point at him and whisper. When the Second Years who were originally sitting there saw him striding towards them, they shot out their seats so fast that some toppled over the benches, attempting to put as much space between him and them as possible.
"Acting like I have a contagious disease… fucking brats," Harry muttered.
Before he could slip into the bench, a sudden red blur slammed into his side hard.
"Merlin almighty – "
" – Harry!"
The sudden shout of his name once again quietened the masses as students and even teachers alike, craned their heads to see what was happening.
"S-Susan?"
Susan's face was pressed against his chest, fingers gripping the fabric of his robes so tightly it almost hurt. Up close, Harry could see that her eyes were red-rimmed. She'd been crying. Even her usually vibrant red hair seemed dulled, hanging loose and un-styled around her shoulders.
"T-They said Aunty… A-Aunty," she blurted, her words tumbling over each other. "Y-You saved her, Harry! You saved my Aunty!"
Susan's voice broke as she pulled back and stared directly up at him, her hands fisted in his robes.
"Aunt Amy's alive… thanks to you, Harry…"
Harry blinked. For a heartbeat, his mind simply just stalled.
Somewhere, the sound of a piece of cutlery dropping to the floor echoed around the hall.
"Susan, I – "
Before Harry could finish, she surged forward and hugged him again, properly this time. Lifting herself on her tiptoes, she planted her head against the crook of his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck.
A second barely passed before the room erupted.
"They can say whatever they want," Susan whispered fiercely in his ear, over the pandemonium that was going on all around them, "I don't care. I know what you did. Aunty Amy told me everything… if you… if you hadn't been there, I-I – "
She shuddered as she pulled back, wiping furiously at her eyes. "Thank you, Harry. You truly are a hero."
For a moment, the teen was speechless. Then, almost immediately, his mask clicked into place. He rested a hand between her shoulders and gave a small squeeze.
"I'm glad she's alive, Susan." Harry said quietly.
Susan beamed at him, a smile so bright and full of life that Harry almost felt bad for lying to her.
" – I say, Miss Bones!"
Susan flushed scarlet as she hastily released Harry.
Professor McGonagall strode forwards and fixed the pair with a disapproving glare. "While I understand that emotions are… understandably high, this is neither the time nor the place for such displays," she said crisply though it was clear her voice lacked its usual bite.
At that moment, like a persistent fly, Hannah appeared at Susan's side. "'Scuse us, Professor…c'mon, Sue." She slipped an arm around her friend's shoulders and offered Harry a brief nod which he ignored.
"See you later, Harry," the redhead mumbled as Hannah led her back to the Hufflepuff table, peeking over her shoulder at him all the way.
Harry exhaled slowly after the girls left though this had the effect of bringing McGonagall's gaze back to him, her earlier glare which was laced with sympathy now all but ice.
Before she could speak, Harry turned on his heel and strode back toward the Gryffindor table. He slid onto the bench and reached for a plate, piling it with chicken and carrots as though nothing remotely unusual had just occurred.
It had bought him exactly three seconds.
" – Do you have any idea the amount of damage you had done to the castle, Pot – " The rest of McGonagall's tirade vanished as her wand snapped up and a privacy ward shimmered into place.
From the outside, students who had been watching the scene play out, began whispering to one another. Some in excitement, a few with sympathy and most spitefully.
"Blimey, she's proper tearing into him," Ron winced from the other side of the table.
He was joined by Hermione, Neville and the rest of his classmates. The group and most of the Hall shamelessly watched as McGonagall gestured wildly, her face growing more redder and redder as Harry sat there silently munching on his food as if he didn't have a care in the world.
"S'wrong with him?" Seamus asked confusedly. "S'like he's half there and half isn't."
Neville shot the boy a look. "Nothing's wrong with him, Seamus."
Hermione shifted uncomfortably.
"Well, I think it's wrong," Ginny huffed, spearing her sausage with her fork.
Dean frowned. "What's wrong, babe?"
"That McGonagall, the Prophet, hell, the whole bloody world is giving Harry a hard time over saving Susan's aunt," Ginny exclaimed, disregarding Ron's grumbling over Dean's endearment.
"Right," Seamus muttered, "let's just gloss over the fact that he used the Unforgivables…."
"Yeah, and why don't we listen to the fucking Prophet like last year, right, Seamus?"
"Ginny!" Hermione reprimanded.
"Well, it's not just the Prophet though, is it?" Lavender piped up, ignoring Seamus' thank you. "At this point, it's international news that Harry used the Unforgivables and that the British Ministry is refusing to press charges. What were they saying again, Parv? Something about Harry using his position – ?"
" – That Harry Potter is using his position as the next Premier Mage to circumvent ICW laws and that the British Ministry is being equally complicit by not arresting him…" Parvati recited. "I suppose I can see how this whole thing is a little wishy washy."
"Because he hasn't done anything wrong, bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Hermione, help me out, will you?"
The girl in question remained silent, staring hard into her plate.
Seamus let out a low whistle at that, even the others looked at one another surprisedly. To them, this was the first time Hermione hadn't forced fed her opinion especially when it came to Harry.
Ron rounded on them, annoyed at Hermione's silence. "Oh, come off it. He was there. None of you or the bloody papers weren't!"
"You weren't there either, Ron," Parvati pointed out. She continued when Ron shot her a betrayed look. "Look, Harry's our friend but we're not all blind that we can't see that he's different. Ginny, weren't you the one who said that Harry looks as if he's barely paying any attention to Quidditch anymore? Isn't he the captain of the team? And we all agree Snape's awful but Harry could at least turn up to his classes. We're actually learning stuff with him as opposed to the absolute shitshow that was last year with Umbridge."
Ginny went to retort but closed her mouth, averting her gaze.
Lavender smiled sympathetically as she patted Ron's hand. "Look sweetie, if this is about you being a complete arse to Harry in Fourth Year…"
Ron's face grew red as he yanked his hand away from Lavender who rolled her eyes at him.
"Harry's not a bad person."
The group turned to Hermione who finally spoke up, though she still hadn't raised her head to look at them. Before they could question her further, the bell rang signalling fourth period.
The Hall was once again a cacophony of groans and shuffling of feet as students rose from their seats.
"Yikes, McGonagall does not look happy," Dean mentioned as the group turned to see their Head of Year leaving Harry with a red face and pursed lips.
"No kidding…"
"What do we have now?" Parvati asked.
"Double Defence with the Snakes." Neville muttered quietly.
The group let out a collective groan.
CwD
Harry's head was still ringing from the bollocking he received from McGonagall that for a second, he was contemplating going to the kitchens to finish up the rest of the meal and hang out with the elves the rest of the day.
He sighed.
If only…
Once the majority of the students had left, Harry stood from his seat. He had to go to the Room and face his grandparents, something he wasn't looking forward to one bit but knew if he delayed it, he would never hear the end of it. All because Andromeda had told them what had happened.
Tightening his robes around him to stave him from the chilly draft, he made his way to the stairs, ignoring any stragglers who whispered after him. Just before he could get on, he found himself pulled by the arm into a small dark alcove.
Harry let out a groan. He didn't need to be a genius to know who it was. He felt her eyes on him the whole time when they were in the Hall so he had known it wouldn't be long before he was accosted.
"For the love of everything, you really need to stop doing this, Daphne."
Daphne stood in front of him as beautiful as ever. Her hair and appearance were a far cry of what it was this morning when they were caught by Madam Pomfrey. Just imagining that scene made his heart beat just a little faster as Daphne folded her arms under her breasts.
Harry looked away.
"Where were you going?" She asked. There was an undercurrent edge to her voice that made Harry frown slightly.
"The Room. I have to… do something."
He still hadn't mentioned his grandparents' painting to her yet and was still considering when to do so. It's not like he was trying to hide them from her; it just never had come up. Usually, he'd keep them in his dorm except for when he'd need to train with his grandfather but that was usually when she wasn't there.
Daphne's expression cooled even further. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Harry shot her a perplexed look before he blinked in understanding.
"If it's about this morning, don't worry about it. Healers Oath – I made Poppy promise."
"Not that, idiot!" Daphne exclaimed, blushing up a storm as she glared at him.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Then what?"
"We have Defence with Snape!"
…
"Oh."
"Yes, oh," Daphne parroted.
Harry narrowed his eyes slightly, not understanding the slight hostility he could feel from her. "What's with you?"
"Nothing." Daphne straightened up though she didn't meet his eyes. "Well… are you coming? You promised you'd start attending from now on."
She made to leave but Harry's arm suddenly shot out and slammed against the wall in front of her face, pinning her to the spot. She swivelled her head and shot him a glare.
"Have I done something?" Harry asked as he stepped into her space.
The close proximity made Daphne's glare melt almost instantly as she looked away.
"No… now move your hand else we're going to be late – "
" – Look at me, Princess." Harry took her chin in his hand delicately and made her meet his eyes. "What's wrong? Is someone threatening you?"
Daphne blinked rapidly, trying her best to reign her pounding heartbeat. She felt exposed, like she always felt with him. It wasn't fair. She both hated and loved how she felt around Harry. Her emotions never got the better of her. Ever. Except with this boy, she'd fallen so very hard for.
And then she remembered how that redheaded bitch had pressed herself against him and how the stupid boy had held her back and almost immediately, the temperature in the room dropped as her gaze turned icy once more.
"I won't be late because of you, Potter." Daphne grabbed Harry's hand that held her chin. "Now come along – "
She paused in her step when she felt something on his hand.
Harry blinked, confused why she stopped before clocking on. He'd immediately withdrawn his hand but Daphne had seen it and her eyes went wide.
"You… You still, have it?" She whispered.
The young Lord's face grew warm as he avoided her eyes. "Didn't you say we had Defence? C-Come along then – "
"Harry…"
Harry's shoulders sagged slightly as he turned to face her.
"Of course, I do." He felt her take his hand once more, her cool digits tiptoeing around his fingers, one in particular. He cleared his throat, feeling as though he should continue. "Why wouldn't I still have it? It was a gift."
"I thought you'd thrown it away…" Daphne murmured, admiring how the ring she had given to him on his birthday sat perfectly on his finger as she continued ghosting her fingers over his hand. "Y'know, after you found out and… everything."
"At first," Harry said softly, prompting the blonde to stare up at him. He chuckled as if remembering something fondly. "I remember trying all manners of detection spells, checking to see if you've done something to it."
She shook her head vehemently. "I wouldn't ever – "
" – I know that now," he interrupted gently, giving Daphne a smile so soft that she felt as though her heart was about to explode. Harry took his hand from hers and admired the ring under the single torch in the alcove. "I've never received something like this before. Jewellery, I mean. So why wouldn't I wear it? Though I've always kept it hidden."
He kept to himself that before Hogwarts, he never received presents at all, but Daphne didn't need to know that. Like with his grandparents, Harry hadn't broached the topic of his childhood although he was sure that she, like the majority of the world, knew that he didn't have the best home life though probably didn't know how bad it actually was.
Daphne's smile was so blinding that Harry could've sworn he stopped breathing for a second.
She looked positively radiant. So unbelievably full of joy and Harry could only laugh when she jumped at him, practically melding herself to his body as she hugged him with dear life. She wrapped her arms around his neck prompting Harry to wrap his around her torso reflexively, inhaling her addictive scent like it was nature's drug.
"What's this for?" Harry sighed, his voice muffled due to his face being buried in Daphne's hair.
Daphne let out a surprising giggle, one she herself was quite shocked by as she heard the rumble of laughter escaping from Harry's chest and what did Daphne do to hide her humiliation?
Burrow herself deeper into his embrace.
She pulled back after what felt like they were hugging for ages and cleared her throat delicately. She smacked him in the chest, ignoring his ow.
"You're forgiven."
"Thanks? I think. Though I still don't know what I did."
"Shut up, Potter. Now, come along."
CwD