Chapter XXV: Revelations
(Astoria P.O.V)
Whatever Harry and Michael had done, it had worked tremendously well, Astoria would dare to say even too well. There was certainly no love lost between her and the Slytherin Prince, even less so between Daphne and Draco, but for a moment, Astoria had felt pity for the boy. Lucius Malfoy had come to the school demanding answers and punishment for those responsible, but Draco didn't say a word, he didn't even look up from the ground. Honestly, it almost seemed to her that Draco Malfoy, the once-proud git had been completely neutered.
Astoria wasn't unfamiliar with Harry's more dark side, she'd seen it when Nott had attacked her and he pinned him against the wall ready to break the boy in half. Honestly, Nott needed to consider himself luckier than ever before that Cedric had shown up when he had because judging what had happened to Malfoy, Nott ending up in the hospital wing for a year was a real possibility. All she learned was that Harry could be quite frightening when he wanted to be, and she felt lucky to be on his good side.
Astoria turned up to look at the boy who had changed so much of what she had imagined Hogwarts would have been. He had been supportive, helped her with her homework, and most importantly made her feel welcome when she was at her most frightened and nervous. That didn't even begin to mention what Harry had done for her sister. For so long, Daphne had been this cold immobile block of ice, cold to everyone outside of her small net of friends and unwavering in her stances, but Harry against all odds had 'melted' her sister.
Daphne smiled more, and though she would act as if she hated it, she never pushed off Harry's gentle touches or close proximity, instead opting to stay quiet, not wanting to tell him to leave, but far too proud to tell him to stay. Honestly, they were a perfect couple despite her sister's unwillingness to admit it, he was warm where she wasn't, and her sister was more tactful and conservative in order to reign in Harry's more instinctive impulsive. The only fear Astoria truly had when watching them from afar was that with the pace they were going, she hoped she'd be alive to see the wedding.
Quickly, she pushed those thoughts from her head, she refused to allow them any time in her mind. Everybody dies, she had reminded herself, and that had provided her some comfort, sure her time was shorter than most, but there was no point in fearing the inevitable, instead, she just wanted to enjoy the time she had with Daphne, and Harry. She turned to look at Draco as the students gathered in the Great Hall for breakfast on the calm Saturday morning. Pansy had kissed Draco's cheek, but the blonde had recoiled in fear, and she saw that Harry too was looking at the boy in minor pity. Quietly Astoria whispered, "What did you do to him?"
"What I had to," Harry said with a sigh, "I'm not proud of it, be he's come close to harming the people I care about far too many times."
Astoria nodded as she spoke, "Aren't you worried they're going to find out it was you. I mean Malfoy Sr. holds a lot of weight in the upper levels of the ministry and Hogwarts."
"Technically," Harry said with a shrug, "As far as the courts can prove, we were with Augusta Longbottom at her Grandson's bedside. At least, that's what she'll testify if we get suspected, and she'll use her privileges as a highborn witch to deny anyone a chance at questioning her honor."
"Smart," Astoria said with a nod, "I think you've been spending too much time with my sister to come up with a plan like that. Using a Lady of the court as your cover is very Slytherin like."
"I don't know about that," Harry said with a smirk, "I don't think there's such a thing as spending too much time with your sister."
"You two are so cute it's gross," Astoria said with fake disgust, "Why don't you two just find a closet to snog and end this whole awkward romantic tension."
"I wish," Harry groaned which caused Astoria to chuckle, "Your sister's a real royal pain in the ass sometimes, but god is she worth it."
Astoria rolled her eyes playfully before smiling, "So, you're going to help me learn to fly better today right?" Astoria said pleadingly. Harry had agreed to the day prior, but Astoria always liked to make sure.
"I don't know Astoria," Harry said with a grin, "First years aren't allowed to fly unsupervised around the castle grounds, it's against the rules."
"So you care about rules now?" Astoria said with a chuckle, "Plus, I won't be unsupervised, I'll be flying with the best seeker at Hogwarts."
"That's…. A fair point," Harry said with a grin, "Come on Short-Stack, there's a pick-up game on the pitch in an hour, but it's empty until then, let's go get my brooms."
"Can you teach me the Wronski Feint?" Astoria said, "I saw you do it against the Slytherins at the first game."
"That's a little advance Short-Stack," Harry said with a smirk, "How about I teach you how to fly straight before I send you diving to the ground out of control. Plus, Daphne would kill me if she saw me teach you that move."
"She's my sister, not my mom," Astoria grumbled.
"Yeah," Harry said through a gritted smile, "But I'm also trying to make out with her face so keeping her happy is kinda important."
"I hate you, you know that," Astoria said shaking her head.
"Yeah, yeah Short-Stack," Harry said placing his hand atop her head with a laugh as they left the Great Hall, "I hate you too."
(Daphne P.O.V)
"Alright, I'll see you later Daph," Tracey said with a light smile.
"Where are you going?" Daphne asked as she looked up from her Rune project. Harry may have had some good ideas, but his calligraphy, especially for runes was horrid, so the task of writing runes had fallen on her lap. Yet, the fact that Tracey was once again leaving their common room unprompted and alone was strange. She had been doing it for a little while before the break and had been writing letters to someone constantly, though she refused to ever tell Daphne where she was going or to whom she was writing. Still, she had decided it was at least worth a try to ask.
"Look, I just need to go, okay?" Tracey said, "Alone, please."
"Tracey," Daphne said, "I know I don't say it a lot, but you know I love you right? You can talk to me."
"I know," Tracey said with a sigh, "And I love you too, you're my best friend Daph, but this thing that I'm doing, it's helping me, and I don't want to mess it up. I just-"
"It's fine," Daphne said with a sigh, "I- just please tell me you're not seeing someone else, because I'm Blaise's friend too, and that would be beyond messed up if you-"
"No!" Tracey cried, "God no! I'm not that type of person how could you even think that?"
"I didn't," Daphne said as calmly as she could, "I just wanted to make sure."
Tracey took a deep breath and sighed, "It's fine, I just, I gotta go, okay? Just go spend time with Astoria or Harry or someone today, I really need to do this."
"Alright," Daphne nodded, "But Trace, just know, okay, I'm here for you."
"I know, Daphne," Tracey said with a small smile, "I know." Before closing the door and scurrying out of the Slytherin Common Room.
Daphne had decided that with her mind currently so cluttered over Tracey, it was best to take a break from the Runes Project, and after locking it away in her bedside table, she collapsed into her four-poster with a sigh. Her stomach growled slightly, she hadn't eaten much for breakfast due to an argument that had erupted at their table between her and Parkinson once again with the pug-faced bimbo accusing Daphne of being responsible for Draco's condition. While she had managed to quickly shut Parkinson up, Draco did concern her, the boy looked timid and weak, and while Draco never really seemed like a powerhouse of a wizard, the boy was competent with a wand. Though whatever had happened to him had seemingly snapped his current wand as well forcing his father to purchase a new one.
Daphne was happy that Draco wasn't so obnoxious anymore, but terrified Draco was almost as off-putting, and Daphne had hoped that the boy would mellow out after a little time adjustment. However, her rumbling stomach was still an issue, and as she turned to the small basket of fruit she had preserved with spells near her bed for situations just like this one, her first sight was that of a green apple, and instantly to her frustration, the image of Harry smiling down on her as they sat in the library had come to her mind.
How did this happen? Daphne had groaned in her mind, I'm supposed to be above things as stupid as school-yard crushes. Daphne had heard her sister joking a lot about how the Ice Queen had melted, and while she wanted to deny it, she couldn't do it with anything more than her words. When Potter had sat next to her, it felt comforting, and Daphne had to fight every temptation to simply rest her head on his shoulder. When their hands had brushed by each other as they walked through the halls, it felt like electricity was coursing through her body, and every time she would see him staring down at her, she just wanted to kiss him to see that dumb look on his face she had seen in that abandoned classroom months before. Damn it, am I actually falling for Harry Potter?
Sure "Falling" her mind had echoed before she growled to the air, "Shut up." Daphne sat up, realizing that allowing her mind to wander was beginning to drive her crazy, and deciding that maybe she should take Tracey's advice, and with that, she left for the quidditch pitch where she knew that against her will, Astoria had convinced Harry to teach her some flying lessons. If he actually teaches her the Wronski Feint, I will kill him, feelings be damned, and with that final thought, she too left the Slytherin Common room, the Green Apple in hand.
Her mind was racing with to-do's as she approached the pitch, the first of which being the fact that there was still so much left of the book she had procured from Malfoy Manor left to read. While she had built a solid foundation with a theory on how to save Blaise, it was still nothing more than that, and it still required a legilimens powerful enough to enter Blaise's broken mind, and someone who Blaise would trust enough in his fragmented state to put his soul back together, which unfortunately only left herself and Tracey, two people far from the level of legilimency required to pull off their task. She needed to find another way, for Tracey's sake, and partially, though she felt sick to her stomach admitting it, for her sake as well, as with the burden of Blaise's condition lifted she wondered if giving Harry a shot would be as miserable of an experience as she first thought.
Speaking of the Boy-Who-Lived, as Daphne approached the bleachers of the pitch, she saw something that for a moment subconsciously brought a smile to her face. Harry and Astoria were zipping through the sky and the sound of Astoria's laughter was like a shot of joy through her body. "Gotta fly faster than that if you want to catch me Short-Stack," Harry said calling back to her as he outmaneuvered her sister's every attempt.
"It's not fair Harry," Astoria said with a groan, "I'm only using a Comet 140."
"Obviously," Harry said with a chuckle, "You're insane if you think I'm letting you use my firebolt without knowing how to properly fly first. Gotta learn to walk before you run and all that jazz."
Astoria took off once more after Harry and as Daphne sat on the bleachers watching the two fly, she had to acknowledge that Astoria was looking pretty good up there, despite the fact that she was technically breaking the rules. However, Daphne's serenity was broken when from behind her she heard Harry speak from behind her, "Mornin' Princess."
"Morgana's Tits!" Daphne shouted as she jumped from her bleachers.
"Wow," Harry said from behind her with a chuckle, "The mouth on you, it's very unbecoming of a Princess you know?"
"Potter, I swear to god if you ever sneak up on me like that again I'll-," Daphne started but Harry's smile distracted her slightly as he pulled up in front of her floating barely above the bleachers.
"Hop on," Harry said with a smile.
"Not a chance Potter," Daphne said shaking her head, "I don't like heights."
"Come on," Harry said with a whine, "It'll be fun, plus you look a little more stressed out than usual. I'll be with you the whole time."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Daphne said with some snark, "You're the most reckless seeker Hogwarts has seen in- What are you doing?" Daphne said realizing she was being lifted by Harry into the air. "Potter." Daphne said with some fear in her voice, "Put me down right now or I'll-,"
"Here we go!" Harry said with a chuckle as he took off with Daphne placed firmly behind him as he shot up. Having no other choice if not wanting to fall, Daphne wrapped her arms tightly around Harry as they rose to meet Astoria hovering way above the ground.
"Hiya sis," Astoria said with a grin, "Welcome to the sky."
"Astoria if you had something to do with this-," Daphne growled.
"I'm the one that gave Harry the idea," Astoria said with a shrug, "I get it, you had one bad flying experience, but it's fun, I didn't want you to never experience it like it's supposed to be."
"Plus Princess," Harry said with a chuckle, "Where's your sense of adventure."
"On the ground!" Daphne shouted, "Where it's safe! And it wasn't a 'bad' experience Tori, Malfoy forced me on his broom and that git made me fall off, if it hadn't been for Dobby I'd have been a paste instead of a person."
"Malfoy took you on a broom ride?" Harry said in discontent not hearing anything she had said.
"I was like six," Daphne said, she wasn't sure why she felt she had to defend herself, but something had forced it out of her, she didn't want Harry to think that Malfoy was in any way competition for her affection.
"I see," Harry said with a grin, "Then I guess I've just gotta make sure you have a better experience flying with me than him."
"What if I fall off?" Daphne said, surprised by the timidness in her voice. She had always considered herself a girl with more complex fears, her sister dying, Blaise never waking up, but she had one normal fear, and looking down had sparked it in her.
"I'll fall with you," Harry said kindly squeezing her hand in his.
Daphne wasn't sure why, but her body seemed to relax at Harry's words despite the sarcasm of his answer, and slowly, Daphne clung closer to him, her chin resting on his shoulder as she inhaled his patented scent before, at a much slower and courteous pace, Harry began to fly over the Hogwarts Grounds. Daphne hadn't missed Astoria's soft smile as she flew beside them, she also hadn't missed the definition her hands felt while resting on Harry's abs. Yet her eyes were focused on the beauty that she flew above.
The forbidden forest had never before looked so pretty to her as it did from their cloud-high view. Daphne smiled as she saw a tentacle of the giant squid emerge from the Black Lake before sinking back down to the depths, "This is incredible, everything looks so clear from up here."
"So," Harry said with a smirk as they circled back towards the quidditch pitch, "Better than last time?"
"Yes," Daphne relented, "But I'm still mad at you Potter."
"No, you're not," Harry said with a grin, a Daphne cursed beneath her breath that he was right. How he had developed such an uncanny ability to call her bluffs despite what she had considered a strong poker-face was beyond her, and while part of her enjoyed the fact that Harry could read that Daphne wasn't serious whenever she would say something snarky, it was irritating that the mind games, for the most part, were gone.
Slowly they touched down on the field and as Harry, Astoria, and she departed from their broomstick, Harry turned to her and smiled. They were so close, so painfully close, and not wanting to give in just yet, Daphne closed her eyes, and with fake aggression, she clutched her fist, getting on her tip-toes before softly tapping her fist to the top of Harry's head. Harry chuckled before he smirked and with a scowl more forced than ever before Daphne spoke, "If you ever force me into doing something that crazy again, I'll break your broom in half."
"As you wish Princess," Harry said with a grin as Daphne adjusted her clothes.
The sounds of approaching students for the arranged pick-up game was quickly approaching, and not wanting to be seen looking as flushed as she currently felt, she turned to Harry giving him one last look, this time laced with some kindness as she spoke, "Flyboy, you were right though, it was kind of fun, I guess."
Harry grinned, pleased with himself as he and Astoria high-fived before Daphne shook her head, forcing her mind to empty to return to her icy-demeanor despite her recent heart-pounding adventure, and knowing that walking straight through the locker-rooms would get her seen, Daphne opted to weave through the underpass of the bleachers. After all, she didn't need even more of Harry's fangirls sending her hateful glares, she got enough from Brown alone to last a lifetime.
However, it seemed that her quiet escape wasn't fated to be so quiet after all, as while she weaved through the large quidditch support beams, she heard a voice she recognized as Tracey's sound out, "Thanks for coming, I know we weren't planning to meet today but-"
"It's fine," A voice she distantly recognized spoke, "I wasn't busy."
"Still," Tracey said, "Thank you. Today's just been really bad, I miss him a lot right now, and I've just been feeling like such a burden lately. I see Daphne working like crazy trying to find a way to help Blaise, and the worst part is that I can't even see him because the Unspeakables won't let me through. I just- I don't know, it hurts."
Daphne approached closer making sure she remained out of view, but as the person that her best friend was talking to came into focus, she had to bite her tongue to stop her from releasing an astonished outburst. Sitting beside Tracey was the last person she'd have ever expected Tracey to associate with, Ronald Weasley.
"I know how you feel," Ron said with a sigh, "When Ginny died, I was a mess, I was angry and rude," Daphne watched Tracey give Ron a side-eye before he sighed, "Ruder than normal, and I became really distant. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George, all of them did their best to try and help me, but I didn't want it. Everyone seemed to be able to keep their shit together and I couldn't, I didn't like the way they would fuss over me or constantly check-in to see if I was alright, it just made me feel like a burden."
"What did you do?" Tracey said with a sigh.
"Nothing yet," Ron said softly, "I know the right thing to do is to try and move one, to accept the help from my family and keep living, but I don't know, it's hard sometimes, and some days are worse than others. But doing this, talking about it with someone who understands, it helps. It's nice to have someone who doesn't look at me like a wounded puppy or doesn't think I'm a complete jerk."
"You are a jerk," Tracey said with a chuckle, "Just not a complete one."
"Thanks," Ron said with a slight snicker, "You're not so bad yourself you know, for a snake that is."
"Whatever," Tracey said and Daphne could almost hear the rolling of her eyes. Daphne could barely understand what she had seen as she tore herself away from the private conversation and began weaving out of the stands in the other direction. Ronald Weasley, the obnoxious Gryffindor, and her best friend were talking civilly, and more than that, they were helping each other.
Daphne didn't quite know how to feel outside of the obvious emotion of shock. Was she hurt that Tracey had revealed who she was meeting with earlier? Yes, but part of her understood, she would have judged Weasley harshly had she known and Weasley shared a pain with Tracey that Daphne couldn't relate to on the same magnitude. She wanted to be there for her friend, but emotional vulnerability was not her strong suit, and somehow, against what seemed to be all reason, Tracey Davis had found some peace and respite in Ronald Weasley. The youngest Weasley boy was certainly a piece of work, and Daphne doubted the two could ever get along, but if it was true what Tracey had said, that Ron had been helping her grief, then she supposed she could keep her mouth shut, for now at least.
(Harry P.O.V)
Sweat beat rapidly down Harry's brow as he and Cedric had found themselves face to face once more, "I'm not losing this time Diggory."
"We'll see about that Potter," Cedric said with his award-winning smile. Quickly the boys took off as Harry saw a glimmer of gold flash by his face and knowing there was no time to race, as Cedric was a more than competent seeker, he instantly pushed himself into high gear.
But today, Harry had one advantage, though his body was beginning to ache, and they had been flying at top speed for nearly twenty minutes, Harry's heart still beaten with adrenaline from his close contact flight with Daphne. Currently, Harry felt like he couldn't lose, and pushing his body and broom as fast as they could go, he managed to break away from Cedric, spinning just past Grant Page through the keeper's hood as Cedric regained his position just atop him. However, as Cedric plunged for the snitch, it felt as if lightning was coursing through Harry's vein as with agility he was unaware he had, he snatched the snitch from just under Cedric's nose leaving the older seeker baffled.
However, in a true sportsman-like manner that made Cedric so difficult to dislike he smiled as he nodded, "Good catch Potter, you win this round, I'll get you next time."
"I'll be waiting," Harry said with a grin, "Gryffindor does play Hufflepuff next after all." As the brooms descended his teammates circled around him, Harry's mind was focused on the last thing he had to do for the day. He had used the marauder's map to get his revenge, and now, with it securely in his possession, Harry decided it was only right to inform Remus that he had found it and send word with Kreacher to Sirius as well.
Harry high-fived Katie Bell who had been on his team during the game before Astoria had caught up to him just at the exit of the pitch as the two walked together to the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry desperately feeling the need to shower, and remove the sticky sweat from his body. Still, Astoria's excited bounces had somewhat slowed him down as he watched her in amusement, "That was so cool, especially, that spiral move you did between the two beaters. Did you make it up? Does that have a name? You should start naming your signature flying moves. Like the Potter Pirouette, or the Boy-Who-Lived Bargain or-,"
"I'm not naming my moves," Harry said with a laugh, "I'm not that egotistical, although very impressive alliteration, gotta hand it to you."
"You're no fun," Astoria said with a pout, but her pout turned to a smile as Harry messed with her free-flowing hair, "Are you going anything else today?"
"I've gotta go see Professor Lupin for a little," Harry said kindly to his younger sister, "But after that, I don't really have plans."
"Great, because that means that you can help me learn the Body-Bind Curse," Astoria said, "I've managed to get the legs locked, but I'm still working on fixing everything else."
"You're going to be the death of me Short-Stack," Harry said with a slight smile, "Alright, I'm gonna shower, see Professor Lupin, and if we have time today, I'll help you out, but it might have to wait until Sunday."
"Fine," Astoria said with a sigh before smiling and giving him a hug, "Thanks for helping me fly today though, it was fun."
Harry nodded remembering the feelings of Daphne's arms wrapped tightly around him, "It definitely was."
Harry and Astoria had departed upon entering the common room, and with a tired yawn, Harry headed towards the showers, bliss in his veins as the warm water coursed down his tired muscles. As the rain from the showerhead continued to pour, in the tile, Harry saw his lightning bolt scar, his defining feature, the thing that marked him as the one to take down the greatest dark-wizard that ever lived. Harry remembered his trembling hands when faced with Grindelwald in Dumbledore's mind, and while vengeance against the man who murdered his family was motivation enough, Harry knew there was a great discrepancy in their power, he needed to finish this as quickly as possible, and hopefully before Voldemort returned to his full strength, because if he did, Harry wasn't sure how he'd stop him.
Forcing the thoughts beyond his control out from his mind, he shut the faucet and began toweling himself off. It hadn't taken long until Harry was dry and clothed in a simple black colored Beatles tee-shirt Tonks had bought for him and a pair of light blue jeans. Seeing there was still ample time before dinner, and too distracted to gather for lunch, Harry tucked the marauder's map in his pocket, and with one last shake of his head to get the remaining droplets of water out of his hair, he left the common room for the serpentine corridor on the hunt for one of the original marauders himself.
Thankfully, Harry was lucky enough to avoid a wild goose chase as sitting at his office desk was just the man he was looking for. Harry knocked politely before Remus called out, "Harry, what can I help you with today?"
"Actually," Harry said with a smile as he pulled the map from his pocket handing it to Remus, "I think I have a gift for you today."
"Is this the-"
"Marauder's Map," Harry said with a smile as he tapped his wand to the paper, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Just as before the map began to unfold, and Harry couldn't help but smile as his normally very serious Uncle broke out into a boyish grin as he looked over every crease on the map with pride.
"I have to be honest with you Harry," Remus said still beaming, "I never thought I'd see this old thing again. Where'd you find it?"
"Fred and George had it," Harry said with a grin, "Knowing them they probably knicked it from Filtch's office. It is strange though," He continued with intrigue, "Everyone else's name shows up on there but yours."
"Of course it doesn't," Remus said, "At least not to anyone that isn't a creator of the map, but when a creator places their wand to the paper and whispers Marauder Revelio," Remus said with a grin tapping his wand to the parchment, and moments later, Moony, appeared on the map.
"That's pretty cool," Harry said looking up at his uncle, "How you guys came up with this is absolutely incredible and- Remus? Are you okay?" Suddenly the playful demeanor that once filled Remus' often sad face had shifted to one of animosity that Harry had only seen once upon the marauder's transformation.
"Wormtail," Was all he snarled, and with the guidance of his uncle's finger, Harry too saw the name of the betrayer of his family walking right beside Ron, and instantly it clicked.
"Scabbers," Harry said in disbelief, "Ron's rat was Pettigrew the whole time. Which means-"
"Let's go, Harry," Remus said standing and grabbing his wand, "Padfoot's been a criminal for far too long, it's time for justice."
Yes, Harry thought his hand now firmly gripping his wand, Justice.