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Daphne snaps her book shut with a groan. "This is ridiculous. We're doing it today."
I wince. "Are you sure, Daph?"
"Absolutely," she says, a determined look on her face. "There's no sense in denying it, we've been wasting time!"
"But look at what else we've learned," Hermione says, holding up a journal. "And William has been writing in his cursebreaker's notebook."
"It hasn't been a waste, Daph," I agree, "but if you're sure, it would be nice to find an instruction manual or something. The only hint I've had regarding warding that affects souls are the ones for ghosts and poltergeists, and I'd be too afraid to test any modifications of my own with a living soul."
"That would be prudent," Hermione says wryly.
"I'd also be afraid to try any spells using what I could derive from the Killing Curse, which forcibly ejects the soul from the body."
"And that's assuming this guy's theory on the Arithmantic deconstruction of emotion-based spells is actually valid, which is questionable since he could only test his modifications to the Patronus Charm."
"Legally," Daphne says, which makes Hermione's eyes bulge.
"Do you think he—?"
"Maybe, but more importantly, it might not matter at all," Daphne cuts in.
"If my father has anything at all about dark rituals, it would be in his personal library, if not completely hidden away at Gringott's."
Harry and Hermione deflate when they hear that. "Seems like he would keep something like that at Gringott's."
Daphne shrugs. "Not necessarily. In fact, I've been thinking about this since the first time you told me, William. It's possible, even probable, that he's already done his own research into Riddle's activities. My father is a brilliant man."
"How would he know..." Harry begins, but she cuts him off again.
"His seat on the Wizengamot. Even if rumors of the events at the school – which my father says have been raised at the open Board of Governors meetings, by the way – even if those weren't enough by themselves, he'd find out just talking to Death Eaters in a formal setting." Daphne sounds absolutely confident in her father's ability.
The man has a piercing gaze, to be sure...does that mean he uses some form of Legilimency? Perhaps he taught his daughter...
"Whatever the reason, as I told you, William, he believes Riddle is coming back."
"Did your father teach you how to tell if someone is telling the truth?" I ask quietly.
She hesitates a moment, then with a nervous glance toward Harry and Hermione, nods.
"Did you teach Hermione how to do that to William?" Harry asks with a grin.
She eyes up the other girl. "No, she must have figured it out on her own."
Hermione blushes, but Harry says, "You don't do it to me."
"You don't hide things from me," she replies, taking the opportunity to glare at me.
"I'm sure you two don't tell each other everything," I say with a grin.
She rolls her eyes. "I can practically hear the lewd thoughts behind that comment, William, so stop it. You won't get a rise out of me." Then her eyes narrow. "And don't you dare say what I think you're going to say."
I laugh. "Why, I'm sure I have no idea what you thought I might say. Your mind must be...elsewhere."
"Are you children quite finished?" Daphne says, eyebrow raised. "We were actually going somewhere with this conversation, you know."
Hermione blushes and mumbles an apology. I opt to make a sweeping bow. "My sincerest apologies, dearest Daphne."
"You are not forgiven. Are you guys ready?"
Hermione sucks her bottom lip. "Are you sure about this, Daph?"
"I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't," she says coolly.
"Why?" Harry asks quietly, looking down.
"Why what?"
He looks up into her eyes. "Why are you so intent on helping me? On helping us? This isn't your—"
"Don't," Daphne cuts him off. "Don't say it isn't my responsibility, or it's not my fight. Despite my better judgment, this big prat..." she jerks her thumb at me, "...he...helped, slightly...in convincing me it was in my best interest to help you. So helping you is what I'm doing, and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability."
"Daph..." Hermione says gratefully, but the other girl ignores her.
"We won't get a better opportunity; my mother will come back and check on us soon, but my father won't be back until dinner. So here's what—" Daphne is cut off by the doors opening to admit her mother and sister.
"Ugh, you guys are studying again?" Astoria whines. "Can't you take a snog break or something for once?" That makes Harry and I burst out in laughter, which confuses the young Slytherin. "What?"
"Back when Will and Hermione were always off studying together, we used to say they were really snogging," Harry says.
"I still don't know why studying needed a euphemism," Hermione pouts.
"You had to be there," I say, waving off the odd looks the Greengrasses were giving us.
"Well, your father sent a message that he'd be a little late," Lady Greengrass says. "Do consider going outside and having a bit of fun, would you, Daph?"
"We will consider it," Daphne says evenly, deliberately opening a book and leaning over to read it.
Her mother and sister both sigh and leave without another word, and Daphne waits a matter of seconds before closing her book and rising to her feet.
"Come on. And don't say a word until I say it's okay."
Hermione and I jump up to follow while Harry pulls out his Invisibility Cloak for himself.
Daphne had insisted on that, since it would be very bad indeed for the future Lord Potter if they were to be caught.
She leads us to a different door than the one her mother had just exited, but she opens it slowly to carefully peek out anyway.
She cringes when the door creaks, but I quickly Silence it, which she acknowledges with a nod.
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Hey guys if u like the fanfic and want to read ahead by 27+ chapters or just want to support take a visit on my patreon.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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