Chapter 24

The three, again, sat the Gryffindor table for their dinner. Harry had even suggested they occasionally sit at the Slytherin table, just so it didn't look like they were trying to 'corrupt' Daphne with their 'Gryffindor'ish' ways.

Daphne was about to reply when Ron, who had finally decided to sit somewhere near them, overheard and went off on a rant about how the Slytherins were evil and would drag Harry and Hermione over to the dark arts. It was so loud and offensive, Professor McGonagall had to again drag the boy out of the Great Hall.

The three immediately cast potion detection charms over their goblets and the food before them.

No sooner had Ron been dragged off when Malfoy, again, sauntered over with his two bookends. He didn't even get to open his mouth before Daphne shot him down with her cold stare and drew her wand to point it at him. She hissed, "Unless you want to experience what it feels like to be castrated without suitable pain numbing charms or potions, I suggest you keep your mouth shut, turn around and go back to the Slytherin table."

Malfoy took one look at her, seemed to think about it for a moment, sneered and left.

"How come he never did that for me?" Harry asked, impressed.

"Because he knows I'd actually do it," she calmly replied, pocketing her wand. "You, at this time, won't. Besides, he also knows he has his godfather ready to swoop in and protect his bum from you. As I'm not you, and as I'm a fellow Slytherin, it leaves Professor Snape... conflicted."

Neville, sitting opposite again, leaned forward and asked, "What was that with the wand waving over the food, before?"

"Detection charms for poisons and potions," said Harry. "With the famous Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody as our 'Dah-Dah' Professor, I wouldn't put it past him to try to potion us to prove a point about 'Constant Vigilance'."

Neville's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he leaned forward again and asked, "Find anything?"

"No," replied Daphne with a smirk. "We're safe."

Neville looked like he breathed a sigh of relief before he returned to his meal.

After dinner, as soon as they re-entered their living room, Harry practically ranted, "I cannot believe that bigoted idiot!"

"Which one?" asked Hermione. "Ron or Malfoy?"

Harry snorted in annoyance and said, "Ron. Malfoy, I'm already well used to. Ron's a completely different matter. Was he this bigoted... you know!"

"Yes, he was," replied Daphne. "You just either didn't notice it; or he did it outside of your immediate area, and where you wouldn't see him."

She went and sat down on one of the couches and indicated for Harry to sit on the one opposite. He did so. Crookshanks watched them from 'his' armchair, for a moment, before he decided to ignore them and go back to sleep. Midnight was nowhere to be seen.

"How much did your Grim Reaper tell you about what really went on that Weasley blocked from getting near you?" she asked him.

"He, John, only told me about the potions, really; and that he had been working to block people approaching me that might turn into friends," he replied. "What else happened?"

She sighed and said, "Over the past year, or so... this timeline... I've tried to come and talk to you on a few occasions. Each time I did, Weasley was there to tell me how you 'wouldn't want to talk to some filthy snake'. He also said some other not very complimentary things. And, no; I won't go into them.

"However, he was doing his damnedest to make sure no one else could get close to you, either; especially towards the end of last year. I wasn't the only girl who was interested in getting to know Harry Potter, or The-Boy-Who-Lived."

"Damn," Harry softly said. "And I was just being too stupid... too trusting... to see the signs."

"No, Harry," said Hermione, coming to sit beside him and take his hand in hers. "You were up to the eyeballs in loyalty potions keyed to him. You were not being stupid."

Harry grumbled for a few moments before he gave himself a bit of a shake. "No, I really wasn't, was I? John didn't say anything about it, but I can't help but wonder if those potions are what led to me having no drive to do well in my classes. John did say something about how it was a wonder all the ongoing potions hadn't turned my brain into mush. And, that one of the times I died was the night of the third task at the graveyard, because I wasn't able to think straight because of them."

"And it just got worse, Harry," said Hermione. "By fifth year, you were so befuddled you didn't tell anyone about Umbridge's torturing of you, except me and Ron. And I think Ron was secretly glad you were being tortured. As for me; I, too, was being befuddled by potions. Nor, did either of us think about you using the mirrors to contact Sirius before we went charging off to the Department of Mysteries.

"Then, sixth year. You already knew the flame curse, the fire whip and even just Incendio; and, yet, forgot the lot when you were in the cave fighting the inferi. Then, after Dumbledore was killed, you chased the Death Eaters, including Snape, out of the castle and across the grounds towards the ward line. You flung curse after curse at them, and never hit them... not once!

"All this from someone who duelled Riddle, practically to a standstill, in the graveyard after being hit twice with the Cruciatus curse from Riddle, himself!" she finished. "No, Harry; those potions did more damage than just affect our love lives."

Harry, to put it bluntly, was stunned. Even John hadn't gone into that much detail about the harm those potions caused. Maybe, it was because he knew Hermione would quickly figure it out. Or, maybe because John simply didn't want to speak of it.

"Bloody Hell!" he muttered.

That talk led them to finally compare what they each knew, and what their Grim Reapers had told each of them. Homework was put off while they, with the combined knowledge they now had, laid out their combined tasks.

1. Initiate the bonds - done

1a. - alert the parents to the bonds - done for Daphne, not for Hermione

1b. - finalise the bonds

2. Visit Gringotts

2a. - Key Daphne and Hermione into the Potter vaults

2b. - Tell goblins of cup horcrux

2c. - Set up emancipation

2d. - Claim emancipation (after Goblet)

3. Organise solicitor

3a. - for Sirius

3b. - for protection against libel

3c. - for misuse of intellectual property regarding Boy-Who-Lived books

4. Magical Oath

4a. - Harry to give magical oath immediately after his name comes out of the Goblet (before going into antechamber)

5. Deal with the other two horcruxes

5a. - the diadem (Room of Requirement)

5b. - the locket (Grimmauld Place)

6. Basilisk carcass

6a. - Store some venom to destroy the horcruxes

6b. - Find out how best to deal with the remainder of the carcass

7. Daphne's father

7a. - His assistance will help garner support to free Sirius

7b. - He can help later with future tasks (not yet known)

8. Hermione's father

8a. - Help Harry with firearms training as an added weapon in dealing with Riddle (possible only)

"I think that's it," said Hermione, sitting there, reading the document and nibbling on her bottom lip.

"It is; for now," said a strange female voice from behind Harry and Hermione. Both teens spun around and saw a woman standing there, as Daphne looked over their shoulders in shock.

Harry was about to pull his wand when Hermione grabbed his arm. "Don't, Harry!" she said. "This is Roma; my Grim Reaper."

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