CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Goodbye Dark Side, Hello Bright Side
October 25th, 1978.

A few days ago, Daphne finally accepted to go see Dumbledore only if Fabian came with her. He had ended up staying a few more nights actually but it felt alright to have him at home. He'd cook and she'd talk, he'd make jokes and she'd laugh out loud. She loved it. She loved falling asleep talking about silly things that happened throughout their childhoods, and she loved waking up to him kissing her forehead.

"Are you alright, Daph?" Fabian asked as they walked through Hogsmeade. He gave her hand a squeeze as he nodded. "I've contacted old Dumbledore, he said that we could go see his brother--Aberforth."

Daphne looked up with a frown, "He has a brother?"

"Yeah, not a lot of people know about him. Only Gid and I, really," he explained. "He's the owner of the Hog's Head. We only know of him because he's in the Order and we often sleep there after a mission."

"I see," she replied.

"You're nervous," he said, noticing how quiet she got as soon as they stepped into the village. "Have you heard something from your brother since the fight?"

"No, not really," she mumbled. "What kind of missions do you do?"

"Complicated ones," he admitted softly.

Daphne hummed, "But, could I help you with the complicated ones, Fab?"

He shook his head, "No, I won't allow it. It'd be mental of you to help us," he told her, pushing the door of the Hog's Head. "One day, we'll sit down and talk about it but not now," he added, waving at the barman. "Hello, Ab," he greeted.

"Fabian," he greeted back with a nod. "My brother told me you needed to pass through the bar to go to Hogwarts."

"Yes."

Aberforth slightly moved his head to look at Daphne, "Who's she?"

"Well Ab, I'm glad you asked," he said with a smile, moving his arm to put it around Daphne's neck so he could pull her closer. "This is Daphne Rosier, my--"

"His girlfriend," Daphne stepped in, offering her hand to Aberforth, which he shook.

"What are you here for?" He asked, curious to know what a Rosier was doing here.

She sighed, "I'm here to deflect," she admitted quietly.

"Don't worry, Ab. She's good," Fabian chirped in, giving him a reassuring smile. "Alright, show us the way, Ab," he said once Aberforth had radically relaxed.

Albus Dumbleedore's brother led them upstairs until they reached the room at the end of the corridor. Considering how cosy the place looked, Daphne assumed it was where Aberforth was living. He wordlessly pointed at the portrait that was hanging on the wall; a little girl with braids and blue dress was standing in front of a forest.

"Lead them to Hogwarts, would you?" He asked softly as the girl nodded her head and started to walk towards the forest. Fabian swung the portrait open before offering his hand to Daphne as he walked inside.

"Where--"

"Room of requirements," he cut her off. "Only few know of it," he added. "Have you ever seen it?"

Daphne nodded, "I did. Everyday," she admitted as she followed him. Thankfully, Fabian didn't turn around as she talked.

"Really? Well, you're bloody lucky," he chuckled. "Why, though? Dumbledore said it only appeared to people who really needed it..."

She cleared her throat awkwardly, "That was where James and I would meet up," she confessed quietly. "It just--I found it one day and for some reason, she kept appearing whenever James and I needed to see each other."

"I see," he replied as they finally reached the other side. "So, it may not look the same as when you and James used to go there," he warned her.

"I would hope so..."

The room was nothing like the last time she saw it. It was rusty and full of random things like time turners, things that she had used in class. Daphne was happy to not see the way it was when she last met James in this room, actually she was more than happy because she was moving on with Fabian.

He didn't speak much as they walked through the corridors and to be honest, she didn't feel like talking too. Instead, a feeling of nostalgia settled in her as she looked around. Daphne remembered every little detail from this place; from her first year to seventh one. At some point, Fabian stopped and waited patiently in front of the entrance of Dumbledore's office.

"Minerva is supposed to meet us there," he finally spoke up, turning around to look at Daphne. "Still want to deflect?"

"Yes," she hummed as he leaned down and kissed her lips. "Salazar, I'll never get tired of it."

"Me neither," he admitted with a laugh.

"Ah, Mr. Prewett," Minerva called out for him as she strolled towards them. "Miss Rosier," she greeted once she reached their sides.

Fabian threw an arm around her as she let out a desperate sigh, "Minerva! Oh, I've missed you," he commented as she pushed his arm off her. "So no hug for me?"

"I'll hug you when the war is over, Mr. Prewett," she muttered, moving in front of the Phoenix. "Miss Rosier, how have you not fled yet? He's insufferable," she commented, making Daphne laugh loudly as Fabian casted her a mean look. "Lemon sorbet!"

"What a lame password," Fabian muttered as Daphne nudged her. "What? I know you agree with me, love," he teased.

"Shove off," she told him playfully as she rolled her eyes. "I've never been into his office," she admitted as they climbed up the stairs.

Fabian shrugged, "It's not that nice. There are portraits everywhere. They're the old headmasters," he explained as Minerva nodded her head in agreement.

"Is there a specific reason you are here with Miss Rosier, Mr. Prewett?" Their old professor asked as she stopped in front of the door. "Is it urgent? Albus didn't tell me a thing..."

"We're together," he said. "But, for the other part, you should come with us into the office. Do you have classes soon?"

"No, I do not."

With one last look, she pushed the door and headed inside. The office was awfully dark and Daphne took a few minutes to notice that there was only one window, lighting the whole room. There was a fireplace on the other side with hundreds of books, on her right there was a pensive. It was a quite rare thing to get and Daphne didn't even know if she ever saw one in real life before. Then, in front of her, there was a desk with a cage next to it. Inside of it was a Phoenix, again quite a rare creature to get--she had read about them in a book. Never leaving Fabian's side, she spun on herself to take a good look at it.

"Miss Rosier, how surprising to see you," Dumbledore's voice echoed. "We haven't heard from you since you've graduated."

"Tried to keep it on the low," she replied, straightening her posture as she looked at him.

He sat down, looking at her, "Please, sit," he showed the chairs as they each took a seat. "So, Fabian asked for an urgent meeting. He mentioned the Order."

"Right," Fabian started as he licked his lips but Dumbledore cut him off.

"So, I assume that you're not with Mr. Potter anymore?" He queried as Daphne looked horrified. Before she could ask the question, his lips curled upwards as he pushed his glasses up. "The eyes. They never lie, Daphne," he added.

Daphne cleared her throat, "I'm not with him anymore, no," she answered. "I've come here to--"

"Deflect," he finished.

Daphne let out a frustrated groan, "Would you please let me finish talking, Sir?"

"I'm sorry, go ahead."

"I'm here to deflect and to offer my help as a spy," she said confidently. "I'm part of his circle and he trusts me."

"Does he? What kind of mission did he give you?" He asked.

"To recruit one of you and to kill him if he didn't want to, so that's what I did," she admitted. "Then, I've been spying on James Potter and the others for a month now. I was partly responsible for the attack on St Mungo's hospital..."

"What do you mean by partly, Miss Rosier?" MacGonnagal queried.

"I knew James Potter went there every single day to meet Lily Evans after her morning shift," she explained, almost disgusted by her actions. "And I definitely knew it'd be a matter of time before Sirius and Remus came," she added. Daphne's heart was racing and she couldn't bear to look at Fabian nor Minerva, she feared they'd both be horrified by what she was telling. "There are young ones, still at Hogwarts too."

"Who are they?" Minerva asked and she could feel Fabian's hand moving closer to hers.

Dumbledore sighed, "Well, we know one of them Minerva," he told her.

Minerva scoffed, "Mr. Black is--"

"He's one," Daphne cut her off. "I--Sirius had warned you before, I'm sure."

"He did mention it a few times but he never told us about you," Fabian mumbled. "Is it because of Potter?"

"I reckon."

"Any other names, Miss Rosier?" Her old headmaster queried, joining his hands together.

Daphne nodded, "I can make a list and give it to Fabian," she proposed as he nodded gratefully. "But, there are three of them that I'd like to manage myself," she told him as he waited for her to continue. "Evan Rosier, Regulus Black and Barty Crouch Jr."

"Only these three then? Not another one or--"

"Only these three," she confirmed. "They are part of my family who, like I, got sucked up in this world."

"We won't try anything," he reassured, googling her. "Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Daphne hummed, "I don't especially appreciate you or your way of doing things, and I hope you know that I don't trust you either but I do think your little army will be able to do good in this world," she said as he didn't bulge and kept looking at her.

"I do know that, Miss Rosier," he answered. "Don't trust anyone these days," he added. "So, will you be able to spy then to report? To whoever you think is worthy, of course."

Daphne rose on her feet, "Yes," she simply replied, heading to the door.

"Goodbye dark side, hello bright side," she heard him say as she left the room without saying another word.

Indeed, he was right. Daphne had officially deflected--she was not part of the bad side anymore, instead she'd help doing the good. She'd do her best to save Evan, Reg and Barty but also to save herself. She needed to be careful about it, she couldn't risk anything. If someone had told her she'd be deflecting after a year, she would have laughed at his face because how could she upset her parents? But now that she had done it, she felt lighter as if all her sins would be forgiven when the time would come. To repent would be the right word in the Muggle world--Lily had told her about it.

She wasn't scared to be caught, actually. Daphne could be an amazing liar and was awfully good at Occlumency, so basically she was an armour. With that decision, she thought of Nymphadora whom she had promised to be good--or James who had begged her to not be what she was. It was a relief, a real relief.

"Hey, are you alright?" Fabian caught up to her as she stopped in her tracks. "It was hell of a show back in there," he said, trying to make her laugh. Seeing, she wasn't even looking at him, he took her hands and gave them a squeeze. "Daph, wha--"

"Am I an awful person?" She cut him off. "Because it sounded like it back in his office. I've made such a mess, Fab," she ranted, running a hand through her hair. "It's just--"

"You're not awful. Look where you are," he reminded her. "Hogwarts. A death eater would never set foot in Hogwarts to chat with Dumbledore, Daphne. Besides, you've just offered your help which means you are on our side now..."

"I am, I am on your side," she said, nodding her head. "I have a request," she said after a moment. "Do you think we'd be able to go see my cousin, Andromeda Tonks? My goddaughter hasn't seen me in months and I'd like to share it with her, that I'm on the right side."

Fabian smiled gently as he cupped her face, "I'd go anywhere with you, Daphne," he told her, looking straight in her eyes and she could feel it. The butterflies. "I know I'm no James Potter but I'd like to see you happy and--"

"I am happy. I'm beyond happy that I've bumped into you, that you've accepted me despite being a death eater and that you've helped me do the right thing," she told him. "I'm happy," she repeated.

Daphne knew it was too soon to say that she loved Fabian, she liked him but something felt so right when she was with him. James Potter was no longer lingering in her mind and he had become a memory, like she wanted him to become--a simple memory. It wasn't wrong to get attached to someone that quickly and that easily--after all, love at first sight existed. But, sure thing, Daphne could say that she was happy with Fabian Prewett.

"Goodbye dark side, hello bright side then?" He said.

Daphne chuckled softly, agreeing, "Goodbye dark side, hello bright side."

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authors note, GOD IM SO HAPPY YALL LOVE FAB AND DAPH TOO 🤭🤭🤭
anyways, take this update as a christmas gift babes! and merry christmas eve to y'all <333 i love you so so much and hope it'll be okay!