act two: little dark age
chapter forty-eight

Daphne had come to the process of thinking that no matter what they did, they had no escape. Voldemort was summoning the other Death Eaters. The ones who had raged at the World Cup. The ones who had slaughtered so many innocents in the pass. The ones who had been escaping Azkaban's grasp since the fall of their Dark Lord.

Daphne was barely a teenager. As was Harry. She had no wand and no way to fight. Which was quite the way to die, am I right? Being completely defenseless to the point you try to fight over and over again to no avail and so you keep getting hurt? Yeah, but Daphne didn't care. She wanted to make the effort. An effort was a lot better than nothing.

But she wasn't sure if it did anything, that was what bothered her. She knew that she had to do something to help herself and to help Harry most of all. The entire wizarding world was currently in danger and Daphne and Harry were both right in front of the man who caused the danger. The man who had caused so many deaths since they were merely babies.

Daphne had hoped this experience would never come again. But she knew it would. And she knew when it came back around, she'd be prepared. But for now, she would have to work with what she had and what she was. A young witch with no real experience besides the past three years of schooling that she had.

Daphne could feel the bile that was sitting in the back of her throat as she tried her best not to gain any attention as her side felt terrible. Her head was killing her and she knew that she couldn't act on the pain, that would only end her up in an early grave or somekind of torture chamber with the Dark Lord and she was not into that sort of thing.

Harry was still groaning as he was pressed harshly into the headstone. Daphne was surprised that the thing wasn't choking him by the way it held him. His hands were pressed firmly against the stone scythe and blood covered both his arm and his leg. Something Daphne knew was not going to be a good sign when they were trying to get out of there.

They shared a certain look that both knew meant something, what it meant though? Daphne wasn't really sure in the moment as she swallowed down the vomit that kept trying to rise as she stared at the rubbish in front of her. Trying to ignore the little voices in her head telling her to do something as she watched what unfolded.

What could she do? Voldemort had already reinstated the Dark Mark which called forth his Death Eaters to the graveyard. They knew that he was back again, after about thirteen years... Lord Voldemort had risen once again. And this time something more sinister than ever was about to happen. And all of the children would have to face it.

"Master, thank you, master," Wormtrail cried out as he held out his mangled arm to the Dark Lord who made a face of anger.

"The other arm, Wormtail," Voldemort hissed out not a moment later as he looked down at the former marauder, who's sadness appeaered as he held out his arm.

Voldemort pressed his wand deeply into the man's wrist as he activated the Dark Mark, causing the sky to cackle and turn dark which caught Daphne's attention as she lifted her head to stare at the menacing sky. Something terrible was going to happen, she wasn't sure to who yet - but she could feel it coming. And she did not have a good feeling about it at all.

The sky boomed and looked as dark as it could get. Daphne could still hear the cackles of thunder that boomed from afar, no sign of lightning. But the clouds started to swarm together, almost as if they were creating a tornado. But they weren't.... A skull was formed and out of the skulls mouth came a snake.

Harry watched it as well as Daphne before both were caught by the Death Eaters that appeared from the dark mist. Surrounding the teens as they stood in a circle which caused Daphne to hold herself tighter as she swallowed thickly as she tried to figure out what she needed to do or what was the way out.

They looked just as they had at the World Cup. Wearing purple cones for hats that helped cover anything that could identify them as well as skull masks that covered face. The only thing you could see was their nose and their eyes. And Daphne's eyes narrowed as she landed on someone that looked rather familiar...

"Thirteen years its been, and yet... here you stand before me as though it was yesterday," Voldemort moved around in the center of the circle as he looked around before sighing, "I confess myself... disappointed. Not one of you tried to find me. Crabbe! Macnair! Goyle! Not even you two... Lucius, Rosalie," Daphne completely stopped.

As their masks disappeared, they fell to the ground. Either on their knees or just completely on the ground. Daphne felt everything in her die the moment she saw her mother standing before her in that damned uniform. She should've known - her mother hadn't been a good lady... but this? This was not at all what she thought her mother would've done. Would've sided with.

"My Lord, had I detected any sign, a whisper of your whereabouts...." Lucius tried to save his ass as he looked at the Dark Lord and Rosalie looked at her daughter.

"There were signs my slippery friend, and more than whispers," Voldemort sneered as he looked down at the platinum blonde.

Lucius wasn't giving up though, and Rosalie finally spoke, "I assure you, my Lord. We have never renounced our old ways," She looked at the Dark Lord with a look of raw pride causing tears to prick at Daphne's eyes.

Lucius ripped off the cone from his head revealing his entire face, "The face I have been obliged to present each day in your absence... that is my true mask," He looked around before Wormtail spoke.

"I returned," Wormtail held his good hand up as he looked at the Dark Lord before shying away under the Dark Wizard's gaze.

"Out of fear, not loyalty," Voldemort sneered down at the rat man, "But still, you have proven yourself useful these past few months, Wormtail." Voldemort waved his wand around his hand as he caressed the male's shoulder.

A silver hand became formed in place of the one that Wormtail had sacrificed as he looked down at it before holding it in the air, "Thank you, master... thank you. Thank you."

Voldemort then turned to look at Daphne who was sat beside Cedric, placing his feet against Cedric's face while turning it, "Oh... such a handsome boy."

"Get the fuck away from him," Daphne hissed against Harry's 'get away from him' as she sneered at the man, "You fucking snake."

Voldemort simply smirked at the young girl as he looked down at her, "Don't think I don't know who and what you are, Daphne. Such... volatile language for a young witch."

Daphne glared at him as she hit his leg, to get it away from Cedric's body causing him to lift her body with force as his hand locked around her throat, "You think I'm scared of you? That I don't know anything? You know I do," Daphne ignored the fear in the pit of her stomach as she smirked, "You can't kill me."

"Don't touch her!" Harry's voice was much louder now, and more anger filled as Voldemort's grasp on Daphne remained stuck as he pulled her with him to look at the boy, "Don't touch her!"

Harry's groans made Daphne sick as he fought against the stone while glaring at the Dark Wizard, "Oh... Harry... I had almost forgotten you were here. Standing on the bones of my father," Daphne did not in fact like being choked or held by her throat by Voldemort as he held her in front of Harry, "I'd introduce you but word has it your as famous as me these days."

"More famous, actually," Daphne retorted ignoring the hiss of the snake below her ankles which absolutely terrified her.

Voldemort turned back briefly before saying, "The Boy Who Lived. How lies have fed your legend, Harry. Shall I reveal what really happened that night, thirteen years ago? Shall I divulge how I truly lost my powers... yes, shall I?"

Voldemort let go of Daphne the moment he moved from the grave, the girl staying where she was next to Harry. Looking up at him briefly as she looked worried before catching sight of where his wand was, and managing to grab it without anyone noticing.

Voldemort pranced around the circle as Harry groaned, Daphne placed a hand on the stone as if that would be any help, "It was love. You see, when dear, sweet Lily Potter gave her life for her only son... she provided the ultimate protection. I could not touch him. It was old magic, something I should've foreseen."

"For a dark wizard, you aren't that smart then, huh?" Daphne retorted as she kept a strong exterior as she snarled at the Dark Wizard, ignoring the raise of wands that were pointed at her.

Voldemort waved his hand and Daphne felt a force shove her down on her knees, "No matter, no matter. Things have changed," Voldemort surged forward against the stone as he was almost flushed against Harry as he raised his finger, "I can touch you, now!" His finger came in contact with Harry's scar.

Harry began to scream out and groan at the pain that began to surge through his scar at the touch. Daphne touched against the man's robes and tried to hit against him as he screamed out as well, though, Daphne's efforts weren't long before Lucius and another Death Eater held her by both arms.

"LET GO OF HIM!" Daphne screamed as she thrashed against the grip of the two death eaters keeping her in one place, "LET GO OF HIM YOU SLIMY DIM-WITTED BASTARD!"

Voldemort drew back as he let out a loud laugh while Harry panted, "Astonishing what a few drops of your blood will do, eh, Harry?" Voldemort slashed down the scythe and Daphne got out of the Death Eaters grip to Harry on the ground, "Give Potter his wand, Black!"

Daphne didn't do anything for a moment as the Death Eaters scuried off into different directions as Daphne helped Harry sit up on the ground. Looking beyond worried as she caught sight of something on her mother, green. She fumbled with Harry's wand in her pocket before stopping.

"I said give it, get up! Get up!" Voldemort yelled before looking over at Rosalie who moved over.

Daphne looked rough but so did Harry, neither had expected any of this,"Harry, something's going to-" Daphne didn't have time to finish her words.

"Crucio!" Rosalie's voice boomed as Daphne's screams became loud as her body began to thrash and turn in god awful ways as she felt pain surge through her.

Harry's panic must've peaked as he grabbed his wand as he tried to get Daphne to still, "Come on, fight it," Harry knew that was nearly impossible to do.

"You've been taught how to duel I presume? Yes? First, we bow to each other," Voldemort bowed before looking angry. Come on, now, Harry. The niceties must be observed," Voldemort sneered before nodding at Rosalie.

"Crucio!" She preformed the curse once again on her daughter whose screams and cries got even louder as her body thrashed wildly into the ground.

"FUCK YOU! HUFFLEPUFF CUNT!" Daphne cried out against the ground as she couldn't help but feel overcome by the red hot pain that had seized her body.

"Dumbledor wouldn't want you to forget your manners, now would he? I said, bow," Voldemort sneered before waving his wand, forcing Harry to bow in front of the wizard, Harry groaned as he fought against it, "That's better... and now...Crucio!"

Harry fell to the ground thrashing and screaming against the pain as well. Rosalie had stopped for a mere moment on her daughter as she was forced to witness it happening to Harry grabbing his arm very shakily to stop him from thrashing around as bad as he was going to because of the pain before she was thrown back.

"Stupid cunt!" Daphne yelled against at her mother before she raised her wand again, but Voldemort stopped her.

"Attaboy, Harry," Harry slowly began to get off of the ground, looking at Daphne as she gave him a slight nod while her body shook lightly, "Your parents would be proud. Especially your filthy muggle mother..."

"Expelli-" Harry didn't even have time to finish the spell before it was blocked while Daphne looked enraged.

"Curse me as much as you want. You stupid blood supremacist, but need I remind you, my mother isn't even a pureblood and she's in your ranks. Not very supremacist of you," She sneered as she held up her middle finger.

Not even a moment later, Rosalie let another curse hit her daughter causing her to fall back harshly against the ground as the woman walked over to her daughter with pure anger. A dark look filling her eyes as she pointed her wand down at the girl as her chest heaved heavily. Dirt covering most of her body and her burns and cuts seething with pain.

"Do it, you won't," Daphne sneered at her mother as her voice wavered, "Fucking do it. DO IT!" She screamed before another curse hit her causing her to cry out in pain.

"You picked the wrong side, Daphne. He can't save you and you can't save anyone, I thought tonight would've proved that. You couldn't even save him," Rosalie muttered darkly as she crouched down by her daughter, "And you will fall," She whispered before muttering another curse which caused Daphne to scream.

"I'm going to kill you, Harry Potter. I'm going to destroy you and Daphne when it is all over. After tonight, no one will ever again question my powers. After tonight, if they speak of you... they'll speak only of how you... begged for death. And I, being a merciful lord, obliged... get up!"

Daphne cried against her mother's spells. Her body going between thrashing, burning, and simply being ripped open with each curse that was thrown down at her. She's my mother... how could a mother do this to her own child? But Daphne had yet to understand the bigger scheme of things. There was a reason she was meant to be broken.

"Mommy, please," Daphne couldn't help but cry as she sobbed into the ground that became dug up under the girl's movements.

"I am not your mother. You fucking disappointment," Rosalie sneered down at the girl as she enacted another curse, "You are not a child. You're a weapon. Conrad is the child, Conrad is the fucking heir. You are nothing."

"Get up!" Voldemort caused the boy to rise from the ground before he ran off behind one of the gravestones, "Don't you turn your back on me, Harry Potter! I want you to look at me as I kill you! I want to see the lights leave your eyes!"

Daphne saw a flash of green light out of the corner of her eye and she managed to flip herself onto that side as tears fell down her face as her body shook. Her mother moving back from her as she felt something in her began to break. Like something wanting to get free. She wasn't sure what it was - and that scared her.

But so did losing him. And right now he was hiding as he fought for his life against the Dark Lord. His eyes locked on her as she spasmed and shook while tears fell from her eyes due to her mother. She saw that look in his eye, she knew what he was going to do and she wanted to tell him not to. But she couldn't.

"Harry..." Her voice was a broken whisper that the wind barely caught, something that dissipated and disappeared into the sands of time.

He was angry and he was determined, he was going to fight, he kept his gaze on her as he rose from behind the stone before she cried out again at another curse from her mother, the boy now facing Voldemort, "Have it your way, then," Harry looked at the Dark Lord with his wand in hand.

Harry was quick to raise his wand as Daphne sobbed into the ground while feeling herself break into small pieces, "Expelliarmus!"

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort raised his wand in return and the green light met with the red light.

Daphne felt as her... as Rosalie grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her to watch the scene in front of her. Watching the red and green light battle for dominance. Watching as Harry gripped his wand with both hands in struggle while Voldemort barely did anything.

"You're going to watch him die," Rosalie whispered in her ear as Daphne tried to gain control of her senses, trying to get something to work.

But she found herself falling into a blackout rage as she managed to twist around and sock Rosalie right in the face, "He's mine to finish," Daphne grabbed Rosalie's wand and through it away as the whispers became loud and she watched a blue forcefield become formed.

Daphne knew what she had just done. She wasn't one for violence but it was like something in her finally snapped. She had hit Rosalie and she had hit Voldemort a few times. Oh god, Daphne didn't know why it felt so good but it scared her. But she couldn't focus on that now.

She watched as blue mist erupted from the wands and stood around the forcefeild, Lily Potter, James Potter, an old man, and Cedric had appeared, "Harry! When the connection is broken, you and Daphne must get back to the portkey do you understand!" James Potter was firm, "We can linger for a moment to give you some time but only a moment. Do you understand?"

"Harry?" Cedric called out to the boy who was fighting for his life, "Take my body back, will you? Take my body back to my father."

Tears rolled down Daphne's face as she ran over to Cedric's body, knowing that was where she needed to be as she looked at the scene in front of her, "Sweetheart let go, sweetheart, you're ready! Let go, let go!"

Lily Potter's words got to Harry and sure enough, he let go, running over to Daphne who placed a hand on Cedric and locked hand's with Harry who yelled, "Accio!" And the ghosts covered them as they disappeared from the scene.