act two: little dark age
chapter forty-four

Dumbledore was a man who liked to keep things to himself. He had his way of doing things, and others had their ways. Usually, his ways influenced how others did whatever they needed to do. Daphne was sure that there wasn't a Professor in the castle who wouldn't do whatever Dumbledore said in a skinny minute and without question.

To the people of Hogwarts, he had a hit or miss with popularity. Many pureblood supremacists did not like him for his lack of mistreatment to half bloods and muggle-borns. They hated that they were treated as equals or were treated with any respect at all. They wanted nothing more than to have them treated like dirt and themselves treated like royals.

Daphne had many opinions about the headmaster. For the majority of them, they were very negative. A mere few were considered good, if they could even be considered that. It was one of those situations where most of the students simply listened to the elder wizard because he was, well, elder. Not because he had good ideas. His greatest ideas had been sending children to fight something more sinister than they had ever faced.

And now, it seemed as if the world was simply pinning against everyone. Including the young couple. Daphne didn't know much about dating, having really only dated Harry, but she knew that they were in a young relationship. She knew that there were chances of it not lasting - among other things.

She found herself paused in a corridor as her senses became blinded. The hairs on the back of her neck stuck up as she stood rather still. As quiet as the silence. No part of her body moved, not even the small strands of her hair that were on the verge of falling over her shoulder. It was almost as if she had been cursed to stand still, but she wasn't.

There was a faint sound of footsteps in her ears. Fast footsteps. As if someone was running. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stick up as her body began to feel cold, goosebumps gliding up the skin of her arms and her legs. She broke the spell of her stillness as she turned around to look behind her, eyes narrowing as the world around her kept changing.

It was almost as if her mind was flashing images at her. One would be the actual world, and one would be a fast moving set of... shrubby? Her nose crinkled up as she shut her eyes tightly before placing her hands over her eyes. Pressing harshly as she felt a slight amount of pain but the world stayed dark.

After a moment, and feeling someone grab onto her shoulder she pulled her hands down before looking around again. Everything was back to normal. No sound of footsteps. No sights of shrubby. Nothing. Nothing except the lingering feeling of fear and the lingering feeling of dread.

"Daph," Harry's hand moved to her forearm once her hands dropped from her eyes, he was in one of those moods where it was clear he didn't want to talk but he felt as if he needed to, "What is it?"

Daphne's mind was in an eerie silence. One of those silences that raised red flags within her brain. One of those silences that alerted her something was either very wrong or was going to be very wrong. She didn't know which one was worse but she found herself being more alert as she slowly retracted her arm from Harry.

"Daphne," Harry's use of the girl's name caught her attention as her head snapped in his direction as she took a deep inhale.

She slowly shook her head as her lips parted while she tried to form some sort of response, falling short of one for a few moments before she continued, "Something is not right, Harry. And I don't know what."

"If it's about what Dumbledore said..." Harry found himself trailing off as Daphne's gaze became as fiery as a flame, "I'm not going to say that he was right, if that's what you think I'm-" He slipped over his words in an attempt to get out of any trouble.

"You better not be," Daphne retracted her look as she sighed deeply before beginning to walk once more with Harry through the dimly lit halls, "But I have a feeling you do agree with Dumbledore."

"What makes you say that?" Harry was quick to respond as he kept up with her pace, every so often glancing between her and the paintings.

Daphne rolled her head around as she continued before speaking once again, "I've just got that feeling. Besides, the look on your face and your silence as I went on with Dumbledore said it all. I know how you and Moody are."

Harry stayed silent which only seemed to confirm Daphne's beliefs more before he muttered out, "I trust you more than I do him. If it came down to it, you have the final say before I act on something."

Daphne resisted the small smile that tried to quirk at her lips as she looked over at Harry, "Is that your way of trying to make sure I'm not mad at you and you stay on my good side, Harry?"

The way the smile managed to grasp her lips caught his attention as he managed a small smile back at her before looking away as his cheeks grew pink.

"I'm not going to answer that, Odette."

They continued to walk on, sharing stolen glances with the other. Being two love-sick with no idea of what the future had in store for them. No clue about the seriousness that relationships prospered into. They were simply two teenagers who were chasing puppy love.

Though, through their walk, something caught their attention. Loud voices boomed through the halls of Hogwarts, yet, no one was in sight. Both teenagers grew curious as to who was talking, looking around the small parts of the corridor as they continued on.

"It's a sign, Severus. You know what it means as well as I!" Igor Karkarov's voice boomed through the hall as Harry and Daphne both halted awkwardly as the potion's door opened harshly, causing Daphne to nearly jump.

Daphne adjusted her posture as she kept a blank expression on her face as curiosity and dread ate at her stomach. Despite the girl trying not to look as if she was truly enthralled in the two men's exchange, Harry seemed to be completely smitten with it.

There was a moment of silence as Snape's back was pressed against the door that he had slammed open, which originally had piqued the interest of the teenagers. Igor noticed the two, the Dark Mark on his forearm in full display as he held up his sleeve. Daphne swallowed thickly as different emotions passed over Harry's features.

Karkarov ripped down his sleeve as he stared down the two Gryffindors. Their eyes were wide as he walked out the door, keeping his body facing the two even as he went to turn to the right. Watching them as he walked off while Daphne fought the way her mind began to flicker.

Harry watched the other wizard and began to walk after him before Snape was quick to walk out of the closet, "Potter!" He exclaimed with a stern voice, "Black? What's your hurry?" He questioned.

"Nothing, Professor," Daphne kept her head held high as she looked at the man, trying to keep up a strong facade in front of the middle aged wizard.

Snape's arms were locked behind his back as he narrowed his eyes at the younger girl. Keeping an eye on her before his eyes flickered over to Harry who finally tore his gaze from where Igor Karkarov had just been as he turned to the potion's master. Harry slowly walked over to the girl's side as he faced Snape as well.

"Congratulations, your performance in the Black Lake was inspiring, as well as Miss Black's daft idea to go back in," He stopped himself from saying anything further on Daphne's matter before settling on Harry once more, "Gillyweed, am I correct?"

Harry kept his head high as he looked at his Professor, "Yes, sir," Bruises littered the side of his face down from the events of the last task.

"Ingenious," Snape responded simply before turning and going back into his potions closet while the two teenagers watched, before Harry made the trip to walk further in, "A rather rare herb, gillyweed," Snape climbed his ladder before continuing, "Not something found in your everyday garden. Nor is this," He pulled a green vile off the shelf.

"What are you insinuating, sir?" Daphne felt something was being slowly drawn out here and she did not find herself in the mood to deal with a Professor whose life was so miserable in his school years that he projects it onto others, "Because we are meant to be back to our dorms soon."

"It won't be long, Miss Black," Snape nearly hissed at the younger girl causing something to tighten in her chest before she bit down harshly on her lip so that she wouldn't say something, "Know what it is?" He held the vile up to Harry's eyes.

The way Harry's expression settled made him look like he was over the entire world, which amused Daphne, "Bubble juice, sir?" He questioned.

"Veritaserum," Snape responded as he looked down at the boy, "Three drops of this and You-Know-Who himself would spill out his darkest secrets. The use of it on a student is regrettably, forbidden. However... should you ever steal from my personal stores again... my hand might just slip over your morning pumpkin juice."

Harry shook his head as he began to speak with a strong tone, "I haven't stolen anything."

"Don't lie to me," Snape lingered over the boy as he held the green vile with an expression of pure anger, "Gillyweed may be innocuous, but boomslang skin? Lacewing flies? You and your little friends are brewing polyjuice potion, and believe me... I'm going to find out why!"

Not even a moment later the door was slammed shut before there was a click heard. Leaving Harry's face nearly in the door as he slowly backed away from the wood as Daphne remained in one spot. Her composure had yet to falter as her eyes remained locked on the door, finding her mind spiraling down a deep hole.

Polyjuice potion? That was something that the four had not touched since their second year. It had gone horribly wrong for Hermione while Ron, Harry, and Daphne had found themselves looking like Slytherin's and getting what they needed. Why on earth did Snape think they were doing it again? Though, she understood why he figured it was them. But for once, it wasn't.

Daphne looked over at Harry who seemed to be stuck in his own confusion, "Polyjuice Potion?" He questioned.

"Sh," She placed her finger to her lip as she looked around before whispering, "We should wait to talk about this. You never know who might be lingering."

Harry seemed visibly confused by her words before growing quiet as well before nodding and motioning for her to lead the way. Falling back into a silence that Daphne had yet to figure out if she liked or if she hated. Or if she had been simply on the fence the entire time, she may never know.

They made it into Gryffindor tower that night, finding different people looking for them. The twins had been looking for Daphne while Hermione and Ron had looked for Harry. Causing the two to split up before Daphne went on with what she wanted to tell Harry about as her emotions continued to eat her from the inside out.

"Blimey, Daph, I've never seen you so pale. Are you alright?" George asked as Daphne sat on one of the twin's beds as she ran her hands through her hair.

"Daphnee," Fred drew out as he poked her arm while leaning against the frame, his infamous smirk fading as he looked at her, "Come on, what's up?"

Daphne rolled her eyes at their antics and never ceasing worries, "Nothing's wrong. Just got a bad feeling that I can't shake. It's probably nothing, now, what is it?"

"A bad feeling won't leave you looking like this," George pointed out as Fred nodded in agreement.

Fred leaned further under the canopy as he poked her cheek causing her to draw back, "You almost look like you're becoming one of the next Hogwarts ghosts."

Daphne pursed her lips in a thin line as her eyes narrowed at the comment, "Gee, thanks, you two. Glad to know that I look as charming as ever. It's truly just a thought. That's what overthinking gets me. Nothing's wrong."

It took a bit of convincing before the twin's dropped the topic and moved on to another. Going between different ideas for the joke shop as well as what they planned to do once Hogwarts was out. Or simply what they were going to try and sell at the next task.

"We're thinking of selling the Puking Pastils, but we need to make sure that they work," As soon as the twin's said this Daphne was quick to shut that down.

"I am not your tester dummy!" She exclaimed as she shook her head wildly, "Absolutely - wait, what do I get if I do this?"

Fred let out a laugh while looking at George who held an amused smile before one of the two began, "You're already co-owner of our business."

"Five weeks of chocolate is more like it," Daphne held up her hand as she looked between the twins as she adjusted how she sat, "Okay, and?"

"So demanding," George teased the girl before looking at Fred and sighing with a grin, "Five weeks. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Daphne smirked before holding out her hand, "Now give me the goods and one of you better hold my hair for me."

Fred snickered, "Blimey, what else could she want," As he handed her a puking pastil and moved a rubbage bin to her side as George held the girl's hair.

"Ready?" George asked as she hesitated to put the candy in her mouth as her eyes flickered between the two, "You know you really don't have to do it."

"Bombs away," Daphne shrugged before plopping the candy into her mouth.

The taste wasn't bad at first. As she sucked on the small piece of candy as it tasted like a variety of sweet treats before it finally was gone and left a disgusting taste in her mouth. Her stomach twisted as she felt herself gag to the point she began to cough wildly.

"Well, that wasn't expected, please don't bloody choke," Fred looked worried as well as George as the girl continued to cough and gag before bile rose from her throat.

It wasn't a few seconds later that she nearly fell off the bed as she began to throw up wildly into the bin while still coughing. Fred winced every time she did while George held her hair back and tried his best to help her.

"We shouldn't have tried it on her," George spoke while his twin brother was quick to agree while trying to figure out how to help her out.

The way her throat burned as well as her stomach was not helping at all. Her head was spinning and the whispers were beginning to come back. There was no way she was going to have a vision while puking like she was. That was absolutely insane.

"Daph? Daphne!" The twin's voices faded from her ears as she began to choke wildly.

Daphne felt as if her back was lying against grass while her body continued to contort viciously as she felt immense pain while choking. Her hands going to her throat as she tried her best to see what was around her but it was all a blur. It looked like a graveyard and multiple cloaked figures... red.... Yellow... was this the next task?

"Daphne! Daphne!" The twin's had no clue what was happening to the girl who was practically choking while being unconscious, "We've got to take her to the Hospital Wing."

Fred nor George cared if they got in trouble over this. Daphne needed help and that was what she was going to get. George had picked up the girl and began to quickly cut through the Common Room, catching the attention of the current trio as he darted through the portrait hole.

"Is that Daphne?" Ron called after the twin's who continued on, "What the bloody hell happened?"

"I dunno, she tried out a puking pastil but then it was like she spaced out and she was contorting and choking!" Fred exclaimed as he looked back at the two as they continued to race to the Hospital Wing.

"Why did you try it out on her? Are you mad?!" Harry exclaimed as they pushed through the Hospital Wing doors, "Why couldn't one of you?!"

"Not now," Hermione tried her best to calm her best friend down as Daphne was placed down and quickly attended to by Madam Pompfrey who shooed everyone off.

Daphne's mind was racing at a hundred miles per hour, despite no one being able to understand that. Her body contorted as if she was in pain while she muttered some inaudible words under her breath as she struggled to breathe before her body stilled, causing great worry to the elder witch attending to her.

To Daphne, she was still laying on the grass. Her eyes wandered around her trying her best to figure out where she was or what was about to happen but it was like someone was stopping her. Someone was keeping her from seeing everything as she couldn't even move herself off of the ground. Feeling as if her muscles were still spasming even though they weren't.

And then, her eyes snapped open.