act two: little dark age
chapter forty-one

Water was a sign. A motif that everyone seemed to understand rather quickly as soon as water was mentioned. Water was a symbol of rebirth and new life, or simply, movement. The way of the waves was like the ways of the crowds. Forever moving, and never stopping. They simply continued on their path not caring what others had to say.

But water to Daphne was an obstacle. To her, when it came to water there was always a flood. A broken dam waiting to unleash the mighty waves to take down anything in its path. A tsunami formed from the distance as the wall of water drew closer and closer to crashing down on the sorry souls that happened to be in its path.

Water had been the thing that had killed, or so they believed, her Uncle Regulus. Lucerys made sure that from a young age Daphne was weary of the waves. Not wanting the young girl to greet the same fate that her Uncle once had. That was where her original fear of the water again, Regulus had been drowned by what lurked beneath the waves.

He had no clue what would happen to him - or, he did. Daphne would never know unless she had the conversation with him. Though, it was hard to ask the dead questions. But if her vision had been correct, and he was alive, then there would be a lot that would be needed to discuss. Especially the therapy bill he'd be paying for her fear of water.

Daphne fiddled with the towel that covered her body as she shivered lightly. The water dripped off of her face in droplets as she wiped her hand over her jaw. Trying to ignore the massive chill that raked her body as she was pressed tightly into Harry's side as the crowds around roared with cheer over the top placing Hogwarts students.

Daphne's eyes fell over to her brother, standing a few feet above her on a different platform. Caius was at his side, talking to his brother while remaining neutral to all standings. Daphne could see the way Atticus' face was creased in worry as he looked down at her, causing the girl to give him an unsure smile as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Despite the overcast and the cloudy mood that was set due to the weather, it did not seem to affect the mood of the young minds. Everyone seemed as ecstatic as their neighbor. Except for the two ministry workers, Barty and Lucerys seemed to be happy but something in their expression caused Daphne a bit of worry.

The girl smiled and cheered on with her friends as she continued to hold the towels tightly around her while glaring whenever Harry made any move away from her, which would tug the towels away from her and tug it back onto her which made him follow the towels path over to the girl.

Daphne looked back over in her Dad's direction, as he continued to talk with Barty Crouch about whatever he needed to talk to the man about. Though, by his expression, she could tell that whatever it was... wasn't a good thing. He looked upset and he looked worried about something, she figured she'd find out eventually.

"Good job, second place," Daphne gave a side grin to Harry as she laughed, "Second place. Better than second to last, isn't it?"

Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes at the girl's words as he shivered at her side, "It's better. Now, are you trying to bother me about this for the rest of the time?"

Daphne resisted a small smile as she shook her head, "No, I'm going to let you take the win, just wanted to tease you a bit."

"Only a bit," Harry mimicked her words before his attitude shifted into more on an awkward one as Lucerys walked over to them, "Hello Mr. Black..." He gave an unsure smile.

Daphne resisted the urge to laugh her ass off at the action as she grinned, "Hello Dad, no need to look so tense. Not like you were the one under water for an entire night," She joked as she moved from Harry's side as she took two towels with her to her father, "Look, we've got this great thing going - not dying!"

Lucerys rolled his eyes at his daughter as he wrapped an arm around her toweled frame, "I'm so glad no one has died. That would be a terrible situation to deal with, now, I'd like to congratulate you, Harry, and thank you. You saved my daughter."

"Even though your people kinda put me down there," Daphne scrunched up her nose as she grinned while leaning into her father while giving Harry a look as she then smirked, "Thank Godric for being friends with the Chosen One."

Lucerys ruffled her hair causing the girl to try and escape from him before he caught her tightly in his arms, "Not so fast, Daphne," Lucerys held onto his daughter while grinning, "You going back into the water was very dangerous - not to mention reckless as you weren't properly suited for..."

"I wasn't properly suited to be placed as a damsel," Daphne retorted as she looked at her father as she pulled away from his arms as he now held her at arm's length, "And I wasn't letting my friend drown because he chose to save me and another girl."

Daphne noticed how everytime she said the word friend Harry had to try his best not to make a face but often he would start cringing. She had to catch herself from doing the same a few times, after all, they were newly in a relationship but the word friend just felt so weird as of recently. No matter how many times they used it.

"I'm glad you have a hero complex, truly, but let's not go and be like some others we know because we can't bail you out of Azkaban or death, okay?" Lucerys gave her a firm look as he let go of her arms.

"Yes, Dad," Daphne tried not to let any attitude seep into her tone as she crossed her arms across her chest with a smile, "Love you, Dad."

"You too, sweet girl. Now, Harry," Lucerys' turned his attention away from the girl as he held a protective dad look, "I'm entrusting you to keep her out of trouble, you've already promised me one thing and you'll do well to live up to it."

"I will," Harry was quick to respond as he adjusted his glasses before trying to get the water off of the glass, "I will. I won't let anything happen to her."

"Good," Lucerys gave a swift nod before he moved away from the two as Barty Crouch Sr. waved him over to a group of men.

Then it wasn't long before they were all told that it was time for them to head back to the castle or wherever they happened to end up. Most were planning on partying and celebrating the end of the second task while anticipating the third, Daphne figured she'd party then end up napping or sitting around the fire with her friends.

"Right on, moral fiber, eh?" Fred and George patted Harry's back before George helped Daphne off the boat as she held onto her towels.

"It's great," One of the twins said while everyone laughed as they basked in their friend's victory as he stood looking back, waiting for Daphne to join his side.

"Moral fiber, even when it goes wrong it turns out right," Ron retorted with a grin as he walked behind the two as he leaned over Harry's shoulder with a grin.

"Yeah, well done moral fiber," George retorted as he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder before he continued on with the others while Barty stopped Harry and Daphne from going any further,

"Congratulations, Potter," Barty looked at the boy as he gave him a small smile, holding onto his cane tightly as he eyed the two, "A fine achievement."

"Thank you," Harry gave a nervous smile as he nodded his head, lowering his gaze to the ground before forcing it back up.

"Well done, boy," Barty continued on as he started to walk alongside the two teenagers while Daphne held her towel tighter with an uneasy smile.

"See you at Hagrid's, Harry, Daphne!" Ron called out from a few feet ahead as he continued on with the twin's and Hermione.

"See you all!" Daphne yelled back as she laughed, "Don't do anything too crazy, you lot!" She watched as they turned around and made faces at her which prompted her to smile.

"I'm sorry we haven't spoken. After all, your story is one I've heard so many times. Quite remarkable, really. Tragic, of course," Barty looked at the boy with a sad look as they walked to the edge of the lake, "To lose one's family. We're never whole again, are we?"

There was an uneasy pause. Harry was staring straight at Barty Crouch Sr. with a look of slight uncertainty and annoyance. Clearly, he had not wanted to talk about the tragedies of his life after such a win, but Barty Crouch Sr. seemed to have other ideas as Daphne pulled her towel tighter on her body.

"Still, life goes on...and here we stand," He smiled down at the two teenagers as he nodded his head, "A fine you lady, coming from a great family, you are Miss Black. I know that you are your father's pride as much as your brother is. A remarkable family you are," He looked at the girl who gave a small smile, "I'm sure your parents would be very proud of you today, Potter."

It wasn't a moment later before the conversation was cut short as Moody yelled, "Bartemius, not trying to lure Mr. Potter and Miss Black into one of the Ministry's summer internships, are we? The last boy who went into the Department of Mysteries never came out!" He licked his lips aggressively as his words were harsh at the man.

Barty Crouch's smile immediately dropped as he walked over to the man in an instant. Clearly, he saw what Daphne saw. Something was not right with this man. Barty looked Moody up and down before he moved out of his way and began to walk up the hill, away at a rather quick pace. But Moody had other plans.

"And they say I'm mad!" Moody yelled before pulling out his flash and taking a swig as his eyes stayed trained on the two teenagers.

Daphne looked at Harry with an uncertain look before Moody began to walk away from them, harshly bumping into Daphne as the whispers in her ears became rather loud as she felt a sense of fear before the world around her changed. Everything was dark and cloudy, it was clearly night time and the girl looked around to see if there was anything familiar.

It was like she could faintly hear Hagrid talking, but she couldn't see where he was as she looked around. Out of the corner of her eye seeing a flash of green light before she hid behind a tree, almost as if making sure no one saw her despite her being in a vision before she slowly came out of hiding and strided over to the source.

She could hear the sound of a boot clanking against the ground and it sounded like Moody's. This raised many questions in Daphne's mind as she walked over to the tree where she had seen the light, stepping over branches and crunching leaves as she could almost hear her friend's talking in her mind.

Before she saw a limp leg.

"Daphne," Harry had grabbed ahold of the girl's arms as she realized she was holding onto the tree that led into the river, "Daphne, come back," He was trying to pull her away from the tree as she breathed heavily.

Daphne let go of the tree almost immediately as she backed up. Nearly tripping backwards as she scurried from the waterline as Harry had to move just as quick as she did due to the fact he was holding onto her. Moody had killed someone. How can I be sure it was Moody? All I could use was the sound of his boot... the sound of his boot, one that no one else had and a sound uniquely to him.

"You were fine then Moody bumped into you and it was like you just zoned out, you were muttering something about the night and limpness?" Harry began to fumble out as he looked at the girl with furrowed eyebrows, "What happened?"

Daphne sighed as she ran her hands over her face before grabbing her towels back as she put them around her again, looking at Harry from over her shoulder as she began to walk off, "The future happened."

Harry was quick to chase after the girl as he looked worried, "What do you mean, the future happened? Could you enlighten me with a bit more detail?"

"You really act like what I've been told your father acts like sometimes," Daphne retorted as she tried to whim away from this conversation, "But only at certain times."

"Daphne," Harry's voice was firm, a tone he used with her only when saying that he was tired of playing and he wanted a serious answer, "Tell me."

"Someone's going to die."

"Now, I remember, when I first met you all," Hagrid began as he walked alongside the three teenagers, "Biggest bunch of misfits I've ever set eyes on!" He emphasized while grinning, "Suppose you remind me of meself a little. And here we are, four years later!"

"We're still a bunch of misfits," Ron laughed as he looked back at Hagrid momentarily, the giant raising his light as he grinned at Ron's comment.

"Well, maybe, but we've all got each other!" Hagrid cheered as Ron and Hermione walked not so far off from each other while Daphne wandered a bit ahead of everyone, even Harry who was far off from the entire group, "And Harry, of course. Soon to be - the youngest Triwizard Champion there's ever been! Hooray!"

Hagrid seemed ecstatic at the thought of Harry winning the Triwizard Tournament. It was truly heartwarming how much he cared for, not only the boy, but the entire group of friends. He treated them as well as family and Daphne would defend Hagrid from anyone who dared try and sully his name.

Daphne bent down as she noticed Barty Crouch's hat on the ground, causing her to panic as she looked back at Harry, "My vision, Harry, it's happened!"

Harry was quick to walk faster as he looked down at the hat that the girl was crouched in front of, "It's not..."

Daphne rose to her feet as she quickly pushed around Harry who tried to grab ahold of her as she nearly made it around the tree. Harry moved in front of her before stopping as he groaned in pain as his hand flew to his scar before the two saw the limp leg before their eyes caught the dead body of Barty Crouch Sr.

"Mr. Crouch?" Harry asked upon seeing the lifeless body, Daphne let out a cry as she covered her mouth upon seeing the dead look in his eyes.

"Daphne! Harry!" Hermione yelled upon hearing Daphne's cry as the three ran over to find them.

The body was as good as gone. When Daphne had the vision, she didn't think that any of this would happen that soon. Alastor Moody seemed to be moving quickly down his list of victims, and Daphne couldn't help but wonder who else was on his radar and who was going to drop next, she feared that it could be anyone, even her father.

"Blimey," the three went to come around the three and Daphne was quick to move and push Ron and Hermione back from the scene, "No - no! I don't want you two to see it..."

Hagrid looked worried before he walked over to where Harry was standing, looking down at the body as his eyes widened, "We need to get Professor Dumbledore - one of you-"

"What happened?" Hermione asked as she looked at Daphne who kept making sure they couldn't catch a sight of the scene, "What do we tell him?"

"Barty Crouch Sr. is dead," Harry's words were hollow as he moved back from the scene while still holding his scar, "He's been killed."

Hermione's eyes widened as her hand went up to her mouth as she looked shocked while Ron's face paled. No one knew how to react or what to do, but someone had to get Dumbledore and someone had to stay behind to lead someone to the body. The body of the former Ministry worker.

"Daphne, go with Ron and Hermione to the castle," Harry looked at the girl as he let his hand drop from his scar, "You three go warn Dumbledore about what has happened and send him down here."

Daphne shook her head as she looked at Harry, "No. I'm staying here," She planted her feet firmly against the ground, "I saw this before you did - you go with them."

"Like hell," Harry shook his head as he moved closer to her, almost as if he had surged forward in anger which caused her chest to tighten.

"All of you go," Hagrid ordered as he looked back at the group, "I don't need any of you staying behind and seeing something like this... you're too young."

"I saw this happen," Daphne whispered as she looked at Harry with a firm look as she ignored the sadness and guilt eating her up, "Let me stay here. Go with them. Find my father and Dumbledore."

"One of you just come on," Ron complained as he ran his hand through his hair furiously, "I don't know what to bloody do - someone's dead!"

"Nice observation, Ronald," Hermione shot as she looked at the boy with an expression that looked as if she was about to kill him, "Harry, come on."

Harry made no effort to move even an inch from Daphne as the two held a stare off. Daphne gave him a firm gaze, asserting the fact that she was not leaving. She would be staying here whether he wanted her to or not. No one would be getting her to leave, she felt as if she was to blame for this.

"Fine," Harry broke his gaze from the girl as he now looked at the ground while saying, "Let's go."

He walked by Daphne, looking back at her from over his shoulder before disappearing through the misty woods alongside Ron and Hermione as Daphne stayed behind with her arms crossed tightly across her chest before she heard a twig snap, and before Hagrid could call her name, she was gone.