act two: little dark age
chapter twenty-two

The summer passed by rapidly. More rapidly than most would like but that's how time worked. The older you got the more it seemed to pass by, slipping through your fingers before you even had a chance to try and grab a hold of it as you had done in your youth.

Tension had been thick in Grimmauld Place, with the random arrivals of Atticus from time to time and the letters that would roll in from Rosalie begging and demanding Lucerys' make their son, Conrad, the heir to his fortunes and the house of Black. Yet, time and time again Lucerys refused.

He made it well clear who his heir was. Setting it in stone, Daphne Black was and would be until the day she inherited it all, the heir of the House of Black. She was the future of his inheritance, one of the final sons of Black and his daughter heiress.

It wasn't that either Lucerys or Daphne had anything against the child, it was quite the opposite. Daphne had grown up being prepared for the duty and hardship that came along with being an heir. It was more than awaiting someone's death and taking their assets. You became the asset.

The child was much too young for the job. Merely a few months old, and the second born. The first born always inherited the duty unless they were a female. If a female appeared, then it would pass to the next male heir. But over time, Lucerys changed the rules and he set his lineage in line.

Daphne wasn't angry, she was relieved that she kept the title of heir. She had been prepared for it as long as she could remember, but she hated that she had to be because she didn't want her father to die. She didn't want him to just disappear from her grasp. She didn't think that she'd ever be prepared.

She was merely fourteen, her face was now more healed than it had been a few months prior. Some of it had already begun to scar and still sat red on her skin. She wasn't in as much pain as she had once been, and she was more than thankful for that. The pain had been ridiculous. Every little facial movement had caused her pain.

Daphne was pacing around her room, which had once been her grandparents. Trying to figure out how to make herself have a good time, and not sit around as bored as she was at the moment. Being bored was annoying. Daphne had no sense of what to do or even what she wanted to do.

Then, she remembered that the portraits residing on the walls talked. Especially the one of her late grandmother, Walburga. Daphne grinned as she now believed she had figured out a way to cure her boredom.

She walked out of her room, lazily as she adorned a Gryffindor quidditch shirt and a pair of shorts as her hair was braided down her back. It was late in the day, and soon Daphne and her father would leave for the Quidditch World Cup. Meeting up with her friends, the Weasley's plus Harry and Hermione, to stay the night together and enjoy a good game.

Daphne slipped down the stairs, grabbing a hold of the banisters before she descended down and grinned as she looked over at the covered portrait. Slipping down before she uncovered the picture caused the portrait to move as Walburga's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?" She sneered as she looked at the girl, "And why are you in my home?"

"I'm Daphne Black," Daphne smirked as she ran a hand through her hair, "Your granddaughter."

"By which son?" Was the first question that left the woman's lips, "And what breed?"

Well, isn't she lovely? Daphne decided that it would be fun to play a little game with her grandmother. What if I make her believe I am a pure blood? Ha! She'll never know she's got a half breed granddaughter.

"Lucerys and Pandora," She lied through her teeth, using Luna's mother as she knew their families were originally supposed to be wed, "Pure."

"Good. Glad to see my son kept up the reputation," Walburga adjusted how she sat as she glared at the young girl, "Why do you have a deformed face?"

"Went after a werewolf. Why do you have one?" Daphne retorted, causing the woman in front of her to boil in anger.

"You little..." Walburga began as her voice raised.

"Daphne! What are you doing?" Lucerys' called down from the top of the stairs, as he leaned against the railing looking at his daughter, "Are you talking to mother? I'm surprised she isn't shouting epithets."

"She's very gullible," Daphne turned away from the portrait as if she was ignoring it, causing a sound of anger from it, "She truly believed you kept the line pure. Sorry for her, I'm a half-blood."

"HALF BREED!" It seemed that the portrait had a stroke upon hearing this, "HOW DARE YOU! YOU DISGRACE!"

"The only thing disgraceful is your face," Daphne retorted, "Goodnight!" Ignoring the shouts of the portrait while placing the covering back over it.

Lucerys couldn't help but laugh down at his daughter, "You really like to rile people up, don't you?"

"Only a little," Daphne grinned as she placed her hands behind her back while rocking on her feet, "Should I be getting ready? Or do we have time before we leave."

"We have some time. I believe that Atticus is going to come over before we go," Lucerys noticed the look that flashed over his young daughter's face, "I know you two aren't in the best place right now - but you're family."

"He's lucky that I even still consider him that," Daphne muttered under her breath as she crossed her arms over her chest as she sighed, "He's become just like her."

"Then show him a different way," Lucerys suggested as he looked at her, "Someone has to teach him how to be a good person."

"I'm not the right person, Dad. Even I don't understand that. He won't listen to me, he resents me because of Harry and the fact I won't leave my friends for him because he's decided he hates them," Daphne muttered bitterly.

Lucerys began to make his way down to her, going around the bannister while taking a few steps down the stairs, "You understand, more than you know, sweet girl."

Daphne bit down on her lip. She wasn't sure if she would be considered good, as she had been hiding something from her father. Lying and calling it nightmares so that he wouldn't be in any danger and so he wouldn't be scared out of his mind for her.

"Many of our relatives felt as we do," Lucerys placed a hand on her arm, "They felt as if they weren't good but they were not evil. You are good, Daphne. There isn't a single bone that is bad in your body," Lucerys smiled at her.

"I don't know, dad. There's a lot that is different between those of the past, and I," Daphne looked back into the room, a room that held the faces and the family tree of the House of Black, "I don't really... fit the good."

Lucerys followed her gaze before pulling her along before looking at the tree, Daphne following suit as her eyes gazed over the faces of the past. That's when her eyes landed on something. Helaena Malfoy, Regulus Black, her aunt and uncle. They had died a long time ago but what caught her mind

They were married.

Atticus was their son... but he wasn't the only one according to the tree to be their child. Caius was as well. Now, her vision made sense. It seemed as if the one she had during the school year, the two women fighting... it had been Helaena and Rosalie over the children.

"There's been a prophecy, passed down through the generations," Lucerys began as his eyes waltzed over the family tree, "A prophecy that the daughter of the raven and moon would protect the chosen one, or something like that."

"Thy daughter of raven and thy moon will come, a seer of all. Through thy lineage she will defy, a rare sight in thy making. Defiled with age but strong as our blood. Lady of the Night yet the protector of The Chosen..." Daphne recited from memory, from what she remembered from the vision she had nearly a year ago that plagued her nightmares.

Lucerys looked slightly startled as his eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out how his daughter had known this, "How'd you know that?"

Daphne realized that she probably shouldn't have said anything. That she had raised a lot of flags in her father's mind and she wasn't sure if she could ease his worries or lie to him. He always could see right through her lies, Atticus had been the better. Easily getting out of things so that there weren't any questions raised, but she didn't have him now.

"What do you mean?" Daphne gulped down her anxiety as she forced an eyebrow to raise while looking over at her father.

"The prophecy. You just recited it," Lucerys narrowed his eyebrows as he looked down at her, "Where did you hear it from?"

"I don't know what you are talking about, are you mad?" Daphne asked as she tried her best not to laugh awkwardly, "I think you might need some rest, Dad. I think the lack of sleep is getting to you."

"Daphne," Lucerys spoke firmly as he looked at his daughter, "I need you to understand the seriousness of this. This is a life or death situation in the making, I need you to tell me."

Daphne rocked on her feet while staying quiet. Hoping that maybe he'd simply let this go or he'd begin to understand it in his own head. The girl didn't want to make this known, because this means that her father would be in danger just as she was. Just as those around her was.

"Does Remus know?" Lucerys asked as he looked at her, "Does he know you know?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Daphne stuttered out as she backed away from her father, "You need some rest."

"It's you, isn't it?" Lucerys asked and the two went dead silent, Daphne froze in place as her eyes were wide while her mouth was slightly agape, "Atticus had covered for you. Remus had - you kept this from me? Do you know how much danger you are in? You... I should've known. You're the only Black near Potter. You're Uncle... moon... it all makes sense."

Daphne felt a pit in her stomach as her chest seemed to get tight. Lucerys was shaking his head as he spewed out all the outcomes that could've happened or every little detail that he should've realized pointed at Daphne being the one they had talked about for generations. That she had been the one that Voldemort was searching for when she was barely even alive.

"I'm sorry," Daphne whispered as she looked down at the ground, "No one was meant to find out. Uncle Moony was the first to know - it happened when I had a... my first. Then Atticus. Then my friends...and Uncle Sirius knew without even witnessing it."

"They know?" Lucerys' spoke softly as he looked down at her, "Of course, Sirius has had years to ponder this... I didn't think it'd be this soon and I prayed that it wouldn't be you."

Daphne frowned at her father's words. She knew he had a huge heart, and he worried about her more than anything. The last thing that he needed was to lose a child and the last thing that Daphne needed was to lose her father because of herself. She needed to keep him safe, she needed to keep them safe.

"Has George written you any?" Lucerys decided to change the conversation as he pinched the bridge of his nose, seeing how Daphne looked, "I know you've talked to Harry and Hermione."

"Yeah, George has," Daphne's voice was quiet as she looked at her feet, "We've hung out a few times, I don't know if you remember."

"I do," Lucerys sighed before hearing the fireplace, "It seems that Atticus is here."

Lucerys didn't say anything else before he walked out of the room. Leaving Daphne standing alone as she looked at the ground. Angry at herself for letting all of this slip to her father but also curious why he was questioning who she had talked to and if she had talked to anyone recently.

George and Daphne had grown closer since the last school year. George and Fred often messed around with Daphne, since they came around because of Ron, but a lot had changed. George had been a replacement for her brother since he had left her and they loved to joke around and jokingly flirt to throw everyone off. George was two years older than Daphne, but the two acted like children.

Daphne heard the whispers from downstairs. Hearing her brother's voice as he talked to their father. Daphne slowly removed herself from the room before she peered down the next set of stairs, looking as Atticus stood there. Wearing all black like some sort of... some sort of dark wizard. Daphne made a face as he looked up at her.

Lucerys seemed to look up as well. Both now staring at the girl who leaned over the stairs as she watched them from above. Daphne pursed her lips together as she went to move away and walk up the other set of stairs. Ignoring their gazes and ignoring his presence. The last thing she wanted to do was get into yet another fight, let alone fighting in front of their father.

"Daphne," Atticus called after the girl, causing her to stop, slowly turning around to look back at him, "How are you?"

How are you? Daphne resisted the urge to scoff at his words as she let her hands hold onto the bannister once again as she leaned against it. Ignoring the creaks of the old wood as she raised an eyebrow, like you'd actually care to know.

"I'm fine. You?" Daphne's tone was strained, she was clearly trying to hold back all of her anger to explain how she felt while keeping it short and simple.

"I'd like a true answer, Daphne," Atticus kept a straight face while looking up at her, gripping his sleeves tighter, "We are siblings after all."

"You're lucky that I still let you have that title after our last meeting," Daphne kept a straight face as well as he looked down at the two, ignoring the uneasy look from their father, "Do you really care or does your mother wish to know?"

The two seemed to exchange dirty looks at each other before regaining their postures. Lucerys' wasn't sure of what to do while the two argued. He had never dealt with an argument between the two because they rarely did. Atticus and Daphne had always been alright with one another, cheering each other up when the other was down.

"I'd like to know," Atticus' voice was much softer as he looked up at her, "As your brother and all, I care about you."

Funny, Daphne thought to herself as she slowly nodded ahead while chewing on her lip. You care about me but when I really needed someone, you blame me and then get mad at me? How in the seven hells does that make sense? Daphne tilted her head to the side as she sighed.

"I've been fine. Hanging around with George who has kept me sane while writing to Harry and Hermione who wrote to me back," Daphne gave him a sharp look, making it well known that was a snarky remark while she remained passive aggressive, "Surely you'd know that. After all, I did write to you."

Atticus looked guilty at that statement. Lucerys looked back at his son before sighing. The two were being harsh on one another. Daphne had always known that Atticus and Rosalie had been close but she thought he'd understand why she was upset. Why she couldn't stand her mother or the thought of losing her claim. He didn't, She reminded herself, Remember what he said. What he had yelled at her while standing in front of their Uncle's classroom.

"Daphne," Atticus looked ashamed as he spoke to her, "Things are changing and I need you to understand what I've done."

"I don't want to hear any explanation, Atticus," Daphne moved and stood in front of the stairs, "I've heard enough and I've seen enough. You're on your own path as I am on mine. We are two completely different people and you will go on your own path on your own because I won't be associated with it," she spoke simply before moving, leaving the two behind as she walked upstairs.

Making her way back to her room. Not wanting to deal with any more fighting as she ran her hands over her braid as she pulled it over her shoulder. Deciding that it was finally time to get ready for the Quidditch World Cup that was merely a matter of hours away. She was getting to see all of her friends again and she was going to have a good time.

George had informed her that she should be pulling for Ireland, which was a team that Daphne often kept up with. She wasn't as much of a fan of the Bulgarian's finding them rather... tedious. Not that they were slow themselves, but their games were. And they had a nasty stab of arrogance running through their veins and Daphne couldn't stand it.

Daphne began sorting through her clothes to find something green. Finding a green silk slip-like dress which she slid on with a pair of fishnets. She walked over to her shoes and slid on socks before adding on her high top converse and walking over to her vanity.

She smiled in the mirror seeing the letters from her friends that she had taped to the glass. Each having some sort of significant meaning to her. Most were random letters she had received from them when they were checking on her and when they were simply telling her about how much she had meant to them and that meant a lot to her.

Daphne took off the tie at the end of her braid before running her fingers through the pieces of hair that had been weaved together. Letting her blonde hair into soft waves over her shoulders before finding a white ribbon to match her converse which she took back a few pieces of her hair with as she tied it into a bow before smiling.

"Ireland's going to rock Bulgaria's shit!"