Categories > Books > Harry Potter > A Different Sort of Bond
A Different Sort of Bond Chapter 15
Disclaimer: I don't own the Potterverse!
Author's Note: This chapter has been lengthened and a few typos corrected.
The next day after breakfast there was a large group awaiting Harry and Daphne in the Entrance Hall. There was Madam Bones and twelve aurors for security, Bill Weasley along with five other curse breakers, thirty goblins with tools to help them render the huge carcass into usable and easily transportable pieces, seven men from the department of dangerous magical creatures, and five reporters, none of whom were Rita Skeeter. It was Monday so Ron and Hermione had class and couldn’t come along and Professor Slughorn was teaching but Tracey and Neville came along.
Harry tried to duck out of the pictures at first but Daphne whispered in his ear about publicity for his foundation. Harry nodded and pasted on a fake smile, “Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for coming. I would like to announce that all the money I receive from the basilisk will be used to create the Sirius Black Memorial Foundation. It will provide emergency portkeys to people who think they might be at risk of attack from Death Eaters.”
Daphne took over from there, “It will be completely free. All a prospective applicant need do is swear an oath not to act against the Ancient Houses of Potter and Black.”
Harry felt like rolling his eyes but didn’t do that or say anything to contradict her in public. “Alright, I, or rather we, shall lead to the chamber now.”
There were a few comments along the way about the entrance being in a girl’s loo and Harry explained again about Myrtle. Once in the main chamber the goblins set up magical lighting and started rendering the corpse of the basilisk while four aurors guarded them. The photographers set up to take pictures of dead Basilisk and the statue while the rest of them looked around the main chamber while the curse breakers explored to check for hidden rooms, secret passages, or cursed items.
After the curse breakers returned Bill went to report to Madam Bones, “We haven’t found any passages other than the two you know about. We did find a number of cursed objects in the tunnel accessed through the mouth of the statue. We have them clearly marked so no one touches them. It will take days to be sure of what they are and do but if you want the creature people to check the tunnel for acromantula its safe as long as they don’t touch the marked items.”
“Thank Mr. Weasley,” Director Bones said. She turned to the man in charge of the dangerous creature specialists, “Mr. Renton, please take your men through the mouth of the statue. Anything inanimate that is dangerous has been marked. Please assess the danger to the school as well as any immediate danger to the group.”
Oscar Renton, specialist in removing dangerous creature infestations, saluted and went off to gather his men. Once he was gone Amelia Bones turned back to Bill, “If he certifies it as clear then we’ll have you and your team go back and document then remove the curses on the items you found.”
Bill nodded, “Thank you Director Bones.”
Harry gave a sanitized and fairly short version of his actions in the chamber and managed to avoid mentioning Ginny’s name or anything about her being possessed. Daphne briefly spoke about their accident and how it brought them together and allowed romance to blossom between them. She made sure to mention how happy he made her and that he would be spending the winter holidays with her family.
“Isn’t this a bit quick Ms. Greengrass?” one lady reporter asked.
“It might seem so at first glance but we’ve been connected to each other every minute of the day for just a bit over five weeks,” she replied. She leaned down and kissed his cheek then winked at the woman, “Every minute, even the most personal. By this time we know each other better than some married couples.”
She saw the woman’s eyes widen as she makes the connection, “Oh dear. I hadn’t thought it through. I suppose after a month you would either fall in love or try to strangle each other.”
Harry chuckled, “And I wouldn’t give two bronze knuts for my chances if that happened. Daphne can be far scarier than yonder beastie, I assure you.”
Daphne didn’t look totally happy with that that but she kept smiling, “Oh dear, I think you give me too much credit.”
After the interview they went into an alcove and Harry threw up a privacy spell covered by a notice me not, “Before you ask that was in the way of payback for your comments on the foundation oath. You knew that’s not what I had planned for the oath but now I have to go with it and so I’m less than happy with you.”
Daphne colored a bit, “I am sorry about that but making me sound worse than a basilisk in an interview is not a good way to express your anger.” She frowned at him, “I’m not happy with you today either but if I did what you just did it would quickly escalate out of control and the only winners would be the scandal rags.”
Harry frowned back, “Well I guess I’ll agree not to surprise you in public if you’ll agree to do the same. But if we agree on something in private we should stick to it in public.”
Daphne nodded, “Fine, but I was doing it for your benefit.”
Harry nodded and lost his frown, “I realize that but it was a bad surprise and made me feel that you were disregarding my feelings and wishes. That has happened to me too much already and every single bastard that did it said it was for my own good.” He starts scowling again, “I’ll listen to your opinions but if its my life we’re talking about then I will make the final decision.”
She scowled too, “I can see why you say that especially considering your past. However at the moment what affects you affects me. Even when we are physically separated that will be true as long as we are together in any way.”
“So you’re saying my life isn’t my own?” Harry said.
She raised their joined hands, “I’m saying that as long as we are a “we” not just a “me” and a “you” that neither of us can make any unilateral decisions. Anything we do or decide affects not only us but Hermione and all the other people who are allied to us.”
Harry snorted, “I think you mean my friends not allies.”
She snorted in return, “Whatever you want to call them! If you get blasted in the paper it affects them. I know you’ve all experienced already after that Tournament but more seriously your enemies are their enemies.” She stopped and sighed, “That’s where I’m coming from but I will agree that this sort of argument needs to be done in private and in the future I won’t surprise you in public if you’ll do the same. I’ll even make a magical oath if you need it.”
Harry deflated, “I’m sorry. I spent so long trying to throw the abuse of my aunt and uncle and the manipulations of our dear headmaster, not to mention ex-minister Fudge, that I forget that your life has been derailed too and you aren’t as used to it. I’ll promise to consider your feelings in the future and I’ll swear an oath too if you’d like.”
They both pulled their wands and Harry started, “I promise to consider the feelings of and consequences to Daphne Ophelia Greengrass as long as we are attached. Whether that is physically, emotionally, or socially and as long as she does not speak in my name in public without my prior agreement.”
Daphne rolled her eyes briefly but made her oath, “I promise not to speak for Harry James Potter in public without his prior agreement as long as he considers the needs, wants, and desires of myself and the likely consequences to me and mine of his actions.”
There was a big pulse of magic and Harry sighed, “That will have wiped out both the privacy charm and the notice me not so lets get back out there. I hope they didn’t notice we were gone.”
“If they did I know how to deal with it,” Daphne said. “If that’s okay with you?” she added as they headed towards the main group of people.
Harry grinned, “Are you going to say I couldn’t keep my hands off you?”
Suddenly there was a flash and a reporter they didn’t notice said, “I heard that! It is the only thing that could make this story better! Harry Potter sneaks off to snog the Greengrass heir while exploring Chamber of Secrets! He admits he can’t keep his hands off her for long. Golden!” He ran off grinning before Harry could decide what, if anything, to say.
Daphne giggled and whispered in his ear, “Well I would have stopped him but I can’t speak for you remember? Besides that’s a cover story people will believe.”
He grinned, “Want to make a bet?”
She raised a golden eyebrow, “About what?”
“Which story hits the first page,” he said grinning. “The Chamber of Secrets or us kissing in an alcove.”
She snorted, “You have a skewed idea of the media…” she started then stopped and looked surprised. “I just realized you’ll be on the front page either way. Wow.”
“And so will you,” he said.
"Wow again," she replied.
The creature specialists came back with bad news. “We will need help to destroy that nest. It’s too big for my squad,” said Oscar Renton.
"Send the request through officiasl channels and I'll send hitwizards to help you when you do go," said Director Bones.
"Thank you ma'am," Renton replied. "We've cleared the tunnel of webbing and blocked the end firmly so I can state that there is now no danger to the group here or the school at large from dangerous creatures."
Amelia Bones nodded, "Thank you." She turned back to Bill, "Mr. Weasley you can take your team back up to the upper tunnel and get to work removing any curses and cataloguing the contents."
"Yes ma'am, " Bill acknowledged and led his team back in through the mouth of the statue.
It took most of the day but by dinnertime the goblins were done rendering the carcass into its component parts and stiring them in crates under preservation spells. Harry had also managed to speak to the head goblin, Strikeback, about making armor for him and his friends. During the negotiations he he managed to unobtrusively pass the goblin the twelve teeth he'd previously set aside. The goblin nodded and told him he could pick up his eight knives when he picked up his armor. Strikeback also stated that Harry and anyone else that wanted armor would need to be fitted at Gringotts. That would be tricky for students so Harry informed strikeback it would need to be done during the winter holidays and he'd get back to him later with specifics.
They all went back up to the castle for dinner. The goblins promised to sell the carcass for top dollar and let Harry know when the money was available to purchase the first portkeys and set up the foundation. The reporters left as well to make sure they were in time for the morning edition. After dinner Amelia came over to Harry, "I am sending the aurors back with the human remains we found. Now that we know there is no longer any danger to the school from the chamber there is no reason for them to return. I will spend a few hours with my niece then go home. If you could let the cursebreakers back down there I would appreciate it. You need not stay with them. Just leave everything open and they will leave when they are done."
"What about the acromantula?" Harry asked.
"We will exterminate the nest shortly," she replied. "I'll need to coordinate with the department head but it will be done by the end of the month. They have sealed that end of the tunnel so you need not worry about them getting in."
"Thank you Madam Director," Harry said. He and Daphne then went back to their room to relax.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Potterverse!
Author's Note: This chapter has been lengthened and a few typos corrected.
The next day after breakfast there was a large group awaiting Harry and Daphne in the Entrance Hall. There was Madam Bones and twelve aurors for security, Bill Weasley along with five other curse breakers, thirty goblins with tools to help them render the huge carcass into usable and easily transportable pieces, seven men from the department of dangerous magical creatures, and five reporters, none of whom were Rita Skeeter. It was Monday so Ron and Hermione had class and couldn’t come along and Professor Slughorn was teaching but Tracey and Neville came along.
Harry tried to duck out of the pictures at first but Daphne whispered in his ear about publicity for his foundation. Harry nodded and pasted on a fake smile, “Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for coming. I would like to announce that all the money I receive from the basilisk will be used to create the Sirius Black Memorial Foundation. It will provide emergency portkeys to people who think they might be at risk of attack from Death Eaters.”
Daphne took over from there, “It will be completely free. All a prospective applicant need do is swear an oath not to act against the Ancient Houses of Potter and Black.”
Harry felt like rolling his eyes but didn’t do that or say anything to contradict her in public. “Alright, I, or rather we, shall lead to the chamber now.”
There were a few comments along the way about the entrance being in a girl’s loo and Harry explained again about Myrtle. Once in the main chamber the goblins set up magical lighting and started rendering the corpse of the basilisk while four aurors guarded them. The photographers set up to take pictures of dead Basilisk and the statue while the rest of them looked around the main chamber while the curse breakers explored to check for hidden rooms, secret passages, or cursed items.
After the curse breakers returned Bill went to report to Madam Bones, “We haven’t found any passages other than the two you know about. We did find a number of cursed objects in the tunnel accessed through the mouth of the statue. We have them clearly marked so no one touches them. It will take days to be sure of what they are and do but if you want the creature people to check the tunnel for acromantula its safe as long as they don’t touch the marked items.”
“Thank Mr. Weasley,” Director Bones said. She turned to the man in charge of the dangerous creature specialists, “Mr. Renton, please take your men through the mouth of the statue. Anything inanimate that is dangerous has been marked. Please assess the danger to the school as well as any immediate danger to the group.”
Oscar Renton, specialist in removing dangerous creature infestations, saluted and went off to gather his men. Once he was gone Amelia Bones turned back to Bill, “If he certifies it as clear then we’ll have you and your team go back and document then remove the curses on the items you found.”
Bill nodded, “Thank you Director Bones.”
Harry gave a sanitized and fairly short version of his actions in the chamber and managed to avoid mentioning Ginny’s name or anything about her being possessed. Daphne briefly spoke about their accident and how it brought them together and allowed romance to blossom between them. She made sure to mention how happy he made her and that he would be spending the winter holidays with her family.
“Isn’t this a bit quick Ms. Greengrass?” one lady reporter asked.
“It might seem so at first glance but we’ve been connected to each other every minute of the day for just a bit over five weeks,” she replied. She leaned down and kissed his cheek then winked at the woman, “Every minute, even the most personal. By this time we know each other better than some married couples.”
She saw the woman’s eyes widen as she makes the connection, “Oh dear. I hadn’t thought it through. I suppose after a month you would either fall in love or try to strangle each other.”
Harry chuckled, “And I wouldn’t give two bronze knuts for my chances if that happened. Daphne can be far scarier than yonder beastie, I assure you.”
Daphne didn’t look totally happy with that that but she kept smiling, “Oh dear, I think you give me too much credit.”
After the interview they went into an alcove and Harry threw up a privacy spell covered by a notice me not, “Before you ask that was in the way of payback for your comments on the foundation oath. You knew that’s not what I had planned for the oath but now I have to go with it and so I’m less than happy with you.”
Daphne colored a bit, “I am sorry about that but making me sound worse than a basilisk in an interview is not a good way to express your anger.” She frowned at him, “I’m not happy with you today either but if I did what you just did it would quickly escalate out of control and the only winners would be the scandal rags.”
Harry frowned back, “Well I guess I’ll agree not to surprise you in public if you’ll agree to do the same. But if we agree on something in private we should stick to it in public.”
Daphne nodded, “Fine, but I was doing it for your benefit.”
Harry nodded and lost his frown, “I realize that but it was a bad surprise and made me feel that you were disregarding my feelings and wishes. That has happened to me too much already and every single bastard that did it said it was for my own good.” He starts scowling again, “I’ll listen to your opinions but if its my life we’re talking about then I will make the final decision.”
She scowled too, “I can see why you say that especially considering your past. However at the moment what affects you affects me. Even when we are physically separated that will be true as long as we are together in any way.”
“So you’re saying my life isn’t my own?” Harry said.
She raised their joined hands, “I’m saying that as long as we are a “we” not just a “me” and a “you” that neither of us can make any unilateral decisions. Anything we do or decide affects not only us but Hermione and all the other people who are allied to us.”
Harry snorted, “I think you mean my friends not allies.”
She snorted in return, “Whatever you want to call them! If you get blasted in the paper it affects them. I know you’ve all experienced already after that Tournament but more seriously your enemies are their enemies.” She stopped and sighed, “That’s where I’m coming from but I will agree that this sort of argument needs to be done in private and in the future I won’t surprise you in public if you’ll do the same. I’ll even make a magical oath if you need it.”
Harry deflated, “I’m sorry. I spent so long trying to throw the abuse of my aunt and uncle and the manipulations of our dear headmaster, not to mention ex-minister Fudge, that I forget that your life has been derailed too and you aren’t as used to it. I’ll promise to consider your feelings in the future and I’ll swear an oath too if you’d like.”
They both pulled their wands and Harry started, “I promise to consider the feelings of and consequences to Daphne Ophelia Greengrass as long as we are attached. Whether that is physically, emotionally, or socially and as long as she does not speak in my name in public without my prior agreement.”
Daphne rolled her eyes briefly but made her oath, “I promise not to speak for Harry James Potter in public without his prior agreement as long as he considers the needs, wants, and desires of myself and the likely consequences to me and mine of his actions.”
There was a big pulse of magic and Harry sighed, “That will have wiped out both the privacy charm and the notice me not so lets get back out there. I hope they didn’t notice we were gone.”
“If they did I know how to deal with it,” Daphne said. “If that’s okay with you?” she added as they headed towards the main group of people.
Harry grinned, “Are you going to say I couldn’t keep my hands off you?”
Suddenly there was a flash and a reporter they didn’t notice said, “I heard that! It is the only thing that could make this story better! Harry Potter sneaks off to snog the Greengrass heir while exploring Chamber of Secrets! He admits he can’t keep his hands off her for long. Golden!” He ran off grinning before Harry could decide what, if anything, to say.
Daphne giggled and whispered in his ear, “Well I would have stopped him but I can’t speak for you remember? Besides that’s a cover story people will believe.”
He grinned, “Want to make a bet?”
She raised a golden eyebrow, “About what?”
“Which story hits the first page,” he said grinning. “The Chamber of Secrets or us kissing in an alcove.”
She snorted, “You have a skewed idea of the media…” she started then stopped and looked surprised. “I just realized you’ll be on the front page either way. Wow.”
“And so will you,” he said.
"Wow again," she replied.
The creature specialists came back with bad news. “We will need help to destroy that nest. It’s too big for my squad,” said Oscar Renton.
"Send the request through officiasl channels and I'll send hitwizards to help you when you do go," said Director Bones.
"Thank you ma'am," Renton replied. "We've cleared the tunnel of webbing and blocked the end firmly so I can state that there is now no danger to the group here or the school at large from dangerous creatures."
Amelia Bones nodded, "Thank you." She turned back to Bill, "Mr. Weasley you can take your team back up to the upper tunnel and get to work removing any curses and cataloguing the contents."
"Yes ma'am, " Bill acknowledged and led his team back in through the mouth of the statue.
It took most of the day but by dinnertime the goblins were done rendering the carcass into its component parts and stiring them in crates under preservation spells. Harry had also managed to speak to the head goblin, Strikeback, about making armor for him and his friends. During the negotiations he he managed to unobtrusively pass the goblin the twelve teeth he'd previously set aside. The goblin nodded and told him he could pick up his eight knives when he picked up his armor. Strikeback also stated that Harry and anyone else that wanted armor would need to be fitted at Gringotts. That would be tricky for students so Harry informed strikeback it would need to be done during the winter holidays and he'd get back to him later with specifics.
They all went back up to the castle for dinner. The goblins promised to sell the carcass for top dollar and let Harry know when the money was available to purchase the first portkeys and set up the foundation. The reporters left as well to make sure they were in time for the morning edition. After dinner Amelia came over to Harry, "I am sending the aurors back with the human remains we found. Now that we know there is no longer any danger to the school from the chamber there is no reason for them to return. I will spend a few hours with my niece then go home. If you could let the cursebreakers back down there I would appreciate it. You need not stay with them. Just leave everything open and they will leave when they are done."
"What about the acromantula?" Harry asked.
"We will exterminate the nest shortly," she replied. "I'll need to coordinate with the department head but it will be done by the end of the month. They have sealed that end of the tunnel so you need not worry about them getting in."
"Thank you Madam Director," Harry said. He and Daphne then went back to their room to relax.
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