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HP and DR: A Matrimony Made For Peace	By : Rago_Dragovian Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 4459 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter series. It is not for profit.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
The Next Evening
Harry grinned as he entered back into Hogwarts castle. I finally got the memory to take to the Headmaster from Professor Slughorn, today has been such a productive day.
He froze upon spotting Delphini walking besides Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass. Dumbledore wasn't meant to be back for several hours so he had free time. Should I go up to her to talk? The Felix Felicis will last for a few more hours, this might be my only opportunity to figure out her real intentions.
He debated with himself for almost half a minute as she was moving toward the dungeons from the entrance of the Great Hall. Harry sighed and pushed down his fears. He strode towards her.
"Hello!" said Harry, smiling confidently at her. Delphini froze and turned towards him. She raised an eyebrow. "I was hoping that we could talk?"
"Hello," said Delphini curtly, she narrowed her eyes at him with clear suspicion. She quickly shooed the others away. Draco and Astoria entered the dungeons without her. "Why the sudden interest? Didn't you say that I was selfish and evil?"
The correct answer came to Harry in an epiphany. He frowned at her. "I don't think that at all."
"Then, why did you say it during the duel?" replied Delphini, scowling at him and folding her arms. Her words held an edge. She gave him a glare of suspicion. "Why say such a hurtful comment, if you didn't mean what you said? If that's all you think I am, then nothing I say or do can change your mind and I see no point in forcing the issue. What do you want from me, Harry?"
"I wanted to apologize and hopefully explain myself to you," said Harry at once, following the epiphanies granted to him by the luck potion. Delphini's shoulders seemed to loosen, but her eyes remained guarded. She gave him an expectant look. Harry cleared his throat and straightened his posture. "I've always had problems keeping my frustration and anger in check when people I care about are being hurt. I didn't like what was happening and I still don't approve of it, but you didn't deserve the hurtful words I gave you and I'm sorry that I ever said them. I didn't mean them at all so I'd like to show that I really do care about you and that I do respect you. I want to show you that. Would you like to come to the Kitchens with me for tonight to just spend time as friends?"
For a brief moment, Delphini's lips moved upward and her face held a genuine smile but then she frowned and her eyes narrowed. She tilted her head. Sorry Harry, but events like this really are too good to be true. I can't discount the possibility of Dumbledore's influence or your own desire to find out my father's secrets.
"This change seems to be rather dramatic," said Delphini, she sighed. "A bit too good to be true, in fact. If this has anything to do with my mother or father, then just ask me when we're in private. I'm not going to go to the Ministry, if that's what you're worried about."
Now Harry gazed at her with suspicion and then confusion. He locked eyes with her. "I would never use information about your parents against you or try to harass, threaten, or deceive you into giving me blackmail about them. I hated being a public pariah for the past two years, I refuse to make others go through that."
Delphini had an unreadable expression and then her eyes flashed. "You refuse to manipulate people for you own interests?"
Harry sighed and shook his head. "No, I refuse to hurt others for my own pleasure. That's why I was so angry and said those hurtful comments. I mostly try to convince others that assisting me in my goals is valuable for their self-interests, but . . . I do understand that exceptions may have to be made. I try to live by this general guideline though. I feel sick with the prospect of hurting others, but if push came to shove, then I definitely would use something like the torture curse in a desperate scenario. I feel ashamed of admitting that though."
"When it comes down to living with guilt, or death," said Delphini slowly, "then . . . when confronted with that reality, the choice usually boils down to survival and not morals. I don't think it's shameful though. Living for tomorrow is always the better option."
"How you treated Ginny, since the end of the duel to the unbreakable vow," said Harry, regarding her with a serious expression. "was absolutely disgraceful. I don't know why you went that far or what you thought that you would gain from going to such lengths, but it was reprehensible."
"She deserved it! She knew exactly what she was getting into when she insisted on dueling me after trying to force altercations against me!" snapped Delphini, "She treated me like shit and she was bound to act up again. I just wanted her to leave me alone and she didn't relent. And you know what? In the end, I was right. That was exactly what made her stop. She hasn't tried to antagonize me since then!"
Harry shook his head. "Be that as it may, you could have discussed the matter with us three, if it bothered you so much and if you were so worried. You didn't have to do that horrible rebound curse and I won't ever let you or anyone just go on hurting people that I care about deeply. I'm very close to Ginny's family and I care about her wellbeing, I don't know her as well as Ron, but I do care for her. So please, if you value and want to continue to have a friendship with me, don't ever do that to my loved ones ever again. I will not react well. Just come and talk with me about it from now on and we can handle it together as caring and respectful friends. Does that sound fair to you?"
Delphini sighed and nodded. "I understand, I did let my anger get the better of me."
Harry smiled in return. "Yeah, I . . . I'm willing to let this incident pass between us. In all fairness, I essentially did the same exact action to Malfoy, even if unintentionally and in self-defense, and you still haven't told anyone despite my anger over the situation with Ginny, as far as I know."
"I haven't. You should have no worries there."
"So . . . would you like to go to the Kitchens?" pressed Harry, giving her an expectant gaze.
Delphini smiled, her eyes glinting with happiness. Her heart soared and she nodded. "Sure."
They walked besides one another as they made a sedate walk to the Kitchens. Once they were past the hidden portrait hole, they sat upon stools next to each other and Harry called Kreacher to ask for firewhiskey. Delphini gaped at him, her eyes widened, and her mouth formed an O-shape. Harry smiled at her.
"I could order you something else, if you like?" asked Harry, "If you're not comfortable with drinking underage . . ."
"A bit strange that you would choose this beverage, knowing the illegality of the choice," said Delphini gazing at him with suspicion, the bottles had appeared on the table beside their stools. "Don't think I didn't notice just which elf you used. Aunt Narcissa introduced me to him last holiday season when he randomly showed up on Christmas day. Kreacher works for Hogwarts now?"
Harry's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and the hand he used to hold his bottle of firewhiskey covered the bottle in a vice-like grip. Delphini glanced at his bottle and stared at him with wide eyes. She moved her hands up in a peaceful gesture.
"I didn't mean anything by that comment," said Delphini quickly, she lowered her hands. She moved her right hand to her wand and flicked it at the bottles. The corks of both beverages magically removed themselves. The corks fell onto the table and then vanished thanks to Kreacher's magic once on the table. Her lips twitched as she grabbed the other bottle and then regarded him with a serious expression. "and I'm sorry if I unintentionally brought up any bad memories."
Harry's shoulders relaxed and he sighed. Harry looked at the remaining bottle and then he looked down at his legs. "I still don't know what to do with Kreacher. He betrayed Sirius, he lied to me when I needed accurate information the most, and led me to believe in a trap that got Sirius killed."
"You're well within your rights to kill him," said Delphini, Harry looked up at her grey orbs. Delphini took a swig of the firewhiskey and licked her lips seemingly satisfied with the bitter taste. Delphini shrugged at Harry. "I'm surprised that you haven't done it already. He's proven himself a liability."
"I don't want to take that route because it would mean legitimizing the discrimination of House Elves," said Harry, shaking his head. His lips formed a smile as he looked at Delphini. "I don't want to be like your Uncle Lucius and how he treated Dobby. Honestly, I really don't like the fact that enslaving Kreacher is necessary for my own security as is."
Delphini gave him a derisive snort but her lips twitched upward too. "Hoodwinking my Uncle at the age of twelve after killing a basilisk. Were you always a secret badass or did that just begin at Hogwarts?"
Harry snorted in laughter and held back a chuckle. He and Delphini shared a laugh. He shook his head, a smile on his lips. "It was just blind luck, some detective work on Hermione's part, and tenacity, I'm afraid. I lived with hopelessness for most of my early life, I guess I just wanted to prove to myself that the Magical world would be more charming and hopeful up until the end of fourth year."
Harry took a swig of the firewhiskey and stopped after he felt a haze wash over his head. He coughed a bit and Delphini giggled as she saw his reaction to taking a swig. She proceeded to take a swig of firewhiskey herself once she stopped her laughter. Once she was finished with drinking the contents, she held a balled fist to her mouth to cough in before straightening her posture.
Harry snorted and his lips twitched. You're bad at holding down liquor too. You're just too proud to admit it.
"You're just as bad at drinking firewhiskey as I am," said Harry, smirking at her. Delphini stuck her tongue out. Harry gaped before shaking his head. A smile continued to play on his lips.
"I was actually afraid," admitted Delphini, looking at her bottle. Harry raised an eyebrow prompting Delphini to shrug a little. "By that I mean . . . I was worried that you would think that I was a slag or whore or whatever disgusting pejorative that red-haired dipshit came up with, if I admitted that I'd been wanting to try alcohol. I do my best to not let social expectations bother me, but it can be aggravating sometimes when people I care about hold such views. Like . . . I want the world to see me, but all they want to see is a box and if I don't fit in the box, then it's like I'm talking to a brick wall because people believe I need to behave in a certain way because I'm female or because they want me to be their image of a good female. Does that make sense?"
"I'm not sure if I'll ever understand fully," said Harry, Delphini looked up at him. "but, the best comparison I can draw from, is people forming a box to either call me insane when the Daily Prophet wants to badmouth me or to call me a savior when the public feels scared of Voldemort. Pretty sure it's nothing like what you just mentioned though."
"Well, take for example what we're doing now," said Delphini, gesturing to the kitchens. She adjusted herself on the stool to sit more comfortably. "Most other males our age wouldn't approve of me in this situation. They would think it's unladylike, or demeaning because apparently they want to live a stuck-up boring life outside of public appearances, or they would assume that I've proven myself unsuitable to be either Severus Snape or Lord Voldemort's daughter and try to emulate their authority; of whom, my father is someone they don't know personally and whose expectations they shouldn't speak for. It's utterly stupid and it's why I felt like most of the people in Slytherin House were beneath me. Many have no lofty expectations or they are only interested in me in their own superficial way. You're a breath of fresh air because of how different you are."
The pair gulped down the remaining firewhiskey before putting it on the side counter for Kreacher to vanish it later. Delphini felt woozy and lightheaded from gulping the contents too quickly. She held her head with one hand and rubbed her forehead. Her face was flushed and she gave Harry a warm smile. Harry's cheeks had a shade of pink, but he seemed more composed than Delphini.
"So, if it's not too much to ask . . ." said Harry, before stifling a hiccup, "what were your intentions with all of these expectations and judgments? I get the feeling that the dueling club may have been part of it and that I may have unintentionally interfered or put some roadblock because of our duel. Did it have anything to do with the dynasty that your father spoke of, from the last time that we were in the kitchens and I got that vision?"
Delphini paused and then broke into a wide smile. She giggled and her eyes seemed to stare at him with a peculiar fascination that caused Harry to blush.
"I'm glad you asked," said Delphini, beaming at him. "I planned on finding an appropriate suitor to marry and when I'm older, to enter politics by reintroducing the most noble and ancient House of Slytherin. I want to help my family pursue its political interests and I'll be able to pursue mine too. I'll be leading the House by serving as Lady Slytherin. But such a crucial step will require an heir so that the reintroduction isn't tenuous and carries more legitimacy since family lines are important for Wizengamot seats. It will also help with the business interests of House Malfoy. For that, I need a husband of suitable caliber and I've been looking through Hogwarts to find someone appealing to me."
Harry blinked and then gawked at her. His mouth hanging open and his eyebrows moving all the up as far as they could go. Delphini burst into another fit of giggles at Harry's dumbfounded expression. Her eyes seemed to twinkle at his reaction. Harry snapped out of his stupor.
"So . . ." said Harry slowly, he blinked before letting the luck potion's directives take over. "Found anyone special like that, yet?"
Delphini grinned at him and her eyes seemed to have a hint of something that Harry couldn't decipher. She licked her lips and nodded. "Oh yes, in fact . . . I believe I've found the best candidate possible, in the most unlikely of places. I thought very little of this person, at first. But this suave man surprised me with his honesty, bravery, and the depths of his compassion. I think . . . I really like his compassion most of all and his resolute attitude even in the face of the worst possible outcomes for his own life. Any time I doubt him, he manages to surprise me with two traits that he and I both share . . . tenacity and love for those we care for."
I wonder who she's referring to? I hope that she doesn't mean Neville since he seems pretty happy with Hannah from Hufflepuff. The only person I can think of is Ron, but that can't be right. I'm definitely out due to the most self-evident reasons.
"So, who is the lucky bloke?"
Her eyes seemed to sparkle at his question and her smile grew wider. She stifled a chuckle. "Here's a hint, my darling. I've been courting this gentleman and spending a lengthy amount of time getting to know both him and his close friends since after my first date with him at the Hogs Head. It was after conversing with him in length at the Hogs Head that I made him a possible candidate, albeit unlikely one. The more I got to know him, it became evident that he and I are perfect for each other because of our personalities. I've had to use coercion on him several times to protect Draco, but otherwise, I've been using the coercion as an excuse to see if we're good for each other."
Okay . . . this is sounding too much like me, but who else is similar to me in this regard? Who else figured out Draco's plan and met her at the Hogs Head? I was certain that I was the only one. It doesn't really bode well for their plans, if it was more than just me. It definitely can't be Snape unless they're publicly going to introduce pureblood supremacy with father-daughter relationships in the creepiest way possible.
"Sorry, don't know who you mean," said Harry, shaking his head. Delphini's face fell. "I can't think of anyone who fits that description. I didn't see anyone enter after I took my leave so whoever met with you at the Hogs Head after I left is a mystery to me."
Harry frowned. Delphini gave him a patronizing look via sneering at him. "Darling, nobody was meeting with me after you left. I just walked out to meet with my dearest aunt to catch-up with how she has been coping. The only people I had planned any sort of outing with on the first Hogsmeade trip was my aunt and you."
Harry blinked. A moment of silence followed Delphini's explanation. As Harry's brain began to process what he heard, his eyes widened like saucers and his jaw hung slack. Delphini gave Harry a predatory sneer. That . . . that can't be right. There's no bloody fucking way . . .
"Impossible," said Harry, staring at her with a dumbfounded expression. His mind was too abuzz to follow through with the luck potions intentions from the bombshell that she had just unveiled. "there's no bloody way that I'll ever marry you."
Delphini flinched at his words. Her eyes showing clear hurt and her facial features changing to a frown and then her brows narrowed in obvious anger. She gave him a venomous glare.
"Why not?" questioned Delphini, her words hinted with a tone of anger and of hurt. Her cold glare causing him to move back slightly. "Does the prospect of being my life partner seem disgusting to you? Do you detest me?"
"No!" snapped Harry, scowling at her. Her cold glare remained and she folded her arms. "I think anybody would be lucky to have someone like you."
Delphini's visage quickly shifted to a smug smirk and she straightened her posture. "So I do meet your standards for a life partner?"
Harry mentally kicked himself. She planned that, didn't she?
Harry quickly followed the luck potion's epiphanies to stop his blundering. He felt his posture relax and gave her a solemn expression.
"You're far above anything I could hope for. I don't deserve a partner like you because you're too good for me." said Harry. Delphini froze. A devious smirk emerged on her facial features. Her eyes seemed to glint with approval at his words and she unfolded her arms. "But we've covered this already, I don't have a future like everybody else. It's been hard, but I've accepted the fact that it's Voldemort or me until death do I part from the world. It's impossible to get around that, and as I mentioned, I don't like thinking about what-ifs regarding my future. So, unless you're planning to betray your family to join Dumbledore's Order, which obviously you're not and I would never ask you to turn your back on your loved ones, then it's best that you find someone who is far more worthy of your time and effort than I could ever hope to be."
Delphini inched her face close to him to the extent that their noses were touching. Her grey eyes glinted with a yearning that Harry didn't quite understand, but he could tell that it was there. His mouth formed a thin line.
Delphini's devious smirk was still plastered on her face. She chuckled for a little bit before speaking. "You keep prattling on, my darling . . . I can tell that you mean every word and that you're not just trying to gently shoot me down. Here's the humorous part about your attempt to dissuade me, your explanation just makes me want you even more than before. You've just confirmed that you're the only worthy candidate for me. Only you meet my standards."
Harry shook his head. His nose accidentally slapping against Delphini's nostrils. He gave Delphini the most serious expression that he could manage while tipsy. "I'm really not. I'm just me. All those stories like me slaying the basilisk is just luck and Dumbledore's helping hand. Besides, you know that it's impossible. We're on two different sides of the war, it's going to come to bloodshed, and there'll be bad blood between us before you know it. It was nice seeing the human side of the opposition but there's no pretending that peace is possible."
"Nothing is impossible, my darling," said Delphini, leaning back, "and it's not the basilisk or your other accomplishments, those are just the natural consequences of who you are. They're the logical result of your personality and I really, truly enjoy spending time with you."
"I like you too," admitted Harry, feeling a flush creep upon his neck. "but reality is reality. I just stopped trying after Cho because I realized I was just going to be putting innocent people in danger. I'm resigned to my fate, it . . . it was one of the hardest, most exhaustive truths that I've ever had to come to terms with, but I've recently come to accept it. When I die, and I have no illusions that I won't, a part of me hopes that I'll be able to take your father with me, but regardless, I hope the anguish you suffer is only temporary and that you're able to move on with your life to live a happy, loving, and peaceful one."
Delphini gave him a cold, hard stare. That would be the most horrifying, painful event of my life. I refuse to allow that to happen to either daddy or you.
She remained silent for almost a minute before speaking. "Believe in me, Harry. I'm going to make damn sure that doesn't happen. I'm going to bring peace to save Uncle Lucius, my father, and you so that none of you will have to die. Why should you feel resigned to death? That isn't fair to you at all."
Harry closed his eyes and he let out an aggravated sigh. He opened his eyes and grimaced at her. "I'm sorry but . . . could we not talk about this anymore?"
Delphini sighed softly but nodded. I will find a path to salvation for all. Nobody should have to die. I will save you, Harry and no one is going to stop me, not even you.
"Well, this was nice," said Delphini, abruptly, she let out a loud belch and flushed. Harry promptly laughed in response. Delphini's shoulders relaxed. Delphini glared at him as she moved off the stool and held the table to stop from swaying. Harry stood from the stool and planted his feet firmly to assure that he wouldn't sway. Delphini regarded him. "Could you walk with me to the Slytherin common room? I don't feel comfortable walking alone while tipsy like this, and honestly, I'm afraid somebody far less noble than you will try to exploit that to their advantage."
Harry frowned. "You mean, you think someone may try to sexually harass or rape you?"
Harry's eyes widened at what he just blurted out and winced expecting a glare or cold stare. Instead, Delphini frowned and nodded at him.
"I don't know the inhabitants of this castle as well as either you or Draco and even if I didn't have that fear, I don't know whether someone like Snape or one of the students who have Death Eater parents would try to take advantage by taking a picture or spreading rumors." said Delphini shrugging, "Honestly, I just feel safer with you. So, would that be too much to ask or -?"
"It's perfectly fine," said Harry, cutting her off. He held out an arm and she smiled. She linked arms with him and they both stumbled out of the portrait hole and door to trek towards Slytherin House. "I feel like we both should be more worried about patrols."
Delphini snorted. "I've had that covered thanks to Snape. I've even arranged for him to vouch for your behalf so long as you're with me. So long as he doesn't know I've been drinking, I can use him."
Harry couldn't help a silly smile spread across his visage as he chuckled at the idea of Snape having to vouch for him. "Wouldn't that cause undue suspicion?"
Delphini shrugged. "His problem, not mine. Besides, he has his ways, he can bluff a threat to Slughorn and hint at you working on some special romance with me and he'll have Slughorn all riled up at the idea of lovers on opposite sides banding together against a disapproving father."
Harry blinked. So those weird looks weren't just over the Horcrux question that I asked.
"Slughorn thinks that we're dating? He'll be bragging to the whole school."
Delphini shook her head, Harry noticed from the corner of his eye. "Not if he thinks that it'll jeopardize us and that keeping silent will put him in our good graces for the future. His favorite students are you, myself, and Hermione because we all work to do so well in his class. He really admires you, I suppose you remind him of your mother."
I've never heard anyone else say that, it was usually just my father. thought Harry, I wish I could have known more about her too. No one that I know of ever said anything about what she was like. Aunt Petunia would just say that she was a whore to Aunt Marge and her friend Yolanda or tell me to shut up about her.
"Should I send a patronus to Malfoy before we arrive?" asked Harry, "I learned how to send messages a little while back because I realized that it would come in handy."
Delphini turned to him with a look of horror. "Fuck no, he'll use it against me and tattle to Aunt Narcissa and Aunt Narcissa will then tell my parents. Daddy doesn't want me drinking until I'm of legal age. That would be the worst."
Harry blinked. The prospect of Lord Voldemort being a stern and caring father a bit too perturbing for him to wrap his head around. An image of Voldemort wagging his finger down at a puppy dog-eyed Delphini came unbidden to his mind and he chuckled. Delphini locked eyes with him and scowled.
"I saw that," said Delphini before sticking her tongue out at him.
Harry just grinned. He decided to tease her. "Maybe I should tell Malfoy, after all?"
Delphini rolled her eyes and looked back in front of her. "Don't bother, it'll be awkward. He's probably fucking Pansy Parkinson right now."
Harry stumbled and gaped at her. Delphini stopped so she wouldn't stumble from their linked arms. A look of incredulity on his visage. "Is . . . was that meant to be a bad joke?"
Delphini sighed and grimaced. A look of disgust on her face. Harry gawked as he realized that she meant it literally.
"He's having sex at our age?!"
Delphini nodded, the look of disgust still on her visage. Her lips formed a frown and a distant look was in her eyes.
"He's cheating on Astoria?"
Delphini shook her head and then glanced at him. The pair resumed walking. "Nope, she lets him have his fill of leading Pansy on and having sex with her. Pansy thinks it's love and that she'll be able to keep him by giving him what he wants, I think she believes that the intimacy of sex makes it more meaningful, but Draco's just using her. Astoria is letting him do it and even encouraging the affair. If they produce a bastard then Astoria's even agreed to find a happy home for the baby, if it comes down to it. She has no qualms with Draco having his fun so long as he doesn't fall in love with anyone that he shags with and doesn't catch any diseases. I asked her how it was possible that Draco having sex with other women didn't make her jealous and Astoria just shrugged at me to tell me that she doesn't care, because it's not the same as being in love in her worldview. So long as Draco loves her and stays with only her and the children they'll have together in the future then she doesn't mind that he fools around. There was no inferiority complex or anything from what I could tell, she really meant what she said."
"Honestly, I find it hard to believe that relationships like these are actually happening," said Harry, "I guess I just thought dumb rumors were just that because I've always been the center of the worst of them. I was probably too busy with what was trying to kill me every year to pay attention."
Delphini nodded in response. "Well, the rumor about Draco sending Pansy off to share with Crabbe and Goyle is completely false. It's only her and Draco that are fucking each other. Pansy's become more sensitive since some of the other Slytherins are giving her a painfully hard time, but it's just made her more adamant to believe that Draco and her are really in love."
Harry sighed and shook his head. A scowl on his face. "That . . . is just disgusting. Have you told him to stop leading her on?"
"Many, many times, but he's not listening to me," replied Delphini, the look of disgust occasionally visible from the candlelight of the corridors as they walked. "If Astoria has no problems with the situation, then he doesn't care. I promised not to tell his mother, since it would cause her more grief and I want to trust that he'll come clean to Pansy, but I'm beginning to really doubt him."
"Bloody hell . . ." muttered Harry, not knowing what else to say. Delphini shook her head and then nodded. A grimace on her visage.
"So . . . since I've been so forthcoming with a secret," said Delphini, her lips forming a thin smile as she glanced his way. "Why don't you tell me a secret about one of your friends?"
Harry shrugged. "Sorry, but my friends secrets will remain that way. I'll tell you something about me, but you pretty much know all there is to know as far as my inner secrets."
Delphini's eyes glinted in pleasure. "Good answer. See? You just met another one of my expectations."
Harry raised an eyebrow while looking back at her. "But you just told me one of Malfoy's secrets."
Delphini shook her head. "He told me, a little after you left when I let you visit him, that he doesn't care who knows and he's done with the whole House loyalty shtick or how others view him because Uncle Lucius's life is on the line. It's not really much of a secret that he's using her since the Slytherins all gossip about Pansy and Draco. He pointedly told me that he doesn't care whether you know or not because he knows that you'll keep your promise of staying out of his affairs."
Harry blinked. "Malfoy . . . trusts me?"
Delphini chuckled and nodded. "I know, I was shocked too. He believes you'll keep your word to him and all that it entails since Dumbledore already knows what's going on and is going to die by the end of the year."
Harry held a crestfallen expression at those words. Delphini mentally kicked herself.
"S-sorry."
Harry shrugged in response. He didn't wish to reply to that.
They arrived outside of the Slytherin dorms and unlinked arms. They stood in silence for a few moments until Delphini moved into his personal space. Harry froze in surprise as Delphini seemed to move her face towards his own until her lips touched the side of his cheek. He felt a sloppy wet kiss, smelled her drunken breath, and felt a twitch and flutter in his heart at the closeness. She parted from him and gave him a drunken smile.
"Thanks for tonight. G'night, Harry."
Harry nodded mutely. Delphini frowned and then said the password before entering through the portrait hole. The Slytherin portrait sealed shut and Harry walked out of the dungeons and towards the Headmaster's office to share the memory of Professor Slughorn's with Professor Dumbledore.
Harry and Dumbledore pulled out of the pensieve after watching Slughorn's memory.
Harry recoiled back onto his seat. Glad I used freshening charms and the remaining power of the luck potion that seems to still be in my system to avoid Dumbledore's detection.
Harry and Dumbledore discussed the memory and Harry began jotting down the list of possibilities.
"A cup . . . or-" Harry paused and his eyes widened. The remaining Felix Felicis guiding his mind to the right answer.
"Er . . . nice tiara, does it represent something?"
"Thank you! You're looking well, yourself," the sexy blond had said, she was wearing an attractive purple dress. He felt his cheeks blush at the thoughts that came to his mind and the fact that he was only in his school robes. A delicate eyebrow raised at him. "As for the headpiece . . . it's a diadem. I really like Rowena Ravenclaw's long lost diadem so I thought I'd get myself a model of one."
"Or a tiara . . ." said Harry, barely above a whisper as he leaned back on his chair. He looked at the Headmaster's blue eyes through the half-moon spectacles. "Or I should say . . . Ravenclaw's Diadem?"
Dumbledore's eyebrows furrowed and interlaced his fingers. "Ravenclaw's Diadem? Quite specific. What makes you so certain, Harry?"
Harry felt a sinking feeling at the pit of his stomach as he looked at the Headmaster. He mentally kicked himself. It felt like realizing Quirrell being at Gringotts during the end of his first year all over again. Except this time, Voldemort had succeeded.
Harry's throat felt dry. "Delphini wore it for our . . . talk at the Hogs Head."
Dumbledore froze. "You traveled to the Hogs Head during the first Hogsmeade? I wasn't aware of this."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why would you be?"
Dumbledore frowned and sighed. "Do you believe she may have found it in the castle and secured it for the Dark Lord, Harry?"
For a brief moment, Harry scowled at his question being ignored but then gazed pensively at the Headmaster. "I think that's exactly what happened . . . and she pulled it off right in front of me."
Dumbledore looked contemplative. "Don't be too hard on yourself, Harry. The Dark Lord's most loyal servant seems to have become a protégé. Perhaps she believes that it is genuine affection between father and daughter, but the poor girl has deceived herself. I doubt the Dark Lord would risk sending her to Hogwarts, if he truly cared. We've destroyed two and know the identity of the rest."
"Why haven't you taken any actions against her?"
"Alas, the chief reason for her being here is a gambit by Lord Voldemort." said Professor Dumbledore, "If I act, then I compromise Severus's position and his duties as a spy can no longer be carried out. The Dark Lord knows this well, so it is a test to see the extent of Severus's loyalty to his cause."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Could you please give me more details, sir?" He paused and then followed the luck potions directives at the Headmaster's stern gaze. "I need to understand the circumstances here so I don't accidentally botch it up. Besides, it sounds like she and I will be enemies, possibly even if the Dark Lord finally falls."
Dumbledore paused and then nodded. "Yes, perhaps that is best after all . . ." He leaned back in his chair and met Harry's green eyes.
"Lord Voldemort is putting pressure on Severus, by placing someone that the Dark Lord has led his followers to believe is of great importance to him, under Severus's care with the implicit assumption that Severus can be trusted. The inner circle and some of their progeny know that Delphini is Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter and are watching Delphini, and by proxy Severus, with the inner circle's rumor mill serving as a useful tool for the Dark Lord to be kept up to date from the children of his followers regularly writing personal letters to their parents. Much of which is heartfelt and many of the children feel they're writing to their parents before the possible losses come so they've written fairly regularly. Some of them don't know who she truly is, but the manner in which she's entered Hogwarts and her bombastic attitude has helped to serve as a useful secondhand update on her progress with the lineage task that the Dark Lord pretended to care about." said Dumbledore, shaking his head slightly.
Harry frowned. It's not pretend. I found that out directly when she communicated with him through my link with him. I need to keep in mind that Dumbledore isn't always objective in his views. I could feel his concern for her when Voldemort warned her to be wary of me. He was terrified that I might kill her or manage to get her kissed by going to the authorities. Although, the dueling club makes much more sense now. She can test her power and the attention of the Hogwarts rumor mill is always on her during those events. Which means, Ginny was dumb enough to unintentionally exacerbate the plan.
Dumbledore continued. "I cannot tip off the dark families and prevent the letters as discriminating against one Hogwarts House would be used to devalue our cause by suggesting I was being petty and making enemies out of the more neutral Slytherin families in the Daily Prophet, cutting off postage to outside of Hogwarts is not an option because we need news and not isolation, and the entire affair wasn't too worrisome or unmanageable. It's like the analogy of a double-edged sword. The Dark Lord's trust in Severus has increased with all of Severus's dutiful work in acquiescing to the girl's demands."
Harry's lips twitched. From spy to overglorified babysitter of both Draco Malfoy and her. What a promotion.
"Far more crucial is Severus's position as spy. A war cannot be won without spies, that is an ancient truth passed down from Sun Tzu's nefarious Art of War and true for all wars in human history, Harry." explained Dumbledore, his expression somber but his eyes held a hardness that Harry had only noticed when speaking of critical matters like the prophecy and Voldemort's return. "If I were to investigate this special servant of the Dark Lord personally, then it means Severus has failed to assure that her position be kept safe from my prying. It potentially means that I don't have his full trust or worse, it tips her off of Severus's possible duplicity. If she is captured or killed by the Order, it worsens the matter entirely and the Dark Lord will never trust Severus again and may go so far as to torture him to insanity because his position is no longer deemed useful, even if he has maintained loyalty. If the Ministry begins to investigate, then Severus has confirmed to the Dark Lord that he cannot be trusted and will be killed for his betrayal. If Severus doesn't follow her commands, then he cannot be given delegated tasks of higher importance in the future by the Dark Lord and yet again, he potentially risks raising suspicions about his loyalty to Voldemort's cause. I am at an impasse, Harry. Severus has told me that the Dark Lord, Bellatrix Lestrange, and that servant have spent a month in preparation at the insistence of that girl to help her cousin, young Mr. Malfoy."
"Why are you so willing to give Draco Malfoy a second chance?" questioned Harry, then paused as the reason suddenly came to him. He gave Dumbledore an astonished look. "Is it . . . because of the Malfoy family fortune?"
Dumbledore froze and looked off towards the window. "Wars are costly, Harry."
He refused to speak more on the issue and so the discussion shifted to Voldemort's Horcruxes as Dumbledore turned to face him. Harry and Dumbledore proceeded to discuss the Horcruxes. The Cup of Hufflepuff, the pet snake Nagini, the Ravenclaw Diadem, the diary of T.M. Riddle, the Gaunt Ring, and Slytherin's Locket.
During the discussion, Harry felt the luck potion give him another epiphany as he connected the dots to the locket that he and the Weasleys had been unable to open last year to Mundungus Fletcher's torture to eventual death reported in the Daily Prophet.
The color drained from Harry's visage, he turned to the side and bellowed. "Kreacher!"
Kreacher appeared to his side immediately. Dumbledore blinked and shot Harry a confused look.
"Kreacher, have a seat," said Harry, looking at the House Elf with a feeling of foreboding. Kreacher moved and sat upon the seat next to Harry. He looked at Harry with a frown on his wrinkled features. "That locket with the snake symbol, do you still have it at headquarters?"
Kreacher glowered. "No, filthy Mundungus stole it."
Harry felt his heart sink as he recalled slamming Mundungus to a wall and accusing him of stealing from Sirius's house after his meeting with Delphini in Hogsmeade. No, Merlin, please no . . . Mundungus was killed by Voldemort. Could that have been a Horcrux?!
"Kreacher," said Harry, his voice barely above a whisper and a headache beginning to form. He looked down at Kreacher with apprehension. The elf looked up at him with an expectant gaze. "where is that locket from?"
Kreacher's stone-faced facade fell apart and he broke down into tears as he began recounting the tragic death of Regulus Black. Dumbledore paled and his eyes widened at Kreacher's tale. Harry sunk further into his seat and rubbed his forehead.
"We fucked up," spat Harry turning to one side to glare at a wall. "I can't believe this . . . ! We fucked it up!"
Dumbledore let out a sigh. "An apt, albeit crass, manner of wording it, Harry. I had been researching the cave for months. Alas, it would seem that is no longer necessary and all of my research was a fruitless task."
Harry glared at him. Dumbledore froze at Harry's wroth visage. "This is entirely your fault. I trusted you, I thought you would stop keeping secrets from me after last year, but I guess I was wrong considering you omitted the fact that you were dying. Going to leave me with the burden of dealing with the Horcruxes after you're gone, are you?!"
Dumbledore paused and his wizened visage seemed to age as his eyes dimmed. He bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Harry. But, we should focus on what we can do now."
"And what would that be?!" snapped Harry, rising from his chair. He turned to Kreacher and glared. "I hope you're proud of yourself, if you had just told Sirius or Dumbledore this then you would have been able to keep your oath to Regulus. Instead, you sold out Sirius's personal relationship with me to Voldemort and lied to me when I needed information the most. The Headmaster told me that you laughed about it. Does it really give you so much pleasure to have betrayed House Black and brought your precious Mistress's family line to utter extinction?!"
Kreacher's large eyes widened and he looked up at Harry with a gobsmacked expression. Pain could be seen in those large eyes. Harry felt his lips twitch and continued. "You failed to keep your Mistress's children safe, you failed to save Regulus's life, you helped cause Sirius to die which effectively killed your Mistress's family line, and you've even failed Regulus's memory. I hope you're proud of yourself."
Kreacher broke down in a wave of tears, his eyes buried in his hands, and his ears drooped around his hands to cover his face. Harry rounded on Dumbledore with an irate expression. Dumbledore closed his eyes as if preparing himself and opened them to look directly upon Harry's thunderous green eyes. Harry's hands formed into fists and his palms shook.
Suddenly, Harry's posture relaxed and his blazing green eyes simmered to gaze coldly upon Dumbledore. "When I let the Order continue operating at Twelve Grimmauld Place, I thought you would keep it secure. Instead, you allowed Mundungus's thievery to go unchecked and it cost us one of the most important objects needed to win this war before it results in massive casualties. There's no weaseling out of this bloody scenario. Your incompetence may have just cost us the bloody war! How many people are we going to throw away just to recover that piece? How many more innocents die before we re-secure the damnable object?!"
Dumbledore sunk in his seat and his eyes dimmed. "Very well, Harry. What do you propose?"
Harry glanced toward Kreacher. "Kreacher, is there any way to rescind the permission to Dumbledore's Order?"
Kreacher unfurled his ears and looked up at Harry with a tearstained visage. He sniffed and sobbed; he wiped his snot and tears before responding. "Master can just say it aloud and it becomes so. Property and wards answer only to Master, including Fidelus Charm, except for Dumbydoor, who is secret keeper."
Harry snorted. Of course.
Harry raised his wand and spoke the words. Apart from his close friends and the Weasley family, the only other person who could enter Grimmauld Place was Dumbledore. Dumbledore sighed softly but nodded in acceptance of Harry's decision.
Harry exited history class having spent another boring day listening to Binns drone on about a Goblin Rebellion or some such. Harry idly wondered when such information would become necessary to his future or why there wasn't a more interesting subject like the history of the Hogwarts founders being taught. It was one of the last classes before the holiday winter season and the Gryffindors shared the class with the Slytherins. The opportunity was convenient for Harry to confront Delphini and ascertain the truth.
He had made sure to sit next to Delphini when it was Gryffindor and Slytherins together for the class. The rest of the classroom took note and some broke into whispers but Harry paid no mind. Harry had asked her to talk with him in private after class ended and she had agreed.
The pair entered an unused classroom and Harry locked the door via wordless magic with a flick of his wand. Delphini's eyes furrowed and she gave Harry a quizzical look. Harry turned to her. Green eyes met grey and Harry thought over how to phrase his question. She knows I'm searching for information on the Horcruxes but to what extent should I phrase the question?
"So . . . before you ask whatever it is that you wanted," said Delphini slowly, she blushed and looked at the floor before moving her head to look directly at his eyes again. She took a deep breath and exhaled. "Is your opinion of me . . . at all lowered because of that night?"
"That night?" asked Harry, his eyes narrowing. Delphini flushed further at his stare. "What do you mean?"
"Well . . . are you mad at me for getting tipsy in the kitchens with you?" said Delphini, she sighed and her posture straightened. She gave Harry a resolute expression. "Did you think I was being unladylike . . .or a whore . . . or whatever. Is that what you were going to ask? I couldn't help but notice that you've been more closed off like I was after the duel with Ron's little sister."
Delphini looked at him as if preparing for the worst. She was biting her lip a little, her eyes slightly widened, and her posture was stiff but she seemed ready to be chewed out. Her eyes seemed dim; lacking the curiosity and pleasure that she usually had when in his presence.
Harry blinked and he forced himself to hold a straight face. He felt his heart soar. "I would never think poorly of you for drinking alcohol with me. I was the one who presented it to you. We were both having fun and just talking, there's no need to overanalyze our chat."
Delphini broke into a radiant smile and she nodded to him. Her posture relaxed and her eyes seem to gaze at him with warmth. "Thank you, Harry."
Harry shook his head. "Think nothing of it. But there is something very important I'd like to ask."
Delphini nodded and her shoulders straightened. Her smile vanishing and a serious expression on her face as she looked at him expectantly.
"Was your mission here to secure Horcruxes for Lord Voldemort?"
Delphini froze and her eyes widened. She composed herself and strode towards the door. "Neither the time nor the place, Harry."
"Wait!" shouted Harry, just as Delphini moved past him. He scowled at her retreating form and stopped himself from grabbing her wrist since he didn't want to alarm her.
Delphini rounded on him but her expression was blank. She didn't seem angry and her posture remained relaxed. She gave him a sorrowful visage. "You should be acutely aware by now that I'm willing to go to great lengths to protect all of my loved ones, Harry."
Harry repressed an aggravated sigh. "Then you purposefully deceived me and we've been on opposite sides the whole time since you probably met your aunt to deliver what you found."
"No, I had yet to hear your point of view and my priorities then had nothing to do with you so it can't be called deception. I had heavily biased and fallacious ideas of what you were like as a person at the time, which I had to willfully disregard, since you debunked them so thoroughly." said Delphini, her gaze shifted from sorrowful to what Harry now recognized to be oddly possessive. Her eyes seemed to gleam with a red sparkle. Harry felt a chill down his spine. "You're a much stronger person than you realize, Harry. I see so much that you could be, if you would stop letting Dumbledore hold you back. I bet you believe that I'm naive for wanting peace, perhaps you believe that I see what I want to see with my father, but have you assessed your own position in this war objectively and just what your best interests are? What do you gain from working for an old fool that's basically a corpse just waiting to drop dead?"
Harry scowled at her and shook his head. "Protecting all of my loved ones, defending the rights of a minority group that's discriminated against - of which one of my best friend's is a part of, fighting against evil, and stopping a racist madman. That's worth giving my life for."
Delphini gave a contemptuous glare back but then schooled her features and sneered at him. "Dumbledore has been plotting your death since leaving you with your hateful relatives."
Harry blinked and rolled his eyes. "Bullshit. He's done nothing but help me and been a guiding hand through everything that I've gone through in life. I hate the fact that he keeps secrets from me, I'm honestly not sure if I'll ever personally trust him ever again, but he's doing his best to keep me protected and safe, even if it is meddling into my personal life much of the time. He wants me to fight Voldemort, not to lose to him."
Delphini's lips twitched but her sneer remained. "Dumbledore forced you to live in ignorance within an abusive home, he has shaped your self-sacrificing complex by giving you yearly trials while offering a helping hand - up until your fourth year, and he has done all of this so that you will present yourself to my father and be struck dead by the killing curse. Why do you think that he never trained you to fight my father or the Death Eaters on a more equal footing? Why do you think that he let you off easy with rule breaking and never taught you how to defend yourself? He's been planning your death since your infancy. He's inculcated this messianic complex of needing to give yourself to a greater good for the sole purpose of your own death. I want to free you from that!"
Harry continued to look at her in disbelief. Delphini gave him a determined gaze. "I will prove to you that I'm telling the truth."
"Even if you are," said Harry, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. It's too late to change anything, there's too much bad blood and do you really think I would just let my parents killer go free without facing him? Or my godfather's killer? All Voldemort has is a racist agenda and probably for his own power trip, if we're both making an honest assessment of his campaign."
Delphini balled her hands into fists, her body seemed to shake, and she gave him a venomous glare. Harry sighed and stopped himself from rolling his eyes again. "I want peace, but peace isn't realistic. Surely, you know that? I don't want to a war, because as much as I've lost, I don't want to lose any more of my loved ones. I try to temper down the fear of losing Ron, Hermione, any of the Weasleys, and so many more. I never want to see them go through what I did."
"I'll show you Dumbledore's deception!" spat Delphini, giving him a furious gaze. Her cheeks tinged puce and her eyes glinting with a red hue. "You shouldn't be Dumbledore's pet stooge, I'll make you understand your place!"
"And where would that be?" bit back Harry, glaring at her. He could no longer be patient with this ridiculous delusion of hers. "Five feet under, with your father laughing happily? Because that seems to be the only place I'll be going."
"No! You should be by my side, accepting my courting of you, and taking your place as my father's equal as the new Head of Slytherin House; ruling together over the rabble of society! If you want better rights or respect for Muggle-borns, we could do it together with enough political clout!" shouted Delphini, Harry gawked at her and gave her a look of derision. Delphini gave him a vicious smile. "You think that's ridiculous? I think Dumbledore's corrosive and purposeful mental abuse of your thoughts and feelings is far more ridiculous! You're being forced to close every avenue of a better life for the sake of feeling good about what is essentially suicide. That is a true delusion. I will not allow you to suffer such a disgusting, wretched existence! Believe in me, I will save you!"
"I don't want that kind of life," deadpanned Harry, rolling his eyes. "And what you're espousing is complete rubbish! The Headmaster isn't manipulating me to send me off to die! If that were true, then he never had a plan at actually winning the war. What you're suggesting honestly makes no sense to me."
"Can't you see that he's been treating you like his puppet for years?"
Harry frowned and then scowled at her. She moved over and grabbed his wand hand, she moved up the sleeve and looked down at the ugly red mark. Gently, she moved her index finger over the words and traced over them. She looked at him in the eyes. Their noses almost touching.
Her index finger continued to trace over his old wound from Umbridge. "I want to give you a real future. You may believe this red scar is proof of triumph, but to me, it's proof that Dumbledore habitually forcing you to accept egregious abuse has been a complete success. He doesn't care about your wellbeing, Harry. Once I prove I'm telling you the truth, I want you to remember that."
Harry forcibly pulled his hand back and leapt away from her. Delphini didn't hold his hand tightly and allowed him to pull back. Harry scowled at her and snorted.
Her eyes sparkled with a red tinge and she gave him a smirk that exuded triumph. Harry felt a prickle on the back of his neck.
"I'll show you what I mean in the coming months and . . . you may just learn a historical truth that only purebloods after my father's generation are taught by their parents. The Light families try to move past it, but the dark families aren't so forgiving. It is a historical fact that is purposefully underrepresented in this school so that ignorant Muggle-borns can continue foolishly comparing Pureblood culture to Nazism." said Delphini, her voice barely above a whisper. Her grey eyes glinting with determination and her lips wide in a satisfied smile. "It's no mistake the history class hasn't been updated before the Second World War with Binns regurgitating himself to emphasize Goblin Rebellions. Thankfully, my Aunt and Uncle and my education in the United States made me knowledgeable of the harsh truth. You'll realize the depths of your ignorance about Albus Dumbledore."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll see," said Delphini, she turned and walked to the door. She glanced back at him. "Happy holidays, my darling."
"Happy holidays," replied Harry, out of habit.
She opened the door and left. Her footfalls receding in the distance.
Harry blinked. What was she on about?
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HP and DR: A Matrimony Made For Peace