Hey guys! New chapter here! xx

The days passed slowly on the beach. Harry had tanned to a nice peachy-brown and Hermione's skin radiated with the warmth of the sun. Daphne had gotten less color, but seemed to glow. They'd been taking day trips around the French Rivera and occasionally across the border into Italy and Monaco. Daphne was teaching Harry French and he was teaching her how to play muggle board games. Hermione had finished a record number of books that summer, and was proud to declare she had finished all of her pleasure reading, academic reading, and personal research reading for the entire summer, which she said meant that she could move on to the books she had planned to read next summer. Harry thought that was odd but he wasn't surprised.

Neville had travelled to meet his friends on August 2nd, and had been enjoying seeing them outside of school. He'd brought copies of The Prophet and they couldn't help but discuss what they'd seen in the papers.

"But she escaped?" asked Daphne to clarify.

"Yes," Neville said, "You-Know-Who himself went after her, too. And she's not the only one," Neville said with his eye twitching, "There was a mass breakout at Azkaban. We knew that was coming, though, didn't we?"

"Does that mean Susan's in hiding with her aunt?" Hermione asked not wanting to talk about Bellatrix at all. She could still remember how upset Neville had been when the cruciatius had been mentioned during fourth year, "You're friends with Susan aren't you?"

"Yes," Neville replied in affirmative, "And I'm assuming so. Her parents died in the first war so Madam Bones took her in." Neville shuddered, "I'm glad she's bringing the Death Eaters to justice but Madam Bones is truly terrifying!"

"More or less than Professor Snape?" Daphne sniped playfully.

They were all silent, and Daphne thought she might have gone too far until Hermione and Harry simultaneously burst into laughter with Neville following after.

"I can't believe they published this rubbish," Harry ground out when he flipped to the next edition of The Prophet. The headline questioned whether Dumbledore was ready to face You-Know-Who in a duel. "This is ridiculous," Harry continued, "Dumbledore is the one person Voldemort's afraid of."

Hermione and Neville shared a look and Daphne replied, "Yes, but he's getting old. He must be a hundred and twenty now."

"Yeah," Harry said, "But Voldemort's about seventy. They're not that far apart."

Daphne shrugged, "Even wizards die of old age, Harry. And Voldemort must know he can't win the war unless he gets rid of Dumbledore and you."

Hermione cut in, "And you saw him when he came to Headquarters this summer, Harry. There's something wrong with his arm. It looks like the limb is dead."

Daphne frowned deeply, "I checked in some of the Black family texts and I haven't seen anything about what would cause that. I had thought it might be a curse, but the only thing I saw that would have caused something similar is a potion that kills limbs so they can be amputated and regrown."

Hermione screwed up her face, "That's disgusting."

Daphne cocked her head to the side, "You don't kill limbs before you remove them in the muggle world?"

Hermione snorted, "No, they knock you out and then cut it off."

Daphne opened her mouth in horror, "They just cut off? While you're asleep?"

"You can't feel it," Harry assured Daphne and Neville. Neville was looking particularly green and Harry didn't really blame him, since the idea of amputating a limb made him a little sick as well.

"They use a chemical that puts you to sleep and cuts off all sensations of pain," Hermione clarified clinically.

"This is getting off track," Neville finally cut in, "The point is, Dumbledore isn't getting any younger, which is why The Prophet has been publishing this." He pulled out another edition of the newspaper from his rucksack and dropped it in front of Harry.

Boy-Who-Lived The Chosen One?

Hermione groaned when she saw the by-line was by Rita Skeeter.

Neville snorted, "Considering how bad she usually is, she got most of this right."

"How?" Harry questioned, "Nobody but a few of us actually know the prophecy. I don't understand how they could have any idea that I'm 'The Chosen One.'"

"A broken clock is right twice a day," Daphne replied pensively, "And it's not as though The Prophet cares that they get stuff right or wrong. They just want to sell papers."

Meanwhile, Hermione twitched in righteous rage as she read aloud, "Potter, known for his previously poor decisions such as dating Hermione Granger, muggle-born, 16, G should make sure to prepared for You-Know-Who."

Daphne choked on her laughter when Hermione continued undeterred, "For more about Harry Potter, turn to page 7. For more about his womanizing godfather, Lord Sirius Orion Black, turn to page 9. To read more about Hermione Granger ensnaring Harry Potter and Viktor Krum with love potions from 1994-1995, continue to page 5," Hermione looked up before crunching the paper into a ball and throwing it into the trash, "Why can't she shut up about that?" Hermione threw her hands into the air, "Especially because she knows it's not true. I mean honestly!"

"This year is going to be terrible," Harry complained as he fell back against the sand, "I can't take the flakey people at Hogwarts. Every year they change their mind about me. First I'm the boy-who-lived, then I'm Slytherin's Heir, and everyone's thought I'm a liar for the last two years. I swear if they flip back to worshipping me I may crawl into the Room of Requirement and never leave for the whole year."

"And now they're just going to be worse since Witch Weekly keeps publishing you as the most eligible bachelor," Neville pointed out much to Harry's distress.

"Don't forget about your fan club," snickered Daphne, "They're going to be out for blood. If they can marry you know they can be the Lady Chosen One."

Harry sat up, "What fan club?"

"Oh please," Daphne said, swatting him with a rolled up newspaper, "Those annoying girls who follow you everywhere."

Harry looked adorably confused and Daphne dropped her jaw, "You can't seriously tell me you haven't noticed that more than half of the girls at school have been trying to snag the Potter ring for five years?"

Hermione laughed and then replied matter-of-factly, "He hasn't noticed at all. He spent third, fourth, and fifth year mooning over Cho."

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed, turning red. He mumbled something but nobody caught what he said.

"Who's the president of that fan club, again, Hermione?" Daphne questioned.

Hermione started to blush and stutter, "How should I know?"

"Didn't you go to their first meeting first year?" Daphne needled, "I know you went."

"So did you – and all the other girls in our year except Pansy Parkinson!" Hermione forced out.

Harry looked horrified and Neville was on the ground laughing so hard he thought he might throw up.

Instead of being embarrassed, Daphne responded, "Hey, Hermione," then she continued with a big grin, "Did you use Armortentia or-"

The boys started laughing even harder as Hermione yelled out, "Not you too!"

On August 10th, the group was ready to go out for Daphne's birthday. Sirius had booked them rooms in the Monte-Carlo in Monaco. He'd also snuck them alcohol, which Remus highly disapproved of. Hermione and Daphne had gotten ready together in their room and then had joined Harry and Neville to drink a little in their room.

"This is so exciting," said Hermione, "breaking the rules!"

Neville looked at her incredulously, "Fifth year changed you. You're too keen on vigilante justice. Harry, we've made a menace of Hermione Granger."

The group laughed and made their way down to the restaurant within the hotel. They ate a spectacular meal followed by a huge cake with glowing muggle sprinklers in it. Daphne opened her presents at the restaurant and was excited about everything she'd gotten. Tracey had sent her some makeup. Astoria had sent her a bracelet she'd beaded with 'DGS' on it and her youngest sisters sent her a few pictures they had very badly colored (she loved them anyway). Hermione had given her a muggle fiction book that she thought Daphne may enjoy, and Neville gave her some tulip bulbs. Her parents had sent her a pair of amethyst hair combs that had been her grandmothers, and Sirius had gifted her a set of gold leaf, hand painted tarot cards. Remus had given her some chocolates, and the Twins sent her a card saying they had a pygmy puff waiting for her in England.

Finally, Harry had given her a square box. It made her nervous, she wondered if maybe she had triggered him to move too fast. If this was a ring, she would smile, but she just wasn't ready yet. She thought they were supposed to be feeling each other out before the made it official. She was surprised when she instead found a matching pearl necklace and earring set. She'd thanked them all and they continued to eat their cake and be merry. They clapped, and danced, and drank champagne and then gambled for a while when they were too tired to dance anymore. At midnight they had set off mini fireworks sent from the Twins and finally it was past two in the morning and they were trudging off to bed.

"Did you have a good birthday?" Harry asked as he walked her back to her room.

Daphne giggled and kissed him on her cheek, "Yes. And I love the necklace and earrings you got me."

"I'm glad," he said as he leaned in to kiss her. "Hey, Daph?"

"Hmm?" she replied.

"Want to make it official? Be my girlfriend?"

Daphne smiled widely, "I didn't think this birthday could get better, but it has. Yes, Harry." She leaned in to kiss him again, and Harry forgot everything else.

"All packed, pup?" Sirius questioned as his godson started shoving his trunk closed.

"Looks like," Harry replied, "I've just go to grab my broom from downstairs and Hedwig from outside."

Daphne had gone home the day before to get settled back in with her family, and Harry had taken the day to pack all of his supplies for school and for his extended visit to his girlfriend's house.

Daphne and Astoria greeted Harry and Sirius when they arrived.

"Fern," Daphne said, "Could you take Harry's things to his room?"

As house elf, that Harry assumed was Fern bowed deeply and then took his trunk and Hedwig to where ever he would be staying for the next few week.

Astoria grinned widely and rushed to hug Harry tightly, "Hullo, Harry,"

Daphne sighed, "Tori, we talked about this."

Astoria gripped him tightly, "He's going to be my brother, Daph," then she turned to Harry, "Excuse me, Harry, how did you slay the Basilisk?"

Daphne groaned, "Harry, this is my very annoying younger sister, Daphne."

"I'm not very annoying," Astoria insisted, "Just persistent. Ada and Myrcella are annoying."

"Ada?" Harry mouthed, "Myrcella?"

"Our younger sisters," Daphne clarified, "Ada is six and Myrcella is four."

That made sense. Daphne had gotten some ill-drawn pictures of herself in the mail at her birthday and had said they were from her younger sister. Harry had been confused, because Astoria should have been out of the coloring phase. "Why don't you talk about them?"

"Don't really know them all that well, do I?" Daphne replied, "They were born while I was at Hogwarts and I'm gone most of the year. I love them, anyway, even though me being home is like some sort of rare oddity."

"Where're they now?" Harry asked curiously.

Daphne shrugged, "Off playing somewhere, I suppose. They're quite mischievous. Especially Ada. She might be part trickster because that girl gets away with just about everything."

It's weird, Harry thought, because Daphne never spoke about her family much at all. But he also remembered that he's never asked much about her family life. He barely even knew anything about Astoria. And, he realized, he didn't talk about his family much either. In fact, he's sure he's never talked about the Dursleys with Daphne. Even thinking about his mother's magic hating family killed his good mood quickly.

"When's Tracey coming?" Harry asked.

"Next week, I think," Daphne replied, "She's coming from Blaise's villa in Italy to visit for a few days."

Hermione would be impressed by how perceptive Harry has become because he quirked his brow and asked, "Are they a thing?"

Daphne shrugged, "Tracey wants them to be a thing. But I don't know if Blaise is committed. All I know is if he tries anything with her I'll hex his dangly bits off."

Harry flinched. Thoughts of losing his manhood scared him more than facing Voldemort. He should have been more worried about the continuation of his lessons with Apollo.

Apollo's lordship lessons were draining. Mostly because they were far more rigorous than the ones that he'd been taking with Sirius earlier in the summer. It would have been nicer if they allowed Daphne and Harry to go out and explore occasionally, but Adeline was very stern about etiquette lessons at every meal time.

Honestly, Harry was ready to Avada himself and save Voldemort the trouble if it meant he didn't have to hear about the proper ways to ask a lady to dance at a gala versus a ball again.

So, Daphne wasn't surprised when she found him beating his head against the wall in her room after he finished reading his Defense text for the year.

"That bad?" Daphne laughed as she rolled up her Transfiguration work.

"Worse," Harry groaned as he flopped onto the settee across the room, "How did you memorize all this garbage, anyway?"

Daphne snorted, "It has it's place. And it's necessary in Slytherin. We follow older rules, so you stick out pretty badly if you don't know how to plot over high tea. Trust me, it could be worse."

Harry looked at her in disbelief, and Daphne smiled sweetly, "After we were officially betrothed my mother spent and hour and a half describing what would happen to me if I didn't have the gift of virginity to you."

Harry choked and then sat up, "They don't think we-"

"Oh no," Daphne said with assurance, "They put an anti-coitus spell on the whole manor that prevents anyone underage from breaking chastity, and I was only allowed to stay with you over the summer if I vowed not to let you 'plunder my depths' as my mother called it."

"What the f-" he begins as Daphne's door opens.

Ah, Myrcella.

"Hiya," she says in a jumble, "Harry, I've got a question-"

"Oh for Merlin's sake," Daphne moaned, "Of course she does."

Myrcella looked crestfallen, "Daph, mama says that questions are sign of an equisitive nature."

"Inquisitive," Daphne corrected, "Not equisitive."

Myrcella shrugged and climbed to sit next to Harry on the settee. She badgered him with questions about muggles for at least an hour and a half before she fell asleep, drool and all.

"Your little sisters are adorable," Harry said with a small smile. He liked children, and Daphne's sisters were the best sort of children, especially Myrcella. She would be a Hufflepuff for sure.

"I love them," Daphne agreed with warm fondness in her voice, "Even if they're annoying."

Tracey had finally arrived to spend the day and Harry quickly learned that Daphne and Tracey were even worse together than Daphne and Hermione. Tracey was good people, surely, but the two of them had so many inside jokes about things that Harry had no interest in.

For example, Tracey kept whinging about how much she missed Italian sausages and prosciutto. Daphne's snickering when Harry had suggested that they go to an Italian restaurant had clued him in on the fact that Tracey wasn't actually talking about lunch meats at all.

If Harry had to describe Tracey he would certainly call her wild. Daphne hid her willfulness well under a mask of courtesy and icy contempt. Yes, she was well mannered but she loved to tease. Tracey wore it on her face as plain as day. He kind of liked Tracey, and he liked how happy she made Daphne. The two got on like a house on fire, and Harry honestly believed that life was better with good friends. He didn't really have a family, except for the one he made, and Tracey was the family that Daphne had made.

When Harry had asked her how she had gotten into Slytherin when she should have been a Gryffindor with her boldness, Tracey smirked and replied, "Say, Harry. Would you ever guess a girl could be a snake in lion's clothes?"

When she had left, Daphne had confirmed that Tracey was far sneakier than he could have guessed, even though she hid it well. That was the beauty of Slytherins, Daphne explained, "We see things differently than the rest of the houses. It gives us an advantage, sometimes."

It explained a lot, Harry thought, and it explained why Dumbledore had allowed Adeline and Apollo into the Order of the Phoenix so easily. Mad Eye hadn't been happy about that, but Sirius and Remus had vouched for the couple, and they had given their vows to defeat Voldemort immediately.

It had caused a fight for sure. Molly Weasley started ranting about the Greengrasses taking advantage because of Harry and Daphne and the older Veela woman hadn't held back her vicious response. It had also caused another fight between Molly and Fleur, as Fleur had taken offense to her aunt being insulted. From what they had all heard from Remus and Sirius, it had been a terrible meeting, and Harry couldn't help but wonder if there was any point to the Order at all.

The next morning, Tonks had arrived to bring Daphne and Harry to Diagon Alley before they left for Hogwarts in a few more days. Daphne had penned a missive to Hermione and Neville a few days prior, asking if she had any last minute shopping and whether she would want to join them. Hermione, as Daphne had expected, had wrote back immediately with plans to get a few more books at Flourish and Blotts before September 1st. Neville had also agreed, because he needed to buy dress robes.

"I'd like to see the twins' shop," Daphne said, "And get my pygmy puff. I saw in Witch Weekly that they're pretty adorable."

Cute things, Harry gagged. He would endure the fluffy monstrosity if it meant that Daphne had a new pet. Daphne had a half kneazle cat named Anaxia who had gotten along marvelously with Crookshanks.

"I've got to go to the bookstore," Hermione said, "And we've both got to go to Twillfit and Tatting's, right Daphne?"

"That's right," Daphne agreed, "But we've got to go to Gringotts first anyway."

When they left the bank with enough money to last them the school year, they made their way to the twins' new storefront.

"It's certainly got character, hasn't it?" Neville joked as they passed through the door.

And he was entirely correct. It was loud, colorful, vivacious, and everything Harry could have imagined in a shop owned by Fred and George.

Fred noticed him immediately and glided over to them with a warm grin, "Hiya, Harry, Hermione, Daphne, Neville. Daphne, if you head over to George he can give you that pygmy puff we put aside for your birthday."

Daphne thanked him and she and Hermione moved towards George who was stacking boxes on the far left side of the store. When they walked away, Fred turned to Harry. "I've got some things in the back for you, mate. Follow me." On their way Fred passed a blonde girl, "Verity, could you hold the front for a few minutes?"

"Sure, Mr. Weasley," the girl replied as she tightened her bright purple apron and walked towards the cash tills.

"Back here," Fred beckoned, opening a well hidden door into what Harry guessed was a storage room. "We mix the potions for a lot of our products back here, and this is where we keep most of the backstock."

"It's great, Fred," Harry said truthfully, "I'm glad that you and George have opened your shop, and I'm happy you're following your dreams."

Fred smiled brightly, "It's all thanks to you. The 1,000 Galleons you gave to use helped us pay the down payment on this store front and get all the ingredients we needed in order to start up the stock for the store. Which reminds me, I've got that back for you now." He said it with so much pride that Harry can't help but to grin back.

"You don't need to give it back, Fred. It was a gift. My dad would have helped you out, and friends don't need repayment."

Fred smiled softly, "I know. Thank you."

Neville felt like he was intruding, and was inching towards the doors when Fred spoke again, "Either way, we'd like you to stay a silent partner. If you'd like. And if we can borrow Sirius and Remus occasionally."

They all laughed at that.

"But, that's not why I called you back here," Fred said, "George and I have been trying to make products we think might help with the war."

It was coming, they all knew.

He starts pulling boxes from organizes shelves and placing them on a work bench, "This is a voice changing potion; these are cloaks that protect from minor hexes; and this is a caterwauling stone." There were a dozen other boxes of other products that the twins had perfected.

"Like the charm?" Neville asked.

"Just like," Fred said, "But it's just a plain rock and if you line them outside of your house it will trigger the alert that someone is trespassing. We think it would be better insurance, since caterwauling charms can be dismantled, but since there are multiple rocks it would be harder for the Death Eaters to get past wards unnoticed.

Anyway, we want you to have a few of these things. A few fake wands and the like. Just in case."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Harry said, "Thanks. How much do I owe you?"

Fred frowned, "Nothing, mate. You shop here free for life."

Harry didn't like it but didn't want to offend so he agreed and then added with a laugh, "Don't tell Daphne. Who knows how many pygmy puffs she may want."

Fred grimaced, "We can barely keep up with them. They're a big seller you know. Almost all the girls who've come in have bought one, and sometimes even two or three. We can't breed them as fast as we can sell them."

Harry nodded, "Daphne showed Myrcella the picture in Witch Weekly and she and Ada are desperate for puffs of their own. They begged us to buy them one when they heard we were coming today."

"Myrcella? Ada?" Fred questioned.

"Ada and Myrcella are Daphne and Astoria's younger sisters."

"Ah," Fred said, "I see. Well, just let George know and he will put aside two more pygmy puffs."

"Thanks mate," Harry said, "For the puffs and for this. I appreciate it."

When they left the stock room, Harry set his gaze on Daphne who was standing next to Hermione with annoyance on her face. She had her new pygmy puff on her shoulder and a few small things in her hands but she was glaring past Hermione who was looking at a display of love potions. (Harry laughed inwardly at this, because his friend was always complaining about being accused of using love potions. Yet, here she was looking at them in public.)

"What're you looking at so angrily?" Harry asked curiously. "Did something happen?"

Daphne turned towards him and away from Hermione who had abandoned the love potions to look at a box of self inking quills.

"Look at Cormac McLaggen."

Neville pulled a face and Harry made one in synchrony, "Was he bothering you?"

"Not me," Daphne specified, "But he keeps staring at Hermione."

"He likes her," Neville supplied, "He was barking up her tree for half of last year. Subtly, but doing it none the less."

How had Harry missed this?

"She's got Remus, anyway," Harry said, "Just ignore him and he'll go away."

Neville and Daphne look unconvinced but they gathered their purchases and Hermione and continued on with their shopping.

They were finally leave Flourish and Blotts when Harry spotted a familiar head of white blonde hair. "Is that-" began Daphne.

"Malfoy," Harry grumbled, "What's he doing?"

Hermione must have figured out what Harry was thinking and said, "Harry, we can't leave Tonks. She told us not to. It's dangerous."

"We won't be long. Let's just follow him," Harry reasoned, "He looks shady, and he looks like he doesn't want to be followed."

Daphne hesitated but then said, "It is odd, Hermione. He's been MIA all summer. The Malfoys didn't have their Summer Festival, and Tracey told us that he hasn't been to visit any of his friends. So why's he leaving the manor now?"

"I agree," Neville said, "Let's just see what he's up to. If it's nothing we'll come back. If it's something then we were right to follow."

"We won't all fit under the cloak," Harry pointed out, "Two barely fit under it."

"Daphne is more likely to understand some of it," Neville reasoned, "And Hermione too. How about I stay here and tell Tonks and the three of you squeeze?"

Hermione was outnumbered and resigned herself to following the group snuck behind Draco Malfoy. When he took a turn into Borgin and Burke's Harry gave Hermione a pointed look. "No one who isn't up to something goes in there."

"Shh," Daphne hissed, "I can't hear."

Harry pulled something small from his pocket, "From Fred and George."

An extendable ear. Unfortunately, have the conversation is done by the time they can all hear what is being said.

"You said it would be ready last week," the blonde ponce sneered, "And I've got places to be soon."

"We just want to make sure it's safe to handle," Burke said, "And then you can take it."

"Fine," Draco spat as he dropped two hundred galleons on the counter, "Send it to the manor."

"That's a lot of money," Daphne whispered, "For what? He was eyeing a necklace earlier but, it's still on display.

"He isn't saying," Harry said, "But… maybe Burke would tell you?"

"What? Why?" Daphne hissed.

"Nobody knows about our engagement yet," Harry pointed out, "And your family was neutral in the last war. Maybe Burke would tell you if he thinks he might curry favor."

"That's an awful idea!" Hermione snapped, "And it's a dangerous one at that! What if Malfoy sees you?"

Daphne frowned before hesitantly agreeing with Harry, "It might be the only chance we have. I'll wait until he's gone then I'll walk in and see if I can't find out anything else."

When Malfoy had stalked out of the shop and left towards the Floo point, Daphne jumped out from under the cloak and smoothed her skirt out before walking into the store confidently.

I have to play this right. She made a show of looking at each piece thoroughly. She needed Burke to volunteer to help her, rather than to come in with questions. It would look suspicious.

"Are you looking for something, girly?" Burke barked out.

"A necklace," Daphne said demurely, "Something that can accentuate the décolletage." She points towards a blue and silver necklace, "I think this one would bring out the violet in my eyes, don't you, Mr. Burke?" She batted her lashes to show off her eyes and Burke is stunned a little by the buxom veela in front of him before snapping out of it.

"That piece is sold," he ground out, "But we've got a few pieces in the back."

Bingo!

Daphne frowned prettily, "Are there any other items that are sold? I would rather not waste my time desiring an item that's spoken for."

Burke blinked, "Aye, there are. But it ain't any business of yours, girly. Outta my shop before you scar that pretty face of yours."

Daphne narrowed her eyes, flipped her hair, flounced out of the store, making sure to slam the door unnecessarily hard. As she walks by where she knows Harry and Hermione are hidden she mutters, "Let's go."

She hadn't gotten that much information, but it was enough to be concerned.

Based on his pathological hatred for Draco Malfoy, Daphne should have expected the raging that continued for hours later.

"He's bought something! I know it! And he's going to find a way to kill me with it, just wait and see."

Daphne would have rolled her eyes had it been anyone else but it wasn't a totally unfair belief. Malfoy was most certainly up to something, and when they met up with Neville it had only gotten worse.

"He was being fitted for robes," Neville explained, "With his mum and he jumped when Madam Malkin was fitting his left arm. She hadn't even poked him with her needle. I know because she didn't even have a pin in her hand. Then they both stormed off."

Harry took this as even more vindication, so much so that days later when they were finally arriving at platform 9 ¾ to their families he was still raving about it.

"You can't just follow him around," Remus said, "If he catches you you'll have nothing more to go on."

"Why don't you watch him on the map," Sirius suggested. "If you figure out where he spends his time you might figure out what he's up to."

Daphne wanted to throttle them both for encouraging Harry's hate for Malfoy but instead she spent the time kissing Myrcella, Ada and her parents goodbye instead.

They finally got onto the train and found Hermione already seated in a compartment with Crookshanks, and the newest edition of Hogwarts, A History. Astoria had ran off to meet with her friends, and Tracey Davis was nowhere to be seen.

Anaxia trotted into the cabin and before they had even sat down the door opened again to reveal Neville and Luna Lovegood. Daphne and Hermione excused themselves and Neville turned to Harry, "Where're they going off to? The train hasn't even left the station yet."

"Hermione looks like she's got spizzard flumes around her."

Neville nodded sagely and Harry looked confused, mouthing to him, spizzard flumes? Neville just shrugged and smiled slightly.

A short while later, Hermione and Daphne came back, and Harry was suspicious. Hermione's face was red, and puffy, and Daphne looked frighteningly upset. When he tried to ask her about it, Daphne only responded that she would tell him later. Hermione left to go to her prefect meeting, and then the cabin got an unexpected visitor. The door slid open to reveal Romilda Vane. She smiled at Harry and ignored everyone else in the compartment.

"Hello, Harry. Would you like to come sit with me and my friends in our compartment?"

Daphne glared at the girl and Harry suddenly remembered the similar situation he had been in last year. Cho Chang had walked by their apartment and Harry had been ashamed of Neville and Luna. He wasn't anymore. They were both true friends, and Harry was done shoving aside good people for those he wanted to impress. He was brought back to memories of all the times Ron had degraded Hermione, and he felt ashamed. He'd never said anything in deference to his first friend. No more.

"I'm sitting with my friends, actually. Thanks, though."

Daphne was silently fuming and only stayed silent because Harry had handled the situation. It wouldn't help her to lose her temper so she rolled her eyes and just glared daggers as the girl fumbled the door closed with her giggling friends.

As soon as she was gone a second year stumbled into the cabin looking terrified.

"Um, Professor Slughorn sent me to give these to you and that you should go to his compartment immediately," she shoved the notes in Harry and Neville's hands.

"What's this for?" Neville asked as the girl scurried down the hall.

"My father told us that Slughorn likes to play favorites," Daphne said, "And he sort of 'collects' students he thinks will be successful. It keeps him well connected."

"He likes luxury," Harry said, "Dumbledore said keeping these relationships gives him that."

"So what am I being invited for? I've barely got any magic at all," Neville explained.

Daphne kicked him hard in the shin, "Shut up, Neville. That isn't true and you know it. You just needed a better wand, and now you've got one," Daphne crossed her legs, "Well, go on boys. Luna and I will stay here, won't we Luna?"

Luna nodded and Daphne gave her a bright smile. The two were chatting by the time that Harry and Neville were out the door.

That's when they ran straight into the one person Harry had no desire to see: Ron Weasley.

Hey guys! I know this chapter is late (so sorry!). Life got away from me, but I will be sticking with my one chapter a month for sure policy. I will try to update sometime in the last week of every month. I just recenly finished my finals and now I'm working on my master's dissertation, which is due at the end of the summer. This means I will only have time to write on the weekends, as I'll be trolling archives during the week! If I have extra writing I may update as much more as I can handle! I know this chapter is mostly filler, but if you look closely there is a lot of stuff in this chapter that's important! I'll also be reaching out for a beta reader this week! Thanks to everyone who volunteered.

Thank you all for the kind reviews and expect chapter 4 around this time nuext month!