The raven-haired vixen, Daphne Greengrass, stalked up the stairs towards the astronomy tower. Just a few nights ago, at the final task of the tri-wizard tournament, Harry Potter appeared with a dead body in his hands and a rumor on his lips. What Daphne needed to do was escape the castle. Her parents were definitely Death Eaters, not high enough in the ranks to matter, but they'd certainly want to use their daughters to try to gain favor with the Dark Lord or his inner circle if the opportunity presented itself. Daphne wasn't about to let that happen, she packed her essentials: runic tomes, a few clothes, some makeup, shoes, and of course her broom. With everything important to her she'd try to escape and be far enough away that her parents couldn't call her back.

She barged up through the trapdoor into the cool, crisp late-night air. What met her at the top of tower was probably the last thing she would have expected. Harry Potter was camped at the edge of the tower sitting in the fetal position, a death grip on his hair, genuinely looking broken. When he snapped his head over to face her she also noticed his eyes, which were normally a brilliant emerald green, were red, with jagged bolts, not only cutting through the whites of his eyes, but across his irises. The effect had a profound, slightly disturbing impact and made her freeze in her tracks.

She saw him hastily try to cover up his crying. "Go away, the last thing I need is someone else to attempt to ruin my life," he hastily snapped at her, though it didn't stop his voice from cracking.

There was nothing else she'd love to do, but after spending four years watching Potter's pets strut along with him trying to hide, this display was slightly out of character. She'd expect Granger to have a breakdown. Potter on the other hand, he always seemed to be made of a tougher substance then the rest of her classmates. Quickly glancing at the broom in her hand, she sighed. Laying the broom and her pack down on the ground she scooted over near Potter and slid down the parapet. "I was planning to leave Potter, but you being here looking like someone shot your puppy leaves me in a quandary." She looked around, but he brought nothing, and further examining of him showed him only wearing a pair of pyjamas from the hospital wing. He was lucky that it was the beginning of summer, so it was a rather warm night for Scotland. "So, I'm feeling nice tonight, hopefully the karma helps me in some way, care to explain what has you so flustered?"

He looked at her like she was insane, "Why should I tell you anything? The last thing I need is someone else to spy on me." This got Daphne to raise a delicate eyebrow. "Besides," Harry finally decided to look at her and growled, "what possible reason could you have to run away." He jerked his head at her broom and pack.

She looked at him, "Potter, I don't want to stay with my family to become a tool. I've heard your rumor and since the ministry is trying to cover it up, there is some form of truth in it. I do not agree with my parent's ideals, nor do I want to meet their lord." She sighed, "My leaving was always planned, but I was hoping to be able to claim my inheritance. Now it's going to take all my resources and a ton of luck to not be caught by the Dark Lord's followers or the ministry while trying to hide this summer. Next year after the O. I can get emancipated and be free of them. I just wish I didn't have to hide during the summer and could claim my inheritance." She turned her gaze towards the stars, and sighed again.

Harry had turned to her when she mentioned getting emancipated, "You mean we can be free from controlling adults before we graduate?" He was practically glowing with excitement, his eyes wide and hopeful, brilliantly shining in the dark, mostly back to their emerald-green quality, though his sclera still had a pink hue from his earlier crying.

Daphne was startled at his exuberance, "Of course, having a mastery in a subject and passing the O.W.L.s for that subject can easily grant you entrance into a guild. Join the guild, even if you don't plan to do anything with the guild and you're registered as a guild member, and guild members are considered adults, as long as they are full members. An O.W.L. could get you into a guild, but having a mastery and a strong O.W.L. score guarantees it, and also lets you skip being a trainee, or pre-guild member. Didn't anyone teach you about wizarding society, or the alternatives to Hogwarts?" When he shook his head and continued staring at her she was shocked, "Potter, Hogwarts isn't the only option, you could've been emancipated at thirteen, what else do you not know?"

"I haven't been taught anything about wizarding culture, or any alternatives to Hogwarts." Daphne's eyes grew wide and she proceeded to explain the aspects of wizarding culture to him.

Another story idea I had. Rather then a manipulative Harry, I wanted a typical manipulative Dumbledore, but with a slight twist.

I do plan to update this story, I have most of the first half of fifth year, and a vague idea how I'd like to end the year, not sure if I'll just do a one year story, or if it'll continue past year 5.