Tom Philips had given 30 years of his life working for Grunnings and they'd returned none of his loyalty. He hated working for them, specifically he hated working for Vernon Dursley. A prime example, Tom thought, of someone failing upwards. The man knew how to schmooze his bosses, and take credit for other people's hard work:
Tom was ready to chuck it all in and go painting. All he needed was a sign, like a Grimm staring at him from outside his window…. Tom did a double take as he found himself staring at the biggest dog he'd ever seen. The dog sat down and scratched behind its ear before standing up again, chuffing in Tom's direction and tottering off.
Tom let out a long breath as he pulled out a sheet of paper and began composing his resignation letter. In it he listed all the ways Vernon Dursley had cost the company money over the years. His wife would be furious, but Tom didn't care. The two had fallen out of love decades ago. His true passion was painting and he'd always had an eye on a tiny little apartment in Dover. If he continued living frugally he could survive for years on his own. But then anything was better than staying here.
Sirius diverted from the sidewalk into an alley and returned to human form. He took the glamour he'd been carrying and placed it around his neck obscuring his features. He walked out into the street and down the path to an old cafe.
Sirius stopped in the entrance of the cafe for a moment to admire her. Isabella was as beautiful today as she had been when she married that old bastard, Joseph Greengrass. It was one of the abiding regrets of his life that he hadn't tied her down first. But Sirius was too much of a playboy back then. Maybe if he'd been a little more mature, like James, he would have snagged his witch. And then, maybe, things would have gone very differently on that horrible night in nineteen eighty one.
"You haven't aged a day since school, Izzy," Sirius said as he sat down opposite the blonde.
"You always were a terrible liar," Isabella muttered. She was careful not to say his name out loud just in case it reached the wrong ears.
"I've missed you," Sirius said, sliding his hand across the table towards Isabella.
"There you go, lying again," Isabella replied as she pulled her hands back from Sirius's.
"I'm serious," Sirius stated firmly.
"I know…" Isabella replied quietly, refusing to meet his eyes. "I've arranged somewhere we can talk," Isabella said, paying for her tea and walking out of the cafe. Sirius hurriedly exited the cafe and followed Isabella to an upscale hotel nearby.
"Would you like some tea, or something stronger?" Isabella asked as they entered her room.
"Uh, no, thank you," Sirius replied as he removed the glamour pendant.
Isabella crossed her arms over her substantial chest and studied Sirius. He was wearing a leather jacket over a white dress shirt with the top three buttons undone, paired with jeans secured with a dragonhide belt and matching boots. She could see the change that Azkaban and wrought on him. Sirius was haunted, not just by a decade plus in that horrid place, but also by the consequences of his actions.
Sirius walked towards Isabella taking a chair and spinning it around and sat down. "You said in your letter that you need my help?"
"Yes, my daughter has outlined a list of items we need to secure. One of them is already in your possession," Isabella explained, sliding a piece of parchment across the table.
"A locket?" Sirius said out loud.
"Daphne suggested your house elf might know where it is," Isabella said.
"Kr…" Sirius began before pausing when Isabella grabbed his hand.
"There's one other thing about your house elf you should know," Isabella said as she hurriedly explained how Kreacher was communicating with people outside Grimmauld Place. Sirius nodded and summoned his house elf.
"What does the filthy mudblood lover want with lowly Kreacher?" He asked.
"I have two orders for you. First, you are forbidden from communicating in any way with anyone or anything outside my house without my express permission," Sirius ordered.
Kreacher's eyes widened as he bowed his head. "Yes, master."
"Second, you have a locket that belonged to Regulus. I want you to give it to Dobby," Sirius ordered.
"Will he destroy it?" Kreacher asked. "Will he remove the dark wizard's stench from Master Regulus's locket?"
Sirius glanced at Isabella then back to Kreacher. "Explain."
Kreacher reluctantly explained his history with Slytherin's locket. Once Kreacher finished, Sirius sat quietly digesting what he'd said. "So, Daphne wants this locket, that contains a piece of this monster's soul?" Sirius looked at Isabella. "Did you know about this?"
"No, she wouldn't tell me why she wanted these items. She said no one should be burdened with the knowledge of what these things are," Isabella explained, reviewing the conversation in her mind. "She said the problem isn't with the item but the evil it's imbued with. This is clearly what she was talking about."
"I'm not sure I want to send her something imbued with Voldemort's evil…" Sirius said, frowning.
"I think Daphne knows how to deal with this better than we do. I trust her, Sirius, I think you should too."
"Ok. Kreacher, take the locket to Dobby. He will give it to someone who will deal with the evil inside."
"Yes, master. Thank you," Kreacher said before disappearing.
"You never did explain how Daphne knew I was innocent," Sirius mentioned as he returned his gaze to Isabella.
"No, I didn't," Isabella replied.
Sighing Sirius let the matter drop. "What was the other item Daphne wanted us to collect?"
"Hufflepuff's cup. Daphne had a specific suggestion about how to deal with it."
Isabella put the parchment in front of Sirius again, causing him to smile. "Your daughter is as clever as her mother."
Daphne heard Hermione sigh in her head as the two stared at that morning's edition of the Daily Prophet. 'Typical, Sirius.'
'Typical Gryffindor,' Daphne countered.
'I resent that,' Hermione protested.
'That's nice,' Daphne replied. She glanced down the Slytherin house table to the stony faced Draco Malfoy. He stared at the page announcing the end of his dream of being the Lord Black blankly. The paper printed the announcement of Lord Black dissolving the marriages of Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange.
The information was allegedly 'leaked' by Gringotts who were taking steps to recover the dowry paid to both families as part of the marriage contract. The same source confirmed that heavy fines had been levied against Lucius Malfoy and the Lestrange families for keeping dark objects in their vaults.
Fudge was making noise about ignoring the edict from Gringotts but even Hogwarts students, at least those who were well read on the politics of the Wizarding world, knew he was full of shit. At the same time Fudge was also trying to stop Amelia Bones opening an investigation into why Sirius was being recognised as the Lord Black.
'If Gringotts disposed of the cup that only leaves three horcruxes out in the wild. The ring, Nagini and Harry.'
'Any thoughts on how we get that damn thing out of Harry's head?' Daphne asked.
'Yes.'
Isabella burst through a hedge into a thicket, followed closely behind by Sirius in his Grimm form. Once he was sure they were alone, he transformed and brandished his wand. They'd chosen to retrieve the ring under cover of darkness, but the area was so overgrown Sirius wasn't sure it mattered much. Lighting his wand, Sirius cautiously cut a path through the bramble. He tugged Isabella along behind him, interlacing their fingers so they wouldn't get separated.
Isabella cast cutting curses over Sirius's shoulder to clear their path. Eventually they reached a dilapidated shack. "This is the one, Daphne's description said the shack had a snake nailed to the door."
Sirius pushed the door open. "The end of the Slytherin line was pathetic."
"I don't think this is what Salazar had in mind," Isabella replied as they scanned the room.
Sirius yanked one of the two internal doors open and swept the room. He paused, noticing a loose floorboard near the back. "Isabella, in here."
As Isabella entered, Sirius pulled the floorboard back and transfigured the wood into a box. "Be careful, I can feel the pull of the compulsion charm. I'm having to use all my Occlumency shielding to keep from reaching for it."
"Ok. Back away, Sirius," Isabella said as she transfigured a piece of broken glass into a stake that she used to pick up the ring and drop it into the box. Sirius hurriedly closed the lid before kicking it away from him and backing away towards Isabella.
"Kreacher, take that to Dobby," Sirius ordered.
Once the box disappeared the pair relaxed. Sirius almost laughed, shaking his head. "Dark Lord? What Dark Lord…"
"He may be foolishly arrogant, but he's still dangerous, Sirius," Isabella pointed out.
"Hm…" Sirius replied.
"We should go."
"Yeah," Sirius said as the two exited the shack and made their way towards the apparition point. "Will I see you again?"
Isabella frowned. "Don't do this, Sirius."
"Why not?"
"Because you're still the same person you were when we met at school. You were always being distracted by the newest shiny bauble that was put in front of you. I knew if I stayed, you'd tire of me. That's no future." Isabella explained stopping short of the hedge.
"You're right, I was a cad back then. I didn't treat anyone with respect, even myself. But I spent ten long years in Azkaban. I had nothing but time to consider my mistakes. My biggest regret…"
"Goodbye, Sirius," Isabella said loudly as she apparated away.
Sirius exhaled and spat on the ground, frowning. "Fuck."
Daphne stood in the Chamber with the box containing the ring with the locket sat beside it. She held the Basilisk fang loosely in her dragonhide gloved hand. She hated this, she could feel the evil emanating off the items. It made her physically ill. She tightened her grip on the basilisk fang and approached the box.
"Remember, the ring has a compulsion charm on it. It's going to make you want to put the ring on. Don't hesitate, just stab it."
"I know, you've told me. Keep talking, keep me distracted. Don't let me put that damn ring on."
"I'm ready."
Daphne kicked the box open and immediately felt the pull of the ring on her mind. She could hear Hermione chatting away about schoolwork in the back of her mind. It was more of a dull drone rather than anything she could identify as words.
Bracing herself Daphne plunged the fang into the centre of the ring, splitting it in two and causing black goo to spurt from the broken pieces. Seconds later a piercing scream echoed around the chamber as the shard of Voldemort's soul burst from the ring and exploded in fire. Daphne skidded backwards but did not hit the wall behind her this time.
"Daphne, are you ok??" Hermione pleaded.
Daphne groaned and rubbed her face. "Yeah, I'm ok. I think. I fucking hate doing that."
"You're very good at it," Hermione commented assuredly.
"Because that's what I wanted to be known for. Horcrux destruction…" Daphne muttered sarcastically. She plucked the jewel that had become detached from the ring. "What do I do with this, what even is it?"
"Do you remember the story of the Three Brothers from the Tales of the Beedle the Bard?"
Daphne frowned. "Yes… Mother read it to me when I was a child. What does that have to do with this?"
"It was based on the true story of the Peverell Brothers who, according to Dumbledore, might have created the Hollows mentioned in the book. This is the Resurrection Stone."
"I see. If I recall correctly the stone has the power to bring back the dead."
"Only temporarily."
"What do I do with it?"
"Whatever you want. It's not infected with the horcrux so it's safe. I think it's best to chuck it in a Gringotts vault and forget about it."
"You're probably right," Daphne agreed, pocketing the stone. "And the locket?"
"We need someone who speaks parseltongue to open it. The only person I trust to help us is Harry."
"Let's wait for Harry to contact us, the locket is safe down here. Once we have Harry's trust, we can broach the subject with him."
Daphne returned to the chamber a few days later and spent hours slaving over a boiling cauldron. She could feel Hermione lurking inside her head. It was a weird feeling to share every moment of existence with another person, but not unpleasant once she was used to it.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked.
"Giving your younger self a helping hand," Daphne explained adding some ingredients to the boiling water.
"Oh?"
"You'll see," Daphne replied with a grin.
Two days later Daphne was eating breakfast with the rest of Slytherin, when Dumbledore rose from his seat and commanded the attention of the student population. "Good morning students. I apologize for interrupting your breakfast, but I come to you today with some concerning news. Early this morning Mister Ron Weasley presented to the Hospital Wing with a particularly virulent strain of Spattergroit. While we don't believe anyone outside his dorm could have been exposed since contracted the disease, we're asking that anyone who has been in close contact over the past week see Madam Pomfrey for testing as soon as possible."
Most of the sixth-year students rose and exited the hall. Even if they'd never heard of Spattergroit before, the worry on the faces of their fellow students told them everything they needed to know. "Mister Weasley has been sent home until his symptoms clear up and he's fully recovered. I'm sure everyone here will extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery."
'Spattergroit symptoms can persist up to six months. Salazar would be proud,' Hermione said inside Daphne's head.
'That's the nicest thing you've ever said, Granger.'
'What did Dumbledore mean by a particularly virulent strain?'
'The strain I infected Weasley with is called Cerebrumous Spattergroit, in addition to its normal symptoms it also causes memory loss. Maybe he'll forget to be such a bastard when he comes back. Oh, and don't worry, the strain I developed isn't contagious. But I'm not telling anyone else that.'
'I think I love you,' Hermione said, Daphne could see the beaming grin on her face in her mind's eye. The smile and sparkle in Hermione's eyes made Daphne's stomach squirm.
Harry smiled as he emerged from the hospital wing to find Hermione standing in the corridor waiting for him. "Are you ok?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"I'm fine, Hermione," Harry assured her, taking Hermione's heavy book bag off her shoulder. "What about you?"
"I'm fine," Hermione replied. "I feel bad for Ron, it's a shame he'll miss the rest of the year."
"Yeah," Harry agreed absently. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he was a little glad that Ron was gone. He liked Hermione, a lot, but Ron felt Harry was encroaching on what he felt was his territory. That was the impression Harry got, from the looks Ron had been giving him for the last few months.
Harry didn't notice the small smile on Hermione's face as she hooked her arm with his. She wouldn't have dared do that with Ron around, for fear he would hit the roof and curse them out in public. She didn't want to admit to her feelings for him. Hermione knew Harry wasn't interested, he liked sporty girls like Cho.
"Hey, can I talk to you in the room after class?" Harry asked.
"Sure, is it to do with the letter you got?"
"Yeah."
Once the classes were over for the day Harry met Hermione at the room of requirement. As they entered, they noticed the room had provided them a single two-seater couch. Harry blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "That wasn't my idea."
Hermione smiled at him. "I know, it's ok."
Hermione dragged Harry over to the couch and they sat down. Harry's face was bright red from how close Hermione was sitting to him. Shaking it off he pulled the letter out of his robes. "Padfoot wrote me a letter, apparently Daphne Greengrass put him and her mother in touch."
"What? Why?" Hermione asked in shock.
"Sirius didn't say. Apparently, Missus Greengrass wouldn't put it into a letter."
"Understandable," Hermione replied. "Are you going to ask Daphne how she knew Sirius was innocent? Unless her plan was to put her mother in touch with an alleged mass murderer."
Harry chuckled. "I doubt it," Harry said before pausing to consider Hermione's question. "I guess I kind of have to, don't I?"
"If there's a breach in Sirius's security, we need to know about it and seal it," Hermione reasoned.
"You're right."
"I know," Hermione said with a grin as she snuggled into his side.
"Um, you, ok?"
"Yep, I just want to stay like this for a while," Hermione assured him.
"Ok."
Daphne sat at a desk at the back of the library. She was in the middle of penning a letter. She could feel Hermione lurking again with a tinge of worry spiking in their shared emotions. 'Stop it.'
"I can't, whatever you're doing it's making you ill. How can I sit back and do nothing?" Hermione demanded.
'Because I have to do this. It's the last piece, without it You-Know-Who will never die,' Daphne explained bitterly. 'Besides I feel ill because of what I'm having to write and who I'm having to write it too. This man is a disgusting pig.'
"Who are you writing?"
'Matthias Nott,' Daphne answered.
"He died during the war. Wait, he was in charge of the brothel…"
'I know, that's why I chose him.'
"What are you planning?"
'You're not going to like it,' Daphne replied.
"Try me."
Daphne shared her thoughts as she continued writing. 'Well?'
"I've made peace with doing whatever is necessary to protect Harry. I'm not going to stop you."
'Thank you.'
Matthias Nott happily marched down the Main Street of Hogsmeade village. He claimed to his wife that he was going out to see his nephew, Theodore. However, the truth was he was out to meet with a different Slytherin student. He was sure the eldest Greengrass daughter had written to him, at the direction of her father. Matthias didn't care, he would take the opportunity to indulge.
Entering the Three Broomsticks he proceeded upstairs to the room Greengrass had specified. He knocked and entered a darkened room. Nott immediately let his wand slip into his hand from the wrist holster. "Where are you gi…"
"Imperio," Daphne spat, striking Nott in the back. The man froze as Daphne re-lit the lamps in the room and walked over to sit at the table provided. "You are a disgusting old bastard. Did you really think you were coming here to fuck a teenager today? Did you believe my father was whoring me out for political advantage? You're so fucking stupid."
Daphne stomped on the floor and scowled. "Stand at attention!"
Nott complied standing to attention in front of Daphne as she played with a bottle of butterbeer. "If I didn't need you, I'd seriously consider castrating you and leaving you here to bleed out," Daphne stated. She took a deep breath and tightened her grip on her wand. "Do you know where Voldemort is?"
"Yes."
"Are you allowed to freely roam his stronghold?"
"Yes."
"Where does he keep his snake?"
"In his…"
'Not now, Granger!'
"If it's not in the throne room, it sleeps in a room of its own," Nott explained.
"I want you to go to Voldemort's stronghold, find the snake and cast Fiendfyre."
"Yes."
"Do it now, go, get out," Daphne ordered.
Matthias spun around and marched out. Once he was outside Nott apparated to the Malfoy estate. Crossing the ward boundary, he was confronted by two low level grunts. He quickly dismissed them and entered the house.
The manor seemed unusually busy with many death eaters roaming the halls. Nott stopped outside Voldemort's throne room, where Severus Snape was engaged in a heated discussion, about liberating death eaters from Azkaban. When Nott didn't see any sign of the snake in the room he moved on.
Descending into the lower level of the Malfoy residence, Nott checked a few of the rooms where the snake usually curled up to sleep.
Eventually he paused at an open door that was directly below the throne room. Its handler, Pettigrew, was nowhere to be found. Stepping into the room he brandished his wand and cast. "Pestis Incendium!"
The guards at the entrance of the estate spun around and fell back onto their asses in fright, as the house exploded in flames. A flaming dragon emerged from the inferno before falling back into the raging fire. The guards felt the wards fail as the building began collapsing. The remaining death eaters bolted, leaving their masks and robes behind as they apparated away.
Harry and Hermione were out shopping in Hogsmeade enjoying being in each other's company. Suddenly Harry stumbled and reached out for a nearby wall while grasping his head. Hermione dropped her bags of candy and rushed to Harry's side. "Harry, are you ok?"
"Yeah, I think so. Something caused a shooting pain in my head. It might have been him."
Hermione frowned. "Should we go back to the castle and talk to the headmaster?"
Harry shook his head. "Nah, I'm ok. But I think I could use a good sit down. Shall we go for lunch?"
"Yeah, ok," Hermione agreed reluctantly. She knew it was pointless to argue with Harry. He would pretend to be fine even if he wasn't. She cared about Harry deeply, but this part of his personality was infuriating.
Daphne popped the cap off the top of the butterbeer in front of her as she felt her connection to Nott disappeared. "One left."
Harry glanced across the great hall towards the Slytherin table. Malfoy sat stony faced staring at the front page of the Daily Prophet. It detailed the destruction of the Malfoy Manor and the death of his mother and father. The article also mentioned that the remains of other people were found among the wreckage.
Dumbledore rose from his seat. "Students, I have sad news to share with you this morning. I have been informed by Madam Bones, the director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, that Professor Snape was amongst those lost in the tragic events of yesterday. It is my understanding that Professor Snape was visiting his longtime friends and was caught in the inferno."
Dumbledore paused before continuing. "While Professor Snape could be a controversial figure among the student body…"
Harry snorted a laugh and shook his head as Hermione jabbed him in the leg. If Dumbledore heard him he showed no sign of it as he continued speaking. "He was a dedicated educator with a passion for the art of potion making. I, as well as many of you will mourn his passing. Potions classes will be taken as self study until a suitable replacement can be found. Thank you."
"Do you think he was there?" Hermione asked Harry quietly as Dumbledore sat down and the chatter rose over the hall.
"I think so, that surge of pain I felt yesterday was probably him dying."
"Good," Hermione muttered. "Are you going to do it today?"
Harry glanced across the hall again over at Daphne and nodded. "Don't see why not. It'd be better if you handed her the note. You at least share some of the same classes."
"Good idea."
Daphne let out a breath as she stood outside the Room of Requirement. "It's safe in there. He doesn't bite."
Daphne huffed a laugh. "You can say that because he's your best friend."
"Do you trust me?" Hermione asked.
"Of course."
"Then step through that door."
"Ok " Daphne replied.
As Daphne stepped through the door, the pair on the other side fell silent. Once the door was closed it disappeared, Daphne glanced at Harry who stared back flatly. "I didn't want us to be interrupted accidentally."
"Ok."
"All I want to know is how you knew my godfather was innocent?"