Chapter 25: 4
Middle of the night, December 27, 1995
London, England
Harry woke screaming. His hand against his head. It felt like something was driving a spike through his scar. There was something in his head and he stumbled out of bed, not sure where he was going, but just trying to get away from it.
As the spike rammed in farther, he thought he saw the red eyes of Voldemort. He screamed as the pain started to wrack his body and fell in a lump on the floor. A warm heat grabbed his arm and the pain lessened. There was concern in the red eyes. Harry saw it.
"SIRIUS!" It was Daphne.
As he thought of Daphne, he realized he belonged to her. Not this thing that suddenly wanted to take him over.
He started to fight. Instead of screams of agony, it was screams of pain and rage at the thing in his head.
Both his hands grasped at his forehead and he felt his nails dig in, as though they wanted to tear out whatever was hurting him.
"Harry, stop!" Daphne cried out. She tried to pull his hands away from his head. He was too strong for her. "SIRIUS!"
He heard the doors bang open and the thing tried to force another spike through his scar. Harry grit his teeth and forced it back. He felt the thing fight against him.
"What is going on!" Daphne sounded really afraid. Harry arched his back and let out the worst blood curdling scream he had ever uttered. It felt like the spikes were trying to split his skull open. He felt hands trying to keep him from clawing his forehead.
"Merlin! It looks like a ligilimens attack. Don't let him go. Hug him closer if you can," Sirius demanded. "Stay out!"
Harry felt the hands let his wrists go and arms wrap around his chest and the warmth caused him to shutter. He grit his teeth even harder and pushed. The thing hadn't gotten past his scar yet, and Harry wouldn't let it. He was Daphne's!
The thought of them kissing and her rolled up to his side yesterday morning, her hand held to her chest and her breath on his ear were good feelings that made the thing scream in its own pain. He pushed and then screamed, his fingernails breaking open the raw looking scar. Harry pushed hard with his legs and knocked them both over.
"Arthur, get Dumbledore," Sirius yelled. "Daphne, let him know you care."
As his scar slit open, some black ooze started to come out. "Harry, you need to be here. Fight it off."
He pushed harder, all his muscles tightened, as though he was pushing the heaviest thing he ever had. She held held, probably keeping him from sliding across the floor or hurting himself more.
"Harry, please. I don't want to be alone. Without you... I..." she choked up. "Please, Harry. I need you." It was barely more than a whisper. "Don't leave me."
Daphne needed him. He heard her plea. With a yell he mentally hit back at the thing and it was like his head split open. Blood, black ooze and a small black worm like thing burst out of his head. It splattered against the floor and the feeling he was being ripped apart was suddenly gone. He slumped to the floor, his arms dropping limp with tears coming to his eyes at the lingering spasms and pain.
"Harry! No! No! No! Don't be dead!" Daphne was crying.
He groaned and Daphne rolled him over and wrapped her arms over his side.
"Molly, take care of Harry. STAY OUT!" It was Sirius yelling.
Harry blinked, he couldn't see anything through the tears and fluids in his eyes.
He heard Mrs. Weasley rush to his head. "Move him over here," Mrs. Weasley ordered. Harry was moved.
"He has to be alright," Daphne cried.
Mrs. Weasley's voice was kinder than he had heard to Daphne so far. "It will be alright, Daphne. Hold this cloth to his head for a moment."
He winced and groaned, not feeling like he could talk. His throat felt like it had been torn apart. "I'm sorry. There is so much blood," a tearful Daphne told him.
"George, there is some dittany and blood replenisher in the kitchen storage cabinet. Grab me both."
"Sure, mum," George said and then Harry heard the crack of apparition.
"Fred, I need clean linens," Mrs. Weasley ordered. There was another crack.
"Are you going to stop this," Daphne hysterically cried out.
"Daphne, I need you to take a few breaths. The dittany will close the wound. Ron, get down to the kitchen and get a pot on." Mrs. Weasley was ordering people.
Harry was feeling like he was colder than anything he could remember. His body was shaking.
"Harry, we are getting you help," Daphne tried to assure him.
There was a crack, followed quickly by another crack. "Where the bloody hell is that damned elf," George yelled angrily.
"Miss, Kreacher has the potions."
"Kreacher, your head!" Daphne exclaimed.
"Can you try to kill each other later. Take care of Harry. Where the hell is Dumbledore?" Sirius demanded.
"The bloody thing tackled me trying to get to the potions," George whinged.
"A few drops at a time," Mrs. Weasley instructed. She sounded calmer than anyone should in this situation.
Harry sucked in a hissing breath at the sting of the dittany potion. After a few seconds it stopped.
"George, sit there. I'll take a look at your arm in a second," Mrs. Weasley told her son. Harry felt his body calming down. "Get Harry to drink this."
"What about Kreacher?" Daphne asked.
"Take care of your husband first and then we will look at Kreacher," Mrs. Weasley demanded. "Try not to let him talk too much. I think he hurt his throat screaming like that."
Harry was propped up. He tried to help, but his body felt so weak. "Harry, open your mouth. Just drink this." Daphne was coaxing him.
He tried to dutifully do what he was told even though there was no command. The liquid was cool with a metallic taste to it. He licked his lips before another vial was put to his lips. Once done, he felt Daphne take him to her chest and hold him in a tight embrace. "Here, dear, let me levitate him to the couch."
"What is this about," he heard Dumbledore.
"Harry looked like he was just going through a legilimens attack and then his scar burst and this snake and all this black stuff just came out."
"Dear, Merlin," he heard Dumbledore.
Harry blinked as he was put on something soft. His eyes were clean and his body stopped shaking. The first sight he saw was Daphne's face over his. He was laying his head in her lap. Tear marks were on her cheeks. When she saw his eyes focus on him she let out a breath. "That hurt," he croaked.
She gave a nervous little laugh. "Don't talk. Don't leave me," she said leaning down and pecking his lips.
"I'll try." His voice sounded like a toad and it hurt to talk.
"Don't talk," she whispered. "You can't leave me alone."
"Daphne, can I take a look," Dumbledore asked. "Don't say anything," the man kindly told Harry.
A long wand with knots was pointed over his head. After a moment, his whole body relaxed and the pain faded. He let out a sigh and felt like he was just melting into Daphne.
"Is Harry going to be alright," Daphne asked, still sounding frightened out of her mind.
Dumbledore didn't say anything. When it looked as though he was done, Dumbledore cast a spell like Madam Pomfrey. He saw the thick silver cord form between him and Daphne. The smaller cords also formed. Two of them didn't look like they went far away. Another looked stretched. They came to Daphne and then to him. Someone gasped.
Daphne looked totally surprised. "You?" she asked surprised.
"What is this, Albus?" Mrs. Weasley questioned.
"The link to Voldemort is gone. Those are life debts that I believe Ms. Granger and Ms. Weasley owe Harry."
"Why would they owe Harry?" Daphne asked.
Harry was starting to feel dizzy and thought he was drifting.
"Albus, what haven't you told us?" Sirius accused in a cold anger.
Dumbledore sighed. "Harry will recover. I will have Poppy send you what you need to help him."
"I will allow her to come here and then you are telling us what is going on," his godfather demanded.
Harry leaned his head into Daphne, who cradled him. He remembered the sounds of an argument before he drifted off.
-oOo-
December 29, 1995
London, England
Daphne and Sirius didn't allow anyone in to see him the next day. Harry remembered waking once with a splitting headache and was up long enough to eat dinner, but he wasn't in the mood to say anything. Daphne didn't push him and Sirius checked in on him often. This morning he woke with Daphne spooned up behind him. It surprised him but after a moment he took her hand in his as he just felt her easy breathing pushing against his back. There was something about this that was so comforting, he didn't want to move.
There was a soft crack from a corner of the room. Kreacher had been the other surprising thing. In five days, the small elf had seemed to attach himself to Daphne, and, by extension, him. There was also something that happened in the last two days to make the elf happy. Harry didn't know what, but it was the only thing Harry could think to describe the change in Kreacher's attitude.
He watched the diminutive elf walk up to the side of the bed in the very dim light from around the curtains.
"Morning, Kreacher," Harry said in a soft voice. It still hurt to talk some. He was supposed to take the last of the potions this morning.
"Kreacher is supposed to see if Mrs. Daphne and her consort is up. Master Sirius requires you to join him for breakfast," Kreacher told them.
"Daphne is still sleeping," he whispered to Kreacher.
"Kreacher is sorry, Master Harry, but Kreacher was told it was important."
Harry nodded. Sirius wouldn't order Kreacher to come up and wake them if he didn't mean it. "Thank you, Kreacher."
He felt guilty for waking her. He didn't think she slept at all the other night and wasn't sure how much she slept last night. He also didn't want to get out of this position. "Daphne," he called softly as Kreacher tried to slink away unnoticed.
She didn't move the first time. Or even the third time he called her name. On the fifth, she shifted. "Ten more minutes?" she asked softly.
Harry squeezed her hand.
"Sirius says we need to get downstairs."
She snuggled closer in his back. "Five more minutes?"
How could Harry care for someone so much in only a few days. "Daph, Sirius really wants us up," Harry urged her.
She sighed and pushed herself up. Harry couldn't see far, but to see her prop herself up on one arm, her hair a mess as she scratched her head, the way the night shirt pulled tight and her sleepy eyes not really focusing on anything was a more beautiful sight than anything he thought he had seen. When she looked down at him her cheeks flushed a little. "I didn't mean to sleep so close to you."
Harry moved onto his back. "I liked it," he told her.
The shy smile she gave him sent up butterflies in his stomach. That hadn't happened before. "I did too."
When they made it to the kitchen, Sirius sent everyone out except for them, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Hermione.
Daphne sat next to him, pulling her chair close. She sat straight and tall while most looked at them and Kreacher put a plate with toast and eggs before each of them. Daphne didn't touch her food, just having a staring contest with Sirius. Like with him, Daphne had a much more personable relationship behind closed doors with Sirius, or if Hermione was around.
"What do we need to talk about?" Harry asked.
Mrs. Weasley went to talk and Sirius held up his hand. "I have heard some very interesting stories in the last twenty-four hours that none of the adults at this table knew."
Harry stiffened with a bit of egg half way to his mouth. He looked up at Sirius and then the Weasley's.
Sirius didn't sound upset with him, more disappointed when he spoke. "Were you ever going to tell me you faced off against Voldemort twice before last June? Or that you were almost flattened by a troll? How about being bitten by a basilisk?"
Daphne became even more rigid, her head snapping to him. Harry looked to Hermione. "Ron and I have told them everything we know," Hermione said, meeting his eyes for a brief moment. The fear in them was apparent.
"Harry, what is Sirius and Hermione talking about?" Daphne put to him.
"You haven't told Daphne," he asked, still looking at Hermione.
"She wouldn't leave your side," Hermione replied.
"You never told us," Mrs. Weasley started.
"Molly, please let me handle this," Sirius demanded over her.
"Molly, you will get your say, just be quiet for a moment," Mr. Weasley told her in a soft voice. Harry blinked at Mr. Weasley before turning to Daphne.
She looked at him concerned. "Is this what you said we would talk about?"
Harry nodded.
"You can tell me now," she demanded of him. It wasn't an order.
"First year, Professor Quirrell was possessed by Voldemort. The unicorns that were killed in the forest was Quirrell drinking their blood to stay alive long enough to get the Sorcerer's Stone that had been hidden in the school," he started.
Daphne's eyes were wide. "That was real?" she asked.
Harry nodded.
"Ron and I helped Harry to get to the stone and stop Quirrell," Hermione pipped up.
Daphne looked at Hermione before turning back to him. "What happened to Quirrell? There are rumors he died."
"And that I killed him. Yeah, that's true."
She gasped.
"Dumbledore told us it was the protection your mother gave you. Quirrell, possessed by Voldemort, couldn't touch Harry without consequences," Sirius added.
"I remember what happened," Harry snapped at his godfather. "Did Dumbledore tell you he burned up wherever he touched me and I killed him by grabbing his face and watching him turn to ash?"
Hermione put a hand to her mouth. "Dumbledore and you never told us, just that Quirrell died when You-Know-Who left his body."
Harry looked down. "I killed him."
Daphne went to take his hand and he pulled away.
"It was in self-defense, pup," Sirius told him.
"I still killed him," Harry replied.
Daphne reached for his hand again and grabbed his arm when he pulled away. Her hand found his and held it tight.
Mrs. Weasley sniffed. "You really faced him? I had no idea how brave you three were."
"So brave Ron almost died playing chess," Harry snarked.
"He what," Ginny asked.
Harry didn't want to talk about it. He was sure Daphne would ask later and he would tell her. Hermione spoke for him. "There were tests and traps to get to the stone. Ron sacrificed himself when we had to play a game of wizard chess with ten-foot-tall chess pieces. He was a knight and the queen took him."
Ginny gasped and Daphne held his hand tighter.
"What happened with the troll that year?" Sirius prodded.
"Hermione was in the first-floor girls bathroom. Ron and I went to get her. The troll beat us there," Harry replied.
"Professor Snape told us you all went looking for it," Daphne stated.
"We were first years. Do you think we would be idiotic enough to go looking for a fully grown mountain troll?" Hermione looked at Daphne, challenging her.
"You are Gryffindors and many Gryffindor tend to charge in before they think," Daphne retorted.
"Not Hermione," Harry told her. "She usually tries to stop Ron and I to plan."
Daphne huffed. "At least one of you has a little common sense."
"Why isn't Ron here if he was involved in all this," Ginny asked.
"Because this conversation does not involve Ron," Mr. Weasley informed his daughter.
Daphne's grasp became stronger. "When you went after the troll, did you rescue Hermione?"
Harry pursed his lips. Hermione spoke first. "Harry is the one who convinced Ron to come find me. They both helped to rescue me. I still have a small scar from where the sink fragments got in my leg."
Daphne looked at Hermione for a moment.
"I see you found the first one," Sirius said to Daphne.
"Her life debt to Harry," Daphne stated.
Harry looked up, his eyes widening. "What?"
"You saved Hermione," Sirius responded.
"But I've saved her other times and she has saved me," he stated.
"Do you know how a life debt is formed?"
Harry shook his head at Sirius. "You want this one or should I," Sirius asked Daphne.
"One of us should tell him. Daphne may not know all there is to a life debt," Mrs. Weasley tried to step in.
"Molly, they are my wards and I will do this in the way I see is best," Sirius snapped at her. "If you want to go and wait until we get to your daughter, be my guest."
Mrs. Weasley looked a little taken back. Mr. Weasley put a hand on her shoulder. "Molly, he is right. Harry is not our son."
"He is as good as. You know that is only because Dumbledore wouldn't allow us to adopt him," she replied sounding upset. Harry felt gratitude that they would have felt that way.
"Be that as it may, he is my godson and Daphne's husband. I appreciate your concern, but stay out of this for the moment," Sirius said coolly.
"How do you get a life debt," Harry asked looking to Daphne.
Hermione looked like she was going to talk and Daphne gave her a sharp look. After a moment, she turned back to Harry.
"A life debt is formed in one of two ways. At least that is what I know," she cast a quick glance to Sirius, who nodded. "The first is to save someone when they are in a life threatening situation and you were not part of them getting there, you are in danger of your own life as you save them and their is no expectation you would do as such. If you all run to face the danger together, that would not form a life debt."
He processed it for a few seconds. "We ran to get Hermione and saved her from the troll."
"You jumped on its back," Hermione reminded him. "You were lucky it didn't grab you."
"What else was I supposed to do? It was just about to bring the club down on you."
"You did what was needed and what you could," Sirius spoke up. "The point is, you and Ron stopped the troll and saved Hermione when there was no expectation you would, you were not together at the time so you were not involved in getting her there and your life was in danger. You met the conditions we know about."
"So does she have a life debt to Ron?" Harry asked.
"No," Sirius answered. Mrs. Weasley shifted and Mr. Weasley frowned.
"Why not?" Ginny questioned, looking as perplexed as he was.
"I was in the bathroom because of Ron," Hermione admitted.
Harry remembered that day and how guilty he felt by dinner to not stop his friend.
"The Chamber of Secrets, that's why I owe Harry a life debt," Ginny stated.
Sirius nodded.
"Harry, we can never thank you enough for saving Ginny and Ron that night," Mr. Weasley said.
"I wish I could have helped," Hermione spoke up.
"You were petrified, Hermione," Harry reminded her.
Daphne pulled on his hand to get his attention. "What happened?"
He looked to Sirius. "We have been told what Dumbledore, Ron and Ginny knew, even about Voldemort and the Journal."
Harry pursed his lips. Daphne didn't know. "Ron and I went to Lockhart when we heard he knew where the Chamber of Secrets was. He followed us down and tried to obliviate us with Ron's wand when we got close to the Chamber. Ron's wand was broken and it backfired on Lockhart."
"That's why he's in St. Mungo's not knowing who he is?" She looked a little wide eyed.
Harry nodded. "The cave collapsed, trapping Ron and Lockhart on one side. I was on the side of the Chamber. When I got in, Ginny was on the floor with the journal lain on her. An older boy with a prefect's badge, Tom Marvolo Riddle, came out. He revealed himself as Lord Voldemort. You get it if you rearrange his name. He was using Ginny's life to rebuild himself from the Journal."
Daphne gasped. "That isn't possible," she said.
"Unfortunately, it is. Go on, Pup," Sirius encouraged.
He didn't look away from Daphne, meeting her eyes. "I tried to stop him and he called Slytherin's monster. It was a sixty foot long basilisk."
His hand started to hurt with how hard Daphne tightened her grip.
"Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, helped me to defeat the basilisk. I was bitten in the fight and then I killed the Journal," he told her. "That is what it felt like. Fawkes healed the bite."
"You can't kill anything that is not alive," Hermione tried to reassure him.
"Hermione, that is what he did," Sirius informed her.
They all looked to Sirius. "All I will say is that the Journal was an extension of Voldemort. Harry destroyed it, essentially killing a small part of the thing."
Most looked at Sirius concerned and confused. "Sirius, what are you saying," Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Something I will talk with my wards about later. For now, just know Harry's feelings on this are correct. By destroying the Journal, Harry saved Ginny," Sirius stated.
"How do you want Ginny to repay you," Mr. Weasley asked.
Harry looked suddenly alarmed. "I don't want her to repay me. I did what anyone should."
"Merlin, I'm so sorry for believing the rumors," Daphne muttered.
He didn't like her feeling that way. Outside of Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore, no one knew all the stories. Or almost all the stories.
"Harry, life debts don't work that way. You can't just ignore them, otherwise they will have a way of settling themselves if a situation presents itself," Mr. Weasley informed him.
"Then I just want them to live long happy lives," he replied. He already owed Daphne his life, he didn't want others to be trapped the same way.
"Ginny should pay him back. You know the usual ways life debts are settled," Mrs. Weasley put forward.
"Absolutely not," Daphne growled at them.
Hermione looked a little frightened and Ginny expectant. Sirius held up a hand to silence Daphne. Harry really felt lost.
"Molly, with the life bond that now exists between Daphne and Harry, it is Daphne that technically holds their debts now," Sirius said as though it had been repeated often. "You also know that Harry can only sire children with Daphne now?"
Harry's eyes widened. He understood the fear in Hermione's eyes. "NO! I am not going to have children with them," Harry blurted out.
Sirius chuckled. "That would be the fun part."
"Ginny should marry Harry. She has a life debt. How is she going to marry anyone else?" Mrs. Weasley questioned in a concerned tone.
"Molly, you know a life debt doesn't mean she can't marry or have children with another. Harry also can't marry anyone else," Mr. Weasley stated.
Ginny started to look like she was going to cry. There was a look of devastation on her face. Hermione met his eyes and looked relieved.
"I am not marrying anyone else and I will never put Harry out there like that. Like he is some whore," Daphne angrily spat.
Mrs. Weasley pulled back. Ginny flinched as though hit.
"No one is asking you to, Daphne," Sirius tried to calm her down. "There are other options that can be used to protect Hermione and Ginny from doing something the debt forces them to."
Mrs. Weasley sucked in a breath. "Ginny will not be driven to be some concubine or servant. I know how the Blood Purists work."
Daphne bristled and Ginny deflated even more. The sudden panic in Hermione made him want to reach out to his friend.
Daphne looked livid. "If you think I would ever do that, I would rather die before anyone is reduced to that because of me."
"Daphne and Molly, calm down," Sirius said standing up.
Mr. Weasley tightened his grip on his wife's shoulder to keep her sitting. "Do not tell me to calm down," Mrs. Weasley started.
"Molly, I am telling you to calm down," Mr. Weasley stated.
She stopped and looked at her husband incredulously. Harry had never really heard Mr. Weasley reign her in before.
"Hermione and Ginny are not going to become servants, concubines, whores or anything else like that. My proposal is make them handmaidens for a certain length of time," Sirius told them.
"You would make them slaves!" Mrs. Weasley spat.
"I would never," Daphne retorted.
"Daphne, be quiet for a few," Sirius ordered. Daphne shut her mouth. Harry felt her anger and annoyance. Had Sirius just ordered her?
"Molly, listen. Ginny and Hermione would be made handmaidens to Daphne. Given the strength of the life debt, I would say it would take a year or two to pay back the debt," Sirius said.
"Ginny should marry Harry. She should give him another life to pay for the one he saved," Mrs. Weasley asserted.
Harry had a chill go through him. Daphne felt like she was seething through their bond, but she wasn't saying a word.
"Molly, you know Harry can't make anyone but his wife pregnant now? She could never repay her debt that way, and it would force her to do something else in the future. You know the bonds of a consort," Mr. Weasley said softly. "I would also say by Harry's and Daphne's reaction, neither of them would agree to that."
Mrs. Weasley's eyes looked watery. "Arthur, they want Ginny to be a slave."
Ginny took in a ragged breath, tears running down her cheeks.
Daphne looked ready to talk and Sirius held up a hand.
"What does that mean to be a handmaiden," Hermione asked.
"It means you sell your services to a master for a set amount of time. Essentially giving a part of your life to serve your master. You take care of your master. You please your master," Molly said angrily.
Hermione looked at them wide eyed. Daphne sat straight, her anger apparent.
"Daphne would never do that," Harry said with certainty.
"I know, pups," Sirius said, looking at Daphne. Harry was pretty sure she would hex the man if she could. "Hermione, it is not like what Molly says. Yes, you would serve Daphne, but think of it more like a butler or maid. You could never be made to do anything against your will, but each time you say no to a reasonable request, it adds one day to your servitude. Your body and mind will be respected."
Hermione's lips were pursed tight. Ginny was crying, looking at Harry as though heart broken. Mrs. Weasley glared at Sirius. "And what of her Lord? I know how the command of her Lord can override her word."
Sirius sighed. "Molly, you are not understanding. Harry is a consort. He will never be a Lord or Head-of-House. Daphne's word is law to him." Daphne held his hand so tight he thought his bones might break. "A handmaiden does not have the same constraints."
"You know Daphne's word would be law to my daughter and Hermione," Mrs. Weasley said angrily.
"Molly," Mr. Weasley spoke up. "Ginny and Hermione won't be like your sister. They will be like servants for a year or so, but you know they will still have their own will and ability to do as they please."
Harry looked confused at them. Mrs. Weasley had tears streaming down her face. "What they did to her," her voice sounded hollow.
"Will not happen to our daughter or Hermione," Mr. Weasley soothed.
"Mum, you had a sister?" Ginny asked in a quiet voice.
"We will talk later, Ginny," her father told her.
"May I speak now?" a very upset Daphne questions in a voice that sounded cold.
"Give me just another moment," Sirius told her.
"Molly, I think this is the best option right now. Hermione, I know you don't like any form of what looks like slavery..." Sirius started but was interrupted.
"What other options are there?" Hermione asked upset.
"None better," Mr. Weasley said.
"I am very much against this," Daphne finally spoke. She felt like she was in pain for a brief second. "It is bad enough what I have had to do to Harry. To do that to anyone else is just repugnant." Daphne stood up. "Don't ever order me like that again, Lord Black."
"Damn it! Daphne! Everyone, just listen for a moment," Sirius called out. "One year. I am calling for one year. I find it as repugnant as you, but if you just let these things fester, they can have consequences worse than to be a maid to someone for a year. Life debts require a life for a life. Molly wasn't wrong that if they exist between a witch and a wizard that marriage is a common way to resolve it. To bear a life for your bond holder would satisfy that debt. Giving some of your life in service of the person is just the same."
Everyone looked at him.
"Molly, I heard what happened to your sister. She was fooled into accepting a contract that forced a fealty bond on her. I know your brothers died trying to save her from that den of psychopaths that are around You-Know-Who. I would never ask for anything like that from your daughter. She will retain all her free will. She will be able to marry or date anyone she wants. She can say no."
"She would still be a servant," Molly said.
"They will not," Daphne screamed. "Why not make them a ward!"
The three adults looked at her. "Daphne, that doesn't satisfy the requirements..."
"Please just be quiet for a moment," Daphne snapped back at Sirius. The man raised his eyebrows. She was upset and Sirius didn't look like he wanted to push his luck. He indicated to go ahead.
"What do you mean a ward?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"Make Hermione and Ginny family by being my ward. Bind them so that when they marry they must bear a child with the Black name. They will fall under our House, but since they are family there will be no obligation to be under any word except Head-of-House. It would give another child that would be in line for being an heir if anything ever happened to me or our children. Wouldn't that be a life for a life?"
Hermione looked even more horrified. "You want to take a child!"
"NO!" Daphne responded. "They would be yours. I would never do that. That would be worse than selling your child! I would name the child an heir, after any children Harry and I have. They don't even have to have the Black name, they just need to have the blood of Black in them. It would be another life for the House of Black, ensuring we live on."
Ginny gasped. Mrs. Weasley looked at Daphne with big eyes.
"What do you mean the blood of the Blacks," Hermione asked.
"She means a partial blood adoption," Mr. Weasley spoke up.
"Why would I do that? Why is that any better than being a slave for the next year?" Hermione looked at Daphne with a very hard look. Harry was confused why that would be better.
"To be a ward you will be family, or enough to merit a family inheritance vault and to be protected by Daphne. It would give you the same status as a half-blood and you wouldn't have to be a slave, as you put it," Sirius said, giving Daphne an appraising look. "The only catch is that you would have to have a child by twenty-five."
"Why twenty-five?"
"That is the oldest you can be to be names an heir or transfer it to another," Sirius told her.
"So I would become a Black," Ginny asked.
Daphne shook her head slightly. "No. I will not require that."
"Sirius just ordered you to be quiet, could you do that to me?" Hermione still looked uncomfortable.
Daphne sighed. "It was not a compulsion."
Sirius looked a little guilty. "I know Daphne's upbringing. If the Head-of-House tells you to do something, you do it. I do not have that power over her to compel her. Daphne will not have the power to compel you."
"Is there any way to repay a debt without paying a life for a life," Harry asked.
"No," Mrs. Weasley said. She still looked very upset. "Arthur, we need to talk."
"Mum?" Ginny looked so lost.
Her mother got up and Ginny got up from next to Hermione. She rushed into her mother's arms. "It will be alright, pumpkin," Mrs. Weasley soothed.
"You are sure there are no other options," Hermione asked after the Weasleys walked out.
"These are the best," Sirius told her.
Hermione looked to Daphne. She finally sat back down, her calm starting to return. "I can't think of a better way," Daphne told her a little sadly.
"I wish I could talk with my someone about this," Hermione stated.
"You can always talk with us, or Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Daphne offered. "Maybe there is something else I don't see."
Hermione looked at Daphne. She looked so uncertain. "I want a book on life debts."
"Maybe we can find one in the library once we are done here," Sirius offered.
Hermione nodded. "Is there anything else?"
"I would like to discuss one more thing. Daphne, what is the second way a life debt can be formed," Sirius prodded, obviously trying to not dwell on it.
"You save an enemy that has done something unforgivable to you when it is your right to take their life," Daphne stated.
Hermione's eyes widened and he took in a deep breath. "You mean any enemy?"
Daphne subtly shook her head. "No. This is a true enemy. One that you have a personal connection to and they have done true harm to you by destroying your life or killing ones very close to you, like family or someone you love. There is a certain vendetta that is due and recognized by magic. Again, a life for a life."
"Pettigrew," Harry growled.
Daphne looked at them confused. "Isn't he dead? That was why you were sent to Azkaban," Daphne questioned them, looking to Sirius.
"He faked his death. A rather convincing rouse. One that probably would have been found if it was properly investigated and I had a trial. You two care to explain what happened third year?" Sirius asked.
Hermione and him explained everything, even getting chased and Harry getting mauled by a werewolf Remus, the time turner and the dementors.
When done, Daphne looked at them. "How are you still alive?"
Harry shrugged. "I think I ask myself that a dozen times a year."
"We have been there for each other," Hermione told her.
"So you stopped Sirius and Professor Lupin from killing Pettigrew?" Daphne asked.
"It was Harry's call." Sirius nodded to Harry. "It was Peter that sold Harry and his parents to Voldemort," Sirius said sadly.
"If Pettigrew was killed and not turned into the Ministry, then Sirius wouldn't be able to be freed," Harry reasoned. He remembered that war in him between wanting to see Pettigrew dead and Hermione telling him not to.
There was a soft kindness in Daphne's eyes that Harry liked. It wasn't pity like most gave him. It was... pride? Love?
"Unfortunately he escaped," Hermione added.
"The important thing is that Peter owes Harry a debt," Sirius told them. They were all quiet for a bit. "Why don't you finish breakfast and then talk with Hermione."
Hermione shifted. "I need to think for a bit. Do you have any books on life debts?"
Sirius nodded. "I think I can find something in the library. I hate to rush you, but we are going to see the goblins tomorrow. It would be best to have this resolved by then."
Hermione nodded. When in doubt, go to a book. He loved his best friend. Hermione looked at them. "Can you give me a few hours?"
"We aren't going anywhere today," Daphne responded. "Harry is going to take it slow today."
Sirius smiled. "Lily tried to reign in James like that too."
"My mum used to tell my dad what to do?"
Daphne looked at Harry a little guiltily. Sirius chuckled this time as he got up. "All the time."
"And how did that work out?" Hermione asked. She had first-hand knowledge of trying to tell Harry what to do.
Sirius full on laughed this time to see Hermione's face. They both stood up. "It didn't. Good luck, Daphne." Sirius winked at her and motioned for Hermione to go first.
"That explains so much," Hermione groused.
"It's not like I like running into all that danger," Harry called at her.
"But you don't run from it, do you?" Daphne questioned him.
It was his turn to look abashed. Instead, he looked defiant. "I won't let others get hurt if I can help it."
Daphne closed her eyes and pinched her nose below her glasses. "Mother always told me not to get involved with a Gryffindor."
"To late now," Sirius yelled from the stairs.
Harry smirked a little as Daphne shook her head.
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