act two: little dark age
chapter forty-two

There was one thing that often caused controversy about seers, and it was why their visions were deemed unreliable. Their visions showed different outcomes of the future, but the future would never be certain. Different outcomes are possible as different choices are made, so, seers that are held in a high standard would merely give everyone an outcome to look out for - not that it always happened.

But for some reason, it seemed that every vision that Daphne had, would happen within one or two days at least with her seeing it. Sometimes it'd hold off an entire semester, and sometimes she would see the past. Something that had already happened and was set in stone, unable to change. A very uncommon thing for seers to see.

Daphne could see things before they happened, and so far, her visions had yet to be wrong about an outcome despite popular belief within her friend group. Most things she simply kept to herself, though, because what's the point in telling someone? They probably think that she's crazy or simply rub it off until it happens and she found that infuriating.

Many things lurked within the forbidden forest that resided on the grounds of Hogwarts. Many magical creatures that did not like Hogwarts students or any witch or wizard for that matter. Hence why so many were advised against entering the woods, despite eventually being sent into them for detention and finding a man drinking a unicorn's blood before nearly dying, you get the point.

Daphne had been in the woods more times then she could count. From her first year, to her fourth year, she had numerous dangerous encounters but she had never actually witnessed death. Despite that being on the list of things she expected seeing as how the past few years had gone down for her, she was sure she'd need a strong muggle therapist, but then again one of those would probably quit or do something worse when hearing her life story.

Barty Crouch Sr. had been a man of great power and ambition within the ministry. He had worked alongside her father for many years, whenever her father actually showed up to work that is. Barty often had his quarrels with her father, but the two had similar ideals and worked things out rather easily. Besides, they had to work together for magical cooperation. It'd be hypocritical to not get along.

The bark of the tree pressed firmly into Daphne's back as she felt a harsh jab at her ribs. A hand covered her mouth and nose which made it a struggle to breathe but she fought against the hand even though there was a wand pointed at her. She thrashed her head around as her hands tugged at the hand that resided on her face as she looked beyond angry.

Caius was still wearing the same black suit that he had gotten his younger brother into wearing. A horrid choice of a fashion statement, but he could do whatever he wanted to embarrass himself. Daphne didn't give a flying fuck anymore. As long as she was in her own path and he was in his, they were fine.

"Stop doing that," Caius' tone was rather dark as he glared down at her, "I'm not here for your bullshit, Daphne. I've got a message to deliver to you."

"Daphne! Blimey, Daphne!" Hagrid began calling out her name as he walked around in the opposite direction.

Daphne jerked Caius' hand off of her mouth as she spit in his direction while looking beyond angry as he glared at her, "You two faced little twat."

"Is that what you're calling me now? How childish," He sneered as he dug his wand deeper into her neck which caused her to wince, "He's closing in on you, Black. And none of your little friends will be able to stop him when he does."

Closing in on me, huh? Daphne's eyes fell down to the wand that continued to press harshly into her neck. She was sure if he pressed it in any harder then it'd go straight through her throat. Clean cut. Well, not so clean for him. Because at that point he'd be covered in her blood and he'd have a dead body with his DNA on it.

"Tell him, when he does close in on me, he better kill me because I won't be telling him shit," Daphne sneered before wincing as the wand dug so deep into her neck that she swore she felt it touch a bone, "Eat shit!"

Caius scoffed as he pulled his wand back from her neck for a moment as he shook his head, "You have no idea the war you are in, Black. Death won't save you, not anymore. You're too valuable."

"More valuable than your one millimeter defeater," Daphne retorted with a slight prideful smirk, ignoring the hand that flew to her neck, "Do it, pussy. You're no different than Rosalie. Go on, do it."

The way his fingers wrapped around her esophagus made her feel sick, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He wanted her to be afraid. He wanted a reaction out of her, just like her mother did. She learned not to give them one, if they didn't get what they wanted, their unhappiness and anger would please Daphne.

"I'm going to fucking kill you," Caius ripped his hand back as he shook his head before disappearing into the woods without a second.

The moment Daphne noticed that he had disappeared from her vision, she closed her eyes as she let out a pained sigh. Heaving a few breaths as her hand fell up to her neck, grazing where his fingers and wand had previously been as she tried to collect herself before she'd reveal to Hagrid where she was.

"Daphne!" Hagrid was still calling out her name and he had gotten closer, maybe a few feet from her max, "Daphne, please, let me know where you are! I'm gettin' worried-"

"I'm here, Hagrid," Daphne moved from behind the tree as she put on a smile so that the half-giant wouldn't worry as she smiled softly, "Sorry, I thought I saw something then I kind of spaced out - no need to worry about me."

Hagrid seemed to be inspecting her as soon as she emerged from behind the tree. Daphne swore that her back was scratched up from the wood, but that was something that he wouldn't notice. There was a sense of uncertainty between the two while Daphne felt her chest tighten out of worry and anticipation.

"Don't do that to me again, Daphne," Hagrid gave her a scolding look before walking back over to the body once he made sure she was following back, "Don't look at it - I don't want you seein' something like this."

Pity I've already seen it, twice, Daphne couldn't help but think in her mind as she sighed while looking the opposite direction as her mind filtered through Caius' actions and his words while trying to figure out some sort of outcome or what he meant by he was closing in on her, if he was, she was next on the list.

A few days had passed, and it was deemed time for Daphne and Harry to talk to Dumbledore after they were shooed off to get some time to rest and calm themselves down after seeing such a tragedy. Lucerys kept Daphne out of all of her classes and close to him until he had meetings then, Daphne and Harry decided to go and had walked right past the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office without noticing.

Harry blinked, looked around, realized what he had done, and retraced his steps, stopping in front of it.Daphne looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow as she motioned forward. She had been very quiet and distant to everyone in the past few days, and as worried as he seemed he understood she wasn't okay.

Then Harry seemed to remember that he didn't know the password, "Sherbet lemon?" he tried tentatively.

The gargoyle did not move and Daphne pressed her lips in a thin line as she began to fiddle with her rings while trying to recall the password. Surely, she had to know from the numerous times she had ended up in Dumbledore's office. It had to be something that wasn't hard but it wasn't easy either... What could it be?

"Okay," Harry muttered, staring at it, "Pear Drop. Er — Licorice Wand. Fizzing Whizbee. Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans . . . oh no, he doesn't like them, does he? . . . oh just open, can't you?" he exclaimed angrily while grabbing a fistful of his hair,"I really need to see him, it's urgent!"

The gargoyle remained immovable. Daphne watched as Harry kicked it, achieving nothing but an excruciating pain in his big toe. She winced at the action before grabbing his hand and giving him a scolding look before he got angry and tried to dominate the gargoyle, men, Daphne couldn't help but think.

"Chocolate Frog!" Harry yelled angrily, standing on one leg while leaning into Daphne, "Sugar Quill! Cockroach Cluster!"

The gargoyle sprang to life and jumped aside. Harry blinked while Daphne continued to support the boy while making a face of pure disgust. Cockroach cluster? What kind of bloody password is that? Daphne did not find Dumbledore's password in the least bit appeasing and did not understand why that was the password.

"What the bloody hell kind of password is that?" Daphne muttered quietly, her voice slightly hoarse as she had worn it out crying or simply scratching at her throat the past few days.

"Cockroach Cluster?" Harry on the other hand, looked amazed by the password despite Daphne's disgust before he turned to her, "I was only joking. . . ."

He pushed Daphne through first before he hurried through the gap in the walls and stepped onto the foot of a spiral stone staircase, which moved slowly upward as the doors closed behind the two, taking them up to a polished oak door with a brass door knocker. Daphne could hear voices from inside the office. Daphne almost didn't get off but realized it and stepped off the moving staircase and hesitated, listening.

"Dumbledore, I'm afraid I don't see the connection, don't see it at all!" It was the voice of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge,"Ludo says Bertha's perfectly capable of getting herself lost. I agree we would have expected to have found her by now, but all the same, we've no evidence of foul play, Dumbledore, none at all. As for her disappearance being linked with Barty Crouch's!"

"It's quite the coincidence, I must say," Lucerys' voice caught Daphne's attention which caused her to press her ear against the door, "Something's going on, and I must say, I fear for my child's safety. And she shouldn't be at risk as she is not apart of the tournament!"

"And what do you thinks happened to Barty Crouch, Minister?" Moody's growling voice was almost menacing, it was clear that he had come with a purpose.

"I see two possibilities, Alastor," Fudge began to explain,"Either Crouch has finally cracked — more than likely, I'm sure you'll agree, given his personal history — lost his mind, and gone wandering off somewhere —"

"His body was found, Cornelius! By four students, might I add," Lucerys exclaimed as he seemed to be fed up with the conversation, "You can't deny a corpse. I don't care what you think, he's been killed."

"He wandered extremely quickly, if that is the case, Cornelius," Dumbledore continued on calmly as he seemingly paced around, "Lucerys is right."

"Or else — well . . ." Fudge sounded embarrassed, "Well, I'll reserve judgment until after I've seen the place where he was found, but you say it was just past the Beauxbatons carriage? In the woods? Dumbledore, you know what that woman is?"

"I consider her to be a very able headmistress — and an excellent dancer," Dumbledore spoke quietly, almost as if he knew someone was listening into the conversation.

"Dumbledore, come!" Fudge yelled angrily which startled Daphne, "Don't you think you might be prejudiced in her favor because of Hagrid? They don't all turn out harmless — if, indeed, you can call Hagrid harmless, with that monster fixation he's got —"

"I no more suspect Madame Maxime than Hagrid, or the students that found him" Dumbledore spoke again, just as calmly. "I think it is possible that it is you who are prejudiced, Cornelius."

"Can we wrap up this discussion?" growled Moody, not liking the way that the conversation was headed as a bang was heard.

"I think we should, we are getting nowhere here. The most we've learned is that my position has changed as I've been promoted under a grim light," Lucerys continued on as he huffed.

"Yes, yes, let's go down to the grounds, then," Fudge huffed out impatiently as he began to move around in the room as well.

"They're bloody insane," Daphne whispered to Harry as she moved back from the door while holding onto the hem of his sleeve, "They've truly lost it."

"They have," Harry agreed as he continued to listen closely while giving her the tiniest reassurance as he smiled at her.

"No, it's not that," Moody began once again, "it's just that Potter and Black want a word with you, Dumbledore. Potter's just outside the door with Black on his arm."

"How does he know that?" Daphne whispered as she felt rather uncomfortable, clutching onto Harry's sleeve tighter as she stared at the door in fear.

Harry looked just as weirded out by the comment as he looked at the girl before back at the door, "I reckon it's that fake eye, he sees things that he shouldn't be able to see."

The door of the office opened, revealing the two teenagers clutching onto one another in the doorway as the other room was filled with men standing in a semi-circle looking out at them. There was a certain look on Lucerys' face that made Daphne wonder if she had done something wrong, but she hadn't been anywhere to do anything.

"Hello, Potter, Black," Moody grunted as he looked at the two, leaning into his cane before speaking, "Come in, then."

Harry walked inside in an instant, despite Daphne hanging behind which caused him to pause and look back at her. She looked worried and it was clear that she wasn't sure if she needed to be here or not, but when Harry offered her his hand, she took it. Slowly following him into the room full of powerful wizards.

The two had been inside Dumbledore's office once before; it was a very beautiful, circular room, lined with pictures of previous headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts, all of whom were fast asleep, their chests rising and falling gently. Cornelius Fudge was standing beside Dumbledore's desk, wearing his usual pinstriped cloak and holding his lime-green bowler hat. Not very stylish.

"Harry!" Fudge exclaimed jovially, moving forward as he walked over to the two teens, "How are you? And you as well, Miss Black. You've grown since the last time we saw each other."

"Fine," Harry lied as he tried his best not to make a face as he spoke before giving Daphne a look that nearly made her laugh.

"I'm still me, sadly," Daphne pursed her lips together in a thin smile as she was unsure of what else to say, they had found a dead body after all.

"We were just talking about the night when Mr. Crouch turned up on the grounds," Fudge explained as if they had not overheard the conversation,"It was you two who found him, was it not?"

"Yes," Harry was quick to say, then, feeling it was pointless to pretend that he hadn't overheard what they had been saying, he added, "I didn't see Madame Maxime anywhere, though, and she'd have a job hiding, wouldn't she?"

Dumbledore smiled at Harry behind Fudge's back, his eyes twinkling with a sense of pride at Harry while Daphne felt unnerved. She was unsure of what to do in such a situation. She knew that anything she said, she would be held at liberty for. Therefore, it was better to stay silent than anything.

"Yes, well," Fudge trailed off, looking embarrassed, "we're about to go for a short walk on the grounds, Harry, Daphne, if you'll excuse us . . . perhaps if you just go back to your class —"

"I wanted to talk to you, Professor," Harry spoke quickly, looking at Dumbledore, who gave him a swift, searching look, "As did she."

"I can speak for myself, thanks," Daphne whispered as she gripped onto his hand tighter while her stomach felt as if it was being stomped on.

"Wait here for me, Harry," Dumbledore looked at the two with a look of authority,"Our examination of the grounds will not take long."

They trooped out in silence past them and closed the door, despite Lucerys lingering for a moment as he looked at his daughter. After a minute or so, Daphneheard the clunks of Moody's wooden leg growing fainter in the corridor below. Then Harry began to look around.

"Hello, Fawkes," Harry looked at the bird with a small smile, clearly having memories from when he had first seen it a few years prior.

Fawkes, Professor Dumbledore's phoenix, was standing on his golden perch beside the door. The size of a swan, with magnificent scarlet-and-gold plumage, he swished his long tail and blinked benignly at Harry. Harry sat down in a chair in front of Dumbledore's desk. For several minutes, he sat and watched the old headmasters and headmistresses snoozing in their frames, thinking about what they had just heard, and running his fingers over his scar.

"You look like a father," Daphne couldn't help but mutter as she crossed her arms while leaning against the wall as she continued to mess with her jewelry.

"Thanks," Harry breathed out as he seemed focused on something else, something not too far over from Daphne which prompted her to follow his gaze./

He had noticed a patch of silvery light, dancing and shimmering on the glass case. The two looked around for the source of the light and saw a sliver of silver-white shining brightly from within a black cabinet behind Harry, whose door had not been closed properly. The boy hesitated, glanced at Fawkes, then got up, walked across the office, and pulled open the cabinet door.

"What are you doing?" Daphne muttered as she watched him go through Dumbledore's cabinet, "Isn't that some sort of privacy invasion?"

A shallow stone basin lay there, with odd carvings around the edge: runes and symbols that Harry nor Daphne did not recognize. The silvery light was coming from the basin's contents, which were like nothing the two had ever seen before. Harry could not tell whether the substance was liquid or gas. It was a bright, whitish silver, and it was moving ceaselessly; the surface of it became ruffled like water beneath wind, and then, like clouds, separated and swirled smoothly. It looked like light made liquid — or like wind made solid.

Daphne wanted to touch it, to find out what it felt like, but nearly four years' experience of the magical world and Hogwarts told both Harry and Daphne that sticking their hands into a bowl full of some unknown substance was a very stupid thing to do. Harry therefore pulled his wand out of the inside of his robes, cast a nervous look around the office, looked back at the contents of the basin, and prodded them. The surface of the silvery stuff inside the basin began to swirl very fast.

Harry bent closer, his head right inside the cabinet. The silvery substance had become transparent; it looked like glass. He looked down into it, expecting to see the stone bottom of the basin. Daphne looked worried as she noticed his head entirely go into it, prompting her to cuss.

"Shit."