act one: the girl in the bubble
chapter twenty-one

Daphne's scars remain unhealed, but her mobility in her face becomes somewhat better as time passes on. She had avoided her brother and her cousin, not wanting them to see her scars but she knew that hiding from them was inevitable. It'd only give her more time, but it wouldn't stop them from seeing them. The scars were permanent.

Though there was tension in the House of Black, Atticus had returned home to Rosalie for the birth of her son. Her heir. Atticus hadn't spoken to her since their argument after the girl had fought with Harry. Where he told her that she had finally had her eyes opened, and to a boy like Harry, she was nothing but a mere game.

Even now, the girl refused to believe that. Harry had saved her on numerous occasions. The two had their ups and downs as every friend had. Daphne understood Harry's motives, he was angry and in pain. He couldn't remember his parents and they were murdered, Harry wanted revenge as anyone in his situation would. He had a right to lash out at her, and have a reaction like that if there was any sort of rumor that Daphne may have worked with Sirius.

Of course, she understood her own anger and hurt from this. She had reacted in a way that was somewhat okay, but definitely a little over the top. She knew he was in pain, but he had also put her in pain. He had ignored her own words and her truths to believe something that someone else claimed.

Daphne adjusted herself as she left the Medical Wing and walked through the castle. Trying her best to remain unseen as she walked towards her Uncle's quarters, trying to catch him before he did anything rash with Dumbledore as she was sure that someone had mentioned what he had done.

"Daphne," She heard a voice call after her as she began to quickly go up the stairs, "Daphne!"

The girl tried her best to ignore her brother as she continued to run up the stairs, now with a much quicker pace. As much as she wanted to talk to him, there were many factors in to be the reason why she was ignoring him. Yes, she knew he had always been close with their mother, but she thought that would've changed after everything that had happened.

Daphne heard the clicking of the slytherin's shoes as Atticus tried his best to catch up with her. The two now racing, one trying to get away from the other while the other one was trying to get the other. She ignored him as she continued on her way as best as she could, ignoring how he kept calling her name in an attempt to stop her and to catch her attention.

"Daphne Odette Black, stop!" His voice was laced with anger as he raised his tone finally catching up with her and grabbing her arm roughly as they stopped at the door in front of their Uncle's classroom.

He had pulled out her full name.

The two stopped while their eyes were wide. Both looking at each other while in complete shock. Daphne swallowed thickly while her brother's eyes went over the scars on her face, slowly raising his hand which caused her to rip her arm away and back up from him as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"What happened?" Atticus' voice was laced with anger, he was clearly not happy with her at all, "Was this something that happened with Potter?"

Of course, Daphne couldn't help but sneer in her mind, always blaming him. She didn't understand why he hated Harry so much or why everything that went wrong seemed to be his fault. He couldn't help what his fate threw at him. Daphne knew what she signed up for after their first year. Nothing was going to change.

Daphne rolled her eyes, trying not to sneer, "I don't see why that's any of your concern," She shook her head, "After all, aren't you the one kissing up to someone's arse?" Daphne clearly had struck a nerve in Atticus as soon as he understood what she had said.

"Oh, don't be like that. She's our mother," Atticus sighed as he shook his head trying his best to contain his anger.

"She's not my mother," Daphne snapped as she looked at Atticus, "She's a woman who gave birth to me, but she is not my mother. Not after how she's treated my father. Not after how she's treated me."

Though, something in Atticus had changed since he had returned home to their mother. He seemed to have more anger towards his sister and had become distanced from her. Which worried Daphne, especially after the vision she had.

"Stop changing the subject, you ran back to Potter like some prissy girl," Atticus pointed a finger at her, looking beyond angry, "After he hurt you? After you saw what he's like? How fucking stupid are you?"

"Me?" Daphne scoffed as she shook her head, "How fucking stupid are you!" She yelled while shaking her head, "Merlin, you really are just like the woman you've become so close with. How come you've never cared how I feel? At least this year, not unless I'm upset by some stupid Gryffindor then you blame me! Are you daft?!"

"Don't blame this on me, don't you dare insult me or mother," Atticus' face was glowing red at this point, "You're just a little girl. You don't understand things."

"I do! That's what you don't get, I'm not just some little girl," Daphne shoved him back by his shoulders as she shook her head, "I'm a Black. Just as you are. You're no longer than a year older than me, you dumb arse!"

"You're no more than any woman in the house!" Atticus sneered as his tone raised, "Get that through your head, you'll be wed off as all members of the house are. Most likely to a man of your mother's choosing. You're no longer heir, Daphne."

Daphne scoffed as she shook her head, "That's where you are wrong. Mother is no Lady of the House of Black. She makes no change in my position as heir and she makes no arrangements for my marriage. She is nothing more than some whore that Dad married," Daphne snapped as she shook her head, "I bend my knee before no man. Not even some little bitch whose balls haven't dropped."

"How dare you!" Atticus was fuming as he looked at her, "Have you no shame, Daphne?"

"The only shame I hold is that I've been too weak to shut any of your sorry arses into your place," Daphne growled before shaking her head, "This is not Harry's fault, nor would it ever be. None of this is anyone's fault but my own. Now you and your small dick go elsewhere! Thank you, and goodbye," Daphne snapped before she opened the door to Remus' classroom and slammed it behind her.

When she stopped, the two boy's in front of her looked shocked. Harry looked as if he was about to pass out of shock while even Remus looked perplexed. They had never once heard the girl speak like that, never in such a manner of anger. Not to anyone. Let alone her brother, the one she trusted more than anything. The one person who had seen her at her lowest.

"Bloody hell," was all that dropped from Harry's lips as he looked at the girl in front of him, "Daph..."

"It's fine," Daphne was fighting the hysterics of her emotions as she bit down on her lip while shaking her head, "Sometimes you learn that your trust is misplaced. Even within the people you love most."

"Firefly," Remus looked ashamed as he looked at her, "Oh, my dear," Remus walked over to her and for a moment she stopped him as she grabbed his hand.

There was a moment of silence as they fell into a silence. There was a sense of shock and hurt as they looked at each other. Harry stood watching with sad eyes. Remus looked over the scars on her face in shame, Daphne noticed and frowned.

"It isn't your fault," Daphne spoke firmly as she shook her head, "It's mine, so don't you dare blame yourself for anything."

"I hurt you," Remus was firm on his words as he looked at the girl, "You're not safe around me, Firefly."

"I'm not safe around anyone," Daphne deadpanned as she looked at her Uncle, "Look at Harry back there, I've nearly been killed for three years straight being his friend but I wouldn't change it. You can't control what you do and I was stupid to get near the wolf. Not you. Now, I'm going to be around you because you are my Uncle and you've been a lot better parent than my skank of a mother. You talk to my father and both of you are close. No problem there."

Harry looked at her as she tried her best to remain unbothered, "Daph, it's alright to cry."

"Merlin, Harry. I'm trying to turn over a new leaf this year. No crying," She looked over at him as she held her Uncle's hand, "I've got a lot of stuff I'm supposed to do."

Remus sighed as he looked down at the girl, "And what is one of those things?"

"Stopping you from doing something stupid with Dumbledore," Remus shook his head as Daphne spoke before she raised a finger, "I swear on Godric if you've-"

"I've resigned," Remus spoke while Harry sighed, adjusting his glasses.

"You're joking," Daphne looked shocked as her eyes brimmed with tears, shaking her head, "No. No. No, you can't leave me here!"

"Daphne," Remus looked at her, clearly getting upset as well, "You've got to understand my reasoning."

"It's going to be bullshit, I already know it," Daphne moved back from her Uncle as she began to pace around, "Godric, if I cry it's going to burn!"

"Odette."

Now, that caught her attention. As did it catch Remus' as the name slipped from Harry's lips as he looked at her before realizing it. His face turned a little red as he rubbed the back of his neck before going back.

"Don't cry," Harry was unsure of what to do as he looked between the two of them, "We'll figure this out. You won't be alone, ever."

Daphne looked at Harry as he looked at her, something unspoken between the two of them as Remus resisted a sad smile upon watching the two. Getting a sense of the past as he let his head fall. James and Lily, in another life.

Daphne managed a small, ghost of a smile as she sighed, "You couldn't talk him out of it, could you?"

"He tried," Remus adjusted his posture as he looked at the two, "You've got to give him credit."

"I failed at it," Harry made a face as he looked at the girl before looking at her Uncle, "So I don't get the credit after all."

"Maybe a little credit is due," Daphne made a tiny motion with her fingers before trying to touch her eye despite hissing when remembering the gash, "Godric, I'm in the mood for food."

"Go eat, I'll see you two before I leave," Remus moved and placed a kiss to the girl's forehead as he looked at Harry, "You keep her safe."

"He's the one who I've got to keep safe, Harry has no sense of danger," Daphne let out a small laugh as she motioned for Harry to follow, "Come on, now."

"You're all over the place, I think you might need to go back to the Common Room," Harry expressed his concern as he looked at the girl.

"Take me to the Great Hall," Daphne ordered as she nudged Harry's side, walking out the door of her Uncle's classroom, "I want food."

"I think Ron is rubbing off on you," Harry joked as he walked down the stairs alongside her, "And about what happened..."

"Let's not go there, not now, please," Daphne frowned as she looked at the boy, "We can talk about it later okay? Just not now."

Harry made a small smile as he nodded, the two continued to walk down the stairs and into the Great Hall. Daphne nearly tripped up a few times, but he caught her. Ignoring a few stares they received from other students while they continued on their way. In a sort of bliss of the past, almost as if the two had never been hurt. As if they'd never gone through the things that they had done through the years.

Daphne stopped outside the doors of the Great Hall, part of her feeling an overwhelming sense of anxiety as she looked into the populated Hall. Harry seemed to notice this as he nodded at her as if telling her to go on. She was tired of her anxiety. Godric, you've got this. Walk in, you've got this.

Daphne hooked arms with Harry before dragging him in with her. A slight smile on her face as she walked in alongside her best friend. Ignoring the glares she received from Slytherin as her brother rose to her feet as if he was ready to end her on spot. Ignoring the glares she received from a few Hufflepuffs. Ignoring the looks of disgust she received.

Pausing to smile and look back at her brother, as Harry stopped at her side letting her do what she wanted. The girl placed her hand to her lips before laying down every finger and leaving only the middle on her lips as she pulled it away and smirked before turning and walking off once again.

"Don't let the others get to you," Harry muttered to the girl as he looked over at her, "They're opinions do not matter, think of what we think of you."

"I will," Daphne grinned before noticing how they were being called over to the Gryffindor table.

"Stand back, I said! Or I'll take it upstairs if you don't settle," Ron snapped as he was surrounded by an entire group of people.

Now, this was an unusual sight. Seeing Ron crowded by the members of their own house while standing in the middle of the walk way. This caused a few to raise an eyebrow as they watched, trying to understand what was going on while scratching their heads.

"Harry!" Neville ran down to the two as he looked over the moon, "Wherever did you get it?" He looked shocked.

"Can I have a go, Harry? After you of course," Seamus was in disbelief as well as the two looked at Harry whose face was now stricken with confusion.

Harry pulled Daphne forward as she tried to get on her tippy toes to see over the crowd, "What are you talking about?" Harry questioned.

"Quiet," Someone ordered, though Daphne couldn't realize who it was, "Let the man through," Daphne then realize that it was Ron who had been speaking, "I didn't mean to open it, Harry. It was badly wrapped, they made me do it!" Ron was quick to point the finger at the twins.

"Did not!" The twins spoke in synchronized before George winked at Daphne, "Still as charming as ever, Daphne."

"Thanks, Georgie," Daphne laughed as she looked at Ron, "Care to explain."

Ron didn't have a chance to explain as Harry then reached down to the wrapping on the table and began to tug at it. It was brown and crinkly, not too terrible though. Harry pulled a flap over before the twins helped on the other side of it.

"It's a firebolt!" The twins spoke in unison as they looked mesmerized by the broom.

"It's the fastest broom in the world," Fred then went on to say as he gazed down at the broom as if he had fallen in love in an instant.

Harry reached down as he gleamed with joy and confusion, "For me?" He questioned while reaching to touch the broom, "But who sent it?"

"No one knows," Ron spoke up as he moved to stand behind Daphne as he peered over her shoulder.

Hermione then reached down and grabbed the feather that Daphne had been eyeing, "But this came with it," She spoke, causing Daphne to grin.

Leave it to Sirius to send something. The girl laughed before noticing as another owl came in dropping down another package in front of the group. Everyone looked at each other before looking eagerly to see who this was sent to.

"Daphne!" The twins cheered as they looked at the girl, "Go on now, your turn!"

The girl rolled her eyes as she managed to get through, thanks to Harry, and opened her package. Tugging at the brown string before it fell loose and she unwrapped a Firebolt as well. The same feather sitting in as well as a small note that she placed in her pocket with a tiny smile.

"Bloody hell!" Ron cheered as he looked amazed.

"Gryffindor has one hell of a chance next year!" The twins cheered as they high fived one another, "Two best players being the fastest in the world!"

"Oh, shut up," Daphne grabbed her broom as she looked at Harry, her eyes filled with mischief, "How about we give them a little testing round?"

Harry grinned back at her as he nodded, "I think I'd quite like that idea."

He grabbed his broom as well as the two led almost the entirety of Gryffindor out into the courtyard. Running through the halls and through the corridors until they finally made it to the courtyard and crowded around both Daphne and Harry. The two shared a look as they held their brooms.

"How fast is it, Harry? Daphne?" A few yelled at the two as they prepared themselves.

Harry mounted the broom first, Daphne getting on hers not a second later before the brooms flew off in a fast haze. Daphne let out a squeal while Harry yelled. The two followed after each other as they rose above the castle in the haze of the clouds while laughter left their lips.

But this wasn't the end. 

And then came trouble.