Daisy Potter and the Fallen Angel (Book 7, Harry Potter ff)

Chapter 36 - It's Potter

"Daisy!"

"What was all that screaming and yelling about?"

The door burst open and Harry, Sirius, Ron, Hermione, Kylie, Emily, and Dean filed into the room, glancing around with their wands held high. Their eyes all fell on me, being held by the twins, on Lee, who had buried his face in his hands, and on Terry, who was clasping the briefcase closed, scrubbing tears away from his face with his jumper sleeve.

"What the fuck happened?" Sirius asked the room.

"The Unbreakable Vow." Terry said quietly. "It - it -"

He seemed unable to continue, and my heart sank as he turned away, his body shaking. He was crying again.

"I don't believe that I love Riddle anymore, so the Unbreakable Vow tried to kill me at midnight." I said. "Thanks to these guys, I drank a love potion and saw my Boggart and I'm still alive."

There was a pause. Then Harry fell forward, grabbing Terry and enveloping him in a hug, repeating in a strained voice, "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."

Terry turned, looking surprised through the wet streaks down his cheeks, and hugged Harry back.

"So you don't love him, after all." Fred said softly, his hands tracing up and down my sides comfortingly. "Told you so."

I laughed. I reached up, brushing first his, then George's, tears off of their cheeks. Lee had looked up, and managed to crack a grin at me; I flipped him off.

Sirius sat down on Terry's bed in relief, smoothing his hands across his face, pinning his hair back. Emily joined him, sending a nervous look at the briefcase.

"Guys." I said, sitting up straight. "I need to tell you something. Riddle's not in Hogwarts anymore, he's out in the country looking for me."

Harry turned from Terry, eyebrows raised, and Hermione's eyes widened.

"He was interrogating Muggles, I saw; the scar is sometimes helpful, y'know." I joked feebly. "I'm sorry, Georgie... that girl from the paper shop that you liked impressing with your card tricks..."

I glanced at him sadly, reaching out for his hand. George stiffened, his jaw clenching.

"She was innocent." He said roughly. "She had nothing to do with all this."

"I'm sorry -"

"That fucking piece of shit!" George stood up, grip still on my hand, and I was tugged up too. "I've half a mind to -"

"No, he's not there!" I said quickly. "He's not at Hogwarts, George, but we'll track him down as soon as we destroy the diadem. We'll get the snake, then it's just him, we'll get him. I promise."

"He's not there." Hermione repeated. "That's good. That means we can get in, get the diadem, and then just leave, right? No need to put everyone's lives in danger at the school."

"Ideally." I said. "But we should probably help the situation there while we can. While he's gone. We should seize the chance."

"Oh, hell yeah, Softpaw." Fred said, his eyes gleaming. "One last student uprising, eh? Drive Snape and the Carrows out?"

"I like what you're thinking." George said grimly, squeezing my hand.

"Come on!" Hermione said indignantly. "We're not seriously going to take the risk -?"

"What's life without a little risk?" Sirius smiled, looking around at me, and I grinned back.

"We can't risk your GODDAUGHTER getting taken by Snape and the Carrows and handed over to Riddle again!"