Worthy Of Magic

Part 55 - A New Purpose

Daphne Greengrass had come a long way from being the icy Slytherin whose sole purpose was vengeance on those who had wronged her. It had been a simple vision until the day fate cursed her to meet Harry Potter in a bookstore.

She should have realised back then, that, that crazy look in his eyes coupled with obsession with solitude meant nothing but trouble.

"It was the crazy that drew you in Daph," her subconscious mocked. "It was the same as yours!"

"Shut up," Daphne muttered.

"What?" Hermione asked startled. Her journey from Hogwarts to being back in the desert out of her free will was quite an adventure. Ever since Hogwarts had been cut of from communication, she had noticed her mind and morals evolving noticeably until she shed the skin of transition and emerged a stronger person.

She was the only other who had chosen to go with Daphne. No one else dared to face the brutal desert for a quest Daphne had made quite clear was about finding Harry. Face the psychopath who had created the Desert in a fit of rage? they had thought in bewilderment. They were thankful to Daphne for creating the settlement, but accompanying her into the desert with out any real aim was suicide.

"Nothing," Daphne muttered, staring ahead at the endless desert, letting memories wash over her.

"Don't sully yourself with those with intelligence below yours Daph. Find those whose quality and intelligence is above yours. Stay in their radius and strive to match them until you're looking down on them. There will always be someone above you Daph. You need to rise above them all."

Daphne had known it was a suicidal ask when she proposed her flimsy idea and she hadn't expected anyone to join her but knowing it for real pinched her ego.

"The way you're scowling suggests its more than nothing," Hermione commented dryly.

Daphne rolled her eyes. It had been maybe five sunrises since they had left the camp and so far it had been relatively easy finding oasis's and scattered vegetation. It was almost as if the desert sensed their firm will and was bending toward it.

"I was just wondering why I never saw this coming," Daphne said. "I sure spent enough time around him."

Hermione laughed; amused. "No one could have predicted this Daphne."

Hermione had survived in the Desert thanks to Snape. And in the Settlement, she lost all hope of a revival of her world. Now, her world view was centred around one thought, that gave her power. The Desert was unchartered land. She was going to learn all that she could about it and she needed a way to get Harry Potter talking about it. She didn't really care if he lived or died. She knew it didn't matter anymore.

Daphne sighed. Maybe it was time to confess. "Partly," she said, "All this is my fault. I put the wheels in motion when I blew up Malfoy Manor. Things just sort of snowballed from there. It's funny how a few murders can cascade into a natural disaster."

Hermione stopped in her tracks and goggled at Daphne. "What? It was you?" Hermione was surprised. "Huh, I had no idea you were capable of that." She resumed her walk and increased her pace showing she was mildly affected by that revelation.

Daphne jogged to step into pace. It was nearing the afternoon and their cooling spells were losing their cohesion. Sweat began to pour down their necks and they adjusted their hats and renewed the cooling charms. The yellow Desert burned unforgivingly and yet the two woman continued to steady walk, heading towards not a location but a purpose held together by similar wills.

They were armed with Madam Barb's all weather grey pants and shirt with additional pocket dimensions carved into their pockets. It was where they kept their supplies to survive the inhospitable desert.