"Tempus," she whispered, wand held in her off hand.
10:58 She squeezed the toy snake a little tighter. "Tempus."
10:58 "Tempus."
10:59
After moving Angelystor with the help of the Black Heiress, Harry had gone back to those muggles of his. Daphne hadn't seen him until the train ride back, and while they had talked on the train and during the feast, it had been the polite back and forth of two political agents, each playing carefully choreographed roles, rather than the relaxed peacefulness she liked to enjoy with her future lord and best male friend.
"Tempus."
10:59
"Tempus." 10:59
"Tempus."
11:00
Daphne's eyes lit up. She quietly untangled herself from her fluffy snake, slipped to the edge of the bed, and drew back the curtains.
Hermione's head poked through the gap between her own curtains and the two exchanged an excited nod, although she thought she also detected a hint of anxiety from her friend.
They tiptoed down to a quiet and empty common room and Daphne gave a little squeak when a hand reached out of nowhere and tugged at her robes. A parting opened in the world and Harry quickly motioned her and Hermione under his invisibility cloak, which they both quickly scuttled under.
Harry held a finger to his lips and motioned them to the common room door, through the castle, across the ground, and up to the whomping willow. Harry cast a quick spell at the tree and it's threatening trembling ceased. He then led them both down into a secret passageway.
Now freed from the cloak, Hermione tapped her on the shoulder, caught her eye, and motioned to ask her if she could move aside so that Hermione, now biting her bottom lip, could get in front of her.
Daphne nodded and moved to let her friend walk just behind Harry.
"Um, Harry?" Hermione sounded hesitant worried even. "Yes, Hermione?" Harry continued leading them down the dark corridor.
"This morning, on the train…" She trailed off.
"Yes?"
"… Your brother offered me a declaration of intent gift."
Daphne couldn't stop herself from letting out a small gasp.
"Turn it down." Harry's voice was flat and expressionless and as uncompromising as an iron bar.
Daphne saw Hermione's shoulders visibly relax and her voice, when it next spoke, was more cheerful then she'd heard all day. "Yes, Harry." They walked in silence for a few more moments.
"Just out of curiosity," Harry started, "what was the gift?" "A first edition copy of Hogwarts a History." "Mmmm." Daphne could hear the smile in Harry's voice. "Then I will have make sure your gift is suitably better, won't I?" "My gift?" Hermione squeaked.
"For your birthday."
"Oh, right." Hermione's voice calmed down again, but Daphne was sure she heard a hint of disappointment laced into the forced nonchalance and relief.
Daphne smirked and shook her head — and Hermione had the temerity to tease her about the fluffy snake.
After several more minutes, Harry stopped them. "We're almost there. Hermione?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"Remember this — The Most Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin's divination classroom is in the top floor of the shrieking shack."
Hermione nodded.
Daphne grinned. She already knew the new fidelius secret from when Harry had set it up just a few weeks ago.
A minute later, they arrived at the shrieking shack's top floor and were met by an incredibly bubbly pregnant ghost. "Harry! You're here! brought another friend."
And
you've
Harry smiled and held Hermione's hand as though they were at a formal ball, climbing up the rickety stairs. "Angelystor, may I present Miss Hermione Granger, Vassal of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin and my personal close, close friend."
Hermione smiled and curtseyed, Angelystor clapped happily, and everyone exchanged greetings, happy to be finally getting to where they'd spent so much time and effort working towards.
Angelystor floated over to where Harry had set up some desks and chairs in mock imitation of a classroom. Dust tickled Daphne's nose. By the window, the tiny tree cutting from the Llangernyw yew to which Alexandra Black had bound Angelystor sat in its plant pot.
Daphne took one of the seats and looked at the ghost expectantly. She might not quite have Hermione's thirst for forgotten knowledge — her friend was now practically bouncing in her seat — but she couldn't help feel excited anyway. It wasn't every day you learned secret spells and the Greengrasses didn't give their children access to the Greengrass magic until their thirteenth birthday.
Angelystor gave an exaggerated cough. "I thought I'd start by going over the different types of divination and what I can and can't teach you."
Harry nodded.
"Right then. First there's seership — that's the skill of using the inner eye to see thing far away from you, either in space or in time. That's what most people think of when they think of divination, at least, they did in my time."
"Our time too I think," Daphne said. Angelystor nodded. "Then there's sensing that's using magic as a kind of echo location to detect various types of things."
"Like homenum revelio?" Harry asked. "Exactly like homenum revelio. That's one of the spells I was going to teach you."
Harry smiled. "Already know that one." Daphne frowned. "I don't."
"My neither," Hermione added. "Well, we'll get to them soon enough." Angelystor drifted back and forth as though she were pacing, hand under her chin, elbow resting on her other folded arm. "Thirdly, there's warding, at least those wards used to gather information."
"Detection wards?" Hermione asked.
"They're a good example, yes. And finally, there are associated charms and enchantments which improve your senses directly. For example, 'visus caligno', or the true night vision charm."
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