The Importance of Intent: After the Credits

Avengers: Endgame - Part 1

Monday, October 31,1998: 2:00 p.m.

As Daphne exited the library she was met with the familiar chill of October in London. She smiled to herself at the comfort and warmth the charmed jumper she was wearing provided. There were many aspects of attending a muggle university she enjoyed and the option to wear such comfortable clothing every day was high on the list.

As much as she enjoyed her seven years at Hogwarts it was, at its heart, a very isolating and somewhat stifling experience. Getting to spread her wings and experience life a bit more after graduation had been invigorating...and muggle London had been her salvation. Since she had become involved with Harry she greatly preferred the intimate times they were able to spend away from the Potter spotlight. And now that her role in vanquishing Voldemort was known by the public it was a necessity.

Away from the wizarding world the expectations that came with being a Greengrass, the significant other of Harry Potter, and (now) a co-vanquisher of Voldemort faded away. At City University she was simply Daphne...the slightly guarded student studying business with decent taste in music but absolutely no clue about television shows and movies. She and Harry were working on that together but they both had a long way to go.

Instead of her normal apparition home she decided to make the twenty minute walk and tube ride from campus back to Grimmauld Place. It would provide her one more chance to finalize her thoughts before confronting Harry about his recent behavior. She thought they had weathered his transition from student to Quidditch professional but his recent inexplicable absences and strange behavior had her concerned.

After spending almost two years in his orbit Daphne thought she had Harry completely and totally figured out. The last two weeks though? It had been new and different. Daphne did not like or want new and different as far as Harry was concerned.

She initially chalked it up to the combination of the upcoming anniversary of his parents' death and his impending first start for the Chudley Cannons. It turns out one of the benefits of signing with such a dreadful team was being elevated to a starting position was much easier. The fact that Chudley's ticket sales had doubled after his signing only made the promotion even more certain.

But now she felt it was something else...something more. He was hiding something...and whatever it was he was nervous about it.

As she approached the house she realized the extra minutes of thought her commute provided were unnecessary. When it came to Harry she was impatient and it was time to bring this new and different development out into the open. She resolved to talk with him as soon as she arrived home and help him through whatever it was. The promotional interviews he had scheduled for that morning were bound to have put him in a salty mood but there was nothing for it. She wanted her Harry back and she wanted him back as soon as possible.

"Harry?" she called haltingly as she entered the house.

She was quickly greeted by Kreacher. "Master Potter is in the sitting room with the muggleborn," he stated pleasantly as he grabbed her school bag. "They have been waiting for you," he continued as he scuttled up the steps to put her bag away.

"Any idea what it's about?" she asked.

Kreacher stopped and bowed his head in shame, not turning back to look at her. "Kreacher does not know. Kreacher tried but they were speaking very quietly. My apologies, mistress."

"It's fine, Kreacher," she stated as seriously as possible. She had quickly learned that Kreacher was annoyed with any outright forgiveness of his self perceived failures. Slight disappointment tinged with just a bit of anger was the best option and always seemed to soothe the aged elf's soul. It took Harry a few months but he had finally gotten the hang of it which improved their relationship immensely. Hermione had never mastered it and Daphne suspected she never would. Daphne was fully convinced in ten years Kreacher would still be referring to her as "the muggleborn."

"Could you bring us some tea?" she asked as she began walking toward the sitting room.

"Winky has already served tea," Kreacher muttered in disgust as he continued his trek up the stairs. The ongoing rivalry between the Potter house elves (friendly between Winky and Dobby, borderline hostile between Kreacher and the other two) was a constant source of amusement.

As she entered the room she was completely taken aback by how nervous Hermione looked. She seemed to be a tightly wound coil ready to spring at any moment. Daphne got the distinct impression that her arrival was that moment.

"How was your day?" Harry asked with forced calmness. As much as he had learned from her over the last year and a half Daphne could tell he was equally as nervous as Hermione...at this point he was much better at hiding it. But she knew.

"My day was fine," Daphne replied as she took a seat and casually poured herself some tea. "Are you going to tell me what is going on before Hermione spontaneously combusts?"

Harry laughed while Hermione seemed to become even more nervous. Harry reached for her free hand on the table and spoke.

"Hermione and I would like to talk to you about an idea she has. I need you to stay calm and hear her out."

"Why wouldn't I be calm?" she replied indignantly. "You are starting to worry me now."

"Promise me, Daphne," Harry replied seriously. "Promise me you will do your best to stay calm and listen to what she has to say."

She looked into his eyes and immediately relaxed. She slowly nodded and waited for them to continue.

"It's about Astoria...her condition," Hermione began tentatively. "I've been talking to Harry and I've done some research. I'd like to try and help. I think that we can help."