(2) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Ten

Daphne closes the dorm room behind her and lets out a long breath. It feels like it has been a long day and it is only lunchtime. She feels utterly drained. Obviously, it has literally only been a few days since she literally died and came back. That has to have more than a mental effect on her. Her body is probably still recovering. She sets the potions bag on the dresser along with her new stack of books. Basically unloading the whole day from her. She misses Lyra and Dandelion and she had hoped that they would have been back for lunch, but it seems that they are staying away likely because Daphne's timetable is packed until dinner and she only has time to drop off her earlier supplies before heading to the next meeting on her schedule. She frowns and touches the piece of fabric that has fallen onto the back of the desk. She knows what it is off. It is the piece of fabric she used to cover up the mirror hanging over the dresser. To hide her reflection from herself. She closes her eyes and sighs, knowing what she is going to see when she looks up. It happened once at Grimmauld and she freaked out. She opens her eyes and looks up at the mirror.

"Hello, Daphne" The reflection greets, Daphne makes a noise in the back of her throat and moves to cover it back up again. "No!" The reflection shouts. Daphne pauses. "You can't keep me locked away forever"

"Yes, I can" Daphne argues and continues to cover it up. "You are the reason I am stuck back in this castle away from my friends and my family and from Pad and Damon...."

"No, the man that set your body on fire is the reason I am here. You are the reason I am here....And I am not going anywhere....I will be here, waiting for my moment....Waiting for you to slip up" Daphne closes her eyes and takes a shaky breath.

"How can we work together?" She asks her. "You are a being of death and destruction and pain and suffering....."

"Says who?" The Phoenix counters. "Some dusty ass books?"

"By people like me" Daphne argues. "People that have been through this and seen what you can do. First-hand accounts"

"Yes, you have read the Koine book....and who was it that said it was first-hand accounts?" The Phoenix smirks. "Kol Mikaelson" Daphne sighs and throws her head back. She took Kol's word on the book and didn't think to question it. He is old and knowledgeable and he just told her that about the book. "That book was written by a group of certain witches and wizards who destroyed the Phoenix-cursed....but of course, you would know all about that?" Daphne glares at the reflection who smirks brightly at her. "And of course, if we....were friends, I could tell you all about them"

"If I let you out, you mean" Daphne argues and throws the cover down before she sinks onto the edge of the bed. "I can't..." She whispers to herself. She doesn't think she can make a deal with her. The threat, the warnings she's had for eight years, that have been drummed into her. It's a hard thing to break. A hard thing to forget.

"Well, then I will fight you every step of the way" Daphne looks up at the reflection across from her. "Whispering in your ear, taking control, until you break...." Daphne stands from the bed and grabs the piece of cloth to throw it over the mirror, to hide the reflection from herself. She needs Lyra and Dandelion to come back soon. Being alone is not a good feeling. Daphne grabs her bag from the side and flees her room to escape her loneliness and the reflection, plus she has to meet with Neville Longbottom and she would rather get there earlier than later.

...

Neville Longbottom is probably the sweetest of teachers. Soft-spoken and gentle and encouraging. Whilst Slughorn and potions were Daphne's favourites, Neville comes a very close second. Daphne follows Neville through the rows of potting tables in one of the Greenhouses as he picks up and moves potted plants around.