Despite all logic, the silence between Harry and Daphne continued. It had been four days since her confrontation with her sister and Harry and no messages had been received, no conversations had occurred and no apologies had been made. As the days progressed the logical part of Daphne's conscience became louder stating she was the one who needed to apologize. So far she had successfully squashed it.

Tracey was speaking to her but only to tell her how stupid and selfish she was being...pleading with her to talk to her sister and Harry. Astoria seemed to glare at her at every opportunity during meals in the Great Hall but Harry frustratingly stared only at his food. She would catch Hermione glancing at her nervously from time to time while speaking to Harry but that only made it worse. He would just shake his head and keep his head down. He was so stubborn and it was doing her head in.

It finally came to a head as she watched her sister walking toward her determinedly during breakfast Saturday morning. Daphne could sense the people around her sliding away from her as Astoria approached. They had been subject to her sister's wrath several times over the years and had clearly wanted to avoid another incident.

"We need to talk. Now," Astoria stated simply, folding her arms and waiting for Daphne to stand. She could tell her sister wasn't moving until she complied.

"Fine," Daphne said stubbornly, internally relieved that some resolution would happen.

As they made their way out of the Great Hall Astoria immediately pulled her into the first classroom available.

"Make this quick," Daphne demanded. "I have an apparition lesson scheduled in a few minutes."

"You need to apologize to Harry," Astoria said without recourse.

She knew Astoria was right...that she was being stubborn but something was still holding her back. Why was she the only one who cared about Astoria's health?

"He needs to apologize to me," she stated. "I'm only looking out for your best interests and he had no right-"

"Did you even feel the Dementors on the train?" Astoria interrupted.

"No," Daphne replied honestly. "I was near the back of the train. They were stopped before they made it that far."

"Do you know what I felt?" Astoria asked.

Daphne shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea...maybe when we told you about the curse?"

It was Daphne's best guess...she knew it was her worst memory by far.

"Close but no," Astoria stated. "You, mum and dad told me everything would be okay and I was only five...I was dumb enough to believe you at first."

Astoria seemed to fold into herself and Daphne immediately regretted everything that had happened. She didn't want to hear it. Didn't want to make Astoria relive whatever she was about to share.

"My worst memory was that night...afterward," Astoria said quietly, stubbornly fighting against her own emotions. "I was trying to go to sleep and heard something from your room. I sneaked out and listened at the door. I heard you crying to mum about me...about how I was going to die and it wasn't fair. How you wished it was you who had been cursed instead."

Daphne remained silent as she remembered back to that awful day.

"That's what I had to relive thanks to the Dementors...the only thing I could think about...you and mum sobbing about me dying and me feeling guilty and responsible. It was horrible at five...somehow it was even worse at eleven. And it's nothing compared to what Harry has to go through thanks to those wretched things. You have no idea what he has to relive. if you did you would have never said learning the spell was a waste of time. It's horrific."

"I was just trying to look out for you Tori," she said quietly. "I didn't know...didn't think about it. Is it really that bad? What Harry saw?"

She suddenly remembered third year...how Harry's boggart took the form of a Dementor. Her stomach sank.

"He only told me because he was trying to help...because he could tell I had been affected and wanted to let me know I wasn't alone," Astoria offered at her questioning look. "If you really care and really want to know you need to sort out your priorities and apologize to Harry." Astoria was pleading now.

"We've worked on it every night since. He's been waiting for you to swallow your pride and admit you were wrong. He thought for sure you would have come around by now...so did I," she finished, shaking her head.

"I just worry about you Tori. It's stupid but I can't help it. I'm just looking out for you."

"Harry knows what he is doing. If you would have let him handle it everything would have been fine. After he kicked you out...which was brilliant by the way...he made me stop for the evening and help with Tracey. I got mad and he told me off...said being angry ruined any chance of me being able to cast the spell. He was right. He's a really good teacher."

"I had handled it. If you would have just calmed down everything would have been fine."

"Did you even listen to what he was saying?" Astoria replied pleadingly. "Expecto Patronum's protection of your soul is based on pure, focused emotion...happiness, joy, love, whatever you want to call it. You being stupid and overbearing just made me angry and made me have to use even more energy to try and conjure a Patronus. If you would have trusted me I would have been able to focus and actually feel better. You hovering and questioning me just made it worse. That's what Harry was trying to tell you if you would have actually listened. He feels horrible and you're still trying to convince yourself that you are right."

Astoria's words registered and Daphne suddenly felt a surge of emotion. A surge of hope.

"Say that again," she demanded.

"You were stupid and made me angry?" Astoria offered.

"Not that part the other bit."

"You only made it worse?" Astoria stated, growing more confused.

"No...about the spell...what it's based on."

"If you had paid attention the first time to Harry I wouldn't have to," Astoria offered less irritably, sensing that Daphne was finally coming around.

"Harry explained that when you cast the spell you are actually asking for a protector for your soul. Dementors feed on your happiest thoughts and the Patronus turns the tables. If you focus on that pure happiness you can actually push them back and punish them with the force of that emotion."

This could be something. Something to help Harry.

She suddenly realized Astoria was still there and was staring at her, confused by her prolonged silence.

"I'm sorry," she blurted, enveloping her sister in a hug. "You're right. I didn't pay attention and I made things worse. I was worried about you but it's no excuse. I'm sorry." She meant it.

"Finally!" Astoria exclaimed. "Now you need to apologize to Harry. He was really upset."

Daphne nodded and squeezed her sister tightly one more time before quickly making her way to the exit.

"Okay then," she heard Astoria exclaim, surprised at how successful her intervention had been. She had no idea.

Daphne quickly made her way to the library...to 'their' table. She spent the next several hours reading every book available on the Patronus charm and making endless notes on its basis and how it could be used, The more she researched and the more notes she made the more enthused she became. This could work. It needed refinement and she wanted to run her theory by a professor but she thought it could really work.

She was so exhilarated she completely ignored the scheduled Apparition lesson and decided to skip lunch entirely. This was more important. She had lost focus and fallen into old habits for a few days due to temporary insanity but she was back on track and would not be dissuaded.

She had finally decided to take a break at half past six, her stomach demanding attention after skipping lunch. As she made her way to the Great Hall she tapped her coin to send a message.

I'm sorry for being an idiot. I talked to Astoria and she helped set me straight. We need to talk.

She decided she would meet up with Harry face to face at dinner. He deserved a direct apology and she would gladly suffer the stares of the other Gryffindors to make it happen. Hopefully she could pull him out of The Great Hall. She could share her revelation and he could finally share what he had learned from Slughorn's memory. Maybe they could even work on learning the Patronus a bit that night.

But he never showed up. Either he had eaten dinner before she arrived or he decided to skip it entirely. Either way he never appeared. She wondered if he was eating in the kitchen instead. She wished she was there with him sharing her idea...or even just talking.

As she made her way back to the dungeons she ducked into an empty classroom, sending another message using her coin.

Where are you? You weren't at dinner and I need to talk to you. It's really important.

She was entering the Slytherin common room when she felt the coin warm in her hand, silently celebrating that Harry had finally responded. She kept her composure, calmly making her way up the stairs to her empty bedroom.

Her heart immediately sank as she read his message.

Something's come up. I'm at the hospital wing.

Without another thought she sprinted down the steps and out of the common room.