As Daphne prepared for the day she marvelled at how alert she was after getting so little sleep. At best she had slept four hours while sitting awkwardly with Harry's head in her lap. She had arrived back in her room at three thirty in the morning and spent the next four hours staring into the darkness, thinking about what was going to happen Wednesday night. She thanked the gods today was a Saturday as having to concentrate on her classes today would be a near impossibility.

Immediately after breakfast she would be sending her parents a letter scheduling a meeting for the next day. She had briefly thought about asking Harry to call Winky for faster delivery but quickly dismissed it. She needed to avoid doing anything out of the ordinary. Dobby had been right...any unnecessary risks needed to be avoided. She tried not to dwell on the fact she was taking advice from an elf who had thought the best way to save Harry was to repeatedly send a bludger at him.

Her next meeting with Professor Flitwick was scheduled for Tuesday. She considered asking about rescheduling it to an earlier date but quickly changed her mind again. The questions she needed to ask were about Harry's role and would most likely raise suspicion...rescheduling on such short notice for a project a year away would only increase the questioning.

As she entered the Great Hall with Tracey that morning she immediately spotted Harry at the Gryffindor table and a decision was made. "I'm going to sit with Harry," she informed her friend.

Before she could move Tracey grabbed her arm. "You're going to sit at his table? Really?"

"Yes," she said without hesitation. What Harry was facing next Wednesday had done a remarkable job of putting things in perspective. Worrying about what Harry's or her own housemates thought was one of those things. And she really wanted to sit with him.

"Well let's go then!" Tracey enthused. At Daphne's raised eyebrow Tracey continued. "I can't let you face the lions alone can I?"

Tracey was brilliant.

As she began walking she realized Harry had spotted her. She watched as he spoke to Hermione who smiled and quickly slid down the table, creating spots for the two of them.

"Good morning," she said simply as she took a seat and reached for Harry's hand. She looked to see familiar faces surrounding her and felt immediately at ease. As much as she knew how stupid it was she was still slightly nervous at sitting with the 'enemy.' "Everyone, this is my friend Tracey," she continued.

They sat companionably for several minutes without incident as Tracey quickly integrated herself into Daphne's new circle of friends. She had noticed several glares from her own housemates and Snape's standard sneer seemed a bit more pronounced but none of the nearby Gryffindors seemed bothered. Her performance at the Quidditch match and the acceptance by Harry's friends most likely kept everyone in check. Well almost everyone.

McLaggen.

She watched as he approached the table and spotted her, immediately becoming enraged. His pace quickened as he walked determinedly toward them, standing directly across from her and Harry.

"The Slytherin table is across the way. You don't belong here." he said with every bit of menace he could muster. It wasn't much. She was set to respond when another voice spoke up.

"She and her friend make for much better company than you Cormac. Bugger off," Neville Longbottom said confidently, glaring at McLaggen. She watched as McLaggen realized he was badly outnumbered and stomped to the other end of the table.

"Thank you, Neville" she said sincerely. It dawned on her that she had used his first name despite never speaking to him before.

"It's not a problem," he said, smiling shyly. "Any friends of Harry are welcome here. I've been meaning to talk to you anyway...I really appreciated the pictures and letter from your parents."

"How do you know Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass?" Tracey brightly interjected.

Neville was taken off guard but quickly recovered. "Umm...they were friends of my parents."

As her old friend and new friends began talking again she leaned toward Harry. "Fancy a walk to the Owlery after breakfast? I'm going to see if we can talk to my parents tomorrow."

"Absolutely, you can even use Hedwig," he whispered back. "I think we should meet with your parents in the castle though. I don't want to annoy Dumbledore before Wednesday. Dobby put the fear of god in me last night."

The next day her parents arrived precisely at noon and Dumbledore personally escorted the group of four to a grand room Daphne had never seen before. It was clearly meant for meetings as it had a large table as well as several annoying decorations.

"We will need another room, Headmaster. One without portraits," Harry stated before she could speak.

She smiled to herself at the offended gasps of the portrait subjects.

"I assure you Harry this room is perfectly safe," Dumbledore said in his most grandfatherly tone.

"I understand how the portraits work here sir and I'd prefer a different room," Harry repeated calmly. He'd been paying attention. Daphne was so proud.

"Very well," Dumbledore finally stated, sounding supremely disappointed in Harry.

They were quickly escorted into a much smaller room. As soon as the Headmaster bid them farewell her parents burst into laughter, surprising her and Harry.

"You will have to forgive us," her father said between his chuckles, "it is a rare pleasure to see Albus taken down a peg or two. It does appear that you have been listening to Daphne."

"Always, si-...Cyrus. If she ever catches me not paying attention she gives me this...look. I do my best to avoid it all costs."

"Harry!" she protested. "I do not have a look."

"As I've suffered through it for many years I can assure you that you do indeed have a look, dear," her mother replied condescendingly. "Ah and there it is now."

"So... security questions?" Daphne grit out, desperately wanting to change the topic. "What did you tell Harry when you said goodbye to him after our last visit?"

"I think that may be too personal for Harry, dear-"

"It's all right," Harry interrupted kindly. "Go ahead."

"I told him I wish I had known his parents better and that I wished he had come into our lives sooner," she said warmly, smiling at Harry.

"How did I describe the Weasley twins to you?" Harry quickly asked her father.

"The smartest idiots you've ever met," her father answered, "and having met them I can now say that is a very apt description."

"They finally agreed to a meeting?" Harry asked enthusiastically. "How did you convince them?"

Her father suddenly looked embarrassed. "I transfigured all of the items they had sent into weasels and had one of our house elves deliver them to their shop in a box with my regards. The elf came back with a lunch invitation for the next day. I am happy to say our first order from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was delivered on Friday. Which reminds me..." He paused to pull a large folder out of his bag, handing it to Harry.

"They informed me that you provided their initial investment and hold a twenty percent stake in the business. They asked me to give you this. It contains the quarterly financial statements for the last two years as well as their five year business plan. They are charmed so only you or those you approve will be able to see the results."

"Umm...thanks. To be honest I just gave them the money. I wasn't expecting anything from it," Harry replied, staring at the voluminous folder of information in muted horror.

"They informed me of that as well. They purposely had not informed you as of yet because they knew you at best would not be interested and at worst would refuse."

Daphne felt a strange sort of validation at the news that she wasn't the only person dumb enough to negotiate worse terms based simply on Harry's nobility.

"I was just happy when they said I could have anything in the store for free," he answered dumbly.

Such an idiot. If...no...when...they got through this nonsense on Wednesday she was going to force him to review the Weasley financials with her. If she could sit through that Quidditch nonsense he could stand a few hours of actual learning. She would even bring sweets and hot chocolate....that was the best part of Quidditch after all.

"Enough dreadful business talk," her mother kindly interrupted, "I believe we have more pressing things to discuss."

"Just one more thing, dear," he replied, handing another much slimmer folder to Harry. "These are the current revenue projections for our basilisk. We've decided to spread out introducing the goods to the market over the next several years to maintain current pricing levels. The last page outlines the total proceeds deposited to Gringotts so far on your behalf as well as a forecast of total expected revenues."

Harry quickly flipped to the last page. "Whoah," was the extent of his analysis on the project's results.

"Indeed," her father replied bemusedly. "Feel free to steer any other mythical beasts you happen to slay my way in the future Harry."

"As I was saying," her mother interrupted once again, "we should move on to more pressing matters. I assume you've made significant progress and need to bring us up to speed?"

Harry quickly cast Muffliato before reaching into his own bag for the diadem. Daphne watched as he unwrapped the object and placed it in front of her parents, their uneasy expressions growing the longer they stared at the cursed relic.

"We found a horcrux and have done some experimenting." He paused and looked her way admiringly. "Daphne says we're ready. We're ready and it's happening on Wednesday the 7th."

"Tell us everything. Leave nothing out," her father commanded.

Best to get it out of the way.

"Everything has changed. It's not about Avada Kedavra at this point...I'm not sure I could manage casting that at Harry anyway...not now. It really is about love. Using it to save Harry."

"And you think you've come up with something that will work. That it will be enough?" her mother asked gently.

Daphne suddenly felt very exposed and looked down, focusing on their enjoined hands. "More than enough."

It took them five hours but they had covered all the progress that had been made and outlined plans for Wednesday. As horrible as it was to think about the worst case scenarios it needed to be done...they needed to have a strategy if everything went sideways. Daphne had remained silent, limiting her involvement to brief comments and nods of understanding when asked a question.

It had been decided that her parents would remove Astoria from Hogwarts for the day using the excuse that she needed to see a specialist related to her condition. It had been done several times in the past and would not raise any suspicions. It would take pulling a few strings on such short notice but Cyrus would schedule an actual appointment, making her absence from school completely legitimate. Once safely away from Hogwarts her parents would tell Astoria what was happening.

Her parents and Astoria would remain at their home until they received word from Dobby. Only after it was certain that Daphne was not suspected in helping Harry would Astoria return to Hogwarts.

As she watched her father and Harry explaining what was to happen with Dobby she realized they did make a great team. Not just her and Harry...but her parents...and Dobby. Even Astoria had helped without knowing it multiple times along the way. She smiled to herself imagining how angry Astoria was going to be with her for being kept in the dark for so long.

She saw the stricken look on Dobby's face as he continued to nod his understanding. They were talking about the worst case scenarios now. 'Worrying won't help, keep thinking,' she practically shouted to herself.

Finally Dobby popped away and their meeting began to wind down. She was all set for tearful goodbyes when she saw Harry pulling out multiple glass vials as well as several envelopes . "What we discussed sir," he said simply as he handed everything to his father.

"What did you discuss Harry?" she asked nervously.

"You've signed them with the special quill?" her father asked Harry, ignoring her question.

"Yes sir," Harry answered, casting a sideways glance at her.

"Stop ignoring me and tell me what is going on," she commanded, her nervousness now replaced with frustration

"Harry thought it would be best to make further arrangements if he didn't survive," her mother stated softly. "He's provided pensieve memories of some of your meetings as well as a letter exonerating you in case you are suspected of wrongdoing. They would never be used unless as a last resort and only if you agree, dear."

"That explains the vials and one of the parchments. What are the others?" she continued.

"My will as well as letters to a few people...goodbye letters," Harry replied. He looked so tired but so strong.

Everything inside her being wanted to scream that those things weren't necessary but she furiously pushed back at the urge. Doing that wouldn't help Harry. She needed to help Harry. So she simply wiped away the moisture forming around her eyes and nodded.

He smiled, turning back to her father. "I didn't know anything about the Weasley investment so I didn't mention it in the will. I'd like it to go to Ron...can we still do that?"

"I can provide a pensieve memory of this to the Weasley brothers as proof. Since you are gifting it to one of their own relatives there shouldn't be a problem," he said kindly.

"It is a remarkable thing to be concerned with such matters with all that's about to happen Harry. Truly remarkable..." His voice trailed off, most likely remembering his old friend.

Harry didn't stare at his shoes. He didn't look uncomfortable or embarrassed. Instead he looked her father straight in the eyes. "Thank you, Cyrus."