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The Feathered Serpent: Chapter 23
🕑 Added 2024-10-17 16:30:02 +0000 UTCThe faint light of dawn had barely touched the horizon when Daphne felt a warm hand gently shaking her. She groaned, squinting at the dim, blurry outline of her boyfriend beside her. As expected, he was already awake, his warm emerald eyes focused and alert despite the early hour.
“Time to get up,” he whispered, his voice soft and full of warmth. “Don’t want to be late on the first day.”
Daphne sighed, stretching under the thin silk duvet that brushed gently against her bare skin. “Bloody five in the morning. Moody’s a mad man, I tell you.” Harry let out a chuckle. “And you’re not any less either,” she continued.
Harry smirked as he sat back, amusement shining in his eyes. “Well, you agreed to it. Have to get stronger and more capable, right? And what was that you said? Oh yes, I’m sure we can handle that.”
Daphne sat up, rubbing her face. “Must’ve forgotten we’d be starting before the sun even rose.” She glanced over at the enchanted clock on the opposite wall. “We’ve got half an hour. Think we can sneak in five more minutes of sleep?”
Harry chuckled, stepping out of the bed and stretching lightly. “No, but we might manage a cup of coffee before we go.”
Daphne snorted, but with a catlike speed, she reached out to tug him toward herself. Harry was even quicker. He dodged her playful attempt and grabbed the duvet, pulling it completely off her and rendering her naked to his appreciative gaze. Daphne smirked as his eyes raked over her form and that smirk widened when she saw his excitement rising right before her eyes.
“Well… I guess it was a given. The little guy didn’t get any action last night, after all.”
Harry let out a mock sigh as he walked around the bed and made his way over to the bathroom. “Get up, Daph,” he called out over his shoulder, silently banishing her bra over at her. Daphne caught the lace fabric mid-air with a pout, and all it did was earn her an amused glance from her boyfriend who disappeared beyond the bathroom door.
They moved in sync once they both emerged from the bathroom. The elves were considerate as always, and while the warm coffee sat steaming on the table, Harry and Daphne got ready in the half-light of the room. It was still dark outside, and the sky looked overcast, as was usual in the winter.
Harry kept his eyes on Daphne as she fixed her combat robes in the mirror, exuding a calm confidence that he admired so much. He sometimes still had a hard time believing someone so magnificent was with him. He’d never thought he would meet someone he could connect so easily with, but life had a way of surprising everyone. They had met and quickly fallen for each other, and nothing could ever separate them.
Harry ignored the reminder of his obligation as it resurfaced in his mind and devoted his full attention to his girlfriend who was looking as breathtaking as she did when they were in the dueling chamber. It had been a while since they had been back, and since becoming the quickest pair to push ranks in the dueling hierarchy, they had not done much in that field. That was soon going to change.
They finished their coffee within minutes and it was a quarter to five when they made their way out of the room together, crossing their empty common room with quick strides. As they walked down the corridor that led to the Grand Staircase, Harry asked, “So, how well do you know this Tonks girl?”
“Well enough to say she’d be very happy with that fact that you called her a girl and not a woman,” Daphne chuckled. “She’s… well, she’s something, all right.”
“What does that mean?” Harry asked with a small laugh.
“You’ll see,” Daphne replied, smiling.
Harry glanced at her, brows furrowing slightly when he saw how amused she looked.
“Why do I feel you’re hiding something I should know?”
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about, my love,” Daphne replied easily, gracing him with a sweet smile. It did nothing to assuage him, quite the contrary, in fact.
There was one thing Harry was certain of though. If Moody was training her, Tonks had to be a capable witch. He wasn’t quite sure what to expect from their first session, but from what little he knew about Moody by now, it was bound to be intense.
They ascended the staircase and as they reached the seventh floor, they found someone already waiting for them. She was casually leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, and Harry took her in properly.
She looked much different from the photo he had seen of her. For one, she looked older, and there was a sense of maturity he got from her that was undoubtedly a result of her training with Moody. Her hair was short, reaching just past her shoulders, and the vibrant purple stood out in the lamplights. The grin that she gave them as they approached suggested she was much more awake than a normal person would be at this hour.
“Daphne!” Tonks greeted, stepping forward and enveloping the younger girl in a warm, familial hug. “Merlin, it’s been ages. How’s life at Hogwarts?”
Harry, who had been holding Daphne’s hand, grunted slightly as he was jerked when she pulled his girlfriend in a hug. As they pulled away, Daphne smiled at him before turning to Tonks.
“As you told me it’d be,” she remarked. “Much colder, and full of idiots.”
Tonks laughed and turned to Harry. “And this is the boy wonder I’ve heard so much about, eh?”
“Good things, I guess,” Harry remarked with an easy smile, ignoring how she looked him up and down. Turning to Daphne, she winked. “Nice catch, girl.”
Daphne chuckled, squeezing his hand gently, as Harry smiled.
“Well, thanks a lot for the seal of approval,” he replied, and Tonks waved her hand dismissively. “I’ve heard quite a lot about you as well actually, Ms. Tonks. You must be very good if Moody’s training you.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere, but I appreciate it,” Tonks grinned. “And just Tonks will do. Nothing more than that, got it? And don’t even think about using my name if you want to keep my lovely girl here happy.”
Harry blinked at the sudden shift in her tone and quickly raised his free hand to mollify her. “Noted,” he said, clearly taken aback. Glancing at his girlfriend, he saw her barely holding in a laugh and sighed in exasperation. This must be what she had been hiding from him. He knew Tonks did not like her first name, but he had not expected such an extreme warning.
“Don’t worry, love. It’s just a sore spot for her,” Daphne chuckled softly.
Tonks sighed dramatically as she eyed them. “Everyone always finds it amusing. But seriously ─ just Tonks.”
Harry nodded, having already made a mental note to avoid potentially stepping on that proverbial landmine.
"Right, now that we’ve got that sorted," Tonks said, pushing off the wall. "Follow me. Mad-Eye’s waiting, and we don’t want him getting impatient."
It was a new area of the castle to them. They followed Tonks as they kept gazing around. The corridor felt entirely foreign to them. There were no portraits or tapestries as far as they could see, and even the ceiling was higher than usual. It was evident that they were in the highest spot of the massive castle they resided in.
The corridors kept growing narrower and even fewer corridors branched out until they reached what seemed like an ordinary stretch of a wall. Here was the only tapestry they’d found across the corridors they had walked down, depicting a wizard who seemed to be teaching a group of trolls how to do a ballet.
“Barnabas the Barmy, he’s called,” Tonks informed them.
“We’ve never come to this part of the castle,” Daphne remarked.
“Not many do. It’s so far away, after all,” Tonks replied. “What you’re about to discover is one of the biggest secrets of this castle. One that even I learned when Moody told me about it yesterday. Ready to have your minds blown?”
Harry and Daphne exchanged a curious glance as Tonks turned around to stare at the blank stretch of the wall before them. Their confusion grew when she began to pace back and forth in front of the wall. Three times she did before stopping, and they stared ahead, wondering if something was supposed to happen.
Suddenly, the wall started to morph in front of them. Streaks of black began to emerge until they coalesced into a metallic door as large as the one of the Great Hall.
Tonks glanced over her shoulder, smirking at the look of wonder on their faces. She had been the same the previous evening, although she had been gawking with her mouth open like an idiot, but they didn’t need to know about that.
She pushed the door open and stepped forward, announcing grandly, “Welcome, to the Room of Requirement. The greatest marvel of magic in this magnificent castle and also the greatest work of Rowena Ravenclaw! You─”
“That would be enough,” a firm voice interjected, cutting Tonks’ grand introduction short, and she growled low in her throat at the interruption.
Both Harry and Daphne had their jaws dropped at the sight before them. It wasn’t just a room – it was an arena. Wide open, with massive stone walls that seemed to go on for ages, torches blazing along the sides, and a floor covered in thick, padded material that seemed both shock and spell-resistant at first glance. The far end had multiple dummies and targets set up, clearly designed for advanced combat training.
Moody was already there, standing in the center and his magical eye fixed on them as they entered. “You’re late,” he growled.
“It’s not even five, old man!” Tonks protested.
“Late is late,” Moody cut in, his voice gruff. “Go and start getting warmed up. We’ll start in ten minutes.”
Tonks cast a final snide look at Moody who expertly ignored her and stomped away to the side, leaving Harry and Daphne with no choice but to follow her.
“Bloody slavedriver,” she muttered under her breath as she shed her thick overcoat, showing off her combat attire, and started to warm up.
Harry and Daphne silently followed suit, both knowing by now that irritating Moody was a foolish endeavor.
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The torches flickered, casting long shadows across the padded floor, as Harry stood with Daphne and Tonks on either side of him. Moody stood in the center, his magical eye spinning in all directions as he scanned for any imperfections that might have remained in the setup. His posture was rigid, and it seemed as if the man was carved from stone. Yet, his commands were sharp and crisp. “Right," he barked, his voice commanding immediate attention, "this is no schoolyard dueling club with those fancy titles you students keep flaunting around. The Dark Arts don’t wait for you to be ready, and neither will I. Today’s about pushing limits—your limits. And I’ll be testing all of you."
Harry and Daphne both felt a chill run down their spines at the intensity in Moody’s voice. They involuntarily straightened further, yet they looked calm and focused, their sharp eyes taking in every detail of the room. Tonks, on the other hand, rolled her shoulders, a cocky grin on her face as if she was ready to tackle whatever Moody threw at them.
"Wands out. Let's begin."
Without another word, the room began to shift. The stone floor rippled, and in a blink, they were surrounded by various obstacles—walls of stone, pillars, and even sections of the floor that seemed to disappear into darkness.
“This environment is designed to test both your magical and physical capabilities. We will start with the basics,” Moody growled. “First up, Nymphadora. Demonstrate what you’ve learned so far. Start simple – disarm me.”
Tonks glared at the man who looked entirely unmoved. She stepped forward, her face serious as she raised her wand. She gave it a quick flick and a beam of red light shot toward Moody at a furious pace. However, the veteran was even faster. With a flick of his wand, the disarming spell was deflected, slamming into a nearby pillar. However, that was not the extent of its impact.
A column of dust shot in the air and their eyes widened when it kept shooting, obscuring their vision. Moody was enveloped behind the curtain of dust in no time.
“Again!” He barked.
Tonks repeated the spell, even quicker this time as she tried to discern his location from where his voice came. Her aim struck true, but the result remained the same. Moody deflected it effortlessly, sending even more dust rising in the air, but this time, he responded further with a counter. A jet of blue light came soaring toward Tonks who quickly dodged, her movements fluid and quick, surprising Daphne.
“She’s improved in her footwork,” she remarked. “She used to stumble over almost anything because she’s a metamorph and balance is challenging for them. But look at her now…”
Indeed, Tonks sidestepped two more bolts of blue that came toward her through the dust and fired two more disarmers in the direction she sensed the spells were coming from.
“You’re predictable. Don’t just rely on spells. Be creative,” Moody grunted.
Suddenly, the room shifted again. The floor beneath Tonks began to move—tiles slipping and sliding, making it harder for her to keep her balance. She stumbled but quickly recovered, rolling to her feet just as Moody launched another spell her way. Tonks smirked and dodged, deflecting the spell with a quick flick of her wand.
Moody shifted his attention to Harry and Daphne. "You two, pay attention! You’re not here to just watch."
Their eyes shifted to the center of the room where a large, circular stone platform emerged from the floor. "Both of you—up there."
Harry and Daphne exchanged a glance and stepped onto the platform. As soon as they were in position, Moody barked, "No time for chit-chat. Your goal is to disarm each other—quick and decisive casting. No other spell. Keep at silent casting as you did in the class yesterday. I don’t want to hear your voices. But remember, there's more to this than just magic."
Before either of them could respond, the platform beneath them began to rotate. Their footings wobbled as the floor shifted, turning at an increasing speed. They both tried to steady themselves. However, Daphne’s wand was already in her hand, and Harry could see the focus in her eyes. She wasted no time.
She flicked her wand, sending the disarming spell straight at him.
The spell went awry, striking another pillar that sent even more dust into the air. Harry raised his wand, but the constant rotation of the platform was so erratic that it made it difficult to keep his balance. As he watched Daphne, he saw her struggling now as well. She had taken a gamble and it had failed. He had to give her credit for taking a quick initiative, at least.
He fired a disarming spell of his own, aiming roughly two feet to Daphne’s left, but the blonde sidestepped, using the momentum of the turning floor to propel herself into a defensive stance.
Through the cloud of dust, Moody watched them closely, his magical eye whirring. "Faster!" he barked, ducking under another disarming spell. "You think your enemies will wait for you to find your footing? They’ll be on you in seconds! Try stunners now as well."
Daphne took a note from Harry’s playbook, analyzing the rotation pattern, and she flung a stunner away from him. Her aim rang true, the spell zeroing in on Harry who easily swatted it aside. She was quick to take advantage of her newfound understanding of patterns though, her movements sharp and precise. Each spell she flung at him was aimed with almost surgical precision, keeping the rotation of the platform in mind.
Harry let her have the upper hand for a few minutes but he was not one to back down so easily. He feinted left suddenly as her spell whizzed past him, and sent a disarming spell her way before immediately rolling to the right, using the moving platform to his advantage. She dodged, but she did not expect his rebuttal. His next spell came from a different angle—something Daphne didn’t expect. It was a split-second decision, but it worked. The spell came at her so suddenly that she was forced to erect a hasty shield. The red bolt of the stunner hit her shield with a force that knocked her back, her balance faltering on the rotating platform.
She quickly regained her footing, refusing to let him capitalize, and her eyes narrowed. Instead of just firing another spell, she began to walk closer toward him as well, her wand raised straight ahead and constantly firing stunners and disarmers at him. The angles kept shifting constantly, and thus, a lot of her spells went awry, but still, most of them found the target, forcing Harry to react faster as the distance between them kept reducing.
Harry could feel the burn in his legs from the constant movement, the platform beneath him turning faster than before. His mind raced—this was more than a duel; it was about reading the environment, and anticipating his opponent's next move. And in that moment, he realized how crucial Moody’s training was going to be. This wasn’t just about learning spells—it was about survival.
Suddenly, the platform stopped spinning and their eyes widened. Momentum forced them to lose their footing and they collided against each other painfully. Twin grunts of pain echoed around the room as they fell over in a heap.
"Enough!" Moody called. "Good. You’re learning. But you’re still too cautious. This isn’t just about defending yourselves—there are times when you’ll have to go on the offensive. If you wait too long, you’re dead."
Harry and Daphne helped themselves to their feet, their legs hurting from the constant strenuous movement they had been forced to endure for what must have been at least half an hour. They were both breathing heavily but wore expressions of determination as they stepped off the platform. They had practiced a lot of spells, but this was something else. It was grueling, and they realized it was an aspect of training they had never even touched before.
Tonks, who had long been disarmed and had been watching from the side, chuckled. "Not bad, you two. You’re quicker than I thought."
Harry, still catching his breath, glanced over at her. "Surprised?"
Tonks nodded. "A bit, yeah. I mean, you’re both still students, but you kept up." She glanced at Daphne, who was wiping a bit of sweat from her brow. "I knew you were sharp, Daphne. But wonderboy here… not too shabby."
Daphne smirked, her voice light but teasing as she gazed at her boyfriend. "Harry has a way of surprising people."
They were interrupted as Moody strode to the center of the room, his presence commanding. "Alright, enough with the compliments. Time for something more advanced. You three are going to work together now."
He commanded the room, and it transformed again. Every conjuration from before vanished, replaced by an elaborate obstacle course filled with low walls, towering pillars, and enchanted targets that hovered in the air.
"You’ll be faced with enemies from all sides," Moody said, his voice low and serious. "This isn’t just about individual skill anymore. It’s about coordination—trusting your partner, knowing when to cover for them and when to strike."
Tonks looked prepared, her wand already at the ready. Meanwhile, Harry and Daphne stood beside her, breathing heavily as they nodded, awaiting the next challenge.
The moment Moody shouted, “Begin!” the Room of Requirement erupted into chaos. The low walls expanded, creating a vast maze of shifting stone pillars and narrow pathways. Overhead, the targets remained enchanted to fire a series of hexes, jinxes, and disarming spells, none lethal but all dangerous.
The targets moved faster than they’d expected, whizzing through the air like hornets, and as they swarmed, they shot spells at blinding speed. To make things more difficult, Moody's voice rang out, a sharp reminder. "Stunners only! No shields, no disarming. Control and precision. Work with a crutch as much as you can, and everything else will come easier."
Harry barely had time to register the command before ducking as a flash of red light flew overhead. Without hesitation, he cast a silent Stupefy, sending a similar red bolt at one of the incoming targets. It exploded into sparks, but the victory was short-lived as two more swooped in to take its place.
Daphne was already moving, her wand in fluid motion as she fired stunning spells at the advancing targets. She took out one, and then another, each hit precise and controlled. "Tonks, right!" she shouted, her voice steady and her movements sharp and measured, like a ballerina.
Tonks dodged an incoming curse and turned on her heel to face the targets Daphne had called out. With a quick flick of her wand, she sent a powerful Stupefy into the air, catching both targets in a single, sweeping motion. The targets exploded into a flurry of light, but there was no time to celebrate. More were already descending upon them.
"Keep moving!" Moody’s voice thundered from the sidelines, his magical eye swiveling madly as he watched their every move. "You’re sitting ducks if you stay in one place!"
As if in response to Moody’s command, the floor beneath them began to shift. Stone panels moved like a giant, enchanted puzzle, rising and falling, forcing them to adjust their positions constantly. Daphne leaped over a shifting panel with ease, sending two more stunning spells into the air as she landed, hitting two targets that had been tracking her movements.
Harry found himself cornered as the ground beneath him shifted into a narrow ledge. He balanced precariously on the edge, the targets closing in fast. His eyes narrowed as he realized he had no room to dodge. He could only rely on his precision now.
His wand flicked in quick succession as he sent multiple stunning spells forward. Three targets in front of him exploded in a burst of red sparks, but two more were coming from behind. He could feel their presence, the magic humming through the air.
Before he could react, Daphne was already there. She spun gracefully behind him, her wand flashing red as she hit the targets with pinpoint accuracy. Harry quickly flicked his wand, hitting three more targets that suddenly appeared in Daphne’s blind spot.
"Merlin, we have to remain focused all the time," she said, her voice calm despite the chaos. "Constantly watching our backs and all."
Harry gave her a nod, regaining his footing on the shifting stone. They sprang into action once again, dodging the spells and taking out two more targets in quick succession. They could feel the pressure of the test. It wasn’t just about speed and magic; it was about trust. They had to rely on each other, had to move in sync, or they’d be overwhelmed.
Tonks, on the far left, was navigating a series of rising pillars. Her Auror training showed in every step, every movement as she danced across the stone platforms. But even she was sweating now under the sheer volume of targets pressing down on them. She blasted another Stupefy, hitting a cluster of three hovering in front of her.
Suddenly, sections of the floor dropped away, leaving gaping chasms around them. The room was now a labyrinth of shifting platforms and narrow ledges, with targets darting through the air at unpredictable angles. Their eyes widened as they realized there was no safe ground anymore, only the platforms that kept shifting constantly.
"Daph, watch out!" Harry shouted as he flung two stunners behind him when he saw a section of floor beneath her start to fall. Without missing a beat, Daphne lunged to the side, landing on a narrow pillar that rose just in time to save her from the plunge. Her wand whipped through the air, taking out two more targets in quick succession.
"Nice save!" Tonks called from the other side of the room as four targets exploded behind Harry. “And nice casting.”
She was crouched low, firing stunners with a ferocity Harry hadn’t seen from her yet. She didn’t seem to be holding back. Her face was determined, her focus unwavering. But even with her skill, the sheer number of targets seemed to be getting the better of them.
Moody's voice echoed once again, sharp and uncompromising. "Keep your cool! Work together, or you won’t last two seconds in a real fight!"
The words stung with truth, but they also grounded them. Harry took a deep breath, trying to block out the chaos around him and focus on his teammates. Daphne was moving to his right, taking down targets with relentless precision, while Tonks held the far left. They were spread too thin.
"Tonks, close the gap!" Harry shouted, dodging another hex as it sizzled past his ear. "We’ve got to work together!"
Without hesitation, Tonks nodded and darted toward them, her movements fluid despite the shifting terrain under her feet. She almost lost her footing once when the platform started to spin the moment she landed on it, but she quickly skipped forward. As soon as she was within range, Harry, Daphne, and Tonks formed a tight triangle, their backs to one another as they faced the incoming onslaught of targets.
"Cast first, think later," Harry muttered under his breath, sending another stunner into the air and hitting a fast-moving target. The discipline was difficult. His reflexes screamed to deflect or even use shields instead of dodging when the terrain was so precarious and unpredictable, but Moody's test was forcing them to remain calm, to rely solely on precision and offense while dodging the spells coming their way.
As the wave of targets intensified, they realized just how challenging this exercise truly was. It wasn’t enough to just cast spells—it was about reading each other's movements, anticipating the gaps, and covering them. Every time Harry saw a target that wasn’t in his line of fire, he trusted Daphne or Tonks to handle it. And they did the same with him.
Suddenly, three targets converged on them from different angles at a ferocious pace, taking them by surprise. Harry reacted quickly, stunning one with a flick of his wrist, while Daphne took out the second. However, the third was closing in fast, too fast. Harry braced himself to dodge, knowing he wouldn’t be quick enough.
"Got it!" Tonks yelled, her stunner striking the final target just before it reached them or she even finished the yell.
"Thanks," Harry muttered, his breath coming in quick gasps. He could feel the burn in his arms and legs now, the weight of the constant movement, focus, coordination, balance, and spellwork that they had been undertaking for Merlin knew how long now having already taken its toll. But they couldn’t stop. Not yet.
As the last wave of targets appeared, the room changed once more. The air around them grew dense with magic as the targets multiplied, their movements erratic and unpredictable. It was like fighting a swarm of bees, each one darting in a different direction.
"We need to move!" Daphne called, firing off a quick spell and dodging another.
Together, they shifted, darting from pillar to pillar, using the environment to their advantage. Harry could feel the sweat dripping down his face, but his mind was clear now, his focus sharp. Every stunner felt stronger, more controlled. He felt he wasn’t just casting spells anymore; he was in tune with the rhythm of the fight. It was unlike anything he had felt before, and it filled him with excitement.
Finally, with a last burst of red light, the final target exploded in a shower of sparks. The room fell silent, the chaotic energy dissipating as quickly as it had come.
Harry, Daphne, and Tonks stood panting, their wands still raised and their hearts still racing.
Moody stepped forward, his expression unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in his mismatched eyes—approval, perhaps, or at least recognition of their effort. "You’re still on your feet," he growled, "so I’ll give you that. But make no mistake—this is just the beginning."
Tonks, her face flushed with exertion but grinning nonetheless, wiped the sweat from her brow. "Not bad, you two. You’re faster learners than I thought."
Harry glanced at Daphne, who gave a small, tired nod. He was exhausted, his muscles aching from the constant strain, but he felt a sense of accomplishment. They had kept up, worked together, and survived the test.
"Get used to early mornings," Moody said, turning away, his voice low and menacing. "We’re just getting started."
“When’s the next session?” Harry asked, his voice tinged with exhaustion as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
“Three days from today,” Moody replied without turning around, taking them by surprise. “And it will be without wands if you’re late again. So make of that what you will.”
They exchanged a disbelieving look with each other. “How do you expect us to train without wands!?” Daphne asked, aghast.
Moody came to a halt. Slowly, almost theatrically, he turned around to face them. His magical eye swiveled lazily, but his real eye stared at them with a predatory gleam dancing in its depths. The corner of his mouth curved up into a sinister grin, his scarred face taking on a look of cold amusement.
“I guess you’ll be finding out sooner than I'd planned if you're late,” he replied, his voice a low growl.
And with that, he turned away once more, his heavy boots thudding against the stone as he made his way out of the room.
For a long moment, the silence stretched in the room until Tonks sighed tiredly.
“Well… fuck.”
To be continued…
Comments
Ryan
Still my favorite besides maybe a Familiar Bond. Love the Harry and Daphne vs the world style fic (obv not really but them being a strong pair that are nearly always together)
