~D~

"Are we sure we're in the right place?"

Daphne looked to her left, seeing Potter's frown. She could understand his scepticism; whatever she'd expected, it wasn't this.

The small town in some forgotten corner of India had been abandoned long ago. The buildings had been derelict even when they'd been in use, now they were half-collapsed and faded. Forgotten by everything that mattered. The streets were empty aside from some muggle machines that hadn't seen use in over a decade. Despite herself, Daphne felt a sense of unease at the atmosphere of the ghost town.

She pulled her coat tighter around her. There was a chill in the air that her charms didn't seem to catch. At least she was safe from all the dust that seemed to permeate everything. Thank magic for small mercies.

"It has to be," she said. "Perenelle's nephew said they were here. What can you sense?"

Potter closed his eyes. She'd become more familiar with his skills in recent times, and knew that this wasn't necessary, but that it did assist the technique, probably due to heightened concentration.

"There's something … faint. Like it's about to slip away. Can't explain it any better."

"It sounds like a jinx to me," she said. "A compulsion, perhaps. Can you trace it?"

Potter squared his shoulders, the movement seeming larger by his long, dark brown coat. "No. It slips when I try to focus on it."

"Then triangulate."

He gave her an almost surprised look. The moron. "I can try that."

It took over half an hour, but Potter did eventually lead them deeper into the abandoned town, coming to a stop in front of a faded warehouse that was somehow still standing.

Looking at it, she had to repress a shudder. The half-broken front of the building seemed to grow taller, looming over her. She wanted to leave. To turn around now. She almost pulled Potter by the hand to do just that.

"This has to be it," she said, feeling certain and uncomfortable at the same time.

"Definitely," he agreed, voice slightly muted.

"Can you bring it down?"

"Yeah."

"Get to it."

He didn't reply, instead raising both his hands, holly wand held loosely on his right, and closed his eyes again.

"Keep an ear open, yeah?"

Muttering some things about ridiculous turns of phrase, Daphne kept watch while he focused on taking down the jinx barring them entry. She saw and felt it before long, the faint simmering in the air as the uncomfortable unease suddenly vanished.

Potter let out a breath, opening his eyes and lowering his hands. Neither spoke for a minute.

"Strauss is most probably in there," she noted.

"I know."

"He will not willingly part with the Stone shard that allows him to cling to life."

She could see the frown form on her partner's face.

"I'll explain things to him," he replied after a short pause. "Penrod is a good lad. He'll understand."

"And if he doesn't?"

His face, however imperceptibly, hardened. "We need the shard," was all he said.

Fascinating. Even now, Daphne found herself surprised at how drastically his laid-back attitude changed when lives were on the line. It was … exciting, in a sense. It was why she'd tagged along for this ridiculous quest in the first place.

She couldn't help but poke at him. "Strauss is good," she said, smiling just a little. "Are you sure you are up for it?"

Potter turned to her, his grim visage replaced by slight shock. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I had front row seats to some of his matches," she explained. "I know he is, as they say, the real deal. And you? I bet your sides still hurt from that fall."

He scowled, but did not reply, instead moving forward and towards the door. Daphne hurried along after him with an indignant click of her tongue.

The inside of the warehouse was, if possible, worse than the outside. Here, the dust had been allowed to fester, rising several inches up from the original floor and mixing with dirt and rubble. One would think that the presence of people would have disturbed the dust, but that could easily be remedied with magic.

If it wouldn't look ridiculous, Daphne would have applied a bubblehead charm. Rather, she sniffed her nose in distaste, looking around impatiently.

"Where are they?" she demanded. When she turned to look at Potter, she found him staring at a very specific point in front of them.

"I can see you," she heard him say, the translation charm making the German words seem English to her ears. "Drop the illusion." It hadn't been directed at her.

Daphne looked forward just in time to see the air shimmer once again and, almost like a falling curtain, two people were revealed, starting with their heads.

Belying his young age, Penrod Strauss was an imposing sight. Taller than Potter, holding himself with the same air of danger Daphne was used to by being around him, his dark eyes were narrowed and his lips pursed as he stared them down. His short wand, while not yet aimed at them, was firmly held in his left hand.

To his right was another person, much shorter, and perhaps a couple years younger. Long, silky black hair, narrowed blue eyes, she'd probably be considered pretty if she didn't look ready to murder someone. Them.

Strauss' friend and companion, maybe girlfriend? Daphne hadn't cared to learn the girl's name.

"Turn back," she heard Strauss' strong voice command.

"We just want to talk," she heard Potter's reply from her left.

"We have nothing to say to you," the girl said, voice surprisingly even. "We know you've been hunting us since Berlin."

"Hunting?" Potter asked. "No, we were looking for you."

"Same difference," Penrod said. "I am not afraid of you, Mister Potter. If you have come for my life, I will fight for it."

Daphne almost snickered in sudden amusement. She'd often heard people threaten Potter, but never quite with this respect and reverence laced into his name. This would make decent joking fodder for the future.

Her thoughts returned to the situation at hand as Strauss' friend moved, her arm raising ever so slightly. Narrowing her eyes, Daphne raised her wand faster.

"Do not make any sudden moves, girl," she commanded, and her target froze. In response, Strauss raised his own wand.

"Woah, everybody calm down," she heard Potter say, and from the corner of her eyes saw him extend his hands, palms up, in a show of non-aggression. "Daphne, love, lower your wand. No one is fighting anyone here."

She did not, keeping her steady gaze at the snake next to Strauss. The girl was glaring back at her with the same intensity.

"Daphne," she heard his voice again, and this time it was different. More … tight. "Lower your wand." He hadn't shouted, but the commanding tone was undeniable. With a scoff she obeyed, though she didn't take her eyes off of the girl.

"Good," she heard Potter say, his usual jovial tone returning. "Now, this is what we're going to do. You and I are going to talk-"

"I refuse."

"Listen to me," Potter continued with an air of irritation. "I'm going to leave my wand here with Daphne, and the two of us will talk. Is that fine?"

She whipped her head over to Potter, abandoning her vigil over the younger woman. "Are you insane?" she hissed at him.

He threw her a look, part glare, part warning, and ignored her beyond offering her his wand, which she took after a second's hesitation. Potter took a few steps forward, arms open at his sides.

"See?" he said. "I just want to talk. Okay?"

Strauss looked uncertain for a few seconds, but then he straightened, lowering his wand and nodding to Potter.

"Come, there is a lot I must explain to you. If you'd excuse us, ladies."

Strauss' friend turned her glare to Potter. Daphne instantly wanted to curse her.

"I'm not leaving him alone with you," the girl said. "This has to be a trick." This time, it was Strauss himself who talked to her.

"Kera, it will be fine. He is unarmed."

"You really believe that?"

Strauss frowned at her, before shaking his head once. "I will talk with Mister Potter, Kera. He is an honorable man. He deserves that much. Don't do anything until we're done."

With that, the two males converged and headed deeper into the warehouse. No doubt Potter was looking for a slightly more comfortable place in which to work his metaphorical magic on the boy. She trusted in his ability to get people to agree with him, but this wasn't something she could leave to chance.

"Girl," she said, drawing the younger woman's attention away from the retreating backs of their partners. "Come here."

The girl threw her a look of suspicion. Collected, but clearly disdainful. Impressive, for one so young.

"What do you want?"

"We need to talk. Now come."

Though clearly reluctant, the girl - Kera - came closer nonetheless. She crossed her arms, her wand was still held tightly. Foolish little thing, she wouldn't have enough time to untangle her arms if the situation arose that she'd have to use it.

"I dislike mincing words," Daphne said. "So I will say it straight. You are going to give us the shard."

The girl's eyes narrowed. "Are we now?"

She nodded. "Oh, yes. One way or another. There is no need for such dramatics."

"I won't allow that. The shard is the only thing keeping Penrod alive, I won't let you have it. I won't!"

Ah, love. The selfish kind, too. Daphne knew it well.

"He will be fine for the few days it will take us to break the curse with the shard. After that, it will be returned."

"And what if it doesn't work?" Kera challenged. "What if it takes longer than you expected, or if the shard gets broken or lost, or the curse lingers on it after the ritual?"

Daphne tilted her head slightly to the right. "Then dearest Penrod will die."

The girl's teeth ground together as her jaw set in an expression of anger. Despite the faint wetness of her eyes, Daphne saw steel in there.

"Unacceptable."

"Many people will die because of the curse created by the shard's residual magic. Some of them are your acquaintances, if I'm not mistaken. Though you weren't the owners at the time, you are still the only way to save them."

Her eyes were hard, and she said nothing.

"You do not care, do you?" Daphne asked, strangely fascinated. "Dozens could potentially perish, but it is fine with you as long as your beloved survives." She found herself smiling. Good girl.

"Do not lecture me as if you care about their lives," Kera bit back. "I can tell that you don't. Why are you doing this?"

Daphne's gaze wandered to the other side of the warehouse. Outside the open doors, she could see Harry and Penrod having a hushed, though animated, conversation under a tree.

"Same reason as you."

There was silence for a second or two, the girl too shocked to properly respond, but she recovered quickly.

"Then-... then you understand. You understand why I can't let you have the shard, don't you?"

Was that a shred of pleading in her tone? Amusing.

"Which brings me back to my original point. We will get the shard one way or another. It is better for you to just hand it over without a fuss."

"Pen is strong," Kera said, confidence back in her expression. "If you attack us, we can win."

Daphne raised an eyebrow. "That, there," she said, pointing, "is Harry Potter. You are aware, are you not?"

"Pen is strong," the girl was quick to repeat. "He can win."

Daphne didn't miss the waver in her tone. "Are you willing to risk that?"

For a few seconds, the girl was terribly silent. Daphne bid her time, feeling quite comfortable. She could understand this girl. Relate to her, even. But Kera was several years too young and inexperienced to refuse her anything.

"E-even if you beat us," she eventually said, "we weren't stupid enough to carry the shard with us. This will have been for nothing."

"Again, this is why I said that it is better for everyone if you just hand it over."

"And you expect me to just trust you and hope it all goes well?"

"In essence, yes. Though if it makes you feel any better, you do not have to trust me. Just trust him."

The girl looked shaken, but still not quite broken. Daphne leaned in slightly, getting into her personal space as her edge in height made her loom slightly over the younger woman.

"You do not seem to understand," Daphne said, voice barely above a whisper. "For some moronic reason, Potter assumed responsibility for the lives of those people. If you refuse to give us the shard and the peasants die, it will crush him. Seeing as I live with him, a situation like that is … unacceptable."

Daphne's hand snaked up, finding its way to Kera's cheek, caressing it gently. She froze at the falsely familiar contact. Poor thing.

"Do you get it now? You cannot hide from me. It will be better for you, and especially dearest Penrod, if you cooperate. At least this way, you have a best case scenario. Am I making myself clear?"

Had she been too hard on her? The girl was putting on a good act of staying stoic but to Daphne's expert eyes, she could see it fall apart at the seams; from the increased wetness on her lashes, to the barest tremble of her lip, to the way her grip on her arm and wand tightened.

In truth, she didn't blame her. She'd have probably done the same thing if she were in her position and age. But she wasn't. And here they both were.

She noticed Harry and Strauss had seemingly ended their conversation and were coming back towards them.

She leaned in further and her hand on Kera's cheek moved, gently wrapping it around her shoulder as her mouth came to rest next to Kera's ear.

"Now, you are going to compose yourself and convince Penrod to give us the shard."

She pulled back, putting her other hand on Kera's free shoulder, giving her a smile that must have looked very friendly to the approaching men.

"And as we leave, you're going to see us off and wish we succeed, and you're going to mean it."

The girl could only nod, and then they weren't alone anymore.

"Everything alright here?" Potter asked as he and the young dueling prodigy came to a stop in front of them. Daphne gave him an innocent smile.

"Of course."

Potter's expression grew alarmed and he opened his mouth to speak, but Strauss beat him to it.

"Kera," he said, voice much gentler than it had been earlier. "I spoke with Mister Potter. He explained the situation. They weren't trying to rob us, or kill me. People are in danger. We … I, have to help them. I can't just stand by when I'm the only one who can-, Kera?" The girl's head was bowed and, tall as he was, he couldn't look at her face, so he reached with his hand, gently taking her under the jaw and coaxing her head higher.

The girl was crying. How … sad.

Strauss' face looked pained. "Listen, I want to do it. Please, Kera, don't fight me on this."

The girl's crying eyes flit towards Daphne, who didn't react in any way. Kera's right hand came up and she wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.

"No, I-" she paused to clear her throat. "I agree. There's no other way."

The young man looked shocked at that. "You agree? Truly?"

The girl gave a nod. "There's no other way," she repeated, and her voice sounded haunted to Daphne's ears.

~D~

Several minutes, an address and a few promises later, she and Potter were leaving the warehouse, heading further away in order to Disapparate.

"See?" Potter exclaimed from her side. "I told you it'd work out. I knew Penrod was a good man."

"Yes, Harry," she agreed with a nod. "You did a great job convincing him."

His elation curbed for a second, Potter turned frowning eyes at her. "What was that back there, by the way? Don't think I missed it. What did you do to that girl?"

Daphne's expression didn't change as she took her lover's hand, preparing for the uncomfortable feeling of Apparition.

"I just explained to her how the world works. One day, she will thank me."

~D~