Daphne Greengrass and the Importance of Intent

Definitely, Maybe: Part 1

Daphne had been working with Harry for three weeks and the initial exhilaration and excitement had well and truly worn off. The endless angry/envious/confused stares she had to endure from what seemed to be the whole of Hogwarts (including the staff!) and the seeming dead-end she had been met with after thoroughly studying Harry's connection with Voldemort had sapped her energy. She had always worked hard at her studies but this was different. This meant something. This was well and truly hard.

She and Harry had spent almost every evening together either tending to their own studies or with Harry reciting and re-reciting, in excruciating detail, everything he could remember from each time he "connected" with Voldemort. Daphne had thought about it so many times...had cross-referenced her observations against every book she could find on mind magics...and had reached a standstill. Based on everything she had found in the library what Harry was experiencing was truly unprecedented. Even venturing into the Restricted Section using the invisibility cloak came up with no answers. She had thought it through so much she was now going in circles.

Her thoughts always reverted back to three anomalies she could not explain:

In every book, she could find these sort of connections were always one way and always required a master Legilmens. She had no doubt that Voldemort was a master at the craft and if anyone could perform such an act from a significant distance it would be him. But how to explain Harry accessing Voldemort's mind? There were many things she admired about Harry but his ability to discipline his mind was not on the list. There was something beyond Legilmency and Occlumency going on.

Excluding the false images planned by Voldemort Harry's ability to access his thoughts were all rooted in powerful emotion: anger, rage, excitement. As much as the headmaster annoyed her these days she thought he might have been on the right track. Beginning with his mother's sacrifice through the battle at the Department of Mysteries Lily Potter and Harry had consistently and definitively bested Voldemort with their emotions. It was truly fascinating...her cynical, clinical mind wanted to dispute it but there was no other explanation. They seemed to defeat Voldemort by sheer force of will and Voldemort's complete dismissal of such a thing being possible. There had to be a way to harness that emotion. She didn't totally subscribe to Dumbledore's idea that Harry could love Voldemort to death but there was something there to be honed and exploited. Lily Potter had done it once. She needed to do it again.

Then there was the snake. Harry somehow accessing Voldemort's mind was inexplicable enough but somehow seeing through the snake's eyes was another level of baffling. She kept going back to her original reaction when she realized Harry could speak Parseltongue. She was positive all three shared something. She was so close...so frustratingly close to the answer.

She was broken out of her thoughts by the warming of the coin she had been twirling unconsciously in her hand. Her initial confusion turned to panic fearing the worst for Harry's safety. She quickly read the message.

Hermione has invited herself and Ron to study with us in the library so you'll have to pretend you can stand me.

She initially smiled at his joke and quickly became unsettled. This would be her first proper time around Weasley.

She had seen him evaluating her multiple times since she and Harry had started 'dating'. He hadn't seemed angry...just thoughtful. Based on her observations over the years and Hermione's scathing comments about the boy the last couple of weeks this seemed to be uncharacteristic behavior. She could have handled the 'emotions on his sleeve' Weasley she was used to seeing but this thinking, considerate Weasley unnerved her. She was pleasantly surprised so far at how well she had handled the mumbled insults levied her way. Even the ones from her own housemates hadn't fazed her. She hated to admit it but Harry's friends were different. She wanted them to like her.