Settling & Getting To Know Daphne

"Are you a Parselmouth?"

Dave looked at Daphne who was staring at him wide eyed and slowly shook his head. He'd introduced her quickly to the others and dismissed them. Dorothy said she'd go make a room ready for their 'guest'. "Not exactly. In my family we have a similar gift with all animals. But it's not some 'secret' languages... it's a gift or ability of understanding and comprehension. They used to call it "the whispering" in the old days. It seems to have grown from an empathic ability. Oddly it doesn't work with some other types of creatures that have animalistc traits and rudimentary 'languages'." he stroked the snake and stood underneath a tree. "This one?"

The snake nodded and Dave smiled nodding too. "Very well. Enjoy." He extended his arm towards it's branches and the large green snake hissed and slowly climbed up his arm and then out and up into the tree disappearing into the foliage. "Word of warning if you leave don't get caught. You're not technically native to this world. If you want to stay in this world legally I'll have to register you. You let me know what you want my friend and we'll figure it out."

He turned to Daphne. "Which is my first bit of advice to you, Daphne. Don't use summoning conjurations lightly. You'll unintentionally make trouble. For yourself and for others."

"I don't recall giving you permission to address me familiarly- ah... achoo!" Daphne sneezed.

Dave smiled. "Oh Lady Fingers?"

Lady Fingers appeared out of a knothole of the tree and pulled out a handkerchief. She waved it gently. Dave smiled taking it and handing it to Daphne. "Wonderful. Thank you, Lady Fingers. Such a dear."

Daphne's eyes bugged out. "What the...?" But she did take the handkercheif and wipe at her nose. "Thank you."

Dave smiled. It seemed she was at least a well mannered person. There wasn't a lot of information on "Daphne Greengrass". She was a minor tertiary character with few mentions in Potter lore despite being a classmate of Harry and Company. Dave wasn't surprised. The original work was about 95% written from Harry's perspective. He met a few Harry Potters. Some of them were real pieces of work. Especially when young. They had bad habits of not looking at the whole of a picture. Sometimes ignoring or blocking out the view of it entirely if it didn't neatly fit their personal views on somebody or something. Sadly this also meant that many background, tertiary and even secondary characters didn't get a lot of focus. Or they'd be written into his story and out again so quickly you'd almost forget their existence. But it made meeting a lot of them quite interesting!

Most Harry's were alright as adults though. He finally matured somewhat and grew up a bit. In the end Harry was a good character that way. Believable. Flawed. Real. Sadly most people didn't like Adult Harry as much. Maybe he just wasn't "Cute" anymore. They prefered the plucky young hero. There was no accounting for taste... including his own. Dave found the trio far more interesting as adults.

Daphne Greengrass was a fine example of that. She was a Slytherin girl of their year. She was interestingly not among the Slytherin bullies. She was possibly studious and fairly smart or gifted though as apparently her grades seem to indicate she was just a bit below Hermione academically. She had a younger sister, Astoria, by two years who was also a Slytherin and eventually married Draco, bore him a son and then died.

The Greengrass family themselves were among the "sacred twenty-eight", the twenty-eight British families that were still "truly pure-blood" by the 1930s. They usually attended Slytherin. They had Ties to the Malfoy's, Black's, LeStrange's, Tonk's and Lupin's. Unusually for pure bloods who had a tendency towards darkness however was they didn't support the so called "Dark Lords" that would arise... or those who opposed them either. Seems they quite preferred to do their own thing.

Unfortunately it wasn't a lot of information. Background tertiary and secondary characters were like that. They could be wildly different from one to the next. There were strong tendencies though showed for likely traits.

Apparently Astoria was not a pure blood bigot, one of the things that drew Draco to her sister after his change of heart, though her parents still believed in such things. Owners of Daphne's had reported that a large majority of them shared this thinking with her sister. A slight majority of them did infact turn out to be green-eyed blondes but there were many in a variety of different appearances. She was usually a bit on the "proper" or "well mannered/brought up" side, likely from being from an old family. Owners noted a tendancy for them to have a slight rivalry with Hermione academically and those that did report this, the majority of those did not like being thought of as just the 'Slytherin Hermione". The author had originally intended to name her "Queenie" even into late drafts and possibly had planned a slightly larger role but that ultimately didn't happen and Queenie was used for another different character. Owners have reported a few of their Daphne's had or once had a nickname of "Queenie". Only a small minority of them had the "blood curse" that her sister did as there's no mention of something that significant in the lore for even a minor character. He'd have to get her checked, and perhaps RealDreams already did so, but the odds were quite low.

Everything else was more or less up to chance. That's just how it was with minor characters. Pepper had sumed up her scant info in barely a page and a few owners poll charts. If he kept her he'd probably join to contribute his findings.

Owning secondary and tertiary characters was fun like that. The "known facts" aside they could be anything. They were never as "popular" as the mains for obvious reasons but there were individuals and interest groups who loved and were dedicated to owning and "researching" them. Some exclusively.

Dave grinned. Time to start learning about her and that was as good a place as any to start. "I take it you were asleep when they put you two together. You arrived here together. Daphne Greengrass this is Lady Fingers. She's our new handmaid. Lady Fingers say hello to Daphne won't you?"

Lady Fingers gave Daphne a friendly little wave.

Daphne blinked. "Ah, I... I see." She cleared her throat and waved. "A pleasure to meet you, Lady Fingers. Thank you for the handkerchief."

Lady Fingers gestured that she was very welcome.

Dave smiled. "Thank you, Lady Fingers. That will be all, dear. Let's see if your rooms ready." He started walking with her as Lady Fingers disappeared back in the hole. So this Daphne had some manners and she handled that well. Probably helped that her world was a magical one and full of strange things. "As for adressing you familiarly that point seems moot. I may be treating you as a guest for awhile but I'm still in fact your owner. I could call you anything as is my right. But courtesy dictates that I recieve you politely, courteously and if possible warmly and honestly I prefer it that way. Sycophants don't interest me. Courtesy and manners however I appreciate very much. Yours are quite good, Daphne. My compliments."

Daphne blinked but recovered smiling. "Thank you. I was simply raised this way. Greengrass is an old and proud family. Perhaps stubbornly so."

Dave laughed. "Ah, forgive me... as much as I appreciate your manners I like your candor and speaking your mind as well! My family is similar. Old and stubbornly proud and full of it's share of ghosts... though they insist on manners they aren't as big on formalities. Like to get them done with properly and then dispense with them entirely if you understand my meaning?" He winked.

Daphne actually laughed just a bit. "I see! Is that how it is? Then shall we be somewhat less formal?"

Dave smiled but simply shrugged. "As you like. That would be my preference but I really don't mind either way. You decide. You're the 'guest' and I'd like you to be comfortable."

She smirked. "At least for a little while, eh? Well it's your home so let's agree to that. Act as however makes us comfortably."

Dave nodded. "Done!" He held out his hand. "Pax?"

Daphne blinked and then laughed once more quickly before taking his hand and shaking it once. "Pax. So... you're one of those American wizards?"

Dave shook his head. "Half right. I'm not the ones your thinking of. The world, or this one rather, is finally unified globally as Prime now. Think of this as a wholly different but slightly similar world. My father is a wizard... and I suppose my mother is a witch of sorts but her magical powers are a bit different. As for myself I too have some skill in that area. Even attended Hogwarts as an exchage student briefly so I have some knowledge of your world and you. I'm afraid I didn't know you that well or at least not this you."

She blinked. "What? How? I'm not aware of any exchange programs at Hogwarts."

Dave laughed. "Likely not. A different Hogwarts most likely!"

"There are other Hogwarts Schools?!" She asked.

Dave nodded. "There are potentially a nearly limitless number of them. I attend one briefly under special circumstances. I even got sorted and everything."

"Really? What house?" She asked excitedly.

Dave smirked and pointedly looked at her robes. "Can't you guess?"

"A Slytherin," she stated smiling that they had something in common.

Dave nodded. "It was difficult. The damn hat. Just started mumbling on and on about traits and apptitude and potential. Honestly I got embaressed sitting there and finally snapped at it to "get on with it, already and put me where I'll become stronger". "Slytherin" it decided and that was that. Pretty embaressing. But Slytherin was all right and a pretty good fit. I am ambitious in my way. All the houses are good honestly. It's a bit sad that they get so competive and divided. Slytherin is full of ambitiously driven people. That can be an admirable quality. I had ambitions to gain my power, be able to do things my way, differently from others or even my family. To seek out and walk my own path with knowledge enough to do it well. Those are traits all the houses exemplify. Looking back it's obvious why the hat had a bit of a hard time but the answer was clearly Slytherin. Might not have been the best fit looking back... but it was were I belonged and needed to be... for a time anyway..."

She raised an eyebrow. "You were expelled weren't you?"

Dave smiled. "Actually ... I wasn't. One of the few schools I didn't get expelled from... but it was close. Many times infact. Too many nights after curfew in the restricted section and fighting as well as a few misadventures. I didn't "get along" well with certain others and I had a "disregard for the rules"... but I had that problem everywhere I went. Thankfully I grew up a bit! I eventually went back and resat my final year under McGonagall and graduated that year with Hermione Granger and a few others who couldn't attend the year that Voldemort was in power. I take it you did?"

Daphne nodded. "The last thing I remember was the end of term feast and retiring to the Slytherin dormitories in the dungeons. We boarded the Hogwarts Express in the morning and then... I was here."

Dave nodded. That must have been when they collected her. That was a popular one. RealDreams probably just emptied the train or more likely took the train altogether. All their eggs in one nice little basket. "Ah, it looks like this room will be yours. Oh good. Dorothy already provided the literature. Wonderful."

Daphne looked about the room it was a goodly size and quite spacious though the furnishings and adornments were a bit sparse. Her things, minus her wand, and some literature were laid on top of the dresser. Dave nodded looking around too. "Apologies. We only recently moved in and haven't gotten around to the little decorative touches just yet. I have some old school Slytherin stuff though if you'd like to decorate it up a tad to something you'd like to look at. If we decide for you to stay "longterm" you may freely decorate as you like." He picked up the pamphlets and booklets. "Most of your questions you have can be answered in here including probably a few you haven't thought of yet being so new. Pepper and the others can assist you with further knowledge and questions and of course I'd be happy to as well. Will these accommodations suffice, Daphne?"

Daphne nodded. "It is a bit plain as you said but if you've only recently moved in that's to be expected. They're actually furnished well. I'll manage I'm sure... I... do have a question."

Dave nodded. "Go on?"

Daphne nodded. "My wand and my magic?"

Dave nodded. "That's a big ask. No, no," he held up his hand to forestall further comments smiling. "I like the boldness of it. Same as before." He raised his eyebrow. "Ill consider it. What concessions and considerations are you willing to give me in exchage?"

Daphne smiled. She was expecting this now. "I'll "play nicely" with the others? You seem to think well of them."

Dave smiled. "Is that so?" And when she smiled and nodded he leaned down to look her in the eyes. "No. You'll "play nicely" like any good guest or the deals off and I'll snap your little wand. Do not ever presume to threaten or harm my house MISS Greengrass. That would be very uncivil and be ill mannered and ill advised as well and that would... disappoint me... greatly..." then he stood back up and smiled as if they were talking about the weather, "and make me quite wroth and earn my ire. I would suggest thinking of something else to offer or picking a different "target" or "weakness" to threaten or attack. That gambit's far to costly for someone in your position, my dear."

She swallowed. He'd suddenly reminded her of Snape. He was clever. He was waiting for her to try testing the line in their agreement and like a serpent he hadn't hesitated to rear up prepared to strike when she threatened to do so. His position was the stronger. If she made that particular chess move the game would be over... but this wasn't chess.

It was cards and he had called her bluff. He held all the cards. She nodded and folded. "I shall think of something to offer in exchange."

"Good," he smiled. "Let me know when you have. As you know I can be quite reasonable."

She nodded and smiled. She heard the unspoken threat and understood... and agreed. She definitely didn't want to deal with him when he was feeling "unreasonable"... not unless she could find some other weakness first. "Quite reasonable." She looked at her small selection of meager possessions. "I'll "unpack" and be down shortly."

Dave nodded and accepted the obvious fiction that putting her things away might take more than a few minutes. "I'll leave you to it, Daphne. Don't rush."

Daphne sighed after he left. She started putting her things away. It looks like the others had left her a few clothes of their own to borrow if need be. A swimsuit. A pair of sweats. A little note saying they'd get her something else if they didn't fit. "That was... thoughtful."

She put the clothes away then started skimming through the pamphlets and books. "Let's see here... "A Characters Primer to Prime", "Settling in to Your New Home" and "Characters and the Law"... wait? What is this about "characters"?" She opens the one on the top. "So you're new to Prime? Here's what you need to know. You are a fictional character from another world. Take a moment to let that sink in... what the bloody hell!?"

[David Stark Pepper Tinker Bell Harley Quinn Melfina VSD02C Princess Hilda R. Dorothy Wayneright Lady Fingers and Daphne Greengrass

Will Return In

Relaxing Poolside

Coming Soon]