Fate's Request: A Harry Potter FanFiction

The Defence lesson with Professor Lupin where the students were tasked with tackling a Boggart was an excellent experiment for David, for he could test his Occlumency shields against a creature that used Legilimency to determine what its attacker feared most.

Having no idea what his classmates feared the most, David watched on curiously as a mix of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws all started the task of tackling the Boggart.

"Remember, the spell is Ridd.i.c.kulus!" Professor Lupin expressed as he moved to the side to allow Susan Bones to step up first.

Her greatest fear created quite a sombre mood for everyone involved, as it showed a dead Hannah Abbot, her best friend soon switched to a dead Emilia Bones, her aunt and guardian.

Luckily, the niece of the head of Magical Law Enforcement was made of sterner stuff and managed to cast the Ridd.i.c.kulus spell, getting a chorus of nervous laughter from the gathered students.

Next up was Anthony Goldstein, who's greatest fear was being stomped on by a giant… Something that caused the class to roar in laughter as they saw the Boggart giant's head collide with the stone ceiling. Using the already present laughter of his peers, Anthony dispatched his Boggart by transforming it into a minute version and following his example, many more students stepped froth and repeated the feat.

Soon, David was facing the Boggart and was watched intently by three pair of eyes. The first two were his close and growing closer friends, Sue Li and Padma Patil who wanted to see what David, which nothing seemed to faze, fear the most.

The other was Remus Lupin, who had no ill will against the boy, but the headmaster had requested his opinion on the child following the investigation into the mirror he'd enchanted. Currently, his opinion was that he was the most gifted student he'd ever taught in his short time as a Hogwarts Professor, and also knew that David would run rings around any of the students from his own time in Hogwarts.

Having no idea that a few people were watching him intently, David brought up his Occlumency shields and created a false fear for the Boggart to transform into.

He'd chosen the fear of the vast emptiness that the ocean held, more commonly known by muggles as Thalassophobia.

The Boggart immediately engulfed the entire room in an illusion of being submerged deep, deep below the surface of the ocean, with no end in sight.

This scene shocked quite a few of the students gathered here today, as only Anthony's giant was something of this scale, but even that was minuscule to the feeling David's 'fear' brought.

Unfazed, David drew his wand and muttered, "Ridd.i.c.kulus," turning the vast ocean into a small puddle, that was soon run over by a bicycle, that ringed it's bell a few times as it did so.

The class cheered for David following his successful casting of the spell, just like they did with the others, and the next student was soon tackling the Boggart.

Glad that his shields held up for their first real test, David moved to the back of the class and cheered on the remaining students as they tackled the Boggart one after another.

---

The night following the lesson with Professor Lupin, David returned to the Room of Requirement, to remove the Horcrux from its containment.

It wasn't easy to do, but he felt a little comforted knowing that Professor Lupin would probably lose his job regardless, two years of one of the Marauders at Hogwarts was far too much for Severus Snape and a free Sirius Black would most certainly push him over the edge, jinx or no jinx.

Looking at the containment device that now had a grey hue, David requested the Room to turn into an empty, extremely spell resistant chamber where he could destroy the tainted object.

Considering this a perfect chance to use a particularly nasty and dangerous spell, David took a deep breath and said out loud, paying attention to the proper pronunciation, "Ignis Diabolica."

Emerging from his wand was a great fiery Dragon, which soon engulfed the containment device, reducing it to ashes and soon removing even the ashes from existence.

FiendFyre was an extremely dangerous curse, something that would be suicide for any one of David's age attempting it. But the training he'd had with Tempestas helped his magical control immensely and neared the level of difficulty the cursed fire presented.

Seeing as his fiery dragon was attempting to free itself from his command, David ended the spell with difficulty.

Overcome from mental and physical exhaustion, David smiled as he sank to the floor, for he'd found himself a new goal, mastering FiendFyre.

---

"Severus, may I come in?" Poppy asked of the Potions Master.

Nodding, he asked, "Come in Poppy, how can I help you?" while grading student essays with a scowl.

"I've come to regarding the health of one of the students in your House," Poppy explained, taking a seat before him.

Sighing, Severus asked, scowling even more than before, "Don't tell me Ismelda is pregnant again…"

Letting out a snort at the mention of the promiscuous seventh-year, "No Severus, this isn't about Ismelda… this is regarding a newer member, Astoria Greengrass."

"Ah… Astoria. You've noticed something I assume?" Severus asked, knowing that the girl had started performing poorly in potions recently.

"As you know, she is afflicted with Malediction, her parent's wrote telling me you also knew?" seeing Severus nod at that, she continued, "Her health has been waning, I see her and David every week, at different times and she's doing… well, she's doing horribly. I wanted to ask you if you've noticed anything before getting her parent's involved."

"Yes… I've received notes from the other Professors that her grades are dropping, rapidly. She's also performing quite poorly in Potions," Severus explained.

"I see…" Poppy replied, confirming her belief that this may not simply be her Malediction flaring, and killing the child much sooner than earlier diagnosed. In fact, she had a much longer life expectancy than David, if she didn't exert herself mentally or physically, information her parent's provided regarding their families specific type of Malediction.

Severus, groaning inside, as he couldn't believe he was going to say this, cleared his throat and said, "Maybe… maybe, if you had Mr Cross speak to her, he does seem to be handling his illness far better than Miss Greengrass. If you could believe it, his grades, somehow, are… getting better…"

Sitting quietly for a moment, Poppy nodded and replied, "Yes… I think I'll ask David to speak with her, it may help. Better than having her parent's drag her out of Hogwarts."

"Yes, well if you would please excuse me, Poppy, I have more essays to fail," he said, slapping a 'Troll' onto Neville Longbottom's recent essay and groaning as pulled the next essay from the pile, Ronald Weasley. This one would prove to be somehow, worse.

Shaking her had at Severus Snape's antics, Poppy silently let the Potions Master to his misery.

---

"Astoria, please speak to me," Daphne begged of her younger sister, in a rare showing of emotion.

"There's nothing to talk about Daphne… you all lied to me. I'm dying… and you lied about it for years…" Astoria replied sullenly as the two sisters made their way to the Infirmary.

"Asty, I'm sorry… we thought it was best," Daphne begged, trying to explain while using Astoria's old pet name.

"Just… Just shut up. If you can't do that, I don't want you coming with me to Madam Pomfrey anymore," Astoria expressed with venom in her voice.

"You don't mean that!" Daphne pleaded, shocked that her sister didn't want her around.

"I said. Shut. Up," Astoria growled, growing angrier the more Daphne opened her mouth.

Deciding that now was not the time to talk sense into her sister, Daphne put her usual expressionless face back on and walked silently beside her ill sister.

---

"David, I have a request of you," Poppy suddenly said as David downed the last of his potions.

"Anything for you Poppy," David replied immediately.

Smiling, she explained her dilemma, "I'm sure you've read about the Greengrass' from the books I've given you, correct?"

Seeing David nod, she continued, "Well, the youngest of the Greengrass children, Astoria Greengrass… the Malediction cast on her family has had a resurgence, in her… her family didn't explain to her the truth of the Malediction, and she isn't taking it well. Her Malediction differs from yours, her survival is very contingent on her mental wellbeing, along with other factors, which we don't need to discuss."

"Poppy… just tell me what you need me to do," David requested, as Poppy was taking awhile with her explanation.

"Right, apologies David. I'm wondering if you would be willing to speak to Miss Greengrass… about your own Malediction and maybe help her? She's at risk of being pulled out quite soon David, it would be a tremendous shame if it came to that," Poppy explained.

"Yeah… yeah, I can do that for you Poppy. It would be my p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. When did you want me to speak to her?" David asked.

"She's coming here soon for her potions, I'll speak to her alone and set up a time for the two of you to meet. If you could see me at lunch David, I'll tell you what's been decided," Poppy answered.

---

"Miss Greengrass, if you could give your younger sister and I some privacy?" Poppy requested as Astoria was finishing up her potions without any enthusiasm.

"I… S-sure, I'll be just outside Astoria," Daphne replied, a little stumped as to why Madam Pomfrey wanted to talk to her sister alone.

Casting a privacy charm, as this conversation would be regarding David's privacy as well, Poppy began to talk, "You haven't been having a good time of this, have you?"

Shaking her head, Astoria replied, "No… I haven't."

"I understand… and I won't comment on the decision your family had taken regarding telling you the truth. I am sorry it wasn't them that told you."

Astoria just nodded in response, not wanting to say anything.

Sighing internally, Poppy started to explain to her about David, "There is another student here at Hogwarts, that is going through some of the same things as you, dear."

"Like their parents and sister lying to them? I'm sure there are just loads of students like that Madam Pomfrey," Astoria replied, scoffing.

"Well, yes. But no, I was speaking of your Malediction. There is another student that is afflicted, and I was wondering if you would like to meet and speak to them?" Poppy answered, not giving away the gender of the other student just yet.

"Wait… you're saying there's someone else like me? With Malediction? How long do they have? Yes! I want to meet them! What year are they in?" Astoria rambled following the information Poppy had given her.

"Well… it seems you're quite eager," Poppy said with a bemused smile.

"S-sorry, Madam Pomfrey… It's just…" Astoria mumbled.

"I understand dear… seeing as you are so eager if you come here directly for lunch, you can probably meet the student today. Would you like that?" she asked.

"Yes! Yes, I would… would they be okay with that?" Astoria asked nervously, finally showing some more emotion.

"Yes, he would be okay with it," Poppy answered with a smile.

"He? I wonder who it is…" Astoria said out loud to herself.

"Yes well, you'd better get a move on for breakfast. Remember, right as lunch begins," Poppy said dismissing her.

Nodding, Astoria ran out the doors of the infirmary.

"What did you and Madam Pomfrey talk about?" Daphne asked her sister as she followed behind a more energetic Astoria.

"None of your business," Astoria said with a glare directed at Daphne, wanting to give her sister a taste of her own medicine.

Sighing, Daphne followed quietly, subdued for now.

---

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, I have a note here for a David Cross," a seventh-year prefect said, interrupting David's charms class.

"Oh! I see, David, let yourself be known. Back to your spells everyone!" Flitwick squeaked.

"Thanks," David said to the prefect, as they handed him a note.

Quickly reading it, David stuffed it into his pocket and continued helping Sue with her warming charm.

At the end of the lesson, as David was quickly gathering his books and quill, Sue asked, "Everything okay David?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. Yes, everything's fine, just need to rush a bit to see Madam Pomfrey, going to have to skip lunch. See you in the common room later?"

"Yeah, see you then David."

---

"Ah, you got my letter, excellent. Make yourself comfortable David, Miss Greengrass should be arriving momentarily. She was quite excited to meet you," Poppy explained to David, guiding him towards her office, which had a table full of food for lunch, presumably for David and Astoria.

Soon enough, David heard a voice from outside Poppy's office and was a little nervous as meeting someone else with Malediction.

"Miss Greengrass, this is David Cross," Poppy explained, guiding her in her office with a hand on her back.

"Uhh, Hi David. I'm Astoria," she rattled off quickly, her nerves showing.

"Hey, nice to meet you," David replied, offering a hand for a handshake.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it. I'll be in the staff room, so you two can have some privacy," Poppy explained as she closed the door to her office behind them and made her way out of the infirmary.

---

"So… Poppy tells me we've got something in common," David said following a brief silence.

"Poppy?" Astoria asked, confused.

"Ah, it's her first name. We kind of agreed to call each other by our first-names as we meet so often," David explained.

"Oh…" was Astoria said in reply.

"How did you take the news?" David asked her, not really knowing what to say.

"News?" Astoria asked, taking a sip of tea.

"You know, that you're dying. Slowly," David said with a teasing tone.

Snorting, she replied, "Not well… they lied to me, you see. They told me as long as I don't exert myself, my sickness won't bother me… Madam Pomfrey was the one who told me, Daphne tried to stop her…"

"It f.u.c.k.i.n.g sucks doesn't it?" David grinned, shocking the proper pure-blood lady with his language.

A little nervous, she nodded and said, "Yeah… it does 'f.u.c.k.i.n.g' suck," while looking around to see if anyone caught her cursing.

Unknown to both of them, Daphne was listening in to their conversation from the door. As she had followed her sister closely due to her unusual behaviour after meeting Madam Pomfrey.

At first, she didn't believe that David, a muggle-born had Malediction, but as he and her sister chatted and bonded over their illness the realisation of the name 'Cross' hit her.

~Oh Merlin… He's not a muggle-born, he's a Cross! From the Ancient and Noble House of Cross! I… I need to tell father…~