Harry Potter and the Fortunate Queen-Chapter 472: Vampire Affairs

"He was asking just you," Daphne's voice came.

"What?" Chris turned to see Daphne standing beside her with two glasses of wine.

"He was asking you to visit the Temple with him. He wasn't asking all of your friends," Daphne explained as she handed a glass of wine to Chris. "He likes you."

Daphne wasn't asking, she was confidently telling Chris what she thought, and Chris knew she was right. But still, Chris felt mortified hearing Daphne say that out loud. Luckily, that very moment, Oziyat sat on the throne, and another horn rang through the castle, and people clapped.

"Daphne!" Chris pulled Daphne aside. "You can't just say stuff like that."

"Am I wrong?" Daphne said, taking a sip of her wine, looking unbothered.

"That's not the point," Chris sighed.

"I just don't understand," Daphne said, looking over as Rosaline lifted the golden crown over Oziyat's head and gently placed it on.

"You don't understand – what?"

"Why would you refuse this? You know everyone here by name, even the guards and some of the people. They already love you. They not only respect you, but you are basically a hero to them, which means no one really would have any objections if you became their Queen, despite being a squib and judging by the small interaction you had with the now King, his feelings are very clear," Daphne shrugged. "So yeah, I don't understand why you would refuse to be the Vampire Queen?"

Chris didn't answer immediately, she watched as Rosaline brought out a sword and tapped it on Oziyat's shoulders before gracefully handing it to him. With a completely serious expression, Oziyat took the sword from his sister and raised it above his head, and a deafening cheer broke out. Chris thought about Daphne's words before speaking,

"I never thought about it like this," Chris spoke quietly but honestly. "I never saw Oziyat's feelings as a way of me getting the throne. More importantly, he was never an option, Daphne. He was a friend to me, a very good, helpful friend, but a friend, regardless. I know he cares about me, and I care about him, but not like that. Because when you fall in love, you are madly in love with someone, nobody else reaches that level in your heart because it's already occupied."

Chris stopped talking as she realised the hall had gone quiet for the new King to say something.

"I am honoured to be chosen as the new King of Titian, and I swear to uphold the honour of the Dragozera bloodline," Oziyat looked around at his people. "My only purpose would be the betterment of our people, and I dedicate myself to the crown."

Another round of applause broke out as Oziyat paused for a moment to look around before continuing,

"Today, we step into an entirely new era for Vampires, the very era our beloved Queen Wilma dreamed of having. The era where vampires don't confine themselves to just their territories but also embrace the outside world. The era of Vampires and Wizards working together in harmony."

Following Oziyat's words, a tense murmur broke out, but Rozaline quickly shut that down.

"The new King is still speaking," Rosaline called out calmly, but everyone stopped talking immediately.

"I know the trust Queen Wilma had built was broken by a Wizard, a thief named Maligno," Oziyat spoke up with confidence. "But we have defeated him and restored our most prized possession, and we could only do that because of Lady Christina Norton and her fellow wizards and witches."

Oziyat gestured around, and the vampires looked at Chris and her friends, who were scattered around the throne room. The guests clapped for them. Chris was embarrassed, but she smiled. She looked at Oziyat, who gave her a smile and a nod. Oziyat then picked up a goblet full of wine.

"To the new era of Vampires!" Oziyat toasted, and everyone raised their glasses.

Chris watched the coronation ceremony getting wrapped up, and when she looked on the other side, she saw Harry smiling and talking to Luna. He suddenly looked up and met Chris's eyes, giving a smile before going back to the conversation.

"You know, I never understood that, too. Why Harry Potter?" Daphne looked at Chris skeptically. "I guess he is the chosen one and all –"

"It's not about being the chosen one, Daphne," Chris cut Daphne off and decided to be blunt. "Daphne, did you like the train journey?"

"What?" Daphne looked a bit put off by the subject change. "You are not very good at changing the subject. Anyhow, no. That journey was awful, I never had to travel so long to go anywhere. I don't know how muggles do it. No offence."

"None taken. It was a tiring journey, not to mention I was worried about how the others would react to you joining us. I was sure Ron, Hermione, or Ginny would break out in a fight with you. No offence," Chris added, smirking.

"Yeah, I deserved that," Daphne rolled her eyes with a knowing smile.

"But none of that happened, do you know why?" Chris continued. "Because of Harry. He planned the whole thing the moment I told him where we were going. He just said, 'I would take care of it.' When I was worried about you joining us and everyone not getting along, he said, 'I would take care of it.' Since I have lost my powers, whenever I have worried about something, he is always there with 'I will take care of it.' And he does everything in his power to fulfil that promise. So, Daphne, you ask why Harry, because even if the entire world goes against me, I would always find him beside me, no questions asked. And I know that because he has done that before."

Hearing Chris's words, Daphne didn't respond for a long time. She stared at where Harry stood, still talking to Luna, now Colin and Theodore had joined them. Daphne looked at Theodore before turning back to Chris.

"Then I guess I owe Potter a thank you for making sure Granger didn't hex me even though I know she wanted to," Daphne gave a half-smile. "In fact, I owe you one, too. For Theodore. Thank you for being his friend when I was busy being a jerk, and thanks to you and Harry, I get to come here. I don't know how much success I would have in curing Astoria, but even reaching here felt like an impossible thing. Also, I hope you know I wasn't intruding on your love life just to piss you off. I was . . . I am just trying to understand some things. I have never been in love, and growing up with parents like I have, you tend to judge everything by how valuable it can be to you. I am like that, and my parents love me for that. For being the exact copy of them but with Astoria's health condition, Theo's recent changes, watching you and Potter, and coming here and seeing the admiration the vampires have for you and you not being tempted by all this, made me question a lot of things."

Daphne looked lost in thought as she said those last words, so Chris just nodded. She didn't know what to say, so she decided to go with the safe choice.

"I talked to Oziyat, he thinks there might be something that could help you, but he would need time to look for it," Chris informed, and Daphne looked amazed.

"There might be something to help Astoria?" Daphne asked, surprised, but then she looked at Oziyat, who was now mingling with his guests. "I don't want to sound ungrateful, because trust me, I am very grateful, even though I don't show it. But would the now King really have time to look through all the books in their library, which I am guessing is no less vast than Hogwarts library?"

"You would be correct on that," Prince Kale said as he casually walked towards them. "Only if your Hogwarts library took an entire floor. Hi, Lady Christina."

"Hi, Prince Kale, and no, it did not," Chris answered with a smile. "Daphne, this is Prince Kale. Prince Kale, Daphne Greengrass."

Kale nodded at Daphne to say hello, but Daphne's mind was elsewhere.

"It takes up an entire floor?" Daphne's eyes widened. "Then it would take years to go through all those books. My sister is sick now, how would I –"

"I don't think it would take years if you know what you are looking for," Kale said thoughtfully.

"And how would I know that?" Daphne snapped. "I would be a witch in the Royal Library of Vampires, with very little time."

"Your friend has quite the temper, doesn't she, Lady Christina?" Kale chuckled.

"Sorry, Prince Kale, she is just upset about her sister," Chris said before glaring at Daphne.

"I'm sorry," Daphne said quickly, composing herself. "Yes, I'm worried about my sister. She is already suffering in St. Mungo's, if I don't find anything soon, she will . . . die."

"Ah, I understand. Then let's not waste more time. Let us go to the library and see how many books could be helpful to you," Kale said seriously.

"You would help us?" Chris asked, surprised. As far as Chris remembered, Kale never was a friendly person, so him coming here and talking to them was already a big thing, let alone his offer to help.

"Yeah, I guess," Kale shrugged. "Oziyat told me about your friend's situation briefly, so I thought, since he definitely would not have time now, maybe I could help. I am too bored anyway. And didn't you hear the new King's 'we should help wizards' speech?"

Chris, with a small smile, rolled her eyes at Kale.

"Thank you," Daphne said sincerely before setting down her wine glass on a table. "Let's go."

"Wait, I'll tell Harry and others that we are going to the library," Chris quickly scanned the room to see if Harry and her friends had moved away from their previous spot.

"No need, Chris," Daphne said, stopping Chris. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

"Why?"

"Because you don't need to do this. You have helped me enough," Daphne said firmly. "I can handle the rest. You go enjoy the party, that's why you are here."

"But Daphne –"

"Don't worry, Lady Christina, Lady Daphne would be safe, I would make sure of it," Kale reassured Chris, and after a moment, she nodded.

"Just Daphne is fine," Daphne said, grimacing.

"Daphne it is," Kale smiled charmingly. "This way."

As Kale led Daphne away, Chris heard them talk.

"So Daphne, tell me, aren't you afraid? I might kill you and drink your blood when we are alone. I am a vampire after all," Kale teased.

"Do all vampires have this kind of sense of humour, or are you special?" Daphne countered.

"I am special," Kale grinned.

"I can see that," Daphne rolled her eyes. "If you must know, Prince Kale, I've studied Dark Arts since I was a child, so I know four ways to paralyse and gravely injure a Vampire and two ways to kill them."

"Then I guess I will be safe with you," Kale joked, and Daphne smirked. He smiled, looking down at her. "You can call me Kale."

As they left the throne room, Chris joined her friends.

"Where were you?" Colin asked.

"Where is Daphne? I saw you two talking," Theodore asked.

"Daphne went to the library to look for the books," Chris answered.

Before anyone could ask anything else, Ginny, Hermione, Draco, and a flustered-looking Ron joined them. Ginny and Hermione looked uncomfortable as they said something to Ron, who looked dazed. Draco was following them, looking like he was trying very hard not to laugh.

"What's up with Ron?" Chris asked Harry.

"I don't know," Harry looked confused as well.

"I think I know," Theodore said, slightly turning red.

"What's going on?" Colin asked as Draco, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron reached them.

"I tell you what happened," Hermione said, looking somewhere between angry and in disbelief, before lowering her voice to a whisper. "That Princess Sylvia asked Ron to . . ."

Hermione trailed off, looking red as well.

"Asked him what?" Harry asked, looking from Hermione to Ron, who still looked like he was in heaven.

"To be – to be her consort or something," Hermione finally whispered, and Draco chuckled.

"Her what?" Harry looked confused, but Chris realised what Hermione meant, and she started laughing. Harry looked at her and then at Draco, confused. "What?"

"She asked him to be one of her many lovers, Harry," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "And that idiot was going to say yes."

"What?" Harry and Colin yelled at the same time, causing some vampire guests to look at them irritably. Harry and Colin mumbled, "Sorry."

"Ron, are you crazy?" Harry almost shook Ron. But Ron still didn't look like himself, so Harry got worried. "What's wrong with you? Did he drink the love potion again?"

"No, not really," Theodore said finally. "He looked like that – maybe because of the kiss."

"They kissed?" Ginny asked, looking disgusted.

"How do you know that?" Colin asked Theodore.

"Because I was there and well . . ." Theodore was turning redder by the second. ". . . she offered me the same. But as soon as she kissed Ron, I ran away."

"Omygod!" Hermione looked horrified for a moment before she started laughing as well.

"She offered you both?" Chris asked in between her laughs.

"Don't remind me," Theodore grimaced. "Let's just keep an eye on Ron."

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Harry said, still looking shocked.

"Well, I guess Princess Sylvia took the whole vampire-wizards-harmony thing a bit too close to the heart," Ginny joked, and Draco, Luna, Chris and Hermione burst out laughing again. Even Harry, Colin, and Theodore started grinning.

[To be continued]