"Lucius, for some of the more essential improvements, we need a quorum on the Wizengamot. We need to takeover some family votes from our exiles."

"Well, Delores, we can't use the same laws as last time, after they were repealed following my arrest. Still, the Greengrasses could do with a male heir and Susan Bones and her parents are all that's left of that House."

"Draco could have a second son for the Greengrass line. I know the Malfoys only have one child for dynastic reasons by tradition, but for a separate line…"

"Draco says he can't. Something to do with him being Rhesus Negative, whatever that means.

"I mean, Scorpius would inherit the vote, but we need it now. Giles, Emily and Daphne Greengrass are all in exile, alongside the Davises.

"A lackey in the records office has given me an assurance that he might have found something."

"Yes, Minister," an archivist had entered the room. "It seems that a number of houses are held by or only have as heirs unwed females. Daphne Greengrass is of course married to Tracey Davis and is yet to acquire an heir via muggle scientific means. If the Bulstrode and Parkinson primary heiresses had not been disowned, they would too. At least in the direct line – I believe both current patriarchs have found distant cousins to continue the name.

"Now, as Minister, this Law wouldn't need Wizengamot approval to restore. It states that every such matriarch or heiress has 30 days to enter a consummated permanent union with a male, or the then Minister may take their vote and reassign it to another House until they or their successor decide to return it."

"Hem! Hem! Can we recall the affected families to Britain, or better yet, choose whom they marry?"

"Not without a full Wizengamot vote, no. Those would require major primary legislation having to be enacted from scratch. There are no such pre-existing laws to be restored, as far as I can find."

"A pity."

"True.

"No matter, Delores. Let's see if Rita Skeeter can publish details in the Prophet."

"It's a shame I had those memoirs posted on the first Monday of term," Rex commented. "I said that the right girl had never come along. She had, but I was just too blind to see it."

"I'm yours now.

"Perhaps you could edit some of our previous adventures together? That could be fun!"

Louise and Jean's office in The Alchemists Arms' was largely functional. There were a couple of desks, chairs, a sofa, two filing cabinets and a bookshelf. Both desks, however, had photos of the girls with their Uncle, Aunt, Evelyn and Doris on them, with a wizard photo of Louise and Rex dancing at the party the previous Friday evening on the bookshelf and a scale model of Uncle Ned's ship the Balaska on top of a filing cabinet. Pulse-hardened laptops were on the desks. Jean was on a swivel chair and Louise was curled up to Rex on the sofa.

"Yes, Rex," Jean agreed. "We could add our thoughts if you like, via our own annotations."

"Capital idea! Now I must speak to Xenophilius and Luna about our next edition…" He was stopped by Luna entering the room with a copy of The Daily Prophet. The headline ran: Minister Malfoy has restored marriage law.

"What's a marriage law, other than the obvious?" Jean asked.

"An attempt to allow Lucius Malfoy to gain control of the Wizengamot!" Luna told her. "He needs a two-thirds majority on the Wizengamot to pass or amend certain laws. To do this, he is willing to enforce an old law stating that every unwed female Head of House or heir or heirs apparent to the same must enter a consummated permanent legal union with a man within 30 days or their House's votes shall go to another House at the discretion of the Minister.

"A number of my friends are affected. Susan Bones, Daphne Greengrass and more…"

"Daphne's married," Rex pointed out, before pausing. "Crystallised Cheesecakes! She's in a same-sex marriage! She'll have to take a husband too. And her wife's a rape victim. This is just horrible!"

"Neville? Hannah?" Susan Bones asked. "Can I have a word, please?"

"Of course, Sue," Hannah said. "What's the problem?

"Thanks to this new law, I need to get married in less than thirty days. All the good men are taken, with Lisa Turpin and Mandy Brocklehurst having just asked the remaining single candidates. I need to become a second wife or consort.

"Neville, Hannah, you are my best friends. Please will you allow me to marry you both?

"This is a lot to ask, I know, but…"

"Of course, we will!" Hannah interrupted. "This law may be barbaric and medieval, but I'm damned if my best friend suffers for it. Hufflepuffs look after their own!"

"A sentiment we Gryffindors share!" Neville added.

"Thank you," Susan said, hugging them both tightly and pecking their cheeks. "I'm happy to be joining your family. Since you don't yet have children, I'm willing to try for sons for Abbott and Longbottom as well as children for Bones if you both so wish.

"Daphne is going to ask Harry, Ginny and Wednesday if they will allow her to consort to House Potter, with Tracey remaining Daphne's wife."

"Three wives, with one of them having a wife of her own!" Neville chuckled. "I don't know whether I envy Harry or pity him!"

"Are you sure about this?" Harry asked Daphne and Tracey. "You are married to each other."

"Yes, but I'm bisexual, so can perform with the right man," Daphne answered, "at least in theory! It shall state in the contract Dad is drawing up that I am primarily married to Tracey. It just means that I shall have to be intimate with you on a regular basis.

"We were going to follow Pansy and Millie's example and ask you to be our sperm donor anyway. This is just…"

"Donating sperm, the old-fashioned way!" Ginny nodded. "We're in!"

"Ginny!"

"Harry, they," she gestured to Daphne and Tracey, "are our friends! If your parents had lived, you may have grown up with them…"

"Greengrass is traditionally an allied House to Potter," Daphne agreed, "as are Longbottom, Abbott, Bones and Macmillan. Our Houses have intermarried for centuries, Harry.

"If your parents had lived, you would have been raised with Neville, Hannah, Susan, Ernie, Astoria and me. Our families were friends. You would have been close to Tracey and the Patil twins as well. Their families don't have seats but are regular business associates of our Houses."

"See, this is part of your duties as Head of House, Harry!"

"You are right, Gin. Welcome to the family, ladies!" He paused. "What about your surname?"

"I assume that we shall be Greengrass-Potter. Daphne's first son would take her maiden name. She may want a second son to take mine, as my parents run a major import business, even if Dad doesn't have a seat. Any daughters or further sons can take either of the three names really."

"Could we, err, use IVF after the initial…?"

"We could, but if I'm taking a handsome husband, I want him to ejaculate in me, not a Perspex dish!"

"Thank you, Daphne! Harry," Tracey said quietly, "I don't like the thought of Daphne having to marry a man, as well as me. As you know, Zabini abused me – and Nott, Crabbe and Goyle…" She fell into his arms sobbing. "Then Malfoy and Umbridge do… This… This…"

"It makes you feel violated all over again?" Harry asked softly. Tracey nodded, clinging on for dear life. "If I ever see Nott and Goyle again…"

"No!" Millie growled. "Those bastards are mine, Harry!"

"Of course, Sis! Give them my regards as you make them eunuchs!"

"I love the way you think, brother o' mine!"

"See, Tracey, love, he'll treat me properly and look after both of us. It'll be alright. We'll be alright!"

"Yes, my darling, we will."

"Tracey, I'll sponsor a Davis seat on the Wizengamot once we are back home. As of now, House Davis is under House Potter protection." He felt Tracey's lips press briefly against his cheek and her arms tighten around him.

"So, when we shall book the celebrant for?" Daphne asked. "Do we get a honeymoon now or when we are back home?"

"Whatever you want, mes amis," Wednesday told them. "This may be forced upon you, but we don't want to make it unpleasant.

"As Harry said, welcome to the family."

"Harry, Ginny, Wednesday, can I speak to you for a minute, please?"

"Sure, Diana. What about?"

"This accursed law!" The Amazon Princess' tone promised pain for those behind it. On hearing about the new law from her mother, she had come over to Potter Island. "Thank you for agreeing to this. Daphne is wise, strong and kind. Tracey, well, you know…"

"We understand," Ginny assured her. "Tracey's family doesn't have a seat, so she isn't forced to marry, thank Merlin. She still doesn't need this. Daphne shall still be her wife. She shall just sleep with Harry on a regular basis."

"Thank you," Diana said softly. "There is no worse fate for an Amazon than slavery. I'm sure the scum in Malfoy's regime would introduce concubinage or outright sex slavery if they could.

"To think that my sister Amazons might have to…"

"No woman under the protection of House Potter will suffer that fate," Harry roared, "not if I have anything to do with it!"

"Nor I!" Ginny yelled, with Wednesday, Pansy and Millie chorusing their agreement.

"Thank you," Daphne said, hugging Harry. "I dodged a bludger there. Now what customs does House Potter have for family bonding?"

"Us five Potter adults often go for sky-clad midnight swims," Pansy told them. "If you wish to join us tonight, you would be most welcome."

"Sounds like fun! We'll be there! It's just a swim, love…"

"You are right, darling. We need to do this.

"Millie, dear, before you use that great broadsword of yours on Nott's privates, may I kick him in them please?"

"Of course, Tracey, of course…"

"What do we make of this new law?" Stephen Strange asked, having entered The Alchemists Arms' pub that afternoon.

"Typical Lucius Malfoy!" Ron responded darkly. "Use an innocent-seeming existing law to cause chaos and misery.

"He's as obsessed with power as his late master. Nasty piece of work. Thankfully, Draco and Narcissa saw sense…"

"Hi Harry!" Draco said, as he and Astoria were able to use the magic mirror to call their friend. "I take it that you are having to marry at least one more woman, thanks to my father?"

"Yes, just the one. I'm going to be your brother-in-law in a week or so."

"Congratulations!" Astoria beamed. "Father-in-law be damned, I'd have turned Lucius into a weasel if Daphne had ended up with some pervert. Goodness only knows what such a fiend might have done to Tracey…

"I should give you the Treat her well or else! Speech, Harry, but I know that would be unnecessary."

"You did well, Harry," Draco commented. "A third stunner in your harem!

"Make it four! If you wanted to, I'm sure Daphne and Tracey would agree to…"

"No! I shall ask for no lesbian shows or threesomes. That poor woman has suffered enough!"

"You are the right man for my sister! Thank you, Harry, for being so determined to make Daphne and Tracey happy.

"Tracey has been with Daphne for so long that I sometimes forget only Daphne is my biological sister!"

"The more I hear of this Lucius Malfoy, the more I want to strangle him!" Louise Dana grumbled.

"Just wait until you meet that gruesome specimen," Rex told her. "The few times I have had the misfortune to meet the coot have been days when I wished chaos had erupted, if it harmed that odious oik."

"Well," Jean commented, "we need to strike back in some way. Does Malfoy have any assets in the States?"

"Not that I know of. Luna?"

"What, Rex?"

"Does Lucius Malfoy have any US assets? Oh, and please stop singing that infernal song!"

"You're no fun today, Rex! I don't think he does. Maybe Bill and Fleur Weasley would know? They work for Gringotts…"

"The bank would know. Thanks, Luna.

"As for the song, you must admit that it does get irritating after the fortieth time you have heard it in quick succession.

"Bill and Fleur should be in the pub now. It's the Weasleys taking on the Potters at darts…"

"True. By the way, ladies, I like what you have done to this place. Very homely."

Bill, George and Ron taking on Harry, Ginny and Millie at darts had become a semi-regular tradition. Daphne and Tracey were sat with Wednesday and Pansy. With Fleur, Angelina and Hermione cheering on their husbands, Arthur and Molly were babysitting Lily and Hugo.

Rex ordered three medium glasses of white wine for Luna and the Danas and a half of bitter shandy for himself. He then went over to Fleur. "When the game is over," he said to her, "could we have a word with you and Bill please?"

"Mais oui! What about, Rex?"

"Economic warfare!"

"Against Malfoy, Umbridge and friends?! Hmm, from what I remember, zhey 'ave no assets over 'ere. I would check zhis with Bill, though."

"That's a pity!"

"Zhe Ministry does 'ave American investments. Would zhis 'elp?"

"Merci beaucoup! Do you know what in?"

"They brought shares in Sleekeazy's Hair Potion's American distributors," Bill told them, the match having finished in a narrow victory for the Potters. "At least, the ones who took over when the original distributors went bankrupt.

"Now, the Ministry have no rights to the product. If the grandson of its inventor Fleamont Potter were to switch distributors, the Ministry would lose a considerable sum…"

"Can the goblins do this for me?" Harry asked intrigued.

"I'll speak to the Potter Account Manager. It should be possible."

"Thank you, Bill."

"You are welcome, Harry."

"Thanks for the idea, Rex."

"Thank my sister-in-law-to-be! It was her idea."

"Thank you, Jean."

"A friend of Rex is a friend of the Danas. Don't mention it."

"And vice versa," Rex agreed. He pulled Louise in close. "Now to spend some time getting lost in a pair of soft brown eyes…"

"This is fun!" Daphne grinned, splashing about happily in the sea off Potter Island. "I love this method of family bonding!

"Can we have the ceremony here, this coming Saturday if possible? I only want a small quiet affair. We had the big do when I got hitched to Tracey. Everyone I want to invite knows about Potter Island anyway."

"What dresses did you have in mind?"

"The usual short, white, sleeveless dresses of an Amazon wedding would be perfect. Lily would be in a longer version.

"Can we get James and Albus a weekend pass from the Albus Dumbledore Academy to attend? They should be there. Tracey and I are joining the family permanently after all."

"We'll ask Minerva," Ginny agreed. "Susan is marrying the Longbottoms, so maybe there could be a ceremony at the Academy for them a week on Saturday? What do you think, Daphne?"

"Perfect! We'll suggest it to Susan, Hannah and Neville.

"Are you OK, darling?"

"I'm enjoying the swim immensely, Daphne. Harry is a perfect gentleman and I have had no cause to react badly to his presence. It is just like skinny-dipping off Themyscira, only with a trusted bloke also joining in. After a few minutes, I barely noticed his presence. When I do, it is no different to seeing Ginny or Pansy naked. I know he's no threat to me.

"We've struck gold, my darling! The Potters are a godsend! Now kiss me!"

"Minister, we have a problem."

"What?"

"It appears that Harry Potter has switched the company with US distribution rights for Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. Since a fair amount of the Ministry's income came from our shares in the previous distributors, this has caused an instant massive drop in their value.

"Given the loss of tax income from the exiles, we need to raise taxes significantly to…"

"Certainly not! I can't be seen to be showing that we need the exiles! Bloody Potter!"