Ashes in your mouth

Chapter Twelve: Parties and bad press.

The year clocked along, Delphini and Teddy got bigger, and Delphini used longer sentences.

Harry spent a perfectly reasonable whole day doing Christmas shopping for Teddy and Delphini, but remembering Dudley, made sure that gifts were practical and sensible. Andromeda approved. "Very well done Harry" she said as Harry wrapped parcels while Teddy and Delphini had sock races around the kitchen island at her house.

"Are you sure a notice-me-not charm is okay?" asked Harry.

"Every parent in the entire world uses them for wrapping presents, and other reasons" said Andromeda. "And don't forget to go to the Yule ball. You need to be seen in public, lest you get an undeserved reputation as a dangerous recluse."

The Yule ball did, fortunately have most of his friends turning up these days.

Harry, desperate to avoid politicians, danced with Daphne Greengrass to avoid an expectant looking Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Thanks Daphne" said Harry as they parted "Kingsley..."

"Wanted something from you, I totally understand. I'm not your type" said Daphne.

The Daily Prophet the next day, begged to differ.

'Harry Potter-Black and his secret love affair with Heiress Daphne Greengrass'

They pointed out Harry had danced with Daphne at every ball in the last year.

Harry rolled his eyes. She was pretty-enough he supposed, a good dancer, and not a pain in the arse. He certainly wasn't having a secret love affair.

Harry had unexpected visitors in the afternoon. Kreacher popped into the drawing room, interrupting his writing of lists while Delphini read a book aloud. Her English was coming along very well.

The Malfoys had arrived in the front hall, in black and silver, Narcissa, Draco and Astoria.

Narcissa said fairly ceremonially "We blacks come visiting the Black of Black" Harry was a little surprised, why would they come as 'Blacks'.

Harry waved them over to the downstairs parlour, feeling rather irritated.

"What's this about?" asked Harry.

"You're family. This is Yule, we're visiting" said Draco. "It's just good manners."

"Last year it was a card" said Harry, implying… a card is enough.

"Last year you didn't get in the prophet dancing with my sister" said Astoria. "Are you really?"

"No" said Harry "She's not my type."

"I think" said Astoria confidentially "That she's seeing that Kettle fellow."

"Kettle?" asked Harry.

"The Auror" said Astoria.

Narcissa looked pointedly up at the ceiling.

"Oh Aunt Narcissa" said Harry "That reminds me. My daughter Delphini. I was summoned to St Mungos by a Hit-wizard when Delphini came in for vaccinations, with a Mrs Rowle. Mrs Rowle has, obviously gone to sunny Azkaban."

"Your daughter" said Narcissa scornfully. "My niece, not your Daughter."

"Her father, her biological father was my uncle Tom." said Harry "Now, I found Uncle Tom a pain, what with trying to kill me all the time and Bellatrix was, well. Bellatrix. I haven't forgiven her for killing Sirius."

"Sirius?" asked Narcissa "Sirius died in that fiasco in the Department of Mysteries."

"Saving my sorry hide" said Harry mildly "Aunt Bellatrix fired Sirius through the veil of death."

"You say… He was your uncle." said Narcissa looking somewhat surprised "That cannot be."

"My mother was heiress of some of that line, apparently" said Harry "And I inherited."

"Your mother was a mu – muggleborn!" said Narcissa.

"Not a pureblood, offspring of squibs, and tiresomely, related to Tom" said Harry "And of course, my father and Tom were related. Both Peverell descendants. That, Aunt Narcissa is why Delphini is my daughter. I'm her closest relative, and she's mine. Related on both sides, all very dark family of us."

"That would make..." said Narcissa

"The word is apparently parricide" said Harry unhelpfully. "And if Delphini wants to resuscitate the Gaunt's at some point, she can. Given their dire history, I think we can all agree that nobody wants that."

"And the Gaunt family estates?" asked Narcissa.

"Sold" said Harry "I needed the money. Someone didn't lean on the goblins hard enough."

Narcissa looked shitty at that; but then she usually did.

"Potter's related to whom?" asked Astoria innocently.

"My niece, Delphini" said Narcissa "My oldest sisters' bastard."

"But a partial metamorphmagus" said Harry "And for all Mrs Rowle neglected her education, a clever little girl."

"Do we get to see her?" asked Narcissa.

"Narcissa, if you speak one drop of poison to Delphini, I will send you to Azkaban," said Harry, "and Draco, that goes for you too."

"You can't just say, I'll send you to Azkaban" exclaimed Astoria. Harry eyed her silently, lifting his eyebrows as if to say 'yes I bloody well can' then spoke.

"Kreacher!" Harry snapped, and the old elf appeared with a pop.

"Master, Miss Cissy" croaked Kreacher.

"Get Sarah to bring Delphini here" said Harry.

"Miss Delphini is with master's pet, Master" said Kreacher.

"Then warn Sarah she may have to lug the lazy brute too" said Harry drily. "Sunny will behave."

Kreacher re-appeared with a tea-tray a minute later, and Harry waved lazily at chairs "We can all sit like civilised people" said Harry "And be nice, because if anyone upsets Delphini I will probably do something unpleasant."

Narcissa Malfoy sat gracefully, and stiffly, her face expressionless.

Draco wandered around the room and opened the globe that was also a drinks cabinet.

"This is all rubbish" said Draco dismissively.

"I don't drink any more, it's just for form's sake" said Harry "And I have better things to do than waste money on drinks."

Astoria dragged Draco by one elbow to a couch and they sat, Astoria looking… a bit like her sister, holding herself in, and placing one hand on Dracos knee. Holding him down, whispering and glaring.

"Who wants tea?" asked Harry sarcastically.

Tea service happened.

Narcissa finally asked about Andromeda by saying "How is my… other sister?"

"Fine" said Harry "Edward, heir Black is a bit of a handful, but after his mother, Andy's quite prepared for Black family playfulness."

Narcissa blinked slowly at that.

Tea was consumed.

Sarah opened the door and carried Delphini in, with, as Harry had surmised, a fat grey snake wrapped around her neck, mostly carried by Sarah.

"Sir, Miss Delphini" said Sarah "And Sunny, who I'm told insisted."

Delphini nodded, and Harry stood and took a load of child and snake. Sunny slithered around onto Harry's shoulders and Harry sat, holding Delphini.

"Who?" asked Delphini, in English, fortunately.

Sarah left quietly.

"Delphini, this is your Aunt Narcissa, and your Cousin Draco, and his wife, Astoria." said Harry.

Sunny hissed, probably saying something.

Harry patted Sunny on the head, looked at Astoria and concentrated "Silly sunny" he said "She's a lazy pet. Very handy with Delphini, of course."

"That's a black Mamba" said Narcissa "Lethally venomous."

"And a good friend" said Harry "And just adores Delphini. Sunny likes to go find her own rats. If I'd had her as a child, I'm sure things would be quite different." Narcissa sat very still, realising the implied threat.

"You are, weren't you. I was right!" said Draco a bit too loudly "You're the heir of Slytherin."

"I'm not the Heir of Slytherin" said Harry "People keep accusing me of that. That was a cursed object possessing a first year. The basilisk it was using could have killed anyone at the school. Draco, Astoria, anyone." said Harry.

"I told you he said that" said Astoria to Draco.

"Lucius said the threat was only to muggleborns and halfbloods" said Narcissa.

Harry blinked "The child possessed was a pure-blood. Your faith in Lucius is misplaced" said Harry, kissing Delphini on the head to cheer her up.

"Father!" she protested "Strangers!" Draco's face involuntarily twitched into a brief smile.

"Well, Aunt Narcissa is Aunt Andy's sister" said Harry "But she's been naughty."

"Bad aunty" said Delphini. Narcissa looked peeved, Harry thought. But also terrified.

"Dwaco" said Delphini, pointing at Draco.

"Close enough" said Harry.

"Storyia" said Delphini "Tell story."

"That's not my na – " started Astoria, to be silenced by Delphini who got down of Harry's lap and padded off to get a book from the library, returning and handing Astoria a picture book.

"Story" said Delphini, sitting on the floor cross-legged. Harry eyed the book; 'Madrigan the Manticore' it had all sorts of tongue twisters.

"Well, she'll get cross if she doesn't get her story" offered Harry.

Astoria started reading, and her cultivated accent began telling the story, with a few pauses for the atrocities in the name of tongue-twisters.

"Potter that's dreadful" said Draco quietly "It's… all tongue twisters."

"The author hates parents, I think" said Harry, and Narcissa started to watch Astoria very assessingly.

"Quite good with children" said Narcissa. "Not that I have any grandchildren" she added pointedly.

"Mother!" said Draco very quietly.

Delphini clapped at the end of the story "No costum" she said critically. "Good story."

"Delphini expects conjured costumes to fit the story" explained Harry "We stated with Percy the persistent penguin."

"Father. About Manticores ?" said Delphini.

Harry drew his wand and summoned the animals picture-book from the library, which bashed the door open, and landed in Harry's hand. He flicked through it.

"Not in your book, Delphini" said Harry "I'll need to get a grown-up animals book out."

With that, Harry summoned a copy of the Monster book of monsters, that took a few splinters off the door with it's fangs on the way past.

It landed, snarling on Harry's hands, and he quickly stroked it to docility.

"Delphini, in this book" said Harry, and she got up and walked over to Harry and climbed on his lap, and sat, Harry found the first page for Manticores.

"This is a manticore" said Harry "They're very mean, so not good pets" he summarised.

"Sunny?" asked Delphini.

"They're a bit big for Sunny" said Harry "Call me instead."

"Not Sarah?" asked Delphini in a small voice.

"Probably me" said Harry "They're mostly in Greece, so – "

"Where Greese?" interrupted Delphini, and Harry summoned the globe-drinks cabinet across the room to show her "We're here, in England, and Greece is over there."

"A long way" said Delphini unsurely.

"A long trip" said Harry "Several port-keys." Harry banished the drinks cabinet back into place.

"Two" said Narcissa "One to France, and another to Greece from the Rue Magique."

"Two Portkeys" said Delphini "Long way. Bored" she said quickly.

"Sandwich?" asked Harry.

"Sandwich" agreed Delphini and Harry fed Delphini an egg sandwich from the tea-tray.

"Someone eats their egg sandwiches" observed Narcissa.

"Well it's nutritious and fairly tasty" said Harry "And she likes eggs" he added.

"Harry Potter, parent" said Astoria. "It's odd."

"Potter-Black" said Harry "I'd offer you lunch but then you'd stay for it." he said.

"We have a reason for visiting" said Narcissa. "Astoria alluded to it."

Harry thought for a few seconds "No, not interested, not my type" said Harry.

"Type?" asked Delphini, frowning.

"You like egg sandwich, right?" asked Harry.

"Eg" nodded Delphini. Astoria might have smiled at the cuteness of her response.

"Well, Draco likes Astoria" said Harry.

"Story" nodded Delphini. "Story's good."

Astoria smiled smugly. Draco looked oddly nervous.

"Well, Draco and Story and Aunty Narcissa think I like Story's sister, Daphne." said Harry.

"Daffy?" asked Delphini.

Harry shrugged "close enough." he replied.

Narcissa might have had a brief glimmer of a smile on her face.

"Potter-Black?" asked Narcissa "Did you take care of Edward when he was younger?"

"I changed a lot of nappies, yes?" said Harry "But that doesn't matter."

"Wealthy, handsome, good family, and good with small children" said Narcissa. "Seems ideal for Daphne."

Harry frowned and said, perhaps a bit louder than was polite "I don't fancy Daphne Greengrass. She's fine to dance with at a ball, and I will admit she is a great dancer, but I don't need some spoilt rich witch."

"You already have Delphini" said Draco smugly.

"She was half-starved and illiterate when I got her" said Harry tightly "She used to cringe at bath-time."

"You… wash her?" asked Draco "Like a house-elf?"

"Like a parent" said Harry firmly "I couldn't trust Kreacher to wash a child. He can only barely be trusted to cook. His attempts at cleaning are frankly nearly useless."

"Get another house-elf" said Narcissa. "Honestly, human staff. How can you ever trust them."

"Sarah and her family were in the camps" said Harry "So I trust her a hundred percent more than you."

"eg?" asked Delphini, thoughtfully.

"Not egg, her sister" said Harry, used to the slight delays in Delphini's conversations after over a year.

"Sister?" asked Delphini.

"Looks a bit like Story, but blonde hair." said Harry.

"And shorter" said Astoria smugly.

"Like Sarah?" asked Delphini.

"More um… rounded than Sarah" said Harry awkwardly.

"You should come to the Greengrasses day after Yule party, it's for the smaller children mostly. You have small children." said Astoria. "And Delphini can see Daphne."

"Not interested in her" said Harry.

"There is dancing, and games for small children" said Astoria.

"Games?" asked Delphini, sounding very interested. Keep you awake all night interested.

"Okay" said Harry "For Delphini."

Narcissa looked smug as she left. Harry mentally made a note to send Draco and Astoria's spawn noisy toys.

-==0==-

Harry, Teddy, Andromeda and Delphini in a good dress that Harry figured would last two minutes before it had food smeared on it, flooed to the Greengrasses, one adult per child.

Harry was balanced by Delphini on the way out of the fireplace and soon Harry and Andromeda got to see Teddy and Delphini meeting assorted Greengrasses, Fawley's, and other children of, Harry realised the Sacred Twenty-eight. In its guise as a social club.

What this party needed, Harry thought was a good supply of Weasleys. He knew just the place.

Given that Teddy and Delphini were sure walkers but hardly great sprinters, putting all the four to five-year-olds in a sack race along a gallery with an aged carpet wasn't the most competitive.

Harry watched, and Teddy managed a good showing, coming third.

Delphini came over. Holding the sack "sack" she said firmly, waving it "No good."

"Well, it's a game" said Harry "And you're not the biggest girl in the race."

"More egg. Get bigger" said Delphini. "Sunny says."

Sunny, would, of course always suggest eating eggs.

Apple-bobbing was a bit big for Delphini and Teddy, Andromeda thought.

When dance music started, Andromeda pushed Harry to the ballroom, with Teddy and Delphini being brought along to see 'Harry dancing.'

The only thing for Harry to do, to keep any self-respect, was to hail Tracey, and take her for a dance.

"What's going on?" asked Tracey with a suspicious look "You're up to something" she said, and turned them forcefully across the dance floor.

"I'm not making the society pages of the Prophet for dancing with Daphne again" said Harry "You're a decent enough dancer –"

"Thanks so much for that sparkling endorsement" interjected Tracey.

"And not a complete git like some people" said Harry.

"Well, you're such a smooth talker" said Tracey "I'll bet witches are just battering on your door."

"I'm still" said Harry with a sigh "Getting quite a bit of creepy mail from witches."

"With the photos" said Tracey, ginning.

"Middle aged women" said Harry. "It's gross."

"You'll be middle-aged one day" said Tracey "You seem to have kicked the stupid risk-taking habit."

"I have to look after Teddy and Delphini" said Harry.

"Oh, is she here?" asked Tracey "She's the cutest thing."

"She's here" said Harry "Over with her gran, Andromeda Tonks, and her cousin Teddy."

"And why are you here?" asked Tracey after a lull in conversation where Harry managed a couple of dance moves that marked him out as… not stepping on his partners feet.

"The Malfoys came to visit. All three of them. Narcissa told Delphini there'd be games, and she doesn't meet a lot of other children." said Harry "And they think there's something going on between Daphne and I. "

"Which there isn't, unless Daphne somehow started keeping secrets from her second-best friend." said Tracey.

"Second best friend?" asked Harry. "I thought you two were best friends?"

"I don't want to oversell it" said Tracey blandly, and Harry laughed.

Harry and Tracey turned about on the dance floor, and Harry caught sight of Andromeda and Delphini, with Daphne Greengrass in a dress robe squatting to talk to Delphini.

"Oh" said Harry "Daphne's asking Delphini questions. Delphini isn't much of a talker."

"Well that makes two of them" said Tracey, pulling a funny face. Harry laughed.

"You're just doing this to make me laugh, aren't you?" asked Harry.

"Well, you don't laugh much, and you should" said Tracey.

"I used to get my laughs from Ron" said Harry "He always had something funny to say, now he's so busy, and … he spends all his time with Hermione."

Harry missed the flicker of annoyance on Tracey's face at that.

The music ended and Harry went back to Delphini and Teddy and Andromeda, and Daphne.

"Dancing" said Delphini succinctly.

Daphne turned "Oh' it's Potter-Black" she said "And this is your adopted daughter."

"Father" said Delphini, and Harry picked up Delphini for a bit. Delphini rested her head on Harry's shoulder.

"How cute" said Tracey.

"That's not Daffy" said Delphini. "That's Daffy" said Delphini, pointing her hand at Daphne.

At this point, Astoria Malfoy arrived in a sussuration of silk skirts "Oh it's Potter, and… I assume that must be Edward, Heir Black."

"Mrs Malfoy" said Andromeda icily "We're family and call him Teddy. You may refer him as Edward."

"What was Harry dancing with Tracey for?" asked Astoria.

"I'm sick of people saying I've got something going on with Daphne. No offence Daphne – " said Harry.

"But I'm not your type" said Daphne drily.

"Father, Dance Daffy" said Delphini. Harry kissed Delphini's hair, and set her down, and held out one hand "Miss Greengrass."

"Well, as your daughter insists" said Daphne, and Harry went off to do one more dance.

Daphne was, it was immediately obviously a far better dancer than Tracey. And there was something quite… physical about her movement. Her hip felt like … well like a broom really. Pulling off in whatever direction she wanted to go in.

Harry must have let his confusion show.

"What has got you on edge?" asked Daphne calmly.

"It's just… you're a, um… much better dancer than Tracey" said Harry, his ears pink.

"Tracey can barely be dragged onto a dance floor. You're probably the most practice she's had in years." said Daphne drily "She'd rather fly."

"One sympathises" said Harry, emulating her dry delivery.

"Well, you are a prodigy with a broom" said Daphne.

"Oh, Ginny must have given a tell-all interview" said Harry, with a smile.

Daphne blinked, her ears going pink "You cad" she said "You can't say that" she said.

"I think I did." said Harry "Technically I think that was an aspersion."

"Well at least you temper's improved" said Daphne.

"I've got responsibilities" said Harry.

"And some modest, discreet source of income" said Daphne.

"Well, the money's paid for a nanny for Delphini." said Harry.

"And the other matter?" asked Daphne studiously casually.

"I'm not going to do anything like that" said Harry "I got sent dozens of bloody marriage contracts, trying to hold something over someone isn't my way."

"Well, I doubt any were for an Heiress in the sacred Twenty-eight, and frankly I'm the best looking member of that body."

"Ginny Weasley" said Harry blandly "Sacred Twenty-Eight. Pureblood, and a fiery redhead."

"And has decided that Dark-horse Corner is better than you." said Daphne. "Personally I found Michael profoundly boring."

"You dated Micheal Corner?" asked Harry incredulously.

"Tall, dark, handsome and clever" said Daphne "And not capable of particularly amusing conversation."

"Dumped you then?" asked Harry quite sarcastically.

"Claimed" said Daphne bitterly "That I was spoilt."

"Well you are" said Harry blandly "And your sister, Mrs, I'm wearing silver shot silk and pearls claims I'm spoiling Delphini."

"Are you?" asked Daphne.

"She was half-starved and illiterate" said Harry, his brows narrowing "I had to send the woman doing it to Azkaban." he said tightly.

"So you were somewhat put out" said Daphne, spinning out and back "You still Have your temper, it's just… not running the show now."

"No" said Harry "And Narcissa Malfoy knew perfectly well that Delphini was there. I have made it quite clear to her that I am underwhelmed."

"You sound, sometimes" said Daphne curiously "Like the head of a great and powerful family."

"I'm Black of Black" said Harry "And Harry Potter, and that thing with the battle of Hogwarts" he added deliberately casually.

Daphne Greengrass stepped towards Harry suddenly and pushed Harry backwards, and they missed colliding with a couple speeding across the dance floor. It was Harry realised, Draco Malfoy and Astoria.

Malfoy was, Harry realised, a bloody good dancer, and the pair of them were showing off, their feet flying about.

"She's been like this since… you" said Daphne quietly. "It's good of you."

"Well, after I read your letters, I couldn't keep the money" said Harry "I'm not the stuff hard bitten cursebreakers are made from."

Daphne finished the dance quite quietly and said as Harry let go of her hand "Of course my cousin told me that apparently you're actually a really talented cursebreaker. Or that all your furniture is cursed. Marty's hard to understand."

"Price?" asked Harry.

"He is our family's Draco." said Daphne, with a shrug.

"Draco is my family's Draco" said Harry, "And yours really" Harry chuckled, walking back over to Delphini.

"Don't remind me" hissed Daphne.

"She's better" said Delphini "Laughing. Daffee's good."

"Well" said Andromeda drily "From what Mrs Malfoy said, this is the final seal of approval on Miss Greengrass."

"Not my type" said Harry quickly.

"Yet you dance with her quite enthusiastically, converse amusingly. Your poor old aunt must be going blind. I rather imagined you two had some mutual feelings" said Andromeda, and that might have been teasing.

"She's spoilt, and not my type" said Harry, picking up Teddy "How are you Teddy?"

"Mmmmh" mumbled Teddy.

"Teddy has discovered enchanted peanut fudge" said Andromeda. "I believe his teeth are stuck together for a while longer." Andromeda smiled.

"On purpose?" asked Harry.

"Well, a little treat that quiets children prone to saying loudly that Harry was the best wizard in the whole world." said Andromeda. "He is your biggest fan."

"Teddy, you're not going to tell me I need to marry Daphne, are you?" asked Harry. Teddy nodded.

"What is it with everyone" said Harry "I don't fancy her" he said.

Daphne Greengrass, unfortunately took that opportunity to whisper huskily in his ear "If I wanted you, you'd crawl over broken glass" in that spine-tingling tone, and Harry shuddered.

"Young lady" said Andromeda to Daphne "That's quite cruel, and clearly terribly effective. I assume you find Harry unacceptably something?"

"Full of himself" said Daphne cheerily "Not of he had three titles and a castle. And no, whatever dreadful time-share castle you rent does not count."

"A rental time-share castle?" asked Andromeda "Harry?" she said interrogatively.

"I have a quarter share in a castle, and it's a business, I can't use it as a house." said Harry. "I feel that Black Manor is sufficiently vast, draughty and expensive to maintain. My Potter family's house in Stinchcombe is still a burnt-out ruin, and the British Ministry of Defence swiped Black Island. The muggle-repelling charms must have failed."

"Oh how bothersome" said Andromeda "It was quite a good picnic spot in warm weather."

"Well, the one in the Caribbean is still okay, I think" said Harry "And there's a château in France and the gîte, whatever that really means. Cottage?"

"A holiday house" said Andromeda "A valid complaint of Harry is that he only knows English."

"And parseltounge" said Daphne.

"Well, that's not useful for talking to anyone but – " said Andromeda.

"Harry's pet snake" said Daphne "My sister is a very talkative woman. I trust he didn't bring his snake with him."

"Sunny is a very lazy pet" said Harry "She's sleeping in the drawing room by the fire."

"Aunt Narcissa claims she's a black Mamba" said Daphne.

"Maybe" said Harry "She's more a light grey with white scales on her tummy" Harry dissembled.

"And lethally venomous" said Daphne.

"Mostly to rats" said Harry. "I've talked her out of biting people. I could make exceptions, I suppose. Uncle Tom used a very big constrictor that could eat people. Our ancestor – " Harry stopped talking.

"Used to get snakes to bite people" said Andromeda "Not something to brag about."

Harry felt glad he'd stopped before mentioning great-to-the-how-many-ith-grandfather Salazar's habit of using a basilisk on people. Or armies for that matter. Grandpa Sal' hadn't been the nicest bloke.

Harry watched Delphini play with some small children, assisted by Teddy, and when Delphini announced "Tired now" Harry and Andromeda took their charges home.

"You're doing a good impression of an adult" said Andromeda, in Harry's cavernous front hall.

"Do try to get a girlfriend for events sorted. The Greengrass girl is in quite a difficult position." she said as she left.

Harry, frustrated all night, flooed to Weasley' wheezes the next day as Kettle, and picked up a New Year's Eve fireworks job from a very pleased George. He left the immense firework crate and went home and made some preparations for a fireworks show; mostly getting out Kettle's clothes.

"Father!" said Delphini, who'd come into Harry's room "Going out?"

"I'm going to set off a fireworks show" explained Harry.

"Fireworks?" asked Delphini. Harry conjured red and green sparks, pointing his wand up, and then multicoloured sparks.

Delphini clapped. "Fireworks" she said "More fireworks."

"Well the show is like that but much, much bigger. It's on very late at night though, I'll be very tired."

"Dinner and Nap" said Delphini. "I wanna see fireworks."

"It's um, not at home. It's outside and its very cold" said Harry.

"Fur coat" said Delphini.

"Delphini dear, I um, wear a … costume for doing fireworks." said Harry awkwardly.

"Show me costume!" said Delphini.

Harry put Kettle's coat and apron on and changed his hair and eye colour and charmed his face to be broader.

"I'm Kettle" said Harry, in a terrible cockney accent.

Delphini clapped her hands "KETTLE!" she shouted. "Fireworks!"

"You can't come Delphini, it's late, and I have to do the fireworks, I can't look after you." said Harry.

"I'm five" said Delphini. "Granma Andromeda. Teddy! Party!"

"I should get Andromeda to bring you and Teddy?" asked Harry. Delphini nodded "Early dinner and naps!" she said.

Harry floo-called Andromeda and explained.

"Well, why not" said Andromeda "I can subtly chain those two little monsters down, and if I feed Teddy now, and they both get a big nap, why not. Where is the event?"

"Smith's" said Harry.

"So you'd have an invite anyway" said Andromeda "I'll bring the children and you ensure the display occurs."

Harry was pulled into his own bed "Nap!" said Delphini. Harry set his alarm clock and closed his eyes just to rest them.

And woke to an alarm clock ringing.

Delphini wolloped the alarm clock's stop lever, and said "Bad clock!" Harry silently agreed.

Delphini went to the bathroom, and Harry changed his trousers and put on boots, and was standing up when Delphini came in, already wearing her fur coat and hat, and looking very miniature heiress-ey, apart from the bright blue boots.

"White boots for the costume?" asked Harry. Delphini shook her head "Granma says no."

Andromeda had vetoed white shoes or boots for Delphini, given that she tested boots by going outside and wandering in the mud around the manor.

Harry took Delphini to the hall fireplace and they flooed over to Andromeda's house, where Teddy was struggling into a parka, still in his socks. Andromeda looked at Delphini with a raised eyebrow "A Fur Coat?" she asked.

"We went shopping on the first day and I foolishly thought it looked cute" said Harry.

"I AM CUTE!" said Delphini loudly.

"So like her mother" muttered Andromeda. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"I do fireworks shows in character as Kettle. He's an Auror, and nobody important, so no drama." said Harry, heading back to the floo "Wheezes Central!" he called and left.

The crate was, even for a Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes show, quite big.

George came downstairs in shirt and trousers, and walked Harry through the setup.

"So, five hundred feet of display" said Harry "Smith wanted a big show then."

"He's invited the Wizengamot, the sacred twenty-eight. Even mum and dad are going." said George. "Well, Delphini and Teddy are going with Andromeda" said Harry "I'll stay down by the display and avoid boring people."

"You do that" said George "Well, get your disguise on." he added. "Portkey's on the side, activation word is sesquicentennial"

"What does that even mean?" asked Harry.

"Every one hundred and fifty years" said George "Honestly, it's like you're a school dropout."

"We both are" said Harry.

"But I did it in style" said George "Now bugger off."

Harry disguised himself, grabbed the box and activated the portkey.

The Smith's had made Zach stand out by the gate, in a woolly hat and cloak, as Harry towed the huge crate along, his boots scrunching in the knee-high snow.

"You from Weasleys, right?" asked Zach "The fireworks guy."

Harry nodded and handed over Kettle's ID letter. Zach checked it, and handed it back.

"Come on" said Zach "We've got bloody miles to go yet."

Zach, while a bit of an arse, hadn't been exaggerating. Scrunch scrunch scrunch through the snow.

Harry was glad of his impervious boots when he stopped and lowered the crate behind the manor house. The back conservatories of the house were brightly lit and witch lights bobbed in the trees.

"So where do I put it?" asked Harry.

"Left to right across the line of the east and west wings" said Zach. "So right fifteen degrees, in my humble opinion."

Harry checked the diagram. One hundred feet wide, and he eyed the distance to the conservatories.

"Are people going to stand back behind the conservatories?" asked Harry.

"There are back terraces" said Zach, and he shot a light-ball over that lit up the edge of the terrace.

Harry lifted his wand, and moved the crate forty feet further from the building. "The fireballs would be bit close otherwise" he explained.

"You're Kettle, right?" asked Zach. Harry nodded.

"It's just. There's rumours about you" said Zach.

Harry sighed. "Rumours?"

"That you're messing Daphne Greengrass about." said Zach. "She's a distant cousin. Are you really toying with her?"

"No" said Harry "Not at all. She likes fireworks shows, that's all."

"Oh" said Zach "And you're not one of their lot. From the war."

"Auror" said Harry.

"Oh yeah" said Zach "Well, can I watch?"

"Harry sighed "I have half an hour of fiddly charms, then putting just enough magic in to make it go off and not explode."

"I'll be quiet" said Zach.

Harry started arming the box. He was nearly ready to push magic into the charging runes, when Yellow sparks were fired from the Terrace and an amplified voice shouted "Zach! GET OVER HERE!". Harry's wand jerked and he shuddered.

Zach disapparated with a crack. Harry took a deep breath and tried to relax, to focus. And not put too much magic into the box and be a sooty smear on the snow.

Zach re-appeared with a loud crack just as Harry was starting to push magic in, and he flinched.

"You. Kettle" said Zach brusquely "Grandfather wants to see you right now. I'll side-along you. Only family can apparate on the grounds."

Harry sheathed his wand and held Zach's arm, and vanished into crushing blackness.

He reappeared on the Terrace, just next to a doorway "In here" said Zach. "Whomever you are."

Harry walked in and Zach shut the door behind him and led him to the Dining room where Bole Smith stood by the fireplace looking… peeved. Behind him, on the wall over the fire, the decorative shield had been cleaned of dust and dirt, and the yellow Hufflepuff and Green Syltherin and Red Gryffindor sections were all glowing faintly.

"You. Zach says you're calling yourself Kettle. You're one of us." said Bole Smith.

"One of?" asked Harry.

"Gryffindor or Slytherin" said Bole Smith "Which are you. The jolly shield was painted black, but under the paint the charms glow when there's a Hufflepuff head in range; and that's me. The Slytherin's been glowing for nearly an hour, and the Gryffindor too. Which are you Sir?"

"I'd rather not say" said Harry honestly.

"Zach, lock the door behind you" said Bole, taking his waistcoat lapels in his hands.

Zach left and Harry said quietly "Slytherin."

"And who's Gryffindor?" asked Bole.

"Probably Neville I-killed-voldemorts-snake-with-the-sword-of-Gryffindor Longbottom." said Harry. Only a worthy Gryffindor could draw the sword anyway, and Harry wasn't going near that, the press would have a field day.

Bole opened the door "Zach, who's here already?"

"Well, some of my friends. I'm not sure as I've been outdoors freezing my arse off, Grandfather" said Zach, standing outside the door in a pretentiously 'guard-like' pose.

"Go see if Neville Longbottom's here." said Bole, and Zach left quickly. Bole turned to Harry "And you. Are you in some sort of disguise?"

Harry shrugged "I don't want to be identified as Slytherin. Some family members have made it a bit of a liability. I like setting off fireworks, not being the centre of attention. I have work still to do on it."

"Well… don't you just… light the fuse?" asked Bole.

"No" said Harry "Not just lighting the fuse, No. I was just about to push a carefully measured charge of magic into the runestones when Zach apparated next to me."

"Oh, well go do that then." said Bole "But you should turn up at the board of governors meetings. I have to go, so you do too."

"Board of governors?" asked Harry, confused.

"The Hogwarts board of governors." said Bole pompously "You get a vote. The four founders family's have one seat each. Not that Ravenclaw or Slytherin have had a descendant turn up in centuries."

"I hate meetings" said Harry "I have a job, you know."

"The Slytherin of Slytherin works as an Auror. What a turn-up for the books." said Bole "Well, go make the show happen, Mister Kettle."

Harry tipped his head and left, to be passed by Zach going the other way.

"Neville Longbttom's here with Hannah, why did Grandfather want to know?" asked Zach.

"Tell him yourself" said Harry, and finally made it to the door out of the conservatory, and closed the door behind him, shutting off the sounds of people talking, and disapparated back to the crate. Zach was wrong about the apparation restrictions, Harry surmised.

The crate was there, and Harry cast a few quick human tracking spells to check if anyone had been past. Nothing showed up, so he carefully charged the crate with magic, and then used twice as many charms to check the charge as he usually did. His mind wandered, and he forced himself to concentrate, this was not the time to think about Bole Smith identifying Kettle as a Slytherin. Or he'd be the smear of Slytherin, not the heir.

Finally, he was ready to set the damn thing off. He conjured a chair to sit in, and some furs to keep the cold and potential snow off and waited.

Quite a bit later, Zach apparated into view, carrying a covered tankard.

"Some hot butterbeer" said Zach "Grandfather sends his compliments Mr Kettle, and um, will shoot yellow sparks when he wants the display started.

Harry took the tankard with a nod and Zach stood awkwardly. "Why did Grandfather have me drag Neville into the dining room?" asked Zach.

"He'll tell you sooner or later" said Harry, and sipped some hot butterbeer "aaah."

"You look fairly cosy" observed Zach.

"I'm cold and tired" said Harry "And this butterbeer's going to go straight through me." he said drily.

"It's just" said Zach "I'd like to see how it all works."

"Ask Daphne Greengrass" said Harry "She's watched enough and asked enough questions to drive anyone insane."

"Really?" asked Zach curiously.

"Loves fireworks a bit much" said Harry "Nearly stuck her head in one time."

Zach nodded "And that's dangerous because?"

"This box has eleven hundred fireballs in it, and is one spell away from firing" said Harry "I doubt even her shiny white teeth would be left."

Zach took a step backwards "It's… real fireballs?" he asked nervously.

"The Weasley twins invented the process, it works for what it's for." said Harry. "When time comes to fire it, I'll be back a long way back; the length of a quidditch pitch is my rule of thumb."

"And yet you're next to it" said Zach.

"Well, people could stick their heads in it" said Harry.

Zach looked at his watch "Probably in about half an hour" he said and disapparated with a crack.

Harry sipped warm butterbeer and waited till he saw a gout of yellow sparks from the terraces, and dispelled his conjured rug and chair, and, holding the tankard, apparated towards the terraces, and cast the last spell to fire the box with a jab. Then he conjured up a replacement chair and sat, and conjured up some furs and sipped butterbeer as the enormous fireworks display roared out of the box. There were four coloured dragons racing; the yellow dragon won, and then phoenixes flew about, exploding into multi-coloured flowers, that spun, then exploded into galloping pegasi, then briefly, orange weasels, then back to the programme, and Harry checked it off … ages to go. He settled in.

Someone scrunched over the snow towards Harry's chair.

"Kettle" said Daphne Greengrass.

"Greengrass" said Harry, hardly surprised at all.

"I saw your delightful little daughter, looking spoiled rotten in an arctic fox fur coat. I don't own an arctic fox fur coat." said Daphne.

"Well, In my defence, I'd just adopted her, and we went past Twilfitt and Tattings, and she didn't have a good coat." said Harry.

"She does look adorable in it" admitted Daphne. "My father would never buy me something so extravagant."

"You've got a white fur coat" said Harry, turning his head. Daphne was wearing her white fur coat and hat. "You're wearing it." Her eyes were very blue with all the white fur.

"Mine's just fur seal" said Daphne "Delphini called me mummy."

"Well you would look a pair" said Harry drily.

"It was quite embarrassing" said Daphne firmly.

"Well, as you know..." said Harry.

"I'm not your type, yes" said Daphne "And you, while the whole caring for an orphan is adorable, are absolutely not my type either"

Harry nodded. There was movement out of the corner of his eye, and Daphne sat down in a conjured chair covered in white fur, and conjured a white fur to cover herself with, and watched the show.

Harry checked the list. They'd got up to hippogriffs; fourteen things to go.

"Did I see orange weasels at one point?" asked Daphne abruptly.

"It's not on the list" said Harry.

"That's not what I asked" said Daphne.

"Just for a second." said Harry "George or Ron must have got bored."

The show finished and Harry stood up, dispelling his chair and rug.

"May I come see the crate?" asked Daphne.

"Only if you're extremely careful and keep your head out till I say it's safe to look." said Harry.

"Once" said Daphne sharply.

"One fireball stuck in the box and you won't have a head" said Harry. "And I'd have to find someone else to dance with."

"Oh, you flatterer" said Daphne sarcastically.

Harry apparated down to the crate and started casting careful detection spells.

He'd determined that there were probably no fireballs when the crack of apparation startled him and he turned, wand drawn. Daphne stood, and lifted her hands "Not attacking" she said quickly.

"Just the war" said Harry, turning back to the crate. She must be a fairly close cousin of the Smiths, Harry thought.

"Can I look yet" asked Daphne.

"I have a five-year-old and she's more patient" lied Harry, carefully casting a fire-extinguishing charm.

He started finite-ing various firing and guidance enchantments.

"Surely it must be – " started Daphne, to be interrupted by the crack of apparation. Harry spun, reflexively pulling Daphne behind his wand and casting a wordless shield, then starting on a protego-horribilis, to realise that it was just a surprised looking Zach Smith. Harry let the fur coat go and Daphne scrambled to her feet and straightened her coat. Harry took a deep breath, then another.

"Hello" said Zach nervously. Harry lowered his slightly shaky wand.

"I was just coming to see the clean-up" said Zach.

"Sorry, just wasn't expecting to hear apparation" said Harry "The war."

Zach nodded, and Daphne spoke up "Hello Zachary." she said.

"So, Kettle totally isn't a thing, but he pulls you to safety" said Zach.

"I've seen innocent people die in front of me" said Harry, breathing heavily "It's not something I want to repeat" Harry panted out.

Zach smiled nervously "Is the box safe to look into yet?" he asked. "And Grandfather wants you to come to the study for a drink."

"I've got a bit more to do, and I don't drink" said Harry.

Daphne peered into the crate "Oh, there's the runestone matrix" she said excitedly.

"Oy!" said Harry "It's not discharged and proprietary."

Daphne stopped peering into the box.

Harry cast an awkwardly difficult nulling charm and then cast a careful charm on the arming point. When that refused to glow, Harry said "The rune-stones are no longer charged. Don't go copying them."

"Um Grandfather?" asked Zach.

"I have this tiny box to take back to the office before Heiress Greengrass either absconds with it or climbs in." said Harry.

"I would not." said Daphne "And don't you have people to see at the party?" she asked.

Harry cracked his back, wiggled his forearms and shrank the crate to a matchbox, and put it in his apron pocket.

"You pocketed it" said Daphne. "A crate full of runestones. That can't be safe."

"If I don't know things, I'm not scared" said Harry, gingerly fingering his apron pocket.

"I think Kettle might not be going to see your Grandfather for a glass of port" said Daphne. Harry started trudging off through the snow towards the front gate.

"What will I tell grandfather" said Zach plaintively.

"Oh I'll be back" said Harry over his shoulder "I just want to get the explosive box away from my bits first."

Daphne snorted.

"So you and – " started Zach quietly and Harry, thankfully was out of earshot.

He walked to the front gate in the dark, left the Smith's property, and slowly took the box out of his apron pocket, and placed it carefully on the snowy ground, and stepped back and cancelled the shrinking, while shielding. The box expanded with a scrunch of compressing snow, and Harry lowered his wand, and activated it's return portkey, and vanished with into a kaleidoscope of light.

Harry landed hard in the back room of Weasley's wheezes, and stood up. The crate, a little snowy, dripped slowly. Harry took floo powder, threw it in the fire and spun back to 'Smith Estate' through the green smoke, falling out of the fireplace, and landing in the hall, cold and wet. He stood up, looked around, and there wasn't anyone looking, so he dusted himself off, and went looking for the study. It was, as Harry sort-of-remembered not far from the dining room. The door was open, soft lamps in the corners of the room concealing everything but a large desk with a yellow leather inlay, and Bole Smith in one of a scattering of armchairs in front of the desk.

Harry knocked on the door-jamb.

Bole looked up "Oh. You did come. Zachary was agitated."

Harry walked in and sat as casually as he could into an overstuffed leather chair, and laced his hands across his apron.

"So, Mr Kettle." said Bole.

"Kettle" said Harry. "Just Kettle."

"You're the heir of Slytherin" said Bole quietly.

Harry shook his head. "I am the Slytherin. My heir is well, thank you."

"And you're an Auror who sets of firework shows." said Bole.

"Well, I didn't inherit much at Gringotts" said Harry "My predecessor spent it."

Bole nodded slowly. "I have" said Bole "Seen a map, once, that showed where your family estate is."

Harry blinked "I don't even know where it is" he admitted. "I get by."

"I will get the map copied, and send it to you." said Bole. "Your address, or real name?"

"To Kettle, Care of Weasley's Wheezes" said Harry. "I don't want fame, or more meetings. Or to be some sort of figure-head for reforms."

"You're a very jaded young man." said Bole.

"On the contrary, I have small children and a job" said Harry "I have no time for it."

Bole nodded "Very well, Slytherin of Slytherin. You realise it is your duty to attend the board of governors meetings. To keep Hogwarts running the way our ancestors wanted it to run."

Harry sighed "My great-to-the-how-many-ith-grandfather liked to feed people to his pet basilisk" said Harry "Not something I want happening, and besides, the basilisk is dead."

Bole Smith shuddered "He… he really did … that?"

"Grandpa Sal was not a kind man" said Harry. "Now, I have to put my daughter to bed" he said and made to stand. Bole Smith held out his hand "Who's your wife?" he asked.

Harry shook his head "I don't have one" said Harry, and stood up.

"You weren't on His side in the war, were you?" asked Bole.

Harry looked down at the old man "I was against Voldemort" said Harry "I paid for my participation, and I choose not to be part of politics."

Harry walked out of the room, and Bole Smith sighed. "Bloody Snakes" he said.

Harry found an unoccupied sitting room and changed his hair back to it's normal black messiness, his eyes back to green, and removed the charms making his jaw wider, then shrank the apron and pocketed it. Then he used a mirror over the fireplace to aid him in transfiguring his clothes to not look like Kettle's, and left the room, headed for the back of the building and the conservatories.

He found the first brightly lit room full of people and looked in, trying to see Andromeda, and by extension Teddy and Delphini.

Neville Longbottom, with Hannah next to him on a couch called out "Harry!"

Harry looked over.

"You came, come over here you bloody grump" said Neville.

Harry walked over to a large group of mostly ex-Hufflepuffs and Neville.

"I'm actually looking for my daughter." said Harry, holding out a hand at Delphini height "About this high, white furs. Aunt Andromeda's wrangling her and Teddy."

Susan looked up from a chessboard "The cute little girl in the horrendously expensive fur coat is yours?" she asked. Harry nodded.

"Last I saw, they were playing with the little Fawleys." said Susan "She's quite a character."

"She's a Black" said Harry "They're all characters."

"Well, yes, Black of Black" said Zach Smith obsequiously. Harry felt irritated by Zach Smith. That had to be some sort of record. From merely talking to annoyed in one, sucking up sentence.

Harry found Andromeda, Teddy and Delphini four rooms later, Delphini was looking a bit tired.

Harry sped up to a fast walk and picked his little girl up "Delphini" he said "I've come to take you home to bed."

"Daddy" said Delphini "So tired" she said plaintively.

"I'm not" said Teddy, then his hair went blue, and he yawned. Which set off Delphini's yawn.

"Home for him too" said Andromeda "Glad you could turn up, finally."

"But father – " started Delphini and Harry, running out of ideas, kissed her forehead. She wrinkled up her face "Public!" she said. Harry kissed her again. "Come on, lets got home and get some sleep."

"Mummy" said Delphini. "Daffy."

Harry kissed Delphini again and started carrying her extremely heavy little girl carcass out of the room "Not your mummy. Just a friend." said Harry.

"Dancing!" said Delphini "With Daffee, so you'll laugh."

"Dearest, we're both tired, and we should go home" said Harry. Being slippery fur, at this point his daughter slipped out of Harry's arms and stood on her own two blue booted feet.

Delphini dragged Harry through two rooms, finally stopping at Daphne's feet.

"Father, Dancing with Daffee" said Delphini. Daphne looked down at the little heiress, both in white fur coats and white fur hats.

"I'm trying to take her home to bed" said Harry.

"We had a nap father" said Delphini, barely holding back a yawn "Daffe and dancing."

Daphne smiled slightly "So, to get her to go home to bed, one dance." she suggested helpfully.

"One dance" said Harry "Then Delphini Black is going home to bed"

Dephini nodded her head.

Teddy shook his head "Harry's Ginny." Harry cringed.

"Ginevra has made a reappearance in your life, Potter-Black?" asked Daphne, looking slightly amused.

"Teddy goes to Molly Weasly's sometimes" said Harry "To meet his girlfriend Vic."

"Vic is Not my girlfriend" said Teddy, his hair going purple.

"And neither is Ginny mine any more" said Harry "A long time ago."

"She's still with Michael Corner, isn't she?" asked Daphne.

"I honestly don't know" admitted Harry "I have Delphini and Teddy and being the Black of Black."

Delphini grabbed Daphne's hand and pulled her along. Harry followed the pair of white fur clad witches, one looking like a child of the other. It was odd, Harry thought, Delphini's parents had both had dark hair, and Delphini had blonde...with coloured tips. Part of Delphini being a metamorphmagus probably. After all, Tonk's hair was nearly always pink.

The room with a charmed gramophone playing dance music had a number of couples of all ages dancing, and Delphini stopped and glared at Harry till he took Daphne's hand and set out onto the dance floor, and moment later they started to waltz. Daphne had a twitch at the edge of her mouth.

"She's definitely a Black, isn't she" said Daphne finally.

Harry nodded "Sorry about this" he said, and Daphne snorted.

"She's going to die of mortification as a teenager when you recount tonight, you know" said Daphne, teeth showing in her grin.

Harry frowned "Will she?" he said "I don't know much about being a teenage girl."

"Oh god. Harry Potter, overprotective father" said Daphne "She'll date one day."

Harry shook his head "She'll drag the corpses of her victims home" he quipped.

"She's not as bad as that" said Daphne "It's rather sweet really."

"I really hope to keep her from the worst excesses of her family" said Harry, twirling Daphne.

Daphne's eyes glittered blue in the lamp lights "Well, keeping her away from dark magic and blood bigotry and you're done" she suggested.

"There's a grille over that shelf in the library" said Harry.

"Why even have those kind of books" asked Daphne seriously.

"Well, some are family spells, and mostly for counter-curses" said Harry. "And partly to not throw family things away."

"Is that why all your furniture's so… awful" asked Daphne and Harry frowned, confused.

"It's what I had when I sold Grimmauld place" said Harry "It's not stylish, but it's clean."

"You're such a tightwad, except on Delphini" said Daphne. "You love her, don't you?"

Harry smiled "She's an orphan like me, but at least someone loves her."

"She's a very lucky little girl" said Daphne "To have someone adopt her who loves her."

"She's my closest relative" said Harry "Can't not."

"Now when she frowns like that" said Daphne with a laugh "Such a serious little girl"

"Not always" said Harry. "Buny often wants to do things"

"Who's buny? Asked Daphne.

"Her plush stuffed rabbit" said Harry "Buny gets tired, or wants to go sock racing with Teddy, or play with Sunny."

"The snake?" asked Daphne.

"Lazy Pet snake" said Harry "She might be technically venomous, but she just eats rats. Oh, and eggs. As a result, Delphini wants to eat three eggs a day."

"Why? Asked Daphne with a laugh.

"Becuase Delphini wants to get bigger and Sunny told her… " said Harry.

"To eat eggs" smiled Daphne "That's cute, even though it's a little girl talking to a snake."

The song ended and Harry walked back to Delphini who looked up at Harry "Smiling, good." she said. "I'm tired. Home now."

"Thank you for the dance" said Harry to Daphne, who nodded.

"You were at least mildly amusing" Daphne said.

"Home now" said Delphini, and grabbed Daphne's coat-hem.

"Daphne isn't coming home" said Harry "She lives with her parents."

Delphini shook her head "Too big for that, come sleep with Daddy." Daphne Greengrass had a very holding in a snort look about her.

"Delphini, let Daphne go, she doesn't live with us" said Harry.

"Stori said" said Delphini. Harry sighed.

"Astoria was just talking about rumours, Delphini. Daphne's not family." said Harry.

"Thank goodness" muttered Daphne, who crouched and held Delphini's hand "Let me go please. I have my own home to go to."

Delphini shook her head "Daddy needs more hugs" she said. "Daffee funny, dances good. Be mummy." Daphne closed her eyes and Harry caught sight of Andromeda holding in a giggle.

Teddy broke the deadlock by putting his hand on Delphini's "Harry's tired" he said "Come on?"

"Okay" grumbled Delphini "Teddy will stay?"

"At this late hour, we'll sleep at Harry's house yes" said Andromeda "Come on you two."

Teddy held Andromeda's hand and Delphini let Daphne's coat go. Daphne crouched to talk to Delphini. "I admire your persistence" said Daphne to Delphini.

"Penguins" said Delphini "Percy the Persistent Penguin" she explained to a confused Daphne who stood up.

"What penguin?" asked Daphne, brows furrowed.

"A book we read together" explained Harry "Percy the persistent Penguin is about a penguin called..."

Daphne nodded "My sister had to read some dreadful thing about a manticore"

Delphini grabbed Harry's trouser-leg "Manticore Daddy?" she said nervously.

Harry crouched to Dephini's eyeline "We were talking about the book, the one with the manticore in it. There's no manticore here."

Delphini looked sideways at Harry "You sure?" she asked.

Harry nodded "Sure enough, and we're about to floo home, and there's no manticores there."

Delphini nodded "Home now" she said.

As they walked to the front hall and the fireplace on the floo network, Andromeda said evenly "Don't even think about conjuring manticores to get Delphini to do things."

"Did not cross my mind" said Harry.

-==0==-

Harry was eating breakfast with Teddy and Delphini and Andromeda, and Septimus and Fiona and, Sarah, when the Daily Prophet arrived.

The Prophet headlined with a sketch, not a photo, of Daphne and Delphini, the headline

'Harry Potters shameful love-child.' with 'Delphini Black, with her mother Daphne Greengrass' in as the caption for the sketch.

Harry blinked at the front page. It was, he thought, as bad as the tri-wizard tournament.

"What has the Prophet done?" asked Andromeda.

Harry handed it over wordlessly.

"Oh" said Andromeda "We can reasonably expect Miss Greengrass or her father to contact us momentarily."

….

Erzabet Greengrass arrived by floo-powder in a brown robe instead. She looked well dressed, and rather pinch-faced.

"Potter, Zis iz a scandal. You will fix it" said Erzabet.

….

"No, I will not consent for Delphini's blood test results to be made public" said Harry to Erzabet.

Erzabet glared at Harry with hazel eyes "My Daughter is being bezmirched" she said "Zis iss Unacceptable. You will – "

"Delphini is an orphan" said Andromeda tightly "Of the house of Black." she added "We are not washing our dirty laundry in public."

"She's a Black bastard?" asked Erzabet.

"She is Harry's adopted daughter" said Andromeda. "That concludes the history of my niece."

"Daphne would be an acceptable beard if the boy iz – " started Erzabet.

"No" snapped Andromeda "Harry is apparently capable of resisting beautiful daughters who dance well, but he likes witches, and will find his own, thank you very much."

"Thank you Andromeda" said Harry evenly "Erzabet, I appreciate that this story is troubling, but the Prophet runs slander pieces, it's what they do."

Fiona and Septimus were watching all this, spellbound.

Erzabet glared at Harry.

"We could get Healer Sanderson to make a statement" said Harry "Confirming that Daphne's no relation of Delphini's. And my niece by blood."

"Ze propeht will not print zat" said Erzabet. "Ze want to continue zis scandal."

Harry scratched the back of his head, then had an idea about who would print the story he wanted sold "I have an idea" he said slowly.

"What?" asked Andromeda.

"Witch Weekly. They always want an interview." said Harry "They'd print anything I say. All I have to do is… answer a lot of annoying questions."

"Do Zat" said Erzabet. "You owe us for zis scandal"

Harrys lips tightened to a thin line. "I don't owe you anything" said Harry quietly.

"People will think my Daphne iz a woman of no virtue!" said Erzabet.

"I can assure you, Mrs Greengrass, your daughters virtue is safe with me. She's not my type." said Harry.

"Andromeda are you sure he's not, you know?" asked Erzabet.

"Everyone saw him kissing Ginevra Weasley at Hogwarts, after the war was over" said Andromeda.

"Look, I happen to like fiery redheads called Ginny" said Harry.

Erzabet gave Andromeda a long stare, and Andromeda shrugged.

Erzabet left. There was, Harry thought a certain similarity of action between the mother and the daughters, and Daphne did look like her mother from certain angles. The rear, mostly.

Harry went to his office and rifled through the recent mail. There, like a bad penny was the semi-weekly invitation for an interview with Witch Weekly.

Harry read the bottom of the letter, and there were the contact details.

Harry thought about that, and sighed, and wrote a letter, accepting an interview tomorrow after lunch. He flooed to Hogsmeade, and used the owl-post office to send a reply.

The next day, after lunch, Lindsey Snuffington-Smythe, a witch in light orange robes with a jaunty little brown hat from Witch Weekly came to see Harry, Andromeda, Teddy and Delphini, who were all on couches in the Drawing room. Harry was holding Delphini and Andromeda Teddy.

Kreacher showed her in, and she sat on a chair, and drew a quill and scroll of parchment.

"Now" she said "Lets get everyone's names straight."

Andromeda replied "Delphini Black, Edward Lupin, heir Black, Harry Potter-Black, the Black of Black, and myself, Mrs Andromeda Tonks née Black, Edwards grandmother."

Lindsey scribbled, and set her quill point down, and it hovered.

"That's not a quick-quotes quill, I hope" said Andromeda.

"A mere dictaquill" said Lindsey.

The interview proceeded, and Harry wanted to roll his eyes over and over again.

...

"And lastly… the rumours about you and miss Daphne Greengrass?" asked Lindsey.

"Firstly, if you would ask Healer Sanderson at St Mungos, she will make a statement. Delphini's parents… well" said Harry. "Delphini, your mother and father?"

"Father died, mother died" said Delphi "I'm an orphan. Mrs Rowle was mean."

"Mrs Rowle went to Azkaban for her role in Delphini's upbringing" said Harry.

"Quite" said Lindsey. "And your notable appearances with miss Greengrass?"

"She's a good dancer and amusing, but not my type" said Harry.

"And your type is?" asked Lindsey "Or readers will want to know?"

"Well, fiery redhead chasers" said Harry glumly.

"Ah" said Lindsey "so you ah, haven't moved on."

Harry shook his head.

"Well… I think we'll down-play that a little" said Lindsey "Thank you all for the interview."

"Thank you" said Harry.

Andromeda spoke up "I'd appreciate seeing it before it was printed" she said "Just to ensure that nothing unfortunate happens." Andromeda smiled, in a Harry thought, mildly threatening way. Her sister had been Bellatrix LeStrange, and her other sister was Malfoy's mum. The Black sisters were fairly scary.

Lindsey left a little later, after taking a few photographs of the Black family, and one of Harry standing with Delphini. Harry declined to dress Delphini in her fur coat and hat.

"That went quite well" said Andromeda.

"Bored" said Delphini bluntly.

"Bored" said Teddy "Wanna Adventure!"

"We'll go see the barns. There might be any kinds of animals there" said Harry.

"Owls!" said Delphini cheerfully.

"Quite possibly" said Harry.

"Harry, get a post owl" said Andromeda quietly "It's been years since your last one died. You still have all the no-thank-you cards to send out."

Harry nodded.

Witch Weekly paid nine hundred galleons for the interview, according to a Gringott's letter. Harry looked at that in revulsion. There was no way he was propping up his income with interviews. It certainly filled some holes in the budget, but he wasn't going to do it again.

-==0==-

Witch Weekly's article, being the first interview with the Blacks, made the third page of the Daily Prophet the day after. 'Harry Potter gives interview to Witch Weekly'. The article in the Prophet simply didn't mention any linkage to Daphne Greengrass. Harry put the Prophet down and ate some marmalade on toast. He eyed his tea speculatively.

Two minutes later, Daphne Greengrass arrived, surprising Sarah, her children, Harry, and Delphini.

Delphini spoke up "Daffy!" Daphne Greengrass frowned at that.

"Potter, you actually gave a media interview and cleared the whole thing up." said Daphne "I'm rather impressed. And you didn't come across as being an utter prat. That must have been a real challenge for you."

"It was either that or your mother was going to visit again" said Harry "Goodbye Greengrass, see yourself out."

Daphne Greengrass left.

"So you don't fancy her ?" asked Sarah blandly.

"Nope" said Harry.

"Still stuck on the last one, then" asked Sarah vary bluntly.

"Yup" said Harry curtly.

"Well, give it time." said Sarah. "I still miss Philippe, but it's not so bad as it was."