Ashes in your mouth.
Chapter Fifteen: Where Harry's inheritance causes painful problems.Ron came into Harry's dining room one morning over breakfast,
"Harry, Delphini, Mrs Pottinger… little Pottingers." said Ron.
"What's up?" asked Harry.
"Your twenty-fourth birthday's coming soon." said Ron "And you're getting a big party, all the DA are coming, and George is not doing a risible fireworks display. A very ordinary fiery number in the sky. Well, and being twenty-four it's magical, according to Hermione, Arithmancy."
"Didn't think I'd make it to twenty-four" said Harry.
"Neither did I" said Ron, "Mum's organising catering, and your job is to open presents, drink and have some dinner, then blow out your birthday cake."
"The fireworks better not do that… thing ever again" said Harry.
….
Harry was standing on the terrace watching the fiery twenty-four floating over the grounds spitting out whizzing Katherine wheels, when someone on the terrace said "Happy Birthday Potter."
Harry realised it was Greengrass as she said "Nobody expected you to make it. And you're a serious grown-up."
Harry looked around, and there she was, in a lightweight blue cloak, leaning on the stone balustrade holding a glass.
"Thanks" said Harry "I think."
"How long will that stay up?" asked Daphne Greengrass, sipping something blue.
"It depends," said Harry "Someone my age… quite a while", and as he'd hoped, Greengrass spat drink over the railing.
She turned to him, and her eyes were… bright, "that's awful. Casting aspersions. You have a real line in that." she said, looking more amused than annoyed.
"Well I don't do whispering in your ear" said Harry with a smile.
"Oh, I am really curious as to what Weasley did to you" said Daphne.
Harry realised she'd got a little spit-out-drink on her cloak.
"You don't need to hide. The war's been over for years" said Harry. And he felt that was a lot better answer than saying 'chafed my ears with her thighs,' which was more true.
"The bloody prophet would have a field day, witch weekly would run another feature on our non-existent romance" said Daphne. "No." she said in a soft, warm tone that had the hair on Harry's neck standing up. She had no blood right being able to do that, thought Harry.
She turned back to watch the fireworks box spit out an unexpected pink fiery dragon that roared around the grounds, leaving a trail of smoke and pink sparks.
"Oh yes!" exclaimed Daphne, and she … jumped up and down. "I Love those dragons!"
Harry chuckled and watched the mischievous firework racing about.
Some time later, he had to cut the cake, and that was on the (now cleared off) dining table.
Twenty-four candles was a lot, Harry realised, as the flames flared several feet high.
He blew the candles out and waited, and as he'd expected they re-lit.
Harry blew them out one more time, and then when they re-lit said "Mrs Weasley, can you get those?" Mrs Weasley snuffed them with a flick of her wand.
George handed Harry a mug "One last drink" he said. Harry looked in and it was a greenish colour, and smelt all right. Harry took a sip, and it was a pleasant peppermint flavour, Harry swigged gently on it, and looked around for Delpini. He walked around saying thanks to people, and found Delphini with Teddy, poking and frankly tearing at the wrapped presents piled in the parlour.
"Delphini, Teddy" said Harry, "Those are my presents. We're having cake right now, and presents afterwards."
Delphini looked up at Harry innocently, her huge dark eyes glittering "Daddy," she said, and Harry's heart melted. He held out a hand, and towed her back to the dining room where she was given cake by Andromeda, who said "That will be on the floor and the dress."
"Yes" said Harry "And we love her anyway."
Andromeda smiled and handed Teddy his cake, and he dashed off to see what Delphini was doing, because she'd already bolted off with her cake.
Harry had some cake; it was strawberry, and Harry wondered if he liked it more than chocolate.
While he was solving the problems of the world vis-a-vis cake choices, Ron and Hermione levitated in all the presents. Harry was running out of hands, to eat cake, so he sculled the peppermint drink and picked up some cake. His stomach felt funny, and strawberry after peppermint was odd.
Harry felt warm, and ate some more of his small slice of cake.
He put the plate down and distractedly went to open presents.
With great fanfare, Ron handed Harry a present, and opened it, while Hermione wrote down who sent what.
After the tenth copy of 'Foolproof guide to wooing witches' Harry's ears felt warm.
"Very funny guys" said Harry, feeling a little woozy.
There were a lot of presents. More than Dudley's ill-fated thirty-seven.
Much later, people started leaving, Harry shaking a hundred hands at least.
The witches he knew took to kissing his cheek, which was actually a bit humiliating.
After the third kiss from Angelina, he realised it was intentional.
The party was nearly over and Harry felt a bit of a berk standing by the main fireplace and saying goodbye to everyone.
A blue cloak came over, and Daphne Greengrass eyed him, and kissed his cheek "Happy birthday, Harry Potter" she said.
Harry felt odd, and recklessly kissed her. On the actual soft pink coloured lips. Which were warm, and she smelt nice, and Harry kind-of well, held her head and slipped her some tongue, and it was … bloody hell she was nice to kiss… and it'd only been a month or so since the last one…
Daphne's mouth opened slightly and Harry's tongue sought out her tongue, which didn't move, then she slowly licked his tongue twice and Harry's pants were suddenly far too bloody tight, and his other hand wrapped around her back and the whole thing turned into a halfway decent snog for a bit, till her hands pressed on his chest, and he wasn't kissing her any more.
"Are you drunk" asked Daphne, wet pink lips slightly parted, shiny Caribbean blue eyes and a pinkish neck.
"Not yet" said Harry "Um… sorry. I dunno what came over me."
Daphne's mouth closed and her eyes lost their 'um' look. "Quite" she said "Well, goodnight Harry Potter."
"Uh… recognition question." said Harry.
"You should recognise that kiss" said Daphne, and Harry felt his cheeks redden.
"Er, yes." said Harry. "I um…. Thanks."
"Thanks?" said Daphne "I'm going home."
"Great present." said Harry.
"And you didn't even unwrap it" said George from over Harry's shoulder, as Greengrass left for "Greengrass estate."
"What the hell was in that drink?" asked Harry.
"A Mild sedative." said George "To the connoisseur, peppermint butterbeer with a peppermint schnapps chaser."
Harry turned "You tried to get me drunk?" asked Harry "You know I … stopped after you know."
"One little drink, and it gave you the nerves to finally snog your girlfriend" said George.
"Daphne is not my girlfriend. We just dance at things" said Harry defensively.
"And that was a pretty good kiss" said George "A solid five out of ten."
"Eight at least" said Harry reflexively. Her tongue move was… stimulating.
The next morning, Harry had a terrible headache and Kreacher announced a Tracey Davis was in the study.
Harry made a despairing look at Sarah, who blithely took over trying to get Delphini to stop waving her bacon like a wand, and went to the study, where Tracey Davis was standing in a travelling cloak.
"Potter, you can't mess Daphne around like this" she said, abruptly.
"You can talk. Polyjuicing yourself and going to a ball. I thought you were Daphne." said Harry.
"Er, well, I just thought that Evan Slytherin sounded like the sort of bloke Daphne might date, so I took matters into my own hands." said Tracey. "It was that or vouchers for cat food."
"I did not appreciate being messed about" said Harry.
"Got you going did I? "Asked Tracey "Shame you're a specky git."
"What have I done wrong now?" asked Harry.
"You can't just snog girls that come to your birthday party like that" said Tracey "Between all the rumours about her, and then you doing a number on her gob… it's not right. If you were her boyfriend, then maybe you could plunder her mouth."
"She was kissing back quite enthusiastically" said Harry defensively. "And I didn't do anything indecent." If that was plundering, thought Harry, I like plundering.
"That's half the bloody problem" said Tracey "She's stuck in an impediment-jinxed dating disaster with Harry Potter, the man who snogs. But isn't interested in dating."
"I have responsibilities. My daughter needs me" said Harry "And my godson."
"Merlin, you really are the biggest blow-off in the history of blow-offs." said Tracey "Get your head right, Potter. Either date my best friend or leave her alone, not this… pathetic drawn out torture."
"Did she put you up to this?" asked Harry.
"Circe no, she swore me to secrecy as she complained about getting snogged by a fit bloke." said Tracey.
"Go aw– you're a really bad friend?" said Harry, confused.
"No, I'm a brilliant friend. My friend's just always wanted more from a wizard than is possible. You've actually got several titles, and you're the Slytherin of Slytherin, and Harry bloody Potter, and rich, so frankly I can't see why she doesn't just come over here and jump down your throat. Well, apart from the crippling insecurity about her past failures at dating, and terminal shyness."
"Daphne Greengrass had failures at dating?" asked Harry, his interest piqued. Maybe Micheal Corner had dumped her, Harry hoped. Harry knew his dating history, until Ginny at least was the stuff of snide jokes all over Hogwarts. Harry Potter, the boy who couldn't. Ginny… well until the… thing with the thing…. That had been going pretty damn well, Harry thought.
"Potter!" said Tracey loudly "You all right? You went all still for a bit there?"
"Oh" said Harry blinking "Just wondering how a pretty girl like Daphne could have any problems dating."
"Oh I dunno, boys only wanting her for her looks and ignoring her as person?" asked Tracey.
Harry winced in sympathy.
Tracey must have noticed because she drew her wand "Are you mucking my friend around for her looks?" she asked, with an increasingly irritated tone.
"No" said Harry "I just imagined how that must have felt."
"Eight boxes of tissues and tubs and tubs of icecream" said Tracey "That's how. Then having to go on a diet because her clothes don't fit. Being a girl isn't like being a boy. We can't just eat what we want."
"There's always exercise?" said Harry "Ange and Alicia and Katie would eat fair bit after quidditch training with Wood."
"Wood's a professional athlete. The goss was that he tortured you lot, exercising an hour a day."
"More on weekends. Six am starts." said Harry, remembering it with the eyes of an ex-auror. It had been reasonable training. Stood him in good stead for being an Auror.
"And you just a first year. He must have been mental" said Tracey "You know he's doing really well at Puddlemere."
"Is he?" asked Harry "I'm losing track of quidditch, I need to get Ron to update me."
Tracey muttered something.
"Why haven't you asked Daphne out for like, I dunno, butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. On a weekday, so there's no school students?" she asked in a normal tone.
"Because I don't feel like that about her" said Harry, rolling his eyes. "There's more to taking a girl out than going, oh. That one's pretty and funny and a good dancer."
Tracey stared at Harry and pursed her lips .
"There's more" she said sarcastcially, nodding "Like what?"
"There has to be some … spark" said Harry "And there's just not."
"No spark" said Tracey "Everyone that's seen you two dancing and laughing would think otherwise, but you do you, I suppose."
"Thanks, I suppose" said Harry awkwardly.
"And you dated Ginny Weasley because of a spark then" said Tracey "Which went out."
"Er" Harry looked at the floor "She um… lost her spark for me" he said, feeling that awful floating feeling again.
"Oh., you're not over her, even though it's been years and years. That's… romantic in a tragic sort of way" said Tracey. "I'll see myself out."
Harry nodded, looking at the floorboards.
Tracey got to the office door when she turned around and asked "And You, of course had a spark for Ginny Weasley the first time you met her. Just put off asking her out for what… four years?"
Harry looked up, feeling dreadful. His eyes met Tracey's.
"Circes Tit's, you look like someone ate your puffskein in front of you" said Tracey. "You didn't fancy her to start with though. Did you?"
"Erm... no" said Harry. "It's personal."
Tracey nodded "You might need some professional help for that being dumped by Weasley."
"Had it" said Harry bluntly "Hermione got all up in my business."
"How" asked Tracey in an odd tone "Do Granger and Ron Weasley work as a couple. She's a fun-hating square and Weasley's a regular bloke that likes Quidditch?"
Harry's mouth opened. Tracey had pinpointed something that Harry had long wondered about.
"To be honest" said Harry "I've no idea. Hermione's always complaining and Ron's always feeling like he's not being ambitious enough. Are you good at people or something?"
"Bloody Brilliant" said Tracey modestly "And of course, hilarious. So Granger just likes big dicks then?"
Harry closed his eyes and shuddered "I'm going to need obviation" complained Harry.
"Big hands, big feet, big nose" said Tracey "Big all over, amiright amiright?"
"We called him Big in the Aurors" said Harry wryly "But not for that."
"Not for that?"
"For the scars on his arms" said Harry "His left arm's all scarred from splinching, all over his shoulder, and both forearms from… some weird brain-thingos that attacked him in the Department of Mysteries in fifth year. When I got Sirius killed."
"Big scars" said Tracey "All you Aurors end up pretty scarred, though." She pointedly didn't look at Harry's forehead.
"Neville never got any. Still, he got some from venomous tentaculars at home in his glasshouse." said Harry.
"You Griffindors are all crazy" said Tracey "Why call him big, not Scars?"
"Because they called me scars after… the accident" said Harry.
"Scars" said Tracey "They called you scars?" – she glanced at Harry's enormous 'oh won't getting my scar removed be a good idea' scar.
"Well, they called me five-x before that." said Harry. "From creature classifications, Class five ex, extremely dangerous and lethal."
"You are, aren't you" said Tracey "And so thin still."
"I can lift two five-year-olds or one witch dancing, I'm stronger than I look. You know where the fireplace is" said Harry.
"You actually say that" said Tracey, shaking her head, "I thought Daphne was exaggerating."
With that, she left, leaving the office door open.
When she threw in floo powder she called out quite audibly "Greengrass estate."
Harry felt the urge to do something, and went outside and apparated off to Slytherin's nest.
The stone circle tickled a little as he walked into it.
The stone tower was as desolate looking as it had been, and Harry walked up the stone steps, which while weathered were hardly worn, and touched the iron ring on the door; it felt a lot like the Grimmauld place door-latch. Clearly magical, and not hostile.
With a shove, Harry pushed the door open and looked at the floor.
Here, thought Harry, went nothing, and he stepped in. His foot tingled, and it felt like walking naked through a field of nettles… not that Harry had actually done that.
Harry stepped right in, and the simplicity of the tower was obvious. There was a back spiral stair, and no other rooms. The walls were partially plastered, but most of the plaster had fallen into piles against the walls.
Harry opened a wooden trunk, and it was empty. After a bit of exploring, all the trunks were empty.
Harry went to the spiral stairs, which went down and up. Harry lit his wand and went down.
Downstairs was a single vaulted-roofed room with scattered with dusty decaying barrels.
Harry spared it one more glance and went up to the first floor; which had once had an interior door, that had fallen out into the single square room. Again, the plaster had fallen off, and the roof-arches had whitish stains. There was a single broad stone fireplace, and beside it, a niche with two stone bowls, one full of water somehow. Besides that, there were two very old-fashioned wooden tables made from large pieces of wood, and strange chairs with X shaped legs.
The arrow-slits somehow let in more light than they should.
Harry went up to the second floor, which had another large fireplace, and fallen-off plaster. The room had eight four-poster beds, strangely like a Hogwarts dormitory, and a small arched doorway, behind which was a stone toilet; some sort of hole you sat over, and a water bowl in a niche.
Beyond the niche was a low stone wall, and Harry walked in, wand raised to see what was in there, and found it was a space the size of a – well, stone bathtub, with piles of flaking plaster.
Harry left the 'bathroom' and climbed the stairs once more, to another floor, with a stout dark wooden door. Harry pushed on the door, and it juddered open.
There was a room beyond the door much smaller than the tower, with a fireplace, and some decaying wooden furniture that might have been chairs and a table, with two doors off it.
The room smelt of rot, and the plaster had slagged off the walls, and puddled on the stone floor.
Harry pushed the door open, and there was a small room with a decaying four-poster bed, and an archway, as if to another bathroom. The outer walls had two windows holes, with large wooden shutters shut on both.
Harry checked, and it was much like the bathroom below, but the stone wall of the 'bathtub' had decorative vines and flowers carved in it.
Harry left his ancestors decaying en-suite and looked into the other door of the 'front room'
Which had a desk, a chair, several large tables, a fireplace and a pile of rust that might have once been a cauldron. Some sort of office cum-workroom. Again, it had a large shuttered window.
Harry went back to the stairs and went up, the stairs ending in a little room with a metal-studded wooden door, with a bar on this side.
Harry, feeling pretty reckless, unbarred the door and pushed the door open, into bright daylight.
The top of the tower had a partial wall, and this staircase was a small roofed area of it. The stone floor, the roof, Harry thought with regret, lacked mortar, and looked badly weathered. It would be leaking like a sieve.
Harry concluded that Slytherin's nest was a four-story tower, in poor condition, not really habitable, and that the roof leaked. A lot like every other house he'd ever had.
And anyone hoping for the lost scrolls of Salazar Slytherin, has missed out. There wasn't much left, Harry realised, no tapestries, not things on tables. The Slytherin's had moved out. Maybe that old story that Salazar Syltherin had left Hogwarts and died had a second part… the Slytherins, his ancestress included had moved out, shut the old keep and never gone back.
There was only one obvious thing to do… and Harry got out the elder wand, and repair-charmed the roof.
Nothing really seemed to happen, so Harry charmed the roof impervious instead.
Down the stairs he went, casting repair charms, and the fallen plaster slid back up the walls under the force of the elder wand. Again, and again, over and over, room after room, repair charms and cleaning charms
Harry was feeling like a cup of tea by the time he got to the 'ground floor' and got rid of most of that water-stained mineral deposit.
The place looked… incredibly rustic, but was probably habitable if you were prepared to put some furniture in it. And a truck-load of rugs and tapestries. There were paint markings in the restored plaster. If you looked too hard, a bit like the deathly hallows symbol.
Harry wondered what use he'd ever get from the nest. None, really.
Harry went home, and wrote out an advertisement,
'Character four story tenth century tower with water supply, Cheshire. Not on floo network, well warded against muggles. Hilltop views inside stone circle. Historic family home, largely unfurnished For lease, enquiries Prophet office NEST-LESSOR.'
And with a few sickles later spent at the Prophet office itself, he might get a tenant in England. Who would definitely be checked up on regularly. Losing Slytherin's nest to adverse possession would be… problematic. With that in mind, Harry wrote a letter he hoped would be read in a long time from now.
'Dear Delphini,
If you are reading this, I've died.
I've got a will at Wilkes Davis, but you must do this one thing.
Go to Serpents Nest in Cheshire and make sure to either collect rents and do basic property maintenance, or evict the tenants, and leave the tower vacant, and put some strong repelling spells up. We lost most of our properties to Adverse possession, so we should be careful.
I've included the map, which has the password to make the property accessible.
Your father,
Harry Potter. (Slytherin)
'
Harry put the letter and the map into a transfigured envelope and wrote
'Delphini, to be opened in the event of my death.' on it. His stupid eyes were prickling with tears.
And time to write a letter to Bill Weasley, thought Harry, realising that maybe non-Sytherins can't get to the Nest.
Harry read a morning story to Delphini, and explained about there being a small castle in the family.
"My castle" said Delphini.
"When you're a grown up, maybe" said Harry. "I'm going to try to rent it."
"This is my house" said Delphini "My castle. Wanna see my castle."
Wrapped up warmly, Harry apparated Delphini to the tower.
"Castle!" said Delphini, squirming.
Harry held Delphini's hand and led her up to the steps.
"Tickles" she said thoughtfully.
"That's our family's magic recognising you" said Harry, hoping he was right, and he led her carefully up the steps, and pushed the door open.
Delphini went in and had to explore the whole place.
"My castle" said Delphini, her boots dirty, her hands covered in little bits of loose plaster.
And… somehow the keep ended up colour charmed pink, and Delphini wanted a unicorn.
Harry decided dropping by Hogwarts and seeing the unicorns might be a start.
Hagrid eyed Delphini from the door of his hut.
"She don' look like you" said Hagrid "You and tha' Greengrass girl then?"
"Delphini, tell Hagrid about your mother and father?" said Harry, wondering when people would stop going on about Greengrass.
"Mother died, father died. Daddy adopted me." said Delphini, and Harry's heart warmed.
"Oh" said Hagrid.
"Unicorns, Hagrid. Delphini wants one… so I thought… she could come see one here?" asked Harry.
"They're mostly over in the east of the forest right now, but I reckon we could go find one" said Hagrid, and he picked up his crossbow, and headed off.
"You keep an eye on your daughter" said Hagrid. "I'll keep an eye out for you."
Harry led Delphini behind Hagrid deeper and deeper into the forest, and Delphini held Harry's hand tighter and tighter.
"Don' you Worry, Miss Potter."
"Black" said Harry "she's a Black."
"Oh, that accounts for it, she looks like one apart from the hair" said Hagrid "Course I mostly only see them once they're eleven."
After walking through the forest for a while Hagrid said "Miss Black, I remember taking Harry here into the forest one night when he was eleven. Course there were scary things happening. Something was killing the unicorns."
Delphini stopped dead still "Killing unicorns?" she said, and sniffed.
"Don' worry yer dad fixed all that" said Hagrid.
Delphini hugged Harry's legs. "Daddy" she said, and she seemed quite… proud of Harry, who felt warm in his chest.
A little later, they came to a clearing in the forest, where some unicorns were grazing.
Hagrid walked in quietly and one of the unicorns looked up at Hagrid.
A little while later, Hagrid motioned Harry over, and Delphini was able to almost reach a unicorn; and her arms came out.
The unicorn's ears twitched, and Harry picked up Delphini, holding her up, and she stroked the unicorns' neck, which haurmphed but did not run off, eyeing Delphini and Harry with one silvery eye.
After a while, Delphini made grabbing motions and the Unicorn twitched it's ears and galloped off.
"Unicorn" said Delphini despondently.
"The thing is Unicorns are wild creatures" said Hagrid "They aren't a thing you can have a pet."
Two days later, with a letter written and sent, on the Saturday morning Hermione brought a plush unicorn toy for Delphini.
"Unicorn!" said Delphini wildly, and she clutched the unicorn and began explaining, badly about her castle.
"'S pink" said Delphini.
Hermione shot Harry a look.
"I might have colour charmed the keep. She wanted a pink castle" said Harry. Hermione had a grin on her face, and she shook her head.
Harry was having a very passionate dream about kissing Daphne Greengrass while her leg wrapped around his lap in an urgent sort of away when he was shaken awake.
"Daddy" asked Dephini, sounding upset "I had a strange dream!"
"What about" said Harry, trying to cover up the erection he had.
"It was like I was you and kissing Daffy, but then it got strange" said Delphini "Like I needed to go to loo and wanted a cuddle and it was awful." Delphini sniffled.
Harry suddenly felt… cold and upset and like he hadn't had a hug and imagined Buny.
Harry experimentally hugged Delphini, trying not to worry about his fading erection. The feeling of coldness in the side of his mind faded, and was replaced with a fiery contentment, like lying by a warm fire. Harry kissed Delphini's head and the warm feeling grew.
'Oh' thought Harry. It's Delphini.
"Delphini dear" said Harry "There's something we need to talk about."
"Mmmm" murmured Delphini snuggling into Harry.
"Um" said Harry. "This is family magic in our Slytherin family. I'm the head of the family, and there's magic in our family that can put my dreams into your dreams. Uncle Tom used it to send me visions."
"Oh" said Delphini "Is that why I see Daffy's lips sometimes in my sleep?"
"Maybe" said Harry, trying to ignore that, "I learnt how to shut the connection off, during the war, using occulamancy. I'll have to um, remember to do it before going to sleep."
"Why?" asked Delphini "Why did Slytherin make that magic into us?"
"So I can call to you from anywhere, send you messages" said Harry "And maybe even while we're awake. I could see what Uncle Tom could see, feel his thoughts."
"Daddy" said Delphini "You need to stop it. I had a nightmare. What about Teddy? Will he have had a nightmare too?"
"I promise I'll stop it" said Harry "I think Teddy, as a Black but not a Slytherin won't get them."
Harry concentrated on the link he'd felt with Voldemort, and sort-of-similarly there was small feeling of confusion and restlessness. Harry kissed Delphini in the head and the feeling changed briefly to pleasure.
Harry concentrated on imagining Buny, and Delphini gasped "Buny!" she said "I must get Buny"
Dalphini jumped off the bed, landing like a sack of potatoes and thundered off, returning with Buny, and climbing back onto the bed and into Harry's arms.
Harry helped himself to a swallow of Draught of Dreamless sleep from the bottle he kept in the bedside table drawer, tried not to feel guilty about getting Delphini to go get Buny.
"Goodnight Daddy" said Dlephini, and Harry connected on the feeling of love he felt, let it fill the link. Delphini snuggled into his arms, feeling contentment, then sleepiness, then in time Delphini fell asleep in his arms.
Harry concentrated and shut the link off, and tuned out the lamps, and put his glasses and wand on the side table and went to sleep.
-==0==-
The next day, after breakfast Daddy was doing rocks for paths outside and said Delphini had to stay inside, and left her in the library, reading a book.
Delphini left the library and went to the fireplace, and tipped over the floo-jar from the mantel with a poker and threw some of the spilt powder in the fireplace "Greengrass Estate" she yelled out and stepped into the green flames.
Delphini stepped out into the wood-panelled hallway, and a house elf in a green pillowcase appeared with a pop.
"Who is you and Who is you visiting, young miss?" asked the elf.
"I'm Delphini black . I wanna see Daffy."
"Knippett gets miss Daphne," said the elf and vanished with a pop.
Delphini wandered around the hallway looking at things, and after a bit, a dishevelled Daphne Greengrass appeared with a crack of disapparation.
"Delphini!"" said Daphne with surprise "What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Daddy" said Delphini "Daddy dreamed about you."
Daphne blinked "Did he. And why did he tell you?" asked Daphne looking surprised.
"Din'. I can see his dreams sometimes because… I dunno. It's family magic." said Delphini
Daphne slapped her hand over her own face and rubbed her face distractedly. "Delphini" said Daphne, gathering herself "One does not discuss family magic with people who aren't members of ones family."
"You're gonna be my mummy." said Delphini "Daddy dances and laughs and even dreams about you. There was a lot of kissing and weird stuff in the dream."
Daphne blushed slightly "And does your father know about this… dream link you have?"
"Daddy said he would occulamise himself to stop it, and then started taking the blue sleepy potion, the one that stops nightmares."
Delphini frowned "Daddy didn't seem very frightened. He did have a thing in his pyjamas though."
Daphne snorted slightly ""Oh he did, did he. How…. Surprising."
"Do you not like Daddy?" asked Delphini "You kissed him and waved your foot around and everything."
"I find your father quite a good kisser" said Daphne, wryly "An amusing dance partner and he is after all the Slytherin of Slytherin. Quite a superlative family tree."
"That's what Daddy said" said Delphin "It's a Slythin magic. Uncle Tom used to give daddy nightmares with it. Uncle Tom was very mean."
Daphne opened her mouth and hesitated finally saying "He was a very mean person."
"Can you keep a secret" said Delphini very solemnly.
Daphne shivered "Yes, Delphini" she said "I can keep a secret."
"My real father was Uncle Tom, and My real mother was aunty Bellatode." said Delphini "I was playing with Fiona and Septimus in the attics and Fiona found the old family tapestry."
Daphne looked at the little girl standing in her front hallway, Harry Potter's adopted daughter, the daughter of the Dark Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix LeStrange. The little girl was eyeing Daphne carefully.
"Would you still be my mummy now you know?" asked Delphini, and Daphne swallowed with difficulty, and gave a faint smile.
"You are not your parents" said Daphne.
"Daddy said that" said Delphini "But we've got family magic."
"Family magic is just… things you inherit" said Daphne, looking around the hall, full of her families accumulated treasures. "What you do is always your choices."
Delphini smiled shyly "Are you gonna be my mummy now? Daddy seemed to really like you in his dream."
Daphne smiled weakly, and said "I assume you didn't tell anyone you were coming to visit?"
Delphini blinked silently and made huge eyes at Daphne.
"Your father doesn't let you floo anywhere on your own does he?" asked Daphne.
"Mmm" said Delphini, looking at the floor, the ends of her blonde hairs going red.
Daphne strode over, and held out her hand "Come on, I'm taking you back home. Your father will worry if he can't find you."
Delphini frowned "Daddy was doing rocks outside. He said I had to stay indoors. I'm still indoors now."
"We're going to your house right now" said Daphne. "Stay close to me"
Daphne took a pinch of floo powder, threw it into the fire, and pulled Delphini into the fireplace with her when it went green, and vanished.
Daphne stepped out of the fireplace towing Delphini and looked around ,seeing the spilled floo-powder, the dented bowl, the poker.
Daphne, still holding Delphini's hand said "Stay right where you are while I tidy up the mess you made."
With that, Daphne drew her wand, and with a few quick spell, put the poker back on the stand, un-dented the bowl and had all the greenish sparkly floo-powder flow back into the bowl, and finally had the bowl float back onto the mantel.
"Now, said Daphne "What is your father doing with rocks?"
"Making little rocks" said Delphini.
Daphne walked to the front door and gingerly opened it. In the distance, Harry Potter was levitating boulders then blasting them into gravel, which fell onto the muddy path he was standing on.
"POTTER!" Daphne called.
Harry let the boulder he was about to smash drop with a thud and turned, to see Daphne Greengrass, of all people standing in his front doorway, holding Delphini. The sight was oddly something. Like nostalgia, but for something that hadn't happened.
Harry strode quickly over and stopped just outside his own door.
"What are you doing here?" asked Harry.
"Delphini came to visit" said Daphne "With a most interesting story…"
Harry went red in the face, all the way to his ears.
"Oh it's true then" said Daphne "How flattering."
"Daddy, Daffy can be mummy now" said Delphini.
"I's not that simple dear" said Harry "Being you mummy, would mean Daphne and I were … married or something. And we're not even er… dating."
"In your dreams "said Daphne sarcastically, with a smile "Delphini, your father would have to ask me to dates, we'd have to get to know each other better, and then, perhaps if we were compatible, we might marry, and which point I would be your mama."
"Do you like my Daddy?" asked Delphini.
"He's amusing, good-looking, titled and rich, and of all the men my age he's the best dancer who's not a bore or a creep." said Daphne. "And he's not asking me out, so I rather doubt we'd ever be together, Delphini."
"So you like him?" asked Delphini.
"A little" said Daphne "Marrying someone is a large commitment, and would requite me to like your father a lot."
"Daddy's the best daddy in the whole world." said Delphini "You looked like Aunty Fleur when you kissed Daddy."
"Aunty Fleur kisses your father?" asked Daphne sarcastically.
"Don't be silly" said Delphini indignantly "Aunty Fleur kisses Uncle Bill like you kiss Daddy, and they're married and have Vicky."
Daphne blushed slightly.
"Are you not wearing your normal layers of makeup?" asked Harry tactlessly "You look a lot livelier, and that's a cute blush."
"Shut up," said Daphne, letting go Delphini and turning and heading for the fireplace quickly.
"DAFFY" said Delphini loudly "If daddy won't ask you out, why don't you ask Daddy out?"
Daphne was fumbling with the floo-powder and turned to Delphini, sighed and said "Because I simply couldn't ask your father out. He's Harry Potter."
"So" said Delphini "That's his name. He likes you."
"Fine" said Daphne briskly "Potter, Hogsmeade?"
"Erm" said Harry standing in the front doorway "Two o'clock. The Three Broomsticks. Lunch is at twelve and then there's a story."
"Two" said Daphne, dashed floo-powder in the fireplace and fled to "Greengrass Estate."
"Is Daffy going to be my mummy now?" asked Delphini.
Harry sighed and slumped.
-==0==-
Harry slid into a booth at the three broomsticks opposite Daphne Greengrass, in a travelling cloak and a green robe.
"Daphne" said Harry, pulling on the sleeves of his coat.
"Your daughter is a very self-assured little witch" said Daphne. "The change in the last year is astonishing. Is it true she used to hardly talk?"
"Yeah" said Harry, smiling as he thought of Delphini. "She's much better."
Daphne raised her hand briefly and a little later Madam Rosmerta walked over and put two steaming mugs of butterbeer on the table. "Oh, and Harry Potter." she said "You two love-birds are quite famous."
Harry groaned and face-planted onto the table.
Daphne drew her wand and cast a privacy charm.
"And she doesn't even know that you dream about me" said Daphne drily.
Harry groaned from the position face-down on the table.
"So you actually do fancy me?" asked Daphne. "What a pity you're incapable of doing anything about it."
Harry sat up, and took a swig of butterbeer. "I figure two butterbeers, and I can go home and report that I went on a date with Daffy." said Harry.
"For someone who can fight a dark lord, you're a coward at dating" said Daphne "And I don't bite, as you know perfectly well."
Harry drank some more butterbeer.
"I've got to go at four" said Harry "Teddy's coming over for a story with his uncle Harry."
"You're complete pants at dating, aren't you. How did you ever even get together with Ginny Weasley?" asked Greengrass nosily.
"She um... kissed me after a quidditch match" admitted Harry quietly, and Daphne laughed.
"Circe give us strength" said Daphne "So it's true. Harry Potter is incapable of asking girls out?"
Harry sat quietly twitching, then said "And what's so wrong with girls asking boys out" he said finally.
"Obviously nothing, it's the story of your life" said Daphne.
"I could have asked you out" protested Harry "I just… didn't want to."
"What did Delphini find you doing in bed?" asked Daphne faux innocently, and Harry went red.
"I was sleeping. It's not my fault" Harry protested, guzzling butterbeeer.
"Well, are you going to ask me to a proper date?" asked Daphne. "Dancing and dinner?"
"Er… how about um… um…. Going to a movie" said Harry "You'd have to dress muggle."
"One of those things like a talking painting that does a play" said Daphne. "Sounds different, at least. Is there food?"
"I think" said Harry "There's popcorn."
"Well, I think that sounds interesting. Educational at least" said Daphne "You're on."
"Have you got muggle clothes?" asked Harry.
"I've been to Italy for summers, of course I've got muggle clothes." said Daphne.
-==0==-
Harry waited in the front hall, in jeans and a jacket, and finally, the fireplace flared green and someone female and tall stepped out.
They had blonde hair, and were Daphne's height, roughly, but there weren't in a dress or a robe.
It was a sort-of pant-suit made of something black, and belted in the middle, and propped up in black high-heeled boots. It was baggy in some places and tight around her calves and forearms.
Daphne said "What do you think?"
"Er?" said Harry "Very um… stylish. Movies are not um, dress up sort of things."
"Oh but it's a date" said Daphne with a slight smile "Of course' I'd dress up a little. It's not like I'm going clubbing."
"What would you wear for going clubbing?" asked Harry "Some armour and a club?"
"Night-clubbing" said Daphne "Dancing to music. In Italy, a tight miniskirt and a silk blouse are practically uniforms for clubbing."
"Oh" said Harry uncomfortably imagining a room-full of girls dressed like that. It had him wishing he wasn't going to a film with some witch. And that he had looser trousers.
The Surrey Odeon had many films on, but they ended up going to see a film called Johnny English.
A few minutes In Harry realised it was actually a comedy, and the man playing Johnny English was hilarious.
"Is he supposed to be an imbecile" whispered Daphne as English killed off colleagues with incompetence.
"Yes" said Harry "Just imagine its Fudge."
By the end of the film Harry was quite happy.
"Are all films silly?" asked Daphne.
"No" said Harry "This one is making fun of films that do this seriously."
"I wouldn't mind seeing one of those" said Daphne "Maybe with a handsomer man as the lead."
"That's part of the joke" said Harry "I think you might like James Bond."
Daphne decided a week later she did like James Bond, ten minutes into the film.
"He's dishy" said Daphne over the end credits. "And a hero that saves the world. Shame the bloke that saved the world isn't suave."
"Oh excuse me, I'm not fictional either" said Harry defensively. "And that Bond bloke, for all that people he knows dies, he hardly seems affected. Not one nightmare for James Bond."
"Well, he's an idealised hero" said Daphne.
Harry got up and started walking out.
Daphne hurried after him and caught him on the dark stairs from the cinema "You can't leave me here" she hissed, grabbing Harry's arms and stopping him. "It's not safe."
"Of please, the worst that will happen in being propositioned" said Harry.
"What if they… tried to molest me" said Daphne.
"Well, you'd probably do something messy and have to call Obliviators. There are security cameras around though" said Harry quietly "So try not to. They record what happens."
"But… they'd record those couples kissing" said Daphne indignantly.
"Nobody cares" said Harry. "Teenagers go to movies to snog, I think,"
"Surely you'd know." said Daphne.
"No, I've never been except with you" said Harry, starting walking.
The audience were still sitting, probably, as the stairwell was still empty and quite dark except for lights down very low on the stairs.
"This isn't a date, is it?" asked Daphne as they got to the double doors into the cinema's main hallway.
"Greengrass, I doubt I'd ever bother. Being a parent is more work than being an Auror, and I've never been good at girls. At least you're not annoying or stupid about who I am." said Harry.
Daphne Greengrass put a hand on Harry's shoulder turning him, and one on his other shoulder. Harry blinked as Daphne came a lot closer "I do not" she said tightly "Appreciate being taken for granted, you arse," then for some inexplicable reason, she sniffled and started to cry. Horrible memories of dating Cho Chang came flooding back to Harry, and he watched in confusion as Daphne left in flurry of black cloth.
After standing and thinking for a bit, trying to work out why Daphne, who'd seemed such a reasonable girl, and decent company and everything had started crying and stuff, Harry left the cinema complex, and walked to a designated apparition area and left for home.
Sitting in a cooling bath Harry puzzled over Greengrass's behaviour. She had been decent company, and they'd argued a little about the movie, but in a friendly sort of way. She'd got odd, Harry thought when he wanted to just leave. As if a witch couldn't handle herself in a cinema. She'd been twice, she knew how it worked. All she had to do was leave, and she even knew where the loos were, if she needed to use them. For that matter she could probably apparate from the loos if there was nobody else in there.
She'd got all upset, Harry thought when Harry confirmed that the trip to the cinema was not, in fact a date.
She'd stopped him in a dark, private hallway. And when he told her it wasn't a date, she'd… started crying. Considering what a generally reasonable girl she was, bursting into tears like Cho, or Hermione was… well it was weird. When she'd turned him with one hand on his shoulder, he'd….
He'd been sort of expecting a kiss, actually. The thought of those lips on his, her hands around his neck had his bits reacting. Harry looked down at his lap 'Idiot bits' He thought. There was more to relationship stuff than finding someone good company, a decent dancer and a great kisser. Her figure, what little Harry'd ever seen seemed… quite decent. Daphne in the wedding dress had certainly been a fascinating shape, what you could see under all the lace layers.
Harry looked at his traitorous bits. So thinking about Daphne in a weird pant-suit in a cinema hallway bursting into tears… Harry eyed his bits with annoyance. Probably being mistreated as a child had… led him to have a strange relationship with women.
Harry utterly rejected Daphne's accusation that he was incapable of asking girls out. Maybe he technically never had, but that didn't mean he couldn't.
He had a child… two practically to raise.
Harry read Delphini a bedtime story about an Albatross called Albert Ross, and kissed Delphini goodnight. He didn't conjure up an albatross costume.
Harry went to bed and had a confusing dream about Daphne bursting into tears over and over and over again.
Harry was woken by someone shaking him.
Harry opened his eyes, and in the dim light it was a small figure. Harry groped for his glasses and put Delphini into focus.
"Daddy, I had a nightmare" said Delphini "Daddy was with Daffy and then Daffy cried."
Harry thought that that was … a … not a coincidence. Again.
"Um" said Harry "I um…." Harry groped about, found his wand and lit the lamps, then pulled himself up the bed onto a pile of pillows, and pulled Delphini into a hug.
"I um" said Harry "We need to talk about dreams."
"I didn't like it" said Delphini "Why was Daffy sad?"
"Um" said Harry "While you were doing lessons, I went to the cinema with Daphne. She'd never been. Well, this was the second time" said Harry.
"Daddy, are you going to marry Daffy?" asked Delphini.
"Delphini dear" said Harry, kissing Delphini's head "Sometimes people just go to a film. Afterwards, Daphne cried and ran off, I'm not sure why."
"In my dream Daffy said she didn't appreciate being taken for granted" said Delphini "What does that mean?"
"Um" said Harry, and he thought about it for a bit. "It, er, in this case. Daphne had er, asked me if the trip to the cinema was a date, and I'd said, no they weren't because I was too busy with you and Teddy to date."
"But Daddy, you went somewhere with Daffy. That is a date." said Delphini. "Fiona says."
"I um" said Harry "Think she might have um…." Harry thought. Dark private hallway, stopping, girl… lips. "Might have wanted a kiss, as she thought it was a date."
"Daddy, I've seen you kiss Daffy. She even lifted one foot up." said Delphini. "Like aunty Fluer. And she's up the duff. Uncle Ron said so."
Harry wondered about the wisdom of letting Ron talk to his daughter, like, well, ever. He'd had a terrible line in swearing as an eleven-year-old. And, idly thought… so Bill and Fleur having another one.
Harry cuddled Delphini, put his glasses down, turned off the lights and use the link to wrap Delphini in feelings of cuddles till she went to sleep in his arms. Then Harry concentrated on closing off the link until the feeling of warm contentment faded away, and Harry went back to sleep.
He dreamed of Daphne's crying face. And for some reason, it was rather nightmarish. Her eyes went from rather fascinating to just teary, and her nose was clearly snotting up.
As Harry woke up, he thought to himself, there was nothing as… oddly upsetting as a woman you thought was going to kiss you busting into tears. And at this rate it was getting to be a habit. Twice, two different girls.
Harry got an owl at nearly lunchtime, and it carried a letter.
'Harry Potter-Black-Slytherin.' was the address, written quite neatly in blue ink.
'Find enclosed fascinating letter.
Dick.
D.G'
There was a ragged parchment inside, addressed unevenly to
'Daffy Green grass'
And inside the letter, in huge, messy letters read.
'Daddy dreemd about Daffy crying,
It was so a date. Fiona says.
Be my mummy soon
Delphini Black'
Harry sighed. Delphini had very fixed ideas. At least, unlike her biological mother and father, not about blood purity.
And something in the room was weird all of sudden. Like Daphne Greengrass was nearby or something. Harry cast a basic detection charm, and the letter didn't seem magical. Harry tried a succession of spells, and nothing came up, but there was a definite sense that she was nearby. His bits, so disappointed yesterday seemed to notice.
At lunch, Harry asked Sarah.
"Sarah, are there charms for making a letter seem like the person that sent it?" Harry asked.
Sarah, halfway through a forkful of green beans, stopped "I'll take a look after lunch" she said.
Harry went to his office, and covered up the words on the letter with an old letter and some spell-o-tape.
Sarah came in and Harry handed her the letter, which she cast a few charms on, then sniffed, and held the letter to her nose.
"Not magic" she said "So you actually getting a girlfriend, Boss?" she asked "There's perfume on the parchment. And you recognise it."
Harry looked at the letter, dangling in Sarah's hand. The quite blunt letter, as follow-up to a sobbing running off.
Harry held out his hand and Sarah returned the letter "Can I see what it says, or is that too racey?" she asked. "Delphini won't stop going on about getting a mummy, called Daffy. The same Daphne Greengrass that's in Witch weekly? That's been here a few times?"
Harry put the letter on the desk, and contemplated burning it. Just not yet.
"It's complicated" said Harry, and Sarah nodded.
"I pretty much decided I'm going to try getting out and about once the children are both at Hogwarts" volunteered Sarah "I know it's a few more years, but… I still miss Philippe."
"Sarah, Philippe died in the war right?" asked Harry "Which is so long ago, Delphini, who was born during it, is nearly six?"
"I was married to Philippe, he was my husband, we had a family" said Sarah, precisely "Wheras you had a girlfriend at school. One who did not die, she just dumped you."
Harry shrugged "As Tracey Davis said, you do you" he replied.
"Um, there's another thing" asked Sarah "Can we get some different furniture. I understand this stuff's all the Blacks, so you have to put up with the creepiness, but Fiona looked too hard at the Toile de juis and it's rather graphic. My mirror won't stop whispering. And it's not a normal talking mirror. I could buy my own stuff for our suite, if you want to keep all the Black family stuff."
Harry sighed "The um… haunted furniture isn't dear to me or the family" said Harry "You can put it in the attics and have anything you want."
"You should paper over the rooms with the grisly tiole" said Sarah. "I can find something that would harmonise."
Harry thought about his last Gringotts statement. They were keeping ahead of the bills. But not by much. "Who much would it cost, do you think, to paper over that?" asked Harry.
Sarah blinked "Is money that tight boss?" she asked.
"There's rental income coming in" said Harry vaguely.
Sarah nodded "Probably five galleons a roll" she said. "Most of that's markup. I mean, a simple woodcut is just paper and paint."
"How… many rolls? Asked Harry uncomfortably.
"Thirty per room" said Sarah "High ceilings."
Harry mentally saw hundreds of galleons, which he definitely didn't have. Harry shook his head "Not this year" Harry said as lightly as he could. "Family holiday took a chunk and we need a buffer for emergencies."
Sarah looked at Harry "Boss, if you're short of cash, rent this monstrosity out." she said.
"It's entailed" said Harry.
"That means you can't sell it, not that you can't rent it. Delphini mentioned the other house." said Sarah "Is that big enough to live in? And really a castle?"
Harry found the advertisement he'd written out and handed it over.
"Sounds sensible" said Sarah "I can paint plaster walls, and you must have spare furniture."
Harry thought about that for a bit. "I'd have to move the library." he said, thinking... there was probably room for it in the workroom.
"Kreacher" said Harry, with a realisation. "He's a Black family elf, he won't go anywhere not owned by the Blacks."
"And if you rent a place like this with an elf" said Sarah pointedly "The renters get Kreacher's help, and he stops them doing anything you don't want done. Like, for example poking around in the attics. Looking at family tapestries, that sort of thing."
"There's one floor with a huge bedroom, eight beds" said Harry "No private rooms except master bedroom and the cellar."
"With it on the floo, you could pop around" said Sarah. "And this place gets me down. Frankly, any self-respecting witch or wizard can remodel a cellar into a fabulous flat."
"It's a bit more… rustic then here" said Harry.
"How old is it anyway?"
"Dunno" said Harry "Ninth century."
"So it needs tapestries and rugs" said Sarah "My gran lived in a tower lined with tapestries."
"Oh, how is she?" asked Harry.
"They burnt her out of it in the war" said Sarah tightly.
A week later, a dark haired estate-witch called Gloria who reminded Harry revoltingly of Rita Skeeter, was making expansive gestures in the drawing room of Black Manor.
"It's fabulous" she said "We do have more demand for apartments than houses, but I'm sure in a year or so we can find a tenant"
"How much?" asked Harry.
"I couldn't possibly say" said Gloria "A few thousand a year to the right tenant."
"Apartments?" asked Harry "It's practically all apartment's already. The upper floors."
"Converting a legacy building like this would be rather costly, and damage the resale value" said Gloria.
"How about locking off the first floor" said Harry "And little more?"
"Well… it would't attract discerning clients" said Gloria.
"Forty rooms, fifeen of them suites, and at least eight attics" said Harry "Fifty tenants."
"Well, you could do a barn conversion" countered Gloria "it's quite de la mode."
"Barn conversion?" asked Harry.
"Well, all those outbuildings. They could be rentals." said Gloria. "There's some cost up front to convert them, of course, and it needs to be done tastefully and harmoniously."
"Howe much would people pay to rent a suite?" asked Harry.
"Like a hotel?" asked Gloria "A galleon a week."
Harry mentally multiplied fifty by fifty.
"Thanks Gloria" said Harry "I think we'll be renting out suites and rooms"
"One thing" said Gloria "You will need to ensure your boiler's up to snuff."
Harry owled Neville for a meeting to discuss 'Advice on old-family stuff.'
Neville replied by return owl and Harry flooed off after the post-lunch story of 'Samantha the Surprised Sea-turtle'.
Neville was waiting for Harry in a slightly worn jersey and trousers, with slippers on.
Harry looked at the slippers. They were… comfortable and a bit naff.
"I was out in the greenhouses. I took off my muddy boots" explained Neville, and led Harry to the study, where he poured a short wide glass of amber liquid and handed it to Harry.
"So, you want help to ask her father for a really old-fashioned betrothal?" asked Neville.
Harry nervously took a sip of... firewhiskey.
"What the?" exclaimed Harry, finally joining the dots to understand what Neville had said.
"No Neville"asked Harry "I was um, thinking about using Black Manor as a sort of .. hotel. Is that a massive social faux pas or something?"
"You what?" asked Neville.
"Well, I've got a little castle, and Delphini likes the castle better" said Harry "And… I can't sell Black manor, entailed you know, an it's mostly for visiting family, so I thought… rent the rooms.?"
"Harry" said Neville "It was derelict when you moved there. I take it you'd lock off the first floor?"
"Basically yeah" said Harry "I dunno if long stay or short stay would be better?"
"Long stay's less wear and tear" said Neville instantly "Would you need staff?"
Harry nodded "I've got a contact at DMLE."
"I thought you only had eyes for Daphne G." said Neville very blandly.
Harry put the glass down a bit firmly on Neville's desk "Neville, I'm not dating Daphne Greengrass, I'm not her boyfriend and we're certainly not getting married."
Neville nodded "So the fact that you always dance at balls with her?"
"She's a good dancer and funny" said Harry "And isn't weird about me being ...we ll me. Though that' seems to have fallen in the loo recently."
Neville took a big gulp of firewhiskey. "Harry, Hannah thinks you're dating Daphne on the quiet."
"I'm not" said Harry.
"And the date auction? She dropped eight thousand galleons Harry, and wore white." said Neville.
"Wasn't her" said Harry.
Neville put the glass down "What the hell Harry? Was it some sort of Death-Eater plot?"
"Um… not exactly." said Harry.
"Harry, I've known you since I was eleven, what the hell?" asked Neville.
"It was Tracey Davis using polyjuice" said Harry "She thought Daphne needed to lower her standards a bit... to me."
Neville snorted "Lower her standards. Well, Daphne has always been a bit odd."
"Up till the busting into tears, she seemed like quite a reasonable witch" said Harry.
Neville picked up a remeberall from the desk, and watched it not go red for a minute. Harry stared. Neville still had that damn thing.
"You still have it?" asked Harry.
"Gran gave me it," said Neville "And my friend Harry got it back for me. It reminds me of Gran."
Harry nodded. Something nagged at his mind.
"Neville, you know Daphne Greengrass?" he asked.
"Well yeah, sacred twenty-eight" said Neville. "Balls, thought these days she's generally off dancing with you and having a high old time, or dealing with Delphini, like she's her mum."
Harry looked at the glass of firewhiskey. He lifted his hand towards it and dropped it. He wasn't drinking that, he decided.
"Why'd she burst into tears?" asked Neville "Nothing you did?"
"I didn't do anything" said Harry. "We were leaving the pictures and stopped in the hallway, and then she burst into tears. I'm starting to think all girls do that. Well, except Ginny."
"She cried enough beginning of seventh year" said Neville. "Her boyfriend dumped her. You took Daphne Greengrass to a cinema?"
Harry ignored that dig, from Neville of all people.
"It wasn't a date" said Harry "We just went to the cinema twice. Why?"
"What… exactly happened in the hallway?" asked Neville.
"Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass left the cinema and proceeded through empty passages to the main hallway, at which point Greengrass stopped Potter " said Harry, in his habitual Auror after-action report tone. Neville nodded.
"Greengrass questioned Potter, asking 'This isn't a date, is it?'" said Harry "Potter replied in the negative, and Greengrass halted Potter with a hand on his shoulder. The suspects stood close, Miss Greengrass said 'I do not appreciate being taken for granted', and began to cry. Miss Greengrass then proceeded rapidly from the building. Potter left in a discreet manner, proceeded to a recommended appartion point and apparated to his home."
Neville looked at Harry, his mouth open. "You berk" said Neville "You utter berk."
"What?" Harry said. "It wasn't. We were just going to the cinema."
Neville shook his head "That's the definition of a date, Harry. You can't take a girl on a date then tell her it's not one. Have you at least apologised?"
"For what?" asked Harry.
"Okay, I'll need to get some help for this" said Neville. "Bucket?" he called, and a small house elf appeared.
"Bucket, can Mistress come explain something to Harry?" asked Neville.
The house elf vanished with a pop, and Neville sighed.
Harry looked at Neville "Your house elf's called bucket?"
"Gran always said it was pronounced Bouquet." said Neville, and he shrugged, his wide shoulders moving like boulders.
Harry eyed the glass, and wondered what growing up like Neville would have been like. Obviously, less chores and starving. Harry was just starting to wonder, for what felt like the ten millionth time what growing up with Sirius as a 'parent' would have been like., when the door opened, and Hannah Abbott – Longbottom now, came into the room wearing a fairly unremarkable blue robe and an apron covered in potion stains.
"You weren't joking" said Hannah, and she came in and sat, one hip on Nevilles desk, facing Harry.
"He's actually going to do a formal letter to her father is he?" asked Hannah, her hand trailing over the desk to lace into Nevilles.
"He claims" said Neville, with a sigh "To not be dating Daphne."
Hannah let go Neville's hand and reached over and seized the glass of firewhiskey and skulled it, then waved it in Neville's general direction "Fill that up dear."
"Harry" said Hannah, rather directly, for such a … well slightly wet Huffepuff "You always dance with her."
"He's been taking her to the cinema" said Neville.
Hannah tilted her head.
"Twice. And no hand holding and no kissing" said Harry.
"Neville, are you sure he's not actually gay?" asked Hannah.
"Pretty sure dear" said Neville. "Oh, and apparently, juicy goss that wasn't Daphne at the fundraiser, it was Tracey using polyjuice. Tracey decided that Daphne needed to lower her standards a little, to Harry, from … whatever she'd been holding out for."
"And tangoed with Harry Potter. The things we do for our friends." said Hannah. "Didn't she go off and snog him?"
"That's enough" said Harry "Neville, I didn't tell you you could tell everyone."
"Hannah's my wife Harry, I tell her everything… well except for the really bad stuff." said Neville.
"Neville, if by really bad stuff, you mean what Harry , Ron and Hermione got up to during seventh year, I totally understand. I certainly only keep secrets from you about… some of the things the old crew and I got up to" said Hannah casually.
Neville made a "uhuh" noise. Hannah squeezed his hand and said "Honey, it was nothing sexual, we just used to go crypt raiding. Innocent children's adventures."
Neville spluttered."Hannah!" he croaked.
Hannah blew Neville a kiss and turned on Harry.
"Harry" said Hannah earnestly "You're the only person Daphne dances with at balls. She spent eight thousand galleons… how did that work?"
"Tracey body bound her, pinched her wartime running away fund had wore Daphne's wedding dress." said Harry.
Hannah shook her head "Tracey's a maniac. My best friend wouldn't do that."
"Han, Susan put me in an arm-lock and threatened me" said Neville. "At work. In the Auror office."
"Were you actually hurt?" asked Hannah.
"Well no, but Susan had decided…." said Neville.
"Neville, Harry doesn't need the gory details of how protective Sue can be." said Hannah. "The answer, Harry, is quite."
"Made Hermione look reasonable" said Neville sulkily.
Harry felt a moment's defensiveness for Hermione. She might have gone through school full-body binding and punching people, and stuff but Hermione was okay. She just, went off sometimes. It didn't pay to annoy her.
"Daphne's dating you" said Hannah "It's all through the papers, and you two are all over the dance-floor at balls. And going to the cinema, as a pureblood, that's the excelsior of dating. It's muggle and dating."
"Amazing how much his dancing's improved" offered Neville.
Harry got the gist of what Hannah was saying ,but it just wasn't the case.
"I admit Daphne's funny, a good dancer, pretty and a good kisser.. but I'm not dating her" said Harry.
"Maybe we should get Sue to do this?" asked Neville.
"Harry" said Hannah "If, at Hogwarts someone went to, say Hogsmeade eight times with the same person, and the yule ball, would you say they are dating?"
"Well of course" sad Harry "But this isn't like that at all."
"Daphne asked if it was a date and Harry said No" said Neville "And Harry's surprised Daphne burst into tears and ran off."
Hannah dropped the glass "He what?" she said , staring at Harry "What the hell did Ginny do to you?"
"Less than Dean" said Neville quietly. "Or maybe Harry's discreet."
"Oy. No" said Harry "You can't go talking about that sort of stuff." Harry resolved to keep his discreet silence about Ginny-related activities.
"Harry, denying you're dating Daphne's rather rude." said Hannah. "Daphne's a bit spoilt but still, compared to your little princess, she's hardly – "
"Delphini" said Harry, standing up "Is not spoilt. She had one bloody robe and no shoes till she was four" he added angrily "A few nice dresses and a warm coat hardly counts as spoiling her. I have Delphini and Teddy, I don't have time for … witches who start crying."
"Witches who start crying" repeated Hannah harshly.
"Ginny never cried" said Harry.
"Not in front of you" said Hannah. "Neville, is he a complete arse with women?"
"Apparently" said Neville, with a frown.
"Harry, people cry. It's a thing" said Hannah.
"Don't cry in front of people , you look weak" muttered Harry.
"Your Delphini cries in front of people, doesn't she?" asked Hannah.
"Well yeah, but she's only six" said Harry.
"Hermione cries in front of people, and she's a grown witch?" asked Hannah.
"Well yeah but she's a bit mental" said Harry. "Completely mental if you ask Ron."
"Harry, if you'd taken Hermione on a date, then told her it wasn't one, what would have happened?" asked Hannah slowly.
"One, I wouldn't have made it there, I'd be too busy vomiting" said Harry "And then… well I expect…. Hm… I'd probably get hexed into next week. Hermione had a go at Ron for dating Lavender."
"So… Daphne was more reasonable than Hermione, who's your best female friend?" said Hannah.
"It's not the same. If I got hexed, it'd hurt, I' might need some treatment but a girl crying. I had bloody nightmares about that." said Harry.
"He's a pig" said Hannah suddenly. "He's just a pig. "
"I am not a pig, I'm just too busy." said Harry, and he glared at Neville.
"Harry, if I'd taken Hermione for a couple of dates to Hogsmeade in fifth year, then made her cry, what would you have done?" asked Neville.
"Taken you to the infirmary." said Harry.
"And if it was say, Alicia?" said Neville.
"You wouldn't" said Harry. "You don't go round making girls cry,"
"But you do" said Neville.
"It's not my fault" protested Harry "I can't be that person. It's not me."
"Who?" asked Hannah.
"Evan Slytherin" said Harry "he's made up."
"You're Potter Black and Slytherin, and have an order of Merlin, first class" said Hannah "You couldn't be more heroic if you tried. Or a bigger arse to Daphne, apparently."
"I just can't." said Harry "I'm not like you lot."
"No" said Neville "you're the one that kills dark lords. My personal best is a large snake."
"I just can't" said Harry, biting his fingernails and hiding his face.
"What the balls?" asked Hannah, surprisingly rudely "What's wound Harry up?"
"I've no idea" said Neville "What's the problem, Harry?"
"I'm not rich" said Harry.
"Harry, you're Black and Slytherin, and the Potters left you a fortune" said Neville "You're richer than I am."
"Goblins took it all. Objected to our Gringotts break-in" said Harry.
"The Syltherins?" asked Hannah.
"Voldmeort spent most if it. A few hundred." said Harry bitterly.
"Harry, are saying you're broke?" asked Neville "What about the Black family rentals?"
"Lost the lot to Adverse possession" said Harry "Twenty years of nobody collecting rents and stuff."
"How are you making ends meet?" asked Hannah incredulously.
"I get rents from the gite and chateua in France" said Harry "And profits from Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes. I gave the twins my tri-wizard winnings to fund the business."
Neville poured a glass full of fire-whisky and skulled it "Bloody Hell" said Neville "You never said."
"S'my problem isn't it. Mr Weasley interfered, did a raffle or something, and I had money of furnishings." said Harry.
"Oh my lord. He's fantastic with money. Everyone thinks you're just a modest spender" said Hannah.
"Well Greengrass will expect money and stuff. Cinema tickets are fairly cheap" said Harry. "Once a fortnight anyway."
"Oh dear" said Hannah "How will Harry pay Daphne's bride-price?"
"I'm not doing any of that" said Harry "I'm not like you lot. I'm not rich."
"Well, my family aren't as rich as Nevilles" said Hannah, and Harry heard 'But far wealthier than you. You poor person' in the tone of her voice.
"Well, I suppose" said Neville awkwardly "Harry could demand more dowry than bride price. It'd be fair."
"I'm not shaking the Greengrasses down again. I felt guilty last time and gave it back" said Harry sulkily.
"You what?" asked Hannah.
"I um.. charged them ten thousand for some curse-breaking." said Harry "Then of course, I found all the letters from nine-year old Daphne asking for help. I felt like utter bastard so I sent the letters and money back."
"You did curse breaking?" asked Hannah.
"Harry has unique skills" said Neville.
"Outsourced the actual curse-breaking to Gringotts" said Harry. "I found out the who what how."
"How?" asked Hannah.
"Family magic" said Harry instantly.
Hannah blinked. "Harry has family magic?"
Neville looked thoughtful "Uh... yeah. A couple of artefacts at least." and looked at Harry.
Harry shook his head "Got some more during the war." he replied.
"Could you um… do that for money?" asked Hannah.
"He's talking about renting out the manor as apartments." said Neville "He can live elsewhere."
"Where?" asked Hannah.
"Slytherins's castle" said Harry "And no, it's just a little square tower in Cheshire."
"That's what Smith bribed you with, wasn't it?" asked Neville.
"Yes Gryffindor, that's what Hufflepuff bribed Slytherin with" said Harry sourly.
Hannah crossed her arms "Neville, you said the meeting were very boring, and apart from the fundraising thing, nothing interesting happened."
"Bole Smith is a git" said Harry. "But honest."
Neville blushed "It was um… founder business… and Bole wasn't exactly making us look good. Making Harry come. Of course, he dobbed me in. Considering I know he's used Gryffindors' sword before."
Harry lifted both hands "You're the older of us , you're the Gryffindor member."
"He's such a bloody Slytherin" said Neville "A snake in lions clothing."
"Half snake, half lion" corrected Harry.
Hannah crossed her arms "Well, Black Manor could be a hotel, I suppose. Have you and Harry already discussed that?"
Harry's got some idea of going to DMLE for staff.
"People from the camps" said Harry.
"He has to make it up to her. Daphne might have been in Slytherin, but she's just a poor innocent witch tormented in the lists of love" said Hannah.
"Innocent?" asked Harry "Not the way she kisses and talks, she knows things"
Hannah went red in the face "Daphne? Blonde, shy, blue eyes?" she asked.
"Blaise bragged that Daphne was a good kisser" said Neville "But Blaise is well, Slytherin's Zach Smith."
Harry chest was suddenly filled with the monster again, the one he'd had in his chest when Ginny had been snogging Dean. How dare Blaise bloody Zabini have snogged Daphne. That smug, self-satisfied rich prat.
"Oh" said Hannah "Harry, calm down"
"I'm fine" said Harry thought a gritted jaw, breathing through his nose.
"Which is why the veins on your head and neck are standing out?" asked Hannah.
"He used to do that when he saw Dean and Ginny" said Neville unhelpfully. "Looks a damn sight scarier these days of course."
Harry closed his eyes and took several deep, slow, breaths.
"Why is Harry meditating?" asked Hannah.
"Occulamancy" said Harry.
"Harry Potter knows occulamancy" said Hannah "And how the hell does an orphan learn that?"
"I suspect" said Neville "That's a secret."
"Family Magic" said Harry, slowly relaxing. Hopefully Delphini… the link still felt shut off , hadn't felt that anger.
Harry opened his eyes and Hannah was having a second large drink.
"He's not exactly a typical Gryffindor is he?" asked Hannah.
"He's the Slytherin of Slytherin" said Neville "One can only imagine what that really means."
"Bugger all actually" said Harry "A practically useless magical talent, and a small tower."
"And a say in Hogwarts operation" said Hannah.
"Oh,and apart from humiliating fundraisers, extremely boring finance discussions." said Harry "And the comparisons with other schools, I don't think anyone understood a thing in that report." Harry added.
"He needs" said Hannah, slightly drunkenly "The love of a good witch. Daphne will have to suffice."
"It's the money isn't it" said Neville "She mentioned you being rich?"
"Everyone does. You did" said Harry sourly.
"Sorry" said Neville.
-==0==-
The next Sunday Harry took Bill to Slytherin's nest, and Bill was hugely entertained, dropping the protections from the inside, standing in the front room. Harry felt the pricking of the protections fading.
"For the ninth century those were pretty good" said Bill "An Oaxaca runic barrier. Slytherin was well travelled."
"Um?" said Harry "Can I have some protections? I felt them fall."
"Cool" said Bill "Bloodline tied notifiers. That was cutting edge stuff back then. What did it feel like?"
"Like walking naked through nettles" said Harry. "Not that I would."
Bill nodded distractedly and started casting spells, then, evidently satisfied went down to the basement and carefully replaced some paving stones with stones carved in runes.
"Harry, being a powerful wizard, shove magic into the runestones?" asked Bill "Saves me doing it, and your magic will be better for family defences."
Harry pushed his wand onto the stone and pushed. The stone glowed faintly orange, the runes glowing brighter.
"That's it" said Bill "keep going till it's like a lantern, then stop."
Harry found doing all nine stones a bit tiring.
"You all right sport?' asked Bill after the ninth stone. "I thought you'd do five, let me do four?"
"I'm all right" said Harry, and there was an itchy feeling on his skin.
"Now, technically" said Bill quietly "If you were to put a drop of blood in the runes, then, it'd last ages and be blood tied to your family. Of course, you wouldn't as blood magic's illegal."
"Of course not" said Harry. "Will my nanny be able to come? It's just she's a lot of help with Delphini and Teddy?"
"Just hold her hand, bring her to a stone and have her touch it while you do. Touch interfaces for runic arrays were invented in the seventeenth century." said Bill. "Works for wives too."
"How do you um, un-allow someone?" asked Harry.
"Cast any kind of hostile spell on them" said Bill "Intent based rule updates. Cutting edge forty years ago. The Greengrasses had a monopoly on it till this Chinese Sorcerer called Egg Shen copied it."
"The Greengrasses?" asked Harry.
"Yeah, your girlfriends' family. Her great-something grandfather Austerius" said Bill.
"She's not my girlfriend" said Harry tiredly.
"Someone pays eight grand to for a night, she's a girlfriend or a stalker" said Bill "Is she a stalker?" he added more seriously.
"It's complicated, and not a stalker" said Harry. "Started crying because one trip to the cinema wasn't a date."
"What?" asked Bill "Did my sister completely ruin you for all other women? She'd be proud of that I expect. And I'll need to break your arms." Bill added casually "That's my little sister you were shagging."
"She dumped me not the other way around. Micheal bloody Corner." said Harry.
'Well, he's…. a bloke and likes Ginny and… " Bill stopped.
Harry understood Bills unspoken 'and isn't messed up like you.'
"Harry" asked Bill "Taking a witch, a pureblood witch to the cinema, and that wasn't a date?" he asked.
"Bill, it was just a trip to the cinema. I went once as a sort-of-date, and the second film just to see a serious one of the thing the first one was making fun of. James Bond, you know." said Harry.
"Harry?" asked Bill "When is taking a girl out not a date?"
"When I say so" said Harry "everyone bloody says we're going out, her friends says I'm mucking her around, I'm not dating her."
"Right" said Bill "So, not dating. You are in the paper dancing with her at balls."
"She's funny, a great dancer, doesn't get weird about me being a bit famous, and pretty. We've got an agreement that we dance at balls, so I can avoid boring old farts, and she can avoid bores and blokes that get handsy." said Harry.
Bill nodded. "And two trips to the cinema isn't a date." he added.
"Course not. It wasn't nerve-wrakcing for starters" said Harry "Dates are nerve-wracking. Then she asked 'is this a date', course I said no, she went mental and said she didn't like being taken for granted and burst into tears and left. Not a date."
Bill nodded. "Harry, I hate to break this to you, but firstly, going places with a witch you find pretty, funny and good company, and not nerve-wracking is the definition of a very specific kind of date."
"One that's not one" said Harry.
Bill shook his head "One that's with a witch you actually click with." said Bill. "You must have felt like that with Ginny?"
"Um… yeah" said Harry. "And the chest-monster was happy. Before, when Ginny dated Dean, it was infuriating."
"Chest monster?" asked Bill.
"The feeling on your chest… like you want to rip his face off and shove it up his arse?" asked Harry.
"It's called Jealousy" said Bill "Are you jealous of anyone now?"
"I want to smash Blaise Zabini's teeth in" admitted Harry "He apparently dated Daphne in fifth year."
"The Zabini boy?" asked Bill "She's brave. His mum's a well… you know."
Harry nodded "We never had anything on her at DMLE. Not a shred of evidence. Always married overseas, husbands died on honeymoon."
"There are worse ways to die than under Sophia Zabini" said Bill "She's probably a bit old for your tastes."
"I dunno" said Harry, feeling laddish "Erzabet Greengrass is quite good looking for someone's mum."
"That Daphne Greengrass's mum?" asked Bill.
"Nice arse" said Harry.
"Apolline Delacour in a sundress" said Bill smugly "Exactly the same as Fleur's."
"Lucky bastard" said Harry.
"Luck had nothing to do with it" said Bill "Hufflepuff girls really work hard, Ravenclaw girls are kinky, Slytherin girls… well it was hard to get them on dates, but Fleur, she turned up at Gringotts, worked hard, beat away some of my fellow cursebreakers, and went on a date with me. Best date I ever had, she utterly ignored my moves, and we talked about cursebreaking. Four dates later and I couldn't stop thinking about the way she looked, thinking about runic arrays. Course, fifth date she asked me if I was gay."
Harry stared "Asked you if you were gay?" he asked.
"Course I just said 'Not a bit. Come back to my tent and I'll demonstrate." said Bill. "She laughed. Course she came back to my tent and I had an embarrassing time."
"Embarrassing? After all those girls at Hogwarts." said Harry, who'd seen the graffiti about Bill Weasley.
"Versus a turned on veela" said Bill "I could hardly walk the next day."
"Fleurs what, quarter veela from her grandmother" said Harry.
Bill nodded "That's on her passport. Yeah. And Apolline's oficially half human too. The thing is there aren't male Veelas. They use human males. Mostly. They used to be hermaphrodites, but they gave it up for shagging."
Harry blinked "But… that means Victiore's a veela?"
"A little one" said Bill. "Teddy has a fighting chance. My point was..."
Harry felt that Bill's point was to brag about having a Veela for a wife. Which was stupid really, as Fleur was a bit snooty, and dismissive of England, and didn't have Caribbean blue eyes, and never blushed prettily, and probably didn't make jokes about S&M.
"Harry" said Bill "You okay?"
"Fine why?" asked Harry.
"You looked… odd for a bit. All… mellow." said Bill "You're were always like a goblin with a new axe. You've mellowed out, but you looked… placid. Doing something potioney?"
Harry blinked. "No. What was your point?"
"That a really good date… it's not work. You just… are, and they are… and then with a bit of luck… you marry the girl before she gets bored of waiting." said Bill.
"Bill, your entire story revolved around how your dates were interesting then you went back to your tent and shagged all night" said Harry.
"It's not the shagging all night" said Bill. "It's how you feel in the morning. Happy, content, you see your woman looking beautiful, she farts… you don't care."
"Farts?" asked Harry, blinking in surprise.
"Hummus gives her gas" said Bill. "We don't eat Turkish often. The point is, when you find a person that you get on with, who's not my little sister, bloody well apologise to her and take her on a decent date."
"And not your little sister" said Harry very calmly.
"Corner's goodlooking, has a good job, smart as hell and is boringly normal." said Bill "Ginny's a had a rough life, she needs someone who will just support her, and not … have the sort of disaster that surrounds you."
"And you don't mind me dating other people's daughters" said Harry sarcastically.
"Well, if you don't apologise to the girl, I'll turn you ears into asses ears for a month" said Bill. "Professional cursebreaker's a lot like being a professional hexer, just less trouble from aurors."
-==0==-
Sarah spelled a few large buckets of paint onto the walls of Slytherin's nest, which made a huge difference. Then she proceeded to redo the basement into a fairly luxurious apartment, by putting Harry's tent up in there, and setting up some couches and end-tables and a few magical paintings.
"The problem" said Sarah thoughtfully "Is that what I really want is a mirror that shows an outside view, and paintings aren't light sources."
Harry explained what he remembered about Sirius's magic mirrors, and added "I think it's derived from a Gemino charm "
Sarah looked at him thoughtfully "Can I put some invisible mirrors on the outside of the keep?" she asked "And maybe change it back from pink?"
"If Delphini complains, we'll just have to change it back" said Harry.
"She's riding her stuffed unicorn around in the big bedroom" said Sarah "I don't fancy cleaning it when she rides it outside and makes it muddy."
"The big bedroom needs dividers" said Harry "Into four doubles."
"I can probably whip something up" said Sarah looking sad "Philippe used to do that for me."
"Oh, was he good at it ?" asked Harry.
"No terrible." said Sarah with a smile "He'd take ages and it would be a horrible to paint. Lots of gaps."
"What if we just got a number of tents?" asked Harry "To replace the beds? A couple more for you?"
"No, I don't trust Septimus with a stove of his own" said Sarah. "He's like his father, he can burn water."
Hotel Noir, staffed by a half-blood couple who'd owned a hotel before the war, opened two weeks later, Kreacher wearing uniform, including a little pillbox hat.
Alexa Foley cut the ribbon on the front doors.
Their first tenant was a very old witch who apparently wanted to live in a manor instead of her cottage.
Hermione had suggested Harry call it Potter Towers. Then had to explain about Fawlty towers.
