Ashes in your mouth.
Chapter Nineteen: Life goes on, or people complain.Teachers get a long holiday, then work again.
The third term ended without a single crazy adventure, and the Slytherins and Pottingers went home for the summer.
Daphne started teaching Delphini to ride.
Harry decided he liked looking at jodhpurs, and was disgusted to discover he had marking to do before exam results could be sent out.
The new school year started after a summer that was hardly long enough.
Harry couldn't see the new potions professor anywhere at the high table. Minerva didn't look like she was waiting for them, eating chicken and green beans with tight, precise movements.
Minerva stood up and went to the golden lectern.
"Now, welcome first years, again, now you're not so hungry, you might be able to hold on for a minute or two. Our Potions master, Horace Slughorn has left us, he's not well and has retired to Bath, where he hopes he'll feel better." said Minerva. Harry had seen Slughorn in June and the man had started to go grey, his skin slightly rough. He looked, thought Harry, like someone dying.
"I am pleased to announce our new potions professor, Professor Greengrass" said Minerva loudly.
Harry belatedly remembered that Daphne's mother 'preferred to brew potions' and looked around for his mother-in-law. Instead, beside him, Daphne stood up and waved to the students.
"Professor Greengrass of course is Also Mrs Slytherin, but we felt it would be easier to tell points changes apart with a different name" said Minerva, and Harry stared at her. She'd pulled a trick on Harry.
"Professor Greengrass will also be taking over the duties of head of house for Slytherin house." said Minerva.
"You could have told me" said Harry, without moving his head.
"Why?" asked Daphne "You don't mind, and the look on your face was hilarious. Just wait."
"In other staffing changes" said Minerva "I wish to announce that Professor Trelawney is retiring from being Divination Professor. I believe she sees something coming." Minerva paused.
A few snickers from the students.
"So our new Divination Professor is Professor Malfoy" said Minerva. Harry blinked. Draco hadn't done divination? How could he teach it, and he was sure while Narcissa had poise and dress sense, she had no ability to see the future coming, or she'd have dragged Lucius out of Tom's grip before things got serious.
"Professor Malfoy can't be here tonight, as her infant son is a little demanding right now, but she'll be in the new Divination classroom, room Three F, tomorrow for classes. Just look for a witch with a baby." said Minerva.
Daphne sat down.
"Your sister is coming to teach divination?" asked Harry.
"She got an A in NEWT divination." said Daphne.
"So?" asked Harry "A's not that good"
"In the Practical. Which most people fail."
"Your sister can do divination?" asked Harry.
"Apparently. She's not a seer. That's something she pointed out." said Daphne, spearing some asparagus.
"What about Scorpius and the sperm Donor?"
"She'd flooing home every night from her suite. Can't do patrols with a baby anyway." said Daphne. "On days she can't, she can either sleep alone or it can floo over." said Daphne.
"As long as he's not applying for a staff position" said Harry.
"Over his dead body" said Daphne. "Though he could teach Defence."
"He's rubbish at it." said Harry.
"Mr O plus" said Daphne. "He sat everything at the WEA, got an E plus for it."
"And when did you sit potions?"
"Oh, before I started dating you" said Daphne "Mummy tutored me, and you were an Auror for a long time."
"What did you get?" asked Harry.
"An E" said Daphne "Though Professor Greengrass wants an O." she added quietly.
"Are potions safe around witches who might be mothers one day?" asked Harry.
"Mummy carried me to term over a cauldron, and I turned out fine" said Daphne "Daddy says she put me in a copper number five and hung me where she could see me once I was born. Just enough heat to keep my little tootsies warm while Daddy did paperwork."
"That wore off" said Harry blandly.
"Daddy appreciated the help with tenants last year, but this job pays actual galleons" said Daphne.
"Wait a minute, if you're head of house, you'll need to go down to the Slytherin common room tonight" said Harry.
"How did you get O's?" said Daphne "Yes dear, the two-story walk won't kill me."
"But you won't get to bed for ages" said Harry.
"I'm going to tell them to ask a prefect, or go to my office if it's an emergency." said Daphne "Twenty minutes, including pep talk."
Harry fell asleep waiting in bed at midnight.
He was woken what seemed like minutes later by Daphne
"Wake up" she said calmly "There's been a problem."
"What?" asked Harry, fumbling for his glasses.
"Some of my students have decided to make themselves very annoying" said Daphne.
"How annoying?" asked Harry.
"Blood Purity nonsense" said Daphne "Arguing, backchat, that escalated to attempted violence."
Harry leapt out of bed, and gathered his wand. "I'll kill them!" he said.
"You will behave. I feel it's time they got a lecture from the real Slytherin."
And she started summoning clothes.
Snakeskin hat, shoes, belt and green robes.
Harry got dressed in the clothes and followed Daphne down to the Slytherin common room.
Harry stepped in front, drew his wand and hissed out "$Open$" and the common room door opened.
Harry stepped in, and there older students massed on the couches by the fire, looking surly.
"Someone attempted to assault my wife" said Harry angrily.
"Harry you're hissing" said Daphne.
Harry cast a shield… a Protego Totalis and the blue soap-bubble popped into life. He turned to Daphne and stared into her eyes "Was I, sorry." said Harry.
He turned to face the students, and some of the oldest were firing blue shield-breakers at his shield, which wasn't even flickering.
"Someone attempted to assault my wife" said Harry "Was that in English?" A student peering out of what Harry assumed was a corridor to dorms nodded.
"Oh good, I get stuck in parsel-tougne sometimes, Now, put your wands down and stop being stupid." said Harry, using the tone he'd developed as an Auror.
"We're not afraid of you!" shouted a seventh year. Harry scratched the hair on the back of his head.
"Really?" asked Harry "You don't think that someone that killed a dark lord when they were seventeen, and was an Auror for years, till I retired because people complained I didn't capture people alive… might be someone you might avoid annoying? And you attacked my WIFE, who I would gladly slaughter all of you to protect?"
"It was just a fluke" shouted some brave young Slytherin.
Harry turned to Daphne "Daphne dear. Are they using lead in the water pipes or something?"
"They couldn't have seen you fighting" explained Daphne. "They would have been second years, and we kept them in dorms."
Harry reached into his pocket and took out a stone, placed it on his palm and rolled it three times forward.
The lights guttered, and started to burn with illogically black flames. The room was plunged into near total darkness… and a shadowy spectre flowed up from the floor, filling out into the Dark-robed shape of Severus Snape, his sallow face glowing faintly.
"Potter" snapped Snape "You're interrupting my afterlife for what?"
Harry pointed "The seventh years decided to attack my wife, who's their head of house. They feel that they shouldn't be scared of me?"
Snape stared at Daphne, who stood up straighter "Attack her?" said Snape "Daphne Greengrass, how you have fallen. Marrying Potter. Someone get this woman a mind healer. She's clearly lost hers."
"Thank you Severus" said Harry. "Any suggestions for dealing with these… miscreants?"
"Detention in the forbidden forest. There must be plenty of Acromantula left, and it would be a learning experience for them" said Snape.
Harry turned to Daphne "Snape thinks Detention in the forest?"
"Professor … Headmaster Snape" said Daphne "You've been very rude. Harry, a little Tormentium Essenciale for the Rude ghost?"
Harry shrugged "Shielding, Wand busy."
"Fine" said Daphne, and she cast a pretty competent Protego Totalum towards the Students. Harry got out his watch, checked the phase and location of the moon, and cast the Spirit Wrack curse… Snape's wraith screamed in agony, which got higher and higher pitched as Harry twisted the wand. The wraith, still nearly the only source of light, wavered as if in a furnace.
"I think he might have got the point" said Daphne, and Harry dropped the spell. Snape's wraith shakily straightened his robes "Potter, that was obscenely painful, and given that I died at the hand of the Dark Lord, that's' saying something. You're more like Him than I thought.
"That was a spirit rack on a wraith" said Harry, "Goodbye Severus" and the rolled the stone.
"Severus Snape, late Headmaster of Hogwarts, once time head of Slytherin house. Seventh year, you'd remember Severus? Even after he died, I can torture him. Which, by the way as he's dead, and that was family magic to bring him back… is in an interesting grey legal area. You could report it, but would be breaching the family magic's act, as that was family magic used at my home – the penalty for breaching the act, for students of age, is Azkaban. Underage students would get their wands snapped, their magic bound, that sort of thing. As an interesting point, as I own the castle, or a one fourth share thereof, everything I do when attacked is also under the aegis of the House and Grounds act. Do any of you know what that means?"
"You can defend yourself?" asked a female Seventh year, who must have a few brain cells.
"What it means " said Daphne "is that as long as my husband does not cast one of the three unforgivable curses, anything he does in defence of his family and home… Hogwarts technically counts as we're living here, and he owns a large share… is legal. If he was to, for example, perform extrajudicial capital punishment, I expect he'd be asked to a Wizengmaot hearing. And Headmistress McGonagall would be very cross."
"But she technically works for me; so she can't fire me" said Harry "The Board of Governors could… but I have a vote there, and I suspect the other governors would decide not to argue. Assistant Professor Longbottom is a close friend, his Grandmother is a friend, Mrs Malfoy Senior is my aunt… and my hand kept her out of Azkaban. Griselda Mountbanks, who is the head of the WEA, rather loved my Charms, Defence, History and Transfiguration practicals, I did get three O pluses. So, basically if someone attacks my family here, at Hogwarts while I live here, The worst I will get is a Wizengmaot hearing. And Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister for Magic is a friend. So, yes, you should be afraid of me."
Daphne put her hands on her hips and slowly said "Harry's Defence practical against the head of the Auror office lasted six seconds" she paused "He killed a sixty-foot basilisk when he was twelve. You children are so far out of your league, you can't even see it. Your uncles and aunts that fought for Lord Voldemort, aka Harry's uncle Tom Riddle, all either died or went to Azkaban. And you're annoyed because I'm his wife? I wouldn't duel him, and I got an E in NEWT Defence when I re-sat it."
"I wouldn't duel her" said Harry "She'd fight dirty."
"Thank you dear" said Daphne. "Now it's very late, I'm tired, my husband wants to kill someone and you lot are still sitting there like a bunch of surly delinquents."
"I was a pretty surly seventeen-year old" said Harry "But Minerva didn't tell me breathlessly about any of you being a Defence or even Dark arts prodigy. None of you scored an O in sixth year Defence, or even OWL Defence. If you injure a hair on my wife's head, I will hunt you down, kill you, then torture your soul till hell freezes over. Provided I meet some simple standards, like not breaking off pursuit, I can follow you off Hogwarts grounds, at which point I can out-fly and out-apparate most people. And still kill you under the House and Grounds act. Obviously I'll be charged with excessive force. However, as my wife and I have an amusingly old-fashioned marriage contract, if you were to, for example impair her ability to bear us a child, that would be line theft, and …"
"A free trip to Azkaban" said Daphne "Though, if Harry killed you then, he'd probably get off under the doctrine of Sine Plicus Pices."
"Pockets full of fish" said Harry unhelpfully "You're Better off dead than in Azkaban, french-kissing Dementors, so the court would probably just fine me. And my wife's huge dowry would cover any fines. And as I've spent four years as an Auror getting charges with excessive force, everyone knows I've got a temper, the Wizengamot would probably rule in my favour, as I would clearly be emotionally distraught at the time."
"You used to blasting curse your arrests into smears Harry" said Daphne, rather hammily.
"They were trying to kill me, and my curses are a little better than other people" said Harry.
"Detention in the forbidden forest I think" said Daphne.
"Can you issue that?" asked Harry casually.
"I have to see Minerva for actions that lead to the serious injury of a student, staff member would be instantly her problem. Attempted assault, that I can assign punishment for, and we've got precedent for detentions in the forbidden forest."
"Points loss?" asked Harry evenly, winking imperceptibly at Daphne, who winked back.
"Let's be merciful, it's the first day. Just Detentions." said Daphne.
"I'll call for Hagrid. He can take the whole lot, and let's face it, they can't hex him." said Harry.
"Certain people call Hagrid a stupid half-giant" said Daphne politely "He's not stupid, but he is stupidly magic resistant."
Harry conjured a patronus and sent the glowing Prongs off to "Rubeus Hagrid, some students need a long stroll in the forest to teach them what you hex and what you don't"
Daphne jabbed her wand "You lot, on your feet. Detection in the forbidden forest."
The students surged forward in a surly, sulky group.
Harry flicked his wand and a thin black rope bound the whole group of students, like kindling, and they fell. Harry levitated the bound group, and turned.
"That's actually not recommended" said Daphne "We're supposed to use respect."
"Used this taking loads of Death eaters to Azkaban" said Harry "They won't be injured."
Hagrid took the surly Slytherin students with a few words from Daphne and that was that.
Harry waited till the students were all out the doors and grabbed hold of Daphne and clung to her
"Oh my god "he said "I was so worried, then angry."
"Hey" said Daphne "Not outside for the Suite, think of dignity?"
Harry nodded, and he proceeded to kiss Daphne extremely passionately.
"Would you actually have hurt those idiots?" asked Daphne.
"Um, I could have yelled at them?" said Harry. "If they'd hurt you."
"And if they'd actually rendered me barren, or killed me?" she asked, head in the crook of Harry's neck
Harry pulled his head back from Daphne's snuggle "You are more than your ability to have a baby. But if you'd died… well, I've seen resurrection done before. The ritual's not that difficult, and results in a new body." he said, feeling like his skin was suddenly too tight, that he could explode.
Daphne frowned at Harry "Bad Harry. Black magic, resurrection rituals! The stone's cursed, you know that."
"Well, I could hardly commit suicide to be with you, could I." said Harry "Delphini and Teddy need me, and Delphini has gone to great lengths to have a mummy. If I did die, well, I'm not saying she'd bring us back." He gazed into Daphne's eyes. She squinted at Harry.
"I'm not sure if you're making a joke, or warning me" said Daphne "But having woken up in bed with you unexpectedly, I'll have to think of it as a warning. Was she being raised to resurrect her birth-father do you think?" She backed away from Harry, holding his hands.
"I've no idea" admitted Harry "But she isn't allowed to read dark spellbooks. Not till she's an adult, and then only to learn counters." he added.
Daphne smiled, her eyes lighting up, "Because Delphini, as an adult will listen to either of us?"
"There's hope" said Harry. "Come on, it's really late, and I'll bet your feet are cold."
"I've got woolly socks" said Daphne. "And sensible shoes as a responsible teacher." She started walking up the grand staircase.
Harry was woken by an owl pecking on his bedroom window. By the light, it was still really early. He looked over at Daphne – still asleep, and he stole over and retrieved a letter from the owl. Hagrids' handwriting.
'Harry and Daphne,
Took them little blighters on a trip through the forest.
Bigger bunch of cowards than old Fang.
They started a fight with the acromantula they met, and things got dicey.
I brought back eight, and the other four were no loss anyway.
Hagrid.
P.S. That's a joke. They all survived, and I had fun telling them about the time I took Harry and Draco into the forest, as first years.
They wanted to know what had been drinking the unicorn blood and I know I wasn't s'posed to tell, but I told em. And they all got right panicky. There's no way Harry'd really murder all thirteen of them; but they got a damn good scaring.
P.P.S. Bane found them, and well, he weren't best pleased to see them in the forest. Madam Pomfrey got all the arrows out without lasting injuries. And Bane had the bloody cheek to give me a dirty look. Madam Pomfrey sends her regards.'
Harry looked at the letter. He thought about the Board of governors meetings being swamped with complaint from pureblood families. Folding the letter up, he put it on the coffee table, and went back to bed.
"Mmmh?" mumbled Daphne.
Harry kissed her hair; she'd need the little extra sleep she'd get this morning.
He lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. There was going to be a huge stink about this, but doubtless Hagrid would have told Professor McGonagall. Harry stared at the ceiling some more, hoping the arched roof would somehow give him an answer.
Beside him, Daphne rolled over and her arm and leg ended up on top of Harry. Sleeping Daphne made a noise like "mmmh" and snuggled up.
Harry fell asleep in bed, his wife using him as a body-pillow.
Daphne didn't mention the letter as they got up the morning; Harry had a bruise in the shape of Daphne's knee in his right thigh.
At breakfast Professor McGonagall said quietly "Slytherin, Greengrass, my office."
Harry and Daphne went to the Headmsitresses office nad Harry kncoekd on the door, which swung open.
"Come in" said Professor McGonagall.
Harry sat with Daphne, who by the look she gave him, had read Hagrid's letter.
"An eventful first night" said Professor McGonagall, lifting her eyebrows.
"There is plenty of precedent for detention in the forest" said Daphne.
"That's the last of my concerns. Are you injured, do you have any … lasting effects?" said Professor McGonagall.
"Nothing more than a sore wrist" said Daphne, sounding confused. Harry eyed Professor McGonagall, who seemed more concerned with Daphne than thirteen students.
"It's regrettable that Bane shot them" said Professor McGonagall "But Hagrid's taken first years there before, and had them come back unhurt."
Harry nodded.
"If its' about the threats Harry made?" asked Daphne.
"Gracious no" said Professor McGonagall "I'm just glad you've got him under control. There was a time when Auror Harry Potter would have just brought back fragments of skulls."
"Those people were trying to kill me quite energetically" said Harry defensively.
"Quite" said Professor McGonagall, lips pressed thin.
Harry wondered what was going to happen next.
"Doubtless there will be complaints to the Board" said Professor McGonagall "Potter, I expect a written version of your speech on my desk by sunset. There will be a lot of post-owls wanting replies, and from the garbled version I've heard from Miss Price – one of the girls involved, you've acted with restraint."
"My speech wasn't prepared, isn't very diplomatic" said Harry "The Board are going to get mail."
"Conveniently, you're on that, so you can send the replies" said Professor McGonagall. "With due agreement from all the other board members, of course. Though given that you were an Auror for years, you certainly know the ins and outs of when exploding people is technically legal."
"I was just explaining" said Harry.
"Four of them are transferring to other schools." said Professor McGonagall.
"That doesn't solve the problem of people being Voldemort supporters" said Daphne.
"Well, no but there are less in the castle" said Professor McGonagall "And we'll take that as a win, and the ones that are staying will know that taking any physical action against my staff is a quick route to expulsion."
"Are you going to expel any of them?" asked Harry.
"I'm offering amnesty" said Professor McGonagall "To anyone that will name the ringleaders, the ones that cast spells upon my teacher… the ringleaders will be expelled, and referred to the Auror office; they're of age, so they can wriggle out of that."
"And the ones that talk?" asked Daphne.
"They can transfer to a different school, or stay, and keep their heads down" said Professor McGonagall.
"Won't the snitches get stithces?" asked Harry.
"Students of age who assault other students can be expelled and referred to the Auror office" said Professor McGonagall "I'm not interested in offering second chances. You gave them all a second chance, they need to take it, and behave like civilised withes and wizards, not slavering inferii."
Professor McGonagall sighed "Are you sure you're going to have your wee girl here, given what just happened?"
"I want to make it clear" said Daphne "Anyone hurting Delphini will be on the wrong end of my wand. I may even be holding it."
"She's never done that" said Harry defensively.
"She's never done that yet" corrected Daphne. "If anything, at least, if this is quite public… perhaps the high points of the speech to be read at dinner…. Then Delphini, Teddy and anyone else that comes along later, will be treated like the tail of a large, angry dragon. Don't touch."
"I'm not that bad these days" protested Harry.
"I was speaking for myself." said Daphne "She's a beautiful, clever little girl, and her father's … well I paid eight thousand galleons for a gala dinner with him." Harry smiled slightly to himself.
Everything was fine… well no, but it was just life, and Harry was pretty sure next year this sort of problem wouldn't happen again.
Harry stood up to leave, Daphne moving at the same time.
Harry got to the door before Professor McGonagall asked "Potter, Greengrass? Were you two together at Hogwarts?"
Harry stopped, turned slowly "That's a hard question to answer" said Harry. "No, but… I wish we had."
"Oh, Harry" said Daphne "That's so sweet." She smiled at him, then turned to Professor McGonagall "Honestly Minerva, if I'd been with Harry then, Delphini would have an older sibling, and you'd never trust us near a broom-closet ever again" She laughed musically.
"Thank god for that" said Professor McGonagall, as the door closed, and she pulled open a drawer, lifted out a bottle of single-malt and poured a drink.
