"Not with a half-blood"
Chapter Thirteen: Mr Potter goes to the Ministry.Daphne woke up warm. With a nice warm … something over her body. She opened her eyes, and lying next to her in bed was Harry, his hair impossibly messy. Which looked ridiculously cute. Asleep, his face was just handsome and a little darkened from stubble. His … arm was warm and comforting like a … well like an all-night cuddle. It was still quite early, far too early to get up. She lay on her side and thought about things. And he smelt nice. Mostly.
Black books would need a visit today, Mrs Armitage would need a visit in person, some problem with a unicorn eating her garden, and riding Buttercup and swimming with Astoria. There was no urgent need to get out of bed onto the cold floor.
Harry opened his eyes – without glasses they were smaller, more… human sized, and he looked amusingly clueless, squinting. He went to move out of bed.
"Don't move, you're keeping me warm" said Daphne. His arm was really very comforting, like a heated pillow.
"Uh, loo" said Harry.
"Well, get back soon" said Daphne, still feeling half asleep.
Harry loudly fumbled for his glasses, which ratted on the bedside table, ducked out of the bed, and dashed off. A short time later the toilet flushed. Oh he'd needed to go. He came back to the bed, warmed himself with his wand and got back in.
"Mmm" said Daphne "Now go to the loo for me too" she said jokingly.
Harry kissed the side of her head. "Sorry love" he whispered. And that was weirdly like actual affection. And now his breath smelt of mint toothpaste, not morning breath.
Daphne slid out of bed, pulled on a dressing gown and slippers, and left for the loo. He HAD warmed it. She used his toothbrush, not feeling guilty at all. It was practically hers anyway.
Daphne got back to bed, and Harry was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling , frowning, looking like he'd been asked a question in potions. Daphne slid back into the bed. It was still warmer then outside.
"Breakfast?" he asked.
"Kreacher!" Daphne called.
Kreacher appeared with a pop, hands shaking with enthusiasm.
"Mistress?" croaked Kreacher.
"Breakfast trays and post" said Daphne.
"Right away Mistress" said Kreacher and vanished.
"He likes you better" observed Harry.
"He is getting a little old" said Daphne very softly. "We'll need to look at staff for the other house."
"We've got a cottage" said Harry "We could offer free accommodation with the job"
"Grounds-keeper and cook" said Daphne.
"Two people" asked Harry, still staring at the ceiling.
"A job for a couple" said Daphne "Some of your unfortunate muggle-borns?"
"Would they want to be servants?" asked Harry.
"Well if the job paid well, why shouldn't they" said Daphne. "Being a cook at the McDonald's is not a good job, but being a cook at the best restaurant in London would be quite different."
Harry chuckled "You want a chef and housekeeper?"
"Okay, three" said Daphne. "At Four hundred a year." Black Books could fund that.
"I'd do it for four hundred a year" said Harry, laughing. Daphne glanced sideways at him, he looked quite … cheery.
"You've got things to do" said Daphne "I want to see more gardening, and frankly we could afford to go to some Quidditch matches."
"Can we afford to eat at restaurants?" asked Harry.
"We make six hundred pounds a week, so no, not muggle ones" said Daphne "There are a few in Diagon Alley and similar places."
"What about Paris?" asked Harry slowly. "You were getting discounts."
"Harry Potter, are you suggesting we sell appearance at fine restaurants of England and France?" asked Daphne, anbale to hold in a chuckle.
"Well, maybe" conceded Harry "I liked talking at the restaurant."
"Well you'll have to make do talking to me over breakfast today" said Daphne. "I'd better put an ad in the Prophet for staff." Actually visiting Paris with Harry would be a nightmare, the press would be even more insane, Diagon Alley was bad enough. And he probably didn't like ballet or opera anyway. Although, he did like her singing. Hmm. Think about that later.
"Uh...I've got an idea about that" said Harry "I was thinking of asking Ron if the DMLE knew anyone." Oh, a charity case. How… public-spirited of him.
Daphne sat up on one elbow "Harry, that's very thoughtful. But I want a chef, not a charity case."
"Let me try first?" asked Harry.
"Okay" conceded Daphne. "You'd better fix up that cottage. Maybe a chef could sleep in the back bedroom downstairs. Heaven knows it's clean. You vanished everything."
Breakfast trays and post arrived silently.
Daphne opened a letter directly addressed to Mr & Mrs Black, and read, and snorted "George says the t-shirts are making a galleon a day."
"What t-shirts" asked Harry, eating a soft-boiled egg.
"Harry Potter killed the dark lord and I got was the lousy t-shirt" said Daphne, smiling and snagging three rashers while Harry was distracted by the egg. Victory is mine.
"Your one's better" said Harry. Daphne's hand, holding the fork stilled.
"If we get moved and the central heating works, you'll see that one more often" said Daphne. Being able to control the urges of Harry Potter was almost like magic. Simple stuff.
After breakfast, Harry left, and the pipes banged. Daphne unfortunately, found a number of tenant letters and had to read every one. Some of her tenants wrote essays, with individual problems dotted through like plums in a plum pudding. Harry, his hair tamed with Sleekeazeys, went to his wardrobe, took out a respectable robe and got dressed. Daphne held the letter she had been reading to watch him willingly put on a respectable robe, and sensible shoes and apparate off. He looked positively normal. Well, and handsome. If he had accessorised he could have looked positively dignified. Not the locket. Never the locket.
It was nearly time for tea by the time she got a working list of issues filtered out of the dross of letters. Nothing that the repair wizard couldn't deal with. Daphne dressed quickly for horse-riding, dashed off a memo to the repair wizards, and the bloody owl Salazar bit her repeatedly.
Healing her own hands, she went to mummy's by floo-powder to see Buttercup. Who was a little slow today, but greedily ate a handful of oats with molasses afterwards. Daphne brushed her down, and let her back into her loose-box, where she leaned against the heated stone. Daphne cleaned the stable out, then said "Bye dear" to Buttercup, and went to see Mummy for morning tea, in the boot-room. Mummy had a brace of foxes on the table.
"Foxes mummy?" asked Daphne.
"Zhey were around the chicken coops, in the traps" said Mummy "I'll make some new boxes."
Daphne eyed the unmarked foxes. The surprised-looking unmarked foxes. Oh. That's how. Well it was painless. And not illegal on non-humans.
"How is daddy?" asked Daphne.
"Well he's complaining about his back" said Mummy. "So I told him to take a potion for it."
Daphne nodded, tried not to let her imagination fill that in, thank you very much mummy for trying to scar my mind for life, and made the tea.
"What are you doing today dear?" asked Mummy.
"One of my tenants has a unicorn problem" said Daphne drily. It was true, and funny.
"Really dahlink?" said mummy, her eyebrows shooting up, and Daphne felt pleased at surprising mummy.
"The garden backs onto the dark forest by Hogsmeade. It's possible. Mrs Armitage, she's a squib, and a gardener. I'll re-cast the animal repelling charms." said Daphne.
"Zhat won't stop magical creatures dear."
"Well, no, but I didn't do Care, so I'll do that, then get Mrs Armitage to pour toilet water on the back fence. That'll keep out unicorns."
"Has she children?"
"Multiple" said Daphne, unable to hold in the derision.
"We're still waiting for grandchildren, you know" said mummy. Daphne left a little later, not having got defensive. Well a bit.
Dressed in slightly horsey-smelling clothes, Daphne went off to Hogsmeade to do rural property maintenance. Harry had done Care of Magical Creatures, but he was busy dealing with the ministry, besides it was only Unicorns.
Mrs Armitage was all in a flap when Daphne apparated into the front lawn. Children aged up to about ten peered out the front windows. The begonias had apparently been utterly destroyed. Daphne followed her around the house, to see the begonias were near the pear trees. Which were looking a bit gnawed on too. Daphne improvised for the Armitages, and used her own water, behind suitable privacy illusions and repelling charms. It would be repellent enough to unicorns, and she cast a strong Cave Imicium, just in case there really were werewolves in the forest.
Daphne went home, showered and went to the drawing room before lunch… she had an idea. And a gramophone, which she apparated down to the piano, and set up with that choral piece. She took a swig of throat soothing potion, and started trying to sing her solo again.
The gramophone needed to be re-started several times. Finally, her stomach rumbling, she stopped, gargled a potion and turned the pick-up of the gramophone up. She smiled at the gramophone. "Not that big an arse." she said, and sniffled. If only he'd asked her out at Hogwarts. She'd have hexed him in the bits on principle, but… it would have been a lot less awful than this. His courage could have even seen them going to Hogsmeade after a few hexings.
"I loved it" said Harry's voice from behind the couch, frightening her out of her fantasy.
Daphne jumped and drew her wand. Harry stood up from behind the couch. Where he'd been lurking. Like a sneak, worse than Tori!
"What!" said Daphne sharply "How long have you been hiding behind the couch."
"Not long enough." said Harry "I love your singing. It filled me with the most beautiful sadness." and he sniffed. "I could listen to you sing for the rest of my life" said Harry. What!
"You really like it?" asked Daphne "I missed a few notes" she said, looking at the floor. She was so out of practice.
"I love your singing" said Harry "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. If I'd had half a brain I'd have asked you out when I heard your first song."
"Lots of boys did" said Daphne "I hexed a lot of bits that year" she said nostalgically. Oh. That was… he was being mushy? He was never mushy.
"When did you get back, really?" asked Daphne.
"About half an hour ago" said Harry blandly. He was hiding something.
"What took you so long?" asked Daphne, sitting down on her favourite high-backed chair, folding her hands on her knees and giving him a polite but stern look. He could try looking handsome and cute all he liked… he was going to talk.
Harry sat down on the couch "I went to DMLE, but they had a whole pile of things for my attention."
Harry explained about all the annoyances.
"And Ginny Weasley" said Harry.
Daphne sighed "I've been holding that mail back, with help from Kreacher." And incinerating it, but he doesn't need to know that.
"Kreacher!" called Harry, and Kreacher appeared, mid-cooking by the look of it, holding a spoon, "Yes, Master?"
"Kreacher, Mistress tells me you've been helping hide my mail from Ginny Weasley" said Harry conversationally.
Kreacher stared at the floor "Kreacher wanted to help Mistress" he croaked.
"The last elf that hid my mail" said Harry "I got his master to give him clothes." Surely he wouldn't do that, though Daphne. Sometimes he really was indistinguishable from a proper, old-school pureblood wizard. And not in a good way, but by being callous, prone to violence and arrogant.
Kreacher shook slightly. The poor thing was terrified.
"That elf then became one of my best friends" continued Harry. 'What?' thought Daphne.
"That nutjob Dobby" said Kreacher sourly.
"A nutjob who later died saving me from Bellatrix LeStrange's cursed knife" said Harry.
Daphne interrupted "Bellatrix tried to kill you? When?" Had she really?
"In ninety-seven, a not long before the end of the war" said Harry. Oh really, thought Daphne.
"Were you of age" asked Daphne. Oh – please let it be true.
"Well yeah" said Harry.
"So your Aunt Bellatrix LeStrange née Black tried to kill you, the head of the house of Black?" said Daphne, holding her mouth shut, going pink and finally, laughing. A bally blood traitor. With terrible hair. This was even better than getting the bacon this morning.
"What?" asked Harry.
"She was a blood traitor. The other way to get to be one. Trying to kill your legitimate head of house, and failing" said Daphne.
"And failing?" asked Harry pointedly. He did latch onto some things.
Daphne shrugged "Family disputes can be rough sometimes." There had to have a loophole, for… family disputes that got settled, thought Daphne.
"I love my family" said Harry "Compared to that. Heck, I love your family too by those standards."
Daddy was still getting socks. Harry loved mummy by that standard? Not wanting to kill her. Well... mummy hadn't reined daddy in with their stupid plan. She could keep getting socks too.
"Kreacher, you did well" said Harry. "I'm not going to give you clothes." Kreacher relaxed, and gave Harry a glare that showed Daphne that Kreacher, on the other hand would dearly like Harry to die.
"So Aunt Bellatrix not only followed a half-blood as a blood-supremacist, but was a blood traitor herself" said Daphne "Oh, If I see Theodore or Pansy or Blaise, this would be such a verbal dungbomb for them. An actual blood-traitor. Nobody can legitimately trade or work for a blood traitor; so a lot of people who took orders from her are blood traitors too."
Harry's brow furrowed, the Gryffindor quidditch player was trying to think. He might hurt himself.
Daphne laughed again. "Oh, next time great-uncle Oswald starts up, I'll tell him to take his blood-traitor sucking-up arse out of the room."
Kreacher's jaw jutted out and he rubbed his left ear. And tilted his head.
"Nutjob Dobby saved Master from blood traitor Missy Bellatrix" said Kreacher. "Dobby might have been a good elf" conceded Kreacher grudgingly. Harry looked over at Kreacher with a very thoughtful gaze. His eyes were oddly wet.
"Dobby has a grave near the sea, out by Shell Cottage; Bill Weasley lives there with Fleur and Victiore." said Harry "I carved his gravestone myself."
Kreacher fell to Harry's feet and cried "Master is too kind, to give an elf a gravestone. Master must promise Kreacher he won't be so cruelly kind to Kreacher. Kreacher is not worthy."
"Kreacher, I rather expect the house of Black will bury you, when the time comes in the back garden, under a rosebush." said Harry. That was the sort of… sentimental, old-fashioned family stuff that a half-blood like him had no business being… that romantic.
"Back to the earth" croaked Kreacher "Thank you master."
At moments like this, thought Daphne, Harry could be like but not like an old-school pureblood at the same time. So bally forgiving, but also… the way he casually humiliated Kreacher. It was, probably what you got when your husband was a bally great big hero. Even if he was a sarcastic berk sometimes.
"Kreacher, back to lunch" said Daphne, and Kreacher popped away. Poor Kreacher could sob in private, do some work, and feel better.
"Well, back to your least favourite Weasley" said Harry, "I've told the DMLE to counsel Miss Weasley, then treat her actions like any other petty criminal." Daphne blinked. He'd… said that.
"Actions?" asked Daphne "I thought she just wrote some angry letters" Flammable angry letters. What bally actions?
"And tried to hex you, dung-bomb you, and break into the house" said Harry casually "All stopped by the Aurors; nobody else has ever tried anything."
"And the Aurors did nothing?" asked Daphne, bloody useless Ministry.
"They thought I was carrying on. I set them right; in private" said Harry. Did… of course you did. You stuffing-well bleed honourableness.
"Thank you husband" said Daphne quite formally.
"So my ex should soon be dissuaded" said Harry. "I did get them to set an Auror looking for our staff; and then they admitted they'd damaged fourteen Knockturn in a raid." They'd what?
"No-one wrote to me" said Daphne firmly. "How long ago?" Sodding tenants. Sodding Aurors.
"I went and fixed everything, and had a word with a… another Shunpike" said Harry "He was a bit surprised we'd want to fix the doors, but I did all of them, then put an enemy repelling charm on the front door. I did overpower it a bit, so my hand-print's on the door."
Daphne found herself on her feet and crossing the room without thinking, and grabbed Harry's hands and checked them for blisters. He was such a reckless idiot. Her heart was pounding, she needed this idiot alive for the Greengrass heir, and to protect the heir till they were an adult. And he kept the bed warm and stuff.
"I'm unhurt" protested Harry, but Daphne turned both his hands over, checking both sides of both hands. He wasn't hurt – his hands were dry-ish and calloused and … nice strong hands.
Daphne held onto Harry's hand with both hands "I'm just checking. Recklessness runs in the family" she said, and raised one eyebrow. Harry seemed to accept that. Her heart slowed.
"Oh, and I told the twat in Finance to shut up or pay up" said Harry, with another of his casual remarks.
"The head of the Ministry Finance department?" asked Daphne, just to be sure.
"Yeah that twat" said Harry. "I just said, you're the business manager, if you say something, we decided it."
"Thank you" said Daphne. He was such a bloody Gryffindor. I'm delegated all power in the family business, just like that.
"I really should have gone and had words ages ago" said Harry "It's been a nice couple of years though, it's getting better."
"Why?" asked Daphne.
"Well you're lovely warm pillow, and you're singing again" said Harry. Her heart tried to leap out of her chest, she was sure.
Daphne smiled, let his hands go, and left the room. Before he saw the tears in her eyes. There was real work to do, not just checking up on one's silly husband. The list of repair jobs needed to be dispatched, for one thing. And that was straightforward, and sensible and didn't involve having Harry casually say things that… that were so … unsettling. It was an arranged marriage, and he was a thoughtless jerk. A couple of compliments didn't make up for… stuff.
-==0==-
At lunch, Harry asked Daphne about the singing, and her friends.
"You can sing, or play music any time" said Harry at lunch "I um guess we didn't exactly communicate well when we um. Got married."
We still don't.
"I'll get some more records then" said Daphne. "Do you have any preferences?"
"You singing is perfect, thanks." said Harry.
Daphne frowned into the soup. He was buttering her up for something.
"Why aren't you spending more time with your friends these days?" asked Harry a bit later.
Daphne considered her reply. The obvious answer, that they're all working at Black books seemed too simple. Besides, weekends at home were nice, there was Buttercup and Astoria, and she saw all the girls at Black books during the week anyway. And there were… things to do at home that were more entertaining than going shopping at Hogsmeade. I could spend more time with Tracey, but… she's going on about Harry. Claims I'm in love with him. I'm not. He's just good-looking and good in bed.
"I could ask you. Granger's quite good conversation; Weasley can be polite when he tries. You can just go spend time with your friends, you know." countered Daphne.
"I've been… resting" admitted Harry "The war, it was very hard on me."
"Well, while I'm not averse to watching quidditch, Weasley clearly loves it" said Daphne.
"Are you suggesting I got watch pro-quidditch with Ron?"
"Well, he works, so you'll have to schedule. I'd ask you not go to Harpies matches" said Daphne.
"Yes, well" said Harry "I'm not best pleased about Ginny."
"Fleur implied she wasn't missing you." said Daphne. "Meeting new people, often" she said snidely. Call me a fat-arsed cow, will you.
"Fleur and Ginny hate one another" said Harry, not making any judgement in his tone.
"Well, can you fix the gardeners' cottage, or at least see what needs doing?" asked Daphne, changing the topic.
Harry took a notebook, and kissed Daphne's hand before he left. If it had been a lingering kiss, well that was nobody's business.
Daphne had a swim that afternoon, and tried to convince Tori that chocolate was not an essential food group.
By dinnertime, the gardeners' cottage had been given the Harry treatment, apparently.
Two days later, Mrs Armitage reported by mail that the Begonias and pears were recovering. And Granger had written, confidentially, requesting a meeting, with her not Potter. And that was mysterious and annoying.
Buttercup got vigorously curried, and then Daphne sent a reply to Granger, The Hogs Head seemed like a discreet place for a meeting that evening, but that blasted owl bit her hand again, drawing blood. A healing charm fixed it. The owl was going in a casserole if it kept on like this.
At lunch, Potter held her hand for far longer than was respectable, bowed over her hand. The room felt too warm. At dinner, he had some interesting theories about the organisation of early Hogwarts, based on his studies of the scrolls. It seemed, to Harry at least that Hogwarts as a building had changed rather a lot since the tenth century. That made sense, she supposed. When she suggested he start drawing maps he went red in the face and looked away "I couldn't, I'm rubbish at that sort of thing."
"Then practice" suggested Daphne. He was so strange sometimes.
After seven pm, Daphne apparated to Hogsmeade, from the back courtyard, and put up the hood of her cloak. She set off through the slightly muddy streets towards The Hogs Head. It had a dreadful reputation as being rough, and the sort of place dubious characters met at. Nobody, therefore would expect her to meet Granger there. The bar smelt of goats and stale beer. Ew, and faintly of sick.
Granger was waiting for her at a table, wearing a hooded cloak, but her frizzy hair was sticking out a bit.
Daphne sat, and Granger cast a privacy charm of some sort, that muted the conversation from the bar immediately. It wasn't one Daphne had ever seen before. Odd. What was the chances she'd explain it?
"Granger" said Daphne.
"Mrs Black" said Granger – and that was an interesting, very polite choice.
Daphne waved one hand. Get on with it.
"It's… it's about Ginny" said Granger. That… that was to be expected, she mused. Daphne nodded.
"The DMLE have um, they gave Ginny a warning" said Granger. Daphne nodded. Harry had said.
"Harry went to the DMLE, and they had a lot to discuss. We did not know that Miss Weasley was attempting attacks" said Daphne. "I heard from Fleur that Ginevra had moved on, and had many new friends."
Granger blushed a little under her hood. "A bit." said Granger "But Ginny really thought Harry was going to … before you and he um, before this whole mess."
"My life is not a mess" said Daphne. "Harry chose to save me from my parents idiotic choices." she snapped.
Hermione nodded. "He's… I was surprised he chose to, but… he, he is stupidly noble about things."
Daphne couldn't resist a small smile "Not everything. He swipes all the bacon at breakfast if he thinks I'm not looking." she joked.
For some reason, Granger froze, and stared her straight in the eyes. "Harry," she gulped "He takes more than a small portion?" she asked. And that made little to no sense. He seemed to have a fairly normal appetite for food, even if he rarely ate the sweets he bought. Fortunately, Astoria existed to solve that 'problem'.
"There's always kippers and scrambled eggs on the tray, it's not like either of us is going hungry" said Daphne. As a concession to Granger's blank looking face she added "If he's asleep I will take all the bacon. It's just a little game we have."
Granger stared at her like she'd just announced Potter had taken to cross-dressing, or something. Not that he had the knees for a skirt. Granger's face got redder. She didn't even wear foundation, honestly, she really needed to grow up a bit. Accept that Sleekeazy's is required, and put on some foundation.
"Ginny thought Harry was um, really unhappy" said Granger. Daphne didn't deign to respond to that.
"But Ron says he's… at Quidditch matches he's quite cheerful. And they eat junk-food and drink and talk quidditch and… Harry seems to be, erm, fond of you." said Granger.
Daphne wondered for a second how Granger would react to being told how 'fond' of Daphne Harry could get.
"We've been married two years, and we're actually a good partnership." said Daphne. Potter was extremely handy, and not just in a salacious way. And a very nice warm pillow.
"Ron says Harry said … he wished you were there, at a quidditch match" said Granger, uncertainly. That was sort-of sweet, Daphne thought.
"Well, I doubt I'd have found it as interesting as those two" said Daphne "I'm not a massive quidditch fan. I don't hate it, but he can have his boys day out with Weasley… not his sister."
"It's a stupid game and the scoring makes no sense" protested Granger.
"We are not going to bond over complaining about quidditch, the points scale is traditional, just accept that school quidditch is dominated by seekers because the chasers are rubbish compared to pro-teams." said Daphne.
"Ugh" groaned Granger theatrically.
Daphne smiled slightly. "I just don't hate quidditch that much, Granger. Yet you date a quidditch tragic." Granger put her hands to her head and groaned dramatically. Daphne barely held in a snort. Granger … could be funny, perhaps not intentionally, thought Daphne.
Granger stopped overacting eventually, and sat up. Tracey and Granger would be hilarious, once Tracey found what set her off.
"So, Ginevra got a warning and complained to you that I was what, confounding Harry?" asked Daphne. Granger nodded.
"He can throw off an imperious curse" said Daphne "I assure you, I can't control Harry with spells."
Granger nodded, then blushed. Daphne smirked. Oh you can add one and one, can you, Granger. Those arithmancy marks of yours suggested that.
"He was absolute rubbish, although a good kisser." Daphne added. Why ,not, in for a knut, in for a sickle, "And in fact, after we bought the Kinsey Institute new report on sex, he said that he wished you had given it to him as a wedding present, as he really had no idea whatsoever. I would recommend the report, it's factual and extremely informative."
Granger's eyes bulged. She seemed to be choking. Daphne tried not to react. Granger thought she was some sort of stuffy-frigid cow, well, she could… suck it.
Daphne decided to twist the verbal knife. "Harry actually said, as we do have to have a child for my family, that saying 'Well, time to conceive a child, hope you did the reading' wasn't really a practical solution. Let alone having an informed basis for a physical relationship."
Granger gulped. "Physical relationship" she said in a whisper. Oh merlin, Tracey could have Granger as red as a beetroot.
"Well do you just look into Weasley's eyes?" asked Daphne sarcastically. "I'm married to him, I can hardly survive the scandal of an affair. To give you some perspective, if I so much as talked to a man in Paris, the next day, there was an article in the newspaper detailing my new affair. And Harry would… be incensed."
"Surely he wouldn't mind…" said Granger. He bloody well would.
"Why would I, when Harry's tall, dark, handsome and a good kisser." Granger visibly harrumphed.
"You might not find him appealing, but I assure you, he is to me" said Daphne. She didn't say 'He's actually very handsome naked.'
"But you're only married because your father and Narcissa Malfoy conspired to rob and murder Harry" said Granger.
"Yet Harry is alive, well, fairly content, and Narcissa Malfoy is in Azkaban. And uncle Tom's dead, finally" said Daphne.
"Uncle Tom?" asked Granger, her eyebrows banging together. Maybe Granger needed to attend to those monsters too.
"Technically Tom Riddle was a distant relation" said Daphne, as casually as she could. "We're moving to the old Riddle manor, it's more modern than Grimmauld and importantly, has central heating and en-suite bathrooms."
"Ron mentioned that the Weasleys did some work on it" said Hermione.
Daphne nodded. "I assume you and Ronald exploited the working bee as an opportunity to… have some quality time at the Weasley's house."
"We both have jobs" said Granger, blushing "We're quite busy!" They had. Which was atrocious. All they had to do was stay overnight at Grimmauld Place, and they could share a room. One second floor, where they would be far from her and Harry.
"I don't dispute that" said Daphne "I would have enjoyed seeing you two and Harry doing DIY. Still, George was very helpful and Fleur is a dear."
"I got the impression Mrs Weasley is…" said Granger, and she bit her lip.
"A pain in the bum, yes" said Daphne. "Riddle house, Potter house? It's muggle. We buy rugs, we don't make them, and we'll keep it muggle. Electric lights are quite handy, and I cannot say how excited I am at the prospect of central heating. Years of cold toilet seats and damp bathrooms at Grimmauld. There are only a few weeks of Summer when it's not too hot or too cold, and I'm a country girl at heart."
"Do you have a horse?" asked Granger.
Daphne nodded "Buttercup's getting old, but I ride her daily. My sister's house – whatever else one might say, has a heated pool."
"Buttercup?" asked Granger, with a faint smile "Your horse is called Buttercup?" Everyone's a critic, thought Daphne.
"I was six" said Daphne, and she shrugged.
"Where is… Buttercup?" asked Granger.
"My mother's house. I left my horse-riding things there" said Daphne "But Riddle house could easily house a horse or two."
"Teaching Harry?"
"He can, as far as I know, ride Hippogriffs and Thestrals and Dragons. I suspect he would find horses boring." said Daphne, and she lifted her eyebrows.
Granger snorted. "You're joking?"
"I do actually have a sense of humour" said Daphne as blandly as possible.
"God, so like Harry" muttered Granger.
"He rubs off on one" said Daphne, and she arched an eyebrow. Granger blushed and cringed. Daphne wondered, as she left the Hogs Head, about how traumatised Granger and Weasley would be if she snogged Harry in front of them. Being mistress of all you survey had its good points.
-==0==-
Morning, breakfast in bed, warm Harry.
DMLE had sent Harry a letter. Daphne handed it over from the mail salver. He read it "Housekeeper and a gardener" he said.
Daphne sent them both invitations to visit at Grimmauld place. Kreacher could ensure they didn't pinch the silver, or something. By moving her hands very fast, she avoided being bitten by the bloody owl.
Kreacher came to get her from the office hours later.
"A Mrs Foster is calling" croaked Kreacher. Daphne apparated down and bent to the fireplace.
"Mrs Foster, Daphne Black" said Daphne.
"Mrs Black. I can start immediately, Your letter says there's rooms?"
"A groundskeepers' cottage with multiple bedrooms and its own kitchen" said Daphne.
"Oh, how nice" said Mrs Foster.
"It's basic, but we won't intrude ever" said Daphne. "The chef will be in the room by the kitchen, and the cottage is just down the hill a little from the kitchen garden. Though, to be honest, the kitchen garden is a wilderness. Not your problem, and we've had several working-bees at the house, so there's nothing to do for maintenance – Harry's fixed all the doors, though some windows may stick."
"Harry… Potter does the renovations?" asked Mrs Foster, her face looking abstracted.
"He's very handy, and not at all conceited" said Daphne "Pop through, we'll apparate over to the new house, once you've met Harry."
"Met… Harry" said Mrs Foster. Sounding familiarly star-struck.
"I assure you" said Daphne drily "My husband is a perfectly ordinary young man. Don't worry at all." Apart from his terrible luck.
Mrs Foster pulled her head out, and a moment later stepped through, wearing a sensible black robe, sensible boots, and a respectable, pointy hat.
Daphne shook her hand "So glad to have you on staff" said Daphne. "I'll get Harry, he's just reading, I think."
"Kreacher, fetch your master, Mrs Foster, our housekeeper has arrived" said Daphne. There was a muted pop as Kreacher vanished.
A little later, there was a crack of apparation, and Harry appeared over by the door to the back rooms. He was wearing blue jeans and a plaid shirt, and looked… very muggle.
He looked over and smiled nervously.
"Harry, this is Mrs Foster, the housekeeper for Potter house." said Daphne.
Harry walked over and held out his hand "Mrs Foster, so pleased to meet you."
"Mr Potter" said Mrs Foster, showing all the signs of being a bit star-stuck. Not at meeting me though, thought Daphne.
"It's Potter-Black, technically, though just call me Harry." said Harry, with a crooked smile. And – did he just wink at me? Harry shook hands with Mrs Foster.
"Mrs Black was just saying you fixed all the doors yourself" said Mrs Foster.
"Well, yes, they weren't swinging right" said Harry, and he clicked his fingers "Kreacher!"
Kreacher appeared with a pop.
"Go get a bag of galleons – fifty should do it" said Harry. Kreacher vanished with a pop.
"Fifty Galleons?" asked Mrs Foster.
"So you can buy anything you need to get the house running. Fortunately, Daphne's a business genius, and we can afford fifty galleons these days" said Harry. He frowned "How are you with muggle things, the house has muggle lights?"
"I'm… I've used them" said Mrs Foster.
"Switches on the wall, even I can work it out" said Daphne modestly. "Though the stoves and cold-boxes are muggle too, so be careful."
"All muggle?"
"It needs to pass for muggle." explained Harry. "But only when we're getting coal delivery and things like that."
Daphne nodded "I'll pop you over"
"Floo addresss?" asked Mrs Foster.
"It's not on yet. There's an ideal fireplace spare in the kitchen" said Daphne surely.
"That will work well" said Harry "Get us Potter house for the address, if you can?" asked Harry.
"Should I do that?" asked Mrs Foster.
"Be a dear" asked Daphne "If I send him, the ministry will get packed with idiots and will take an age, and the reporters keep pestering me. Once we've been there by apparation. Harry, I doubt you'll find this interesting, go back to your puzzles."
Harry bally rolled his eyes "If there's anything you need done" he said "Just ask. Lunch with Mrs Foster at noon?"
"Noon" said Daphne. Harry disapparated with a crack.
"I couldn't possibly" said Mrs Foster.
"Nonsense" said Daphne "Kreacher's cooking isn't anything special, trust me."
Mrs Foster frowned slightly at that. She'd learn. Daphne took her on a quick tour of Grimmauld place, showing her where the linens, china etc .were kept, and where the second floor bedrooms were.
"Now my sister Astoria – Mrs Malfoy if you must, she uses this room. Now I know this floor is for visitors, but this way we get separate bathrooms. I spend most of my time in the office, or at Black books."
Mrs Foster nodded, and the tour continued.
When Daphne showed Mrs Foster her room she said "Now, I am taking a leap of trust here. This is my room. And I have a very interesting art photo by Mr Colin Creevy, of Creevy brothers photographics."
Mrs Foster lifted her eyebrows.
"I am only in this room if my monthly is playing merry hell – which the potions Harry got me prevent, so usually I'm in his room. And if that makes it into the newspaper or magazines, I shall be rather annoyed. Harry, on the other hand will feel betrayed, and he has a great line in sulky looks." And blasting curses, but no need to scare her too much.
"I wouldn't" said Mrs Foster.
"I see we shall get along famously" said Daphne. "Now that's Grimmauld place. Well, I'll show you his floor, the bathroom has marvellous views, but the house is often cold. Riddle – Potter house has central heating, so it's cosy."
Daphne led Mrs Foster to the stairs, and let her boggle at Lily Potter's masterwork for a moment, then took her up to Harry's floor.
"That room is spare" said Daphne, pointing out Uncle Regulus's room "The bathroom's over there."
Daphne led Mrs Foster to Harry's open door "His room. My pillow is on the left, and is soft, his is on right, and might as well be a brick wrapped in a sheet. Vice-versa downstairs in my room."
Mrs Foster smiled a little smile.
"The fuss he makes about a soft pillow" said Daphne intentionally dramatically.
Then she demonstrated the back courtyard, pointed out the carriage house, and explained about the apparation barriers.
"You can't apparate through the walls. The courtyard, you can use for in and out. Officially we use the front steps, but that's a muggle street, so it requires muggle-safe clothes."
Mrs Foster nodded. Daphne didn't mention the front door being well-protected, Mrs Foster wasn't born yesterday. And then went back to the courtyard.
"Side along to Potter house" said Daphne and held out an arm. Mrs Foster grimaced.
They landed on the well-levelled gravel in front of Riddle house.
"Oh my" said Mrs Foster "This is quite nice."
"Well come on in. The gate and fences repel muggles, so no major issues there" said Daphne, flicking her wand at the front door and striding in. It was blissfully warm, but smelt faintly of cleaning products.
Mrs Foster closed the door behind her "Oh, it is nice and warm" she said.
Daphne showed off the house, and demonstrated the light switches.
"Very easy, so handy for children" said Mrs Foster. Oh, she'd gone there.
"Our arrangement is that we will one day have an heir for my family. The Black family heir is Edward Remus Lupin, a delightful little boy, being raised by his grandmother, Mrs Andromeda Tonks nee Black, Harry's his godfather. We have Teddy over some days, he's, well."
"Oh" said Mrs Foster.
"Teddy's a metamorphmagus. Mostly his hair colour and eye colour changes. I'm fairly sure he actually has brown hair, and his eyes are actually hazel. Half the time his hair's a veritable rainbow." said Daphne, and she smiled, thinking of dear Teddy.
Mrs Foster's eyes boggled. Metamorphmagi were very rare, Daphne supposed.
"Teddy's parents and grandfather all died in the war." said Daphne "His parents fought in the battle of Hogwarts. On the winning side, of course."
Mrs Foster stared at her intently.
"I didn't fight – I'm hopeless at Defence Against the Dark Arts" said Daphne honestly. "Come on, more to see!"
And by lunchtime, Mrs Foster had seen the house. Daphne was acutely conscious of the lack of furniture or bedding.
"Which rooms for what?" asked Mrs Foster.
"We'll sleep in the back bedroom" said Daphne "Front rooms on the half-level for guests. Chef down here by the kitchen. The downstairs flat, well, vacant till someone wants it. You could have it if that suited, but we'll see the cottage after lunch. Do you feel up to apparating back to Grimmauld place?"
Mrs Foster nodded.
"Now, there aren't appartion barriers installed yet, so we can just go" admitted Daphne "We will need to get that fixed."
"I know that spell. We need it to keep safe. And Harry Potter can't live like that!" said Mrs Foster.
"Well, this afternoon then" said Daphne, trying not to roll her eyes. They disapparated off to the back courtyard of Grimmauld place.
Mrs Foster ate with Daphne and Harry, sitting two seats down at the table. She was very quiet.
"What do you think of Riddle – Potter house?" asked Harry.
"Well" said Mrs Foster "It's warm, and roomy. The roses here are very nice though."
"Those are conjured" said Harry. "I can do that there, and the idea of a warm loo, pipes that don't bang in the walls." he stared across the table "I'll never have cold feet shoved under my leg again" he added. Daphne tried not to snort.
Mrs Foster cast a number of spells on every wall of Riddle house that afternoon. "That will be much safer" she said. "Now, that cottage?"
Daphne took her down the hill to have a look. It was basic but clean. Harry had done well.
"This is all right, I suppose." said Mrs Foster.
"Honestly, take the downstairs room behind the fireplace if you want" said Daphne.
"I'd rather be off site like this" said Mrs Foster.
"The er, gardener, Mr Davis Tweedle is going to be taking a room in here too" said Daphne.
"That's fine" said Mrs Foster "I don't want to be in the way of a young couple in their first home."
Daphne fidgeted. How do you explain that all that sort of silliness had already happened at Grimmauld place. Do you? No. I won't.
"Well, um, the rooms are practically ready, can you get the house sorted, and tell us when it's done?" asked Daphne.
"Shan't be long. I expect by breakfast tomorrow" said Mrs Foster "How… economical does the household need to be?"
Daphne handed over another sack of galleons from Black Books.
"Spend all of it if you need to" said Daphne "I think we need beds, sheets and towels."
"Two beds for you and Harry Potter?"
"One big bed please." said Daphne.
"One bed?" Mrs Foster's eyebrows were slightly raised.
"A big one." said Daphne "It's going to be a compromise. He likes a firm mattress."
"And you'd prefer something very soft?"
"My mattress is softer than he likes" said Daphne "But I can tolerate his."
"So… you two get on then" said Mrs Foster. "About cooking?" she changed the tpoic.
"Harry may do that – I'm only good at biscuits." admitted Daphne.
Mrs Foster snorted.
"I have a business empire to run" said Daphne "Trying to prise my family's house elf out of the kitchen was more work than it was worth, as a child."
"I'll get some food then" said Mrs Foster "When's that cook coming?"
"We haven't sourced a cook yet." said Daphne "But Harry says he likes to cook."
"He couldn't possibly cook for me" said Mrs Foster. Daphne resisted mentioning that he'd cooked for his muggle relations.
Mrs Foster went and got food for herself and set herself up, Daphne assumed in the cottage.
Daphne had the car to take care of yet, so she went to see daddy, and asked for a portkey to Mr Weasley's workshop.
Daddy lifted an eyebrow "sending war victims to the Weasleys?"
"Sending a muggle car to Mr Weasely, he can enchant them to be useful." said Daphne.
"Where?"
"The Burrow" said Daphne. "They're on the floo"
"And I'm sent off like a tradesman?" said daddy sarcastically.
"Like someone who sold me into bondage, Father" said Daphne. Daddy closed his eyes and sighed. "Surely you're not still holding a grudge. He seemed fond enough of you at Yule?"
Daphne tried not to blush. He'd been VERY fond of her that yule. Shamelessly fond.
"We could have just gone to France, father." said Daphne, and left, slamming his office door behind her. It was intensely satisfying. And the foundation hid her blush.
The next day, Daphne went to Black books, and Flora or Hestia was making something in a cauldron over the fire.
"What's that?" asked Daphne.
"Glue" said now clearly Hestia.
Tracey had things running… sort of well, but Millicent nodded silently sideways. Daphne went off to Millicents office.
"Millie?"
"Tracey's off her rocker on coffee, Flora and Hestia are being weird, and Nott… he's never clean, always covered in grease and metal fragments." said Millicent.
"What should I do?"
"Get Tracey to drink less coffee, pay me twice as much, and persuade Flora and Hesta to stop being weird. They're dressing the same and pretending to be the same witch, endlessly working. People are complaining to me in the street, that you've enslaved the poor thing."
"They're getting the flat over the office at very reasonable rates" protested Daphne.
"I know" said Millicent "Have you um, got an apartment going, it's just… not going home at all would be whizzer."
"There's a spare room at fourteen Knockturn Alley" said Daphne. Millicent paled.
"Knockturn Alley!" exclaimed Millie, "Mum says never to go in there."
"Millie, you're not twelve anymore. It's charmed to repel hostile intent, and Harry really over did it after the Aurors kicked in doors last time."
"No no no no" said Millicent "Somewhere respectable."
"And cheap" said Daphne.
"Special rates for friends" said Millicent.
"Do you mind if it's not int Diagon alley – there's a little cottage in Hogsmeade?" asked Daphne "It's on the floo network."
"A cottage? Me?" asked Millicent.
"Felicity would like it" said Daphne. Obviously a cat would like a witches cottage.
"I'd have to cook. I hate cooking" said Millie.
"Eat at the Three Broomsticks" suggested Daphne.
"Hmmm" said Millicent. "Sounds okay. What's the address?"
Daphne sighed and rummaged in her space-expanded robe pocket for her notebook.
"Is that space-expanded?" asked Milliecent, sounding interested.
"Granger gave me notes. She has not started a business making space expanded bags as I suggested."
Daphne found the notebook "Acorn cottage – oh, it's next to the Armitages."
"Armitages"?
"She's a squib, and they have the oddest things happen" said Daphne idly "Unicorns eating the begonias."
Millie snorted. "Squibs."
"Her children, I think one's a witch at least" said Daphne. "They're about Hogwarts age now I think."
"So, a squib with magical children as a neighbour. No wonder it's vacant" said Millie.
"Millie, not post-war. One simply does not say that." said Daphne. "Floo address is Glans cottage"
Millie and Daphne went to see. They exited into a small, old-fashioned kitchen.
It smelt shut up and a little musty.
"Needs a good airing out, it'll be fine" said Daphne.
Millicent explored.
"Where am I supposed to get furniture?" asked Millie.
"You buy it" said Daphne "Secondhand."
"Sounds like work" said Millie.
"On the up-side, your parents will not talk to you till you visit" said Daphne.
Millie sighed "How much?"
Daphne looked in her notebook "Forty galleons" she said.
Millie looked thoughtful "That's… reasonable."
"Special rates for friends." said Daphne, heading back to Black books.
She switching charmed the coffee out of Tracey's mug. And that set her off. In hindsight, letting Tracey have free reign had been a little reckless. And Flora and Hestia were being little sods.
Daphne just barely got home in time for dinner.
Daphne was working in the office after dinner, and Mrs Foster came and knocked on the open door.
"Oh, yes?" asked Daphne.
"Mrs Black, the master bedroom is ready for use, the bathrooms are all set up, and there's a little food in the kitchen, and I've taken the liberty of having breakfast things in the cottage kitchen, just for me."
"Brilliant" said Daphne "Tomorrow?"
"We should sell off those old clothes. I've got an idea" said Mrs Foster.
"An idea?"
"The Bee Bee Cee might want them" said Mrs Foster. Daphne smiled nervously.
"The Bee Bee Cee?" asked Daphne.
"The muggle film company – for period dramas." said Mrs Foster knowledgeably.
"Oh!" said Daphne – like selling coaches. She smiled.
"You can call me Esme, if you like, Maam?" said Mrs Foster.
Daphne nodded. "You could call me Daphne?"
"I think Maam has tone" said Mrs Foster, with a quick little smirk.
Daphne went back to the office.
Davis Tweedle – a tall, lean old man, flooed over to Grimmauld, and went to Riddle house by side-along, and sucked air in through his teeth "Oh. That's been left awhile that has" he said, eyeing the gardens.
"Well, Mrs Foster's got the cottage running, you've got a room there, and there's food. Do come by if you need anything" said Daphne, and she rummaged in her robe pocket and handed Tweedle a fistful of galleons "In case you need tools, seedlings, anything."
"Oh. I think it's brambles first and foremost" said Mr Tweedle, looking thoughtful. "Is um, Harry Potter going to live here?"
"My husband, Harry Potter-Black is definitely coming." said Daphne "Once Mrs Foster's got the house set up. Just so you know, Harry can be quite informal. He generally wears muggle clothes."
"Oh" said Mr Tweedle. "Well, I shouldn't keep you."
"Please try to save anything you can" asked Daphne "our helpers got the worst overgrowth down, but you're the expert."
"Hmm" said Mr Tweedle, scratching his chin "What's in them buildings?" He pointed to the outbuildings.
"The garage – the smaller barnlet, is where the car resides. It's a magically enhanced muggle car. It's off being enchanted. The barn is unused, though I would like my horse to be here, and the rest … "
"That might have been a greenhouse" said Mr Tweedle, pointing at a tangled mess of rusty metal thoughtfully. "Ruined now."
"Pity, still, the fences repel muggles, and there's a barrier spell down the lawns at the bottom of the hill. Don't erm, do anything too magical where they might see."
"Oh I won't be seen" said Mr Tweedle.
"Well thanks for coming, and I hope you like it here" said Daphne awkwardly.
Mr Tweedle nodded "Fruit trees over there." he said thoughtfully. "And some of these trees are very good. With a bit of luck, we'll have fruit in autumn, and flowers from the roses."
"Best of luck then" said Daphne.
"Oh don't you worry" said Mr Tweedle "This is going to be great in a little while."
"I'd settle for having some home-grown food" said Daphne.
Mr Tweedle laughed "Oh we'll do that."
"Well, um. I'll get out of your way then" said Daphne.
Mr Tweedle nodded and Daphne felt she'd been dismissed, so she disapparated back to Grimmauld place.
Daphne said to Harry at breakfast "We should move, Foster's got the place habitable"
"I can cook" said Harry.
"How do I get breakfast in bed if you're off cooking?" asked Daphne.
"Central heating" said Harry.
They camped in the back bedroom at Little Hangleton that night, Mrs Foster had picked wildflowers and lit the fireplaces. It was deliciously cosy, and the bed was very big.
"I love this house" said Daphne, coming back from the loo. Harry didn't even wince when she slid her feet under his leg.
"Hah! They are warm" said Harry. He was so childish sometimes.
The house was so warm, Daphne found herself needing to move away from Harry in the night. On the up-side, she could roll over to her hearts content.
A breakfast tray pressing down onto the bed woke her, with the scent of french toast. She blinked at Harry, and dashed off to the en-suite loo – which was nice and warm.
Harry was eating when she stepped out of the en-suite a little later.
"Did I get a fair share of the bacon" she asked, jokingly.
"Fair" said Harry "I'll have to go get the mail in a bit."
"Get the mail?" Asked Daphne "I'm not crippled."
"You're in bed, eating your breakfast" said Harry "I'll put some clothes on first."
True to his word, he went to get the mail in jeans and a jumper.
Daphne took the mail salver graciously. "Are you going to do this every time?" she asked.
"Do you think Kreacher could bring it?" asked Harry "He was sulky. I gave him the lawn to see to."
"Outside in the sun?" said Daphne "He needs some fresh air."
"I gave him a batch of roses to do as well" admitted Harry.
"Speaking of which, we need to find what vases we have here." said Daphne.
Harry sat down on the chair in the corner of the room "I like this room" said Harry "It's warm, and has a nice big bed."
"I made sure Mrs Foster got us a nice big one" said Daphne "I think we need to advertise for a chef."
"Oh is my cooking that bad?" asked Harry.
"No, but I'd rather have breakfast in bed with you, than have you dash off to cook" said Daphne.
"I'm touched" said Harry.
"Not over there you're not" said Daphne, lifting her eyebrows. Could he not work it out?
"Oh" said Harry "Is it like that?"
"Well, I'm fed, rested, and I've had a cup of tea" said Daphne "What else might I need?"
And then… he was useful. Very useful.
Later, Harry looked was looking out the window. "The Gardener is out and about" he said.
"Tweedle." said Daphne "He was quite excited, thinks the gardens have real potential."
"Why does this feel like a holiday?" asked Harry.
"Because its so comfortable" said Daphne, lying on the bed reading mail.
"Don't forget to tell Foster about all the antique clothes in storage in the loft" said Harry.
"She's way ahead of you. She thinks the Bee Bee Cee, whoever that is might want them, for period dramas" said Daphne.
"Well, I suppose I should see about getting the car to Weasley's" said Harry.
"Father's providing a portkey tomorrow" said Daphne offhandedly.
"Well, at this point I usually read scrolls" said Harry.
"Well, we could go watch a game?" asked Daphne. "Wednseday's Montrose versus Ballycastle, at Ballycastle?"
"Sounds like fun. Can we afford to?" asked Harry.
"Says mister I sold carriages for one hundred and twenty thousand pounds" replied Daphne.
Harry sighed. Daphne used the loo, got dressed, and went with her husband to a quidditch match.
Standing in the stadium in a warm cloak, watching quidditch, Harry making little remarks… This is quite nice, thought Daphne. Montrose's seeker was flying huge circles.
"That's a risky tactic" commented Harry "But if neither can see the snitch, a search pattern's better than nothing."
"Krum does a high search" offered Daphne.
"He's better" acknowledged Harry "I copied his search style after wards." Oh had you, really.
Harry bought sausages on a stick. Daphne ate one, conscious of the batter. Well, and part of another. And might have stood closer to her tall, handsome husband. Who smelt of his cologne. People were watching, and heaven knew, if she stood apart from him, the Daily Prophet would trumpet their impending divorce. As if.
Harry's arm slipped over her shoulders at some point. And that was reminiscent of this morming's … exercises, and totally acceptable. It wasn't like he was nuzzling her neck or anything.
And then they got a bottle of butterbeer each from the tout.
Two bottles of Butterbeer each, later, Harry squeezed her momentarily.
When Ballycastle's seeker finally caught the snitch, Harry said "This has been the most fun I've had in years" he admitted.
"It is nice" said Daphne "I should get to some home games. I've been..."
"Saving our finances" said Harry "You have to drag me along; I'll support your team." He so did not need dragging to Quiddithc matches. But Daphne needed the loo.
The stadium loos were… okay. The crowds of witches staring at her and making comments, well… bugger them.
After finding Harry again, up on the stadium, Harry apparated back to Little Hangleton, Daphne appearing with a crack beside him.
"That was fun" said Daphne.
Harry strolled off the gravel towards the gardens. "This looks promising" said Harry "Good trunks on these rosebushes"
Mr Tweedle looked nervously at Harry. "Uh… sir?"
"Harry Potter-Black, call me Harry" said Harry "Do you think these rosebushes will come good, it was all very un-cared for."
"Well I had a good look at these ones, and there was five or so years of un-pruned growth. What I think was the herb gardens is in a right state. The mint's got out of it's pot and strangled everything." Harry looked thoughtful then said "My aunt always told me to only prune her roses in winter."
"Doesn't really matter" said Tweedle "But the fruit tree's have all come to mischief, and there's moth in the apple trees."
"Oh bother" said Daphne "You may burn then" she said. Bloody moth.
Tweedle nodded.
"My wife Daphne knows apple trees, her family's in Appleby" said Harry.
"Mrs Potter" said Tweedle politely.
"Mrs Black" said Daphne "The reasons are complicated, but I'm Mrs Black."
"And no, Mr Tweedle, there isn't a Mrs Potter, and Daphne will do just fine for both" said Harry. Daphne resisted the urge to smile.
"Overall, what's your impression?" Harry asked.
"The bloke that was here before, he knew lawns, these are all great. The fruit trees are a mess, the roses will come good this year, the herb garden, well it'll need cursed out." said Mr Tweedle. "There's muggles all around, how are we fixed up for Muggle repelling?"
"All the boundaries, and there's some curses for trespassers" said Harry. "Don't worry about anything but massive charms; we'll have to conjure up some fog banks for really big jobs."
"The house is repointed, that's new?" asked Tweedle.
"A week or so ago" said Daphne "Harry's friends. Is there anything you need?"
"An account with a plant store" said Tweedle. "The cottage is pretty good, considering. Mrs Foster says there's a cook coming?"
"We're going to hire a chef" said Daphne "And you two will get meals from them too."
"Chef?" asked Mr Tweedle "I'll need to buy bigger trousers."
Daphne snorted "Thank you Davis" said Daphne. "We've got a portkey coming for the car in the garage. Harry's having it restored."
"Should just buy new" muttered Mr Tweedle.
"Well, it's a pleasure having you here" said Harry "I'd like to help out a little if you have something simple. I gardened as a teenager; but I'm not very good."
"Well, the driveway needs the moss and algae out of it, it'll take a while, but you can get into it slowly, and do some as you want to" said Mr Tweedle.
"Thanks, I, uh, a plant-killing curse?" asked Harry "I did all my gardening muggle."
"A plant killing curse, but don't go hitting the lawn. The fellow that owns the place is a real big-shot, and he'd be cross if the lawns got killed" said Mr Tweedle.
Harry chuckled "Well he's just back from watching Ballycastle beat Montrose."
Tweedle groaned. "My brother-in-law's a Ballycastle supporter, He'll be insufferable."
"Oh, we didn't know you had a family" said Harry "Do you need more room."
"No, not since the war" said Tweedle sombrely.
"My condolences" said Harry.
"Come on Harry, we need to put an advertisement in tomorrows Prophet for a chef." said Daphne. "Thank you for your work so far, Mister Tweedle, the rose garden looks miles better."
"Still all dead sticks" said Tweedle.
"But the promise of growth is there" asked Daphne.
"Oh they're all stout and healthy" said Tweedle. "We'll find out what colours were planted yet."
Daphne got Harry out of the way before Tweedle cried.
Daphne sat in the upstairs parlour and wrote an advertisement for a chef.
'Chef wanted for family living in small manor house. 400GG per year, room and board provided. Floo connection, own rooms, spacious kitchen'
Harry up from the kitchen, probably by his apron, and read over her shoulder "Cavernous kitchen" he said.
"It's not a basement. Spacious" said Daphne.
"Family living in small manor house?" asked Harry.
"It's what we are, Teddy and Andromeda visit." said Daphne.
"Fulltime chef" suggested Harry.
"They can have days off, you know. Two a week is traditional." said Daphne.
"Fine, whatever" said Harry and he left the parlour. It wasn't till a little later Daphne realised she'd had a disagreement with Harry. A mild one, but… he'd just left. And not called her a fossilised matron once.
Daphne put on a stylish little hat and cloak and took the advertisement to the Daily Prophet front office. A camera flash went off in her face, and she realised that coming here had been a terrible idea. A monumentally bad idea.
"Mrs Black, you're here for an interview? How IS Harry Potter?" asked a reporter, with a quill in hand.
"Actually I'm here to lodge a classified advertisement" said Daphne, hoping commerce would get in the way of perstering.
"Is it true you're having an affair with Stubby Boardman?" asked the reporter.
"Has The Quibbler taken over the Daily Prophet offices?" asked Daphne.
That smart remark didn't help, it turned out. They kept asking quiestions as she dealth with the Classifieds clerk.
Daphne got home quite cross.
Letters arrived the next day from prospective chefs.
Two days later, Harry sat with Daphne in a back room of the Leaky Cauldron, waiting to interview several chefs. "You can help interview, you can cook" said Daphne. "Agnes Nutt should be along soon"
"I can cook, I'm not a chef" said Harry.
A tall, fat woman came in, and asked if this was the chef's interviews.
She was Agnes Nutt and her speciality was chocolates. Daphne grabbed Harry's arm. Not that chocolates were a food group or anything but… a chocolatier. Yum.
Daphne explained about the two other staff, and "children in the fullness of time".
"So, are either of you fussy eaters, I can't abide fussy eaters" asked Agnes.
"Daphne likes seafood" said Harry "I haven't found much I don't like; but I've only had Hogwarts cooking and an old house elf as a cook, so I don't know much about food."
"He eats treacle tart" said Daphne. "Would you be happy making breakfasts, lunches and dinner for five? You'd have to make something the other staff liked if you made something unusual."
"So you'd expect the staff to eat the same food as you two?" asked Agnes. "That would cost a lot more than the usual sort of hotpot kitchen staff get."
"But it'll make your job, and that of the gardener and housekeeper much more peasant" said Daphne.
"Well, how big is the kitchen, and what tools has it got?"
"It's the size of the front room of the Leaky, and has electricity, an electric stove and a huge fireplace" said Harry.
"For cooking for five?" said Agnes "That's absurdly huge."
"Well, is that a problem?" asked Daphne.
"No, but it's a waste of space" said Agnes.
"We have a greenhouse, currently derelict" said Harry "I suspect Tweedle will be able to grow all the vegetables in it; and we have a large area of gardens."
"The herb garden needs ripped out, the mint's gone wild" said Daphne.
"Well it's interesting" said Agnes "But I'm really more interested in finding a confectioner. Then I could just do chocolates."
Daphne looked at Harry after Agnes had left "We were turned down by a chef" she said. "We're famous."
"Not confectioners" said Harry "And if all we ate was chocolate, we'd be spotty and the size of whales." And Astoria would never leave.
"Next is Jimmy Perks" said Daphne, "his letter says he's a soux-chef; that's assistant to a chef" And no relation to Sally-Anne, but Harry didn't know her anyway.
A thin, tall young man with messy curly black hair came in black and white checked trousers. "This the chef interviews?" asked the man "Jimmy Perks"
"We're looking for a full-time, or nearly full-time chef" said Daphne "Cooking for three staff and us; and maybe guests. Up to about eight guests. We've got gardens going in, and a greenhouse, but every thing's new."
"Any particular styles?" asked Perks.
"Not really, but everyone has to eat it" said Harry "So if someone doesn't like something, you'll need something else"
"And staff eating the same as you?" asked Perks "So we all eat porterhouse steaks?"
"Our budget is not more than a hundred galleons a week" said Daphne.
"Oh" said Perks "A surprisingly tight budget, I thought you were…. Rich."
"Small income, big vaults" said Harry.
"Well, I'll do it, but I can't guarantee the food will be all fine dining, depending on season, not till you've got gardens" said Perks. "So porterhouse steaks might be a bit of a treat."
"Any questions?" asked Daphne.
"Does it come with accommodation" asked Perks "The pay is amazing, but my current digs are not the greatest."
"We've got a room for you with en-suite and central heating" said Daphne "Down the hall from the kitchen"
"I can start today" said Perks.
They went home after meeting two other chefs, who were older and wanted an assistant to do breakfasts.
They looked at each other "Jimmy Perks" said Daphne "He's not as experienced, but he's keen, and his current chef says he's almost ready to run a restaurant."
Harry have Salazar a letter to give to Perks and Daphne gave Perks a small bag of galleons as he came out of the kitchen fireplace, carrying a kitbag.
"Where's the kitchen?" he asked, looking around the large oak-beamed room.
"This is it" said Harry "The stove's over on the other wall, by the sinks"
"Well, I've got enough room to cater for a whole restaurant" said Perks, scanning the room "I could do commercial scale production in here with bit of help".
"Just five to start with" said Daphne. "Come down the hall, I'll show you your room."
Harry tagged along.
"What's through that door?" asked Perks, pointing at the basement door.
"The basement. Lots of storage space, the heating, and a small cellar of wine and beer, all quite old" said Daphne.
"So warm and dry?"
"Now" said Harry. "Heating was off for years."
Jimmy came back from his room sans kitbag. "The facilities?"
"Just next door along" said Daphne.
"Well, I suppose I should look in the cupboards" said Perks.
"Well, carry on Perks" said Daphne.
"Call me Jimmy" said Perks.
"Jimmy it is then." said Daphne "Harry can do breakfasts, and apparently cooks. Our other place has a very old elf, so we don't want him overdoing it coming here."
"Other place?" asked Jimmy "Where are meals?"
"Well, the grounds-keeper and housekeeper live in the cottage down the lawns, but the formal dining room is just on the left inside the front doors; straight down the way." said Daphne. "The side door goes to the outside, the old kitchen garden is out there, but dreadfully overgrown."
"I'll see if I can scrounge something out of it" said Jimmy "There might be Jerusalem artichokes or yams."
"We have Breakfast about, oh..." said Harry.
"Eight thirty" said Daphne, "Lunch at twelve thirty, dinner at six or seven; whatever works better for you"
"I could do breakfast, catch a few hours, then do lunch… what's expected?" asked Jimmy.
"Soup, some toasted cheese, nothing special" said Harry.
Daphne gave Harry a stern look "We've been making do, I'm sure you can think of a better menu"
"Run it past Daphne first" said Harry "Meals and menus are her purview" he said earning himself a look. He'd remembered her exact words.
Jimmy looked thoughtful "Is there anything you don't eat?"
"I didn't like bitter melon, when we went to China" said Daphne.
Jimmy snorted "Nobody likes bitter melon" he said "I'll steer clear of very acquired tastes."
"If you make some profiteroles, with a cognac and honey sauce" said Harry "Daphne will like them."
"I'd be quite happy with a chocolate sauce, thank you very much" said Daphne. "I do like profiteroles, but I see no reason to expand like a balloon. Harry thinks I should be fed my favourite foods every day. However, if you could find some good lobster, I do adore thermador."
"Can I spend some money on tools" asked Jimmy. "I saw the stove was electric… is this an all-muggle house?"
"Needs to pass as one occasionally" said Harry "There's a telephone in the office, and the central heating is coal; so that gets delivered. We have a Gringotts card, so we can pay for things where people take a credit card."
"You can" said Jimmy "I could call suppliers…" he looked thoughtful. "Could I get some different appliances?"
Harry followed Daphne who was curiously following a very thoughtful looking Jimmy.
"A dishwasher, that'd save me hours." said Jimmy "A microwave, and a big fridge, and this would be quite workable."
"We could probably go to an appliance store, and you could pick them out" suggested Harry.
"I'd rather we got industrial gear, honestly" said Jimmy "I'll phone friends, someone will know a restaurant going under, and we could get a job lot on a truck."
"Do restaurants fail often?" asked Daphne.
"When someone starts one, they generally last about two years" said Jimmy "It's a very difficult business to make money in. Mostly the rent bill. I've got enough room, we could do events, does this house have a ballroom?"
"No" said Daphne "We have a large upstairs parlour, but it's a private space."
Jimmy looked about, finally asking "I ah, need a pad and a pen, or quill?"
Daphne retrieved quill and parchment from the office "My office is just in there" she explained.
Jimmy started writing "I can get the pantry going with the money, Mrs Black, lunch at twelve-thirty"
"Thank you Jimmy" said Daphne "I've got to go check on Black Books, Harry can you go look at the sheds, Jimmy will need you later for the Gringotts card"
"It's HSBC, I think" said Harry "I'll see if I can't fix the sheds today."
Daphne went to Black books. Tracey gave her a dirty look. Not yet forgiven for the coffee incident, then.
Nott was, well he left a trail of metal filings everywhere now. Honestly. No self-respect.
Daphne got home in time for lunch, and opened the front door, to smell freshly baked bread. Oh, that was going to be hard to pass up.
Daphne went down to the office, dropped off her notebook, and went into the kitchen.
Which had been rearranged a little, and clear boxes of ingredients lay on spare tables. Clearly some shelves would be useful. Jimmy was standing by a large pot of delicious smelling soup.
Daphne asked some polite questions. Jimmy… blossomed and started explaining enthusiastically. And gave her a taste of the soup.
"Not quite done yet, but it'll be good" said Jimmy.
It was delicious already.
Mrs Foster came in, wanting to make some calls. She had the floo connection done already, and was making the other bedrooms usable.
"The phone is yours, Esme" said Daphne. Foster went over and started.
"Mrs Black, asked Jimmy "Can you talk to um… Mr Potter about the bank card, so's I can get some appliances sorted?"
Daphne rummaged in her robe pocket and found her billfold – the HSBC card was there.
She held it out to Jimmy "My card – works just as well."
Jimmy eyed her bank card "You… your own accounts?"
"Oh, Harry's given me complete financial access" said Daphne "He trusts me, just as I am about to trust you."
Jimmy's eyebrows twitched and he looked pensive. "You've known me for two days, and you give me your Visa?"
"If you did anything wrong, Harry would be very cross" said Daphne. "The minister is a personal friend. You wouldn't do anything wrong."
Jimmy gave a wry smile "You can be quite scary" he said, and laughed.
Daphne shook her head "My husband can be scary. I'm just a simple girl from Applyby."
Jimmy gave her a tiny nod. "Does he really do scary?"
"He sometimes looks liked he's going to cast something horrible, but that's just him looking a bit peaky. He can be extremely sarcastic." said Daphne.
"Extremely sarcastic?"
"Did you go to Hogwarts?" asked Daphne.
"Hull" said Jimmy.
"Our most sarcastic teacher, the late Professor Snape, he loathed Harry, and was sarcastic. Harry can out-sarcastic him, one on one. Extremely sarcastic, and he's… well lets say informal, and usually joking. One thing I've learned, is that if he sounds like he's being mean, he's just joking."
"Joking?"
"Joking. Sarcastically. His sense of humour grows on you." said Daphne, full of confidence.
Jimmy opened the oven, and inside were golden bread-buns on wire racks. The smell was… going to be a problem for the diet.
Jimmy poked a bun with a skewer, and closed the door immediately.
"Soon?" asked Daphne.
"Noon precisely" said Jimmy, checking his watch. "Buns out in two minutes."
"What's for dinner?" asked Daphne.
"Lamb?" asked Jimmy "got a good deal."
"That sounds ideal" said Daphne. I haven't seen lamb in years. Not since I left home.
Daphne set a table for five. This could be a staff meeting, and lunch, all at once.
A bit later, the kitchen door opened and Harry stepped in, with Tweedle craning to see over Harry's shoulder and visibly sniffing.
"Oh good, Harry, Tweedle, lunch" said Daphne "Jimmy's done soup and bread buns, and I think Foster's just about finished with the telephone."
"We're eating here?" asked Harry.
"Staff meeting and lunch" said Daphne.
Harry looked around, and eyed the boxes of ingredients.
"Jimmy popped out by floo and got some basics" said Daphne. "Dinner is lamb. We have a lot of mint."
Harry explained his idea about bottling it. Jimmy made notes.
Mrs Foster came out of the study and nodded to Daphne "Maam, I've got the truck coming for the clothing tomorrow. They'll give us a quote as they pack it."
"It's in trunks" said Harry.
"We're keeping them" said Daphne "That's a separate purchase; and they want to check for moth holes."
Harry explained to a bemused Davis and Jimmy about the attic storeroom.
"So if I find something old we can sell, I should tell Mrs B" said Davis.
"Precisely" said Daphne "Though, the clothes were an easy choice, like the horse carriages at our other house."
"Room for a horse here" said Davis "I'd not say no to horse doings."
"The local muggles may have a stable" said Harry "Down at the Strangled Lark; the local pub; the bartender will either know, or know who does."
Daphne wanted to say 'Buttercup is coming' but… Harry was solving Tweedle's problem for him.
"Can I just use charms to wash the dishes?" asked Jimmy "I don't know how much muggle stuff you've got"
"Just lights and the central heating, which is ancient." said Harry "The washing machine and dryer need scrapped."
"A decent washer and dryer, industrial size would be ..." said Mrs Foster.
Jimmy started up about events.
Harry called out "Stop, stop!"
Harry was so determined not to have events happen, Daphne realised.
"We're not setting up to do events" said Harry "No ballroom."
"Kitchens' nearly big enough" said Jimmy.
"Look it's just us and you three" said Harry.
At which point, Tori arrived by floo in a stupid big dress.
"Oh, how quaint" said Tori.
"Everyone, this is my sister, the Widow Astoria Malfoy" said Daphne. "We were having a staff meeting, dearest, but feel free to sit with us."
"Human staff" said Astoria, and she on to a kitchen chair and snagged a bread bun, ripped it open and buttered it.
"What… what is this made of?" asked Tori, around a bite of bun.
"Flour and water and yeast" said Jimmy "I was in a bit of a hurry, but they're all right."
"All right" said Tori "This is the best bread I've ever eaten. I'll double your pay of you come cook for me."
Daphne smiled at Tori "Please don't poach my staff on their first day. You can stay for dinner, it's lamb."
"All my spare things are at Grimmauld" said Astoria "I didn't even know you'd moved. Kreacher told me."
Because we didn't tell you, thought Daphne.
"Our very old elf, he keeps Grimmauld place, our other house" explained Harry.
The staff were more subdued in the presence of Astoria, all dressed as a wealthy pure-blood widow.
Finally, Harry said "Look, Don't mind my sister-in-law, she just pops in, it's boring at the manor all on her own."
Daphne gave him the side-eye at that. Don't encourage her.
"When Astoria leaves, for example, we could give her a bottle of our mint sauce" said Harry.
"I'd need funnels, strainers… all charmed magic resistant" said Jimmy thoughtfully.
"There's an old blender, we can conjure the tools, use the stove and vanish them instead of cleaning them" said Harry.
"I don't know about you, but I can't conjure a strainer" said Jimmy "Bowls, sure, stirrers"
"Sounds like a fun game, lets all conjure cooking sieves" said Daphne.
Harry managed a big well-formed strainer with a decent metal mesh.
"Wow, you're really good at that, Mister Potter" said Jimmy.
"Oh that's nothing" said Tori "You should see him vanishing a tidal wave of filth!"
Which led to Daphne telling the story of Harry Potter and the disused hallway full of filth, to an appreciative staff audience, and snorts from Astoria.
"The smell took days to get out" said Daphne finally, looking amused.
"So, um… Mister Black is really good at big stuff?" asked Davis "It's just, he could make a ballroom."
Which led to the staff explaining again to an enthusiastic Tori about the events venue.
"We're not doing an events venue" said Harry "No ballroom. This is our house."
"Harry could make one out the back of the kitchen" said Tori "He made the back stairs"
"Course, I could do events at my manor" said Tori "Lots of people about, lots to see… hmm, Can I borrow your chef?"
"Get your own one dear" said Daphne. She was a menace.
"The attics" said Mrs Foster "The big room next to the storeroom, it could be a games room. There's room for a pool table."
"Swimming on a table?" asked Tori.
So Davis explained what pool was. A game with coloured balls on a green felt table.
Daphne tapped Harry on the leg "A swimming pool? We've got the room."
"I've got one of those" said Tori.
Jimmy held in a snort.
Tori left again after eating.
"We've fed her, she'll be back" said Harry. Mrs Foster almost snorted.
Daphne changed for dinner. Into the dress Harry called lady-of-the-manor.
Tori did return in time for dinner, in the dining room, wearing a more muggle dress.
The lamb, which a cheery Mrs Foster levitated in, was marvellous.
"Oh, this is very good" said Daphne.
"We've already had ours" said Mrs Foster conspiratorially. "Jimmy's done desert, I'm going to get fat as butter working here."
Daphne mentally agreed.
A platter of profiteroles and icecream balls floated in later.
Harry was eating icecream, winced, and lifted his wand to his head.
"Don't you dare, you'll blow your head off" said Daphne sharply. "And miss out on dinner tomorrow."
Harry lowered his wand. He waved at the dessert, and in the general direction of the kitchen, and one assumed, the staff.
"This was, by far the best idea you've ever had" said Harry.
Daphne stopped dissecting a profiterole "You're just trying to turn me into a beach-ball" she said. "No profiteroles tomorrow!"
After dinner, they went to the snug, where Mrs Foster had lit a fire and laid out clean warm coverings on everything. Harry sat on the couch and started to read a book.
Daphne sat down next to him and nosed over at the book "Magical building construction?"
"I want to know if we really could build a ballroom. Jimmy and Mrs Foster seem to want to do events."
"Well I'd like a ballroom just to dance in" said Daphne. "It's not like you come to my Parents house, or Astoria's.
"Malfoy Manor, I'm afraid, gives me nightmares" admitted Harry "Just still reminds me of that day."
"What day?" asked Astoria.
"We got captured by snatchers during the war" said Harry "Hermione, Ron and I. They took us to Malfoy Manor to collect the reward on Hermione. We were imprisoned there in the cellars, and Hermione was tortured, by Bellatrix. Your husband lied; it was clear enough who I was if you knew me, even through a stinging hex to my face. That saved my life, my friend Dobby the free elf saved us, and died."
"Oh" said Tori "I don't suppose you'd come even for a party?"
"No" croaked Harry "I remember her blood on the floor, the screaming."
"Are you all right?" asked Daphne, putting a hand on his arm.
"Not pleasant, but I'm not there, we all lived, and I'm safe, this is even a home, I suppose" said Harry, but his arm was stiff as iron under her hand.
"Well, we could go home to Greengrass Estate for a party" said Daphne.
"Hmm" said Harry "I did promise your father not to have too much fun at their parties."
Daphne blushed and smacked Harry gently. He relaxed.
"Oh hush you, you had fun too" said Harry "Rather a lot."
Daphne poked him in the ribs "Prat" she said.
"Did Daddy catch you two snogging? I knew you two've been up to things for ages!" said Astoria.
"I had to complain to Mummy about you and Draco" said Daphne "I was right there."
"We were just holding hands" said Tori, wistfully.
"Where were the hands though?" asked Daphne. "Hussy"
"Prude" said Tori. Well, I'm not demonstrating not being prudey in front of you.
"Astoria, we must stop this amusing discussion" said Harry "Are you staying the night? Mrs Foster will need to know, and Jimmy will need to make breakfast."
"We will have a selection in the kitchen" said Daphne, and stood up, crossed to the fireplace and pulled a blue velvet rope with a tassel on the end
"What does the blue velvet rope do?" asked Tori.
"Rings a bell, so Mrs Foster knows to come" said Daphne "I can't cast a Patronus to use as a messenger. Someone who's taught dozens of people has never had time to teach me" she observed slightly sarcastically.
"Fine, I'll teach both of you, starting tonight" said Harry "After Mrs Foster's sorted."
Mrs Foster knocked and entered "How is Mistress finding the Snug?" she asked, somewhat formally.
"Excellent" said Daphne "Mrs Malfoy will be staying overnight, the left guest bedroom, the one with the best bathroom, and tell Jimmy breakfast will be a selection in the kitchen starting at eight thirty, but Mrs Malfoy will certainly be a late riser."
"Thank you sister" said Tori fairly sarcastically.
"Will that be all? Jimmy's getting ready to go to sleep, says he wants to get up really early for something?" asked Mrs Foster.
"Some cocoa" said Harry "a couple of mugs, it's a training aid."
"As master wishes" said Mrs Foster.
After the door closed Harry stared at Daphne "She's carrying on like a servant" he said.
"She is one, just a very good one" said Daphne. "Now, tell us how to do this charm."
"The first thing" Harry said "Is to think of a memory that fills you with happiness…"
That was easy enough.
"The incantation is expecto patronum" Harry said.
That too, sounded pretty easy.
"Now, visualise the protective feeling coalescing on your wand-point." Harry said, as if that was obvious.
Tori looked over at Daphne and mouthed probably 'what the hell?'
Daphne gave it a go, and nothing happened.
But minutes later, on her umpteenth try, there might have been a tiny silver spark.
After twenty minutes, Harry had them both sip cocoa. He held her wand arm as she cast the spell once again. The spark was no bigger, but Harry's hand was nice and warm.
Forty minutes into the lesson, Tori complained.
"This is impossibly hard" said Tori. "Potter is a freak of nature."
"A little larger than average, but not a freak" said Daphne archly.
Tori choked.
"I win" said Daphne cheerfully 'Excpecto Patronum!' she intoned, and the tiniest puff of silver smoke came out of the end of her wand. I did it, I did it!
"I made smoke" said Daphne excitedly "did you see, I made smoke, forty minutes, and I can cast the Patronus charm. Hah!"
"Daphne, it took me months to get from a puff to a full corporal Patronus." said Harry softly. "You're probably done for today; otherwise you'll strain your magic and that really hurts, believe me. Headaches for days."
"You've probably already taught Daphne" said Tori, whose wand refused to spit any smoke.
"What memory are you using?" asked Harry "It has to be a memory of love filling you up"
"Draco died before that" said Tori.
"Not like that" said Harry crossly, "Think of Yule with your parents, think of being warm by the fire, laughing, being happy. That's the sort of memory to use."
Tori tried one more time 'expecto patronum' she intoned, and from the end of her wand a tiny silver spark.
"Well done!" said Harry enthusiastically. "You've got the memory right, now, the hard part; not today but in a few days, do it again. And so on, for about an hour, then a few days off, then back at it. You're an adult, so it shouldn't take as long as it took me."
"So show us a Patronus charm working" said Tori.
Harry drew his wand, and cast 'expecto patronum'. A gout of silver mist shot from his wand, forming a very large silvery… deer with funny antlers. It trotted imposingly along, silver streaming from it's antlers and hooves, blowing clouds of silvery smoke from it's nose. The warm comforting feeling coming off the patronus was exactly like waking up in Harry's arms. But there was no taste of nutmeg.
"Didn't it used to be a stag?" asked Daphne. 'And taste of nutmeg and mixed spice'
"It still is" said Harry "Just bigger". The patronus trotted around the room and returned to just in front of Harry.
"It used to be a stag, my father's animagus form" said Harry.
"He really does have a big one" said Tori, looking at her wand dejectedly. Daphne resisted rising to that bait.
Harry twisted his wand "Luna Lovegood" he said "Hey Luna, I cast a patronus, and it's a bit different. What is this animal?" Harry waved his wand in a tricky spiral "Go" he said and the Patronus nodded and bucking its massive shoulders, bolted out through the wall.
"Luna Lovegood?" asked Daphne "The Ravenclaw."
"She has an interest in unusual creatures." said Harry "That's no deer I've ever seen, and I spent a year in forests on the run."
"Now, drink the rest of your cocoa, and relax" said Harry "or you'll feel awful tomorrow. I've done everything possible in the three months it took me, I'm pretty sure."
"A hot bath?" asked Tori.
"Never did try that" said Harry "Give that a go; but close the curtain, or the villagers will get a show."
"If my en-suite had a bath" said Daphne.
"I'll move the invalid's bath" said Harry "I can conjure and warm water"
"My very own ladies' maid" said Daphne.
Harry frowned at that and disappeared with a crack.
"Daphne, how the hell does he do that?" asked Tori. "The room filled with… a feeling of being protected."
"Yeah" said Daphne, not wanting to say what it felt like, "I've felt his Patronus before. It's bigger now."
Astoria snorted.
"No" said Daphne "The book I read about them said they change when a person has something deep change within them."
"Maybe he's just getting more powerful?" asked Tori guardedly "You did say he's like Dumbledore."
"Not really" said Daphne "He's not senile, for starters."
Harry reappeared with a crack"You bath is ready in the bedroom, Mrs Black."
"Thank you" said Daphne "Well, dear sister, I'm leaving to have a hot bath. If your head hurts like mine, I'd suggest going and having one in my favourite bathtub. It's up to you if you want to show the muggles what a pureblood witch looks like in all her beauty."
"Try not to get hair in the plumbing" interjected Harry.
"Don't be an arse Harry" said Daphne. "Pay no attention to him, He's probably overtired."
"I'm going to read for a while, then go to bed" said Harry.
"Where's Harry's room?" asked Astoria.
"The Back bedroom" said Daphne. "Behind the parlour."
"That's your bedroom" said Tori, then she blinked "You're sharing a bedroom"
"She stopped snoring" said Harry blandly, book open on his lap. He got a swat on one leg for his cheek.
Daphne stood up and walked to her bedroom where the invalid's bath was steaming; he'd put it in the farthest corner of the bedroom, where there was room for it. Daphne went to the bathroom, took a swig of headache potion, put her clothes neatly in the walk-in-wardrobe and took the bath, soaking and hoping her headache would fade.
Harry opening the bedroom door woke her from a half-doze some time later.
"You could have knocked" said Daphne.
Harry closed the door and sat on the bed "How do you really feel?" asked Harry. He was staring intently at her.
"My head feels like it's stuffed with cotton wool" admitted Daphne "How did you do this for months?"
"I was desperate. The DA members got smoke, usually in the first or second lesson, and corporoal patronuses in two or three. It's all about the feeling. I think that trying to learn it at thirteen was asking a lot. Still, it saved my life, so I've got that."
"Explain?" asked Daphne.
Harry explained, using his hands to show the twisting timeline, how he saved himself, because he knew he could. Because he had. Which was ridiculous, but typical for Harry, really.
"Towel" said Daphne.
Harry got a bath-sheet from the en-suite and Daphne climbed out, holding it in front of herself like a wall, then wrapped it around and left for the en-suite.
"Be a dear and vanish the water" she said, her wet hair all stuck together, and went to the ensuite.
Harry was making odd slurping noises as Daphne dried her hair.
"What are you doing" asked Daphne, putting on a mink-trimmed bathrobe Mrs Foster had found her in the Riddles things.
"Making water going down the plughole noises" said Harry, giving it another go "Vanishing it makes no noise, it's not at all satisfying."
"Well stop" said Daphne "I'm going to sleep" and she left the ensuite and got into bed.
"That's new" said Harry
"Old" said Daphne "It was in the Riddles things. I think it' thirties, so this is mink."
"Anything else nice?"
"A fairly good mink coat and an ermine stole" said Daphne "They had money."
"Lucky you" said Harry.
"Well I did find another tweed coat to go with that one you found" said Daphne "A Harris tweed, so it's thorn-proof."
"Oh that'll come in handy in the kitchen garden; the blackberry's vile, but needs picked"
Harry went to the walk in wardrobe ad reappeared in pyjamas "Where do you get your perfume from?" asked Harry "If I wanted to buy you some more?"
"Not telling" said Daphne. "I'm keeping some secrets."
"Not in a silk dressing gown you're not" said Harry.
"Oh it has its good points" said Daphne "Goodnight Harry." she said, and turned the lights off, and slipped off the silk dressing gown,
Daphne moved over in the bed to press her back against Harry. That his hand rested on the crack of her buttock was a coincidence.
Harry took off his glasses and his breathing slowed, and he went to sleep. Daphne let out a slight huff and thought about nothing for a while.
Daphne woke early – curse Harry Potter, morning person, and looked at said morning person – who was asleep. He looked… well, handsome.
A little later, probably woken by faint noises from downstairs, Harry woke.
"Good morning" she said.
"How do you feel?" asked Harry.
"See for yourself" said Daphne with a wink.
Harry gave her a gentle squeeze "No headache?" He asked.
"No" said Daphne "I hope you're not planning to tease me?"
"Only initially" said Harry, huskily, and the torture… the sweet glorious torture started.
Somewhat later, Harry obligingly mounted her and… she could hook her heels around his back. Mmm.
And he managed to do that very well indeed. Daphne caught her breath, eyed a panting, sweaty Harry and went off to the shower. No need to dress. The shower was fairly good.
And then Harry barged into the shower.
"Oy!" said Daphne "What are you doing!"
"Using the shower" said Harry.
"You're crowding me you… oh… you are in the shower?" said Daphne, as Harry tickled her till she squealed. Then he bent and kissed her firmly, grasping her bum and pressing them together... again.
"I'm getting clean and drying off" said Daphne "Not again, no amount of… feeling up, or…. Biting… or… Harry!" Who'd decided to feel her up and … and bite the back of her neck all at once.
"You said not again" said Harry, rubbing gently.
"You ...uhhhh" said Daphne "You very bad ….mannnnn" she groaned. He was a menace.
"Should I stop?" asked Harry, rubbing fairly competently.
"Don't you dare" said Daphne. And perhaps she made some encouraging noises… he seemed to really like them, and the result was… well her womanhood felt… satiated, her nipples tingled and he dried her bottom in a very sensual, suggestive way.
'No" said Daphne "WE need to get dressed! I can't just … just be used all day."
"You're coming aren't you?" asked Harry.
"That's not the point. We have things to do." said Daphne. And besides, he'd gone soft.
Harry relented and Daphne got dressed. And smirked at Harry's discomfort as she left the bedroom. Harry held her hand, which was odd… and then he bowed and kissed it, and looked over her knuckles in a way that tingled. And somehow Harry while clothed looked just as naked as when he'd been… serving her earlier. And they walked in unison down to the kitchen. Daphne felt nervous, at any moment he was going to seize her and snog her brains out.
Tori was eating breakfast.
"Harry hogged the shower" said Daphne. Tori stared at her and blushed.
The staff eyed one another, and smirked.
