A/N;- I don't own Harry Potter.

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Chapter 16 First Picnic with his Betrotheds

It had been two weeks since the Wizengamot meeting, and Harry was helping Bella to adjust in his suite. He also started teaching her Occlumency, and it was decent progress. Harry nervously stood outside the Ravenclaw common room, patiently waiting for Alex and Daphne to make their way outside. After asking for his forgiveness 1000 times, they had become good friends, and so they had asked if it was possible for the three of them for some private talks to get to know each other and talk about their future.

When the door opened, and the girls finally walked out, Harry smiled hesitantly at the pair and said, "Hello, ladies. Are you ready for a day to get to know each other?"

Daphne was surprised to see Harry standing outside the Ravenclaw common room and curious about how he knew where it was located. "What are you doing here, Harry?" she asked her fiancé.

As soon as Harry heard the question, he felt his heart begin to beat faster than he thought was humanly possible. "Ahhh, you guys said you wanted to get to know each other. I thought we decided on Friday that we would do something today. It's okay if you don't want to. If you're busy, we can do something another time."

Daphne could see how nervous Harry was feeling at the moment, and she instantly felt terrible for making him think she didn't want to spend time to get to know each other.

"That's not what I meant, Harry," she replied quickly. "I was just wondering why you were here, as in at the Ravenclaw dorms. I thought it was supposed to be a secret from the other Houses."

Harry breathed a silent sigh of relief, happy that he hadn't misunderstood their conversation from two days ago. When he realized why Daphne was surprised, he flashed her his best smile and said, "That is a secret, my lady. If you play your cards right, I might even tell you after lunch."

Alex and Daphne mock glared at him, but they couldn't hold the expression for too long. His bubbling enthusiasm was just so contagious, and the pair couldn't stop themselves from sharing in his excitement. Soon, the girls grabbed the arm of their future husband and allowed him to guide them to their destination.

When the pair found themselves walking out of the Castle, Alex directed her gaze towards her betrothed and asked, "Where are we going, Harry?"

"That's a surprise, Alex. But don't worry, the wait won't be too much longer. We're almost there."

After another five minutes of walking, the girls found themselves in a secluded corner near Black Lake. They were about to ask what they were doing there but stopped when they heard Harry mumble something. Suddenly, the spell hiding the picnic area disappeared, and the girls gasped at the large black and green blanket spread out across the grass. On top of it were a dozen pillows for them to sit on or lay against, and in the middle of this arrangement was a brown picnic basket and an ice bucket full of bottled water and butterbeer.

"If neither of you mind, I thought we could have lunch here and maybe get to know each other a little bit better."

At the sight of the beautiful spread in front of her, Alex didn't know what to say. Everything looked just perfect between the beautiful lake that glistened only a few feet away and the fantastic weather they were having that day. When she turned to look at Daphne's reaction, Alex could easily see that her blonde friend was just as moved by the gesture as she was, and suddenly she found herself doing something she didn't think was possible just two weeks ago. Before she could lose her resolve, Alex leaned forward and gently kissed Harry on the cheek.

"This is beautiful, Harry," she told him shyly. "Thank you for setting all of this up."

Harry felt his face flush red from the chaste kiss, and he quickly tried to divert his attention to the meal they were about to share. He helped both girls sit down comfortably on the soft blanket, and then he took his seat across from them.

Once he was settled, Harry opened the bottomless brown picnic basket that rested before him and slowly began to pull out a plethora of dishes. Each dish that came out was a favorite of one of the girls, and he smiled when he saw the stunned looks suddenly appear on their faces. When the last dish was set down on the blanket, Harry grabbed three trays and handed one to each girl.

Alex watched the small mountain of food appear in front of them, and she was stunned by how many of the dishes she considered her favorite. Beside her, she could see the calculating look in her best friend's blue eyes, and she just knew that several of the dishes were probably Daphne's favorites too.

"This is amazing, Harry. You have so many of the dishes that I love."

Harry grinned at the two girls and said, "I should hope so. I sent Hedwig to both of your mums and asked them what the two of you liked to eat. They each gave me a couple of options, and since I couldn't decide what you might want to have today, I had the elves make a little bit of everything."

Daphne looked into the stunning green eyes of the boy she would one day marry, and she was extremely touched by the effort he put into the picnic. When she was several years younger, she heard stories from her older cousins and even her mother about how little importance romance was given in the magical world. It always saddened her to think that men like her father were a rarity in their community.

Since she was a child, Daphne was raised knowing her marriage would help the family. Unlike other pureblood parents, hers weren't cruel. They promised her they would never force her to marry anyone. All they would do was give her the options that they thought were the best for everyone. They even agreed to let her have the final say on that decision.

When she learned, she was magically bound to marry Harry Potter despite all of those promises, she was furious with her parents. While she knew her choices in the future were going to be limited, she always felt comfortable knowing that the final option would be hers. That she would marry someone she could at least get along with. The moment that choice was no longer hers to make, it took away the little bit of control she thought she had over her life.

But now, things were different. With each day she spent around her betrothed, she learned how amazing he really was. His actions on the train were just one of the reasons that drew her to him.

This past week she spent studying with Harry, she was amazed by how brilliant he was and how easily magic came to him.

Despite that, he never once acted arrogantly in her presence. Instead, he spent extra time patiently going over the material that she didn't understand properly. If she was being honest, he was probably a better teacher than some of Hogwarts' professors. The way he explained things just made them so fun and easy to learn. And now, with this picnic, she was beginning to feel like he was the most incredible thing that ever happened to her.

Daphne was pulled from her thoughts when she heard Harry ask a nervous voice, "Is everything okay, Daphne? Did I get the wrong food for you?"

When she saw the worried look appear on Harry's face, Daphne couldn't help but think how cute he looked at that very moment. "Everything is fine, Harry. I'm just amazed that you did all of this for us. You, Mr. Potter, are full of surprises."

The trio then attacked the various dishes in front of them, and when they each had a sample of everything present on their plate, they leaned back against the large pillows and ate their meal in comfortable silence.

When the trio finished eating, Harry was unsure about what was next. His dating experience was almost non-existent from his old world, and he'd never actually spoken to anyone about what to do on a date. Since he figured he set this picnic up for the three of them to learn more about each other, he decided to tell them a bit of himself first.

"Since this picnic was designed to help us learn more about each other, I thought I would go first," Harry said nervously.

"Ahh, I like the colors red, blue and green. I'm a big fan of the Muggle world, and I think they have a lot of ideas we can incorporate into the Magical one. I think our government has too many unfair laws, and I hope I have the chance to change them one day. Other than that, Uhm, I've been studying magic for years, and I guess I'm a bit of a prodigy at Runes and Potions."

Alex couldn't help but smile at his speech. It was obvious how hard he was working on getting to know Daphne and her, and she really appreciated the effort he was making. She even thought his nervousness made him look more adorable than she could have usually imagined, and she was glad she had a second chance to become his friend. The new Harry was a million times better than the boy she once knew, and she couldn't wait to learn more about him. "Is that how you made Snape look like a dunderhead on the first day?" she asked curiously. "I heard he asked you about the Werewolf potion. I can't believe you knew the answer to a NEWT level Potions question."

It was a statement to how relaxed he felt around the girls, that Harry didn't think before replying, "Snape's a jerk, and he deserved what he got for making fun of my dad. Besides, I've been working with the Werewolf potion for years. I could answer any of his questions with my eyes closed."

As soon as he realized what he had just said, Harry wanted to find a tree and destroy it by banging his head against it.

"Why have you been working with that potion for years, Harry?" Alex asked him.

Harry knew he was caught in a bind. The girls would see the truth come Christmas time, so he couldn't just lie to them now.

Deciding partial honesty was the best policy, he replied, "I'm going to tell you, but please don't tell your parents. It's nothing bad, but I don't want to get anyone's hopes up. Okay?"

Once both girls nodded their heads in agreement, Harry continued, "Uncle Moony has lived a tough life, and every time I think about it, I get angry at how unfair things are for him. Even though he's capable of achieving a Mastery in at least two core subjects, he's shunned by our society for being a Werewolf. To begin with, so many talented people in our world are ignored and hated because of something that wasn't even their fault. Ever since I found out I was good with potions, I wanted to find a way to help him. I've spent a lot of time experimenting with the Werwolf potion, and I think I may have found a type of cure to the lycanthropy. Right now, I'm having the Goblins test it for me, so if everything works out, that's going to be my Christmas present for Moony."

"WHAT?" both girls exclaimed at the same time.

"How did you do it?" came from Alex.

"What do you mean by a type of cure?" Daphne asked.

The sheer volume of the scream from both girls was enough to knock Harry back into his pillow. He took a moment to clear his ringing ears and then replied, "For centuries, people have been trying to cure lycanthropy, but they all failed to remove the virus from the body. I tried to do the same thing too, and when I finally came to the realization that it couldn't be done, I thought of a different way to attack the problem."

Harry paused to take a breath and saw the two girls staring at him with rapt attention. He could clearly see the gleam in each of their eyes, and he couldn't help but smile at their apparent desire for knowledge. Both of his fiancés were a credit to their House.

"Instead of trying to get rid of the virus, I decided to alter it," Harry said as he continued with his explanation. "To me, a Werewolf is a normal person that is forced to turn into a half-man half-wolf every full moon. It almost sounds like they become a bastardized version of an Animagus. So I thought, why not change the virus and control them when they shift. It took quite a bit of work, but using a handful of specialized ingredients, I was able to combine the Wolfsbane potion with the Animagus revealing potion to find my cure. If everything works out like I expect it to, the Goblins should send me good news about the first phase of testing shortly after the full moon this month."

Daphne was amazed by what she was hearing. From her conversations with Alex, she knew Harry already had one massive discovery with Runes and Muggle technology, but his potion was beyond anything she could imagine. His discovery would be one of the greatest in the history of Magical Britain, and if it worked like he described, it could change the lives of thousands of people across the world. No longer would innocent witches and wizards be shunned for a disease that only affected them on a full moon.

"This is so incredible, Harry," Daphne told her fiance. "I'm so proud of you. If your potion works, you could singlehandedly change the course of the Magical World."

Meanwhile, Alex was just as thrilled as her best friend at the news, but her joy was tempered at the mention of the testing. She wasn't stupid enough to think something like the potion could be claimed as a cure without testing it on actual Werewolves, but she feared what the people being tested would have to endure.

"Will the people that are being tested be okay, Harry?" Alex asked her betrothed hesitantly.

As soon as Harry heard the concern in Alex's voice, he could sympathize with her reaction. At first, he'd been afraid to test the potion too, but with Fate congratulating him on the brew in her letter and with her suggesting the added blood, he thought it was well worth the risk.

"I'm sure they will be fine, Alex," he tried to soothe the girl. "The Goblins made sure that everyone involved was aware of all three stages of testing before any of them signed their contracts, and I also hired the best Goblin Healers just in case anything goes wrong. I can't guarantee that nothing will happen to the people being tested, but I'm confident my potion will work."

"Contracts?" Daphne asked in surprise. "I thought people would be dying to test the cure for free."

"They were," Harry answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "But I wouldn't let anyone take a risk like this without being compensated for it. All six people involved in the trials receive 10,000 galleons each for their services. Merlin willing things go according to plan, by Yule break they'll have their money and the cure."

Both girls were stunned by the deal Harry offered the Werewolves being tested. That much money was twice as much as most Ministry Heads made in a year, and a Werewolf would never get a chance to make so much for a few months' worths of work. To have an opportunity for a cure to their condition and get paid for it was a great deal in their eyes.

When Harry saw the contemplative look in both girls' eyes, he thought this was the perfect time to direct the conversation towards one of them. While he really was interested in knowing the two of them better, he had another reason to move the conversation away from him. The last thing he wanted to do was make a mistake and let someone know about his actual past. That was a secret he intended to take to tell all three wives together.

Harry clapped his hands gently together, and when the sound pulled the girls from their musing, he smiled at them and said, "I think that's enough about me, ladies. I want to know about you guys as well. Do you want to go first, Alex?"

Alex was nervous about starting, but she knew it was only fair to let her significant others know about her. A part of her dreaded telling the truth, but if she wanted this friendship to become a real relationship, she couldn't hide her secret forever.

"My favorite colors are red and black," she started nervously. "I love to read, and I've gone through half the Black library, or at least I think I have. My parents put wards around the area with the Dark books, so I'm not sure how big it is. I'm not sure exactly what I want to do after school, but I'd like to be a spell weaver like my mum if I had to pick something now. I've seen her work a few times growing up, and her job looks right brilliant."

Alex licked her lips and looked up to see Harry and Daphne eagerly waiting for her to tell them more. She was afraid of saying the next part, but she summoned courage she didn't think she possessed and said, "I'm also a full Metamorphmagus."

Of all the things Harry was expecting to hear, he didn't think Alex is a Metamorphmagus would be one of them. He'd never seen her change. "How is that possible, Alex?" he asked her gently. "I've never seen you change."

Alex shifted her gaze away from his penetrating green eyes and replied, "I was seven when I found out, and by then, we weren't on speaking terms anymore. My parents told me after my birthday that they bound my ability when I was still really young, and since my cousin, Dora was Metamorphmagus too, that it was time for me to learn how to use my gift."

Daphne was surprised that her roommate and best friend had exceptional magical talent. Metamorphs were prized worldwide, and she was confused as to why her friend didn't seem to be thrilled with the gift.

"Why don't you like being a Metamorphmagus, Alex?" Daphne asked her future sister's wife. "Most people would be thrilled to have such an ability."

"My cousin Dora is several years older than me, and sometimes when she'd come over to help me control my gift, she'd tell me how much of a burden our ability could be," Alex replied softly. "Guys at school didn't want her for her personality; they wanted to be with her because she could look like anyone they wanted. Sometimes she even cried that people only looked at her like a live sex doll. There to help them realize all of their fantasies."

Daphne felt pale at the answer. She always thought of how unique the ability would be, and it never occurred to her what a burden it could be. The thought of everyone looking at her like a sex toy made her shiver with disgust.

"We would never think of you like that, Alex," she quickly reassured her best friend. "We love you the way you are. You never have to be someone else in front of us."

"I agree with Daphne, Alex," Harry added. "I would hate for you to think we would ever look at you like that. As far as I'm concerned, you're beautiful just as you are. You never have to change for us."

When she looked up and saw the sincerity clearly evident in both of their eyes, Alex couldn't stop the tears of happiness from falling down her face.

"Thank you," she replied happily to both of her future mates. "You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that. I've been so worried about someone finding out, I've been extra careful to control my ability since I got to Hogwarts."

That was something Harry found to be curious. He knew Tonks well in his old world, and she could barely control her ability when her emotions ran high. He was curious how Alex was able to control the change so well."

"If you don't mind me asking, Alex, how come we've never seen you change? I thought Metamorphs changed unknowingly during moments of emotional distress. I've seen you upset or excited quite a few times now, but your appearance never altered."

Alex shrugged her shoulders before replying, "Even though I'm a full Metamorphmagus, Dora thinks I have more control over the way I look because my ability is not as powerful as hers. I can change my appearance to look like anyone I want, but it won't affect my mass. For example, I could look like my dad right now, but I would still be my height."

Harry was fascinated by her ability but thought better of continuing with his current train of thought. He could see how complicated this revelation was for Alex, and he had no intention of making her feel uncomfortable just to satisfy his curiosity.

After a few moments of silence, Daphne looked up to see her significant others staring at her, and she sighed, knowing it was her turn to share.

"My favorite colors are blue, green, silver, and white," she said in a firm voice. "Up until my brother was born last year, I was the named heiress of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Greengrass. I was raised knowing my marriage would always be a way for my family to gain strength through the alliance, but I always consoled myself, knowing that I would spend my time running my family's company. When Jason was born, I wasn't sure what I would do. I've always thought of joining politics and making changes that would make women's lives better in our world, but it always seemed like just a dream to me. Without being an heiress, I really didn't have any power going into a marriage, and I didn't think any Pureblood Wizard would allow me to follow my dreams. Most of them just want a brainless trophy wife to provide them heirs and look pretty on their arms at public functions. Until you came along, Harry, I wasn't sure what my future would have in store for me."

Harry was shocked by the vehemence and pain he could hear Daphne's voice, and for the first time, he realized how poorly women were looked upon in the magical world. He was so used to seeing women behave equally to men in the Muggle world sometimes he forgot how behind the times Magicals really were.

"You can do whatever you want to do, Daphne," Harry told her firmly. "If you want to enter politics, then take the Peverell seat in the Wizengamot and fight for the rights you believe in. If you want to spend time building a business from the ground up, I'll give you however many galleons you need to start it. Hell, if you want to be the Minister of Magic someday, I'll be the first one to stand behind you and offer you my support. I never want you to think that you have to forget about your dreams just because you got married to me. When the time comes for us to finally tie the knot, I want all three to be equals in the marriage. Your wants and desires need to matter just as much as my own."

As she looked into his piercing green eyes, Daphne could clearly see Harry meant every word he just said. She could see the determination flowing through every fiber in his body, and it touched her that he would care so much for her happiness. At that very moment, she didn't see the Prince Charming she dreamt about as a little girl. Instead, she saw someone far better. A person who would love and respect her as much as she would love and respect him. A person she could spend the rest of her life with.

Harry felt his anger begin to grow as he continued to think about the things Daphne had just said. Like a good little soldier, she was expected to sacrifice her life so that her family could one day reap the benefits. It angered him to think how little the

The magical world cared about women, and he was disgusted with himself for not recognizing it sooner. The rage he felt at the thought of his sister sacrificing their dreams for some useless Pureblood threatened to overwhelm him.

His righteous frustration came crashing to a halt when Harry felt a blond missile come flying into him. The moment her face buried into his chest, Harry could feel the girl begin to sob, and through it all, he could hear her repeating, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

Harry swore this world would be different as he wrapped his arms around Daphne and pulled her into a tight embrace. Once Voldemort was taken care of, he wouldn't go into hiding this time around. No matter what it took, he would make a difference in this world. He would drag them kicking and screaming if he had to, but he would bring Magical Britain out of the Dark Ages and into the modern world.