Harry Potter and the Method of Double-Tap.
An interlude for murder.
A disturbing meeting
Harry wore his other black robe with silver embroidery for morning tea.
The Greengrasses arrived in the Drawing room fireplace five minutes before ten, and Harry had to take Daphne's lace glove covered hand ; it felt warm. She sat down next to her mother, and Andromeda sat down, and pointed at chair for Harry. "Now, I'd like to introduce my Daughter Tonks." said Andromeda, and stretched and reformed into a young woman with a heart-shaped face and short pink hair. "I'm done mum" she called out, and Andromeda walked in from the hall.
"As you can see Nymphadora is a master of disguise. She'll be keeping an eye on Harry and Daphne, mostly to make sure Harry is suitably courtly."
"I can protect myself from boys" said Daphne.
"I don't doubt it." said Andromeda, sitting down next to Tonks "But Harry could ignore you, and try to pretend you weren't the heiress of both Greengrass and Black. Given he's giving you full control of our finances, that's how we'd like to tell of it."
Daphne looked slightly surprised by this.
"Now I do have some awkward news for you" said Andromeda. "The Black family marriage contracts are cursed."
"Yes, we see that" said Roxanne.
"Additionally, if there is no issue within five years, the marriage contract will expire, but both parties will be sterilised." said Andromeda. "Sirius may not know of it, it to be known only to witches and victims only."
Harry rolled his eyes. He'd always wanted a family, but it looked like one wasn't happening.
"Has Harry had knowledge of a witch?" asked Roxanne.
Harry shook his head, blushing. Bloody hell, he thought, this was awful. His … mother in law was dreadful. And his new aunt wasn't exactly nice.
"Well there's that in his favour" said Roxanne.
"I have doubts about him" said Andromeda. "His family tree is a little tidy, and he is a parselmouth."
"That's not my fault" protested Harry "Professor Dumbledore says … when Voldemort gave me this scar, he left a bit of his power in me."
Aunt Andromeda looked at him head tilted "What an interesting story" she said, drew her wand and cast a spell on his head. "Hmmm" she said. "That is a cursed scar." she said simply. Harry shrugged "Can't be cured and hurts when I'm around him, yeah" said Harry.
"When exactly was that young man?" asked Aunt Andromeda sharply.
"Oh he possessed Professor Quirrell in first year" Harry offered. Daphne's eyes widened. Harry felt smug.
Andromeda cast a different spell and frowned "Who cast protective magic on you?"
"My mother. Professor Dumb – " started Harry.
"Quiet" said Andromeda "Honestly that man fills the boy's head with stories."
"But it worked. When Quirrell touched me he burned to ash" Harry blurted out.
At this, Cousin Tonks cast a spell on Harry. "Something dark in his scar" she said. "Normally I'd call for backup at this point. A curse-breaker at least."
"Great, I'm betrothed to a Gryffindor with a dark curse in his head" said Daphne. "Probably made him dumb enough to be a Gryffindor."
"Hufflepuff represent!" said Tonks, one fist up.
"Like her father." said Andromeda in a soppy tone "Whom I love more than life itself."
Tonks made vomiting motions, then asked "Mum, should I get a curse-breaker?"
"Take Sirius to Gringotts and get a good one that can be discreet" said Andromeda sternly.
Tonks came back two cups of tea and a scone later, with a weather-beaten wizard in leather robes.
"Harry had a dark curse on him in his scar. Remove it" said Andromeda sternly.
The wizard started casting spells at Harry, then referred to a canvas-bound notebook, and tried a few more spells.
"Whatever it is" said the Wizard "Is dark, and exotic. Maybe a purification ritual might work. Twenty-eight days in a meditative trance with only water and honey might do it" they suggested. Harry thought that sounded a bit… much like hard work, and really, nothing but honey!
"There's a Lithuanian ritual using running water and silver chains" said Roxanne "My Mother saw it used once."
"On a person?" asked Andromeda.
"On a statue, being submerged for that long would be a problem" said Roxanne. Daphne looked amused.
"Gillyweed" Harry offered "Masses of the stuff." It looked like the tournament had been educational after all.
"It's an uncooked plant of the water… so it wouldn't interfere with the ritual" said the Wizard thoughtfully.
"I didn't mind the cold of the lake when I took it" admitted Harry.
"Well, we need enough silver chain to hold him under, seven days of gillyweed and a stream"
"There's one at the back of our house" said Daphne "There's even a swimming hole."
"That one is perfect dear" said Roxanne. "You, get chain from Gringotts. Andromeda, I assume you know we can source gillyweed?"
"What does he weigh?" asked the wizard.
"Eight stone" admitted Harry.
"Nymphadora, go to Gringotts and get eight stone of silver chain" said Aunt Andromeda "When can you have the gillyweed?"
"Late tomorrow at the earliest" said Roxanne "I'll portkey the request to our Sardinian buyer when I get home."
"Will he die?" asked Daphne, sounding too hopeful.
"We're just purifying him for you" said Andromeda. "Though Harry, you could have dinner with her tonight. Just the two of you, don't hit it off and fornicate. He needs to be purified."
Harry went red in the face.
Daphne rolled her eyes "Hardly likely." she said. "And he's going to be going to the loo in my swimming hole."
"We'll clean that up with a few charms" said Andromeda. "They will have to be downstream of him."
"Um… what do I do for a week?" asked Harry.
"Eat gillyweed every hour and wait" said Roxanne. "Fortunately, fish sleep half awake, so you won't need to."
"Gosh that would have been useful for healers exams" said Andromeda.
"After a day or so, you can't read any more" said Roxanne "I tried it for a remedial NEWT once. Ghastly business."
"Mummy, what do you do a Remedial NEWT in?" asked Daphne curiously.
"In Potions" admitted Roxanne.
"And you complain when I only got an Acceptable!" said Daphne.
"I got an O in potions" said Tonks casually "Requirement to get into the Aurors." Then she left with the wizard, who'd stood like a teak statute through the repartee. Harry felt he looked cool.
"What if that Gringotts curse breaker talks?" asked Roxanne.
"He won't. Nymphadora will obliviate him and give him ten galleons for the trouble." said Andromeda simply. Aunt Andromeda seemed to be both sentimental, and hard like a dagger.
Dinner at Chez Loius in Diagon Alley was a strained affair. Daphne wore a formal robe, and Harry one of his pair that he was getting a bit used to.
"Do you only have one good robe?" Daphne asked.
"Two identical ones" Harry admitted.
"Are you worried?" she asked.
"If it stops the headaches, I'll do it." said Harry.
Then the first course of quail arrived and Harry ate it, and was left wishing there'd been more.
"That was quite nice" said Harry. "Rather moreish."
The Gammon and a celeriac mash arrived. Harry wasn't sure about it.
"So you not like it?" asked Daphne after a mouthful "It's quite good gammon."
"I'm just not sure what it is… I've never had Gammon before" admitted Harry.
Daphne had a pretty laugh, Harry thought as she laughed at him.
"I only got to cook roast pork or beef or chicken… at my relations" said Harry bitterly. "Not eat it."
The Gammon was pretty good and Harry left the restaurant full, having learnt that the family Quidditch team were the Appleby Arrows, that Daphne liked to sing, and admitted that Harry was actually a brilliant quidditch player. He felt quite pleased about that.
Harry's recollection of the week in the stream wrapped in silver chains were fuzzy. The gillyweed never got nicer to eat, his brain went fuzzy after the sun set, and there was just him, and a large mesh bag of gillyweed to pick at.
At the end, Tonks levitated him out of the river, and cut the chains off him with a cutting charm.
Harry lay gasping unable to breathe air.
"Whoops" said Tonks and banished him into the stream till the gillyweed wore off.
Harry crawled out and lay on the bank, where Tonks threw a towel at him "I hope for her sake that's the cold water" said Tonks.
Harry felt no different, but put the towel on.
The Tonks cast a spell on his head and frowned "That has done absolutely nothing" she said, and apparated away with a crack. Harry went and sat on the stump. A whole week of feeling like a fish, for nothing.
Aunt Andromeda and Roxanne Greengrass appeared with Tonks, and Aunt Andromeda cast a spell at Harry and frowned "You're right, totally unchanged." she said "Which means it's not a dark curse at all."
Tonks scratched her head "But it shows up as dark as old scratch" she said.
"But no spell, no ordinary spell could survive a week of running water. That's not a spell in his scar." said Andromeda "And no, there's no foreign matter in there."
"So dark but not spell and not matter" said Tonks "Like a really localised possession?"
"Which would transfer some powers" said Roxanne. "How utterly dreadful."
"What next?" asked Harry, feeling worried about 'utterly dreadful.'
"A little Exorcise" said Andromeda "Simple enough."
"We can use the chains instead of salt" said Tonks helpfully.
Harry still only wearing a towel, was wrapped again in a few yards of chain, joined up by a wand-stab by Roxanne, and stood inside a chain circle, joined up by Aunt Andromeda.
"Now Harry" said Tonks gently "This will hurt a bit."
"He's been clobbered by a dragon, you don't need to sugar coat it" said Andromeda.
"What's the scar on his arm?" asked Roxanne.
"Snakebite" said Harry. "Dragon stab's the other shoulder."
"No-one likes a showoff Harry" said Andromeda sharply, "Nymphadora, I assume you know how to do it?"
"If you know how to hold down a malignant spirit, mum?"
"Well, it's a legitimate use of a spirit-rack" said Andromeda. "And dear old mummy did insist I learnt it."
"Spirit rack?" asked Harry "Sounds like a spice rack but for drinks?"
"A torture rack for spirits" said Andromeda "Very effective on unwanted ghosts."
"Mum… I'm an Auror… that's a dark curse… don't make me have to falsify paperwork" said Tonks.
"It's for your cousin, dear. Whatever that is in him, is up to no good at all." said Andromeda.
Tonks nodded then casually flicked her wand at Harry, and he felt the strangest pain. As if someone had screwed a hook into his forehead, and was pulling on it with a lorry or something. Then the pain got larger and larger until … at around 'Killing Quirrell' levels of pain, a black ghost shot out of Harry's head and bounced painfully off an invisible barrier where the circle of chains was. Harry fell to the ground. Whoever it was, they were tall and thin. The black ghost turned and Harry instantly recognised the thin-lipped mouth, the red eyes. It was Voldemort. He didn't look very well, but scowled at Harry anyway.
"Harry Potter?" he hissed. "I'll kill you now!"
At this point Aunt Andromeda did something magical. Ghostly Voldemort snapped stiffly upright, like he'd been full-body-bound, then started to scream in pain.
"It's Voldemort" gasped Harry, panting. That had really hurt. He was thinking about going and working in a Dragon reserve with Horntails instead of ever doing that again. And wearing pork-chops for armour, however, he realised he didn't have a headache.
Aunt Andromeda walked over, holding her wand at a curious angle.
"So you're Voldemort?" said Aunt Andromeda curiously "And you've been hiding in my nephews' scar. You filthy little coward."
"That's not him… but it is" said Harry "I um, paralysed baby Voldemort last year and um… he's transfigured into a pebble. Stopped the headaches."
"And do you have a headache now" asked Tonks curiously, taking notes.
"Well... no. That spell hurt like blazes, by no headache" Harry admitted.
"That's your headache right there" said Aunt Andromeda firmly.
"Oh yeah, his real names Tom Marvolo Riddle" said Harry. "He was at school in the forties. I talked to ghost Tom… only he was sixteen or seventeen."
"What? Where ?" asked Tonks, sounding surprised.
"Uhh… the Chamber of Secrets when I fought his cursed diary and then the basilisk" said Harry.
The screaming ghost gurgled out "Not my Diary!" and then went back to screaming.
"Mum... turn down the suffering a bit, ...Tom Riddle needs to answer some questions" said Tonks.
"What was your diary to you?" asked Tonks.
"I am Lord Voldemort I will never talk!" crowed the ghost. Andromeda twisted her wand, and he went back to screaming in pain. The screaming was getting on Harry's nerves a bit. And there did seem to be three independent Voldemorts too. Which was a concern.
Andromeda turned her wand and Tonks asked again. "What was the Diary?"
"A horcrux… I made a horcrux" sobbed the ghost.
"What's a Horcrux?" asked Tonks. Voldemort explained, and Roxanne and Tonks retched. Harry felt quite happy. The thing giving him headaches was getting six kinds of crap tortured out of it by Aunt Andromeda. Harry nearly felt well enough to stand.
Then Tonks asked "Why Harry Potter?" and the explanation had Harry feeling a bit floaty. A prophecy… and that was why mum and dad had died.
After a lot more torturing, and list making and head shaking by Tonks "This is so far above my level" she said "Mum, you can really give him the works now. Make him really regret it."
"Oh… I can't remember the one for killing ghosts but... he's not really a ghost is he?" asked Andromeda. "Still… let's see if I can still. ... I mean. … I can hurt this murdering part of Tom Riddle an awful lot." Harry was a little concerned that Aunt Andromeda might have used this spell before for something.
Aunt Andromeda cast a spell, this time adding in black smokey chains, which wrapped around the screaming Voldemort.
"Oh fabulous" said Andromeda over the screaming "That old family curse works on ghosts too."
"We have family curses?" asked Harry.
"Well, the family invented them, and we tell no-one. Not even your Daphne" said Andromeda, and twisted her wand, a strangely pleased look on her face. The ghost screamed until it finally said "I wish I'd never done this" and slipped out of the black chains to bounce around the silver chain circle like a rubber ball.
"Dear, get Harry out of the circle" said Andromeda sharply.
Tonks cast what looked to Harry a lot like wingardium leviosa and the chain wrapped around his body, tightened and pulled Harry out of the silver chain circle to land with a bump on the leaf mould. Harry rearranged his towel hastily.
"What's going on, mum?" asked Tonks.
"Well I'm not an expert on dark magic involving splitting souls" said Andromeda. "But I think..." she cast a massive bunch of ghostly black chains that pinned the fast-moving spirit down.
"That something's broken in the spell he used." she added. The thing didn't even look like a person now… just a spiky black cloud.
"It's got five spikes" said Harry tiredly "He made six ... and this one by accident."
"Perhaps it's trying to join back up" said Roxanne "I'd suggest cutting the outer silver chain."
"Try it" said Andromeda "He's going nowhere under my spirit wrack."
When the chain snapped, the smoke thing expanded like someone stretching chewing gum in five directions at once... to far beyond the horizon… then snapped back to form a more solid looking black ghost of Voldemort wrapped in ghostly black chains… which Aunt Andromeda cast a different spell on; and the screaming began again. This time... with begging.
"I'm sorry… Please, please let me go..." begged Voldemort.
"My cousin died serving you, you prick. He was a nice boy, but got sucked into all your vile hatred. Well… feel what a Spirit Rack can do from a witch of the Black" said Andromeda, twisting her wand like dagger to the stomach, and the screaming intensified till all the ghost was doing was scream.
"Nymphadora" said Andromeda tightly "Is a killing curse illegal on the ghost on someone already dead?"
"Not…. Technically" said Tonks.
"Then get Harry his wand. There is that stupid prophecy, after all" said Andromeda. "Because I can't remember the spell to kill ghosts, and I don't think he is one."
"Oh mum… I can do it" said Tonks "and Harry's under-age anyway."
"But the Prophecy says by his hand" said Andromeda over the screams of Tom Riddle.
"Can someone get it done, his screaming is giving me a headache" said Roxanne.
"Avada Kedavra" cast Tonks without much warm-up and the green bolt hit the ghost. The ghost just faded like fog evaporating on a warm day.
"Mum… don't cast that spell again, honestly" said Tonks, shaking her head.
"Says Miss I cast Killing curses" said Harry, rather shocked at Tonks.
"I pulled all the hatred I have for the whole stupid blood war, for all my stupid relations that killed people… and how sorry I feel for you and Daphne." said Tonks.
"And we do a three-day course on how to cast it if required." she admitted more quietly.
"Well" said Roxanne changing the subject "I suppose we should get Harry out of those chains and into some warm clothes."
Harry staggered back to the Greengrasses in a towel, helping carry huge piles of silver chains to return to Gringotts. His Aunt and Roxanne Greengrass were chatting about flower-beds with occasional comments from Tonks about which ones smelt nicer.
They'd spend hours casting black magic, he'd spent a week underwater eating gillyweed. And Voldemort had somehow hidden part of himself in his forehead. Harry did what many people would do, and pretended a lot of the last several hours had never happened.
Harry's clothes were in the spare room, where Harry went, after Tonks charmed his feet clean and made a big pile of silver chains in the back room you used to take your boots off.
Harry got dressed in more than a towel, put on socks and shoes and opened the door.
Tonks was standing there with a notepad.
"Mr Potter" she said very formally "I believe you have a statement to make?"
Harry told his cousin all about Tom and the graveyard. He glossed over the gun, claiming Cedric had stunned Wormtail, who died when he fell badly onto a cast-iron railing.
"Yeah I've had that happen a couple of times too" said Tonks "And that's why Mad-eye loves you."
Harry shrugged "Some of that's technically illegal" admitted Harry.
Tonks waved her hand "They were both already dead." she said "Pettigrew was, as far as you knew, murdered by Sirius Black right?"
So Harry had to explain about that already knowing about that.
"I'm going to have to have words with this Lupin Character and Sirius" said Tonks. "They both acted very irresponsibly."
"Who just cast you-know what?" asked Harry sarcastically.
Tonks cast a succession of charms, coloured sparkles dancing around the room. "Always clear your wand, half a dozen or so and nobody's working out what you did" she said. His cousin the Auror was teaching him how to evade a wand-check. Harry frowned.
"You defeated Voldemort three times. You can be trusted not to do crimes and be very naughty" said Tonks.
Harry blushed.
"Oh just stop it." said Tonks "Living with my cousin and his male friend I'm very doubtful about that – "
"Oh they're not… gay" said Harry "Just both a bit set in their ways. Prof… Mr Lupin was a brilliant Defence teacher. He's really nice. Shame about the lycanthropy."
"Nice bloke and werewolf?" said Tonks "I doubt it."
Daphne and Astoria came along the hallway to see Harry and Tonks.
"Auror Tonks" asked Daphne "Is the swimming hole clean yet?"
"We uh... didn't get around the cleaning it" said Tonks "Funny story… it wasn't a spell. Harry spent a week with gills underwater for nothing."
"Eating slimy weed" Harry added. "But I am cured. Aunt Andromeda and Cousin Tonks got it out. And they're getting fantastic Christmas presents."
"Yule" said Daphne "Honestly" she criticised.
"Fantastic Yule and Christmas Presents" said Harry even more cheerfully. Tonks looked thoughtful.
Daphne frowned. "Did it hurt?"
"More than being impaled by a dragon but less than being bitten by a basilisk" said Harry thoughtfully. "I would not recommend any of those."
"Those are wicked cool scars" said Tonks… and Harry remembered something Professor Dumbledore had said. About scars being useful. Oh… he'd known the Prophecy all along...well... Harry didn't have to do the special class in saving the world any more. Harry smiled "You know… I'll have to make sure our house has a swimming pool for you" said Harry.
Tonks patted him on the back "Good boy" she said condescendingly.
Mrs Greengrass went back to clean the swimming hole out.
-==0==-
Harry had quite terrible nightmares that night. He woke cold and sweaty. Still, it had been a rough day. He changed pyjamas and used the other bed. Kreacher would fix it later.
That afternoon, after a day of gloriously boring summer assignments he asked Sirius about houses.
"Sirius?" Harry asked "Have we got any Black property that's nice, or somewhere nice?"
"Well I bought this island in the Caribbean" said Sirius "But it's awful in the wet season, and there only really a hut."
"Oh" said Harry "Something classy?"
"Well… there's the place in France but it's probably falling apart… Grandma liked it but nobody's been there since she died."
"What's it like?" asked Harry.
"Well… sixteen rooms, a couple of turrets… ballroom… grounds. I never cared. I was about twelve the last time I went" said Sirius.
"Turrets?" asked Harry "A castle?"
"Château" Sirius corrected "Fancy house with castle-y bits"
"But does it have a pool?" asked Harry. "Daphne likes to swim… apparently."
"I don't recollect." said Sirius, toffily. He did that sometimes, accidentally sounding very pureblood.
"If we have a chato in France. Why do we live in a shitty town-house in London?" asked Harry, sounding common as muck.
"Good question" said Sirius "It's not that I'm secretly trying to earn my mothers affection."
"What?" asked Harry.
"The mind healer at St Mungos says I live here to try and earn my mother's affection from the stupid painting and all her ugly decorations" said Sirius "Which is ridiculous."
"Yes" said Harry and nodded. He was very glad he wasn't blood-related to the Blacks. Sirius was quite weird.
Aunt Andromeda dropped by after dinner and took Harry to the Drawing room for a chat.
"Now Harry, Nymphadora is apparently writing a report. I have just one thing to ask" she said and conjured up a black snake using that snake-conjuring spell 'Serpensatoria.'
Harry looked at the snake. "You expect me to talk to it?" asked Harry.
"Try dear, humour your Aunt" said Andromeda.
Harry stared at the snake, which was swaying a little, little forked tongue flicking in and out.
"Hello?" Harry asked. The snake just stared. Aunt Andromeda flicked her wand and the snake slid towards Harry "Stop!" Harry said panicking, but the snake just lunged, disappearing before it's fangs connected with Harry's leg.
"So no longer a parselmouth" said Aunt Andromeda. "Really was a side-effect of having him hiding in your scar."
-==0==-
Restaurant meals with Daphne Greengrass were… well she could have been a troll and the food still would have been good.
"Mother won't say what exactly was wrong with you, just that you're cured, and braver than you look" said Daphne.
Harry nodded "I finished Snape's potions assignment yesterday. It was boring and time-consuming. I loved every minute of it."
"You did?" she asked "Give me a copy?"
"On the way home, drop by, and you can have my notes for it. He'd kill both of us if we copied" said Harry. "He really hates me."
"I'm sure he'll hate me once your Aunt's newspaper announcement comes out" said Daphne glumly.
"Well, maybe he'll pity you instead?" asked Harry "It wasn't voluntary." he said kindly.
"Thanks for that cheerful thought" said Daphne sarcastically and ate.
"I asked Sirius if we owned anything anywhere nice. There's' a private island in the Caribbean, but there's only a hut." said Harry.
"Well I could take a tent" said Daphne.
"And we own a château in France, apparently. And I already asked why we live in London if we have a château in France. The answers made no sense… Sirius is a bit mad." said Harry. "But is getting treatment, so there's hope I suppose."
"A château in France?" asked Daphne "I could suffer thought that, I suppose."
"I asked if there was a pool… he doesn't know. He was twelve and only went for family things with Grandmother Melania."
"She was a MacMillan" said Daphne "I was looking them up, Ernie MacMillan in Hufflepuff's a sort of cousin."
"And an easygoing Hufflepuff" said Harry. "Don't underestimate Hufflepuffs. I've seen cousin Tonks go all out. She's very scary when she does."
"Rules of thumb" said Daphne snidely "There is no such thing as one angry Hufflepuff. Gryffindors are dumb and easy to provoke, and Ravenclaws are acceptable dates for Syltherin looking for someone outside Slytherin. "Mum and Dad are like that."
"Your Dad was a Ravenclaw?" asked Harry "but he's scary."
"I'm surprised you're scared of anything" said Daphne.
"On Adventures I am often somewhere from scared, to terrified. Keeping going is the key. Oh… and being able to cast a patronus that can repel a hundred Dementors" said Harry.
"Bullshit" said Daphne.
"Hogwarts express." said Harry.
"You're on" said Daphne.
"It is very big" said Harry.
"Boys always say that like it's a good thing" said Daphne.
-==0==-
Harry stepped out of the fireplace at Greengrasses feeling nervous. Mrs Greengrass had decided it was time to do something about Harry's dancing.
Their house, Harry decided was pretty elaborately decorated. They had silk in Chinese prints on the wall above wooden panelling everywhere. The paintings all had gold frames too.
Daphne Greengrass, perhaps attracted by the sound of the fireplace roaring with green flames came into the hall Harry was standing in. She was wearing a floral print dress and oddly heavy shoes. Like school shoes really.
"Oh, it's you" she said "Well, We'd better get started. Mother's in the ballroom."
Harry followed Daphne Greengrass along the hallway to a back room, that if it hadn't been thirty feet long, Harry would have thought of as a conservatory. There were a lot of double glass doors, and not much furniture, except for a pile of couches at one end.
Mrs Greengrass was waving her wand at a large music-box thing.
"Oh he's here" she said dismissively "I'll just charm Daphne's shoes un-crushable before you start stepping on her feet."
And with that, Mrs Greengrass bent and tapped both heavy shoes. "There. Even a complete clot can't hurt you now dear" she said kindly.
With a flick of her wand, the large music-box started playing what Harry was fairly sure was waltz, and Daphne and he awkwardly, badly waltzed.
"You really are dreadful" said Mrs Greengrass "Is he a complete klutz?" she asked Daphne.
"No, he's surprisingly good at quidditch." said Daphne "His supposedly first flight he out-flew Draco Malfoy."
"I'd never flown a broom before. Its just…. Feels right, not like dancing at all" said Harry.
That comment, Harry discovered resulting in being sent to the back doorway of the house, handed a broom and told to "Do acrobatics."
Harry, seized the broom and a chance to avoid dancing and flew off, noting the logo on the broom identified it as a Cleansweep of some sort, better than a seven.
After a few barrel rolls and spinning turns, Harry tried the broom out for a Wronski feint, pulling up with yards to spare. It was, he decided, a not bad broom. Not one he'd want to try and play quidditch on, but all right for just mucking about he supposed. A few very rapid cornering and turn drills later, it was clear the broom was easily pushed to it's limit, without any surprises, except an annoying tendency to curve left. Harry looked down at the watching Greengrasses, decided he'd probably escaped all the dancing he could and landed, his hair a little messier than it had been. "Not a terrible broom" he said politely.
Mrs Greengrass was eyeing him oddly, looking at him sideways almost. "And he's on the Gryffindor team?" she asked.
"Seeker, and almost undefeated" said Daphne. Harry's heart warmed to the faint praise.
"There's nothing wrong with his reflexes or coordination. His problem is in his head." said Mrs Greengrass. "No amount of practice is going to help him till we deal to that."
The way she said 'deal to' sounded troublesome to Harry.
Harry was led back to the ballroom, which in hindsight doubtless served as a conservatory when not being used to dance, and Mrs Greengrass aimed her wand at Harry's head "This won't hurt" she said and cast something.
Harry blinked, and then Mrs Greengrass said "Try a waltz with him again dear" she said, and started the music box up.
Harry waltzed around the room with Daphne slowly, Daphne stopping to ask her mother a question.
"What did you do mummy?" asked Daphne, and Mrs Greengrass cast something on Harry, said something incomprehensible and waved her wand again. Daphne's face looked annoyed yet somehow amused, and they practised for an hour.
"Well, I think with practice after dinner, for a few weeks, and he'll be used to dancing with you" said Mrs Greengrass. Harry was confused by that, he knew he could dance. Had been able to for ages really.
-==0==-
Harry's birthday came and went, with Ron and Hermione coming to visit, along with Neville and Dean. Seamus's mum had refused the invite.
"Um" said Harry, after the cake was distributed "I have another party soon… in a weeks time"
"Oh cool" said Ron, eating a little icing flower from the side of his slice.
Hermione frowned "What's the second party for?" she asked.
"Well um… there was this Black family thing … and when I got adopted… and now I'm in a medieval magical marriage contract." said Harry.
"With who?" asked Hermione.
"Um… Daphne Greengrass" said Harry.
"What?" asked Ron "But she's ,well…."
"A Slytherin?" asked Harry.
"I was going to say a friend of Pansy's" said Ron shaking his head "Your Aunt's a Slytherin and she's okay". Harry smiled mechanically. His aunt was fine… till she got annoyed, then Harry wanted to be in another country. Living under an assumed name. What she'd done to Voldemort gave him the willies.
"Can't you get out of it?" asked Hermione.
Harry shrugged "Neither of us has any choice. And can't divorce and there's all kinds of curses involved. So I've met her… and had a few meals."
"So is she nice?" asked Dean.
Neville spoke up "She's quite um... well brought up" he said awkwardly "I meet her at the Yule things. She's a good dancer."
"She's in Runes and Arithmancey and Ancient studies" said Hermione "Pansy does all the talking. She's never said anything to me… mean or otherwise."
"Oh and Draco Malfoy's cast out of the house of Black" said Harry "Or if I died he'd inherit."
"And his mother?" asked Neville and Harry nodded.
"Greengrass is well fit" said Dean. Hermione frowned at Dean. "Hermione, we were all thinking it… " he said.
"A woman is more than her physical appearance" said Hermione.
'Says the smart girl who can look pretty when she wants to' thought Harry.
"So this is a heads-up. There's going to be a party, her friends, my friends, family and stuff. In the dining room, dancing afterwards" Harry mumbled the last bit.
Ron snorted.
"Then a public announcement in the Prophet that we're betrothed and will marry after my seventeenth birthday." said Harry.
"What if you-know-who uses her to get to you" suggested Ron, drinking tea.
"I'm beyond worrying about what might happen" said Harry "The certainties are scary enough."
Hermione took some cake and picked at it.
"Oh and… because cursed contract… we will be doing some things together. It's that or… well. And if either of us dances with anyone else we die. Knowing the Blacks, in screaming agony." said Harry.
"Bugger" said Ron. "You're screwed."
"Ron! Language" said Hermione. "Though… he is totally fucked, isn't he" she said and laughed.
"Oh crap, check for polyjuice" said Harry urgently.
"Harry ...we're fifteen, and not at school we can use robust language where appropriate" said Hermione.
"Stop panicking… that does sound like Hermione" said Harry, relaxing.
"This," said Dean calmly, "is why I never go on their adventures."
"I'm… I'm in for the party of doom" said Neville. "Is Pansy coming?"
"We didn't talk about it. I hope not" said Harry "Draco's not, obviously, nor is ex-Aunt Narcissa."
Aunt Andromeda got a professional cleaner to come and make all the bathrooms and loos safe.
Unfortunately Pansy was one of Daphne's friends, which included all the fourth year Slytherins including Crabbe and Goyle who, without Draco to follow, just ate snacks constantly and were strangely innocuous. Daphne's mother, father, sister and grandmother and grandfather came. Harry had a full set of Weasleys, Hermione, Neville, Dean, and all the Tonkses and Remus Lupin. And Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang, looking very lovey.
The meal was a bit loud and Harry had to sit next to Sirius at the head of the table with Daphne opposite.
After the meal, Sirius handed Harry a ring box and said quietly "The daisy shaped one."
Harry opened the box and three black and silver rings were there. The daisy-like one was certainly big and expensive. Harry took it out and held it up. Everyone went quiet. Except for George who farted. Or used a fart cushion. Hard to tell.
Daphne held out her hand and Harry put the ring on her ring finger. It looked decent enough on her, he supposed.
Sirius stood up "Daphne Greengrass and Harry Potter Black, by an ancient family marriage contract are betrothed. Daphne Greengrass is now heiress of the house of Black. When they marry, I will step down and Harry Potter-Black will be the Black of Black. I believe coffee and tea is available in the drawing room up the stairs on the left." with that odd speech., Sirius sat, and smiled.
"You're setting me up, dropping me in it" said Harry.
"You can't divorce and you can't not be designated heir. I on the other hand, can hand it all over and go to Ibiza." said Sirius, and he smiled, a wolfish grin.
Harry stayed with Daphne in the dining room so her Grandparents could talk.
Her grandmother, a greying blonde who was clearly where her mother got her looks from, had a thick accent. "Zis is a dragon-fighter. So little" she said.
"Well, he only came first equal in a Tri-Wizard tournament" said Sirius proudly. "Then nobly let the other boy keep the prize money. After all it was only a thousand galleons, and Harry didn't need it."
Daphne's grandfather looked at Harry and said "Well, boy, what do you want to do?"
"Doesn't really matter does it" said Harry politely "I'm told I'm taking over running the business of the House of Black with all the help I can get from Daphne."
"And do you do what you're told?" asked the Grandfather "I've heard mixed reports. Some unusual choices in the marriage contract, for example."
"I break rules when I think I should" said Harry. "And obey good ones. Like never picking fights with your wife, not stooging and my new resolution is to avoid dangerous adventures."
"Does he play quidditch then?" asked grandfather Greengrass sounding slightly interested.
"The youngest seeker in a century." said Daphne drily "He is a natural with a broom. Do I have to carry a Gryffindor banner to matches now?"
"No dear, you can carry a Slytherin banner, and cheer for the losing team" said Harry fairly sarcastically.
"He talks a big game" said Grandfather Greengrass.
"He has lost matches, when the pitch has been overrun by Dementors, that sort of thing" said Sirius cheerfully.
"He is actually that good" admitted Daphne "We have Draco Malfoy for seeker… who really did buy his way onto the team."
"Why are there no girls on the Slytherin team?" asked Harry.
"Because the captain is a sexist pig" said Daphne politely.
Aunt Andromeda made a "hmmm" noise "In my sixth year, we started a Syltherin girls team, and played friendlies against the other three teams. We beat them, of course, and Headmaster Dippett awarded us the Quidditch cup that year."
"You and your sisters and… who else? " asked Sirius. "Before my time" he added, to a glare from Aunt Andromeda.
"Dennny Bulstrode, Felicity Rosier, Esme Gamp, and Hesper Smith" said Andromeda. "Cissy was the smallest, so she played seeker."
"Aunt… ex-Aunt Narcissa played quidditch and was a seeker... and was good. What's wrong with Draco?" asked Harry.
"Lucius was on the official team" said Andromeda politely, and everyone laughed. All laughing at Malfoys… they all had that in common.
"I'm not sure there's seven girls who could play competitive quidditch in Slytherin" admitted Daphne "I'm not very good on a broom."
"Well Harry can tutor. He's very good with a broom" said Andromeda. "And not just you… call it a development squad. After all, the point is to win, not compete. And fifth year is OWLS… sixth year has a little more slack in your timetable."
"You want me to coach the Syltherin girls development squad?" asked Harry.
"Well… you need to get to know Daphne's friends better." said Andromeda. "And get fourteen not seven. That way you can have full matches."
"How will we get pitch time" asked Daphne.
"Minerva McGonagall will set up a pitch if you ask. She is an expert at Transfiguration, and it is just six hoops on poles." said Aunt Andromeda "She did it for us, her first year teaching. Proving a point that she might not be Albus Dumbledore, but she could build a quidditch pitch with a wand."
"Why did it get torn down?" asked Harry.
"Abraxas Malfoy had it torn down after we won." said Aunt Andromeda "Lucius' Father, also on the board of governors at the time."
"We need that second pitch so people can play pickup games" said Harry enthusiastically. "Two games a weekend, every weekend, and ignore the main field."
"Evening games in spring and autumn" murmured Andromeda.
"I'll… ask Professor McGonagall" said Harry "With luck… it'll be done before term starts."
Remus was mobbed in the Drawing room by students of all houses asking if he was coming back to teach this year
"It's our OWL year" said Daphne "It would be a real benefit to Harry."
'And you' thought Harry. Her defence grade had been only an A.
"I'm not sure the board of governors will have me back" said Remus "What with me being a werewolf."
"Nonsense" said Andromeda "You take your wolfsbane, you're harmless, and the wolf can be locked up three nights a month."
"Thank you, Mrs Tonks for your words of support" said Remus politely.
"Oh I'll go ask some people who owe me favours to pull some strings" said Andromeda, and she smiled thinly.
Then the real torture began, with Sirius spelling all the furniture to stick to the ceiling and a gramophone being wheeled in to play dance music. Fortunately, Harry only had to dance for an hour, and knew all the dances. And, obviously only had to dance with Daphne. Which was still really uncomfortable , as Harry didn't have a chance to rearrange his pants. Fortunately dress robes hid those kind of problems.
Neville bravely danced with about a dozen different girls, mostly Daphne's friends from Slytherin, and Daphne's little sister. Who was showing signs of a growth spurt, honestly. Nearly as tall as Daphne.
Ron must have been confounded, Harry thought because the remembered to ask Hermione to dance. Hermione looked half-pleased and half annoyed, probably because Ron really was a crap dancer.
Because there weren't a lot of adult-but-not-old people there, Tonks ended up dancing with Remus. Who seemed quite capable of not just dancing, but holding Tonks up when she tripped on the edge of the carpet. Which being Tonks, she did over and over again.
Sirius danced once with Mrs Greengrass, and they clearly had a conversation, but Harry was less worried about that conversation, than the one Aunt Andromeda had with Daphne's grandmother.
Then Daphne's grandmother clicked her fingers and her grandfather took her for a dance, and they… danced really really well, and clearly really enjoyed the dance.
Daphne's grandmother, once she smiled was quite pretty for an old person.
