DISCLAIMER:EVERYTHING BELONGS TO JKR


Daphne Is In The Details

Chapter 2

Harry Potter and the Contract of Courtship

"Patty?" Harry asked as sat down at the dinner table with the older couple. It was Monday night and the McDougals always did a nice roast on Mondays so they could have the leftovers for sandwiches throughout the week.

"What would you like Harry, some more mint sauce?" She was already passing him the jar as she spoke. He held up his hand to wave it away. He didn't have the heart to tell her he hated the stuff.

"No, actually I was wondering if you had a nice shirt I could borrow for Sunday or if you know a place in town I could purchase one. I sort of have a date. Well I guess it's technically a meeting but I want to look nice."

"Well if it's a meeting you best not be thinking of it as a date, that'll get you all sorts of trouble. I'll let my nephew Donald come by and tell you about his lawsuit. Use to have a nice office in London now he's working at the market in Maidstone. All because he decided to pretend work meetings were dates with his assistant. That poor girl."

Well that went off the rails quite quickly, Patty off on one of her tangents. He should have just called it a date and left it at that. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"It's nothing like that, Patty. A girl from my boarding school sent me a letter requesting we meet up to discuss the two of us… well she called it courting and she wants me to sign some kind of contract. I'm not exactly sure but I'd imagine I will find out on Sunday."

"She wants you to sign a contract, Is that something kids do these days? And courting was old fashioned when me and Patty started dating." It was said with a chuckle his wife had a look like she smelt something funny.

"I don't think it's normal but she's from a really rich older family so maybe it's about protecting her family's interests. It would be my first date so I'm not really sure." Harry didn't want to mention the fact Daphne was a witch and the contract might be part of her customs.

"Well that's sweet dear just be careful and read whatever you sign carefully. The agreement we had on her first tractor was horrid, now I read everything over three times before signing anything."

Everyone went back to eating their dinners. Harry wasn't sure if he should bring up the shirt again. He'd have eighty-five saved once he got his pay on Friday, and was normally let off early on Saturdays so he'd have time to buy a shirt in town. Though he was hoping to save his money so he could buy a secondhand discman at the end of summer.

"You know what, I think I have a nice green dress shirt that will fit you nicely. My Mark wore it for a dance when he was in year 10. Also a nice pair of black slacks. If you show up in jeans she'd get up and walk right back out." She got up from the table and made her way to Marks old room at the back of the house.

While Patty was finding Harry clothes was giving him tips on how to be a gentleman. Things like holding the door open, pulling her chair out when dining, complimenting her.

"It's the little things we do for each other that really show we care." told him with a chuckle. "And when in doubt flowers never hurt."

"Don't listen to him Harry, Jon's never been a gentleman he's always been a scoundrel." Patty said as she entered the room giving her husband a playful slap on the shoulder.

"Now I found the shirt. The slacks I'll have to tailor them a bit as you're not quite as tall as Mark was. I also found you a belt and some nice loafers so you'll be quite stunning for your uh, um, arrangement."

Harry had started clearing the table while Jon began to rinse the dishes. "Thank you so much Patty, I really appreciate everything."

"Not a problem dear, it's been quite nice having you around this summer. Especially not having to worry about Jon throwing his back out building that fence. You were quite the blessing."

"So what time is your, what did you call it Patty?" Jon paused before answering his own question. "Ah, yes. What time is your arrangement on Sunday Harry?

"Well it's not until one o'clock but I'll have to catch the eleven o'clock into London. So I'll probably leave right after morning service."

"I have a better Idea, how about you have breakfast here on Sunday. I'll give your hair a trim so it's something manageable. You have a shower get dressed, then me and Jon will drop you off at the bus station and we'll attend the afternoon service." Harry and Jon both knew wasn't asking if we agree with her plan but telling us exactly what was going to happen.

"Thank you Jon & Patty."

Harry slowly walked home from the McDouglal's. He was listening to his latest cassette Depeche Mode's: Violator. They had newer cassettes but Harry stuck to the one pound second hand bin. He picked himself up five seeing as it was his birthday.

Ron and the Weasleys sent him various treats, accompanied with a letter wishing him happy birthday. It was also inviting him to the Quidditch world cup finals as well as to spend the last couple of weeks of the summer at the Burrow. I had to send him a quick letter in response.


Hey Ron,

Thanks so much for the sweets and please pass my thanks along to the rest of the family. Also thanks so much for inviting me to the world cup. I'm really looking forward to it.

Unfortunately I won't be able to stay the rest of the summer. I have to be back at the Dursleys by Sunday night. I'll take the night bus so I'm not inconveniencing anyone.

I Know you must think I've been impirused but believe me I'm fine. I got a job to build a fence at a nearby farm and I won't be able to finish before the cup. The family I'm working for has been really great to me and I don't want to let them down.

Hope you understand and looking forward to seeing you.

Your Friend,

Harry


Hermione sent a letter accompanied with a book she picked in France. "The wizards who made France."


Dear Harry,

Happy birthday! I was so glad to hear you and your relatives came to an understanding. I always worry about you when you're stuck there all summer.

I'm so thrilled to hear you discovered the library and taking in the treasures that are books. Unfortunately the history books are relatively dry at Hogwarts, not like what the muggles write. Though I found a really great book while in France and thought you'd enjoy it.

I got them to charm it into English so you could actually read it. The clerk gave me a look like a spat on his mother when I asked. It basically talks about all wizards who did like Dumbledor level stuff that were born in France throughout history. A Lot of them fought in various wars.

It also has a large section on Nicolas Flamel that would have been wonderful to have in first year. Hopefully you like it. Will talk about it if you come to Weasleys at the end of summer.

Your Friend Always,

Hermione


The week seemed to drag along for Harry as he panicked about his upcoming arrangement. He was convincing himself one of two things was going to happen.

The first scenario she would realize that he was a poor orphan halfblood who lived with muggles and then storm out of the restaurant. Infuriated that he would even think himself worthy of courting a beautiful and rich pureblood like herself.

The second scenario was he'll show up and Draco would be there. He set up everything to embarrass Harry and it would turn out Daphne was dating the ponce. They'd both laugh at him and take a magical photo of him crying.

Maybe it was the innate biases he held against Slytherin from the past three years of being bullied by Draco, Snape and the Slytherin quidditch team. He just couldn't help but feel that everyone in Slytherin was out to get him.

It probably also had a lot to do with his insecurities and lack of self worth. You don't live the life Harry had lived and not feel inadequate. He'd always be that boy locked in the cupboard under the stairs. It didn't help that she was stupid beautiful. None of the math added up This was clearly the work of the Dark Lord.

Despite his doubts Harry woke up on Sunday morning while at least he's pretty sure he had fallen asleep at some point. He walked to the farm taking his time. Listening to the wailing of the Smiths. Singing along in his head. "Love is natural and real, but not for you and I my love. Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head..*"

Harry and his overdramatic angst arrived at the McDougals where breakfast was waiting for him. Pancakes and simple syrup, nothing greasy as it could mess with his stomach. Patty trimmed his hair so it was so short you couldn't notice it was a mess.

He took a shower and dressed in the clothes Patty picked out for him quite amazed at how well they fit. He switched his glasses for a pair of reading glasses he picked up at the chemist for five pounds. They were close enough to his prescription that he could see alright he'd just have a headache at the end of the day. The point was the square thicker frames looked much nicer on him than the old round pair.

He got on the bus and paid for a round trip so he wouldn't have to pay again on the way back. It definitely wasn't the fastest way into London but it was the cheapest. The ride took about an hour and twenty minute and dropped him off about twenty minutes from the Thornbird tavern.

Luckily according to the map of London he read at the library he just had to walk twelve blocks West from where he got off the bus. He even had time to stop by the florist and buy some flowers. He got a funny look when asked what's a good flower to give a girl you want to court. Though it only took him a moment to suggest a bouquet of Peonies. He told Harry some strange story about Apollo turning nymphs into peonies to gain favor with Aphrodite. They looked pretty enough and only cost six pounds.

Harry entered the Thornbird Tavern. It was your typical pub but well kept and very clean. There were no TVs hanging on the walls so they probably normally catered to an older crowd. Shields

Adorned the wall with a crest that depicted a bird impaling itself on a sword. Clearly not a family establishment.

He approached the bartender who was a giant of a man, he had the stature of Hagrid but was was well built. He scowled down at Harry, to which Harry couldn't help but gulp. The man was drying a pint glass that seemed like delicate work in his large hands.

"Hello, sir. My name is Harry Potter. I'm meant to meet a schoolmate of mine here for um.. A meeting?" The man stared at Harry like he was trying to determine what he had said.

"Ah, yes with I presume. Quite the character. She's just around the corner at the back. Looks like quite the undertaking good luck with your school project." It was said in a much friendlier tone than you would suspect from Solomon Grundy.

Harry nodded a thanks at the man before walking around the bar towards where he said Daphne would be sitting. As he turned the corner he froze trying to work out what he was seeing. He could hear the bartender chuckling at his reaction.

Daphne had gathered about tables together lengthwise into a makeshift boardroom. She was sitting at the far end of the tables, dressed in a sharp ladies suit with a matching skirt. Her honey blond hair was up in a tight bun atop her head. Her hauntingly blue eyes were peeling off his skin. Harry was very much in over his head.

There were piles of papers all along both sides of the tables, directly in front of Daphne was a folder, a pen and a quill. She indicated with a tilt of her head to the empty seat to her right. Harry made his way over with great trepidation, he was unprepared and flowers seemed really stupid.

"Thank you for coming today , have you come prepared?"

"I bought you some flowers." Harry passed her the simple bouquet, realizing she would have nowhere to put them and this really wasn't feeling like a date.

She grabbed them and gave them a quick look before setting them down on an empty chair. "Anything else?"

"Well they're peonies." Duh.

"I'm aware." She looked at him briefly like she was reconsidering everything. "So just to make sure, you have done nothing in preparation for today's proceedings?"

"Well I got a haircut and this shirt is kind of new." Well new to him anyways.

"Noted." She began to flick through files in her folder, pulling a couple out. "Now obviously this will be a little more difficult but we will make it work and you'll have to owl me documents at a later date but we should be okay to continue." She handed him the papers she pulled from her folders.

"These papers here are my references. Statements from Gringrotts concerning my vaults. My grades as well as some words from my various teachers for the last three years at Hogwarts. I have also served zero detentions, and have a positive point acclimation of 450 house points over the last three years. Medical document from stating I've had all my inoculations and I am healthy. A ministry record report indicating I have no infractions, no criminal charges and no warnings. As well as a brief family history, including possible hereditary illnesses and the number of squibs in the last three hundred years."

All Daphne's points were proven with notarized documents by certified employees of said establishments. Key information was highlighted to make it easier to sort out. Some information was redacted with a black line over top so private information like vault numbers were not visible. Harry just quietly read through everything not sure what to say.

"Now I collected what information I could, I had hoped you would have brought something but we're moving past that. Gringrotts provided me with an overview of your vault statements.I'm satisfied with everything there for now but we should at some point discuss investment and diversification.

I spoke with the teachers at Hogwarts, they said your were a good student but needed to apply yourself more. Obviously we will be working on that but I'll need you send me a copy of your official overview from Hogwarts so we can see where we're at and make a plan.

is completely incompitant and wouldn't even tell me if you've your inoculations, so you'll need to provide proof of those and also a general physical wouldn't hurt either make sure everythings working accordingly.

Now I noticed two infractions on file with you at the ministry for underage magic, this is unacceptable one more infraction and they'll snap your wand. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

She was giving him a stern look. Clearly he was being scolded. "The first one wasn't even me, it was a house elf. In my defence of the second incident it was accidental magic but Aunt Marge deserved it."

She made some notes on a piece of paper. "I'll make an inquiry about those to see if we can get them removed, most likely it would involve a hearing but it might be worth it." Harry just nodded.

"Moving along. Looking into your family there's no known hereditary illnesses outside of dying in wars. Not a single squib, though it appears Potters always only seem to have a single child and it's always a boy. Your family grimoire may tell you more, there's a chance that any women and squibs are disowned. The ministry wouldn't have records on that."

"That can't be an actual possibility, can it? Wouldn't births be recorded automatically after delivery at ?" Harry couldn't imagine any family disowning a child for being born a girl or squib. Though it was curious that every Potter the last three hundred years was born male.

"Well if the child was born at it would be registered. However the Potters, like most old pureblood families, have the babies delivered in the manor. The child wouldn't enter into ministry records until shortly after their seventh birthday. This practice pretty much started to hide squibs from the public record."

Harry was having trouble processing it all. The wizarding world got more and more disturbing every single day. All children deserve to be loved. For the first time since entering the wizarding world Harry felt shame to be a Potter.

"We've gotten off topic. Lets focus." She handed him a very thick stack of papers. "Here is the proposed contract. Read through it and note anything you want to adjust or discuss. At the back there's space for any terms you wish to add." She paused. "I will order us lunch while you go over everything."

Daphne got up and walked over to bartender to order for the table. She went to the washroom and came back just as the waters were dropped off at the table. They were told the food would be ready in about ten minutes.

Harry sat there quietly reading over the many details of the contract. It is for the most part a set of expectations of what she expected of him. Though he was referred to as Party B as was indicated at the top of the contract and Daphne was Party A. The whole thing was very confusing and the only thing Harry was certain of was that Daphne was insane.

Harry was expected to achieve an Exceeds Expectations or higher in all his courses.

He was to abide by a diet and exercise program that Daphne would provide him.

He was to dress properly for a wizard of his station at all times.

His friends would need to be reviewed to be ensured they were positive influences.

All females he associated with were to be given a notice that he was romantically unavailable and if they had such intentions he would have no choice but distance himself.

They were to enjoy at least one meal together each day alternating house tables.

Study sessions Monday and Friday and a romantic excursion Saturday afternoon.

Hogsmeade weekends were agreed but he'd still have to publicly ask her

There was a complicated rewards system that he wasn't sure how it worked but that's how he would unlock forms of intimacy like hugs, hand holding and kisses.

There were also suggestions like getting his eyes fixed so he didn't need glasses.

At some point the food arrived. It was some sort of stew alongside fresh baked bread. The two quietly enjoyed their meal as Harry read through the contract. Once they were both finished, they stared at each other in silence. Harry decided to break the silence by putting his foot in his mouth.

"You realize you're insane right? Having a contract for dating is nutz."

"I am not insane." Clearly Harry struck a nerve with that comment. " A contract is logical in every relationship. Two parties say what they want to get out of the partnership, the terms are negotiated and settled and they come to an agreement. If we were to date without a contract we would just be asking for disappointment."

"How do you figure that?"

"Enough. Look it's simple I'm willing to discuss terms but I will not enter a relationship without a contract signed. So state your terms, sign the contract or apologize for wasting my time." There was no sternness in her voice, it was almost stressed. Her eyes looked worried, almost sad. Harry broke.

"Let's discuss terms then. Is there any wiggle room on the grades and the diet?" Start small.

"It's the same grades and diet I adhere to myself. I'm not expecting overnight change but you will be prepared for OWLS next year." Reasonable enough.

"Now when you say dressed like a wizard of my station, you realize I'm an orphan and have barely enough money to make it through Hogwarts right?"

"What are you talking about? You're an orphan but you're an Heir to the Potter family and it's fortune. Most of that you won't have access until you're seventeen but You have a trust that is topped off monthly. I already told you I reviewed your vault statements and find them acceptable."

"Seriously? Every month? I budgeted that money out for the next eight years so I could survive until I got a stable job." Harry was dressed like a barbie in cabbage patch kids clothes for good reason. He would need to do some shopping.

"Yes. Every month. I would talk to the Goblins about setting up an investment account. Any galleons you didn't spend that month from your trust vault would automatically transfer at the end month to your investment account. It's a good way to save and start controlling your finances." Harry gave her a nod and she made a note in her booklet. "Is there anything else?"

"Would you be willing to come to my quidditch games, and support me? Maybe even wear my jersey?" He avoided her eyes because he didn't want to see the rejection. He should have kept it to himself but it was a dream he always had that a girl would do that for him.

She stared at him silently thinking over much longer than was comfortable for Harry before she responded. "I believe that will be manageable. I'll add it to the terms."

She added the jersey thing to terms in the contract and Harry read it over. "Party A agrees to support Party A in all competitive endeavors by watching and wearing the appropriate team uniform matching Party B's…." Sounded good to Harry.

"Would you like to discuss anything or are you ready to sign?"

Harry had come to the proverbial fork in the road. Should he do the logical and rational thing and run out of the restaurant and never look back? Or should he sign the contract that essentially hands control of his life over to a girl he never spoke with before today?

He still knew almost nothing about her except she was exceedingly thorough, completely insane, obsessively controlling, unapologetically blunt and ridiculously beautiful. It was at that moment he stared into her eyes that he realized that he never had a choice.

The second she sent that letter he belonged to her. Despite the undeniable large amount of red flags proving she's certifiably insane. The truth of the matter is Harry is a hormonal fourteen year old boy that is pants at talking to girls. Daphne is a pretty girl what else was there to say other then. "Where do I sign?"

It was then that Harry learned what each of those piles of papers were all around the four tables strung together. They were the contract. Daphne walked him around the table reviewing the contract with him. They would initial by each article and the bottom of each page. There were also three copies, one for her, one for him and for the ministry all needing to be initialled.

The last page they had to sign their full name. This is where Daphne went to her bag and pulled out a box with a special quill in it. "Harry this is a blood quill. All contracts must be signed in blood or they're not binding."

Harry had to remind himself he didn't have a choice no matter how stupid of idea signing something in blood sounded. "I thought only the devil made people sign deals in blood."

"Don't worry Harry I'm not the devil, I'm Daphne." Harry didn't believe her but he signed it anyways.


AUTHORS NOTES


Thanks everyone who took the time to read, favourite, follow or review. It's very much appreciated.

I wrote this chapter a few times, at one point it included a full ten paged 3000 words of the actual contract. I removed it seeing as it was really boring to read and I didn't want to write myself into a trap where I think of something that should have been in the contract later on.

I also realized right before I went to post this that some random words are being removed in the upload process. Hopefully I got them all, I'll have to look over the first chapter and see if it happened there as well.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, Characters and world belongs to JKR.

I quoted some lyrics in this chapter they are underlined* The lyrics were written by Morrissey, & Johnny Marr .It's a song by the smiths as stated in the chapter.