Merit and Inheritance
Chapter Twenty-nine
One Step Closer
Harry's party returned to #12 Grimmauld Place and set Walburga, Regulus and Sirius up on their easel in the salon. Kreacher wanted to make everyone tea. Harry and Angus sat at the plank table in the kitchen. Kreacher had put the newly-discovered silver teapot down there and hadn't gotten back to it. Harry passed his wand over it several more times, without getting any indications the teapot was cursed or jinxed. Angus held out his hands.
"Can I take a look?" he asked. Angus immediately turned the teapot over, being careful to keep the cover closed, and inspected some marks on the bottom.
"These will tell you a lot," Angus said, showing them to Harry. "Maker and year, at minimum."
Daphne had taken her tea and joined Walburga in the salon.
"You're a Greengrass?" Walburga asked.
"Yes, Madam," said Daphne. "My parents are Cyrus and Cordelia. I don't know if you ever met them."
"Do you have an Aunt Matilda?" asked Walburga. "One of my classmates had a younger sister named Cordelia."
"I have a Great-Aunt Matilda," said Daphne. "Matilda Wainscott. Mother wouldn't have been her sister. She's her niece. Now she's Cordelia Greengrass."
"That would be the one, then," Walburga said. "You're really dating me."
"How interesting that you and Angus met up again, here in your home," said Daphne.
"Isn't it your home now?" Walburga objected, flaring just a little.
Daphne craned her neck. She didn't see anyone, but just to be sure, she stood, crossed to the doorway, and looked down the hall.
"Not just yet," she said, sitting back down. "Harry and I have talked, a bit, just not quite at the length I'd like. We're both involved in some business things right now, which I'd like to be finished with before, we get to…Anyhow, we've agreed we're each the other's intended."
"That's not good enough!" huffed Walburga. "He'd better ask, the sooner the better. A witch like you won't be available for long. Do you want me to have a talk with him?"
Daphne caught Sirius rolling his eyes and stifled a laugh.
"It's not like that, Madam," she said. "It's me. I'm a healer. I'm emancipated. I make my own money. I've even got a flat of my own. If I told Harry I was ready to have our serious discussion, the one we've been putting off, my guess is he would propose in under five minutes. I do love him, and I love my independence. I can't reconcile those just yet."
"Have you told him?" asked Walburga.
"Not in so many words," answered Daphne.
Walburga stared out of her portrait, straight into Daphne's eyes. Sirius and Regulus, to Walburga's right and left, each looked away, somewhere, at neither Daphne nor their mother.
"Daphne Greengrass," Walburga said. "I won't interfere in your life. Just let me observe, for your consideration: Love unexpressed is love withheld. I think that is all I have to say on the matter."
Walburga's hands appeared on her boys' shoulders and she pulled them tight to her as they turned to once again face forward. In life, Regulus and Sirius may have given the impression they were full of devilry, but the smiles they gave Daphne right then were angelic.
Daphne could see Walburga was ready for a rest. There weren't any drapes around so Daphne conjured one to give the Blacks a little privacy for sleeping. After laying it as gently as she could across the damaged frame, Daphne put out the lights and tiptoed from the salon, following the sound of men's voices.
"Daphne!" Harry said, when she got to the kitchen. "Look at this."
He held out the silver teapot. Daphne wasn't eager to take it from him until Harry assured her he and Angus had checked it, carefully.
"We've cast everything we can think of and it looks fine to us," Harry said.
"Fine, eh?" Daphne said as she took the teapot from Harry. She turned it over and looked at the stamps in the bottom.
"Seventeenth century…Merlin! I guess that's fine."
"It was a bit of a treasure hunt," Harry said, Angus nodding along.
"If this turns out…well, however it turns out, I guess you men did well today. Very, very well indeed. I wonder if the Blacks had a guide to the silversmiths' marks around here. You'll have to look on the shelves tomorrow," said Daphne.
"Oh, youngsters, this has been quite a day," said Angus, getting up from the bench. "Harry, I thank you for the hospitality, but I am inclined to go home tonight and sleep in my own bed. Can't wear out my welcome, now that I know you and Walburga are down here."
"Nor have you, Angus," said Harry. He got up with his guest. Daphne continued to study the silversmith's marks.
"Daphne," said Angus, "I'll take my leave."
"Angus, I'm so happy we got to meet you," said Daphne. "Come see us whenever you can. Morag will want you here, too."
Angus went with Harry to the second drawing room, which also had a fireplace.
"Thank-you for everything, Angus," Harry said. "We'll work through your to-do list for the house and alert you when we get near the end."
Angus chuckled.
"I'll try to be more sensitive where your elf is concerned, Harry," said Angus. "He's taking a lot of pride in his work, and it shows. The last thing I want to do is hurt his feelings. He is a real craftsman."
Angus dropped his floo powder and disappeared in the green flames. Harry was sorry to see him go. Angus had lived alone for decades. He knew how to take care of himself. Angus was very good at living life without making a huge mess to clean up afterwards, a skill that Harry worked at constantly. Harry made a mental note to invite Angus down from Scotland at least quarterly. Angus obviously had lots of life skills to pass along, life skills that Harry wanted to learn.
Harry wandered back to the kitchen, looking for Daphne. She was standing with Kreacher, who was pouring hot water for a fresh pot of tea. Harry saw they had a tray, cups, saucers and a bowl of sugar cubes ready to go.
"One more cup of tea?" asked Daphne.
"Love some," said Harry. "Where?"
"Anywhere," Daphne answered. "You choose."
"Second drawing room?" suggested Harry.
"Sure, go on and sit down," said Daphne.
Harry decided Daphne must have been keeping an eye on the steeping tea as she entered the drawing room a few minutes later. It would have been just like the habitually-precise Healer Daphne to cast a tempus charm and watch the seconds tick down for a perfect cup of tea.
Daphne put her tray on top of an etagere that stood against a wall, then filled the two cups.
"Having sugar tonight?" she asked.
"I'll skip," Harry said. "It's late. We don't actually need sugar, apparently. As a necessary nutrient, that is."
"Do you harbor a secret desire to join the ranks of healers, Lord Harry?" Daphne teased.
Harry just looked at her and smiled.
"No," he said. "I already have one."
Daphne gave a little jerk as Harry's comment sank in. She handed him his teacup and saucer, returning to the tray for hers. Picking it up, she returned to Harry's easy chair and lowered herself to the carpet. Daphne laid an arm over Harry's legs. They sipped their tea, not talking, enjoying the silence and the agreeable company. After some very pleasant minutes of wordless communion, Daphne put her cup and saucer on the floor, out of the way. She raised up onto her knees in front of Harry and took his cup and saucer away, putting them with hers.
"You do have a healer, Harry," Daphne began. She leaned forward, against his knees. Daphne let her hands drift up the sides of Harry's thighs until they found his hands, which she squeezed, hard.
"You have done everything a gallant magical lord can do, as a champion, for me, and my sister, even my parents. You shielded me with your own body when another wizard cast the killing curse at us. You presented me to the sacred portraits of the Potter family in your family seat. You allowed me to study your family grimoires, and you study mine. Our family magicks are integrating. Can you feel them when you make love to me?"
"Yes," said Harry. "Stronger and stronger. I wondered if you could feel them. How long does that go on?"
"As long as we love one another and are faithful, I believe it grows and grows."
Harry was staring into Daphne's eyes. He unclasped her left hand and slid his right into her hair, feeling the waves ripple across his fingers, touching her scalp with his fingertips, memorizing the rise and fall, her scent and the texture of her hair.
"It's been three months since you found me in the coffee bar," Harry said.
"And two days," added Daphne.
"Long enough to know," Harry said.
"Oh, I certainly do think so," said Daphne. "I had a talk with Walburga earlier and she said she wouldn't interfere in my life, but she wanted to pass something on, for me to think about. 'Love unexpressed is love withheld,' she said. I won't withhold mine any longer. I love you Harry. I love you. There, done."
She took his hands, both of them, and brought them to her lips.
"Daphne," Harry whispered. He closed his eyes and knew only two sensations: Daphne's lips on his hands, and the bursting of his chest as his own love for Daphne fought to get out.
"Oh, Daphne. I love you, too, Daphne. More every day."
Harry leaned forward and buried his nose in her hair, breathing in, kissing the top of her head. At some point he slid out of the chair, onto his knees on the floor. He took Daphne in his arms and gave her a long, long kiss on the lips. Their tongues found each other, little bit by little bit, drawing things out, taking their time, little coos from Daphne and guttural murmurs from Harry added for mutual encouragement, until they finally got to a full-on proper snog. When they pulled back a little, to catch their breaths, they stayed there on their knees, embracing, eyes staring into eyes. Whispered 'Love you' was answered with 'Love you too,' while hands moved up to touch cheeks, then around back to clinch while their torsos traded warmth.
Eventually, Harry loosened his arms and slowly leaned back.
"When you said we could be intendeds," Harry began.
"Uh-huh?"
"I wanted to…A proper engagement ring ought to mark a proper engagement, it seems to me, but I wanted…The thing is, a few days ago I went to the Potter vault and looked through the old jewelry, and I found something, and I've been waiting for the appropriate occasion to give it to you. You can wear it on your right hand, if you want to reserve your left," said Harry.
He stood and took a small box off the mantle, then returned to the floor in front of Daphne.
"Daphne Greengrass, will you do me the honor of wearing this ring in recognition of the things we just said? I've been waiting and hoping to get to this moment for years, and I thought it could never happen. I'd reconciled to living life alone, with an unfilled space inside, then you came out of nowhere and fit the space perfectly, more than perfectly. I feel complete, for the first time in my life I feel like a complete person. I never want to forget the night you confessed you love me."
Harry opened the box and showed the ring to Daphne. It was a sapphire, square cut, in a gold setting. The stone had enough facets to be interesting, but not overly busy. Harry plucked the ring from the box and held it out, waiting for Daphne to present her hand. She did, her right. Harry compared the ring to her fingers, trying to gauge which would be the best fit. Daphne was ready to try her little finger when she had a thought, and stiffened.
"Oh, Harry, before we, well, did you cast a revelio? Or anything else, for that matter?"
"NO! Oh, Daphne, this could have been a disaster!" Harry exclaimed, his embarrassment showing on his reddening face.
Daphne started laughing.
"WHAT?" Harry demanded.
"It's just…It's just…the look on your face!" Daphne managed. "It's fine, let's just do it and then we can go ahead."
Two competent magicals, one witch and one wizard, one Gryffindor and one Slytherin, used their wands and multiple charms looking for any sign of dark or dangerous spells, hexes or jinxes on the ring, but nothing turned up.
Harry looked at Daphne and picked up the ring again.
"Ready?"
"Yes, yes, yes, let's!" said Daphne. Harry held her hand and Daphne raised her little finger. The ring fit perfectly.
"Ohhh…" said Daphne. "I adore it. It's perfect, look at the proportions, and how it looks on my hand! It's charmed, I felt it adjust itself. What do you know about its history?"
"Just this little note from inside the box," Harry said, holding out a slip of parchment.
"Iolanthe's ring," Daphne read.
"Iolanthe Peverell married my several times great-grandfather Hardwin Potter. Centuries ago," Harry said.
"Makes sense," said Daphne. "It does look very old."
She threw her arms around Harry's neck and gave him another kiss on his lips.
"The night we declared our love," she whispered in his ear. It sounded like a giggle was trying to escape.
"Memorialized," said Harry. "Whenever you wear it, I'll see it and think of this moment. I do love you. Sincerely."
"I love you," said Daphne. "You'll give me a little time to become accustomed to all of this, won't you?"
"We'll both be adjusting, I think?" Harry asked. "I'm fine with this. With you. Everything. No need to rush. You fought for your independence, risked rupturing family ties for it. Enjoy it a little longer. You'll know. So will I. Meanwhile—"
Harry brought the back of Daphne's right hand to his lips.
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Author's Note: Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to leave a note after reading. It is nice to hear from a reader who says they enjoyed a chapter.