Wheels Within Wheels – Part Three
Iolanthe
Chapter Six
Tying the Knot
Draco and Astoria arrived at Malfoy Manor a few minutes past eleven, just as scheduled. Their living arrangements, as a married couple, were simple. Draco, an only child, had a suite of rooms at his parents' place, and the newlyweds divided those up before the wedding. Each had a room with a bath, and they shared another as their bedroom.
When they got back to Wiltshire, they took their bags upstairs and threw them on their bed. They opened the bags, retrieved toiletries and a few packable souvenirs, and left the clothes for the elves to find, launder and return to closets and dressers.
Draco led the way downstairs. The first room they tried was Lucius' study. Draco knocked on the door, and heard a faint, "Come in," through the thick mahogany.
"You're back," said Lucius. "How delightful. What did you think of Durres?"
"Perfect," Draco said.
"Mr. Kadare' made us promise to come back, before he gave us the port key," Astoria added.
"He refused to let us pay, as you suspected," Draco said. "He said it was his duty as an Albanian to be our host. He couldn't turn down your gift, though, so he accepted your felix felices.He got the better of the deal."
"And that's fine," Lucius said. "I hope it does well for him. We've had a very beneficial partnership on some joint projects. There are more than enough obscure potions between England and Albania to keep us busy for the rest of our lives. I do have to accept his invitation to visit now, I suppose. It wouldn't do to put him off any longer, now that you have brought back a glowing review."
Astoria and Draco looked at each other and remembered their conversation that concluded with just that thought.
"Something from Mr. Kadare'," Draco said, holding out a small alabaster jar. Lucius removed the cover and a pleasant scent filled the room.
"Dried mimosa blossoms," Draco said. "Mimosas are kind of a national passion in Albania, we were told."
"Looks like I owe Kadare' an owl."
"Astoria," Lucius said. "Nothing from you? Did you have a good time?"
"Perfect," said Astoria. "The hotel is a gem, Durres is just the right size, and we met some interesting, ah, people. And—creatures."
"We'll be delighted to hear all about it," Lucius said, sounding quite honest when he said it. "Now, Draco, your mother is around here someplace, so you'd better go track her down or we'll all be in trouble."
Astoria and Draco found Narcissa in a small hothouse that was attached to the kitchen. Narcissa liked to have fresh parsley, cilantro, borage and other herbs for cooking. She also liked being in the greenhouse, with the mist and scents and risers full of pots and trays.
"You're back!" said Narcissa when they walked in. "How was it?"
"The Mill, or Durres?" asked Draco.
"All of it," said Narcissa.
"Perfect," Astoria and Draco said together.
"The Mill was just what I needed, after all that wedding craziness," said Astoria.
"Albania was frosting," Draco continued. "Sunny days, wonderful seaside strolling in Durres, a side trip to a stunning archaeological park. You and Father need to do it soon."
"This is for you," Astoria said, holding out the amphora. "It's a local wine. We had some before, so the hotel filled this up before we left. We recommend a little water with it because it's not really aged much."
"If at all," Draco added. "At half wine, half water, though, it's completely different. Quite drinkable."
"Thank-you," Narcissa said, looking over the amphora. "Very rustic, isn't it? Fits in well here in our outpost.
"Now, what is new at Greengrass Manor? Have you been in touch?"
"No, we agreed there would be time for that after the honeymoon," said Astoria.
"Very wise," said Narcissa. "Will you be staying for lunch? It's about time we convened. Did your father say anything?"
Draco and Astoria looked at each other. They hadn't taken the time to make lunch plans during their busy morning.
"Sure," said Astoria. "Just as well. We can catch up with the Greengrasses anytime."
Anytime turned out to be just after three. Astoria and Draco came via floo, to the library, which was deserted. They walked on out through the house to the sunny room. Fabio and Kendra were about half-way down the slope to the green, dressed in their gardening outfits. Kendra wore her hair tied up under a very fashionable silk scarf topped by a wide-brimmed straw hat. Both of them had two gardening elves assisting as they pulled weeds and volunteers that had taken root out of place.
"Fabio, look who's here," Kendra called out, dropping her wilted stems on a pile the elves were tending.
"Draco, and his bride," Fabio observed, clearly pleased to see them. "Home from their travels."
Fabio turned to the elves.
"That's enough for today," he said. "Put all of this in the compost, if you would, please."
The two parties diverged, four back to the sunny room, and four to take the stalks and stems to the compost.
"How did you find The Mill?" Kendra asked, of neither one, particularly.
"Perfect," Draco and Astoria said in unison.
"We walked and talked…" said Draco.
"And got caught in some rain," Astoria finished for him. Neither could look at the other, remembering the result of getting wet.
"Father, those baths," Astoria began, "I don't know what to say. I felt like a Roman. The centurion here did too, I think."
"Centurion?" Draco mused. "I'd have thought I'd be a better fit for Soothsayer—'Beware the Ides of March.'"
"That is quite a routine, though, I'd look forward to doing it again," Astoria said. "Get up and eat the breakfast Mother sent over, then stroll a couple of lanes, then back to eat the lunch Mother sent over, then take a nap…Eventually, steam bath!"
"Glad you figured that out," Fabio said. "I wasn't sure they were obvious."
"It was Draco," Astoria admitted. "He just wanted an excuse to see me dressed in a towel."
Fabio put his hand to his brow, and Kendra gave Astoria a look involving pursed lips and a little head shake.
"Trix, can we have a pitcher of lemonade?" Kendra called out when they reached the sunny room. Fabio, in command of the magical climate control, waved his wand and the stuffiness went out of the room. Trix arrived with the lemonade and tumblers, which she placed on the table. She snapped her fingers and a tray filled with small white towels materialized. Trix passed the tray around, and everyone took one.
With the return of civilized feelings, stemming from assiduous use of the hot towels, everyone turned their attention to the lemonade, and agreeable conversation.
"These are for you," Astoria said, dipping into her canvas tote.
She presented Kendra and Fabio little alabaster models of the temple where she'd met Artemis.
"Something for the desk," Astoria added.
"Oh, Astoria, it's perfect!" exclaimed Kendra, holding the temple up and rotating it to look from every angle.
"It really is," Fabio said, adding, "Glad you inherited your mother's good taste."
"Says the resident architect of Greengrass Manor," Kendra observed, reaching over and giving Fabio's hand a pat.
"Where's Daphne?" Astoria asked.
"I expect she's at St. Mungo's," Kendra said. "She and Harry ought to be working right now. If you'll stay for dinner, I'll send her an owl with an invitation to join us. They'd probably like to hear all about your trip."
Daphne was, indeed, at St. Mungo's that very moment, standing and looking at her fiancé who lay, well-bloodied and stripped to his waist, on a gurney in the magical emergencies section, being treated for the damage done by a cutting curse.
Harry, it seemed, had been sitting at his desk, clearing his in-box, when he was informed of a disturbance in Knockturn Alley. The afternoon's dull and boring paperwork exercise held no further interest for him. He grabbed his jacket and headed for his outer office.
"Knockturn Alley," he said to his assistant, in a sort-of explanation.
The senior auror among his immediate staff stood.
"I'll come with you," he said, stepping out from behind his desk.
Harry started to tell him there was no need, and he could stay and run things while Harry was out, but he saw the no-nonsense look on his colleague's face.
"Come on, then," he said, and turned for the atrium.
The two aurors took the floo to the Leaky Cauldron then headed for Knockturn Alley. Harry saw two aurors in doorways on opposite sides of the alley. The buildings were substantial, one brick and one stone, so they weren't in danger themselves, but they had poor angles on their quarry, who was holding them back by casting an impressive array of jinxes and spells that forced the aurors to block and kept them from going to offense.
Harry assessed the situation and quickly concluded that one more wand ought to tip the balance and end the stalemate.
"Whoever you are," he called down the alley, "This business is concluded. Lower your wand. Don't cause further damage. We'll go sit down and give you a chance to explain yourself, but you must drop this, now."
A bolt, some kind of pulverizing spell, hit the corner of the building just above Harry's head, spraying red dust and brick chunks everywhere.
"Damn!" said Harry, looking around. "Get those gawkers back. I'm going to step out and get him to cast something toward me, which I'll block, and you're going to cast a petrificus so we can bundle him up and get him out of here. Ready?"
"Mr. Potter…" his senior colleague began to protest.
Harry cut him off.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Sir," said the man, who knew when to keep his peace. "Ready, sir."
Harry did step out and draw the wizard's attention, and he did block the curse. Trouble was, he didn't block it quite well enough, and got a cutting curse to his upper left chest and deltoid for his effort. Otherwise the plan worked well, the wizard exposed himself and the auror cast a perfectly-aimed petrificus that put their opponent on the pavement.
The senior auror took charge, tasking the two remaining aurors to handle the downed suspect, while he pulled Harry to him and apparated straight to St. Mungo's. Harry was on the gurney receiving treatment in no time. Even so, he had extensive damage to some very important muscles and nerves. The emergency department healer had two assistants cut away Harry's jacket and shirt. His clothing was already well-soaked with his blood.
Another assistant took the shredded items away. Harry was vaguely aware of hearing the assistant casting purgio and, for all he knew, some other spells, to deal with the bloody mess.
"Dittany!" called the emergency healer, while holding a compress over Harry's wounds, peeking now and then to look for spurting blood that would indicate arterial involvement. Harry was very fortunate, though, and the cutting curse appeared to have stopped just short of his ribs, sparing his heart, aorta, and other major blood vessels. He would probably get better, but there would be wand work, dittany, and a long rehabilitation in his future.
Word swept the hospital that Harry Potter had been brought to Emergency by one of the senior aurors. Rumor and speculation overtook the dissemination of rational, and official, communication within minutes. St. Mungo's employed a small magical social work staff. When the first person burst through the door, the chief magical social worker, who worked closely with Daphne, left immediately for the mental maladies unit. She found Daphne in the little shared office near the nurses' station.
"Hi, Healer Daphne," she said, focusing on keeping her tone light and soothing. "I wonder if I could have a word?"
She looked at the two staff who had been conferring with Daphne. They sensed the seriousness in her voice and manner, picked up some folders, and left the little office. The chief social worker, whose name was Mariana, closed the door softly behind them.
"Daphne," she began, "There is a report circulating that Harry has been brought to the emergency department. I want to go down there with you while we check this out. I don't think you need to be up here getting hearsay and half-truths. Are you fine with that?"
Daphne nodded, temporarily unable to speak.
"Take my arm," directed Mariana, and they departed mental maladies for the lift.
The emergency department was surprisingly calm, considering the events of the previous twenty minutes. Mariana kept Daphne's arm in something of a vise, making sure she'd be able to ease her into a chair, or, at worst, the floor if Daphne were suddenly to faint.
Harry was conscious and saw Daphne when she and Mariana came through the pair of swinging doors.
"Oh, damn," he said to himself, getting the emergency healer's attention.
"Did I hurt you, Head Auror? Are you in pain?" asked the healer.
"Not too bad," Harry said, 'It's…"
"It's me," Daphne said. Her colleague looked up.
"Keep this on the wound," he directed one of the assistants, and stepped away from the gurney.
"Over here," the emergency healer said.
"What happened?" asked Mariana.
"Cutting curse, across his upper left torso and some involvement of his left deltoid muscle, no major arteries affected, nor, it appears, did the curse reach any bones. There is some blood loss, but that should respond to rest and attention to eating and drinking the right things."
"Can I talk to him?" Daphne asked.
"Of course," said the healer. "We're still working, but you'll stay out of our way, I'm confident."
The last was as much question as it was statement.
"I can stay back, if you'll just remember to tell me when it is time to give him a good swat," Daphne assured her colleague.
"Harry Potter," Daphne said, when she got back to the gurney.
"Just one of those things," Harry said, trying to convey sincere reassurance.
"Is this your way of saying you'll be busy the first week of July?"
"I'll be fine by then," Harry promised.
"Oh, really? I believe you've surrendered your right to say if you're fine or not," Daphne said. "It looks to me like the healers have taken over your life and free will for the foreseeable future."
"It's not that bad," Harry responded.
Daphne laid her hand on Harry's forehead.
"And you know this how?" she asked.
"This guy said so," Harry said, looking over at the emergency healer. "I'm sorry, Healer, I didn't even ask your name."
"It's Healer Glass, Mr. Potter," said the healer. "Merlin Glass. And it isn't that bad, you're correct, but we'll be doing a little more here, then we're going to have to immobilize that arm and shoulder with some bandaging, just so you don't defeat the dittany by getting too lively on us."
Mariana appeared at Daphne's side.
"Someone asking for you outside," she said, speaking just for Daphne.
"Don't go away," Daphne ordered, getting a big smile in return.
Hermione and Percy Weasley were waiting just outside the doors to emergency.
"Daphne!" Hermione exclaimed when Daphne stepped out. The two wrapped their arms around one another, and Daphne buried her face in Hermione's shoulder.
"Let's sit down, right over here," Hermione said, half holding the sobbing Daphne upright, half steering her to a row of chairs.
"He could have been killed!" Daphne gasped, managing, somehow, to keep her voice down. The last thing a patient being put back together in the emergency section needed was to hear a loved one wailing just outside. Knowing that didn't make it any easier for Daphne not to do just that.
"Don't talk, Daphne, you don't have to talk right now," Hermione assured her, one hand on Daphne's back, and one on her head. Hermione started rocking Daphne, according to age-old instinct, making soft sh-h-h-h, sh-h-h-h sounds and assuring Daphne she didn't have to talk, and soon it would all turn out fine.
Slowly, slowly, Daphne's self-control returned. The convulsive sobbing ended, then the tears stopped, then her breathing returned to normal, and she drew back from Hermione. She dabbed her eyes, then embraced Hermione once again.
"Thank-you," she said, "That doesn't happen very often."
"We know," said Mariana, Hermione and Percy together.
"Does anyone know what he was doing?" Daphne asked.
"The report is two aurors were in a standoff with someone near Borgin and Burke's, and Harry assumed charge," Percy said.
Turning to Mariana, he asked, "Any chance you can pry his colleague out of there? He can go back as soon as he tells us what happened."
The auror came out, and Mariana stayed inside to give Harry someone other than emergency personnel to talk to.
"Everyone," he said, nodding. "Mr. Potter and I went down to Knockturn Alley to see if we could do anything. I didn't know he would step in personally. I'm so sorry, Healer Greengrass."
This last came with a definite catch in his voice.
"Not your fault," Daphne reassured him. "He does that. I'll have a word with him, when he's a bit stronger. How are you?"
"A bit shaken, I'll admit, ma'am," said the auror.
"Can you give me something to take back?" Percy asked. "The Director and the Minister will be expecting a preliminary report."
"Yes, Minister," said the auror. "All we knew was there was a disturbance in Diagon Alley. Mr. Potter headed out, and I went with him. We floo'd to the Leaky Cauldron, went by foot to Diagon Alley, and we found the two aurors on the scene in a confrontation with someone who was behind some good cover, and using his wand pretty effectively, keeping them from moving in. Mr. Potter ordered whoever it was to put down the wand and come with us, and they blasted the corner off the brick wall we were behind. There were people standing around watching. He wanted someone to get them all back. I think he was more concerned innocent people would get hurt than anything else.
"Mr. Potter attempted to step out and block the next spell while I was supposed to take the other person down. It all went exactly according to plan, except he didn't block quite well enough.
"I put a petrificuson the other guy, or woman, never did see which it was, and left them for the two aurors on the scene, and I brought Mr. Potter here by apparation. The emergency healers went to work and that's where we were when you all arrived."
"It sounds like you did everything right, Auror," Daphne said. "If no one has anything else, why don't you go back in and keep him company?"
No one objected to Daphne's suggestion. The auror went back inside, and Mariana stepped out. She walked across the waiting area and sat next to Daphne, taking her hand.
"He's a little vague at the moment," Mariana said. "Healer Merlin says it's shock. They've got the bleeding stopped and dittany working. He'll have a wrap around the chest and shoulder to keep him immobilized. Healer Merlin said they'll prescribe a potion for shock, and you're welcome back. No decision yet on whether they'll want to keep him overnight."
Daphne pulled Hermione into a hug again.
"Thank you for coming," she said. "Why don't you come in with me? You too, Percy, then you can tell the Minister you personally scolded him."
The rest of the afternoon and early evening followed Mariana's scenario very closely. Daphne's party found Harry sitting in bed, propped up on pillows, drinking a potion through a straw. Hermione was clearly caught in an excruciating internal conflict, knowing she shouldn't do anything to aggravate the patient's condition, yet wanting desperately to throw her arms around Harry and pull him close. Percy as well was searching for the right combination of reassurance and concern.
"Harry," Percy said, "Glad to see you looking so well."
"But…" Harry came back.
"But?" Percy answered, puzzled.
"Glad to see you looking so well, BUT, Bart and Kingsley will be wanting a word with me?" Harry explained.
Percy pondered Harry's response, then burst out laughing.
"Actually," he said, "Something like that, yes. But no need to think about it now. We have a preliminary report from your colleague, and you two took care of a volatile situation, protected some innocent bystanders, and used a minimum of force to get it done. I wouldn't get too concerned about it."
"Hermione," Harry said, "Thanks for coming. Reassure Ron, et cetera, et cetera."
"Harry," said Hermione, "When Bart and the minister get through with you…"
"You'll want your turn, yes, I understand. I really do. Between us, I'd be the same," Harry said. "Meanwhile, see if the runes are okay with me getting married on the seventh of July. I promised Daphne…"
"Harry," Daphne said, with a sob. "Aggghhh…"
Daphne had to exit the emergency unit once more.
"That did not go over well," Harry observed.
Hermione looked daggers at him. Percy cleared his throat, fist against his lips. The auror looked out into the unit.
"I'll go get her back if you promise to behave," Hermione said.
Harry nodded, and took another pull on his straw.
"Harry, going back to see Bart and Kingsley. Keep us apprised of your whereabouts, if they let you go home?" Percy said.
"Of course," Harry answered.
Percy looked at the auror and tilted his head toward the door in a 'Can we have a word?' gesture.
"I would expect Mr. Fudge and the minster to assign someone to stay with him, at least until everyone is assured the incident was street crime and not aimed at him specifically. Can you stay a little longer until I get back and confer with them?" Percy asked.
"Of course, Minister," said the auror. "I'm prepared to stay as long as necessary."
"Excellent," Percy said. "Thank-you for everything you've done today. You may have saved his life."
"Anytime, Minister," said the auror, a hard edge apparent underneath his most agreeable words.
Percy walked out as Daphne was walking in. She pulled up a chair next to Harry's bed.
"Coffee or tea?" she asked the auror.
"Coffee, ma'am," he said. "But if you're here, I can…"
Daphne held up her hand.
"Faye," she said, "Can you join me in emergency?"
Faye appeared with a 'pop.'
"Healer Daphne?" said Faye.
"Faye, the Head Auror's distinguished colleague requires a cup of coffee. Brew a fresh pot if you need to. Do you have any soup?"
"Yes, Healer Daphne, we have chicken noodle," Faye said. "Everyone says it is particularly good today."
"Please bring our friend a cup of soup and some biscuits, along with his coffee," Daphne said. "You can meet him just outside there in the lounge. Charge it to my account."
Faye disapparated with another 'pop.'
"You might as well go on out, it won't take her thirty seconds," Daphne said. "I've got my wand. Anyone who wants to get at him will have to go through me."
"Yes, ma'am," said the auror. "Thank-you very much. Sir."
Harry waved with his potion hand, the only free one he had.
"Will you be nursing that all night?" Daphne asked when they were alone. Her eyes had gone glacial. Harry didn't realize it but that look had kept a dorm full of testosterone-fueled Slytherin boys mindful of their manners regarding her, Tracey and Astoria for close to a decade.
Harry maneuvered the straw back into his mouth and drank, until gurgling sounds rose from the glass. Daphne reached over the edge of the bed and Harry put the glass in her hand. Daphne set the glass down on a bedside stand and took Harry's now-free hand in hers. She stared at him, giving him a good feel for the effects of being on a glacier while stripped to the waist before she spoke.
"Sometimes, Potter, this crap gets handed to you and you don't have any choice. I understand that. It's not like I haven't seen it going all the way back to Professor Quirrell. It's something to be accepted if I want to be Harry Potter's partner."
"Daphne…" Harry tried to start, but Daphne wasn't having it.
"Let me finish," she said, just a bit snappish. "I accept it. I embrace it. I want to stand beside you, and help you, and I'll gladly share your fate just like that voice in my head says, but so help me Merlin and Morgana, Harry Potter, if you go looking for trouble…I'm carrying your child, Potter. I do not want to experience Mariana bringing me down here to find out if I will be raising Iolanthe alone, ever, again! Do you understand me?"
"Daphne, I…" Harry tried again.
"Stop," Daphne ordered, the ice under Harry's feet opening up into a crevasse with a deafening crack. "Do you understand me?"
"Yes," Harry said, a little sigh of regret coming through.
"Good," Daphne said. "We won't speak of it again. Now, I spoke to my colleague outside, and Healer Merlin would like for you to spend the night. He thinks if you just go upstairs and go to bed, they'll check on you once or twice tonight, and with a little luck, the dittany and the immobilization will have you in shape for discharge sometime tomorrow. If you're agreeable, we'll take you to #12. I can apply more dittany twice daily, and Kreacher can see to your food and beverage requirements. You'll be close to St. Mungo's should anything untoward happen, and you'll need to have a few follow-up appointments before you're free of the healers. Will you comply with Healer Merlin's recommendation?"
"I take it, it is your recommendation as well?" Harry asked.
"Certainly," Daphne said. "It's his specialty, he's very well-respected among the healers."
"I want what you want," Harry said. "Just point me in the right direction."
"Good," Daphne said. "I'll speak to my colleague and make the arrangements."
After Healer Merlin released Harry to the magical musculo-skeletal specialists, he was put back on a gurney and transported to a section of St. Mungo's that would have roughly corresponded to an orthopedics unit in the muggle world. Healers and other professionals on the unit were bluff, hearty types who administered potions and went about their tasks with smiles and lots of positive words for their patients. Harry was moved from the gurney to his bed, and Daphne had barely pulled the sheet up over the bandaging that covered his chest and left shoulder before he started dozing off.
The next thing Harry knew, sunshine was making it hard for him to sleep, and someone was calling his name.
"Hmmh?" he said, raising his right hand to shade his eyes.
"Let me get that," said a voice he recognized as Daphne's.
He heard a window shade being pulled, and the direct sunshine disappeared. Able to see again, Harry looked up to see Kingsley Shacklebolt leaning over his bed.
"Minister," Harry said, trying to sit up. Kingsley held out his hand, but he didn't push Harry back down.
"Stay there, Harry," Kingsley said. "Healer Merlin says he can turn you over to Daphne if you can just stay quiet until noon."
"Dittany," Harry said. "What would we do without it?"
"Your colleague, and dittany," Kingsley said. "He had you in here and on a gurney, almost as soon as you hit the ground. No dithering or thinking about what to do. Healer Merlin said he saved you a lot of blood, which will get you back on your feet much faster."
"Yes, Ralph Mann," Harry said. "He's good."
"I thought so, too, Harry," Kingsley said. "Bart and I both think he'd be a good fit for Acting, in your absence."
"In my…" Harry said, before the full meaning got through.
"Oh. How long will I be out?" Harry asked.
"That can't be known, yet," Kingsley said. "Hence the need for an Acting Head Auror."
Harry pondered Kingsley's words.
"Harry," Daphne said, "It does look like you should make a full recovery, so the last thing anyone wants is for you to worry about that, all you need to be thinking of is eating and drinking well, and resting those muscles. You were very lucky, it appears, as there was no damage to bones or major blood vessels. The speed of recovery is the big variable, and that is different for every person."
"I see," Harry said. "Do you want my concurrence?"
"I just wanted to see if you were going to exercise a veto, for some reason," Kingsley said. "It doesn't sound to me like you are."
"No, definitely not," Harry said. "Ralph it is, then. He should do great. Now, Mr. Minister, Daphne and I are still on for the seventh."
"As am I," Kingsley said. "Fabio and Kendra want to host a breakfast for a select few VVIP's, so I'll be there by eight. You'd better do everything you can to be there as well, if you know what's good for you."
Kingsley turned to Daphne.
"I have to get to the Ministry. If you need anything from us, it's approved in advance. Keep me informed. Needless to say, Percy is completely at your disposal."
Daphne smiled at that, and Kingsley smiled back. They both knew Percy.
Ron and Hermione Weasley walked in the room as Kingsley was walking out.
"Damn, Harry," Ron said, "It might have been good to get a little help with that, don't you think?"
"Daphne had some thoughts…" Harry said.
"I rather expect she did," Ron replied. "Hermione shared some with me last night, and I wasn't even there."
Hermione looked at Daphne, who appeared to be exerting some major self-discipline.
"Daphne, have you slept?" Hermione asked.
"A little," Daphne said.
"Let me take you to the cafeteria," Hermione said. "Ron will stay here, won't you, Ron?"
Hermione slipped her arm around Daphne's waist and the two of them went out into the corridor.
"Sure," said Ron, watching them go.
"Going home today, then?" Ron said, turning to Harry.
"Supposed to, if everything goes well. What was that whole thing about, anyway?" Harry asked.
"As I understand it, witches place a high priority on demonstrating empathy," Ron said. "Wizards either lack the capacity for empathy or lack the ability to demonstrate the empathy they do have. The debate is still ongoing. Either way, Hermione feels the need to allow her empathy to demonstrate itself for Daphne, while Daphne feels the reciprocal need to accept Hermione's expression of empathy and somehow return a feeling of empathy received and appreciated. Only then can both go on to other things."
Harry pondered Ron's words.
"Are there any exercises we can do to correct empathy deficiency?" Harry asked.
"Don't know," Ron answered. "You could use your recovery time to see what you can find out, though, couldn't you? I'd buy you a butterbeer if you could give me a synopsis."
Harry and Ron exhausted empathy, and one or two other areas of mutual concern, prior to Daphne and Hermione's return from the cafeteria. As it turned out, Harry was able to be discharged to home that afternoon, taking up residence in the master bedroom suite at #12 Grimmauld Place. Daphne adjusted her hours at St. Mungo's to balance her duties to her patients and patient care at home.
The first week of July arrived, right on time. Harry had not worked out seriously since he was wounded. He had been able to adapt some of his routines to physical therapy for his injured muscles. Healer Glass had turned Harry's case management over to the magical musculo-skeletal specialists, to whom Harry paid unusual deference. Daphne kept apprised of all the current orders and Harry discovered blather to be surprisingly ineffective in finding him a route around any annoyingly restrictive instructions.
Harry's preparations for the wedding were simple. His injury precluded long distance travel and strenuous exercise, so trekking in Switzerland and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro were out. He suggested, and Daphne agreed, they spend the night of the sixth at Greengrass Manor and join the VVIP breakfast on the morning of the seventh. They'd change between breakfast and the ceremony at ten, get married in the garden, greet everyone at a reception centered on the patio, and leave for The Mill when everyone else had departed.
Daphne pre-staged everything they would need for the wedding. Harry received medical clearance for apparation several days in advance, so they stepped onto the front landing at #12 about noon on the sixth.
"Everything intact?" Daphne asked when they appeared on the apparation point just outside the wards of the manor.
Harry stood still and did a mental check, then reached up with his right hand and gently felt the wound areas with his palm.
"All here," he reported, and walked with Daphne down to the talking gate.
"Hell-OHHHH! Lord Potter-Black and the Honorable, the Healer Miss Daphne, and the prospective Honorable Miss Iolanthe Astoria, all arriving for tomorrow's nuptials!" said the talking gate in greeting.
"You know, a hostile intelligence service could do worse folly than place a listening device right about here," Harry said. "In fact, I might try and induce one to do it. The value of the collections might be dubious, but it would keep a raft of analysts occupied for a generation."
"We also serve, who only sit, and wait, and indulge in a little gossip now and then," replied the gate. "Thank you for noticing."
"All set for tomorrow? You'll be going to work early, as I understand it," asked Harry.
"Not a problem," squeeked the gate. "I could do this in my sleep."
Harry was still pondering the gate's response as he lay in his room that night, waiting for sleep himself.
Daphne had declined to sleep in the same bed with Harry since he was wounded, lest she collide with him as they slept and reinjure him. She had been making do with the armchair in the master bedroom and two hours in bed in the afternoon when Harry would be busy with some exercise in his dojo followed by the dinner Daphne and Kreacher had prepared for his evening meal.
Daphne was still giving Harry a thorough looking over prior to letting him turn in. On the evening of the sixth, however, she declared him officially healed, although with a caveat that while his muscles may have grown back together, they could not be considered to be the same as before his injury. Months of stretching and gradually building up to his previous workload lay ahead. On the positive side, the thick layer of muscle, while seemingly sliced open with ease by the cutting curse, had probably protected bone and blood vessels, and, possibly, his heart, from serious damage.
The course of dittany was long finished.
"How do you feel, Harry?" Daphne asked as they puttered around preparing for bed.
"Fine," he answered. "Some twinges now and then. No real pattern to it. I don't have the strength on that side that I did before, but it does seem to be coming back."
"Do you want company tonight?" Daphne asked.
"Are you being coy with me?" Harry asked, some amusement apparent in his voice. "When have I ever NOT wanted your company?"
"Just checking," Daphne said, with a little echo of Harry's amusement. "May I take a look?"
Daphne tried examining the red lines that might someday be barely-visible bleached scars but wasn't satisfied.
"I need better light," she said, leading Harry into the bathroom. She put the stopper in the tub and started the water. The light really was better in the bathroom, and the tub was still commodious enough for two.
"Here we are, again, magical stag," Daphne said, once they'd gotten settled.
"Where it all began. Who had the foresight to put this tub here?" Harry asked, leaning back.
Whomever it was, a relaxing soak in the commodious tub led to a good night's sleep, although Harry did puzzle over the talking gate's comment about doing its duty, for a good deal longer than the semantic problem deserved.
Harry and Daphne arrived in the sunny room off the patio a few minutes before eight on the morning of the seventh. Daphne wore a floral print dress in shades of green and green flats, while Harry was tie-less, in a cool gray linen suit and a blue button-down shirt, his feet in a pair of moleskin-colored bucks with the traditional red rubber soles. They walked in, Daphne on Harry's right arm, out of deference to his left side, and the VVIP's assembled in the sunny room stood or turned and gave them a round of applause.
Harry would have waded into the scrum and begun shaking hands and dispensing thanks for coming, but Daphne's better sense of the dynamics in the room asserted itself. She pulled Harry to a stop and they both smiled and nodded their thanks to the assembly. When Daphne sensed the greeting had gone on long enough, she gave Harry a little nudge with her arm and headed toward where her parents stood talking to Kingsley Shacklebolt.
Daphne kissed Kendra on the cheek, then hugged Fabio, who held onto her forearms long enough to tell her how beautiful she looked.
"Daphne," Kingsley said, extending his hand. Daphne took it and inclined her head in deference.
"Minister," she said.
Harry finished up his obeisances with the Greengrasses and shook Kingsley's hand.
"Reports getting to me are very favorable, Harry," Kingsley assured him.
"I get the best care, Minister, and it does make a difference," Harry observed.
Kingsley and Fabio drifted away, while Daphne and Harry moved through the sunny room, greeting the close friends and family who had been invited to the VVIP breakfast. They were in conversation with Bill and Fleur Weasley when the sound of silverware on crystal silenced the sunny room. Harry looked around and saw Tracey Davis on an elevated platform along the far wall, standing next to Kingsley.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Tracey announced, "I have the honor to introduce Minister Shacklebolt."
Harry thought that an oddly formal introduction, considering how Kingsley had just been circulating, pressing the flesh in a roomful of people he knew on a first-name basis. He wondered what that portended?
"If I could get Healer Daphne to join me?" Kingsley said. "Our host assures me the dais is sufficiently sturdy for both of us."
Tracey stepped down and handed her spoon and goblet to Trix, while Daphne was working her way to Kingsley's dais. Harry was pretty sure he recognized the planks from the rough table where he and Fabio had laid out the magical survey of the Potter Manor lands. He noticed Percy easing up on Kingsley's side, handing him a piece of parchment.
"Healer Daphne Greengrass, in recognition of extraordinary service to the wizarding community of Britain," Kingsley began, "Performed under challenging conditions, and requiring precision, independent thinking, and mastery of magic to a degree seldom seen, it is my pleasure, and privilege, with the consent by acclamation of the Wizengamot, to present you with this sash, emblematic of membership in the Order of Merlin."
With that, Kingsley took a blue sash from a box Percy had brought to the dais and draped it over Daphne's head. She put her arm through the sash so that it lay on her right shoulder, crossed her torso, and ended in an elaborate rosette at her left hip. A sunburst inset with a complicated "M" graced the sash a few inches down from Daphne's shoulder.
"What's this for?" Daphne whispered behind her hand.
"Grindelwald," Kingsley replied, whispering in her ear.
"Ah!" Daphne said, "So I'll share this with Raffles."
"Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the Honorable, Healer Daphne Greengrass, Order of Merlin," Kingsley finished, just before the applause drowned everything.
Years later, when Harry told the story of that morning, he would still be saying, "That was a memorable breakfast."
The food was superb, as it always was at Greengrass Manor. The invitees for the VVIP breakfast were unusually distinguished. Harry was back from his latest near-death experience, doing very well, considering. And, Daphne, Chief of Service Healer Daphne Alexandra Greengrass, MD, PhD, Order of Merlin First Class, was starring in her own epic fairytale, looking radiant and every bit the distinguished scholar-heroine, in her blue sash.
That was just breakfast.
Daphne called an end to circulating, greeting, hand-shaking and congratulations-accepting at ten past nine. She and Harry hurried upstairs and pulled off their VVIP breakfast attire and started getting into their wedding outfits. Harry took a little longer than normal due to some lingering stiffness, but the three-piece linen suit and tie weren't complicated. Daphne had elected a white linen suit over a Navy blouse and blue and white shoes. She wore a white, wide-brimmed hat. At the last moment, she removed her jacket, put on the sash, and re-donned the jacket.
Harry and Daphne had dispensed with a number of wedding traditions. They'd agreed their cohabitation over the last seven or eight months, and the widely-distributed news of Iolanthe Astoria's anticipated arrival made lots of faux references to the virginal bride, long white wedding gowns, veils and the couple not seeing one another until the ceremony all quitepasse.
"Love the sash, Healer Greengrass, OM," said Harry.
"I'm so glad, Lord Potter-Black, because I am going to enjoy the heck out of wearing it today," Daphne answered. "Now what are you going to do? I'm catching up."
"Oh, Daphne," Harry said, shaking his head, "You have been so far ahead of me for so long. I can never catch up to you."
"You saved me from Grindelwald," Daphne protested.
"You saved the world from Grindelwald," Harry came back. "Are we ready?"
"Looks like it," Daphne said.
They walked down the stairs, down the hall past the library and Fabio's study, to the sunny room. The guests had been cleared out and were seated under a marquee in the garden. Teddy and Tracey were waiting.
Teddy started clapping when they got to the sunny room. Daphne put her arm around him and gave him a kiss.
"Thank-you, Teddy," she said. "You've made my day."
Tracey saved Teddy from developing terminal blushing by slipping her arm under his. She leaned over and spoke softly in his ear.
"This is what we call Show Time, Teddy! March me down that aisle like you mean it."
Teddy appeared to swell into his adult form, even though, at eleven, he still should have had some growing ahead. Harry wondered if he'd been working on his metamorphmagus skills in preparation.
Teddy did march Tracey down the aisle like he meant it. The size difference wasn't that great, and Harry caught himself before observing for Daphne that 'They look good together.'
Harry and Daphne waited for Teddy and Tracey to reach the halfway point and stepped off. Fabio had walked Astoria to the altar and had found it harder than he'd anticipated. As a result, he was not at all interested in a second turn so soon after the first, and when Daphne suggested she and Harry just walk up and present themselves to the officiant, Fabio happily agreed.
Kingsley, always deeper and more layered than most people credited, had attended seminary between his magical training and joining the aurors. He'd explained it all to Harry and Daphne when they'd met to discuss the wedding weeks earlier. He had actually been ordained in the established Church, but had never held a full-time appointment, hence the need to make his own way in the world. He was still devoted to the prayer book, and the three had agreed on a slightly modified traditional order for the ceremony.
Harry endowed Daphne with all his worldly goods, which promoted her from an Honorable to Lady Potter-Black. Daphne promised to love, honor and cherish Harry, 'obeying' being long out of fashion, besides being highly questionable in their case. Teddy had Daphne's wedding ring ready right on time, and Harry added some more enchanted platinum to Daphne's left ring finger.
When cued by Kingsley, they demonstrated a reasonably chaste kiss for the assembled.
Kingsley laid his hands on their shoulders and looked out at the congregation.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "Please join me in being the first to welcome to our community Harry and Daphne, Lord and Lady Potter-Black."