Inspiration struck! The day Acacia Potter accidentally and entirely not on purpose sold her brother into marriage.

I hadn't intended to write more to this, and I make no promises about writing more in the future, but I thought this would be amusing.

Background that was missing in the first chapter: Acacia Potter is two years older than Harry. While they were in Godric's Hollow, Acacia, who was driving her parents crazy cooped up, made a friend with a fellow muggleborn witch's daughter, Moira. Lily and Moira's mother Rhian became friends, since they were both muggleborn, and Rhian lived nearby and could take the crazy child off Lily's hands. Since the prophecy was about Harry, there was a little less concern for Acacia to be out of the house, especially if her parents weren't with her and she could pretend to be someone else's kid. On Halloween, she was allowed to go trick or treating, as long as she was wearing a mask, with Moira and Rhian. They came back to a destroyed house, and Rhian said screw it, we're leaving for America and living like Muggles until we can't anymore. Moira and Acacia grow up together in the United States, go to school there, and yeah. Acacia takes after Rhian while Moira wanted more adventure. Acacia started doing her business stuff through the United States and Gringotts, and United States was isolationist so no one knew much about the UK, and goblins won't tell you anything if you don't ask and since Acacia assumed her brother was dead, she never asked. The trust vault is Harry's, so doesn't show up on her financial information, and everyone assumes she knows her brother is alive or isn't aware she had a brother, or assumes they are different Potters.

Knowledge: It Really Does Help

Acacia Potter was in the middle of doing five different things: filling out paperwork to take the Potter seat on the Wizengamot out of holding, looking over the expenditure list Head Warder Fawley and Herbologist O'Connor had sent in for the proposed greenhouse to be added to the Potter Reserve in South Africa, preparing for a meeting with the head of a potion ingredient business, and her Enchantment homework, which was in the process of attempting to eat her hand.

Cay sighed and realized it was just going to be one of those days. After all, most days she wouldn't consider it a win that her homework had developed the taste for her flesh rather than paperwork. But if Auntie Rhian could be a kickass CEO and raise two hellions, than the least Cay could do was her homework, some paperwork, and a meeting.

While she was struggling to regain control of her hand from her homework, she noticed Auntie Rhian's secretary usher in a man. Cay quickly stuffed her homework in a bag, straightened up the papers in front of her and stood up to greet Mr. Greengrass. His company, Green Provisions, supplied potions ingredients to individuals and potioneers. Since Cay had gained access to, and a significant percentage of, many businesses for magical creature breeding and sanctuary, Mr. Greengrass had sent a request for a meeting to discuss a mutually beneficial deal to allow Green Provisions access to potions ingredients that were produced in the daily lives of the magical creatures.

"Mr. Greengrass, I'm Acacia Potter. Please, sit down," Cay said, gesturing to the seat in front of Auntie Rhian's desk. Since Auntie Rhian was out on her own business, and Cay was unable to travel to the actual Potter offices since she was still going to school at Ilvermorny, Cay was allowed to hold business meetings here. As Cay went to sit down, she noticed that the bag her homework was in was moving around, so she quickly stepped on it. She was probably going to have to start it over again anyway, didn't matter if she damaged it.

"Of the British Potters, I assume?" Mr. Greengrass asked, a strange gleam in his eye. After years of watching Auntie Rhian make deals with people, Cay had learned to spot someone who thought they came in with an advantage. Now she had to figure out what it was he thought he knew that she didn't.

It didn't occur to Cay that it might have been age, but since that hadn't occurred to Mr. Greengrass either, she could be forgiven.

"Yes, my father and mother were born, raised and died there," Cay answered, becoming alert. Business was a dangerous place. People saying one thing, meaning another, making promises that were never actually stated, the list went on. She knew what she wanted out of the deal, and she knew what she would (unwillingly) part with if need be.

"Well met then. I see you have started taking over the family business rather than let it stagnate," Mr. Greengrass said, folding his hands in his lap while making small talk.

"Well, my guardian is of the opinion that it is better to learn responsibility early rather than later," Cay responded, finding the proper paperwork for the meeting. "Also, this way she can assist me without anyone from her businesses complaining about helping competition."

"Does she also work in warding?" Mr. Greengrass asked politely.

"No, but that doesn't mean either one of us may branch out into territory that may encroach on the other. After all, business is not always fun and games," Cay replied. Mr. Greengrass smiled.

"No, no it is not. Now, let us move on to the business now that we have had our 'fun and games'," Mr. Greengrass said.

"Very well. You said you had a proposition for my company. What did you have in mind?" Cay asked, preparing for her first business deal. Well, it was actually her fifteenth, but the other ones Auntie Rhian or one of the Senior Board members had sat in on. A few members were still a little upset she was taking over, but it was her business. So, this was the first one she was doing on her own. She had to make Auntie Rhian proud. Otherwise, Moira would tease her. Her almost sister could be quite a handful, and was better with a wand than she was. Best to avoid a fight.

"Well, as I am in the potion ingredient business, I have a need for potions ingredients, and occasionally wand cores, although that is uncommon. Most wandmakers prefer to find their own supplies," Mr. Greengrass began. Cay nodded, listening intently. "You have recently come into ownership or partnership of quite a few reserves and sanctuaries for different types of magical creatures. Sanctuaries, reserves and breeding sites often amass a collection of creature parts throughout the year, either due to shedding or natural deaths. It will be much easier on my finances if I do not need to hire a group to go out and kill magical creatures that are often dangerous to deal with to receive the ingredients necessary for my company to run profitably. I propose that you allow Green Provisions access to any and all magical creature parts that have, in the course of life, become available for a percentage of my company. In return, I would like a percentage of your company, that we may share the wealth, and a marriage contract between our families so that we can create a better relationship."

Cay's brain stopped for a minute. Marriage contract? That hadn't been covered in lessons yet. Cay shifted a few papers, and hmmed, trying to appear as if she was debating the value instead of trying to figure out what the hell to do. Did she want a marriage contract? Who would it be between? Wasn't he married?

Cay found the information on his family and glanced over it. Two daughters, one thirteen and the other eleven. Daphne and Astoria. "A marriage contract for whom?"

"My daughter Astoria, and your brother, Harry Potter," Mr. Greengrass said.

Cay frowned. He wanted a marriage contract with a dead boy. Okay, maybe his family was into necromancy? No, didn't look like they had ever run into ministry or ICW problems, and he vehemently opposed selling anything necessary for those potions or rituals. Maybe he didn't want others to know? How would this even benefit him.

"And why should I consider this? It is rather unorthodox in this day and age," Cay stalled again. This whole thing didn't make sense.

"You will eventually go into politics, correct? I happen to be active in British politics, and as a member of your extended family, I would be able to assist you in learning the political field you will walk into. Perhaps we would also be able to help each other out, especially as our businesses will be tied together," Mr. Greengrass explained. "Indeed, I come with my own connections, so this contract would allow you to capitalize on my connections."

"And you with mine."

"I will admit, the Potter name is very attractive," Mr. Greengrass allowed. Cay sat back, carefully keeping her feet on her Enchanting assignment which had been trying to move towards Mr. Greengrass.

That's what he wanted. The Potter name. The Potter name was more valuable to him politically than her businesses, and if he perceived there to be another connection, a familial one, he would expect to have a little more interest in her businesses as well. Greengrass was relatively new, and his connections were much less than her own, although his were active while hers had fallen a bit to the wayside since her parents' death.

"And you are offering your second daughter? I would think the Potter name is worth at the very least the eldest. After all, she will be inheriting your business and political seats when you retire, so wouldn't it make more sense for her to have the Potter name as well?" Cay pointed out. The Potter name was old enough that creating a marriage contract with a second daughter would be perceived as weak on behalf of the Potters. Second son, maybe. Eldest daughter even if she was not first born, also fine. However, since her brother, even if he was alive, wouldn't have been the Head of the House of Potter, it didn't matter if he married into a different house. They would not have to worry about either combining houses, or keeping them separate.

Mr. Greengrass frowned. "I was hoping to use Daphne to keep the Greengrass name alive."

"Daphne may keep her name if she so chooses, or Astoria could be used to keep the name alive" Cay said. Now she could figure out how important it was to him to have that marriage contract.

"What about children from the union?" Mr. Greengrass asked.

"They may also have the Greengrass name, as long as it is understood that they would not lay claim to the House of Potter should it pass to them," Cay said, trying not to turn green. Was he planning on his daughter having children with a corpse? Was that even possible? Cay was beginning to feel like she was missing something important. Mr. Greengrass was nodding, scowling as he gave away how desperate he was for the contract. On the bright side, she would only ever need to deal with him for business. The contract would fall apart since her brother was dead. Could a contract even be written for someone who was dead? Had it ever been tried before? Something to look into.

"How about there is a condition for two children, one of whom will carry the Greengrass name, and one who will carry the Potter name. Any other children may be given the last name the two decide," Mr. Greengrass parried. "The child who carries the last name Potter will have no claim to the Head of House Greengrass. However, in the event of the death of the Greengrass child with no heir, than the child with the last name Potter will revert to Greengrass."

Mr. Greengrass really wanted to have some way to insert his family into the Head position of House Potter. He appeared more concerned about his political maneuvering than his business. Odd. "Agreed. Now, I do not wish to have someone associated with my family so directly to be...less than average. I believe you would also require that your daughter would do well. I propose that in addition, your daughter is required to keep above an Average in most classes, with at most one Passing, at least one Outstanding and absolutely no Trolls."

"You are less strict than I on that. It poses no problem, and writing that into the contract will help my daughter in her pursuits as well," Mr. Greengrass agreed. He began to take notes. "I'll have the goblins write up a contract, have them Owl it to you, and you can look it over and we can discuss any changes at an additional meeting.

Well, either the goblins would say yes, or no. If he complained, she would say he never asked about the status of her brother, and she had never stated he was alive. That should cover her, and possibly give her more credibility as a good negotiator, able to negotiate a contract for someone who was already deceased. "In that case, we should discuss business percentages. Twenty percent of the profits of the ingredients you get through my businesses, and eight percent of your business. In return, you would get five percent of my business."

Cay relaxed as much as she could with her homework trying to gnaw on her feet. Now, more haggling. She had given him outrageous numbers, especially considering how much she had gotten out of the marriage contract. Mr. Greengrass frowned.

"Twelve percent of the profits," Mr. Greengrass countered. Cay waited a second for something about the business percentages, but when he made no move to continue speaking she decided to jump on the opportunity.

"Deal. Shall I have the goblins draw up this contract?" Cay asked. Mr. Greengrass nodded and stood up. Cay stood up to, trying not to wince as her homework latched onto her foot. "Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Greengrass."

"And with you, Miss Potter," Mr. Greengrass moved to leave before turning around. "May I ask why you do not go to Hogwarts like your parents?"

"Ilvermorny is a more convenient location for me at the moment," Cay answered, not saying that she had not received an invitation to Hogwarts, nor had she expected one. She had lived in the United States for most of her life, after all. But the less information given, the better off she was. Mr. Greengrass nodded, and left. As soon as the door closed, Cay's Enchantment homework decided to fly up on the desk and try paper.

Two hours later, Moira walked in on Cay, bleeding and bruised, beating the Enchanting homework back with a part of a chair that looked partially devoured. It took the two of them another two hours to manage to defeat the homework.

Moira stared at it. "Cacia, you have the worst luck when it comes to Enchanting."

"It is not my fault it decided it liked the taste of flesh," Cay defended herself.

"We were supposed to make it make a noise when someone walked by, like a motion sensor. No eating involved!"

The two of them continued to argue as they straightened up the office, collected all the papers and headed home. Cay spent the next day trying to catch up on the Enchanting homework since she had been set back quite a bit, and then the next few days after that dealing with paperwork from her businesses, and dealing with a deranged doxy Moira had thought was a pixie. Her business meeting with Mr. Greengrass had escaped her mind until she received the marriage contract. She looked it over, surprised the goblins were willing to make a contract for a dead person, and sent it back with her approval as well as the business contract.

She was going to look into the whole meeting, now that she had remembered, but one of the dragon reserves became infected with dragon flu, the greenhouse was running into some delays, and she had managed to lock Moira in a room with her warding homework. Dealing with all those problems, writing a paper to defend her recent investment decisions in her finance class and attempting to break down the ward that prevented living matter from passing through while not entirely sure how she had managed to do it took a lot of time.

Moira told her, very impolitely, that she should stop trying to do complicated things for homework. Cay told her she should stop stealing her homework, especially before it was finished.

Eventually, she just put the whole meeting down as something weird that happened, but a win for her. Especially with the amount of money she was making.

There was no possible way this could come back to haunt her.

Not like that Enchanting homework.