Chapter Title: A Lesson in History
Timeframe: May of 2011
Characters Involved: Minerva McGonagall and Daphne Greengrass (Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, James Potter, Lily Evans, Dorea Potter nee Black, Charlus Potter, Poppy Pomfrey, Lisa Turpin, Theodore Nott, Filius Flitwick mentioned)
Point of View: Minerva McGonagall, third person limited.
Notes: This is written in lieu of a societal history rather than a character narrative, since I received a question on the why's of society. :) Hope you like it. :D
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its contents is owned by JK Rowling.

It has been said that every man grows up to marry his own mother; that his chosen life partner would most reflect the woman who raised him.

Familiarity breeds complacency. (Because, for wizarding society tradition is not a mere bylaw but rather, it is the law. There is a reason why they still resemble Robin Hood more than James Bond).

So when Harry Potter married Ginevra Weasley in a muggle ceremony, it didn't surprise Minerva McGonagall one bit.

James Potter did the same with Lily Evans near thirty three years ago.

Forsaking his heritage, his name, and the rest of his family; it was expected. He was the only son of Dorea Potter (nee Black), no amount of Charlus Potter's intervention would stop her from teaching the scion of the Noble House of Potter how to not care about the rules, and if possible break them in the most brilliant of manners.

(There was a reason Dorea was a Ravenclaw and not a Slytherin like the rest of her family or why she married Charlus Potter instead of Phillip Rosier).

Minerva thought Harry would do the same; leave Hogwarts with a bang, go into the Auror force, become one of the most promising of trainees, and do whatever he wants with his life.

But, not even a week after the Potter-Weasley nuptials, she receives a copy of the International Magical Tribune featuring an article that makes her head spin.

Changing of Tides: Harry Potter Formally Claims Family Inheritances
by Lauren Cornelissen

GENEVA — Harry James Potter (29) has claimed the Potter and Black inheritances in the Gringotts Main Branch in Zurich yesterday. Hornsnuff, the Press Secretary for Gringotts Zurich said that the Man-who-Conquered has finally paid homage to the filial tradition of his ancestors by honoring and accepting the inheritance passed upon him. Furthermore, in a brief statement, Hornsnuff elaborated that the Duke of Pembroke would value his privacy as he sorts through the past thirty-five years of archived histories of both the Potter and Black families; and as such no further information will be given to the press unless otherwise stated.

For the full story, see section 1.3
For more information on the repercussions on the British Empire, see section 3.2
For more information on Harry Potter, see section 3.4
For more information on the Noble House of Potter, see section 8.4
For more information on the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, see section 8.5

It was vague at best and if Minerva didn't know better she'd leave it be.

Most of her old students had claimed their family inheritances and she didn't even bat an eyelash.

(But none of them were Harry Potter, now official Head of the House of the Noble House of Potter and the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. He controls an estimate of thirteen families under each, and most of them extinct and titled).

Harry Potter is now the most powerful man in the Magical Commonwealth, both magically and politically and if she guesses, economically as well.

She wonders on what Molly Weasley feels about this.

Her only daughter married a Wizengamot Lord, that means propriety and traditions and customs, something that the Weasley temper isn't famous for.

Merlin, it isn't even something the Potter temper is famous for.

(Though, if she'd think about it, it certainly is something the Blacks were notorious for.)

"Headmistress McGonagall?"

A voice pulled her out of her thoughts, she looks up from the paper she was reading.

It was Daphne Greengrass, the new matron of the Hogwarts infirmary. She replaced Poppy almost three years ago, and Poppy was ecstatic about it; muttering about someone finally competent enough to replace her in her duties.

Miss Greengrass had apparently been the best pediatric specialist that St. Mungo's has produced in the past four decades. (Being a potions mistress isn't bad as well, it cuts the cost of buying medical grade potions that their current potions professor doesn't have clearance to brew).

"Yes, Daphne?" She says, gesturing for the woman to sit.

She does, choosing the armchair by the left. The signs of pureblood upbringing and years of manner training were evident in the simple action that she made.

It brought back a rumour she heard from a long time ago.

"I would like to request for a leave of absence; a family emergency came up." Daphne says, a tad hesitant. "I have already coordinated with St. Mungo's, and they're willing to loan out Lisa Finnegan for the time being."

Minerva nods, family emergencies in the upper tiers of society were rare and if it warrants for an unspecified time, it's usually something ground breaking.

"Make sure that Madam Finnegan would be well aware on how the infirmary operates and coordinate her schedule of arrival with Argus."

"I would, Headmistress," Daphne says, standing up. "Thank you for understanding, Minerva."

"Of course," She replies, returning her attention to the paper she was reading before.

Daphne takes it as a sign of dismissal and hurriedly walks out of the room.

Odd, Minerva thinks, in all the years she has known the blonde healer, she had never been so candid in her unease. It must be some family emergency.

Then, Minerva stops. A family emergency?

She furrows her brows, but Daphne has been all but disowned by the House of Greengrass. It was all over the papers ten years ago.

Nott had allegedly committed marital rape and Daphne, unwilling to bend to his will filed a petition for annulment in the Wizengamot court.

Annulment or even divorce, in the Wizarding world was unheard of. Especially in the pureblood families where women are mere trophies for their husbands to display. Filing a rape charge and an annulment caused the Prophet to have a field day.

The Wizengamot tried the case, and it was ruled in favour of Nott. Since they were wed in the traditional reading of the Banns and underwent a magical binding; anything Theodore would do to her would be deemed acceptable in the eyes of the law.

Daphne thought otherwise, as she performed a category five ritual in the Forest of Dean and broke the bindings on her and Theodore's life and magic.

She was labelled as an outcast and a bloodtraitor. Theodore was reduced to a squib.

Minerva thinks that it was a fair deal; since being a squib is considered as a lower class than house elf.

But then, this brings her to a question. Why did Daphne lie to her in arranging a leave of absence?

She was about to stand up and chase after the former Slytherin but then the stray thought from a few minutes ago returns with a vengeance.

The rumour from long ago; it was something Filius said to her in passing, easily forgotten and not worth anything but a good laugh. It circulated among the staff that Harry Potter had taken to fancy the company of a former Slytherin Princess.

It was dismissed as a mere rumour, since most of the Slytherins that were near his age group were either a marked death eater or already married.

They forgot to take into account the infamous Ice Queen.

Minerva tries to swallow her thoughts on the matter; this does not concern her. She will have nothing to say on this matter.

She steels herself into believing that.

She almost succeeds.

"Daphne?" She calls, running out of her office.

Please do review and comment your thoughts on this chapter and on my writing.
Thank you!