Chapter 13 – Mistletoe and The Seeker
Daphne found the Christmas holidays to be a godsend for her, the emotional block felt muted now that she was away from the school. While it wasn't gone it felt night and day better than it did at school, in her home she was able to all but express her feelings for Harry. The first two days she spent recovering from her lack of sleep, then she went with her mother to Diagon Alley to buy Christmas presents for the family. Apparently her father had been present for the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch match because the blonde haired woman made a beeline for Quality Quidditch Supplies, and bought a new broom for Harry and had it first shrunk then wrapped to disguise it. Daphne bought a book called the Best Duelist of the Ages, a book on some of the best spellcasters since Merlin's time, Daphne had scanned to see if Morgana Le Fay was among those hoping to get some extra credit for O essay paper.
The majority of the history class managed at least an EE for their essays on the first lectures herself, Harry, Ron, and even Draco managed O's for their difficult papers, Hermione, Susan, and Neville got an O not only for their papers but also for the presentation. Neville never looked more pleased than, when he was awarded with his grade. "Probably going to bronze and frame it like I did my potions essay," Harry had stated after the end of that class.
Another thing Daphne noted was how close Tracey and Neville were getting, she suspected Tracey would get her wish probably before the end of term, probably be betrothed to Neville by summer break. This was bringing Neville's confidence up a lot no longer did he mess up in potions, and with constant assurance that he was making the correct wand movements and incantations for his spells, the teen went to McGonagall to see why his spells weren't doing what they were supposed to. He found out that it was his wand that was the problem, the wand happen to be his father's. To which the wand apparently was refusing to work for him, when his grandmother heard about this, she told Neville that during Christmas holiday they get him a new wand. This boosted Neville's confidence even more, finding out it was his wand and not himself that caused his misfortune for the last two and half years. This of course made everyone wonder if Seamus's wand was either faulty or not his.
The blonde haired girl browse for something else to give Harry something special, something that practically screamed she was his and he was hers, a specialty set of rings. She found them, "Um, sir how much for these Soul Rings?"
"Those are 5,000 galleons, and can only be worn by those who have Soul Bonded," the old wizard stated. "The last ones to wear these were James and Lily Potter," the man stated in a whisper, "Dumbledore himself brought them in three years after they were killed by You-Know-Who, he told me that he felt obligated to return them."
Daphne's eyes widen, These rings belonged to Harry's parents is that why they were so madly in love with each other. Her thoughts flickered wildly thinking about the thought of her and Harry having such a bond. "What do these rings do exactly?"
"These rings simply enhanced the Soul Bond to the point that the wearers could practically talk to each other in their minds, that none would dare oppose them in duel," the old wizard stated. "Bet my beard that Lily and James Potter weren't wearing these rings the night You-Know-Who did them in, likely gave them to Dumbledore for safe keeping, but why ask about these?"
Daphne looked up at the old wizard, "They would be my gift to betrothed for this Christmas, it would be more perfect considering his parents once wore them."
The old wizard blinked, "You are betrothed to Harry Potter?"
Daphne nodded her eyes fixed on the rings, "Yes, please may I buy them?"
"My dear if you are truly betrothed to Harry Potter, then I should be giving them to you not selling them," the old wizard stated he was a good sensor wizard he could easily tell if a person was lying to him or not, what he felt from was nothing but the honest truth. "But like I said you must wait until a soul bond has formed otherwise those rings would be useless."
Daphne nodded as the old man handed her the rings, she cupped them and pressed them to her developing chest her eyes closed with a soft smile on her lips. "Thank you, maybe for Valentine's day then."
The old man nodded watching her leave his shop, "Good luck my dear that Magical block looks very strong, it'll take a very strong emotion to break through it," he muttered to himself having sensed how her magic had seized up.
XXX
While Daphne and Marie were shopping, Harry, Astoria, and Robert had floo'd to the Chudley Cannons main office to meet with the new General Manager Marston Johnson, to go over what the scouts have been doing the past five months since Harry became owner. Marston Johnson was a tall black man, bald with warm friendly brown eyes, dressed in a muggle business suit rather than wizard robes, "Harry good to finally meet you, Angelina told me a lot about you."
"Good things I hope," Harry smiled.
Marston chuckled, "Oh yeah, roguishly handsome, friendly to his dorm mates, hates Malfoy with a passion, and the best seeker on a broom. She stated and I quote if you weren't already betrothed she and her fellow chasers wanted to be Lady Potter, Lady Black, and Lady Perevell."
Harry blushed, "Didn't think she fancied me, certainly didn't think Alicia and Katie fancied me either."
"Harry you'd be amazed at the amount of girls in your school want you for you and not for you being famous," the man coughed a second. "But that isn't why we are here," he paused pulling several roster sheets from various local and international quidditch teams. "We are here to renovate and rebuild a rubbish team, we have six very old Chasers at least in terms of the sport, four old beaters, two old Keepers, and two old Seekers, you previous GM kept them long past their prime.
Harry flipped through the stats for each player finding what he saw to be disturbing, not to mention the numerous off the field scuffles his team had. "This isn't a team, yearly stats dropped off after 85' this team barely made enough points to keep playing, and haven't won a game since the Harpies lost by forfeit because all of them were suffering from a bad hair day," he glanced at Robert. "We better up the incentive by another thousand galleons to even get the players interested."
Robert nodded with a sigh, "glad we sacked that arse, I might of cursed him for this mess."
"The scouts have been looking though found several players worthy of the time, a young seeker from Bulgaria World Cup team contract will be up after the Cup is over. If we can manage it, I'd say sign him and offer him a monster signing bonus."
"That good is he?" Harry asked.
Marston smiled devilishly while nodding, "Aside from you he's the best damned Seeker out there today, and he's in his fifth year at Durmstrange, names Viktor Krum. If we can sign him before the cup it would be a coup."
Harry nods, "Okay now what about the chasers," with that meeting fanned out into looking into various positions Harry putting in his personal opinions about the people he's faced or teamed with at school. "I'd say ask Oliver Wood, Marcus Flint, Lisa Turpin, you daughter, Alicia, Katie, Terry Boot, Ernie McCormack, and Cedric Diggory."
"You think Angie is a good chaser?" Marston asked.
"Angelina and the other girls are probably the best in our school, they got an almost telepathic link to each other which I think should be essential for being chasers. Plus Angelina and Alicia are both fifth year, they can be recruited now put in reserve and simply wait for Katie to graduate then put in all three in as starters, Viktor Krum put in as Seeker, and Oliver Wood as Keeper," Harry explained.
"Marcus Flint?" Robert asked.
"I may not like his tactics but they are good ones, I have to remain unbiased in my selection he's a good chaser his on the fly tactics can keep opponents off guard," Harry stated. "I faced Cedric in my first year and he's actually better than I am, it was only the fact that I had better broom that I was able to catch the bloody snitch."
Marston nodded, "Boot, Turpin, and McCormack?"
"McCormack is a good beater, Boot and Turpin can flank Flint as back up chasers, we need three more beaters," Harry sighed.
"Why not the Weasely twins?" Robert asked.
Harry shrugged, "You can approach them but I think they be happier to own their own joke shop," he paused a second getting an evil smirk, "Maybe add an incentive for them in that the money they earn would help them get their joke shop up on wheels if they signed, one it make them happy, and two it make their lives miserable at the same time."
Marston blinked looking confused, "why would it do that?"
Harry chuckled, "Ron would nag them about seeing the team locker till they hex him to just to shut him up."
Robert chuckled shaking his head, "Yeah you're defiantly James's son, that is a prank worthy of the Marauders."
Harry smiled in pride as he and the two older men finished ironing out the roster how much they would need in terms of incentives, signing bonuses, etc. By the time they were finished, Marston propose to Harry the day before he headed back to Hogwarts he should set up a press conference stating officially he was the team owner and in detail what that would entail as well as the fact he was reworking the team. "It'll go a long way towards hiring these players, I know you hate your fame Harry, but sometimes it can work to your advantage," Robert stated to him.
With that Harry set up a press conference in front of the Department of Magical Sports and Recreation on the 2nd of January.
XXX
Christmas day Harry nearly had his lungs imploded when his over enthusiastic future sister-in-law jumped on top of him, "Harry get up it's Christmas morning!" she shouted and giggled.
"What are you trying to do, Tori murder me," he gasped but tried to keep the smile off his face. Her smile was sheepish sitting down next to him as he sat up.
"Sorry Harry," she stated then felt him wrap his arms around her. "Let's go mom said we can't open presents till we have breakfast," she stated watching him put on his glasses. She jumped off his bed and ran out of the room.
Shaking his head he got up and walked out to see Daphne standing in the hall, she was still half awake and looked mildly annoyed, "Woke you up too?" he saw her nod shaking her head he walked up to her and hugged her, "Happy Christmas, Daphne."
She smiled softly, "Happy Christmas, my Harry," she giggled as he kissed her cheek while she didn't feel it another crack on the magical block was made.
"Would the beautiful Slytherin, allow me the honor to escort her down to breakfast," Harry smiled offering his arm.
Daphne giggled some more taking his arm, "that would be wonderful my noble Gryffindor," she leaned in laying her head on his shoulder more cracks were forming on her block. The two walked down to breakfast arm in arm having to endure Astoria's childish taunts. The family had a grand breakfast, and afterward they gathered around the tree.
Harry got the Dueling book from Daphne, Astoria got him a pair of Dragonhide Seeker gloves and forearm guards, Robert got him a new robe that feature the Black, Potter, and Perevell crests, however it was Marie's present that through him for a loop, "Aunt Marie, you didn't have to do this," he said in a whisper tears forming in his eyes.
"Nonsense Harry," Marie smiled hugging the boy, "you deserve more than a simple broom, so much more."
"But it's a Firebolt," Harry whispered.
Marie giggled softly, "Yes I imagine you'll be the envy of the school now, but it is Christmas and that I feel is the ideal gift I can give to my godson, I think even your Godfather would have approved, imagine it as twelve years of make-up Christmas presents."
Harry thought about it mulling it over and smiled, "Thank you Aunt Marie."
"Your very welcome, Harry," her smiled widen Harry also managed to get another Weasely sweater, an in depth past roster list for the Cannons from Ron, the twins got him a few Zonko's joke products, and from Hermione a book of brooms. He had to smile at the book as it showed all the incarnations of the Nimbus, Cleansweeps, Comets, and of course the Bolt series.
Daphne had also manage to get a Weasely sweater, a deep navy blue one that was almost a perfect match for Harry's typical emerald green one, she also got a pair of crescent moon earrings from her mother, a new robe from her father, and a pendant of gold with emerald jewels spelling out her initials from Harry, she gave him a kiss to his cheek for it, causing several more cracks to appear on her magical block, that now if notice would look like a series of spider webs.
Astoria though had something that she hoped would help her two favorite people along, she snuck up behind them and held aloft a small plant above them, "Pst, Daph, Harry look above you," she snickered.
Both looked up from there presents and above them was a piece of Mistletoe, "Tori!" came Daphne's shocked outburst.
"What Hermione told me about this," Astoria stated trying to look innocent, she already knew about the long standing tradition with this particular plant. "But you both know what the tradition is don't you?"
Harry blushed slightly, "Yeah," he stated slightly summoning his courage he leaned in and gave his betrothed a chastened kiss which she returned, after a second they broke apart.
Several new larger cracks appeared in her magical block these larger than the ones earlier. It was as if the block itself was waiting for a specific moment to shatter completely and give her full access to her magic that was being held back but the feelings of love she had for Harry.
The rest of the holidays were about catching up on their homework, so not much more in terms of furthering their relationship had occurred. Harry also was constantly going back and forth making the final preparations for his official coming out as the Chudley Cannons owner. The last week of the holidays went by remarkably fast.
XXX
Harry stood nervously watching as more reporters in a small semicircle waiting for the conference to begin, he stepped forward. "Thank you for joining me on this day so shortly after the New Year. I inherited the Chudley Cannons from my father after he was murdered, though I was not able to take direct control until I was emancipated back in July."
"Mr. Potter, why did you sack the previous General Manager?" a pretty reporter asked.
"Many here believed the man was corrupt, taking bribes to keep this team deadlast for a number of years, you are correct. I launched an investigation and found several teams both local and international have spent a lot of Galleons to keep the team my family had own since it was founded in the basement. Well not going to happen anymore, the majority of the players that have been on this team for the last ten years were finally allowed to retire," Harry explained.
"How many, Lord Potter," a man from the Prophet asked.
"Out of the 14 player roster all but five are now retired, we've already made inquiries and have selected players to replaced them giving them huge incentives and signing bonuses," Harry responded.
"Who have you signed?" the pretty reporter asked.
"For chasers we have signed, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Lisa Turpin, Marcus Flint, Katie Bell, and Terry Boot, three while signed will not be officially added to the roster till they finish their fifth year at Hogwarts. The new beaters are Fred and George Weasely, and Erin McCormack all are in their fifth year, as for the new Seeker we managed to wrangle up Cedric Diggory and Viktor Krum who's contract with Bulgaria will end after the World Cup next summer. As for Keeper we have Oliver Wood and Michelle Sanchez whose contract expires for the Harpies this spring."
"That's a lot of rookies you're tossing into the professional leagues all at once, what makes you think they'll be any good aside from Krum," Rita Skeeter stated near the back.
"Majority of the rookie players I've mentioned I've faced or played with in my time at Hogwarts they are the best of the best in their positions," Harry responded.
"I noticed Lord Potter you've changed the team logo," one mousy looking reported near the front stated. Harry looked at the logo gone was the cartoonish logo of a broom and quaffle launching into the air. It was replaced by a Napoleon heavy cannon launching a quaffle through a Keeper ring with a Golden Snitch hovering off to the side and the front of the orange robes had a blue capital C connected to small case c and surrounded by a blue ring(think Capsule Corps. Logo from DBZ).
"I figured it was time for a change, much like the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers from Muggle American football. Updating the look also means we're updating everything else, while the Cannons might not win the championship this year I intend to see this team win in two or three years," more questions were asked but mostly probes trying to get strategy which was Marston's job to answer, by the end of the conference everyone was satisfied. Harry yawned a bit, "Bloody hell that was murder."
"Yes, but it was good," Robert chuckled gently patting Harry on the back, "don't be surprised if your teammates approach you during the trip back to school."
"Well they can wait, Daphne is my soul concern, as far as I'm concern quidditch is priority six. Daphne comes first, then my new family, my friends, school, and finally Voldemort," Harry replied.
"Nice to see what your priorities are come on, let's get home got a return trip to school tomorrow," Robert stated and the duo left for home.
Author's Note: I'm getting closer to the end I think four chapters are left and no there won't be a harem, though I wouldn't mind reading one if anyone got a Harry/Gryffindor Chasers harem fic to point out for me please do. I was never able to accept the final pairing in canon for Harry Potter, I mean Harry/Ginny after Chamber of Secrets she barely mentioned until Half-Blood Prince, that's three whole fricken books, even then it's done so casually you don't suspect the two would end up together by the end of book seven. I mean come on Hermione has been with Harry since book f-ing one, and only had one real argument that was in book three, and that argument was egged on longer because of Ron. I was sure if it wasn't Harry/Cho it would have been Harry/Hermione, that just my opinion. Ginny never entered my thoughts at all that she'd end up with Harry, and I strongly believe in the Love potions theory many write about.
Now I am going to make a challenge for my readers. The Challenge should you choose to accept it: Write a Harry fic with Harry pairing with a Star Wars female from either TOR or KOTOR, light or grey oriented has to be in the Harry Potter universe and Harry is not force sensitive or can be trained in the force, in other words a jedi is a jedi and Harry is Harry as a wizard. The jedi/sith/bounty hunter/trooper/agent/Revan/exile female counterpart crash lands on Earth and somehow is de-aged to Harry's age, you can start at any time during the Hogwarts years, pretty much do anything else, bash, no bash, etc. I'll Beta read for it if anyone accepts this challenge, PM me.