WOW! I'm so amazed at the response for this story. Thanks to ptl4ever419 for fixing my typo in CH1 it was manor, not manner. I DON'T OWN.

Chapter 2

The next morning, James watched in amazement as a girl was up before Lily. Hermione Conte had made it to the Great Hall first, and Lily was almost ten minutes behind. He had started coming early in an attempt to appear more responsible to the Miss Evans, despite the fact his Head Boy badge should have been sufficient.

"Good morning James, Scion of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter and Perevell." Hermione said sweetly.

"Good morning, Hermione, dau..." Hermione shook her head.

"Please, my understanding is that the Gryffindor house is not so formal. Please call me Hermione." She said with a smile. "Or if you must, Miss Conte is better than that dreadful title Harry gave me."

"Gave you?" James asked curiously.

"Oh yes, my mother was a daughter of the Moreau house, from Greece, and she was Harry's godmother. When she died, he brought me into his house. Now he wants to find me a 'suitable husband' so as a fullblood I will still be taken seriously." She frowned.

"Taken seriously?" He questioned.

"I want to make a difference in the relations between first generation wizards and purebloods. My mother combined muggle science with magic, and discovered the increasing rate of squibs is due to the lack of fresh blood and magic, but purebloods resent first generations for attempting to change their world. I want to help things, and save both parts of my culture from death. My grandfather was a first generation after all."

James though she made a lot of sense. "I totally understand, and with how little we know of them, we don't know how to introduce out culture." He pointed out.

"Exactly. Harry wants to..."

"Speaking about me?" A voice startled them from behind.

"Harry!" She protested. He smirked.

"What, Hermione?" He asked innocently. His green eyed pierced into hers.

"Oh, you are insufferable. At least now your sneaky tendencies will be encouraged in other things, rather than your awful pranks." She retorted. She stood and kissed him on the cheek. "Good morning."

"Good morning Hermione. May I sit with you? I have a few matters to discuss with you." He asked, as James would most likely expect him to be proper.

"Of course." Harry handed her the papers from Gringotts, detailing the Slytherin inheritance he had chosen to keep quiet to the public, something that came from an ancestor of his great grandmother, before she became a Conte. She made some notes. "Harry, you know Nimbus is doing well, invest heavily in that, as well as that new book store, Flourish and Blots. They're both growing."

"You're right." He agreed. He finished the food he'd taken while waiting for her opinion, and stood, taking the papers back. "Enjoy your breakfast."

He joined Severus Snape at the breakfast table, after tucking the papers away. "Good morning. I do not believe we have been introduced."

"Severus Snape." He said after a minute. "Son of the Ancient House of Prince."

"So you are the famed potions student." Harry said in fake recognition. "I was reading about some of your breakthroughs. Hermione suggested I 'enlist you' should I meet you."

"Enlist me?" Severus said dryly.

"'Mione is very fond of the practice of taking talented individuals into service for an elder house. She said you would thrive in one of mine, despite never meeting you." Harry lied.

"Service how?" Severus was a Slytherin. He wanted to know details.

"I would take you on in service to one of my houses, your choice, and in return for me caring for your needs, you would work with potions." Harry explained. "I have an example of the wording that would be used from a different contract. I'm trying to take in someone to assist my sister." He pulled out a piece of paper.

_ will agree to serve Hermione, daughter of house Conte as a servant to do what is asked of her, and will in return receive a small allowance, tuition for as long as she needs to finish her schooling, and housing for as long as she remains in service to the house. Service may be terminated by either party, although a viable reason must be presented to be dismissed from service without notice...

Severus looked up, having read enough. "It seems agreeable. Since my mother passed this summer, I have none to consult. May I have time to think upon it?"

"Of course, Severus, if I may call you that." Snape nodded his approval. "I will wish for my answer in a weeks time. If you have any requests, you may ask myself or Hermione about them. She might be the better person. Actually, as she writes most of my contracts for me. She knows loopholes, and is studious to the point of obsession."

"Thank you, Lord..."

"Please, it's Hadrian." Harry corrected him. "No matter your response, you would be a wise ally to make, and my heart tells me you could prove to be a loyal friend as well."