I do not own Harry Potter, the wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Extended Family
Chapter 109 – Bridges Rebuilt
Takes place after chapter 98.
"Your home is very nice," Cyrus said somewhat awkwardly.
"I can hear you add, 'but very small'," Daphne said wryly with a raised eyebrow.
"I was not thinking that," Cyrus protested. "but now that you mention it…"
"It suits us just fine, Father," Daphne snorted. "We do not host large meetings or parties or have family stay and visit with us." Cyrus, Adelle, and Astoria winced slightly at that. "There is plenty of room for myself, Tracy, Heather, and the coming baby. Our closest friends live literally next door. If we have more children, then we can expand the house."
"It was built by the Davis Company, yes?" Adelle asked. "Then they will expand it with little difficulty."
"All the homes in the village were built by them and they are on retainer for future development and future homes," Daphne said.
"I remember Tiffany mentioning that now," Adelle said, accepting a cup of tea from Daphne. "She was rather happy with the arrangement."
"Small wonder she was so willing to defend Potter," Cyrus said with a trace of snootiness.
"Aunt Tiffany has never shied from telling you her opinion," Daphne said with more than a trace of frostiness. "For as long as I can remember."
"For longer than that, truth be told," Adelle said with a small smile. "Back into our Hogwarts years even."
"She always did like me the least of your past suitors," Cyrus grumbled.
"She actually tolerated you the most," Adelle corrected gently. "She also liked you the least, but she also hated the others more."
"That means she likes Father the most," Astoria said, puzzled.
"Not if you ask her," Adelle chuckled.
After the incident with the Notts and their failed attempt at revenge, and when Cyrus' role came to light, Daphne extended an attempt at making peace. The relationship between the Greengrass-Davis family and the Greengrass family had been very poor due to Cyrus' attempts at making an agreement involving Daphne and Tracy's child, and how Harry and the Blacks had struck back severely. Cyrus alerting Ted to the machinations of the Notts helped heal things somewhat. Daphne invited her family to their home in Potter Village and it was gratefully accepted.
"Dear Merlin," Cyrus said, looking out the window. "Whose home is that?" he asked, pointing.
"Fleur Delacour," Daphne said once she looked.
"The Delacours? As in Sebastian Delacour?" Cyrus sounded very impressed.
"Yes, that is her father. Fleur competed in and won the Tri-Wizard Tournament if you recall," Daphne said. "Why?"
"I was not expecting to see that here." He pointed at the symbol on the door.
"What, a door knocker?" Astoria asked impishly.
Cyrus snorted softly. "Well, yes it is a door knocker. However, that one means that the home is foreign protected property. Meaning if any try to enter the grounds without express permission, then it can be construed as an act against a foreign government."
"That sounds very bad," Astoria gulped.
"Declarations of war without express permission from one's one government is indeed very bad," Cyrus said dryly. "Not only that, that sort of protection can be extended to the local area." He gave Daphne a look.
"I do remember Harry saying something to that effect," Daphne said a touch smugly. "And that every home in the Village enjoys that protection."
The Greengrasses looked at the Greengrass-Davis who inspected her nails in a seemingly nonchalant way.
"Mister Potter is quite the lucky fellow," Cyrus said placidly.
"Harry is quite the good fellow," Daphne said genteelly, her teeth pressed together and her lips peeled back in a smile.
"He is," Adelle said soothingly, giving her husband a look.
"Where's Heather?" Astoria asked, trying to dispel the awkward air.
"She will be home shortly," Daphne smiled warmly. "She and Iris and Melanie and the twins are playing together." She looked at the clock on the wall. "But I know they will be home soon." The knocking on the back door made her eyes light up. "Ah, speak of the kneazle."
The door opened and Heather came scampering in. "Mummy! We made…biscuits…" The small girl came to a skidding stop, seeing the other people in the sitting room. She gulped nervously and took an uncertain step back, backing into Harry who followed behind her.
"Go to your mummy," Harry said encouragingly, "and you have nothing to be afraid of Heather. That's your family too."
Heather looked up at Harry and at his nod, she took a deep breath and walked calmly albeit a bit swiftly to her mother, carrying a basket in her arms. She stood slightly behind her chair, leaning against her and looking at the Greengrasses shyly.
"She looks just like you did when you were that age," Adelle sighed softly.
"Heather, you might not remember because it has been some time, but this is Grandmother and Grandfather Greengrass, and that is your Aunt Astoria," Daphne said gently, taking the basket from her. "They are your family, just like Papa Harry said."
"Oh, like Grandmama Andi and Grandpapa Teddy?" Heather asked, lighting up a little.
"Yes, but they share blood with you too. They are my parents and my sister," Daphne explained.
Heather nodded. "I understand." She walked over to the now delighted Greengrasses without reservation. "Hi. I'm Heather Kadence Greengrass-Davis," she said proudly. She held out a hand. "It is nice to meet you."
"A pleasure to meet you as well," Cyrus said, his voice thick with emotion and amusement. He gravely shook her hand and Heather shook Adelle's and Astoria's hands before consenting to sit on Adelle's lap.
"She's one of us alright," Astoria said with mock weariness. "Proper manners and all."
"Despite Tracy's attempts," Daphne smiled. "And some of the others, I might add." She opened the basket and breathed deep of the biscuit's sweet aroma. "These smell wonderful!"
"Heather did the mixing and the shaping," Harry smiled. "I suggested it for us to do before coming back since I knew Lord and Lady Greengrass and Astoria would be visiting."
"That is very kind of you," Cyrus said quietly.
"And this is for you as well, Sir. Compliments of my godfather." He gave Cyrus an envelope.
The older man opened it and read the parchment within. When he finished, he looked at Harry with deep surprise. "He cannot be serious."
"He is, and I'll spare you his usual reply to that phrase," Harry said.
"I…please give him my thanks and I will send something along as well," Cyrus said, folding the parchment carefully and putting it into his robe pocket. "I truly appreciate it." His tone made all the Greengrass women look at him with surprise.
"I'll do that," Harry said genially.
"Harry, would you please look for Tracy?" Daphne asked, shooting her father a look.
"Sure, and I'll bring her back if she's doing something she isn't supposed to be doing." He grinned and he and Daphne spoke in tandem, "Which of course she's doing something she shouldn't be." They laughed and Harry left, not after Heather received a hug.
"What was that?" Daphne asked Cyrus.
"This is the deed for a plot of land as well as what is sitting on said plot of land," Cyrus said, a trifle smugly. "One that formerly belonged to the Notts."
"No, the Shingleton plot?" Adelle gasped.
"The same," Cyrus said.
"Good Merlin," Daphne gasped.
"Wait, which one was the Shingleton again?" Astoria asked, brow furrowed with concentration.
"It is the only plot of land that can grow the silver nightshade in the United Kingdom," Daphne said. "The Blacks just gave the Greengrasses the keys to a monopoly."
"He said it was for my role during the failed vengeance affair," Cyrus said. He looked off into the distance. "Because I warned Ted Tonks, I am being rewarded grandly for it." He frowned slightly.
"Why are you upset over it?" Astoria asked as she bounced Heather up and down in her lap, the girl having crawled over when Astoria opened her arms.
"I am feeling conflicted, not upset," Cyrus said slowly. "I will admit that my motivations for that affair was not entirely altruistic. I was more or less bribed already by Nott but decided to tell Ted because I disagreed with the way Nott was doing it. Not only that, if he succeeded, I knew nothing would prevent him from doing it again to others based on his own greed."
He looked at Daphne directly. "A part of me wanted to let Potter twist for how he interfered with our…personal affairs."
"And why did you not, aside from the other reasons?" Daphne asked sharply, eyes burning.
"Because it was only a small part," Cyrus said sheepishly. "A much larger part of me did not want you nor Tracy nor Heather to suffer and if Potter was punished, you three would." He released a sigh that he had held for many years. "After much time had passed, I can see where my initial thoughts were…wrong."
"I do not think I have ever heard you admit that you were wrong before," Daphne said quietly.
"Do not rub it in," Adelle said softly with a softer smile, making the others snort.
"I believe I was being especially unfair back then," Cyrus admitted quietly. "I had plans for you before your relationship with Tracy, which apparently I was the only one to not have noticed before it happened." He rolled his eyes as Adelle and Astoria nodded and Daphne blushed. "I might have grown irritated because of things falling through and well, it got to my head when I was asked about Heather's future."
He looked at Daphne and he seemed much older than she had ever seen him. "I apologize, daughter, and pray that you can forgive me one day."
"And I apologize for my own part," Adelle said quietly.
Daphne released a shuddering breath. "I accept," she said quietly. "And I thank you for it."
The air felt kinder, the atmosphere just shy of warm but slowly growing warmer.
Daphne dabbed her eyes and smiled at her confused daughter. "Would you like to go get some of your plush animals and show your aunt and grandparents?" They laughed when Heather nodded happily and dashed off, pulling Astoria behind her who went willingly.
"She warmed up to us rather swiftly," Adelle commented. "I thought it would take some time."
"She more or less accepted you when I compared you to the Tonks," Daphne said. "She understood your role when I did so."
"Are they the patron grandparents to all the children here?" Cyrus asked.
"Again, more or less. Everyone in the Village dotes on the children with everyone being an aunt or an uncle at the least. The parents of the parents are accepted as general grandparents and they show equal kindness." Daphne waved her wand and a tea set came floating in and leaves and water followed. Soon the kettle began to puff and a pleasantly acrid scent wafted in the air as the tea steeped.
"Of course the Tonks, the Bells, the Grangers, and the Blacks tend to dote the most on Harry and Katie's children but they never ignore any of the other children," she continued.
"Does Heather know her blood father is Harry?" Adelle asked as she sipped from her cup.
"She does. She knows that he is her godfather as well and is pleased by it." She smiled when Heather and Astoria returned, with Astoria carrying several of Heather's toys.
"Living here seems agreeable to you," Cyrus said. "You look quite content."
"I am," Daphne said firmly. "I need only open the window to hear children laughing and pleasant conversation. If I ever need someone else's aid, I simply have to ask. More often than not, I do not even have to do that. Hermione will come to debate theory with me or discuss something new. Luna will come for some flowers and we discuss painting and art. Tracy will leave to go fishing with Harry and Oliver and return with a catch and a story. I can discuss potion things with Alicia. We can go to the pitch and watch them play. More often than not we eat together."
"No offense, but that sounds exhausting," Astoria laughed. "I like my privacy."
Daphne smiled. "None taken. I was fearful at first but I cannot imagine a sweeter life than this."
Cyrus nodded before looking surprised when Heather crawled onto his lap fearlessly.
"Heather, one should ask before doing that," Daphne chided gently.
"No, it is fine," Cyrus said, settling back comfortably. "And who is this?"
"This is Chitters," Heather said, proudly showing off her stuffed squirrel. "Squirrels are natural gardeners and help grow plants that Mummy uses for her potions."
Time passed pleasantly as the Greengrass family ate biscuits and drank tea, reconnecting and rebuilding. Eventually, they turned and looked towards the door as they heard voices approaching, rising in volume.
"What is that?" Adelle asked. She looked down at a giggling Heather.
"Papa Harry is scolding Mumsy," Heather giggled.
The door opened and Tracy floated through it, looking irritated and embarrassed and resigned. "I'm pregnant, not an invalid!"
"So you do know you're pregnant," Harry sighed as he closed the door behind him. "I found her at work. Organizing the heavy materials."
"I wasn't doing it by hand!" Tracy protested, wilting at Daphne's thunderous look. "I can still use magic, most of the time. Also I can't believe you gave Harry permission to do this to me."
"I am glad I did and it is no worse than how he treated me when I was pregnant," Daphne retorted. "Sit down and if you move, I will stick you to it!"
"Babe, not in front of your parents," she muttered. "Hello Lord and Lady Greengrass."
"Hello Tracy, and in your home, you need not be so formal," Adelle smiled.
"Thank you. Hey Tori."
"Hey Trace." Astoria snickered. "Looking good."
"Thanks, feeling whalish though." Tracy sighed when she was deposited into a chair and snorted when Daphne took her wand from Harry. "Oof, hi baby!" Tracy moved to accommodate Heather climbing into the chair. "Aww thanks," she said when Heather fed her a biscuit.
"Who let you into work with the heavy things?" Daphne asked.
"I'm not telling," Tracy retorted.
"I will ask Tiffany," Adelle smiled.
"Mum said she worked all the time when she was pregnant with me," Tracy said.
"She did, actually, and also had to be managed," Adelle said thoughtfully.
"I'm telling her you said that," Tracy smiled.
"Please do. I am sure it will amuse her to no end that you and she are so very similar," Adelle laughed. "And feel no small amount of pride either, quite considerable amounts of pride."
Harry took his leave, after confirming that Daphne and Tracy and Heather would be coming for dinner and making sure that Heather got her goodbye hug. The visiting with the Greengrasses continued and it grew more pleasant as time passed.
"Any names for the soon to be coming baby?" Astoria asked.
"Still deciding, but so far the one we like the most is Kayden Henry," Tracy said.
"Oh, I like that," Cyrus said. "A fine name."
"Still named for the blood father and his godparents?" Adelle asked.
"Yes," Daphne said. "For the ones that made all this possible."
After the Greengrasses left and Heather went to take a nap, Tracy sighed as she rolled her shoulders. "Oooh, thanks Babe," she groaned when Daphne began to massage her back and neck. "That feels great." She looked up at her wife. "Had a good visit?"
"Yes, every good," Daphne said softly. "I…I had given up on a chance of reconciliation after what happened before."
"Same," Tracy said. "I'm glad it happened though. I know you love them and I love them too." She snorted. "Probably the only good thing a Nott has ever done."
Daphne smiled thinly. "Agreed." She sobered slightly. "I know Father said he did it mainly to spite the Notts and protect his own wants and interests, but I believe him when he said he wanted to make amends and right past wrongs."
"People can do things for many reasons," Tracy said reasonably. "As long as it works out for all of us, that's what matters, right?"
"Right," Daphne agreed. "So," her voice turned inquisitive, "was it Phil that let you in?"
"Nah, he tried to chase me out. Had to threaten him to let me stay and-hey!" She glared up at Daphne. "No trying to hunt the people that just want me to be happy!"
Daphne grunted. "Mmhmm, and who was it that threw a fit when I tried to do potion brewing work when I was pregnant?"
"That's different. You're breathing in fumes and things."
"Where you'll just be physically crushed by wood and rock," Daphne deadpanned.
"Everything was secured properly," Tracy grumbled.
Daphne stepped away. "Luckily, so are you."
"What does that mean-hey!" Tracy struggled and squirmed. "You stuck me to the chair!"
"I sure did," Daphne smiled. "Now you may rest before we head over to the Potters." She laughed brightly, drowning out Tracy's rude grumbling.
-0-0-0-
Ghostwriter - I already wrote a chapter involving an illness, Chapter 49. I'm not really taking suggestions or requests. Thank you.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - I liked that myself, imagining her stomping about and making rawr noises.
guest - Glad you enjoyed.
odonnellzoo99 - Mini golf is one of my favorite things too. Yup, things Hedwig enjoys: proving her superiority, dancing, taunting, and bacon.
poka - I'm sure someone would have eventually figured it out but Dahlia doing it like that was the best way to show it in my mind. She absolutely wouldn't, remember how she made him work for it in the training part of the World Cup? Granted, it technically hasn't happened yet according to this chapter, but she takes her duties quite seriously. I never imagined I would ever include like this honestly but I love writing for her now. It will definitely impact all my writing forever as long as I do fanfic. Gremlin Hedwig is the best.
TheSphynx - As long as I get ideas, I will continue to write in this setting.
alix33 - Writing out Gee Elle Bee amused me to no end and I'm glad people enjoyed it.
jwamams3 - Glad you enjoy, thank you.
EbonPurlight - That's the theme of the fic.
FanfictionFanGirl59 - Hi there, it's so good to see you. I hope you've been well and hope all is doing well with you. Hope to see you more.
AshokaTheGreat - I never got into that show, no real access, and really want to. I've seen clips and think it would be fun to watch.
