Four days later, Daphne Greengrass flung herself down on the bed before bedtime and hummed to herself stretching.
Tracey looked over from her small desk "Daph? What gives?"
"Harry" said Daphne smiling. "He's so nice."
"So nice?" asked Tracey "Mr, I'll give him a second date?"
"My boyfriend, hands off" said Daphne.
"You... two dates, and now he's yours?" asked Tracey.
"You know it's not that simple" said Daphne pointedly.
Pansy came in to the dorm and caught sight of Daphne lying on her bed, smiling and humming gently.
"Is Greengrass sick?" asked Pansy, walking closer, tossing her books on her bed.
Daphne started to sing softly, in Latin.
"Davis, what's going on?"
"She's happy" said Tracey "got a boyfriend, had a kiss or two."
"Mmmm" said Daphne "He's a good kisser."
"Right, I'm taking her to Snape" said Pansy "She's not like this. Must be potioned."
Ten minutes later, a decreasingly dewey-eyed Daphne Greengrass sat in a chair in Professor Snapes dungeon office, accompanied by Tracey and Pansy.
"I came in, and she was smiley and singing and… like this" said Pansy.
"I told you, she' got a boyfriend" said Tracey.
"Who's potioned her" said Pansy.
Professor Snape cast a spell on Daphne, and she glowed faintly pink. Ten spells later he stopped "Miss Greengrass, despite her … uncharacteristic behaviour is neither potioned, or drunk."
"Mmmh" said Daphne, looking decidedly irritated and horse-faced.
"She appears" said Snape, bitterly "To have been happy. As children you are likely to be happy. Doubtless her hormonal activities have made her happy."
Snape bent to look at Daphne "Miss Greengrass, are you taking precautions?" he asked.
Tracey want pale, and Pansy stared at her head of house, pupils shrinking.
"Precautions?" asked Daphne. "For what?"
"For… fornication" said Snape awkwardly.
"I'm just kissing!" said Daphne blinking, and fixing Professor Snape in a stern gaze "Harry would never."
"Harry" said Professor Snape sourly "You mean to say, your … boyfriend is Harry Potter, the Gryffindor?"
"There aren't any other Harries, certainly not for me" said Daphne., and she folded her hands on her lap primly.
"Memory charms" muttered Professor Snape, and he drew his wand, and conjured a Patronus of a deer, who with a whisper from Snape into her flicking silvery ear, shot off through the ceiling.
"Harry's is bigger and horny" said Tracey Davis, and snorted.
"He gets so upset" giggled Daphne "He goes red in the face and runs off."
Snape's right eyelid twitched.
Some short time later, the fireplace flared green and Professor McGonagall came out, towing a resentful looking Harry Potter by one ear.
"Severus" she said. Harry glared at Professor Snape angrily.
Professor Snape frowned at Harry, Harry felt a weird tickling behind his eyes, and moments later Snape said "He's … relatively innocent. My apologies Minerva."
"You all right Daphne?" asked Harry.
"I'm fine" said Daphne "Pansy thinks a girl can't be happy. Are you all right?"
"Apart from a sore ear, yeah" said Harry Potter.
"Right" said Professor McGonagall "Potter will need instructions. Severus." she said and left by the fireplace.
"Parkinson, Davis, Get out" said Professor Snape.
Pansy and Tracey fled, the door banging shut behind them.
"Miss Greengrass, go see Madam Pomfrey for some potion immediately you leave my office." ordered Snape.
"Potion for what?" asked Daphne and Professor Snape hissed with annoyance "A pregnancy potion, you dimwitted girl!"
"I can't be pregnant" said Daphne firmly "I'm still a maiden."
"What?" said Professor Snape.
"What she said … Professor" said Harry "We just kiss. Well… snogging maybe."
"Oh god" groaned Professor Snape. "Potter, go to Poppey and get some potion. Much as I'd rather you kept your hands off my students, evidently you and Miss Greengrass – "
"Heiress Greengrass" said Daphne, sounding a lot less cheerful than she had earlier.
"Heiress Greengrass, have hit it off. I'd rather we didn't have Little Greengrass-Potters running around the castle." said Professor Snape sourly.
Harry smiled slightly and winked to Daphne who smiled slightly in return.
"Potter, kindly refrain from that" hissed Professor Snape. "And try not to be a public embarrassment. No fornication where the lower years can find you both."
"I wouldn't know how sir" said Harry honestly "I have no idea about any of that stuff." Professor Snape glared at Harry "You went to Muggle school. Your family, classes?"
"Left muggle school when I was ten, They don't teach ten-year-olds that, and my relatives never spoke to me about anything except work." said Harry bitterly.
"Oh Harry" said Daphne "There's books."
"Greengrass" snapped Professor Snape "Don't encourage him!"
"Sir, there's no chance of either of the Blacks being here next year" said Harry. "I know their um, mother and there's no way they're here next year."
"Thank merlin" muttered Professor Snape.
"Potter, Greengrass, go to the infirmary" said Professor Snape, turning to his desk and scribbling out a note "And give Poppy this" he said, giving Daphne the note.
"Now got out." he spat.
Harry and Daphne, holding hands walked along a dungeon corridor.
"Daphne" asked Harry "Maybe we should call the first two Cassiopeia and Altair… just to wind up Snape, if he's still alive?"
"Harry" said Daphne evenly "After this embarrassing night, you won't get any children."
"One for the Greengrass family?" said Harry seriously.
"You" said Daphne tightly "Have a surprisingly retentive memory."
"I really do have no idea" admitted Harry.
Madam Pomfrey forced a glass of blue potion down Harry's throat ,and a pink potion down Daphne's. "Get your own from an apothecary" said Madam Pomfrey, handing over two small bottles "You're both well off."
-==0==-
"Hermione" asked Harry in the library "I need a favour."
Hermione looked at Harry "What kind of favour?"
"A book about… human… reproduction" said Harry. "I have no idea, neither does Daphne and… Professor Snape had Professor McGonagall dragged me out of dorms last night. Thought I'd memory charmed Daphne or something.
"Why?" asked Hermione.
"Because she was happy. We'd been kissing" said Harry quietly.
"I don't see why you need a book, Harry" said Hermione, straightening the pile of parchment before her.
"Because I have no idea at all. And a girlfriend" said Harry bluntly.
Hermione's mouth made a cats-bum. Harry snorted a little.
"Harry, don't let her rush you into anything" said Hermione.
"Hermione, it's really hard to walk away after an hour of kissing" said Harry.
"I wouldn't know" said Hermione bitterly.
The tome that arrived by owl post five days later nearly flattened Hermione's breakfast.
Hermione peeked in the wrapping, and gave an eep, and shoved it sight unseen into her book-bag.
Harry asked about it on the way to class.
"It's a book" said Hermione "Which I might need to read."
Harry asked Hermione about it a few days later.
"I gave it to Daphne to read" said Hermione. "We do Arithmancy."
A week later, a Determined looking Daphne Greengrass handed Harry a brown paper wrapped book "Potter" she said "You'd better pay attention to the bookmarked sections. Or some other sections will never cross your awareness." She said.
Harry, of course had to squeeze the huge book in between homework, quidditch practice and classes. Two weeks later, Harry handed Hermione the package and said "Blimey", turned on his heel and went out into the hallway.
Harry found Daphne Greengrass minutes later, by using the Marauders map and headed to the Library, where she was sitting with Tracey, working on assignments.
Harry nodded to Daphne, and she packed up and left with Harry.
"I finished the book." said Harry.
"Well, that knowledge will keep" said Daphne, leading him into a classroom where she sat on a desk top, feet swinging back and forth "We need to work out what the future holds."
"His kids were our age, and he looked about forty" said Harry.
"Thirty five" said Daphne.
"I'll age better than that" said Harry, and Daphne snorted.
"What are You doing after school, Harry?" asked Daphne.
"So, I was thinking of being an Auror" said Harry.
"He wasn't in uniform" said Daphne.
"Uh, what does that look like?" asked Harry.
"Red robes, a badge" said Daphne. "Bloody muggles" she muttered.
"I wonder what you're doing?" asked Harry "In the future?"
"With seven children?" asked Daphne rhetorically "I'm busy."
Harry shook his head "He had the same kind of boots Malfoy wears on. They're rich."
"You noticed he had dragonhide boots?" asked Daphne.
"I notice shoes" said Harry "You can tell if someone's going to attack by where their feet are."
Daphne frowned and took a parchment out of her book-bag.
"Fortunately, we have a lot of information" said Daphne. "We made notes in dorms. Cassiopeia Black was wearing a shoe made in Diagon Alley, by Flisteads. Her brothers shoes are scuffed, but of similar quality. Just from that we can tell their parents are quite wealthy. Their robes, on the other hand were standard but with Acromantula silk cuffs."
"Who spotted all that?" asked Harry.
"You might not like Pansy but like her mother, she knows clothes." said Daphne "A witches clothes tell us a lot about her. Cassiopia Black's parents, for all that she has a huge number of brothers and sisters are quite wealthy. Less wealthy than the Malfoys, or everything would be Acromantula silk."
"Maybe they're not being dressed in the most expensive clothes their parents can afford" said Harry.
"Their footwear is key there. It's not expensive enough for Malfoy-like levels of wealth, as Dragon hide wears better than anything else." said Daphne.
"Hmm" said Harry. "The… older me, his clothes were different."
Daphne looked at her notes "He had trouser on under his robes, and cotton shirt cuffs. He had a fairly expensive silk robe pulled on over quite muggle clothes… and dragonhide boots."
"Well, I don't like robes much" said Harry.
"Well, his wife certainly made sure he could quickly present well." said Daphne. "And it must be all my work, you have no fashion sense at all."
Harry closed his eyes and counted to ten.
"We think" said Daphne "That Sirius Black had died in the interim."
Harry nodded "Seems like it" he admitted "Old me told me about not falling for visions of peril. I think, it was Uncle Tom playing tricks."
"How much is the Black family income?" asked Daphne.
"Sirius mentioned that it's about three hundred a year" said Harry cheerfully "Is that a lot?"
Daphne pursed her lips "It's little more than a job at the ministry might pay. The family finances have been neglected."
Harry pulled a face "Sirius did seem very casual about it." he admitted.
"You'll have to get Sirius to take that more … seriously" said Daphne "Or you'll have no money in the future. You can't spend your capital."
Harry frowned "What?" and Daphne had to explain about capital versus profits.
"So… I shouldn't spend my vault, I should invest it and spend profits." asked Harry.
Daphne nodded "Now, you need to get Sirius to work."
Harry sighed "This is difficult" he groaned "Sirius is not exactly easy to persuade."
"Get him to come to Hogsmeade. My father can help get him on the right track." said Daphne.
That next Hogsmeade weekend, Harry had asked Sirius by letter to come to Hogsmeade and meet Mr Greengrass.
Sirius was sitting in fancy robes in the Three Broomsticks, and Harry got there, with Greengrass.
"Oh geeze" said Sirius "One of the Greengrass girls. I should have known."
"What?" asked Harry.
"So you and Miss Greengrass here?" asked Sirius.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Look, it's not that." he said.
Daphne Greengrass shook her head "It's just business" she said, and Sirius's eyes bulged.
"Oh for Merlin's sake" said Daphne "Daddy's in a private room, to give some advice about your finances."
"My finances?" asked Sirius "Harry, have you been blabbering to the first pretty girl that snogs you in a broom closet?"
"I assure you" said Daphne primly "No broom closets are implicated."
With that, Harry got Sirius to get up, by pulling on his sleeve, and they went into a doorway labelled "Private Function."
A tall, dark haired man with a goatee sat at a table with a satchel. He looked, Harry thought, rather devilish.
"Daddy, this is Sirius Black, and Harry Potter" said Daphne "Harry's a friend. Nothing serious."
Sirius looked at Harry "Nothing serious?" he asked.
"Look, just sit down and talk to Mr Greengrass" asked Harry.
"Cyrus" said Mr Greengrass.
"Hello Cyrus, how is Roxanne?" asked Sirius.
"Quite well, thank you" said Cyrus "Apparently your heir and my heiress have talked about finance."
"Finance?" asked Sirius, and a Cyrus asked some questions.
Sirius shrugged "Never paid much attention to it really" he said "Father spent all day in the office, or off on business."
"Great Grum's gall" said Cyrus "You were heir and paid no attention. You fool."
"I got four O's at NEWT's Cyrus. I'm no fool." retorted Sirius.
"Four O's" exclaimed Harry "You don't seem that clever."
Sirius shook his head "I learnt to be an Animagus by your age, Harry."
"You're an Animagus?" asked Cyrus. Sirius turned fluidly into a large black dog and back again.
"Your family must have been quite proud" said Cyrus.
"They never knew, and disliked me immensely for not being a blood bigot" said Sirius.
"Well, how does the Black family make money?" asked Cyrus.
"I've no idea" said Sirius honestly.
"Daphne" said Cyrus sharply "You asked me to help, not clean the Augean stables."
"I'm sorry" said Harry "Daphne asked some sensible questions about our finances, and I had no idea, and Sirius… doesn't either."
"Daphne, you and Harry Potter?" asked Cyrus.
"We're… friends" said Daphne.
Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Friends?" he asked.
"We're dating" admitted Harry.
"Not that it's serious" said Daphne "We're not getting married."
Harry shot Daphne a look. She glared back.
"Well that looks great" said Cyrus blandly. "He's financially incompetent, and Potter's a dangerous mental case."
"He's not a mental case" said Daphne "That's just the Prophet trumping up circulation."
"Young mister Voldemort's back?" asked Cyrus.
"He's dead" said Harry "I killed him. We can all move on" he added.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "You are so like your dad" said Sirius sadly.
"With my mothers eyes" said Harry drily.
"And Daphne, a half-blood?" asked Cyrus bluntly.
"He's not. She wasn't" said Daphne "And daddy, you might not want to know."
"I'll be the judge of that, Daphne." said Cyrus "Mister Potter?"
"Oh yes, I'm the head of the … rather diminished house of Slytherin. Uncle Tom was head of house, but … he died and killed mum, who was heiress apparent."
"Your parents were killed by he-who-shall-not-be-named" corrected Cyrus.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle" said Harry "His mother was a witch, I think. Riddles aren't. Dumbledore knows more, but tells me … not much."
"What?" asked Cyrus.
"May I have some parchment" asked Harry. Cyrus frowned but slid some parchment and a self-inking quill. Harry wrote two names out and drew some lines.
"As you can see, I am Lord Voldemort, it's an anagram" said Harry. "He made it up at Hogwarts before he was sixteen."
"But… he was a champion of the war against muggles" said Cyrus.
"Lousy childhood" suggested Harry sarcastically.
"How do you know this?" asked Cyrus.
"Well, he uh… put his memories into a book in second year. Possessed a first year, used that to control the basilisk that was petrifying people."
"Basilisks don't petrify" said Cyrus "They kill."
"A basilisk?" asked Daphne "That's what it was?"
"I killed it, idiot that I was." mumbled Harry.
"Harry, is this another ridiculously dangerous adventure?" asked Sirius.
"I've sworn off them" said Harry. "But being a parselmouth, I could open the secret entrance to the chamber of secrets and skewer Grand-to-the however-much'th father Salazars' pet snake. I'd rather not talk about it, in hindsight it was all rather stupid. And all Uncle Tom's fault."
"Uncle Tom?" asked Cyrus.
"My distant uncle. Gaunt's married into the Peverell's, and so did Potter" said Harry, waving a hand dismissively in the air.
"Peverell?" asked Cyrus.
"Oh yeah, I remember James's dad mentioned that once. 'We're descended from quite notable families'" quoted Sirius "I didn't believe him at the time. Since then, facts have emerged."
"He's a Peverell?" asked Cyrus.
"And a Slytherin" admitted Sirius "On his mum's side. I've heard him hissing. I've got that locket for you too, Harry."
Harry blinked "You bought it?" he asked.
"You said, after Uncle Tom snuffed it" said Sirius, and rummaged in a robe pocket and handed Harry a golden locket, which Harry put on.
"Excuse me." said Cyrus "That's Slytherin's locket?" he asked.
Harry nodded, and held it up, and stared at it carefully "$open$" he hissed and it clicked open.
Harry opened it up, and showed Cyrus "I need something to put in it."
"My daughters picture" suggested Cyrus smoothly, and Daphne inhaled sharply.
"Father" she said sharply.
"You were the one that pointed out he wasn't a half-blood." said Cyrus. Daphne narrowed her eyes and glared at Harry. Harry shrugged.
"Black, bring your ledgers and title deeds around this afternoon" said Cyrus "While our children get better acquainted."
…
The room lost two adults.
"Harry" hissed Daphne Greengrass "Daddy's getting very old-fashioned ideas."
"He's a bloody Voldemort sympathiser" said Harry.
"No he isn't" said Daphne "He's just a pure-blood bigot that's all."
"Oh that's just great" said Harry "My best friend's a muggleborn, and your dad's a bigot."
"Harry" said Daphne slowly "If your mother was a muggleborn, and wasn't really, is Granger really a muggleborn?"
"Her parents aren't magical" said Harry "They're dentists. Muggle Tooth healers."
"If your mothers parents weren't magical, and she was Heiress Slytherin, one at least must have been a squib." said Daphne. "Like Filch."
"How's that different from a muggle anyway?" asked Harry.
"Born from magical parents, they can see some magical things." explained Daphne. "You should do some tests on them."
"I've only met them Kings cross" said Harry.
"I don't suppose they could get to Hogsmeade" said Daphne thoughtfully "Where do they live?"
"Um, near London" said Harry. "Hermione never said."
"Have you moved to Sirius's house yet?" asked Daphne.
Harry shook his head "Still in Surrey with my relatives. They're muggles. Really. Loathe magic."
"You" said Daphne crossing her arms "Are ridiculous."
"But I am a good kisser and your father approves" said Harry.
"He's probably telling mummy right now. I dread to think what she'll write" said Daphne.
"Oh no, they wouldn't force you to … you know?" asked Harry.
"Nobody does that" said Daphne stiffly "I'm a witch. We all know dozens of poisons just from potions ingredients."
Harry swallowed, and smiled weakly "I was worried about you" he said.