Chapter 32

Here In Wizengamot during the end of the September body of wizengamot.

"Any other announcements to be made, my lords?" asked Dumbledore at last.

Theodore Nott Sr put up his staff.

"The House of Nott would like to put forward the proposal for a marriage contract between Daphne Greengrass, the firstborn daughter of the House of Greengrass and my son and heir Theodre Nott Jr."

A hush descended over the hall. Cyrus Greengrass clenched his fists.

"I am afraid that the House of Greengrass must reject this kind offer, Lord Nott." He said politely. Muttering broke out across the hall. The Greengrass family was not as powerful as the House of Nott, everyone knew that. Cyrus refusing the contract was as good as signing his death sentence. Amos Diggory looked at Cyrus sympathetically Parkinson and Crabbe looked at Cyrus as though he was crazy.

"I see." Said Theodre sr his eyes hard. If looks could kill, Cyrus would have been dead on the floor by now. "Thank you for your reply, Lord Greengrass. I hope that you have made this decision after careful thought."

Cyrus smiled. "Of course, Theodore. However, I do have an announcement of my own to make. The House of Greengrass is pleased to announce an alliance with the Houses Potter, Peverell Gryffindor, on account of the ancient betrothal contract between my eldest daughter, Daphne Greengrass and Hadrian James Potter-Slytherin-Peverell-Gryffindor, Heir of the Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Potter, Peverell, Slytherin and Gryffindor."

"Impossible!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "It cannot be permitted!" Mentally he weighed the pros and cons of of greengrass family lordship going to that brat he could not be controlled but It should go to Thomas who could easily be manipulated and controlled

"Chief Warlock, you forget yourself." Interjected Griselda Marchbanks sternly. "You cannot object to any alliance that may be brought about between houses or betrothal contracts for that matter."

"Thank you, Madam Marchbanks." Smiled James. "The Houses of Potter, Peverell and Gryffindor accept the alliance." Magic flashed as the alliance was ratified.(After reconciliation James was made Lord Potter, Charlus remaining the head of Potter Clan)

"The House of Greengrass is also pleased to announce an alliance with the House of Black" Cyrus announced

"The House of Black also accepts the alliance with the House of Greengrass." Chimed in Sirius. Magic flashed once again.

"Any more announcements?" asked Dumbledore weakly. His plans were turning to dust before his eyes.

"The meeting is adjourned!" announced Dumbledore, at last. Everyone started leaving the hall. Cyrus embraced James and Sirius before leaving.

Harry lined up on the Quidditch field with his brand new team, leading them out to where Madam Hooch was refereeing. They had 3 new players- Tracey and a 6th year girl called Emily Wayne were the new chasers and the keeper was a 5th year player called Jeff Malone. The weather was horrendous- the rain was lashing down and it was stormy; Harry could have made the Hufflepuffs play instead but he didn't want to look afraid in front of the school.

The Gryffindors were approaching from the opposite side of the field, wearing red and gold robes. Harry walked up to Wood and shook the older captain's hand. "Sweaty palms," he smiled. "Looks like someone's nervous," he teased. Wood flushed a bit but he didn't respond.

"Mount Your brooms!" called Hooch. Harry pulled his right foot out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over his Nimbus 2001.

Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a hard blast — they were off. Harry rose fast, but his Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wind. He held it as steady as he could and turned, squinting into the rain. Within five minutes Harry was soaked to his skin and frozen. He flew backward and forward across the field past blurred red and yellow shapes, with no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game. He couldn't hear the commentary over the wind. The crowd was hidden beneath a sea of cloaks and battered umbrellas.

Twice Harry came very close to being unseated by a Bludger and twice he nearly hit another player. It was getting harder and harder to hold his broom straight. The sky was getting darker, as though night had decided to come early.

"I want a time-out," he told Hooch, flying over to her and her simply.

With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle and the whole team splashed down into the mud. "I called for time-out!" he said to his team. "Come on, under here —"

They huddled at the edge of the field under a large umbrella; Harry took off his glasses and wiped them hurriedly on his robes. "What's the score?"

"We're fifty points up," said Emily, the chaser. "But unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."

"I can't see it anywhere in the dark," Harry admitted. "But I have an idea," he said and the team huddled in. "Okay, team, let's go for it!" he said excitedly, breaking apart the huddle.

"And the play resumes!" called out Lee Jordan the commentator. "Wayne has the quaffle, passes it to Davis who throws it to Malfoy but is intercepted by Johnson. She throws it towards Bell, but what's this!? Potter swooped in and took the quaffle for himself!" Harry had dived in and grabbed the quaffle out of the air, pulling his broom up and guiding it towards the Gryffindor goalposts. "I don't believe it! He's playing an interfering seeker, and just watch him go! He's ducking and weaving like a madman, and he passes it to Black who chucks it to Davis. She takes aim and throws it to Wood's left, and he dives right and Slytherin scores!"

The game continued like this for a while, Harry playing chaser since he couldn't see the snitch and Slytherin extended their lead to 130 points. There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightning. This was getting more and more dangerous. Harry needed to get the Snitch quickly otherwise he'd be playing chaser through the whole night — he turned, intending to head back toward the middle of the field, but at that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the stands, throwing a tiny speck of gold into the light.

He broke away from the Slytherin chasers and rushed off on his broom into a seemingly meaningless direction.

"And what's this?" Lee called out. "Yes, Potter's seen the snitch and Bale's not too far behind."

Harry looked behind him and Bale was right on his tail, Harry threw himself flat to the broom handle and zoomed toward the Snitch.

"Come on!" he growled at his Nimbus as the rain whipped his face. "Faster!" He reached for the snitch with an outstretched hand and just as he caught it, lightning flashed throwing him off his broom. Harry tumbled down towards the ground, the snitch still in his hand.

"Potter's fallen from his broom!" shouted Lee. "He's got the snitch but at what cost?" Gameplay had stopped by now and everyone was looking at Harry as he plummeted down. Why weren't the teachers doing anything?

Harry managed to pull out his wand and pointed it at his broom that was falling slower than him. He thought accio in his head and his Nimbus 2001 suddenly turned in midair and rushed towards him. Harry grabbed it when it came to him, and forced himself over the broom, pulling upwards right before he hit the ground. He'd done it- he'd survived and Slytherin had won by 250 points.

It was the week leading up to Valentine's Day and romance was in the air. Quite literally in fact. Somehow Fred and George had managed to make an odorless gas that whenever inhaled would make the inhalers very romantic all of a sudden. Luckily, the teacher had managed to clear all of it away but there had been some rather unfortunate incidents involving one with Hagrid and Flitwick. Some traces of said gas still lingered in abandoned parts of the castle where unsuspecting ghosts would sniff upon and feel bouts of love overtake them.

Harry walked in the hallway as he was thinking of a plan to ask Daphne out . A 4th year girl from Slytherin walked up to him all of a sudden and Harry noticed she was blushing lightly and wearing a touch too much makeup. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"Um," she stammered her confidence melting away when she came face to face with Harry. "Can I talk to you privately?" she asked.

"Oh no," thought Harry inside his head. "Sure," was what came out of his mouth. "Excuse us for a moment," he said to his friends who were snorting and giggling, apart from Daphne who was looking at the girl like she had murdered her favourite pet. "So..." prompted Harry.

"I was wondering if-if-if-" She was having trouble with the last part of that sentence like it was stuck in her throat.

"Yes?" asked Harry, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was.

"I was wondering if you would like to go to Hogsmeade with me?" she said quickly her jaw clamping shut as soon as she'd said the words. Even after the news of Marriage contract being headed by the daily prophet for about a week this girl had the nerve to ask him out. He couldn't blame her; it was a common practice in pureblood circles to date many girls before marriage even if they were betrothed.

"So let me get this straight," said Harry slowly while his mind worked furiously trying to think of a way to break this to her gently. "You're asking me, Hadrian Potter, to go to Hogsmeade with you, on Valentine's Day?" he asked, trying to make her realize that she was asking out a guy she had never talked to. Unfortunately for him, she nodded. "I'm flattered, honestly, I'm flattered, but the thing is, I'm already going with someone else," he lied.

"Oh," she said quietly. "I didn't know," she squealed out and walked away embarrassed. Harry's friends struggled to hold their laughter and Daphne's sudden frown turned into a smile.

"Having girl trouble?" asked Rigel, Draco smiling evilly.

"How much did you both hear?" groaned Harry.

"Enough, to confirm you aren't cheating on my sister" Draco shrugged.

"So how did you get her to go away?" Rigel asked curiously

"I told her that I'm going with someone already," said Harry. Daphne, who had lagged behind and was chatting with Tracey, heard the last few words of this phrase and her good mood vanished once more.

"And are you?" asked Draco.

"No I am planning to ask Daphne out" said Harry but Daphne was out of earshot. "What about you? Has the charming Draco Malfoy got a date yet? And I know Rigel asked Tracey out which he decided to surprise us now you can punish him later now answer my question Draco'' at which Rigel was stuttering

"No," sighed Draco. "Most of the girls are airheads and I don't like anyone that isn't one."

"But has a girl actually asked you out yet?"

"Yes- several. Mostly from Slytherin since I'm a Malfoy." He said that last part sadly but Harry didn't pick up on it. "And a couple from Ravenclaw, though I declined. Because I'd rather date someone I actually know instead of a random girl that puts on a bit of lipstick."

"Well what about someone you know then?" asked Harry.

"Daphne and Tracey are out of the list but there's Susan, Hannah, Terry and there's even Granger if you're feeling desperate." Rigel said grinning

"I have standards Black," retorted Draco. "And even someone who's life depended on it wouldn't go out with Granger."

"Fair enough," agreed Rigel ,Harry was laughing loudly imagining Draco and Granger as a couple.

Daphne walked into her room, threw her bag on her chair and leaped onto her bed, burying her face under her pillow. So many girls had asked out Harry that afternoon that she had lost count of the number, though she knew it was because he was nice, friendly, good at magic, smelt like- what was she doing!

"Can I come in?" asked Tracey knocking on Daphne's door. "Or do you just want to mope around for a while?"

Daphne raised her head slightly and turned it towards the doorway to see Tracey leaning against the frame with a smirk plastered on her face. "Fine," he grumbled.

Tracey walked into her room and lay down on Daphne's bed beside her. "How come you're collapsed on your bed?" she asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." Daphne shoved her head back under the pillow and turned away from Tracey.

"Sounds like boy trouble Daph," Tracey teased, trying to take the pillow away from Daphne. "Maybe you're jealous Harry hasn't asked you out yet?"

Daphne slowly removed her head from her pillow and glared at Tracey. "How obvious was I? That idiot told me we can keep the contract aside and we can be like a normal couple but no he hasn't asked me out just turned out to be like other Pureblood men that's it" she said sadly.

"Very obvious. You practically lit up when Harry rejected that first girl and you became even more sour whenever another girl tried to ask him out. And then you became happy again when he rejected them and Harry the saint who practically loves you will be like the other Pureblood gits."

"It doesn't matter anyway," she whined. "He's already going with someone else. He is already cheating on me"

"Since when?" asked Tracey. "He never said that."

"Didn't you hear? He told Draco and Rigel that he'd be going with someone else to Hogsmeade." Tracey suddenly started laughing leaving Daphne feeling very confused, and that confusion turned to annoyance. "Stop laughing! It's not funny!"

"I'm sorry," snorted Tracey. "But it's hilarious! You misheard Harry!" she laughed.

"Wait what?"

"You misheard him," explained Tracey in between giggles. "He only said that to that girl to make her go away. He's not going with anyone, yet and he also told he is thinking of a plan to ask you out"

"Really?" asked Daphne sitting up happily and Tracey nodded as she leapt off the bed and hugged her best friend tightly.

Harry knocked on Daphne's door gently, feeling very self-conscious all of a sudden.

"Go away!" called out Daphne angrily and Harry's sports fell, but before he could leave Tracey opened the door and rushed outside.

"She doesn't mean that," Tracey said. "Now come here," she ordered, grabbing his arm.

"Hey, hey," protested Harry as she dragged him away from Daphne's room.

"So I'm guessing you're here to ask her out?" asked Tracey without any notice.

"Yes," said Harry, still a little confused. "Wait, how did you know that?"

"You're too obvious," she said placatingly. "Now go on!" she said, leading him back to the door of Daphne's room.

"Wait! Did she tell you if she likes me? You know she didn't tell me if she too liked me the day our families met in their manor" Harry told her sadly.

"She wouldn't tell me," lied Tracey. "You'll just have to find out for yourself!" She pushed him into the room and shut the door and left, leaving Harry alone with Daphne.

"Who was Traitor Trace?" asked Daphne tiredly.

"It was Harry," said Harry casually.

"Oh," said Daphne sadly. "What did he- wait, Harry!" she said surprisedly, having recognised his voice.

"Took you long enough," Harry said, coming over to where she was laying down on her bed.

"What are you doing here? How did you even get in?" she asked, getting off her bed and trying to push him out the door embarrassedly.

Harry dodged her arms and backed away from her amusedly. "Tracey let me in," he explained.

"That little-"

"Daph, chill. I wanted to talk to you anyway," he said, getting more nervous as each second passed.

"Yeah? About what?" asked Daphne. She was trying her hardest not to blush but she could feel her cheeks heating up.

"I was wondering if you'd like to-" Harry clammed up at these last few words, realizing that he was in way over his head. "Know what never matters. We can talk later." He proceeded to turn around and grasped the door handle hesitantly. "Screw it," he thought. He turned around as quickly as he could and knelt on one knee, and Daphne's jaw dropped. "Will you, Daphne Elizabeth Greengrass, go to Hogsmeade with me?" he asked quickly, his occlumency doing nothing to stop his cheeks from heating up.

"So you're asking me, Daphne," began Daphne mimicking the way he had rejected that 4th year Slytherin girl, "to go to Hogsmeade with you, on Valentine's Day?" Harry nodded quickly, feeling that he wasn't about to like what was coming next. "I..." She paused dramatically and Harry's green eyes widened with nervousness. "...will."

"Yes!" shouted Harry happily, getting off his knee and hugging his date. "Meet at 11 outside the Great Hall? Remember I told you to forget about the contract" he asked hopefully, letting her go.

"Sure," agreed Daphne happily. "But I want flowers, I remember it" she reminded him.

"Roses or something different?" asked Harry.

"Surprise me," retorted Daphne and led Harry out of her room. Once he had left, she shut the door and jumped into her bed face first, smiling all the way through her pillow.

"You're looking unusually happy," noted Rigel when Harry came back into the common room.

"You would too if you'd seen what just happened."

"So the plan was a success" Rigel asked practically jumping

"Yesss!" Harry screamed out in happiness