Acknowledgement—This is a work of fan fiction, written and published solely for the enjoyment of readers. Significant characters are found in the works of JK Rowling as are some locations. The author wishes to thank Ms. Rowling for graciously allowing fans to indulge their own creativity. No remuneration is sought or accepted.

After the war, Harry Potter testified at the trial of Bellatrix Black Lestrange, a powerful Dark witch who'd thrown her lot in with Tom Riddle, Jr., also known as Lord Voldemort. Bellatrix had done many bad things, some of which were witnessed by Potter. Still, he had some private thoughts. In a one-on-one talk in some woods, Potter and Bellatrix confessed they each felt a strong attraction to the other. They agreed things could be different, if only the world would leave them alone. Bellatrix went to prison. Then Potter decided she'd served sufficient time. This story follows the author's short stories One More Thing to Keep Inside, The Master Sailor, Paradise, Enhanced by Magic, Finding Contentment and London Consultations.

Two Daughters

A Harry Potter Fanfiction

By

Bfd1235813

Chapter One

Potter made the most of his quiet time, walking from room to hallway to room, thinking through the available courses of action. He carried a piece of note-parchment he'd snagged from the correspondence desk in the study. Little notes to himself got jotted down.

He settled in the front salon of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, London, looking over his work, finally reaching a conclusion. Potter stood, reaching for his jar of floo powder. He put his face into the flames, surprised, no matter how many times he did it, that the flames were actually cool.

"Tonks Farm," he said. "Harry Potter for Madame Tonks."

Andromeda's face formed in the coals on the hearth.

"Harry Potter? That's a surprise. Where are you?"

"Hi, Andromeda. I'm in London. Grimmauld Place. I wanted to invite you and Teddy over. We could go out and do something or fix dinner here, or…"

"When?" asked Mrs. Tonks.

"Uh…I was thinking anytime, this afternoon, or evening," said Potter.

Andromeda Tonks, not having an extensive social life, was most agreeable to bringing Teddy Lupin, her grandson, over to Potter's place. She said she'd be there within the hour.

"Oh. That's great!" said Potter. "See you when you get here."

He summoned his house elf, Kreacher.

"Nothing too onerous, Kreacher," said Potter. "Madame Andromeda and Master Teddy are expected. A quick tour, please, just check for anything that needs setting right. Then get the tea things ready, for when they arrive."

Kreacher nodded and backed out of the room. Potter believed the elf, loyal to the House of Black in general, and to the late and profoundly disturbed Walburga Black in particular, overdid the servile responses as a kind of independence gesture.

The noise of Andromeda and Teddy's arrival moved up Potter's schedule. He greeted the newcomers, excused himself and went up the staircase to the nursery. His nose told him it was time for a change before he looked.

"Be right back," he shouted downstairs.

"Okay, okay, now we're all dry and happy and we'll go see some nice people!" said Potter as he started downstairs.

Anemone, his daughter, was generally in favor of whatever her da-da suggested, so he carried a smiling toddler into the front salon where Andromeda and Teddy were waiting. Andromeda took one look at Anemone, gasped and flopped against the back of her chair.

"Want to hold her?" asked Potter. He extended his arms, offering the little girl to Andromeda.

"How…"

Andromeda didn't get any further. She did accept the girl.

Potter turned his back and began unbuttoning his shirt. He let the upper part fall, baring his shoulders.

"Don't say anything," he said, shaking his head. "We can't know when this can be publicly acknowledged. Probably never. Inside here, of course. We'll be honest with the Blacks."

"Harry Potter," said Andromeda. "That tattoo?"

"A copy of hers," he said. "As a matter of fact, she had me take out my wand, I did the recordare spell over hers and she transferred it to me. The tattoo guy was a wizard, so no problem there."

"Didn't know what it signified, did he? What's with the snake? Mine doesn't have a snake," said Andromeda.

"Short version," said Potter. "We were on a boat. We'd tied up to a tree on a riverbank. She was lying on deck, getting a little sun, when a snake dropped off a branch up above. Landed right next to her. This raven came out of nowhere, stood on the snake and killed it with one peck to its head. Then it looked right at me before flying off with its snake. It all but ordered me to quit putting it off and get my own raven tattoo."

"Tattoo!" said Teddy. "Can I get one?"

"Someday," Potter assured his godson, muttering, "Five years old…"

"Anyway, when she turned around, her raven was now standing on a snake, just like mine," said Potter.

"So Harry, what CAN you tell me?" asked Andromeda.

"We, uh, felt an attraction. To the other. Reciprocal, you know? Then, she died."

"She died?" asked Andromeda.

"Officially! She is officially dead."

"Oh, Harry, I hope you know what you're doing!" said Andromeda, a little stress coming through.

"Me too," he said. "Neither one of us saw this happening."

"MERLIN'S SAGGY SACK HARRY POTTER!" Andromeda shouted. "I'm sure neither one of you saw this highly-predictable result to your…"

She looked over at wide-eyed Teddy and stopped talking. Little Anemone's face changed from child-happily-lying-back-against-Auntie to unsure-about-all-this-bloody shouting. Then she screamed.

"Come here, Ane, Da-da's right here," Potter assured her as he took her back from Andromeda.

"It's okay, Teddy, just baby stuff. They do this all the time," Potter assured him. "Look, Bellatrix Lestrange died when she jumped off the roof of Azkaban. She was dead when she hit the rocks, or the waves or, possibly, the waves that covered the hidden, deadly rocks. They found her prison smock. With her not in it. Bellatrix Lestrange sleeps on the sea bottom in company with all the seafarers who died at sea and were interred with honor in accordance with the code of the ages."

"Anemone?" asked Andromeda.

"Mum and Dad passed through Trinidad. Mum called on a healer, turned out she was pregnant, they stayed and she gave birth to a lovely baby girl. She's totally legal, got her documentation and everything. Dad's name is on her birth certificate. Dad just can't be a single dad on the boat. Not safely. So Dad, who's Lord Black, sailed back, with his little girl. Back to the family home. In London. He has this half-formed plan…"

"Oh, Harry," Andromeda semi-moaned.

"Please, you have to hear it all," said Potter. "It's going to get a lot more complicated. Let's go back here."

He turned and crossed to the hallway, then led Andromeda and Teddy to the rear of the house. Potter brought his party to the second drawing room. He gestured, directing Andromeda's attention to the wall where hung the Black family's enchanted family tree tapestry.

"Look at the tree," said Potter. "See? Right here?"

He pointed at the little embroidered face of Bellatrix Black Lestrange, paired with her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange. Then he traced the links to the faces of Harry Potter and Tom Riddle, Jr, and the faces of Anemone Potter-Black and Delphini Riddle that dangled from the links.

"Teddy, can you go to the kitchen steps and call down for a pot of tea?" asked Andromeda.

Teddy Lupin got a big smile on his face and sped out the door.

"What's that Yank saying? Holy shit, Harry Potter! What is this…this…"

"Somewhat messy situation? Just that. Please hear me out, Andromeda," Potter said. "There is a plan. Not fully fleshed out, yet, but getting there."

Kreacher chose then to return with Teddy and a pot of tea. He snapped his fingers twice for cups and saucers. Once more brought a tall glass of apple juice for Teddy.

"What do you want to do?" asked Andromeda.

"That's to be determined," said Potter. "Did you ever hear about her? Where she is, how is she living?"

"No. Considering her origins…what did Bella say?"

"Riddle is the father. Rodolphus and Bella set up some foster thing with a witch named Euphemia Rowle. Sounded kind of ill-organized. Well, it was strange times, wasn't it?" asked Potter.

"Merlin," said Andromeda. "Just…Merlin."

"I know! She waited and told me about Delphini when she could feel her time was getting short. Suppose I'll puzzle over that for as long as I live. What if something had happened to her before she told me? Why did it take so long to make a plan for her girl? Well, at any rate, I gave her my word that I'd check on her little witch. Best case, Ms. Rowle is not enthusiastic about raising her and doesn't make a fuss about letting her come live with her closest relatives."

Andromeda Tonks sat in her chair, looking into some undefined point between herself and the wall, a point capable of temporarily sucking vision and consciousness right out of a person.

"Well, I must say, this one is a beauty, Harry," said Andromeda, gesturing at Ane. "She looks a lot like the pictures of young Bella. You probably don't want to introduce her around town as your daughter with Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Bella was a brilliant witch, as you know. She concocted a cover story," said Potter. "My late partner was Bella Black, of the Jamaica Blacks. The necessary information is on Ane's birth certificate."

"Courtesy of the Barbadian Ministry?"

"Trinidadian," said Potter. "We stayed around for some months. Ane took her first baby steps on a Trinidadian beach. Me on one side and mum on the other. So family-style. I hated to leave. Bella started to get a feeling, like someone might have recognized us, so we went back to the boat."

"And sailed away," said Andromeda.

"Exactly, it was perfect," said Potter. "We might have gone on for many more years, only…"

His eyes started to burn, so Potter turned his head away from Andromeda.

"She simply wore out," he gasped. "Didn't want to go ashore and consult a healer, because recognition meant exposing Ane to law enforcement or social services and whatever magical or muggle authorities might want to insert their noses into Black family business. She told me she was happy. She felt like she had finally done something positive with her life. Bella was very repentant about her earlier activities. I believe her. She was so different it was like she transformed from whatever that former self was. Now she's at rest."

When he finished his oration Potter saw that Andromeda had begun to cry. Despite the heart-breaking conflict among the Blacks of her generation, Potter understood Andromeda still felt love for her sister, the one she knew from before Voldemort captured her thoughts and began controlling her life. Potter understood those conflicted feelings all too well.

"The way I look at it, I have to raise this one," said Potter. "What is one more? Delphini is as much Bella as Ane."

Andromeda couldn't help herself, pointing out, "There's that other half. Do you have a plan for that?"

"Bella never said how that was accomplished," Potter answered. "It seems unlikely the reconstituted Voldemort had the necessary anatomical features. I mean, the way he looked after Peter Pettigrew performed the ritual and he had an actual body. I've gone over it again and again. The ritual Pettigrew used in the graveyard required a bone from Tom Senior, Pettigrew's own hand and blood from me. Those all went into the cauldron along with the pathetic worm Riddle was at the time. Out came that snake-faced thing he was, until the end. One, two, three or all four of us could contribute, couldn't we? To avoid getting myself sick I've been considering turkey basters."

Andromeda burst out laughing.

"What do you know about the various uses of turkey basters?" she demanded.

"Came across an article someplace," said Potter. "When you're out on the ocean for weeks at a time, you read anything that's turned up on the boat. We never discussed the exact means—of—you know. She was entitled to her privacy."

"Considering the shenanigans those idiots got up to, you probably could, at least theoretically, be this Delphini's father," Andromeda suggested. "Why not?"

"Why not?" echoed Potter. "Lestrange won't be getting out of prison anytime soon. He's Bella's husband but she said he had nothing to do with Delphini's conception. It's so sad. Dynastic marriage or not, some of those couples really love one another. Never happened for Bella.

If Delphini can come live with us, we'll keep a low profile and let the bad feelings fade over the next few years. Then she starts school as my daughter. We might have to give her a background…"

"Oh, Harry, you want to be careful with that," cautioned Andromeda.

"Well, then, how about adoptive daughter?" asked Potter. "We've got one of those already."

He smiled at his godson, Teddy Lupin, who wasn't really following the conversation in detail.

Andromeda went back to pondering.

"Right," she said, "When do you want to see this Rowle woman?"

"As soon as possible," said Potter. "Every day could be important. I just want to give Bella's daughter a chance. I owe them that, Bella and Delphini. Merlin knows how she's being raised, how they're treating her…"

"Agreed," said Andromeda. "I can ask around, see if we can find this Euphemia Rowle, pay a call."

"Wow, that's very accommodating," Potter said.

"Have to do my part," said Andromeda, speaking not to Potter but the Blacks' enchanted tapestry.

Teddy and Andromeda left a short time later to return to Tonks Farm. Andromeda was true to her word and made a few floo calls to see if anyone had recent information on the witch Euphemia Rowle. After the third call she had a pretty good idea where the Rowle witch was situated.

"Harry?"

"This is Harry Potter."

"Andromeda, Harry. I made some calls and one of my witch friends said she thinks Euphemia Rowle is in Somerset," said Andromeda. "Sounded like some real middle-of-nowhere place."

"Probably good for society, then," said Potter. "Let's hope she's not too badly damaged. If Ane can stay with you and Teddy for a few hours I'll pop over there and see what I can find out."

"Of course, whenever you want to go," said Andromeda.

"I'll come right now, if you don't mind," said Harry.

"Right now it is, then," said Andromeda. "We'll be here."

Potter left for the Tonks place immediately after informing Kreacher. Teddy Lupin heard the 'POP' of an arrival by apparation and came to the door. When he saw it was Potter and Ane he sprinted across the small yard to the garden gate.

"Gran told me you're my cousin!" he shouted.

Ane looked a bit put off by the noise and gave Teddy a look.

"Sitter," she declared.

Teddy looked at Potter.

"She's just learning," Potter assured him, before turning to Ane.

"Ane, this is Teddy, remember? Teddy is your cousin," he said.

Ane appeared to be skeptical before conceding that Teddy was 'Cuzzna.'

Even if Euphemia Rowle was living in a 'real middle-of-nowhere place' in Somerset, Potter and Andromeda Tonks had a surprisingly easy time locating her. The Rowle floo was not restricted. A handful of floo powder and a simple request for connection put the Tonks place in touch. Potter identified himself and said he'd been asked to look in on Delphini. He didn't bother to say who'd given him the task.

"Come on through," said Euphemia Rowle.

Andromeda and Potter traded looks.

"Coming through," confirmed Potter.

He arrived at the Rowle place wand in hand. A woman, the only other person in sight, stood in front of the fireplace. She wore a dress that hadn't been in fashion for several decades, if ever. Her salt-and-pepper hair was pulled away from her face and wound into a tight bun in back. Steel-rimmed spectacles completed her outfit, all together presenting a picture of someone tired and fed up with the conditions of her life. Potter began by introducing himself.

"Her mother…" he tried.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Rowle observed, or perhaps corrected.

"Yes, that's right," said Potter. "She…"

"She's dead," said Ms. Rowle. "Was in the paper. Declared dead. Suicide. Jumped from the prison."

"And you've been taking care of Delphini? Since Bellatrix…"

"That's right, with no news from anyone nor instructions nor—nor—anything! What's a person to do? They asked me to keep her for a few weeks! Maybe two or three months, at most…"

"How has she been?" asked Potter. "Delphini, I mean."

"Feral," said Rowle. "I keep her fed. She doesn't take to instruction. Or rules. 'Fraid she's headed for a bad end, that one."

"Tell me," said Potter, "Her mother said you're to get a stipend, for your trouble, so has that been adequate?"

"Costs going up," allowed Rowle.

"Of course," said Potter. "What have you been getting?"

"Five galleons a week," said Rowle.

"So this has been five years?"

Potter had counted up the months back in London. He knew the answer to his question before he asked.

"About that," said Ms. Rowle.

Potter thought that was honest, or honest enough. He reached inside his cloak for his money pouch. The jingling of coinage seemed to bring about a definite improvement in Rowle's attitude.

"I've recently returned after some time away," he said. "Delphini's mother asked me to help out with this kind of thing, administration, you know, but I really haven't been here to do it. I'd like to…make a gesture. If you would accept…"

Potter could see that he had lost Ms. Rowle's attention, which had shifted to the table upon which he was arranging stacks of galleons.

"Did Delphini arrive with any documentation? Birth certificate? Whatever they give foster parents? I'm not sure I know all those details. Anything at all?" asked Potter.

Ms. Rowle left the room. The sounds of drawers opening gave way to paper shuffling, then some muttering. Potter thought he heard two voices. When Rowle returned she had a little girl with her. The girl had a well-worn teddy bear under one arm and a cloth bag in her opposite hand.

"Here," said Ms. Rowle, thrusting some paper at Potter.

He took a look and could see with just a glance that it wasn't a proper birth certificate. It looked more like a letter.

"Delphini? Hello," said Potter. "I'm a friend of your mum's. Your Auntie and I learned you were living here and we want to invite you to come for a visit. Did you know you had an auntie?"

Delphini stood up straight, shaking her head.

"No," she said, finally, her voice low, but firm.

"Well, I can take you to see her, and your cousin," said Potter. "We'll have a nice supper together. Are you ready to go?"

Delphini didn't answer, beyond looking at her bear. She shifted the bag's weight. Potter interpreted that to mean 'Yes.'

He hadn't put his money pouch away. He stuck his fingers in again, putting on a little show for Ms. Rowle.

"Sorry for your trouble, the lack of communication and all," he said as he withdrew the last galleons from the pouch. "Let me…"

Sweeping the coins into his hand he transferred everything to an end table.

"Delphini, just wait. There, on the step," he said, ushering the little girl out the door.

Rowle had turned to start counting and stacking galleons when Potter drew his wand and cast a silent petrificus. The charm worked perfectly and she froze as he pointed the wand at Ms. Rowle's head, his obliviation relieving her of the memory of the visit of Harry Potter to her house. Neither spell was particularly strong as he meant Rowle to regain her full faculties in another minute or two. Minus the visit of Potter and departure of Delphini, of course.

Potter turned to the door and saw that Delphini stood looking on from the outside step, the door open and Potter and the petrified Ms. Rowle visible.

"Ready?" he asked, putting on a smile.

He closed the door behind them, locked it and took Delphini's hand.

"I'll take your bag," said Potter as they strode toward the garden gate.

A stranger to Rowle and the magical features of her homestead, he didn't want to run afoul of any wards that might be active so he and Delphini walked to a lane, then another hundred yards after clearing a saggy gate. Potter still held his wand and waved it here and there, casting revealing charms.

"All set" he said, tucking the bag of clothes away and grasping Delphini's shoulder.

Moments later they appeared in front of the Tonks farmhouse.

"Auntie's house," Potter explained as he led the way to the door.

Teddy Lupin heard the newcomers as they apparated in and appeared at the kitchen window. Potter watched as Teddy turned his head, said something and disappeared. Delphini began to show a little interest.

Andromeda Tonks appeared at the kitchen door.

"Well, well," she said, "Is this Delphini? I'm your mum's sister, Andromeda. I also answer to Andy."

Potter and Delphini arrived at the door, Delphini looking from Andromeda to Potter and back again.

"Pleased to meet you," he muttered, then nodded.

"Pleased to meet you," repeated Delphini.

They passed Andromeda and went on into the kitchen. Teddy was behind the kitchen table. Potter didn't see Ane anywhere.

"Ane?" he asked when Andromeda was back inside.

"Nap," she said. "That was fast."

"Yes," said Potter. "Mrs. Rowle was very agreeable."

"I was wondering," Potter went on. "Would you and Teddy like to come to London and spend the night? There's plenty of room and maybe everyone would start a process of getting used to…"

Andromeda began to laugh.

"Need help already? You've barely begun, Harry," she said.

"I know," said Potter. "It just seemed to be the thing to do."

He looked at Delphini and smiled. She looked a lot like her mother, and nothing at all like the alleged father.

Potter lobbied Andromeda, successfully, and soon had Delphini and Ane at #12 Grimmauld Place.

"Come on through," he said, speaking into the grate.

When Potter convened everyone at Grimmauld Place, he officially introduced the three children, explaining to Teddy about cousins and telling Ane and Delphini that they were sisters. Only after delivering that bit of information did Potter begin to think about the complicated story of Bella and how she'd managed to produce two daughters with different fathers in such a short space of time. He hoped he'd get ten- or fifteen-years grace before he had to sit down with one or both to clarify, in detail, that chapter of family lore.

The evening passed quickly. Bedtime arrived and the three children went right to sleep.

"Thank Merlin," said Potter.

"For small favors," said Andromeda, completing the semi-blessing.

"Tea?" asked Potter.

"Of course," answered Andromeda, and Potter led the way to the kitchen.

"…If Master Harry wishes…"

Kreacher pleaded with Potter, citing how he would be shamed before the other elves if word got out that Master Harry made tea for himself and a guest.

"Kreacher, it is something I like to do," Potter stated. "Do you recall meeting Mistress Bellatrix Lestrange? Yes, well, I, too, knew Madame Lestrange and you should know that Madame, or Bella, as her close friends and family knew her, learned to make tea. She made tea for me! So, you see, there is nothing dishonorable about making tea for others, it can be a way of showing we think highly of a guest. We like and respect them. Perhaps you'd like a cup…"

That was too much, or perhaps too soon. Kreacher nearly dove for the steps that led down to some basement storage and the Black family dungeons. Andromeda put her hands over her eyes as Potter poured two cups of tea.

"You enjoy your status a bit too much, Lord Black," she said, accepting the cup and saucer.

"Milk or sugar?" asked Potter.

Andromeda declined.

"That is probably true," he went on. "I try to keep it under control."

Andromeda placed her cup back on its saucer.

"You have plans for the Blacks," she declared.

"Maybe," said Potter. "Some."

"An outline?" asked Andromeda.

"There are three young Blacks asleep right now in this house," answered Potter. "I'd like them to know one another. Learn to get along. Spare them nonsense like disowning and casting-out and getting sucked into cults like the Death Eaters. Like what happened to Bella."

He sipped his tea, blinked and stared into the cup, before he took another sip.

"Then there is Draco. Presumably, he's going to find someone to marry. The House of Malfoy won't have an heir otherwise."

"Word is out he has found someone," said Andromeda. "Perhaps you know her, her name's Astoria Greengrass. They may be engaged by now. I don't know because I don't get together or talk with Narcissa much anymore. Air of conflict still hanging about, you know?"

Potter laughed out loud.

"I'd say that is understandable," he said. "Do you think it can ever be fixed enough to allow collaboration, on necessary items of family business?"

"Like what?" asked Andromeda.

"Oh, paying calls at Yule, filling cups from a common punchbowl, genuine good wishes at Samhain or Beltane or what-have-you."

"Oh, sure," said Andromeda. "Narcissa is very disciplined. There could be tactical or long-term advantage for the Malfoys, and Draco in particular, if you offered that kind of contact. I'd wager, if you reached out, said something like, 'Let's get together for lunch,' Narcissa's response would be where, and what time?"

"When things settle down just a little bit more…" said Potter. "So I'm off to bed. No telling what time this houseful of children will be getting up tomorrow."

Potter needn't have worried. The children's days had been tiring and the first noises didn't arrive until between seven and eight. With five people sitting down for breakfast, Potter asked Kreacher to make porridge, toast, boiled eggs and to get the crock of yoghurt out of the fridge.

"We need to do a bit of marketing so this is all that could be turned into breakfast right now," Potter announced. "I promise better tomorrow. After we get a list filled today."

Delphini sat still, the look on her face saying she was confused and didn't know exactly what was expected of her. Ane was shoveling yoghurt and porridge at her mouth. Some got in, more was spread across her cheeks. Teddy Lupin cracked eggs, using his spoon and scooping the insides out onto his plate.

"What is it, dear?" Andromeda asked Delphini.

"Uh…Mrs. Rowle made porridge every morning. Not like that," Delphini said as she pointed at her bowl.

"Oh? What did it look like?" asked Andromeda.

"Soup," said Delphini.

"Ah, so this looks too thick?"

Potter caught on immediately. Delphini nodded in reply.

"If the porridge doesn't look right, do you want to try eggs? Toast? Or I can put some of this milk on the porridge and stir it up and see if that helps," suggested Potter as he pulled a stoneware pitcher close.

Delphini nodded and Potter prepared a bowl of porridge, stirring in a generous splash of milk which he pushed across the table.

"Good?" asked Potter.

"Good," Delphini confirmed after she had taken her first bite.

"We've got toast and some jam," said Potter.

Delphini stayed with her porridge, confining her response to a single, "Mmm…"

Teddy perked up at 'Jam.' Potter spooned a generous helping onto Teddy's plate, then added two slices of buttered toast.

The children had risen with appetites, it appeared, since all were focused on some aspect of breakfast. Potter sat, elbows on the table, contemplating the group.

"Do you have a plan, Lord Black?" asked Andromeda, clearly amused by the tableau.

"Not really what you'd call 'thought through,'" Potter replied. "We'll need to shop…"

"True," said Andromeda. "Something you'll be doing a lot of in the next few years. How will you do that?"

During their conversation the previous evening, Potter expressed his desire to keep Ane and Delphini out of sight. He hated publicity, when he was the subject. He hoped to give the two girls some years to enjoy anonymity. Their stories, when they finally broke, could seriously disrupt Magical Britain.

"Ideas? I'm open for suggestions," said Potter.

"Find a seamstress. Stay out of the shops," said Andromeda.

Potter took the advice. Piece by piece, over a period of weeks, a new wardrobe suitable for young witches displaced old, worn out items. Delphini kept her stuffed bear and, for some reason, the cloth bag in which she'd transferred her clothes and personal items to Potter's. At least once weekly, Potter took the young witches to the marina to spend a little time on his boat. While they were aboard the boat the witches wore standard muggle life vests. No sense taking chances, Potter figured, and the vests worked just fine on a magical child.

"This is good stuff, Harry," said Andromeda.

One week, Potter invited Andromeda and Teddy to come along for some time under sail. Whenever he left the marina for some open water, Potter let the children take turns at the helm whence they "sailed" the boat here, there and sometimes around in circles.

"Building some family solidarity," noted Potter. "On which subject, have you had any contact with Narcissa? I've been thinking we ought to at least be in touch, even if we don't crave one another's company."

"She'll owl me a note, once a month, maybe," said Narcissa. "She seems more interested in Teddy than anything else. I think, if I hadn't been disowned and banished, Dora might have gotten us back together. I was, though, and of course, Lucius was in total agreement with Father. So he reinforced the ban."

"Well, sure," Potter agreed. "Paying for it now, though."

He broke off the conversation to pass along some advice.

"Try keeping your course, Delphi. Watch the compass more and the horizon less."

Delphini clenched her teeth. Potter watched the jaw muscles flexing under her skin. Their course straightened out. The compass stopped swinging. Completely. Potter had a thought.

"Okay, Delphi, bring your course to One-Eight-Zero. Can you do that?" he asked.

The boat came about. Potter looked between the compass and Delphini's face, calm and focused, still as a sculpture. The needle descended—One-Nine-Zero, One-Eight-Five, One-Eight-Zero—then it stopped. There was no hesitation. Delphini did not go a single degree past Potter's suggested course. The boat got there, then it sailed straight on. Potter pondered the meaning in his observation. Delphini wasn't an experienced sailor. She was a witch.