[a/n]Sequel to#143‘’
Harry Does Different DXXXVj
Incest Is Almost The Best 5
"Mr. Potter." The Deputy Headmistress' tone was polite "A pleasure to see you again. Even if you did cause a bit of extra work for a time."
Harry shrugged unrepentantly "Well haven't you enjoyed your reunion with Professor Slughorn? And rumor has it, grades are mostly going up. Guess Snivilus wasn't much of a teacher after all."
"Legally speaking, he is still a professor, merely on sabbatical." She countered, not too hotly. Then adding "I still wonder where you get your information."
He shrugged "Magic" then could only grunt at the impact of "Hiya squirt."
"You and me are the same height!" was Harriet's acerbic retort. Then more softly "Nice to see you all in one piece."
Harry rolled his eyes "God save me from sharp-tongued girlfiends."
"Just kindly refrain from public displays of affection." Warned the Head of Gryffindor.
Harry snickered, couldn't help himself "Need a snog? I'll need her approval."
"Harry! That is crass!" came from another witch, just arriving.
He looked her up and down once and grinned "Almost as pretty as my date, Hermione Granger." Then extended a hand "And Viktor Krum. Sorry I have not had a chance to introduce myself before. Harriet's escort, Harry Potter."
"I haff heard intervesting stories about you." the Durmstrang champion gripped the hand crushingly.
Harry smiled broadly, this was a Dudley trick he'd learned to counter. The positions of their hands robbed the grip of all power. So without any sign of stress, answered lightly "They're all true. Every last one. Or false, depending on your point of view."
"Very funny, but Diggory and Chang just went. We're next." Harriet's tone was rather short of scolding her escort. The opening dance was absolutely perfect from the girl's point of view. Probably because they were the same person, but she didn't care, her male counterpart moved exactly as she expected. Nothing either did surprised the other. As the last note, from a violin/obo duet sounded, Harriet looked into the green eyes that were so like hers and seeing nothing but affection, leaned their foreheads together and kissed.
Harry moaned softly, a want fulfilled that he hadn't been aware of when he arrived in this reality. He started moving his hands, then stopped, remembering the suspicions he had. Breaking the kiss first, he smiled at her and asked "Everything you wanted?"
"You know me best." She answered happily. During the Yule Feast the Potter couple answered, or cleverly didn't, many questions about their relationship and Harry's origin. Seeing the frustration on many faces was quite entertaining. After the meal, in which Harry overindulged and chose to sit out dancing for a time, Harriet suddenly found herself quite popular.
With a tap on the young man's shoulder a male voice asked "Have time for a chat, Harry?"
"I'm not on familiar terms with you, Lupin." This hurt more than he thought it would. The man's funeral after the Battle of Hogwarts was devastating to Harry. This version's behavior was contemptible "I don't want to dance with you."
A sad nostalgia filled the Marauder's face, as he replied "Something Harriet's father might say." Which morphed to anger "I imagine you're aware of who has questions for you, but is regrettably unable to attend."
"So you're the canine's owl." Harry was unimpressed "Somehow I don't feel answerable to both of you. And since I am House Potter at the moment, neither of you have a legal claim."
Forgetting himself, Remus shouted "SIRIUS IS" then bit his tongue and hissed quietly "Harriet's godfather."
"We are so disappointed in you" quoted Harry "Throwing your life away. Wasting James and Lily's sacrifice. Just a couple lines. Want the rest? Word for word? The day I met her, Harriet cried herself for hours to sleep. Being in Azkaban excuses Black's missing decade. Don't whine about your male period at me either. That gives you about 3600 days of perfect safety. REGARDLESS! How about asking your best friends what they think of YOUR behavior the last couple months. Think she'd be better off with Wormtail? At least he's always been a rat."
For a moment, Moony was ready to rip the human covering, but Remus emitted an angry sob accusing "You turned her against us!"
"You did that yourselves!" Harry shouted back. The confrontation had long since ended any and all dancing "But don't take my word for it. Feel free to ask Harriet. A warning, when we saw you during the opening dance, she asked if I happened to have a Sickle or two on hand. Catch my meaning?" Look and voice full of malice.
Remus looked instantly distressed and bleated "She didn't! You didn't!"
"It's Potter money" answered Harry with a careless tone "If she asked I could supply her weight in Sickles. Wouldn't even be a rounding error."
Remus managed a neutral voice "I see. I'll keep that in mind when I talk to her. Can I ask? You look even more like James than Harriet does, and the coincidence of your names, even your scent. As a werewolf I know and remember every smell and you two are the same person."
"That isn't a question, that's a statement." Countered Harry with a shrug "And from what I was told I spent some time around Lily and James when I was a toddler. That must be it."
Remus frowned and probed "Where did you grow up then?"
"Elsewhere." Harry's expression turned to stone "I guess you think you're entitled to more but then We are so disappointed in you. But, if you'll pay attention to my dance card, you'll see I'm working on a plan that …despite your and Black's mistreatment of the only Marauder child… could clear him. And yes, you would have been useful, but Harriet doesn't trust you. Hence, you'll be on the sidelines. Now, I see she's had her fill of Percy. See ya round."
He did so. Nothing in particular registered until, one after another, was Auror Nymphadora Tonks [and after clearing a confusing fog of jealousy] and the niece of Amelia Bones; that the former professor realized all the students were close relations to Aurors. Remus got the sense this was a superpowered young wizard when Harry maintained a self-levitation spell through three fast-dance songs to speak with Madam Maxime. He could not possibly know the provocation this particular choice of partner would cause!
"No Potter touches Malfoy goods!" the blond-haired Fourth-Year delivered a devastating blow to the back of him-who-dared.
At least that is what was intended. Draco Malfoy was ignominiously thrown back over twenty feet. Noticing that his partner was on the floor, Harry apologized most graciously "Do forgive me stepping all over your feet Miss Parkinson. Let's get you up and all righted. There we are." In the instant of turning, fist met crunchingly incoming soft cartilage.
Red liquid spurted all over nearest witnesses, Draco came up screaming "WAIT TIL MY FATHER HEARS OF THIS! HE'LL WIPE YOU OUT! AND THE LITTLE BITCH!"
"I want this very clear." For all its softness, Harry's voice was deadly "The slightest harm, from whatever source, coming to the Earl of The Moste Anciente and Moste Noble House Potter will be considered an attack by The Noble House of Malfoy against The Moste Anciente and Moste Noble House Potter and shall result in the extermination of all Malfoys and any bloodline so associated."
Dumbledore stood, fairly radiating magic "Hogwarts is not a place, nor a Yule Ball a time, for blood to be shed …or threatened."
"There isn't a person here who did not hear him." Harry's tone was neutral to the Headmaster. With a look, he warned Harriet off when she approached. Then a seeming irrelevancy, picked up a utensil "Weird things, these sporks. Aren't they? But good for a point." A spell vanished Draco's pant leg, a light nudge dislodged Madam Pomfrey from finishing her care to the Slytherin's nose. After driving the 'weird utensil' into pale flesh, seized the howling Draco's throat and snarled "I know you won't dare to yourself. Do not send any form of proxy."
Dumbledore declared "That is quite enough! Harry Potter, I think you have more than worn out your welcome."
"But I have a couple last dances before the finale." His tone was flippant, but did not look the Headmaster in the eye "Miss Granger, of course with her escort's approval. She is a close friend of my Earl. And I simply MUST acquaint myself of Miss Luna Lovegood. After all I cannot get reports of Lucius Malfoy's apparent disappearance past the combined censors of the establishment media in The Daily Prophet and the corrupt Malfoy-Fudge Ministry."
The Deputy interjected "We really shouldn't leave such a lightning rod unregulated any more than possible, Albus. I am sure my boys' wing has an open bed."
"Bleeding Malfoy like that" Ron whooped happily "He can HAVE my bed tonight!"
Considering how he'd started off with THIS version of his friend, Harry chortled "An honor, friend Weasley." He finished with a shallow bow.
"So be it." The Headmaster was not happy.
Within an hour, the dance was over. Teenage bodies pressed into each other as a romantic ballad played. Professor/proctors had to wonder if the next generation of students might just be getting conceived right on the dance floor. As may be, the last note faded with the singer's breath. The Great Hall lights rose to full as the emptying began. Harry and Harriet minded the slow pace about as much as their cuddling cohorts did.
"It is remarkable, seeing you like this with someone, Harriet." Remus was in the corridor, he waxed philosophical.
And was immediately attacked for it by the girl "I told you before! Let me make it clear! You want forgiveness, get a note from Mum and Dad!"
"Ho!Ho!Ho!" came guffaws "Not a teacher's pet no more! Eh Lupin!"
Harry spun a furious look on the catcaller. At first, his tone was cordial "Beg pardon, Heiress Parkinson, unfortunate choices in timing, Miss." Then clamped a hand on massive shoulder. He now had advantage of training and a wiry strength. Tone now threatening, but showing no strain "Now take my advice, Vinny, tell Daddy to get out from under Voldie's thumb. Or you at least go neutral. Like Dumbledore said only Flamel has seen kanly in action. You'll be lucky if you land in Azkaban." He squeezed hard enough to produce a squeak from the massive boy, then patted his cheek condescendingly. Lastly he bowed an apology to Pansy.
Remus was left to watch the young pair's departing backs, their arms around each other. And to wonder what a vague reference to some plan that might help his equally repentant, but impotent, friend; and created by a pair of rightly angry teenagers. What could he? Or even should he? Do?
