Bab 30: 9
January 5, 1995
Hogwarts, Scotland
Harry was looking up at the Head table. The place where the ugly pink toad usually sat was empty again. This was getting very unusual. They had talked with Sirius yesterday by mirror. He had had a meeting with Amelia Bones. It sounded like there was a lot of tension at the Ministry right now, and it seemed that Harry was the center of it.
Harry was used to that now. Daphne not as much.
Ginny handed Daphne a plate with her favorite breakfast items. There had been a few jokes and questions when Ginny had done that yesterday at breakfast and lunch. Daphne didn't say anything and Ginny just said she was being nice.
Ron had said Fred and George got wind of Ginny being teased and word was already circulating that Ginny was to be left alone about this. Both of them wanted to keep it as quiet as possible, so everyone close to them was respecting that. He could see the look in Parvati's and Lavender's eyes though.
"Daphne, have you completed the Runes' assignment?" Hermione asked.
"I need to go to the library. I can't find some of the rune chains in our books," Daphne responded.
Hermione nodded and went back to the book she was reading. "I found a few in here, but not everything."
Ron rolled his eyes at Hermione. Since coming back only a few days ago, Harry had noticed she was pulling back from Ron. He also had a feeling that the small sitting room was going to become the main study area for Hermione, Daphne and him.
A moment later, the familiar morning mail delivery swooped into the hall. Hermione put her book down to receive a paper from a tawny owl.
"Why are you reading that?" Harry questioned.
"The Ministry hasn't said anything bad about you in more than two weeks. Something is going on and I want to figure out what," Hermione stated.
They had not been able to tell her about their conversation with Sirius last night. Daphne gave him a look to not say anything. Harry was already starting to get tired of the secrecy Daphne always espoused, but he had to admit it kept people from over hearing and fanning the rumor mill more.
Lavender received a Prophet also. Unrolling the papers, Hermione gasped and Lavender muttered, "Bloody hell."
Harry winced. "How bad this time?"
"Dolores Umbridge was found dead at her home," Hermione said, laying the paper down and they all tried to crowd around it.
The front page had a few large stories. The most prevalent was Umbridge.
-o-
DAILY PROPHET
By Tim Cratchit
High Inquisitor and Undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge, was discovered dead at her home last night. Aurors were asked to check on Dolores Umbridge after she had not reported to any of her duties in the last week or more.
As many may know, she has been acclaimed this year for drastically reforming Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching and working to reform the rest of the curriculum at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Minister Cornelius Fudge was reported saying, "This is a terribly unfortunate event. We are looking for suspects at the moment, chief among them Sirius Black. I knew he couldn't be innocent."
This accusation seems to have some weight. Sirius Black was in the DMLE yesterday and reportedly detained last night. After a little digging around, it was found that Dolores Umbridge is actually under investigation by the DMLE related to an issue with Sirius Black and his new wards.
Rumors had started to circulate out of Hogwarts that Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lies, had recently been married, but took up the name Black. His bride, Daphne Greengrass, is from a well-known Neutral family and it can only be assumed that a secret Alliance has been struck and Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass was used in some elaborate plan. With how dark the Blacks history is, this could be a new faction forming in the Purebloods.
This seems to back up some of the strange movements that were seen in the Wizengamot this week. Lord Selwyn claimed an additional Wizengamot seat on Tuesday and yesterday Lord Winters, a known ally of Lord Selwyn, did the same. Both are well known Purebloods and a few found it odd that they would suddenly find old family blood in them that allowed an additional seat to their names.
As the investigation continues, the Daily Prophet will keep reporting on this. The Minister and the DMLE seem to be very interested in concluding this investigation as soon as possible.
See page two for speculation on who will take up the now vacant High Inquisitor position at Hogwarts and more information on Sirius Black and the Black Family.
-o-
Daphne looked shocked. Hermione had been reading out loud and suddenly grabbed the paper and turned to the next page. Harry wasn't sure to be elated at Umbridge's death or sick with worry for Sirius. They needed him and he was family.
"Do you have an Alliance?" Lavender asked.
"No!" Daphne clipped.
"I need to call Sirius," Harry told her. Both their breakfasts were only half eaten.
"Hermione, are you coming?" Daphne asked as they got up.
Hermione looked up, "Oh, right," she said. "Where are you going?"
"To use a classroom," Daphne informed her.
Hermione picked up the meaning. "Yes." She folded the paper haphazardly, grabbed her bag and Ron stood too.
Daphne gave him a look, but Harry was too agitated to care. He was already walking out of the Great Hall. There was talk everywhere and some turned to look at them as he stormed out.
He jumped up the stairs. "Harry, slow down," Daphne called behind him. He didn't.
Up to the first floor, down the first corridor he came across and into a room. Daphne, Hermione and Ron rushed in after him. Harry dug the mirror out from his pocket. "Sirius!" He just about yelled at the mirror.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked sounding a little winded. Hermione was a little better. Daphne just slightly breathing heavier.
Last night she had told him she had been training in dance until two months ago, when her father told her she was getting too old to do such childish things. Harry wanted her to keep doing dance if it made her happy. Apparently, there was a small ballet and dance studio in Hogsmeade that trained witches and wizards for the few wizarding playhouses that were in Britain.
Now was not the time for that...
"Calling Sirius," Harry told him.
"On a mirror?" Ron questioned looking confused.
"Sirius gave it to him for Christmas," Hermione told their friend.
"Why wasn't I told?"
"Pup, I assume you saw the Daily Prophet?" a calm sounding Sirius came onto the mirror. Harry looked into the mirror confused. It seemed to be propped on something and showed a leisurely Sirius eating breakfast.
Harry let out a breath. "You weren't taken into the DMLE?"
"Oh, I was. And released about two hours later once they checked my wand and took a statement under veritserum." Sirius didn't appear put out at all.
"So you didn't kill her?" Daphne asked.
"Nope. Won't deny I wish I had, but I was not involved."
Daphne relaxed next to him.
"How does that work?" Ron questioned with a smile.
"Really? You are more impressed with the mirror than the fact Sirius is innocent again?" Hermione huffed.
"Of course I care about Sirius but he just said he's innocent," Ron retorted.
"Will you take this outside if you are going to fight," Harry snapped at them. "What does this mean about my House?"
"Not sure yet. Have another meeting with the goblins this afternoon. I found that interesting about Selwyn and Winters. I am pretty sure my old hag of a mother would have known if they possessed more than one Wizengamot seat or Lordship." Sirius was very conversational.
Daphne's eyes widened before she gasped. "You don't mean...?" she put to him.
Sirius shrugged and took a sip of whatever was in his teacup. "No clue, but seems suspicious. There should be an announcement in the next couple days if one of Umbridge's nieces or her sister takes up her inheritance, if not, we know where the Potter blood is."
"Why are you so calm?" Harry questioned.
"I was able to do a little research." Sirius drank more out of his cup. "It appears that your grandfather was concerned about this when a cousin tried to steal the lordship when he married a Black. The Potters and Blacks were not friends in the past. Too much bad blood. Too much dark magic in my family. I am not the first one to go against my family or to put a malediction on my blood," Sirius told him spearing a sausage and taking a bite out of it. "Probably why I found the book so easily. I would suspect we have my Aunt Euphemia, your grandmother, pup, to thank for that."
"There is also a rumor that no one, not even the goblins, have been able to get into your vaults," Sirius said with a wicked grin.
"Are you saying if someone stole everything from Umbridge then they would now have a malediction on them?" Hermione asked, her voice high.
"Something like that. I don't think it will stop until Harry is given his birthright back. If not, then some people are going to suffer," Sirius sounded pleased and chuckled.
Daphne gave a single nod of her head. "Serves the bastards right. Is it Selwyn or Winters?"
"Don't know. Don't really care. I am going to let them stew for a while before I tell them how to get rid of it," Sirius told them with a malicious grin.
Ron and Hermione looked a little apprehensive. "How do you know it will end if Harry gets his House back?" Hermione sounded uneasy.
"Because maledictions can only be reversed or dispelled if the original condition that set them off is either reversed or paid for," Daphne told them.
Harry was going to need to talk with her at some point. It sounded like she may know a lot about maledictions.
"Correct," Sirius said through a mouth full of eggs.
"So if one of them took everything from Umbridge, who did the other Wizengamot seat come from?" Daphne asked.
"Don't know. Keep your eyes and ears open if the current heir is at Hogwarts. If I find out anything else, I'll let you know," Sirius replied.
The clock struck eight. "Charms starts in thirty minutes," Hermione reminded them.
"So someone made Umbridge use a blood quill and then killed her," Harry remarked with some satisfaction.
"My guess would be she died after her House, and Harry's, was transferred to someone else," Sirius conjectured.
"Why do you say that?" Daphne asked.
"Bones found an obscure law that only allows such transfers if the current heir, or last remaining heir, is alive at the time of the transfer." Sirius really did look like a dog who got a big juicy bone. "It does require a Ministry Seal to dissolve the name, but it doesn't affect the blood line trace."
"So you are saying I can never be a Potter again?" Harry asked.
"Not sure. Not looking likely, but not sure. The important thing is that there is still a chance to get your inheritance back because of the bloodline trace if your ancestors put it on their blood, and then go after everyone that might have stolen any of it," Sirius told him.
"But would the Wizengamot allow that? I thought Fudge was in the hands of Malfoy," Daphne put to him.
"Bones is still in charge of the DMLE and has started to silently clean house, as they say."
They looked at the mirror for a moment. "Bloody hell. This is why dad never wants to get involved in politics," Ron muttered.
Sirius laughed. "Not sure if we want to go anywhere near this yet. I heard the malediction on Umbridge was already working and she was covered in fine fur. Let the bastards around You-Know-Who deal with this for a while."
Hermione looked concerned. "This is awful."
Ron let out a breath as Harry grinned. If he couldn't have his House back, let those that want it suffer. Daphne's eyes were hard. "This is justice," Daphne replied.
-oOo-
January 6, 1995
Hogwarts, Scotland
Harry was liking how much Daphne liked to be touched when their door was closed. His jumper and shirt were thrown on one chair, while Daphne's was on the other. Her bra lay on the table on top of their homework while her robes were below her and her pants over the couch. Harry still had his pants on as he kissed her body, liking how she moaned as he kissed her breasts.
Harry had looked through a book Sirius had given him and Daphne was breathing hard as a result, making small noises as one of his hands rubbed over her knickers. Harry found it cute and sexy how she tried to contain her pleasure, as though being afraid they would be found. It was like a game to see how much he could get out of her.
"Harry," she got out in a stuttering breath as she grabbed his hair. He was still hesitant in his way around her body, last week being the first time with a girl, but she responded to him by bucking her hips every now and again.
He put his head up to look at her, his hand pressing a little harder into her knickers and enjoying the small smile that came to her face before she tried to stifled a squeak as he found a harder nib at the top of her folds.
"I want to feel you in me," she told him, her eyes opening and looking at him. They were molten orbs of brown, green and gold. He felt himself strain against his pants to look at them.
He had never felt so alive or on fire. It was a good and heady feeling as he quickly shed his pants and she pulled off her knickers. He kissed her and she wrapped her arms around his neck as he moved between her legs. "God, your beautiful," he told her.
She had a shy smile before moaning as he slid inside her.
They had both been working themselves up to this for the last twenty minutes as it had started with a simple kiss while they were doing their Herbology homework. Daphne let out small sounds as he moved in and out, her hips meeting his thrusts.
It didn't feel like long before they both spent themselves and Harry supported himself on shaky arms, still inside her and trying not to crush her. She was lazily kissing him on his chin.
"I wish we could stay in here for the rest of the night," she said.
He was still breathing hard and moved, his cock now semi-flaccid. She moved her hips and the sensation it caused made him jerk. He sucked in a large breath. She put her head back onto the arm rest and looked at him with a sultry smile. "Did you like that?" she asked, doing it again. He started to grow stiff in her.
"Yes," he told her.
She bit her lip. "I do to," she replied rolling her hips some more.
"Do you want to eat up here?" he asked, groaning as she moved her hips up to take more of him into her. Her eyes closed some and her face looked like she was in pleasure.
"That would be nice, but we need to eat in the Great Hall," she said with a sigh as he lazily pushed himself all the way inside her.
"I know where the kitchens are."
She opened her eyes. "I am not asking Ginny to get us dinner when we are like this."
Harry grinned and started to move again. Daphne let out a moan. "I can go get dinner."
She licked her lips. "Make love to me first?" she requested.
That was a request Harry was very happy to give her.
It was just about dinner time when Harry left their rooms under his invisibility cloak. He didn't feel like being seen at the moment. He was navigating through halls and down stairs. Even being a Saturday, the halls were full this time of the day with his classmates moving towards the Great Hall or elsewhere. Meaning he had to take his invisibility cloak off to make it to the main entry hall and then walked down the stairs to the dungeons. At the base of the stairs Harry found an alcove and put his cloak on. He was about to make his way towards the kitchens when he heard a voice he hated only a few degrees less than Umbridge.
"I told you already. Father says we can't touch him or Greengrass," Draco drolled. "I owe the bastard for snapping my wand. At least he lost his House, the fool."
"You can touch the other one though," the voice of Pansy Parkinson echoed down the hall. She didn't sound pleased.
"I've told you. Father has told me not to do anything to Potter or Greengrass. He says that they may not matter soon and it could jeopardize my contract. I am only marrying Astoria to get her father's titles and fortune. You can only take a line continuance anyways," Draco told her.
"When is your father going to talk with mine?" Pansy asked. They came into view and Draco looked up and down. He grabbed Pansy's arm, who squeaked and laughed as Draco pulled her towards the alcove he was in. Harry didn't like her laugh.
Harry pulled his wand and then they ducked into the narrow corridor just past him. His face scrunched and almost wretched to see Draco pull her in and start to kiss her. They moved further back into deep shadows. "I want you to swallow this time," Draco ordered the girl. He couldn't see her expression but Harry heard the zipper.
"You will talk to your father?" she asked, kissing him.
"I promise," Draco said. Harry had to suppress a snort, doubting Draco would do that, but she dropped to her knees.
He did not want to be a peeping Tom to this and slipped out of the alcove.
He hated Pansy, but did she really want to do that to Draco? Did she really believe him?
As he walked away the disgust was replaced by two things: would Daphne do that to him someday? More importantly, what would she say about Astoria? There didn't seem to be any great love between the sisters, but Harry didn't want to see anyone used like that. Especially by Draco.
Harry also felt Daphne still cared for Astoria and her step-mother, even if she didn't was denying it.
He also knew deep down Daphne didn't want to see most of her family hurt.
By the time the elves had filled a wicker basket with beef, a whole chicken, potatoes and other cooked vegetables, desert and even a few bottles of butterbeer and pumpkin juice, the castle halls were quite empty. He was happy Draco and Pansy were gone. Though Harry thought it had been less than ten minutes.
He was about to go up the stairs when he heard some shuffling behind him. He turned to see a girl with long brown hair, hazel eyes and acting as though she was trying to avoid someone. He knew her. It was Tracey Davis.
Daphne and her had been sharing forlorn looks since Tuesday. He wasn't sure if it was wise of him or not, but he whispered out, "Tracey Davis."
She started, her wand coming to hand. "Who's there!"
Harry took a step back. "Don't cast. It's Harry Black," he told her.
She looked deeply skeptical. "I don't see you. I swear if that is you Carvers..."
"Don't cast. I'm coming out," he told her, taking the cloak off. Her eyes widened and she held her wand towards him, her eyes looking at the cloak in his hands.
"What do you want?" she asked, pulling herself up and looking down her nose at him. "Haven't you already caused enough trouble?"
Harry looked down. "I'm sorry. Davis, is it safe for you to talk to Daphne?"
Tracey looked at him. Her eyes grew wet. "We can't be seen or even hinted at," Tracey told him.
"I figured. I can help you see her," he offered. It was worth being found with a basket full of food if he could get Tracey to Daphne, even for a little bit.
Tracey lowered her wand. "What do you want in trade?" she questioned dubiously.
Harry shook his head. "I just want Daphne to have something from her old life," he told Tracey.
The girl's haughty expression didn't change. After a moment, she just asked, "How?"
"If you put this invisibility cloak on, you can walk next to me up to our rooms," Harry told her.
Her eyes went wide. "You would let me use something so valuable?"
"Do you want to see Daphne?"
Tracey stood for a few. "What do you want for payment?"
"Like I said, nothing. Daphne just needs a friend," he told her.
She nodded after a moment and Harry handed her his invisibility cloak. Pretty much everyone was in the Great Hall so Harry didn't meet anyone. He knew he was taking a risk letting her use his cloak. Harry just hoped Daphne would appreciate it.
They made it to the door and into the dorm. In the entryway Tracey took off his cloak. "This better not be a trap. I am giving you a lot of trust, Black."
Harry snorted. "I'm not the one that could have run off with my cloak."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Just come in. I have enough food for the three of us, or I can just leave you," he told Tracey.
She nodded again. When he opened the door, Daphne looked up from the love seat. "I'm getting hungry. What took you so long..."
He stepped in and Tracey followed him. The two friends looked at each other for a moment. "How?" Daphne asked.
"Ask your consort," Tracey replied dryly.
Daphne's face broke into a smile as she got up. Tracey stepped past him and they hugged each other. Daphne was only in his Quidditch jersey. Harry figured he could eat in a little bit and tried to slip past them to take a shower.
Daphne grabbed his arm and pulled him in. She kept one arm around Tracey and put one around him. "Thank you," she said emotionally into his ear.
He kissed her on the temple. "Have fun with your friend," he told her and he pulled away.
Tracey pulled back. Both girls had tears on their cheeks. "Eat with us, Black?"
"Harry, Tracey," Daphne said softly.
Tracey nodded and her mask fell. "Harry, eat with us?"
"I should go take a shower," Harry told them.
"Later?" Daphne asked.
"You sure?" he put to her.
"Yes." Daphne took his hand.
Tracey looked at them before she started talking rapidly. "What happened? There are rumors everywhere. Are you really Heiress Black and Harry your consort or is this just a game so you could get out of the contract? Trisha told me Astoria was telling her how upset and scared your parents are. Was it that bad to be under contract with Bletchley? And the Daily Prophet says you are in an alliance with Black."
"It wasn't Bletchley. It was Lord Selwyn." Daphne squeezed his hand hard.
Tracey looked confused. "But your sister..."
"My sister is Hermione Granger," Daphne told her friend. "I don't have any parents."
Tracey stopped and put her hands to her mouth. "Oh, Daphne. I didn't believe it. Most just thought your parents had made a secret alliance with the Blacks, like the Prophet said. Why hasn't Lord Black dispelled the rumors?"
He squeezed her hand and moved to get the basket. He was hungry and thought this was a thing between friends. "It's no Alliance, Trace. I have been disowned and adopted as a Ward of Sirius Black and named his Heir."
"Is he really innocent?" Tracey put to Daphne, her eyes wide.
"Yes," Daphne replied.
Harry moved to the tea table and started to lay things out. All their school supplies, and her clothes, had been cleaned up. That was one thing he was finding he liked about Daphne; she didn't like to leave a mess. Harry never felt like he had to clean up behind her. Not like at his relatives...
As the friends talked, he wasn't sure why she wanted him to stay. "How did this happen?" Tracey was looking at Daphne.
The friends moved to the seats. Tracey taking a chair and Daphne sitting next to him, putting her between him and Tracey. "Can we eat first? I'm hungry," Daphne asked her friend.
"You are telling me what is going on," Tracey demanded.
Daphne gave a soft smile Harry liked and a single nod. It wasn't long before they were done eating. Daphne took his hand and leaned into him.
"It is getting close to dinner being done. Do you need to go back?" Daphne inquired.
Tracey shook her head. "I thought I lost you forever. I can sneak back in towards curfew. It is not that odd that I would have been in the library that late."
"Are you doing alright," Daphne asked concerned.
"Just the standard gits. Father has had a few requests lately though. None of those with You-Know-Who yet."
"I'm sorry, Trace. I don't know how to get you out of there," Daphne told her.
Tracey gave a sad smile. "My family is not rich and we don't have a seat on the Wizengamot, so I doubt I will be targeted. Still doesn't mean there aren't slimy gits that need to keep their hands off me."
"Who do you need me to take care of," Harry offered.
Daphne hit his arm. "Not yet. I will not have you going to Azkaban."
Tracey shook her head. "I can handle myself, but I will keep the offer in mind."
Daphne moved her head and kissed his chin. Tracey gave a knowing smile. "So, it was Harry, wasn't it?"
Daphne flushed a little. "I told him I was looking at him."
Tracey snorted. "Obsessing, more like it."
Daphne scoffed at her friend. "I was not. It's not like Harry an I could have talked. Not with what is going on."
Tracey chuckled. "Harry, she's been crushing on someone since third year and I could never figure out who. You keep her safe, you understand," Tracey warned.
Harry slipped an arm around Daphne's back and she leaned into him. "Daphne is my wife. I will do what I have too."
Tracey smiled at him before sobering. "So, are the rumors true? Was Harry stripped of his House?"
Daphne stiffened a little. "What are the rumors?"
"Malfoy and others in that group were talking last night. They really need to learn to use distraction and silencing charms. That is beside the point though. Malfoy says Fudge and others got together to confirm House Potter is gone and they say the goblins helped. Daph, I heard they are trying to find out how so they can do it to others."
He took in a deep breath. "They what?" Harry demanded in a hard tone.
Tracey looked at him a little apprehensively. Daphne tapped his arm and sat up. "What else are they saying?"
"Malfoy thinks his father can bribe the Wizengamot to make it happen," Tracey said a little scared. "Is it true? Is that why you claimed Harry as a consort? He was House-less?"
"You know I can't claim him just because he was House-less. Are you alright with me telling her?" It was a question to him. Daphne looked to him. She really didn't want to control him. He nodded.
"I saved Harry in a way I own his life," Daphne told Tracey.
"No bloody way! The boy that faces dragons and outflies them needed rescuing?" Tracey looked like she didn't believe it.
"He is my husband, Trace," Daphne affirmed.
"Merlin. Still having a hard time believing all this. So," Tracey put out there. There was a silence. "Astoria thought it was Bletchley. Do I tell her it was Lord Selwyn?"
"Let her think what she will. It will be safer that way."
"Daph, I wouldn't want to marry someone that much older than me, but why risk your family?"
"It wasn't a contract to be a first wife. I was going to be a third wife with a fealty bond," she told Tracey.
Tracey paled. Harry put his fingers between Daphne's when she reached for his hand.
"Astoria is marrying Malfoy. Lady Greengrass and her will be safe enough," Daphne spoke up.
"Why didn't your father just take you and hand Harry over to... you know?" Tracey put to them. "Your family would have been safe."
Harry stiffened. That had never occurred to him. Daphne squeezed his hand so hard he thought he felt his bones shifting. Harry heard her breathing quicken over a crack in the fire. Tracey looked at Daphne. Tracey sounded unsure, "You didn't think of that, did you?
Daphne still didn't speak. He felt the turmoil in her and pulled her in closer. He had a feeling that if it had been anyone but Tracey, or Hermione, she would never have let him do this. She crumpled into him, pulling her bare legs up into his lap and put her head against his chest.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Tracey looked sad she would do this to her friend. "Lord Greengrass could not have handed Harry over without handing me over as well," Daphne said into his chest. Tracey paled. Harry held her tighter.
The look Tracey gave him told him she knew of Daphne's past and the rather loveless relationship she had with her father. Harry realized that by casting her out was the only way she was saved, and her family. This was maybe the one act of love the man had ever done for his daughter, as upset he was. As much as Daphne may not have liked that man or others she had called family, she had still wanted their affection. Any affection.
Daphne had so easily fallen into him probably feeling the need he had also. Their closest friends had been the only ones to show true affection to either of them. "Daph, I didn't mean to upset you," Tracey said in a very soft, almost tearful, voice.
Daphne wasn't crying, but she didn't move either.
Tracey gave him a new look. "You really care for her, don't you?"
Daphne nuzzled her face against his jumper. Harry responded. "Yes, I do. I don't want to see her suffering anymore," he told Tracey.
Tracey searched his face before blurting, "Bloody fuck, you love her!"
"Yeah," he said. What other choice did they have?
Tracey looked honestly surprised. "And Daphne loves you! Merlin, Daphne, that didn't take long."
"I never forced him," Daphne defended herself, moving so her face was on the side of his chest.
Tracey still looked at him. "I never said you did. I know how consort bonds work. That isn't lust in Harry's eyes," Tracey told him.
He felt a little confused. "What do you mean it's not lust?"
"I can compel you to want me. I can make you want to bed me or give me a good shag," Daphne told him. Harry knew that.
"That was why you wanted me to come to you of my own free will," he stated.
"I will never force you to be with me and I am trying not to ever order you again," she said.
A soft, longing smile came over Tracey's face. "I'm glad you found what you wanted, Daph. You treat her well," Tracey told him again, this time in a much softer and friendlier tone.
Daphne laughed gently against him. "Harry treats me well and I don't see that changing. He's had life harder than I."
He saw the questioning look. "I don't trust you enough to tell you," Harry told her, squashing anything Daphne might say.
Tracey didn't look offended. Just curious. "Alright," she responded. Like Daphne, she didn't press. So far Daphne hadn't pressed him for any information he had told her. She wanted to know. She wanted to be included. She had not pressed.
Maybe it was a Slytherin thing? Keep your secrets as close to your chest as possible.
"I will respect your decision," Daphne told him.
He kissed the top of her head. Tracey looked at them like Hermione. As though a beloved sister had found something good.
"Tracey, how bad is it?" Daphne asked. "You, Trisha… Astoria," she said at just barely a whisper," and others safe?"
"Don't go anywhere alone. Harry, you can't be seen around me, my sister, Astoria, Bulstrode or Nott. If you have to, pick fights with us. No one can know we talked," Tracey told him.
"Nott? His father is a Death Eater." His mouth crinkled.
"Yes, the Senior Nott and his two older brothers are, but Theodore doesn't live at Nott Manor. His mother is a second wife, third cousins I think, and Theodore will head a Cadet line. Since he will only be Lord if the other three die, his father really only cares that he lives," Tracey informed him. "You haven't told Harry all this?"
"I was cast out of my family and can't ever go near you again. I thought it better for Harry to be ignorant of this until he needed to know. Besides, we have had much larger issues to deal with besides the stupid politics that only matter to people like Lord Nott or Lord Greengrass." Daphne sounded bitter at the end.
Harry wasn't sure to feel offended or not? Did she not trust him? He was here for her too. If she needed him, then he would do everything he could to help her.
Daphne sat up and put a hand to his face. "I feel the conflict and hurt. I am not trying to offend you. I am trying to protect you," she told him.
"If this is something that could hurt you or me, shouldn't I know?"
Tracey just watched them, as though she hadn't seen anything like it before. Daphne nodded after a moment. "You are right. You have so many other things we are dealing with that I thought it best for me to worry about it. The wife should support her husband."
He shook his head. "We are either equal and share everything or this won't work between us," he told her resolutely. Tracey's eyes widened.
Daphne's expression softened. "Damn noble Gryffindor," she smiled before pecking him. Daphne then turned to Tracey. "Harry has never been trained or even told about most of our customs. Are you willing to meet with me still, maybe still be friendly, and help to teach all this to him? You know the alliances and secret dealings better than I do."
Tracey snorted and shook her head. "We made a pact to be sisters for life. That hasn't changed, Daph."
Daphne rolled her eyes. "I still say you should have been a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor," Daphne told her.
"The hat said I was too cunning and vindictive for that," Tracey told her.
Daphne snorted this time. "Has Parkinson's eyebrows grown back yet? I couldn't tell."
Tracey gave an evil grin. "I doubt it. That potion takes a long time to wear off. I heard other hair fell out as well."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know?"
Daphne chuckled. "Tracey won't do anything to you, just don't upset her," Daphne warned.
"Just treat her well," Tracey told him innocently.
Harry felt a little apprehensive. "Sure."
"Trace?" Daphne asked.
"Yeah, Daph?" Tracey responded.
They didn't say anything as a knock came at the door.
Daphne groaned. "Why didn't she just take being a ward?"
"Who is that?" Tracey asked.
"Can you hide under the invisibility cloak and Harry can get you out of here? I'll find a way to get you back here," Daphne told her.
"Sure," Tracey said with a raised eyebrow.
They got up and Harry handed the cloak back to Tracey.
The knock came again and Daphne moved to the door, opening it without a word. Ginny stepped in. "I came to collect your laundry," Ginny told her.
Daphne nodded to a canvas bag by the door. "Over there," Daphne indicated.
Ginny nodded and moved into take the bag. Harry didn't like seeing anyone being a servant, but Ginny had decided to do this. Daphne was less than pleased and still upset at times that Sirius had not talked to them about it before the meeting.
"Thank you," she said to Ginny as the redhead went for the door.
Ginny just nodded, her eyes meeting Harry and looking at him longingly. "I'll bring up breakfast in the morning and have these back some point tomorrow."
Daphne nodded.
When the door closed Daphne hit it with a fist. Tracey took the cloak off. "What was that?"
Daphne looked intently at Tracey. "I ever hear you spread any of this, and what you did to Parkinson will be the least of your worries."
Tracey didn't flinch. "Is Weasley your slave?"
Daphne's face scrunched. "Handmaiden. The bond showed almost sixteen months due."
"When did you save Weasley two, and come to think of it, why is Granger your sister?"
"Ward. Granger is my ward. My overly brave husband has a thing for saving young pretty girls," Daphne put to him.
Harry raised his hand. "Oi! I was only doing what should have been done. I never asked to have a life-debt."
"You still didn't run from it," Daphne retorted.
"They would have died otherwise," Harry replied.
"Obviously," Daphne snarked.
"Daph, you aren't upset with me," Harry suddenly realized.
Daphne looked at him and let out a long breath. "No. It is just the situation. What you did was the right thing to do."
Tracey looked at them open mouth. "How the bloody hell did you just do that?"
"Do what?" they both asked Tracey.
Tracey looked shocked. "Harry just calmed you down with a few words. How many times have we fought and you are still raging at me days later?"
Daphne shrugged her shoulders. "I don't have to sleep with you."
Harry's face heated up a little and Tracey's mouth opened. Daphne seemed to get what she said and her cheeks took on some color. She didn't back down though. Tracey, getting over her shock, gave Daphne a sly grin. "Was it good?"
"I am going to take a shower now," he told the girls.
"You need to take Tracey back," Daphne told him.
"How was it? Is he as nice looking under all that as he seems?" Tracey asked with a sly grin.
"Tracey! Harry is my husband," Daphne snapped at her friend.
Tracey's grin didn't lessen at the color on both their faces. "You are telling me next time."
"I am doing nothing of the sort," Daphne responded imperiously.
"Oh, yes you are. If you want me to help train him, you are telling me," Tracey countered.
"I will do it on my own then."
"No you aren't. Maybe I can give you some pointers," Tracey seemed to be enjoying Daphne's reactions.
"You haven't even slept with anyone, how are you going to give me pointers," Daphne inquired.
Harry was wishing he was in the shower. This was a discussion between friends and he really didn't want to talk with anyone about what him and Daphne had done so far, or what they may do.
"Maybe not, but I have done other stuff. Harry, I could tell you how to make her squirm," Tracey smirked at him.
He held his hands up and Daphne scoffed at her friend. "I think I can figure that out on my own," Harry replied.
Tracey laughed as Daphne turned a dark shade of red and hissed, "Harry!"
The sounds of the bell tolling eight came to them. "Oh, this is going to be fun," Tracey enthused.
"I hate you, you know," Daphne told Tracey.
Tracey just gave a brilliant smile. "Not yet you don't."
Daphne groaned as Tracey sat back down. "Harry, go take a shower. There is an hour before you have to take me back," Tracey told him.
"Don't leave me," Daphne pleaded with him.
Harry walked over to her, kissed her on the forehead and said, "I need a shower."
"Traitor," his wife groused.
"You give me time with my friends, I should do the same. Besides, I need to finish that herbology essay also," he told her, giving her a look.
Her disgruntled features lessened and she huffed. "Damned noble Gryffindor," she muttered.
He chuckled and pecked her lips. "You like me that way," he responded cheekily.
A wry smile ghosted her face. "Go take a shower. You smell."
He wisely didn't say it was her fault he smelt. "Tracey, it has been a pleasure meeting you."
Tracey was looking at them, a mischievously knowing smirk on her face. "And you, Harry."
As he closed the door to their room, Tracey demanded, "Spill."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone