章節 304: HPWW641-650
Chapter 641
"We're done," he reminded them. "Therefore, there is
no requirement for any of us to wear school uniform
again."
That had them all happy and, returning to their
apartments for those who weren't Potters, changing.
Before heading down to lunch, Harry dashed off a
quick note to Fleur to let her know they were now
done with their OWLs. He knew she'd appreciate it;
just as they appreciated learning from her when she
completed her NEWTs.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Because OWL exams, together with NEWT exams,
covered the last two weeks of the school year, there
were no final weeks where the professors loaded them
down with summer homework. For the seventh years
it was because their schooling was over. For the fifth
years it was because no one truthfully had any idea
what classes they'd be allowed, or were eligible, to
attend for their NEWTs.
When Hermione found out about that a few weeks
earlier, she went around to each of her Professors and
asked for 'homework' they could recommend she do
as preparation for her sixth year. None of them
provided her any as, apparently, it was school policy
not to.
As Professor Babbling told her, "You need the entirety
of your summer break to allow yourself to de-stress
from your OWL exams. Study if you wish; we cannot
stop you. However, none will be assigned to you, even
by request or informally."
When she returned to the apartment in a bit of a huff
Harry silently took her by the hand and dragged her
into his bedroom.
She wasn't in a huff when they both exited over an
hour later. Harry was sporting a smug grin and
Hermione almost bonelessly dropped onto one of the
couches and 'dreamily' sighed.
Daphne hid her smirk behind her Occlumency. It was
she who suggested Harry just drag her off to his room
and 'de-stress' her. He wouldn't have done it unless
she'd both suggested it and told him outright
Hermione wouldn't be against it. It was his trust in all
three of them that had him not doubting her.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
With the Alliance meeting on the Saturday, yet again
the day before the Hogwarts Express ran back to
Kings Cross, all the Heirs yet again had permission to
skip the train trip.
This time the meeting was at Bones Manor with
Amelia Bones, of course, chairing the meeting.
One of the items of business was Lady Marchbanks
informing the Alliance she was stepping down as
Headmistress of Hogwarts as of the Leaving Feast
that night. The Heirs all knew it was coming.
The new Headmaster would be Ebenezer Goodstone,
as expected. The new Deputy would be Septima
Vector, who would also be handing in the Head of
Slytherin post to take on the role. They had no idea
who the new Head of Slytherin would be, as no one
knew who of the staff was actually a Slytherin
alumnus other than Vector.
With permission to skip the Feast, instead of all
floo'ing back to the school the Heirs went elsewhere.
Harry, Hermione, Daphne and Fleur floo'ed to the
Doghouse with the intent to spend the first week at
the Granger Residence. Justin had Raggy pop him
home, after first ensuring there was somewhere at
Bedford Castle he could be safely popped into where
those not in the know wouldn't see him. Surprisingly
to the others, Tracey went with him. CeeCee floo'ed to
The Kennel with Sirius and Narcissa; she'd be staying
there for a few days before internationally portkeying
back to Perth. Sirius and Narcissa would be going
with her, this time, but staying at Harry's new place in
Lesmurdie. Jace had gone back to MaCUSA to visit.
And Neville and Hannah would be staying a few days
with Susan at Bones Manor, so didn't floo anywhere.
After changing into muggle 'civvies', almost the first
thing Harry did was 'read the riot act' to Dobby and
Betsy about how he would be doing a lot of the
cooking while he was there; much to the chagrin of
both elves. Then happily set-to with making dinner
that night.
The summer break, this year, was approximately ten
and a half weeks long. Quite some time ago Harry had
looked at it and wondered how to break the time into
fair allotments and thought he'd come up with a
workable plan. Of course, that then would need to be
altered based on when others were able to take breaks
from employment commitments and the like to spend
time with them. Of course, it had a lot to do with how
much time Fleur could get off work for a holiday, plus
needed to tie in with her need to be with Harry. That
made the time they were going to stay in France,
together with how long, as the first required choice.
However, his ladies shot down his original plan with
Daphne almost snarkily asking, "Harry, do you know
what a floo is?"
Then moderated her snark by explaining, "Except for
France we can go from place to place by simply
stepping in one fireplace and out another. We don't
have to spend three plus weeks in one place, then the
same in the next, then the next. We can even cut it
down to hour by hour if we want to be completely
mobile."
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Chapter 642
Eventually and because the Granger parents had jobs
to worry about, they all decided they'd stay at the
Granger Residence for a couple days covering the
weekend just to unwind and get away from the
magical world for a little while, leaving on the Monday
morning. Then through to Friday evening at
Pottermore for 'alone time', then back to the Granger
Residence for the weekend, and so on.
Their time in France was for two weeks and one day
from the First of July, as that was all the time Fleur
could get off from Gringotts and they needed to be
back in Britain on the Saturday afternoon for the
meeting of the Alliance. Then they had a week back at
Green Fields, followed by the Delacours joining them
for a week at Pottermore. That way, the Delacours
would be in magical Britain two days before the handfasting of Sirius and Jace, as they were also invited,
before then again spending time with the Four.
However, most of the rest of time was pretty fluid,
allowing the 'Potter Four' to not have to stick to a
strict schedule. For instance, they'd made no plans
whatsoever for the last four and a half weeks of the
summer break between when the Delacours depart to
go back to France and taking the train back to
Hogwarts on the First of September.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
For now they were at the Granger Residence with
Harry happily working in the kitchen. His ladies,
though, were in Hermione's 'office' off her bedroom
with Monica.
Almost as soon as she entered, Monica asked, "How
are the three of you doing?"
"We're fine, Mum," replied Hermione.
Then Monica was utterly surprised when Daphne
replied, "We're all alright, Mum Monica." And Fleur
added, "We are well, Mum Monica."
Monica didn't know whether to laugh with the joy of
that, or cry. "Mum Monica?" she quietly asked.
Hermione replied, "It's something we picked up from
CeeCee. She now calls Narcissa, Mum Narcissa, to
differentiate her from her adoptive mother, Dorothy.
We thought it was a good idea.
"For example, I'll now call Daphne's mother 'Mum
Adeline' and Fleur's mother 'Mum Pol'; Fleur's mum
prefers to be addressed by the diminutive."
Monica sat there for a few moment with a wide grin on
her face. "That sounds... nice."
While thinking about it, she saw the three younger
women, for women is what they were, all give subtle
shifts in their posture of relief.
She grinned and said, "Don't worry about it, ladies.
Given the... uniqueness of your situation, I happen to
think it's a very clever idea."
All three grinned back.
She gave that a moment before she asked, "Now; tell
me about your research into Harry's... mental issues."
Both Daphne and Fleur immediately deferred to
Hermione by simply looking to her.
Recognising that's what they were doing, Hermione
gave a little throat clear and said, "It's confirmed.
Harry has a touch of autism."
"I know," she replied. "I was just down in the kitchen
and watching him prepare dinner for us all. Because I
was looking for the signs for myself, I could see it
there. Have you not noticed he sorts out the
ingredients into some sort of order before he begins?
I had, at first, mistaken it for 'mise en place' purposes.
They're all sorted chronologically."
"Chronologically?" asked Hermione.
"He sorts things out by when he needs to deal with
them, in order of dealing with them," she explained.
That had the other three all look back in surprise.
"I'd... not noticed that," muttered Daphne. "But, yes; I
can see, now, he does that."
The other two nodded.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
On the Monday morning and after an early breakfast
with the Grangers, the Four floo'ed across to
Pottermore.
Almost as soon as they stepped through, with Harry
going first, Fleur almost jumped him and whispered in
his ear, "Mind taking me to the master bedroom? I
believe I'm the only one who you 'aven't ravished in
that bed yet."
Surprised, Harry turned to look at the other two, who
just smirked back.
Thinking for a moment, he said, "How about we sort
out sleeping arrangements, unpack, check over the
property and then you and I go check out the master
bed?"
She almost growled before she said, "Then let us
'urry, mon cher."
Less than an hour later, after doing all that, Fleur
grabbed him by his off hand and dragged him off to
his bedroom. When they reached the suite, she almost
ripped clothing off in the hurry of getting undressed.
An hour later he lay next to his Veela concubine and
asked, "You behaved as if you were in pain and the
life debt was driving you. Was that the case?"
With a sigh, she replied, "A little... yes."
"Then you need to approach me earlier, Fleur," he
firmly stated. "I do not like the idea of you being in
pain because you do not feel it is your place to say
something. That worries me."
It took a long moment, but she finally replied, "Oui. I
shall... endeavour to be more... forthcoming in future,
yes?"
"Please," he nodded. "This is about your health, Love.
What if there had been something suddenly crop up
that took me away from you for a few days? You'd
have been in all sorts of trouble, then."
She nodded back.
A moment later she suddenly threw her leg over
Harry's hips and slipped herself atop him. As she then
sat up on his hips, she smiled and asked, "Then, how
about you make sure it will be a long while before I
need you again, oui?"
He smiled back and, while reaching up to fondle her
breasts, replied, "Oui."
They finally left the suite about forty minutes later.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
When they did leave the suite after a shower each,
they redressed and headed downstairs. Both were
surprised to find the manor quiet.
Frowning in a little confusion, Harry called Jeeves.
When the elf popped in he asked, "Where are my other
two ladies?"
"They be naked in the pool," the elf grumbled, clearly
somewhat annoyed before he popped away again.
As Harry stood there, staring in surprise at where
Jeeves had stood, Fleur was snickering.
Finally, she began heading for the back of the manor
while disrobing again.
"Fleur?" he asked.
Turning back as she allowed her blouse to drop from
her fingers, she said, "It seems we had no need to
redress after all; no?"
Then she turned back and, while reaching behind her
back for her bra catch, kept walking towards the back
yard.
Harry gave a slight snort of amusement while pulling
his freshly-donned polo shirt off over his head and
followed her.
After a last look out the floor to ceiling back windows
of the solarium and onto the wide back patio with its
in-ground pool, Fleur dropped her knickers and
walked out. Harry was only a few seconds behind her.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After an hour in the pool or relaxing on sun lounges
by its edge, all the while naked with all three, Harry
got dressed and re-entered the manor. As soon as he
was inside he went to the welcoming hall and called
Jeeves.
When the elf popped in, he said, "Ah, Willy. Is it
possible to ward this room off from the rest of the
manor?"
"Yes, Master Harry," the elf immediately replied. "Willy
has already dones that. Willy did not want sudden
visitors coming through the floo and walking out to
see his master and mistresses undressed."
A little relieved, Harry said, "Thank you. If you hadn't
already done it, I would have asked you to do so. I
don't think any of us had thought until I did a few
minutes ago that sort of thing could happen."
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Chapter 643
Willy gave a little bow and said, "Jeeves understands.
Master James and Mistress Lily did that once, too.
And the ward was always up because of the war.
"Visitors can now only enter the floo room and cannot
see further into the manor unless Master or
Mistresses comes and collects them."
With a grin, Harry said, "That's great, Willy. I am
relieved to hear that."
When Harry returned back outside, he told his ladies
what he'd learned from Jeeves. While Hermione was a
little concerned her father might turn up and see them,
the one shocked the greatest was Daphne. She was
still getting used to being naked outside, as this was
her first time; so she nearly shot off her sun lounger
to run inside and get dressed. She'd only disrobed,
this time, because Hermione had encouraged her to
do so. Even then, she wore a wrap until she was ready
to jump into the pool.
It was only Harry explaining how that wasn't
necessary - and why - before she calmed again. Fleur
wasn't even slightly bothered and, apparently,
wouldn't have been bothered if even a horde of their
friends and family had turned up. Such was the nature
of her being a Veela.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
It was right in the middle of their time in France at
Delacour Manoir when their OWL results arrived on
the Saturday morning. They were carried by three
clearly bone-weary owls that were going to need to
rest for at least a full day before being allowed to
leave.
"Oh, my God!" exclaimed Hermione, when she
realised what the owls had been carrying. "I don't
believe I forgot!"
Pol ended up having to release the owl carrying
Hermione's results as the once bushy-haired girl was
suddenly way too jittery to handle it, herself.
With it in her hand and as Hermione closed her eyes
trying to centre herself before opening the envelope,
Jean-Paul quietly called on a house elf to bring a
couple of vials of calming potion, just in case.
Then she took a deep breath and opened hers, quickly
unfolding the parchment within. A few seconds later
her shoulders slumped a little in relief before her face
slowly morphed into a wide and happy grin as she
stared off into the distance.
Neither of the other two had opened theirs, as yet.
Everyone had been watching Hermione.
When she suddenly snapped back to herself,
Hermione blushed before she, babbling a little, asked
the others to open theirs.
Harry gave a snort of amusement before he opened
his own - and was quite surprised by what he
discovered. With the exception of History he received
straight 'O's; in History he scored an 'EE'. As for the
Os, he scored 'O+'s in Ancient Runes, Charms, DADA,
Potions, and Transfiguration; and ordinary 'O's in
Astronomy, CoMC, Herbology and Muggle Studies.
That gave him fifteen OWLs.
Daphne picked up fourteen OWLs with straight 'O's
across the board.
Astronomy, Herbology, History and Transfiguration
were standard 'O's; while Charms, DADA, Potions,
Ancient Runes and Arithmancy were 'O+'s.
And Hermione was similar but with an extra class, like
Harry. Unlike Harry, though, she picked up straight
'O's like Daphne.
Astronomy, Herbology, CoMC and Muggle Studies
(like Harry, she sat the exam without attending the
class) were standard 'O's; while Charms, DADA,
History, Potions, Transfiguration, Ancient Runes and
Arithmancy were 'O+'s. She scored eighteen OWLs
plus 'Best in Year'.
The first to speak of those other than those three,
Fleur exclaimed, "Wow!"
"That's... magnifique!" laughed a clearly happy
Apolline.
A very relieved Hermione finally sighed and softly
said, "I really had nothing to worry about, did I?"
Harry laughed at that, quickly followed by the others.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Over the rest of the week and taking their time, the
three now NEWT students discussed among
themselves their decisions for what classes they'd
take for their final two years. Harry had to, yet again,
assure one of his ladies that he would not stand in the
way of them taking on a career post-Hogwarts; this
time it was Daphne.
"You taking on a Healer apprenticeship, with spell
crafting thrown in, sounds like a wonderful idea," said
Harry, assuring her. "I'm just wondering how you'll
accomplish it.
"Will you undertake the Healer apprenticeship first,
then a Spell crafting apprenticeship; or vice versa? Or,
can you do both at the same time?"
"I don't really know," she replied. "I think I'll take on
the Healer apprenticeship first, get experience in the
field, then take on the spell crafting apprenticeship in
my spare time."
"It's up to you," he shrugged. "However, have you
three given any thought to my idea of taking a 'gap'
year first?"
It was left to Hermione to reply. "Yes. However, you do
realise, don't you, that it means our having children is
also put back a year?"
"If you want to," he replied. "However, I firmly believe
a woman's body is her own. As such, I firmly believe it
is up to the woman when she wants to bear children.
"Of course, I want children. But, I won't force you to
have them. And I certainly won't force you to have
them on my schedule."
That got him well snogged.
Once they got that out of their systems, Hermione
said, "Of course we want children, Harry. We all do.
But I think that decision will have to wait until the
Masters of their fields we take our apprenticeships
under are also okay with it."
"If they're not and the Masters or Mistresses of their
fields are against it, then we'll simply find a Master or
Mistress who will be okay with it," he stated. "If
necessary, I'm quite willing to offer a financial
incentive to whoever it is who take you on to allow
you the time to have a child, if that's what you want."
He again got well snogged.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Just after they returned to magical Britain on Friday,
the fifteenth of July, the three sent off their choices to
the new Deputy Headmistress, Professor Septima
Vector, the Arithmancy Professor.
Hermione would be taking: History, Charms,
Transfiguration, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy,
Advanced Muggle Studies, the Politics elective and
the Law elective; making a course outlay of eight
classes. If the workload became too much she
promised she'd drop Advanced Muggle Studies. None
of the others thought she'd have to keep that promise
though.
Daphne would be taking: Herbology, Transfiguration,
Charms, Potions, Arithmancy, the Healing elective and
the Estate Management elective; a course outlay of
seven classes. And Harry would be taking: Ancient
Runes, Charms, DADA, Transfiguration, the Politics
elective, the Law elective and the Estate Management
elective; also seven classes.
Harry found out from Daphne later he was taking what
was known as the "Lords' Seven", as what he had
chosen was seen as what those who would be taking
up Lordships or were otherwise wealthy were often
choosing. He just gave a snort of amusement in
return. Once he thought about it for a long moment he
could see how it was quite obvious.
Harry had no intention of 'just' being a Lord, though.
His intention was to support his three ladies in their
chosen careers. He had no problem with taking a
'back seat' to them; and was even looking forward to
it.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The day after they returned and the reason for them
returning on the Friday was because the July meeting
of the Alliance was on the Saturday; which, of course,
meant the July meeting of the Wizengamot was four
days later on the Tuesday.
There was little of import in the meeting. However,
Harry was pleased to hear Professor Ebenezer
Goodstone was already well into his role of taking on
the Headmastership of the school and Marchbanks
was quite happy to hand the reins over to him.
On one hand, he was sad to see her leave the post. He
enjoyed talking and otherwise interacting with her.
However, on the other hand, he was happy for her she
was returning to take once more the post of the Head
of the Ministry office, the Wizarding Examinations
Authority. It was very clear she loved the work. After a
short break she'd be again taking that role on as of
Monday, the first of August.
With a gentle smile to her, he quietly said, "I'm going
to miss seeing you in that office behind its gargoyle."
She smiled back and said, "That's sweet. Thank you,
Lord Potter. However, I assure you, Professor
Goodstone is up to the task in my stead."
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Chapter 644
He wrinkled his nose in distaste and said, "The man is
a fan of Quidditch."
She just softly cackled back before she returned,
"And may Merlin let that be his only... sin."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Sirius and Jace's handfasting, the Black-Sykes
handfasting, was the next week. However, instead of a
druidic handfasting as Harry had expected, it was
some form of hybrid handfasting/wedding of the type
they now used in MaCUSA. Never having seen a
handfasting before and only knowing a little about
weddings, Harry had no idea until after the ceremony
when Daphne explained it to both him and Hermione.
That had Hermione determined she wanted her
'handfasting' to Harry to be of the same style.
"It's like a blend of a muggle wedding and a wizarding
handfasting," she explained. "It covers both aspects
of my life, when you think of it; muggle and magical."
"Then such a hybrid ceremony you shall have," Harry
was quick to say.
Of interest before the ceremony, though, was when
Sirius got so nervous he almost 'did the bolt'. He'd
already started heading for the door to run off when
Remus calmly stunned him, dosed him with a readyat-hand calming potion and enervated him again.
"Better?" he asked.
After the nose-wrinkling Harry knew all too well, plus a
glare at his best friend, Sirius finally nodded and said,
"Much better, thank you."
After that, the ceremony went off quite well, even with
a great many people attending. As a handfasting of
One of the Seven the number of attendees was, of
course, significant. It was one of those 'everyone who
was an anyone' sort of events you had to attend if you
were someone of note.
Harry spent a lot of his time speaking with a few folks
from America, who were either friends of Jace's,
friends of her family or were actual family; except for
one, whom he could barely get anywhere near. That
person was of course Jocunda Sykes, Jace's
grandmother, she who rode an Oakshaft broom
across the Atlantic and, on arriving in MaCUSA, set up
a new broom company there; Starsweeper.
He chose to spend a lot of his time talking to 'the
Yanks' so he could spend less time speaking with
'colleagues' off the Wizengamot. And, of course,
almost everyone off the 'Mot, plus their other halves,
attended.
Apparently, the Members off the Wizengamot thought
a handfasting ceremony was a brilliant excuse to
mingle with fellow Members, network and try to make
deals. Harry was of a different opinion, hence why he
spent as much of his time as he could away from
them. His own opinion was, unless the social event
was specifically related to the 'Mot, then it was not an
event for which the Members should 'proselytise'. He
also used the excuse he was Sirius's godson to spend
more time with Jace's family.
The Potters got out of there not that much longer after
Sirius and the now Lady Jacinta Sykes-Black took off
on their honeymoon. They'd be off for the week, and
back for the Weasley-Clearwater handfasting the next
weekend and back to their honeymoon for the next
week; this time, in MaCUSA seeing the sites there. The
Delacours, however, sent Gabrielle back to Pottermore
with the Potters, but remained to network.
Later, Daphne had a quiet word with him - that is, told
him off - about how important to the Potter family
networking these sort of functions actually was. He
had to promise he'd try better at the WeasleyClearwater handfasting the next weekend.
He pouted back and said, "It's also my birthday. Aren't
I allowed, as birthday boy, to ignore everyone I want
to?"
"No," she simply and firmly replied.
The Delacours left the next day to return to France
and the Potters stayed at Pottermore for the week. The
Delacours would not be attending the second
handfasting.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As for the final days lead up to Percy's and Penny's
handfasting, Harry and Hermione had been receiving
invite after invite from Molly to come stay at the
Burrow as Molly wanted 'her entire family' to spend
the last few days with her.
Harry had to finally send a letter to Arthur via HEED,
to make sure Molly didn't intercept it, asking the man
to stop his wife 'barraging' them with letters of
demand to stay at the Burrow. He didn't write it, as he
couldn't bring himself to. However, Hermione and
Daphne were more than willing to write the letter on
his behalf. He just signed it.
The important part of the body had:
~ # ~
As well as now being seen by us as nagging-via-post
Molly continues, even today, to utterly ignore that I
have two concubines in Daphne and Fleur. Even more
she must know I and Fleur, due to her Veela life debt
to me, cannot be separated from me for any length of
time. Even a short period of a few days can cause her
distress; longer can cause her harm. And yet, from
her letters, Molly continues to ignore her existence; let
alone Daphne's.
I know she does not mean for her letters to be so, but
they are insulting in her refusal to acknowledge
Daphne's and Fleur's part in my and Hermione's life.
Where Hermione and I go, Daphne and Fleur go. If
neither Daphne or Fleur are welcome, I see it as I and
Hermione are likewise unwelcome.
However, that is only one issue. The next is how, as
One of the Seven, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient
House of Potter, Heir Tertiary of the Noble and Most
Ancient House of Black, a Member of the Wizengamot
and a founding member of the Grand Alliance I have a
great deal of responsibilities. Responsibilities, I must
often schedule a great deal of time in advance and
simply cannot either reschedule, beg off or otherwise
ignore. To do so could cause great or grave insult to
others.
Due to schooling and Fleur's contract with Gringotts
and the needs of our greater families, our summers
and other breaks are now carefully scheduled. For
instance, even though we received our official
invitation to attend Percy's and Penny's handfasting a
couple months ago, we still had to rearrange quite a
bit of our summer scheduling to fit it into our
calendar. I very much doubt we were the only
'important persons' to have done so. Even now we
have in place scheduling for next summer's break.
Hermione and I are grateful Molly sees us as family.
However, we actually are not. And we must place our
actual families' needs or desires above those of
others, such as the Weasleys. It would be wrong to do
otherwise.
We have our own lives, Mister Weasley. Please speak
with your wife and get her to understand that. If she
refuses, then we ask that you forbid her to contact us.
Furthermore, with us four being guests of Lord and
Lady Clearwater - me, in my role as Lord Potter;
Hermione, as my betrothed; and Daphne and Fleur as
my concubines - I have no choice but to ask you to
ensure Molly does not create, or otherwise engineer, a
scene at the handfasting of Lord Clearwater's Heir
Secondary, Penelope, and your son, Percy. Lord
Clearwater and I would each have no choice but to see
it as such a slight on the honour of each of us in our
formal roles as Two of the Seven. Plus, as I am also
still recognised as Heir Tertiary of Black, Sirius would
also have no choice but to step in. I am sure you have
no doubt of what the result of such a confrontative act
would be.
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Chapter 645
Please, please, make sure Molly understands that. We
all know how she will act if she sees someone she
considers one of her children behaving in a manner of
which she does not approve, namely not obeying her
every command. If she does act in such a manner, the
consequences would be dire for you and yours. You
know this.
~ # ~
Of course, the letter was painful for Harry to send.
However, he really had no choice. Molly, through her
own stubborness, left him with no choice.
Further, he also wrote a letter to Lord Basil Clearwater
informing him of the general contents of the letter he
sent Arthur. Hedwig was very happy to take it.
Lord Clearwater wrote a letter back the next day,
delivered by his own Northern Hawk owl,
acknowledging Harry's letter, stating his own hope
Molly would not create a scene, informing him Molly
would be 'closely monitored' to ensure that the first
sign of her losing her temper and about to commit an
action that would force the Seven to 'officially' react
she would be dealt with and 'wondering' how it is
Harry had tolerated her behaviour for so long.
Surprisingly, he also apologised for the 'only' three
months forewarning of the date of the handfasting
stating he had left it to the last minute in the hopes his
granddaughter would 'wake up to herself' and decide
Percy wasn't the one for her after all. He only allowed
the betrothal in the first place in the hopes Penny just
needed time to get over her 'crush' on the boy.
'However, it now appears she loves the 'over-officious
idiot' even deeper than before.' And he was never one
to deny his little princess something of which she
truly had her heart set upon.
He also wrote he was gifting the happy couple a small
and comfortable chalet, 'only six bedrooms, formal
lounge, formal dining, solarium, etcetera' that had
been a 'steal' he'd picked up from one of the auctions
of the deceased death eater properties. It was in
Blackpool on the south coast. 'This way, dear
Penelope does not have to tolerate that shrew, Molly
Weasley, if she does not desire to. She and Percival
will have their own home, away from that woman.'
Harry did not think Basil would have a problem with
him showing it to his ladies, so he did. All three were
amused.
The letter back from Arthur stated he would have Bill
basically sit on her if he had to, just to stop her from
doing something stupid. Bill was under orders from
his Head of House to even stun her if it was
necessary.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The actual handfasting had them arrive at Clearwater
Grove as one of the last guests, as was proper for
Harry's station. They also arrived via portkey in the
Manor's welcoming room, not out beyond the front
door or via apparation as most of the guests were
required to do to arrive. Only those who were lords
and ladies of Noble and Ancient Houses were so
accorded the welcoming room. Even the few so-called
lords and ladies of Elder Houses had to arrive via
portkey on the front patio beyond the front door. It
was the same at the Black country property, where
Sirius and Jace were wed.
With his three ladies and himself in formal attire, Harry
was greeted by Lord Clearwater and his lady before
his second son, Penny's uncle, escorted them
through to a temporary gazebo in the back gardens. It
was out there, being a traditional druidic handfasting,
where the ceremony would take place. The reception
would then be held in the massively expanded manor
ballroom.
As they walked in to the huge gazebo, they were
almost immediately spotted by Molly. When it looked
from her expression like she was going to storm over
to give them a serve, Bill, who was standing with her,
quickly latched onto her arm and, under a silencing
charm, firmly told her something that she clearly did
not want to hear, but it at least stopped her from
immediately heading over all the same.
Harry was satisfied with that. If she'd done otherwise
it would have meant she'd be tossed from the
handfasting before the handfasting even occurred,
then go blame it on him.
However, he was determined to have the woman, with
her husband, visit them at Pottermore; where he'd
finally 'lay down the law' on her. He knew it was
something that was a couple years in the making and
only delayed because of Ron's behaviour and then
subsequent death. Well, it had now been eight months
since Weasley's death and he was no longer willing to
allow his 'ex' faux-friend's passing hinder him in
finally dealing with the issue of a demanding Molly
Weasley.
As for the service, Harry found it quite interesting,
especially the druid's words about how two lives had
now become intertwined as if they were roots. Harry
thought it was a pretty good analogy of what could
come of a family tree from their joining.
After the service and as they were heading inside for
the 'breakfast/reception' part of the celebrations, Molly
once more tried to come over to speak with him. And,
this time, Arthur had to take a firm hand on her arm to
stop her. However, she shrugged off his hand and
began to storm over... and was promptly intercepted
by Bill. This time he surreptitiously had his wand out
and was clearly threatening her.
As they were all seated, Harry and his ladies were
seated off to one side, where the other lords and their
ladies of the Seven were sat. And Harry found him and
his seated almost opposite Sirius.
As soon as they sat, Sirius leaned across the table a
little and, frowning in clear concern, asked, "What's
going on with Molly Weasley?"
"She's upset with me because I sent a letter to Arthur
telling him to stop her constant nagging of Hermione
and me through owl mail to come and visit," replied
Harry. "I, for one, have had a gutful of it."
"And I, for two," Hermione added. "We've not said
anything until recently because of all the dramas
going on about Ron. However, it's now been eight
months since his death.
"Harry sent a letter to Mister Weasley telling him he
had to get Missus Weasley under control, especially at
this handfasting, or Harry would have to take official
action as One of the Seven against him for failing to
do so.
"Missus Weasley clearly didn't like discovering that.
And it looks like she wanted to come over and give
Harry a serve about it, which is something she has a
tendency to do when someone she sees as one of her
children doesn't do as they're told by her. Bill and
Mister Weasley have, twice now here today, had to cut
her off and, it's looked like, threaten her."
Daphne said, "If it wasn't for Harry being One of the
Seven and it would be a direct insult to Clearwater if
he did so, I'd recommend we four leave before there's
a scene. But, Harry really can't."
"No, he can't," Sirius agreed. He then looked around
and saw the 'Weasley' table on the opposite side of
the ballroom from them, with Molly sitting facing the
room and main table at an angle.
As a 'junior' member of One of the Seven Harry and
his sat with their backs to the floor and head table,
which also meant they had their backs to her. Sitting
opposite, though, Sirius and Jace were facing that
way. He spotted the Weasleys through the gap
between Harry and Hermione.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 646
"I'll keep an eye on her," said a firm Sirius. "If it looks
like she's again intending on heading towards you
and Arthur or Bill can't or won't cut her off, I will."
Thankfully, they made it through the feast and right
through to the dancing without the woman coming
over. However, as soon as Harry led Hermione onto
the dance floor, he saw Molly grab Arthur and drag
him onto the floor before she then force-took lead
from him and steered them towards a confrontation.
Thankfully, Sirius had Jace on the floor and was able
to impose himself and her between Harry and
Hermione and Arthur and Molly. Then, as Harry led
Hermione further away, he had stern words with the
woman and her husband. Arthur then dragged Molly
back off the floor.
Less than five minutes later, Arthur was dragging
Molly from the room towards the welcoming room
with its floo point. They weren't seen again, so Harry
thought Arthur must have quietly taken her straight
home.
After that Harry was finally able to relax and actually
enjoy the event.
Until his ladies dragged him away, demanding to
dance, he'd even let himself be corralled by a couple
of the Lords who 'want to hear his views on such and
such' or 'wondered if they could gain his support for
this or that'. They were of grey Houses, so Harry was
at least willing to hear them out.
That very evening and once they were back at
Pottermore Harry received an owl-delivered letter, by
Errol of all owls, from Arthur yet again apologising for
Molly's behaviour. Then had the audacity to ask if 'you
and Hermione' could visit the Burrow to talk.
Having already had enough - as if the invitation only
for him and Hermione to visit, not Daphne or Fleur,
wasn't further insult - Harry sent one back using
Hedwig that firmly stated Arthur was to bring Molly
and Bill to visit the next evening at 7.00pm sharp. It
was short, abrupt and to the point. It was also
addressed to 'Mister Arthur S Weasley, Head of the
Elder Houses of Weasley and Prewitt' and signed
'Lord Harrison J Potter, Lord of the Noble and Most
Ancient House of Potter' just to make it clear this
wasn't anything but a formal letter and summons.
He'd even used a wax seal, imprinted with his family
ring, to seal the letter.
The next evening was going to be one of the most
difficult Harry had ever had to endure in his life.
However, though he already knew it was going to be
painful, he also knew it was necessary.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The next day and through the day, Daphne coached
Harry on exactly how he needed to handle his meeting
with the elder Weasleys that night. Fleur wanted to
help, but due to her work commitments, let alone her
working relationship with Bill, couldn't. She did,
however, remind Daphne of a few key points she
needed to coach Harry on before she left for work that
morning.
Hermione wanted to help too, and did so by using the
Potter library to look up key legal precedents and
magical law when Daphne wanted Harry to see exactly
what it was she was alluding to or simply straight out
stating.
By the time dinner came around and Fleur had
returned from work, Harry thought he was as prepared
as he was going to be. And Fleur even covered a few
extra points that related to matters surrounding the
legal powers of One of the Seven.
"Bill tried to get me to relate to 'im what this meeting
tonight was all about, 'Arry," she said, while they were
sitting at the table and eating. "I 'ad to be firm and tell
'im the Veela Bond I 'ave with you specifically forbade
me telling 'im anything that was considered a matter
of the 'Ouse of Potter. 'E wasn't 'appy."
"I would have thought, as an employee of Gringotts
himself," said Hermione, "He would understand there
are some things that simply cannot be discussed."
"'E knows that," she replied. "'Owever, 'e was trying to
get information relating to where I thought 'Arry's...
mind was in this matter."
"In other words," said Harry, "He was trying to get you
to talk to him about matters he knew the Veela Bond
would have no issue with you sharing."
"Oui," she calmly replied. "'Owever, 'e left frustrated
with me for not being willing to share anything with
'im."
Harry nodded and said, "I will have a word with him
about that, tonight. He should know that what he tried
was wrong."
"'E is trying to protect his mother," she explained. "At
least, that is what 'e claimed when I lost my temper a
little with 'im."
"Which tells us he understands his mother is in
trouble with us," said Daphne.
She nodded.
XXXX
Right on the stroke of 7.00pm the fireplace at
Pottermore gave its expected 'whoomph' of green
flames a moment before Arthur stepped out. Molly
was right behind him and Bill was right behind her.
At the time, the only one in the room waiting for them
was Daphne. With the flat expression of occlumency
shields up she was dressed in very upmarket
business casual with the Potter Crest on her robes.
She was on her feet off to one side with her wand
already drawn in readiness... just in case.
As soon as Bill straightened up, she flicked her wand
at the fireplace. It wasn't actually a charm she cast, it
was a signal to Willy to lock the floo down again with
its password.
She looked at Arthur and, instead of given the
customary greeting and offer of hospitality, she said,
"Mister Weasley, Missus Weasley, Heir Weasley;
please, follow me. My Lord and Lady await us in his
office."
Then, without even waiting for any of the three visitors
to say a word, simply spun about and walked from the
room.
Molly gave a huff, but that was all she did before
following Daphne. Daphne thought either Arthur or
Bill had to have silenced her, as she knew the woman
would otherwise not hesitate to voice her displeasure.
As she continued to walked from the room, she had a
small smirk on her face she knew the Weasleys could
not see.
Of course, the office of the Head of House was not
that far away, so it was only a few seconds before
Daphne stood before a door and knocked.
From within, she heard Harry firmly bark, "Enter!"
She opened the door, stepped within and formally
said, "My Lord Potter; Mister Weasley, Missus
Weasley and Heir Weasley are here for their appointed
meeting." Then she stepped to the side to usher the
Weasleys within.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Throughout the day Harry had received quite a
number of 'urgent' letters from Lords of other Houses,
who were aware of what had happened at the
handfasting and demanded he act. On his behalf
Hermione was writing responses, which he would
then read, make a slight alteration or two and hand
back to her to be rewritten. Then he'd sign them, with
his ring impress a wax seal on the envelop flap and
set it aside to be sent off.
There were so many he had to resort to using
Hermione's owl, then Sirius's, then Dobby.
People of importance were upset and wanted it fixed.
And, apparently, due to his being One of the Seven;
one of the heads of the major alliance, the Grand
Alliance; and known to have a long-term relationship
with the Weasley family he was 'elected' to be the one
to do the 'fixing'.
Plus, during the lead up to the time of the Weasley
'appointment', Daphne had given Harry a quick
reminder of what needed to be done and said before
she calmly said, "Be at ease, Harry. This has been a
long time coming and is past due happening. Just
remember: You are One of the Seven and what you
say, tonight, must be obeyed."
With a sigh, he sat back for a moment before he
nodded back.
As Daphne walked out closing the door behind her,
from her own chair off to his side and also facing
forward, Hermione said, "Also remember: We love
you, Harry. You cannot do anything tonight that would
lead us to loving you any less."
He again nodded, but added a quiet, "Thank you."
Then he sat forward and ensured, once again, his
desk and everything else in the room was just as it
needed to be. On the blotter before him was a 'crib'
sheet with the important points he needed to focus
upon during this meeting. Next to his left hand was
the stack of 'complaint' letters he received from the
other Lords.
Setting the office up to focus on the office chair as a
'seat of power', was something pretty much already in
place before Daphne moved through it, slightly
rearranging things.
For a start, she had the elves remove the discussion
table at the other end of the office. Then had the
chairs that surrounded it replaced with three
comfortable but 'less classy' than Harry's, Hermione's
and hers - the last of which sat on the outside of
Hermione's - and had them set before and facing the
desk, about seven feet back and about eighteen
inches apart.
The centre seat was supposed to be for Arthur, while
the one on his left was for Molly and the one on his
right was for Bill.
When Daphne knocked on the door, entered and gave
her short announcement of the Weasleys, Harry was
firming up and ready.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Before entering the office, Arthur had already figured
out he was going to have to do a lot of grovelling. He
entered and, after a quick scan of the room with his
eyes, walked forward to stand behind the chairs.
As he was leading, he did not see the expression on
his wife's face. If he had, he might have handled the
situation differently, right then and there. However, he
probably still couldn't have stopped what was about
to happen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 647
"Harry, dear," said Molly. "What is the meaning of all
this?"
As both Arthur and Bill winced, Harry allowed his eyes
to flicker a very cold expression upon Molly for a bare
moment before he flicked that same cold gaze back to
Arthur.
"Mister Weasley," he almost growled. "Your wife does
not seem to know her place. Control her, before I'm
forced to take offence."
As Molly's expression switched from a fake
pleasantness, to shock, before then switching to
outrage, Bill had stepped to the side towards her,
stepped up behind her and jabbed her in the back with
the tip of his index finger. Her expression immediately
switched back to shock.
He needed her to think it was a wand tip, not his
finger, and immediately shut up. He hissed into her
ear, "Mother! For the love of Merlin; shut up!"
She did, but it was clear she was very unhappy.
Whether it was because Bill was jabbing her in the
back with what she thought was a wand tip, from his
barely heard command, or from the way Harry was
looking at her with clear anger didn't matter.
Once it appeared she wasn't going to say anything,
Harry indicated the chairs and said, "You may sit."
However, it was said more as an order, rather than an
invitation.
When Molly looked like she was going to sit in the
middle seat, Bill quickly hooked a hand under her
nearest armpit and near-bodily forced her back to her
feet. "Yours is the seat on the left, mother. The 'shieldmaiden's' place, remember?"
Again, anger flicked over her expression before she
sidestepped to her left and sat in the seat to the left of
the centre chair from Arthur; to Harry, on his right.
After she sat, Bill sat on the one on Arthur's right and
Arthur finally sat in the centre chair.
Harry then gave a firm nod to Arthur and said, "Last
night, the actions of your wife caused a great deal of
embarrassment to the Noble and Most Ancient
Houses of Clearwater, Potter and Black. Her behaviour
also offended the Noble and Most Ancient Houses of
Flack, Longbottom and Muldoon. It probably also
offended the Noble and Most Ancient House of Rowle,
but I really couldn't care any less about Rowle than I
do now.
"Furthermore, she also offended the Noble and
Ancient Houses of Abbott, Bones, Davis, Diggory,
Greengrass, Hilliard, MacMillan, Marchbanks, Ogden
and Spinnet. And that's just those Noble and Ancient
Houses I care about, let alone those I don't care about
and any of lesser rank."
Tapping the stack next to his left hand he said, "I have
here a great many complaints from almost all those
demanding I take action against you and yours.
"Last night your wife took your House... both Houses
if I also include the fact you're also Regent of the
Elder House of Prewett into consideration... to the
point where you were one wrong word... one
thoughtless act... from being declared anathema to
each of those Houses. Just in case your father was
negligent in your non-Hogwarts education, let alone
your mother Cedrella Weasley née Black, that would
mean you would be a single step away from being in a
House-wide blood feud with many multiple Houses."
When Harry saw all three give starts of shock and
suddenly pale, he thought he might have finally gotten
through to them.
"I see you know what that, at least, means," he glared.
"But, just in case you don't know how bad it would get
for you, it would automatically have the entire Grand
Alliance standing together in that blood feud against
you... and, yes, that would also mean the Noble and
Most Ancient House of Potter would be included...
plus a great many more Houses. From that, I'm sure
you can already tell the Houses of Weasley and
Prewett would very likely be extinct within a few days
at the most."
He gave that a few moments to settle into their minds
before he raised the next point.
"Up to and including the letter I received from you last
night, Mister Weasley, your wife has... even when
constantly reminded otherwise... consistently and
deliberately ignored the fact Heiress Daphne
Greengrass of the Noble and Ancient House of
Greengrass and Heiress Fleur Delacour of the
Venerable House of Delacour of France and of the
Veela Nation are in contractual relationships with me.
Your wife's invitations for me and Hermione, but not
Daphne or Fleur, to visit were... by her deliberately not
doing so... offensive.
"I have chosen to ignore those repeated offences,
because I know your wife does not... like... certain
aspects of the etiquette and traditions of our world.
However, neither can she be that stupid or ignorant to
not know that, when she deliberately ignores required
etiquette, she offends others. And that reflects on you.
"That I don't bring you to heel for her behaviour
against me, reflects on my House, the Seven and the
Grand Alliance. As such, I have been forced into the
position where I... as I have warned you in past I
would have to do... must act.
"You are the Head of House, Mister Weasley; not your
wife. If you are incapable of bringing her to heel, if you
continue to prove yourself to be an ineffective Head,
then Heir William Weasley will be forced to depose
you from the position as Head of House and take your
place. Then of him will it be demanded he bring your
wife to heel... by any means necessary. If you fight
that, or he doesn't bring your wife to heel, then it will
be blood feud.
"Do you understand what I have told you?"
Arthur slowly nodded.
"I will have your verbal acknowledgement, Mister
Weasley," he growled. "Again, do you understand
what I have told you?"
"Y-yes," Arthur, almost too softly to be heard, said.
"Yes... WHAT?" he snapped.
"Yes... m-my Lord."
Harry then nodded back and asked, "Now. Make sure
your wife does not send any further insulting letters to
me or mine. I believe it would be best if she was
forbidden to send me any more letters; and, if your
wife finds need to send me a letter, it come from your
hand and with your approval."
He again gave that a moment to sink in.
Turning to Bill, he said, "I am already aware my
second bonded, Miss Delacour, felt pressured by you
in the workplace concerning information regarding me
you claimed you needed. That will cease, forthwith. I
will be very unhappy if I learn that this action I've been
forced to take by my peers brings negativity upon
Miss Fleur Delacour while she remains under your
tutelage in her position within Gringotts.
Understood?"
"Yes, my Lord," Bill replied more firmly than his father.
"Thank you," he more softly said.
Turning back to Arthur he said, "I remain exceedingly
grateful your family took me in for a few short weeks
during the summer between my first and second year,
second and third year, and third and fourth year;
though I know a lot of that had to do with you meeting
a request by Dumbledore you do so.
"Even then, you were under no such... obligation... to
also take Hermione, now the Lady Presumptive of the
Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter and ward of
the Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of
Black, into your home during those same times. At
least, I do not believe so.
"And, for that, I will always remain grateful," he said,
before he firmed up again. "However, recent
behaviour by your wife, as if she was using... playing
upon... that original hospitality, have utterly negated
any of that. And that greatly saddens me."
He gave that a long moment before he quietly said,
"Thank you for coming. You all may leave now."
Daphne immediately rose from her seat and, as she
walked past the three, she said to them, "This way,
please. I will escort you out."
As the three Weasleys rose, clearly in a daze and in
shock, they started to follow Daphne from the room.
Arthur even 'forgot' to bow to Harry, as Head of House
and as protocol and etiquette demanded, before he
followed her out. None of them said a word as they
left. From the expression on her face it seemed Harry
had finally gotten through to Molly her behaviour had
landed both her Houses and her husband in the deep
'doo-doo'.
As the door closed behind them, Harry slumped
forward onto the desk and began to lightly sob.
He knew he'd just utterly destroyed his relationship
with the Weasley family and he'd had no choice, but to
do so.
Hermione came over, sat on his lap and cuddled him.
She, too, was lightly crying.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 648
Just before he flooed away and after first sending his
wife through, Arthur turned to Daphne and softly but
sadly said, "I'm sooo sorry. But, I will fix this."
She told him, "I hope you're able to, Mister Weasley. It
would devastate my Lord Potter if he had to act
because you didn't or were unable to."
After a sad nod back, he followed his son through the
floo.
Once the green flames reverted to a small red 'pilot'
flame again, she sighed and headed back to the office.
She knew Harry would need comforting and Hermione
was the only one in there at the moment.
As she walked she called for Betsy.
When the elf popped in a little ahead of her, she said,
"Betsy, would you please inform Fleur the Weasleys
have left and Harry's in the office?"
"Yes, Mistress," the little elf replied before she popped
away again.
Just before she reached the door to the office, Daphne
heard Fleur hurrying down the stairs from upstairs
and waited for her.
As Fleur hurriedly approached, she quietly asked,
"'Ow did it go?"
"Harry was brilliant," replied Daphne. "However, it was
also very clear to Hermione and me that it caused him
great pain to do what he had to do."
Fleur sadly nodded and just as softly said, "Then we
shall 'ave to lift his spirits, non?"
"Oui," Daphne sadly smiled.
Then she reached for the doorknob and let them both
in.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Harry felt he'd had quite the emotional day and
wanted to head to bed early. However, all three of his
ladies took him to the informal dining room, where
they enjoyed a cup of cocoa each.
"You're a bit too keyed up at the moment, Harry," said
Hermione. "I think it would be best for all of us if we
talk about something else for the rest of the night."
They did. They talked about their friends, discussed
the differences between the hybrid wedding come
handfasting and the traditional handfasting, wondered
when they'd hear back about their choices for classes
for their NEWT years, those sort of issues.
Finally, but still early, Harry headed for bed claiming
mental exhaustion. Daphne joined him and they spent
the first half hour cuddling before he gently dropped
off to sleep.
Once he'd done so, she sighed and allowed herself to
drift off.
The girls had already planned on a 'distracting' day for
the next day.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The day dawned quite warm and cloudless, which told
the manorhold it was going to be quite the hot day.
The girls had originally planned on taking Harry to an
amusement park, just as they did for CeeCee's
birthday. However, with the day shaping up to be a hot
one, even before breakfast, the day at the amusement
park idea was aborted - or, at least, deferred.
Instead, they dragged him out to the manor pool.
They'd decided on another 'naked day' by the pool,
working on their tans.
However, within fifteen minutes of them being outside,
Hermione had a bottle of muggle suntan lotion and
asked Harry to lather her up. He was very happy to do
so. She flipped over onto her tummy so he could start
with her back.
He started with her upper back, then lower back, then
switched to the back of her legs, before finally
massaging the lotion into her bare buns. Once
finished there he softly said, "You'll need to flip over."
She did, without any hesitation. Then he lotioned-up
her feet, her lower legs, her upper legs, slipped right
past her lady-cauldron, lotioned her tummy, her chest
- paying special attention to her very erect and firm
nipples, which had her almost moaning - then moved
to her arms before then dropping down to 'massage'
the oil into her mons. She moaned when he did that
too.
Once he was finished lathering her all up, Daphne
asked, "My turn, now?" And he switched over to her.
As with Hermione, as he approached her she rolled
onto her tummy. It did not slip his attention she
appeared quite eager.
She then got the same treatment before Fleur, who'd
been watching the whole thing, smirked at him, rolled
onto her tummy and simply pointed over her shoulder
at her back.
Once he was done - which, surprisingly, had not taken
more than half an hour - he returned to his own
lounger and lay on his front. He was barely on it for
about two minutes before he felt hands starting to
spread lotion on his back. Flipping his head to the
side he could see it was Hermione; and she was
lightly smiling back.
He was just starting to relax into it when he felt a
second pair of hands, this time it was Daphne. And, as
he watched, he saw Fleur walk over, obviously to give
them a hand... maybe. Yes!
Daphne ended up doing his the right side of his torso
and right arm, Hermione applied lotion to his left and
left arm and Fleur took his legs.
When it felt like they were done, Hermione quietly
said, "Roll over."
He was happy to do so and flipped himself over.
This time, because of the flip, Daphne worked on his
left side while Hermione worked on his right, though
they hadn't switched sides of the lounger. Fleur was
still working on his legs.
And they covered everywhere, including his face.
As he was thinking they weren't going to be that bold
as to 'handle' little Harry while they worked him over,
he was surprised when that's exactly what he felt. It
took him a moment to figure out from the grip that it
was Hermione; about the same amount of time it took
him to snap his head forward to rest his chin on his
chest and see she had hold of him with her right hand
and was gently stroking him. And none of the girls
seemed to be offended or otherwise perturbed by
what Hermione was doing.
Harry was shocked.
Of course, as a healthy young man late in his
adolescence his 'Little Harry' didn't so much as wake
up, look around, think about things, scratch himself
and then, with a great deal of grumbling, decide to
stand up. No; 'Little Harry' practically leapt to almost
instant rigid attention and barked, "Little Harry
reporting as ordered, Ma'am!"
Hermione gave a little giggle at how fast Little Harry
changed from asleep to ready to go.
But, what surprised him even more, was when Daphne
leaned over him and took him into her mouth.
"Oh! Gods!" he exclaimed, his back and heels arching
his hips up.
"Daphne!" exclaimed a shocked Hermione. Fleur
snickered in amusement.
Daphne pulled off a moment later and asked, "What?"
"I can't believe you did that!" gasped Hermione.
"Why not?" asked a still sniggering Fleur. "If I didn't
think you'd get upset with me for doing it, I'd have
done it too."
Meanwhile Daphne had pulled a face and was trying to
get the taste out of her mouth. "The suntan lotion
doesn't taste anywhere near as nice as it smells."
While still lightly holding him, Hermione looked
between both Harry's concubines before she seemed
to reach a decision. There was a slight hesitation
before she then bent forward and took Harry into her
mouth for a long moment herself.
"B-bloody Hell!" gasped Harry.
As Hermione slowly pulled off, Fleur moved forward to
sit astraddle Harry's shins and the bottom of the
lounge. Once Hermione pulled clear, she then
immediately bent forward and took him in her mouth
too.
"Arrgh!" Harry groaned, as Hermione pulled a face
and lightly said, "Yuck!"
As Fleur pulled off, he gasped, "What the bloody hell
is this!? A round robin?"
Daphne replied, "That's not a bad idea." Then, without
a pause, bent forward again.
It didn't take long for what was going to happen, to
happen.
As he came down off that rush, he felt Fleur shift
forward up his legs. Then she impaled herself.
Harry was yet again surprised. Not by Fleur's actions -
he knew her Veela heritage meant she couldn't care
less about engaging in sex in front of others - but, by
how Hermione and Daphne didn't get upset about it.
It was more than half an hour later, when Harry was
quickly being reduced to a puddle of endorphic goo,
that Hermione, after hopping off his lap, said, "I think
we should take this inside. Harry, here, is beginning to
burn." When she looked to Daphne, she said, "So are
you, by the look of the skin on your breasts."
Daphne, surprised, looked over and asked, "How can
you focus on something like that when you've just...
you know..." And gestured to how she was the last to
ride Harry while he was on the lounger. However, she
also moved forward to pull Harry to his feet.
Together, the four headed inside and up to the master
suite. Harry was still a little out of it, so the girls
guided him the entire way.
As they walked, Fleur quietly asked Hermione, "I take
it, you're not so against me being involved at the
same time as you and Harry..."
"I'm getting used to you being there, Fleur," she
replied. "However, I don't think I'll ever get to the point
where I'll welcome your touch... sexually; do you
understand?"
"Oui," said Fleur. "So long as I... as they say... know
the boundaries, I am happy."
After a shower first to wash that lotion back off, Harry
wasn't 'allowed' out of bed for the rest of the morning.
And only then because of the call of mother nature
and the need to eat.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 649
However, the girls thought they'd accomplished what
they wanted to accomplish and Harry was no longer
moping about what he'd had to say to the Weasleys.
The next morning Harry received a letter from 'Mr
Arthur S. Weasley, Head of the Elder House of
Weasley' formally advising him that actions had been
taken to ensure his wife, 'Mrs Margaret M. Weasley',
would not in any way, shape or form initiate or cause
to be initiated any contact with him, Harry, his wife,
his betrothed, his bonded and any children that may
come of his loins on pain of losing her magic and
immediately finding herself disowned from House
Weasley.
At work and from Bill Fleur found out Arthur had
forced a magical vow on Molly, bonded by Bill, to that
effect.
Harry thought it was a tad harsh, but could also see it
was probably the only way to force Molly to stop her
shenanigans.
Daphne quietly sent 'unofficial' notes to those others
who'd been incensed about Molly's behaviour and
contacted Harry about it, of what had happened.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
By the Thursday, two days later, the heatwave had
broken and Daphne and Hermione finally took him to
one of the large amusement parks, where they spent
the day just enjoying being teenagers. This one wasn't
the one Harry and Hermione attended while staying
with her parents, or the one they went to as part of
CeeCee's thirteenth birthday. This one included an
'attached' water-based amusement park with long
waterslides and rapids you rode inner tubes down.
Because of the heat, they spent the first part of the
day in the actual amusement park with its many rides,
stopped for lunch and then went into the water park
area. When it cooled down a fair bit, they returned to
the main park and spent the day and early evening
there.
What made it even better for the three - Fleur had to
work - they could travel to and fro between home and
the parks by Knight Bus, so there were no long travel
times.
However, the other Heirs found out about it and they
had to promise the others to go again or to another
the next week.
That time they went on the Sunday to the same park,
the day after the Alliance meeting, so Fleur could join
them. All the other Heirs, including Ernie - surprise,
surprise - joined them. And again they spent part of
the day in the water park area.
The only downside to the day was when three muggle
'toughs' tried to come on too strong with Fleur while
she was wearing a bikini in the water park. Harry had
to surreptitiously hit the three with compulsion
charms to get them to back down. He wasn't mean
about it though; just compelled them to hurriedly
depart the park with visions Fleur's 'super-muscular
bikie boyfriend' was hunting them down to beat the
living hell out of them.
They were gone within moments, clearly rushing to
get out as fast as they could.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
It was a few days earlier and the day before the
August meeting of the Alliance, when they arrived
early for one of their weekends at the Grangers, that
their letters from Hogwarts arrived late on the Friday,
just after dinner. It contained both their acceptances
into the classes they wanted to undertake together
with a booklist for all of them. As expected it was
signed by 'Deputy Headmistress Septima Vector' on
behalf of 'Headmaster Ebenezer Goodstone'.
As they were due to stay for the week day week at
Green Fields, they decided to hold off on the trip to
Diagon until they could confirm if their other friends,
plus Astoria, had received theirs.
They all had, so the trip was taken on the next Friday,
one day shy of two weeks before their return to
Hogwarts.
"Shouldn't we have waited until CeeCee was back?"
asked Hermione while they'd been discussing it.
"No," replied Harry. "She will not be returning to
magical Britain until about the twenty-seventh or
twenty-eighth, more than a week from now. Besides,
Cousin Narcissa wants to make it a 'witches' day'; just
the two of them. If I've read things right I think she
wants to take her more than just shopping for fourth
year supplies, too. So, I think we should let them have
the day, yes?"
After a three way glance between his three ladies,
Hermione replied, "That sounds like a good idea."
The way his three all seemed to smirk had Harry
immediately knowing that both Narcissa's Witches'
Day with CeeCee and what they'd be doing on that day
was something he really did not want to know about.
Which led them to Diagon Alley on the Friday, meeting
with the others at Fortescue's at 10.00am.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Once the rest of the Heirs - now also including Ernie -
had turned up, the group set off to begin their
shopping. Harry had to go to Gringotts, as did a
couple of the others, so that's where they headed first.
Then it was off to Madam Malkins so uniforms that
needed to be replaced could be replaced. With nine of
them, Fleur was at work and CeeCee wasn't in country
yet, they were four boys - Harry, Neville, Justin and
Ernie - and five girls - Hermione, Daphne, Susan,
Hannah and Tracey. Which allowed them to more or
less evenly split between the male and female
sections of the store.
When Susan, Hannah and Tracey found out Harry had
given Hermione and Daphne an 'open purse' to do
shopping, all three turned to their 'wizardfolk' with
pointed looks.
Neville, now used to it, immediately raised his hands
and apologised, "Sorry. Unlike Harry, I'm still on a
stipend. I'll talk to my father, though, and see what I
can do."
That had both nod back with understanding
expressions. And Tracey, though it was clear she too
wanted access to an open purse, didn't even bother to
ask.
Harry just rolled his eyes and said, "I tell you what,
ladies. How about, just for today, I pay for whatever
wardrobe replacements you want to make. This does
not mean―" Which was as far as he got before an
excited squealing Tracey launched herself at him and
laid a massive hug on him.
When she pulled back, after kissing his cheek, he
continued. "This does not mean I'm willing to do this
sort of thing all the time. It just means I'm willing to do
it this time. Alright?"
All three, after first 'checking' with their menfolk,
turned back with matching happy grins and nodded
back.
"Thank you, Harry," said Susan.
"Yes; thank you, Harry," said Hannah.
And Tracey nodded.
As all five ladies rushed into the female side of the
store, Neville said, "You didn't need to do that, Harry."
"No, but I wanted to," he shrugged. "I had no chance
to buy anything for friends as I was growing up with
the Dursleys. And, now that I've finally got the chance
to do that, I want to enjoy it."
Belatedly realising both other boys might have felt
offended, he turned to both and said, "I know I should
have asked you both first, but I sometimes can't help
myself. I like making people happy. Sorry for stepping
on your toes, there."
Neville just snorted in amusement while Justin gave
him a wry grin back.
Justin said, "Just so long as you let us pay you back...
away from the attention of the ladies, of course... at
some time in the near future."
Neville nodded in agreement.
"I can easily accept that," said Harry.
The girls, while not going overboard in Harry's
opinion, managed to acquire for themselves quite a
few different outfits. However, none of the boys were
allowed to see them until the ladies, themselves,
deigned they could. Harry already knew this meant
another fashion parade in his own near future.
While the girls were getting kitted - or, rekitted - out,
the boys were undergoing likewise on their side of the
store.
As Harry hadn't grown much over the course of the
previous year much of what he owned did not require
replacing. However, the girls made sure he bought
three full sets of school uniforms, anyway.
"You are not a pauper, Harry," Daphne had firmly
stated. "As such, you will buy a full uniform
replacement set at the beginning of each year, even if
you don't need to replace what you've already got. We
ladies are doing the same; so that, by the way we
dress, you are not seen as either a pauper or a knutpinching bastard."
Harry just gave a shrug in pained acceptance and
went along with it. While he knew a full replacement
didn't even scratch the surface of his residuals from
his investments, he also now recognised you have to
be seen to be wealthy, not just be wealthy, if you
wanted to be properly respected in the wizarding
world; Lordships aside.
After the fittings, it did not take them long to go
through the rest of the Alley and pick up everything
else they needed: Books, replacement ingredients and
another two cauldrons for those continuing with
potions such as Daphne, a great deal more sheets of
blank parchment, more quills, more ink and a couple
of expensive advanced rune carving tool sets for
Harry and Hermione.
Then it was a return to Malkins to pick up their
clothing before returning to Fortescue's.
They only hung around to eat an icecream each before
they all left for their respective homes. The Potters all
returned to Pottermore, Justin elf-popped to Bedford
Castle with Tracey; which surprised almost everyone.
Neville, Susan and Hannah went to Abbott's Ford. And
Ernie returned to his grandfather's place via floo.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
During the last full week of the break Bill asked Harry,
by way of Fleur through Gringotts, if he could visit as
he had news he felt he needed to share with Harry.
That meeting occurred on the evening of Thursday,
the twenty-fifth. That week, as it was the last full one
before they returned to school, was at Pottermore for
the Potters.
During that meeting, Bill felt he needed to explain a lot
of what had been happening at the Burrow since 'that
night', as he referred to it.
As they already knew, Molly had been placed under a
magical vow not to contact Harry or his, unless Harry
had initiated the contact. That was something Harry
currently felt he'd never do again. However, according
to Bill it also led to a frank and open family discussion
where a whole lot of issues were discussed.
First, Bill had admitted to both his parents he didn't
spend as much time out of magical Britain as he'd led
them to believe. And then explained why; that it had to
do with how he knew his mother would then
constantly badger him to spend more time at the
Burrow against his desire to be his own man and
stand on his own two feet. Which then led to Charlie,
who was home at the time because of what had
happened, explaining he took the job in Bulgaria at
the dragon reserve, after having already been offered
a chance to play professional Quidditch for a
professional Quidditch team in England; and that it
was for the same reason why Bill kept secret how
much time he actually spent in magical Britain
himself.
After that shock the twins then showed they were a lot
smarter than their school results indicated, explaining
they knew their mother would try to force them to
seek jobs within the Ministry when their dream, now
being realised with the help of Sirius, was to own their
own store selling prank items and games.
After hearing through his older children's claims and
reasons behind them, Arthur was devastated while
Molly had a near mental breakdown. Arthur then
asked his boys to help him pay for a mind-healer for
their mother, to try and get her past what he now knew
was an unhealthy desire to keep 'her babies' close by
and under her control. They all promised to chip in,
including Percy. And the mind-healer that was helping
Ginny, as soon as Ginny told her of what was going
on, approached Arthur and suggested a colleague
who had experience in dealing with mothers with
control issues would best suit.
That mind-healer had already visited with Molly twice
and stated a long process was going to be required to
get her through it. Apparently, Molly feared losing her
children to early deaths and trying to control them
was her way of protecting them; and Ron's 'recent'
death had exacerbated the problem. Her need to
control had ratcheted up well beyond healthy levels.
Harry silently pledged to use the same ruse he used to
pay for the mind-healer that visited with Ginny and
Luna to contribute to paying for the help Molly clearly
desperately needed.
He'd arranged that the next day, again via Ted. A short
note back from Ted said he'd take care of it, as Harry
knew he would.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After a weekend back at the Grangers', the Potters
spent the last few days at the Black Townhouse
(Narcissa had insisted on the name, due to the
presence of CeeCee).
CeeCee had arrived on Saturday morning, spent that
day and Sunday reacclimatising to the time-zone eight
hours before her own and was right as rain by the
next, Monday, morning; even if she did look like
something the kneazle dragged in when she came
down for breakfast.
However, as she'd claimed, she wasn't going to miss a
Harry breakfast and Harry had promised to turn up
early enough on Monday morning to cook said
breakfast. He did.
When CeeCee staggered into the kitchen that morning
Harry just smugly grinned. He knew the power of his
skillet and pans might not be able to rouse the dead,
but could sure as Hell rouse 'dead to the world'
sleepers.
A lot less sleep fogged as she'd been awake for an
hour already, Narcissa rolled her eyes at both the
antics of CeeCee and Harry's smug grin.
She wasn't taking CeeCee out for her 'witch's day out'
that day, that was the next day, but it helped the girl to
be awake at that time to finalise her readjustment to
Greenwich Mean Time. Besides, as she was heading
later that morning to Bedford Castle to visit with
Justin's family; so needed to be awake anyway.
As she started to get a decent feed into her, between
mouthfuls the young girl started to tell Harry and his
ladies about her summer back in Perth.
She'd also mentioned that her Dad had taken the
entire family up the Darling Ranges escarpment to
Lesmurdie to see the House that Harry had bought.
And expressed her desire to immediately move in
there instead of living in the house in Thornlie.
"Dad wouldn't go for it, though," she grouched. "He
said it's your place and we really should only see the
place, from then on, if it was an emergency. That is, of
course, unless you're staying there. Then we can visit
again."
"We just might stay there for a while after we've
finished at Hogwarts," said Harry. "We've really not
got any firm plans in that regard yet."
"What about your yacht?" she asked.
Harry had no idea she even knew of that.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 650
After wanting to build one to his specifications. Ted
had done his homework and strongly recommended
he purchase one second-hand.
'After all,' he'd wrote, 'You might find living on the
water not to be your cup of tea. A pre-built yacht of
similar dimensions to what you want will allow you to
explore the idea with nowhere near the financial
outlay.'
Harry could see the wisdom of that and wrote back
that such a yacht currently on the market would 'do'.
However, it's electronics and the like would need to be
hardened against magic. Therefore, whatever was
purchased would need to be stripped down with the
intention of setting up null magic areas around the
electrical and electronic systems.
Ted was currently working on that. He'd already found
an 'Enchanter' in America who claimed some level of
skill in warding electrical equipment against magical
energy interference. He had now been contacted and
had already stated he needed full access to the
electronics and electrical equipment and Harry used
that stated need as an excuse to update the systems
on whatever yacht was bought.
"I have no idea how long it's going to take to find the
one I want to purchase, or for the enchanter to get in
and ward the electricals once it's purchased," he
replied to CeeCee. "However, I can see it being found,
purchased and updated well before we sit out NEWTs.
So, we'll probably be spending a lot of time on it
almost straight after exams.
"However, that does not mean we'll be on it all the
time. I fully intend for us Potters to pay a visit to Perth
sometime within the year after our NEWTs. We'll just
have to time it to be while you're also at home with
your parents.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
On the Thursday, first of September, the Potter four
minus Fleur, together with CeeCee, portkeyed to the
station at Kings Cross more than half an hour before
the train departed. They were escorted by Narcissa
and Sirius.
As soon as they arrived, Harry and Sirius looked for
and found two vacant compartments side-by-side and
immediately set-to with combining them into one large
one.
However, instead of just putting a door through the
adjoining wall, they removed the doorway, plus the
wall above the 'middle' seat except for the luggage
racks. That way it looked like one compartment and
they could speak over the back-to-back seating in the
middle if they wanted.
Once they'd done that, Narcissa stepped forward and
transfigured the décor of the combined compartment
into something quite a bit nicer. Once she'd finished
Harry thought it looked like something you might find
on a restored luxury train from some time about sixty
years earlier. It looked great.
He gave a low whistle and said, "You do nice work,
Cousin Cissy."
"Thank you," she replied, pleased. "Transfiguration
was my forte subject at Hogwarts. I picked up an
Outstanding plus in the subject."
"Don't forget to remind everyone not to use finites in
the compartment during the trip, but to finite the entire
thing once you arrive at Hogsmeade, Pup," warned his
godfather.
Harry nodded and replied, "Will do."
He hadn't thought of that risk the previous year, but
no one had cast a finite, anyway.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As people started arriving, Harry was pleased to see
Justin was one of the first. So, he and Harry were the
first to start carrying trunks onto the train. He hadn't
even made a start on carrying onboard his own and
his ladies, let alone CeeCee's, before the other boy
arrived.
Accompanied by his parents, Neville arrived with his
two only a couple minutes later and was quick to jump
in and give a hand.
It was all done so quickly they had plenty of time
before the train even looked like leaving the station.
Hell, about a third of students had yet to even arrive;
especially the snotty purebloods.
Harry used the opportunity to speak with the Earl of
Bedford, Justin's father, and thank him for
recognising the need to protect both Tracey and
CeeCee and allowing Justin to fill that need.
"I may be what you call a muggle, Lord Potter," the
man smiled. "However, I am not... as I've heard you
are wont to say... a daft moron."
Harry gave a slight snort of amusement. "It has been
clear to me since my first year at Hogwarts that
muggles are far less likely to be daft morons as
magicals. I think it just might have something to do
with how there is something in magic that lowers
one's ability to apply critical thinking and rational
thought."
The earl grinned back and quietly said, "That has been
my view for almost as long."
Harry gave a slight nod in agreement and said,
"Nevertheless, thank you for allowing Justin to fill the
need."
The earl gave his own nod before he said, "I am
coming to understand that, once both ladies reach
their own adulthoods, they will not be seeking to
terminate the agreements. And neither will young
Justin.
"Besides, we are quite taken with both ladies. And
believe both love and cherish our boy, irrespective of
the title of which he will one day attain. They are good
for him."
Harry gave a quiet sigh and said, "I figured as much.
However, the difficulty of such a... blended
relationship in relation to the muggle world though..."
"Indeed," said the earl. "We'll figure something out,
I'm sure. After all, there is two years before it will
become an issue."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The train ride to the school was quite peaceful. And
the eleven travelling teens, Ernie had joined them
again, enjoyed the quiet.
They arrived at the school to see Professor Senkinhall
calling for the first years to join him. He was even
using Hagrid's old ten foot pole with its hanging
lantern as a rallying point for all the little firsties.
However, the lantern was glowing with a bright blue
light. Harry quickly figured out the professor was
using a bluebell flame charm, rather than a muggle oil
lamp and wick, as the light only gave little flickers in
the very light breeze. Thankfully, it was not also a
rainy evening.
When they arrived at the school, Fleur was already
there and waiting for them on the steps leading in
through the main doors. As a work day she had to be
at Gringotts until almost six. Then she'd flooed to the
apartment, donned a cloak and walked down to wait
for them as they arrived a little over an hour later.
"Good trip?" she asked, as soon as she saw them.
"Yes," they replied.
Harry added, "No one bothered us in the slightest. I
now find the trip to be quite enjoyable, unlike my first
three and a half years."
As they walked in, Harry was shocked almost
immediately. Sitting at the Head Table was Remus. A
moment later, Remus spotted him and smirked.
"What... the hell?" he quietly said.
Fleur, who was walking alongside him, said, "Remus
is temporarily the new Professor of History. It is a
surprise, no?"
"Yes," he muttered.
The Sorting started with Professor Vector dropping
the Hat onto the head of a Melinda Bobbin, who
headed for Ravenclaw, and ended with a Lancelot
Ysabel, who headed for Slytherin.
After getting over the shock of seeing Remus sitting
at the Head Table - with Fleur sitting at the same end,
this year - while waiting for the new Headmaster to
give his opening address, Harry looked to see if there
were any other changes to staffing. Other than the
leaving of Lady Marchbanks, her being replaced by
Goodstone, he being replaced by Vector as Deputy
and the addition of Remus, everyone looked to be the
same as the previous year. That was confirmed when
Goodstone began to give his opening
announcements. Unlike Dumbledore and like
Marchbanks, Goodstone used the eagle lectern to
speak.
"For our new students, welcome; for our returning
students, welcome back," he began. "For those who
do not know me... that would be our new First Years...
I am Professor Ebenezer Goodstone, Headmaster of
Hogwarts. I ascended to the post on the retirement of
Headmistress Lady Marchbanks at the Leaving Feast
last year.
"Taking on my old role of Deputy is Deputy
Headmistress Professor Septima Vector, a long term
resident professor of the school. And, at least for the
time being, we have a new addition to staff, Professor
Remus Lupin..."
Remus stood and bowed to the four tables as they
applauded, as per tradition.
"For those of you who were students here in the
1993/94 school year, you would fondly remember
Professor Lupin when he spent almost a year here as
the Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Temporarily at least, Professor Lupin, who holds a
Mastery in History of Magic, will be our History
Professor."
The Headmaster turned a wry smirk on Remus before
he turned back and said, "I'm trying to convince
Professor Lupin to consider remaining as a
permanent member of staff. Perhaps you may be able
to assist me with that."
The Headmaster then went over a few of the minor
rules, including how magic was not to be cast
anywhere outside the supervision of a professor. And
how there was a detection charm over the entire
school and grounds that would immediately alert the
staff if anyone, against the rules, cast any form of
magic. Then he relayed a set of exemptions, including
household charms, cast in one's own dorm.
Finally, he called on the house elves to serve the
feast.
There were no... 'The list of banned objects can be
found tacked to Mister Filch's door', or 'The Forbidden
Forest is out of bounds', or 'the third floor corridor on
the left is out of bounds', or 'Dementors on Ministry
business will be patrolling just outside the wards', or
similar.
As soon as the food appeared on the table and the
Headmaster began to return to his centre seat on the
head table, Hermione immediately rounded on Harry
and asked, "Did you know Remus was coming back
here to teach?"
"No," he replied while loading his own plate. "It came
as much of a shock to me as it obviously was to you."
While they'd been loading, CeeCee began snickering
about something she held in her hands. It was clearly
a once multi-folded note.
Seeing it herself, Hermione began, "CeeCee, what've
you―" Then suddenly stopped, flicked a glance to
Harry and turned back. "Sorry. If you don't mind me
asking, what has you so amused?"
CeeCee simply refolded the note once and passed it
to Hermione.
Glancing over as his betrothed opened it, Harry
recognised Sirius's untidy scrawl.
Hermione's expression turned to a 'woe is me'
expression before she passed it to Harry and looked
to CeeCee. I certainly hope you're not going to allow
your reprobate of a magical half-guardian to convince
you to prank Professor Lupin."
CeeCee just looked back with an expression of pure
innocence. It fooled no one.
With a sigh, Hermione said, "Just... don't hurt him,
don't do anything to him that lands him in the hospital
wing and don't get caught."
CeeCee grinned back.
Harry looked to the note:
~ # ~
CeeCee,
If you kept your promise, by the time you read this
note you've already found out your 'Uncle Remus' is
now a professor at Hogwarts. Just so you know, it
was all his idea you not be told before the Welcoming
Feast.
I strongly recommend you prank his mangy bum for
the trick. If you check in your trunk you'll find I slipped
in some pranking material that may come in handy.
Just be aware, he's likely expecting it.
Uncle Padfoot,
The ever-lovable
~ # ~
With an amused chuckle, Harry folded the note back
up and passed it back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After the feast the Heirs all headed up to the Lords'
Quarters with a couple of them, including Harry,
shocked they'd completely forgotten that Warrington
in apartment '1' and Gibberd and Whitehead of
apartment '3' would not be attending this year. They'd
all completed their NEWTs the previous year.
However, they still had Marcus Belby in apartment '2'
and David Urquhart and Pamela Alton in apartment '4'.
And now Belby had been joined by a Diane Carter,
Seventh Year Slytherin, under betrothal. Belby had
apparently opted to remain in his single bedroom
apartment, rather than move into one of the two
bedroom apartments further along.
Tracey found out a few days later Carter wasn't given
the option to move in or whether or not she wanted to
share a single bedroom apartment with Belby. As per
the betrothal contract, no escape clauses, Belby
demanded it and her compliance. Bastard.
Hermione, once she heard, glared at Harry and said, "I
want those contracts gone, Harry."
Harry sighed and replied, "As do I. However, people
are already and still incensed about the Bloodline
Protection statute promoted by the Tapestry Circle
and shepherded by Sirius into law. You're going to
need to give us time to let things cool down again,
before I can then start doing something about those
contracts. I need time, Hermione."
"He's right," said Daphne. "If he tries too soon, he'll
fail. Then the chances of it passing at a later date will
be reduced."
Hermione gave a pained sigh and said, "I know. But...
just the fact they exist and witches are being trapped
by them..."
"Understood," said Harry. Then he added, "I don't
know when I'm going to be able to do something
about them; however, they're definitely on my political
agenda. I promised you I'd do something about them,
but we have to patient until the right time comes
along.
"However, it would be a bit too hypocritical of me to
start promoting their removal, just yet, when we have
made good use of the fact they exist to protect
others."
"We've only used them to protect others because of
the risk they could've been used against us in the first
place," she argued back.
"There would have been no need to use them to
protect others if they didn't exist in the first place,"
she grumped. "As such, your argument is somewhat
specious."
He could see the wisdom of that, so just nodded.
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