December 23, 1995
Hogwarts, Scotland
Harry hated the hospital wing.
In four and a half-years, he had spent more than his fair share of time here. Now he was here again. This time, he really wished he was not. He wished he wasn't alive.
Absently he rubbed the blackened skin on his right hand. It was a perfect ring of charred skin on his left ring finger that still looked slightly blistered. Until three days ago it held a silver scions ring. It had burned off him in the middle of a snowball fight on the grounds. He still remembered screaming as it felt like his whole body was burning up.
While he was in the hospital wing, the letter from the goblins had arrived. It was a very informal letter letting him know he was no longer Scion Potter, his vaults had been confiscated and they were seeking compensation on behalf of the new heir.
In the last six months it had been a rather shiity time with Dumbledore, Sirius, Hermione and Ron all but abandoning him after being sent to Privet Drive after facing the darkest wizard in hundreds of years and watching Cedric die. He could have used them when he had received a similar letter from the goblins on his fifteenth birthday. He had been left to founder with Sirius and everyone ignoring him. None of his letters received answers all summer. The one time he'd seen Dumbledore, at his trial for saving Dudley, the man hadn't looked at him or talked to him directly.
It didn't get better.
A group of people 'escorted' him from the Dursley's to the King's Cross Station, where he met his 'friends' and godfather. There was bullshite about him needing the wards at his relatives to protect him and they couldn't contact him because the Ministry was intercepting owls. When he yelled at them about the letters he sent them, they admitted to receiving them all. Hedwig had managed to get through. Why not any other owl!
After storming off, Harry had found a compartment and ignored Ron and Hermione. He was too upset to talk with them, no matter how much they tried to apologize and told him that it was Dumbledore that told them not to. It was an hour in before he blew up at them, took his trunk and went to find somewhere else. He was still fuming when Malfoy met him in the corridor. Not putting up with the superior attitude and veiled threats, Harry had put Malfoy through a cabin door with an overpowered banishing hex and leveled Crabbe and Goyle before they pulled their wands. For good measure, he had summoned and snapped their wands before anyone could stop him.
He found a little satisfaction that Malfoy and his goons had spent the first three days of term in the hospital wing. McGonagall had been so livid at him that he was surprised he hadn't been expelled. He was even more surprised Dumbledore didn't talk with him then. Hermione tried to dress him down for his temper that night and he cursed her with a silencing jinx. Ron had tried to protect her and found himself on his back. That had added three more nights onto his month-long detention. Detentions that soon where out of McGonagall's hands.
Hermione and Ron had avoided him after that. He still saw them looking at him, concerned, and it upset him more.
Where had that concern been for him over the summer?
After first year, Ron had been so concerned that Harry had been rescued. Harry couldn't have been rescued this year?
When Sirius had finally sent him a letter almost three weeks into the term, Harry had ripped it up without even reading it.
It took weeks for an easy truce to form between his 'friends' and him, but Harry didn't trust them anymore. Hermione kept trying to explain what happened and why Dumbledore told them they couldn't contact him. Harry just nodded most of the time. Ron and Hermione had spent a summer together while Harry had been left to deal with the trauma of being used to raise a Dark Lord and watching Cedric die!
As the term went on, Harry withdrew more and more, especially as Umbridge tortured him and Fudge and the Prophet made his life a living hell. When Hermione had suggested they make a secret group to practice Defense Against the Dark Arts, he had refused. When she had tricked him to go to the Hog's Head and tried to reason with him into leading the group, he had stormed out.
Since start of October, he wasn't talking to most in his Dorm. He actually wasn't talking to almost anyone if he could help it, except the Quidditch team, until that had been taken from him too.
It had been a very lonely couple of months. Ron, Hermione and others were still trying to get him to talk with them. Harry wanted nothing to do with them, too afraid of being hurt again. Umbridge was hurting him.
Harry felt like a hurt animal that had been abandoned and used by everyone he cared for. He didn't care if he snapped at them. None of them truly cared for him.
His only solace had come as a bit of a surprise.
Not having anything else to do, Harry had started to spend copious amounts of time in the library or greenhouses. It was the only spots where most didn't find him. In the greenhouses he would occasionally run into Neville or Daphne Greengrass. Neville and Daphne were working on special projects. Others came in and out, mostly upper years, but those were the only two he remembered.
In early November, Neville had asked if he was alright, and after forcing his anger down at everything, he had started a friendship with Neville. It was mostly Neville showing Harry the different plants Neville was gardening, or Harry just helping him. They did talk, mostly about herbology, but it was nice to have someone some days to fight away the loneliness.
Greengrass was cool to him but not unkind. Harry usually just watched her as she took care of some nasty looking tentacular and a spiky vine that oozed some sweet-smelling amber-coloured sap. It wasn't until early December he finally asked her about the vine.
"It's an Andean ambergris vine," she had told him in her haughty voice.
"What is it used for," Harry asked her, never having heard of it.
"That is a family secret," she told him.
"Oh," Harry responded.
That had been the extent of their first conversation. Since then, they had only talked three other times, but Harry thought he caught her looking at him a few times.
As the term went on, Harry also started to worry more about the lack of news of Voldemort and his lackeys. Malfoy and other Slytherin looked at him like they wanted him dead. He wasn't sure he wasn't better off being dead lately.
It was that thought that had led him to the top of the Astronomy tower two nights ago, and then the hospital wing.
Harry stood on the top of the tower, on the edge of the parapet and looking down. His head hurt. He couldn't get those damned visions of a dark corridor out of his head that had plagued him every time he slept the last two months. He had been abandoned by his friends and everyone. The one link that had connected him to his parents was gone now, not that anyone explained to him what the ring meant. The letter from the goblins fluttered in the wind as he dropped the pages.
According to the letter from the goblins, Harry James Potter wasn't Harry James Potter anymore. In the magical world, the letter said he was now just Harry. That was all, just Harry. No last or middle name. No link to a family that had sacrificed themselves for him. Nothing. Less than nothing. McGonagall, after confirming the letter, had rushed to Dumbledore to determine what happened. That had been hours ago and she still hadn't come to find him. The only thing he had gotten from her before she left her office was that Harry would have to be put on a scholarship right away, otherwise he would have to be withdrawn, not being able to pay his tuition now.
After thinking of it, Harry realized that if he was withdrawn, his wand would be taken and snapped because he wouldn't be able to take his OWL's at the end of the year. At that point, Harry just figured it might be better if he just disappeared.
Thus, he was looking at the ground, a long way down. Most might feel vertigo and lose their balance. Harry was a Quidditch player and seeker. Heights were more of a thrill than fear. But that didn't matter. He couldn't fly now. He didn't even has his Firebolt. That was when he felt like he wanted to feel the thrill of the air one last time and just leaned forward.
It should have been a few second thrill before he reached the ground.
Instead, there was a scream. A flash of white light and he flew sideways through the air before slamming into a roof. There was a lot of pain. He rolled and hit his back hard into a wrought iron fence on the edge of the roof.
Now, he lay in the hospital wing again. He had suffered a half dozen broken bones, a concussion and some internal bleeding.
It was a day later and in the middle of the night again. A girl sat in a chair behind him. He was under watch to make sure he didn't do it again. He was on his side so he didn't' have to look at her in the gas light. He was mostly healed and just feeling empty.
"Why didn't you just let me fall," he asked quietly.
"I wasn't up there to watch you kill yourself," the haughty voice assaulted his ears.
"Why were you up there?" he questioned bitterly.
She didn't say anything, just sniffed.
Harry rubbed his finger again. It hurt to do so and Madam Pomfrey said she couldn't do anything until it healed normally. Some magic just couldn't be touched by other magic.
The only positive thing was the Umbitch hadn't come to visit him. That didn't stop a man he was coming to loath. "Good evening, Ms. Greengrass. Can I have a few minutes with Mr. Potter?"
"I was told not to let him out of my sight by Madam Pomfrey, Headmaster" she responded.
"I understand, but I must talk with Mr. Potter," the Headmaster pressed in his grandfatherly soft voice.
"It's not Potter anymore," Harry spoke just loud enough for them to hear.
"I think that matter will be cleared up soon, Harry. I must have a few words with you."
He didn't say anything else. Harry had a feeling there was nothing to fix whatever happened.
"If you please, Ms. Greengrass." Dumbledore had more of a command to his voice.
There was a pause. "Until Madam Pomfrey tells me to move, I am not letting him out of my sight, Headmaster."
Harry wondered why she would go against the Headmaster like this. Through his malaise, his curiosity was piqued. He rolled over enough to see her.
Daphne Greengrass was always a prim, quiet girl that hung with a few Slytherin that never seemed to say anything. Her dark hair was always perfectly straight with high bangs, glasses and minimal, but attractive, makeup. Harry had never seen her without a Hogwarts uniform or a set of witches robes, even in their downtimes or Hogsmeade trips when he had noticed her. Today, she didn't look anything like herself.
There were tracks along her cheeks through her makeup as though she had been crying. Her hair was mussed and she was only in a white blouse and skirt.
That blank and haughty face he found so annoying on so many Slytherin and Ravenclaw was glaring at the Headmaster.
"Ms. Greengrass, this does not involve you. Please leave."
She was already sitting ramrod straight, which made it a little impressive when she seemed to stiffen even more. "I saved Harry No-name. His life is mine and I claim him as my consort. Whatever you have to discuss with my consort will be discussed before me."
As she said it, Harry felt a pull to her. His magic flared and for a second time in three days, he felt it course through him. He grit his teeth at the pain and Daphne cried out as a white light flashed between them. Dumbledore shielded his face with his hand. "What did you do!"
Harry blinked away some tears from the pain. "Greengrass," he called out, moving to lean over the side of the bed. She was on the floor, curled up and grabbing her midsection.
Through tears she said, "That hurt more than I thought it might."
Dumbledore moved over to them. "What did you do! You have no life claim over him."
Greengrass looked up. "I saved Harry. His life is mine," she told the man. "He is now my consort and a Greengrass."
"You fool of a girl!" Dumbledore glared at her. Harry thought he saw Dumbledore reach for his wand. Without thinking Harry jumped for the side table and his wand pointed towards Dumbledore's face as the man's wand pointed towards Greengrass. Harry was sure it was the fastest he had ever moved.
"Do not harm her," Harry said in a voice that surprised himself with how deadly it sounded.
Dumbledore looked surprised for a fraction of a second.
"What is going on over here?" Madam Pomfrey called out as she came out of her office. "Albus, I didn't hear you come in. Why are your wands drawn."
Dumbledore gave Harry an unfathomable look before straightening and putting his wand away. "A misunderstanding. How long before Mr. Potter can be released?"
"That is Greengrass," Daphne stated. Harry moved to the side of the bed and offered her a hand.
"I don't have a name anymore," he told her.
She took his offered hand. They both took in a sharp breath. It was a surge of power between them. At first it was a sharp pain and then it evened out and finally it felt nice, pleasant even. Madam Pomfrey looked at them. "Oh, tell me you didn't," the Matron sighed to Daphne.
"You knew of this?" Dumbledore's voice was sharp.
"How could there not be a life debt after she saved him," Madam Pomfrey stated.
"I have claimed Harry Greengrass's life," Daphne stated, letting go of his hand. He didn't like it.
Madam Pomfrey closed her eyes. After a moment she asked, "Mr. Greengrass, did you fall off the tower?"
Harry looked at the matron. Why did it feel right to be called a Greengrass? He also wasn't sure he should say anything. Daphne looked at him. "Tell the truth," she ordered. There was a compulsion to do so.
What had she done to him! "I jumped," he admitted in a low voice.
There was a ringing silence. Dumbledore paled. Madam Pomfrey hung her head, as though she already knew this. Daphne looked to have new tears that wanted to well out of her eyes as she held her expressionless face.
"You tried to kill yourself," Dumbledore asked. "Why?"
Harry shrugged. He really didn't want to talk about it. What surprised him was that all the anger and blame he had felt just felt burned out of him. Except for the sudden urge to protect Daphne, he felt empty.
"Poppy, can you confirm the bonding," the Headmaster asked.
"Ms. Greengrass, do you consent for you and your consort?"
Daphne looked at him for a moment longer before nodding her head.
Madam Pomfrey came over and ran her wand between them and then over. A thick, silvery, ethereal thread spread from his chest to Daphne's. Then a very thin black line seeped from his head towards the south east and faded as it reached a few meters from him. Another three thin silver threads traced from Harry to Daphne and then two in the direction of Gryffindor Tower, while the third went south, in the same direction as the black line. Dumbledore blanched even more and Daphne looked at him. "What is that," Daphne asked, pointing to the black line and then the other three thin lines.
"Something I had hoped to keep from everyone," Dumbledore said in a sad voice.
"What is it," Harry asked.
"That thick thread is your bond to Ms. Greengrass. She has claimed it and you are now her consort. These other ones are life debts owed you, but now owed your bond holder instead. And this black one I am unsure of," Madam Pomfrey stated.
"Your connection to the Dark Lord, though it looks very faded from what it was not long ago. Poppy, I need to go contact Amelia Bones. Can you please contact Lord Greengrass? I am sure he will want to know of this. Please don't allow Dolores in here for now. This is going to get messy enough," the Headmaster glumly stated.
"What is going on," Harry asked.
"Albus, what do you mean his connection to the Dark Lord?"
"I will explain later. I must see to a few issues and get a representative for Mr. Potter..."
"Greengrass," Daphne spoke up. "Headmaster."
"Mr. Greengrass. If you excuse me," the Headmaster demanded and walked away.
"Is someone going to say what it going on!" Harry demanded of the two woman. He didn't even bother to get Dumbledore's attention.
Madam Pomfrey looked at them. "You are aware of what you did, Ms. Greengrass?"
"I am," Daphne defiantly responded.
"Your consort does not. Would you please explain it to him?" Madam Pomfrey ordered.
"May we have some privacy?"
"I will be in my office if you have any questions and I will want a talk with Mr. Greengrass when you are done," the Matron informed her. "He is not to leave that bed. Mr. Greengrass is still recovering."
Daphne nodded with more deference this time. "Yes, ma'am. Can I please have a little bit?"
"I can give you probably until the time your parents arrive. I will be contacting them."
Daphne's placid face turned even more white. "Yes, ma'am."
The white-haired matron went into her office, leaving the door open.
Harry looked at Daphne. "What is going on?"
Daphne sat, her face crumpling and she put her face in her hands. "I'm so sorry," she said.
"About what?"
"Did you really grow up with muggles?"
"Yes"
"You don't know anything about debts? How a witch can owe, or own someone?" Daphne sounded close to tears.
"You should have let me drop," he told her.
"I panicked when I saw you fall. Is life that bad you would end it?"
Harry shrugged. He still felt like he wanted to walk off the tower. "I don't have anything left." He heard the hollowness in his voice. "Why were you up there on the lower level?"
He saw the quick internal conflict. "I feel much the same," she confessed.
Up until then Harry had never thought of Daphne as a real person. She was always aloof. Always distant and uninviting. She was cute, but a 'Pureblood' and probably rejoicing in Voldemort's return. Something about her tone and the way her face showed how scared she was, Harry felt something stir in him. "Why?"
It was a simple word that seemed to bridge some gap between them. "I was betrothed to Lord Selwyn. I was to marry him next fall," she stated.
Harry's eyes widened. "Who is Lord Selwyn? Not the Death Eater Selwyn?"
She let out a long breath through her nose. "Lord Selwyn is known to be a follower of You-Know-Who. Father send me a missive Wednesday informing me of the betrothal."
By the look in her eyes, he could tell it scared her and she didn't want anything to do with this betrothal. Harry only knew about betrothals after hearing Hermione rant about them last year after Viktor had proposed one to her. She liked Victor as a friend, but not like that. "You don't want to marry him. I don't blame you."
She snorted before bitterly spitting, "I was being sold to him so that the Death Eaters would leave my family alone. Instead of fighting the bastards, father did what the Greengrasses always do. Stay neutral and out of the fray so the family can survive. If you have to sell a daughter to do that, he had another to carry on the name."
Her vehemence surprised him and he sat back from her. "This is why I am sorry, Harry. You have never bothered me or my friends and Allies. I don't know what you have gone through to want to give up your life, but by me saving you, I own your life. I wasn't saving you to claim you," she said. At his confused expression she took in a breath and sat up. "By taking you as my consort, I have broken the contract. That was the pain we felt. Only because you owed me your life, not a life debt, we were able to keep our magic. My parents are going to be very angry with me, and probably you."
There was a sinking feeling in his gut. "What do you mean you own my life and have claimed me?"
"As it sounds. You are now mine, body and soul," she told him. She looked sad to tell him that.
His mouth dropped open. "Bloody hell."
They sat for a moment. "So, what? I just do everything you want me too?" Harry put to her.
She shook her head. "No. As your Lady, I can compel you, like a head-of-house, but on the whole you are my equal. My... spouse."
His jaw hit the floor this time. "Your what?"
She licked her lips. "As consort, I am your wife."
"So I am your husband?"
"In a way. If I accept you as such, you are. I could take another husband, or wife, if I want. As a consort, you cannot be Lord Greengrass, but I would now be heiress of our House. That means neither of us could be forced into a betrothal. Are you going to hate me?"
The way she sounded so vulnerable at the end cut through his disbelief. Harry wasn't sure how he was going to feel for her. She was pretty. Her glasses made her look intelligent. She probably wouldn't mind his glasses. What of his scar? What of all his scars? He doubted he was that attractive. Not like her. Then there was the fact he had nothing to offer her except a Dark Lord that wanted to kill him, a trunk with only the few pitiable belongings he had amassed, and his Firebolt , which was the only thing of worth he had.
"I don't have anything to offer you," he told her.
"You are going to save me from a fate that is probably worse than death," she stated.
He shook his head. "No. I mean I have nothing, Greengrass."
"Please call me Daphne, if you don't mind me calling you Harry."
He nodded.
"What happened to your Scion ring?" She looked at his blackened finger and reached out to take his hand in hers.
He closed his eyes. "The goblins said someone else claimed my House and that I am not a Potter anymore. I don't even know what the ring meant besides I was my parents' heir."
She looked up at him sharply. "You what? Is this why you wanted to die? Why would no one tell you what it meant? Who stole your House?"
"I don't know. I was sent to my relatives last summer. The ring was sent on my fifteenth birthday. No one would answer any of my owls and my godfather and the Headmaster just left me," he told her, his anger flaring. "I haven't really talked to anyone since coming back."
She looked concerned. "Harry, that ring meant you were the rightful heir to your House. No one ever told you about it? What about your fortune? Father said the Potter vaults are lower than ours in Gringotts, down where they use dragons to help guard the vaults. Or your hereditary seat on the Wizengamot?"
He looked at her like she was barmy. "I never visited a vault with a dragon. And what do you mean a seat on the Wizengamot? I had a vault with enough money to see me through Hogwarts, maybe a few years later, but I don't even have that now. McGonagall was supposed to be asking Dumbledore if I would be eligible for a scholarship now. I didn't want my wand snapped."
Now she looked at him totally flabbergasted. Harry finally noticed her dark brown eyes had hints of gold and green in them. They weren't the solid brown he thought they were. Her mouth worked a few times before she asked, "You really were Harry No-name? I just thought I was playing along with you. The ring burned up on your finger, didn't it?"
"I can tell you it hurt. My whole body hurt." When Harry said something hurt, it really did.
"Merlin! This is line theft," she told him.
The pit grew in his stomach again. "I don't know what that is, but it sounds right."
Again she looked at him flabbergasted. "How do you not know any of this? Did your Head-of-House or anyone tell you anything about our world?"
Harry shrugged again. "It doesn't matter anymore. You asked if I would hate you. I don't really know you, Daphne. I just hope you won't hate me. I really don't have anything to offer. If Dumbledore doesn't agree to the scholarship, I will be cast out and my wand snapped. Also, Voldemort wants to kill me. He will probably want to kill you now."
She was still holding his hand in both of hers, running a finger just below the damaged skin. He was impressed that she didn't flinch at the man's name. Most did. "You-know-who will want to kill me anyways now. He's probably going to want to kill my whole family."
The urge he felt to protect her earlier came back. He wasn't sure if it was how he felt or if it was the fact he was now hers. He was certain that it filled in some of the emptiness he had. "I won't let him," Harry told her, knowing he would probably never be able to keep that promise, he just didn't like to see anyone hurt. He had done that enough for a dozen lifetimes. He was going to need to listen to Hermione and Ron. His hurt and anger were hurting them.
After a few, Harry asked, "So, what happens now?"
"We face my father and find out if we are cast out of the House of Greengrass together or not. Then, we ask Professor Snape or McGonagall about housing arrangements. I can never walk back into Slytherin now. The Aurors would be taking my body out in a bag within the week. That is if anyone finds my body." She said it with such certainty, he didn't doubt it. "I hope we can get Astoria and Tracey out too."
"Daphne?"
"Yes, Harry," she said sounding tired.
"Are the Greengrasses dark or blood purists?"
She sighed. "At one time. My great-grandfather tried to lead us to the light side. Three cadet lines were annihilated by Grindelwald. We were forced to take a more neutral stance. Father and mother still believe in blood purity, but they also want to see half-bloods and Muggleborn given more of a chance. Just as long as we don't intermingle with them." She didn't look as happy with that train of thought. Maybe Harry could get along with her long term.
"You know my mother was a Muggleborn?" He put to her.
"Everyone knows of Lily Potter. Even my parents were willing to overlook her birth parents with how talented she was," Daphne assured him.
He nodded. "You look tired. Have you slept in the last two days?"
She pushed her glasses up and rubbed her eyes. "Once we talk with my father, I'll sleep. Please let me do the talking. He is going to be livid and I don't want to see you hurt. I just saved you and don't want to do it again." Her voice had taken on the more imperious tone he associated with the purebloods when they were trying to show how much better they were.
The door to the hospital wing opened and they both looked. Daphne stiffened and then pulled her wand. Harry had to jump and tackle her to the bed. "Sirius Black!" she screamed.
"DON'T! He's my godfather," Harry yelled back.
She stopped moving under him. "It's Sirius Black. He wants to kill you!"
The man laughed. "I see I interrupted some fun?"
Harry looked up at the man. "I'm still royally buggered at you," he yelled at his godfather.
Madam Pomfrey came out. "What is going on out here. Oh, Lord Black, Albus said you may come by."
Daphne's eyes widened and she looked up at him. 'Lord Black?', she mouthed.
Harry was just as surprised.
"Yes, being a free man can let you into places you weren't before. How you doing, pup?"
"Free?" Harry didn't believe it.
The man smiled. "Dumbledore was able to call in a favor and had my case reviewed the other day. I was cleared this afternoon. Now who is this lovely young woman you are in bed with?"
Harry flushed and sat up, helping Daphne up. His face twerked. "Why did Dumbledore wait until now," Harry asked.
"Haven't you read the paper the last few days?"
"Harry has been in the hospital the last two days," Daphne informed his godfather.
Sirius brow knitted. "You didn't see what happened at the Ministry Wednesday?"
"I haven't felt like reading the Prophet lately," Harry responded dryly.
Sirius walked over to them and bowed to Daphne. "Before we go any further, Lord Sirius Black, at your disposal."
"Daphne Greengrass, Lord Black," she answered.
Sirius eyebrow rose. "A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Greengrass. Now, why are you in the hospital, pup? Dumbledore just said you need me to be here. Surprised you asked for me." His easy demeanor became more somber.
"I didn't ask for you. Why would you come now and not over the summer!" he demanded.
The man's face became long. "It was too dangerous for me to move. Dumbledore said it was too dangerous for you to move too, being watched by the Ministry after your little dementor issue," Sirius told him.
"And none of you could have told me that! No one could have written to me or found a way to get me a message!" His anger was back and he stood, yelling at Sirius.
"Harry, calm down. Madam Pomfrey said you still need to rest," Daphne reached for his hand to pull him back down.
"I will not! I was left at my relatives, again! They wanted to throw me out after they thought I tortured Dudley! And all I get is two howlers telling me to stay put and then Mr. Weasley taking me to the Ministry for my trial for one morning! He couldn't have told me then! Or passed a letter? Sirius, I needed you! You don't know what it was like," he said in tears. He had held it in for so many months. Letting it fester. Letting it eat him alive to the point he just wanted to end the pain and nightmares. "You all just left me!"
Sirius went to hug him and instead he found himself in Daphne's embrace. "You just left me," he said as he started to break down.
"Pup, I never wanted to leave you. I argued with Dumbledore for weeks."
"It's just like when you went to chase after Pettigrew," Harry accused. The look of devastation on the man's face had him stumbling back and sitting on the bed across the hall.
"Harry, I never wanted to abandon you."
"I saw my parents in the graveyard. They said you and Remus would look after me! I watched Cedric take a killing curse to his face!"
Daphne gasped and Sirius paled.
Daphne pulled him in closer. He hadn't cried all this time and he found himself crying now. He missed the questioning expression from Sirius to Daphne. Daphne looked rather protective of the raven hair boy.
"Pup, I can't fix what has happened, but I am here now and I will be in the future. You have friends that are very worried about you. Hermione talked to me a few times. You know they argued against Dumbledore too?"
He let out an angry yell and Daphne let him go. Harry sat up and faced Sirius. "Dumbledore! That's all I hear is Dumbledore! Where was he all this time!"
Sirius pursed his lips. "He told us he was talking with you."
Harry let out a big 'ha' as he wiped at his eyes. "Today was the most he has talked to me since the night Voldemort used me to come back."
Sirius was really looking concerned now. "How about you tell me why you are in here and then we can go from there, pup?"
Harry didn't answer. After a moment, Sirius looked at Daphne. "He tried to jump off the Astronomy tower."
Sirius chuckled as though trying to lighten the mood. "We did that too. You mount your broom in time? James spent a day in here for breaking his leg once."
"I didn't use my broom," Harry responded. How could he? It wasn't even in his possession at the moment.
His godfather was quiet. "Why?"
"Why do you care?" Harry questioned bitterly. He knew what Sirius had said now, but he hadn't really processed it.
"I care, pup. Why didn't you have a broom?"
Harry raised his hand with the blackened ring of skin and Sirius took in a sharp breath. His voice sounded so empty as he responded to his godfather. "Why not? It's not like I have anything. No matter what Dumbledore said, you all abandoned me and now I'm not a Potter anymore, so what does it matter?"
"Don't say that," Daphne whispered. He felt that connection of two tortured souls reaching for each other. Was that the bond?
"Harry, did you get your Scion ring?"
Harry met the man's eyes. "Yeah, not that I knew what it was about. You never answered any of my letters."
Sirius was starting to look angry. "Where is the ring now?"
"It burned up. I thought I was going to burn up."
"What do you mean it burned up! You are Scion Potter and that ring is your birthright."
"Harry got a letter from the goblins saying someone else claimed his House and had been cast out of his House," Daphne told his godfather.
Sirius looked ready to kill someone. There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes and his nostrils flared. "That isn't possible. I was there the day he was born. I witnessed the blood trace on him. Harry is a Potter as much as I am a Black."
"Sirius, the letter said I don't have a surname anymore. McGonagall confirmed it in the Hogwarts' registry and went to talk with Dumbledore. If I can't get a scholarship, I will lose my wand," Harry told the only adult he had truly allowed himself to trust until this past summer.
"Who," Sirius asked.
"I don't know! I'm not a Potter anymore. The letter said my vault is gone and the goblins would look to recuperate everything I spent the last few years."
"Where is this letter! We are going to the goblins tomorrow and getting this sorted," his godfather vowed.
"You can't," Daphne told him in a small voice.
"What do you mean I can't? I am Lord Sirius Black, godfather to Harry Potter. I will ensure he regains his House."
"Sirius, I am now a Greengrass," Harry spoke up.
If Sirius was shocked before, it looked more like he was in shock now. "What do you mean?"
"I have claimed Harry as my consort after saving him, Lord Black," Daphne stated.
Sirius ran a hand into his hair and then grabbed a huge hunk. "You really jumped off that tower with intent to die?"
"Yeah."
"You saved him?" Sirius looked wild eyed at Daphne.
"I would not be able to claim his life if I didn't," she stated.
"Bloody fuck," Sirius exclaimed and stood up before he started to walk up and down the wing. "How could Dumbledore allow this to happen!"
"He hasn't done anything this year. He hasn't stopped Umbridge. He hasn't talked to me. Now you say he was why no one took me from my relatives. I hate the man," Harry stated with vehemence.
"What do you mean he didn't stop Umbridge?"
Harry closed his eyes. "He hasn't told you about that either," Harry said pulling his sleeve back and showing the back of his right hand.
Daphne and Sirius both looked at it. "Tell me that was not made by a blood quill?" Sirius growled.
"I didn't carve it there on purpose," Harry spat back.
"You destroyed all the papers you wrote on?" Daphne asked.
"I never had the chance. Umbridge took them all and why would I?"
"Bloody hell," Sirius cried out. "Did you ever write your name?"
"She had me put it on the top of each page and sign the bottom."
Daphne looked as upset as Sirius. "This is line theft," Daphne stated.
Sirius scrunched his nose. "It looks that way. Is Umbridge here? I need to talk with her."
"Dolores Umbridge has not been here all week," Dumbledore said from the doors.
Daphne was up and walking towards the middle of the room. "Get out of here now! This is a House discussion," she said angrily.
"I do have some news you may want. Amelia Bones, Head of the DMLE, is starting an investigation into the House of Potter. Initial review shows the line was absorbed into another house two days ago," the man said solemnly.
"I'll kill her," Sirius spat.
"And go back to Azkaban? I see your promises are just as empty as Dumbledore's," Harry snarked.
Sirius's face fell and he looked at Harry as though guilty and hurt. "I wouldn't leave you like that again, pup."
Harry just pursed his lips.
"Headmaster, what do you have to say about this? Did you know Umbridge was using blood quills!" Daphne was not pleased.
The man's face paled. "She did what?"
"Show him your hand," Daphne ordered. Harry felt the pull to obey, lifted his hand and the Headmaster's eyes dilated.
"That takes hundreds, if not thousands of times, Albus, over a short time for that to happen. How didn't you notice when you told us you were keeping an eye on him? I will hold you just as culpable when I press charges for line theft. Now that Harry is a consort, you know he can never take up his seat or take his inheritance. At best, it could pass to their second child or his wife," Sirius angrily stated. "Because of you it put Harry in this situation!"
"It is not my doing that Ms. Greengrass managed to trick Harry into..."
Harry pulled his wand out. "Daphne didn't trick me into anything."
"Mr. Potter, you can put that away," Dumbledore told him.
"It's Greengrass," Daphne retorted.
The argument didn't get any further before the doors flew open and slammed into the wall. "Where is Daphne!"
It was a tall man with brown hair, lighter brown eyes than his daughter and a face that looked ready to kill. Harry, on instincts and feeling the impulse to protect Daphne, jumped out of bed and rushed to her side as the man caught sight of her and marched towards her.
"Father," she said, pulling herself up tall.
"What the hell did you do!" Lord Greengrass came up and backhanded Daphne before Harry could get to her. Her glasses flew off her face.
Her head snapped back. When he went to hit her again, Harry's wand was in the man's neck. Dumbledore stepped up to them and Sirius was just behind Harry.
Lord Greengrass snarled down at Harry. "Get back if you know what is good for you boy."
"You will not lay a hand on my godson or his wife," Sirius stated, his own wand out. Her father's eyes widened and darted between her and Sirius.
"Lord Black, Lord Greengrass, I will not tolerate any more of my students to be treated this way. I think we need to talk about this like civilized people." Dumbledore was standing taller than all of them. Harry felt the hair on his arms rise as Dumbledore's words were full of power. He didn't like it.
Lord Greengrass took a step back. Harry didn't lower his wand. There was a red mark across most of the right side of Daphne's face. She looked every bit the pureblood princess as she stood defiantly before her father. Lord Greengrass took in a breath. The man's eyes were balls of fire. "What. Did. You. Do?"
"I decided I would not give myself to Lord Selwyn."
There was a look of rage before the man took in a breath and his face became placid. "That is not your decision, my daughter. It took two months to pen that contract. We are going home right now. You are going to go with me to Lord Selwyn and we are going to fix this."
"Mrs. Greengrass is going nowhere," Sirius said behind him.
"Lord Black, this is House business that you have no say in. Now come, Daphne," her father said and moved in to grab her arm. Harry threw himself before her.
"You are not selling her to a Death Eater," he said angrily to the man.
"Get out of my way," the man said in a low voice that held a lot of danger.
"You would talk to my consort that way?" Daphne asked behind him.
If Harry thought Lord Greengrass was angry and ready to kill before, he was sure Lord Greengrass would kill them both if Sirius and Dumbledore were not here.
"What was that?"
"Father, this is Harry Greengrass, my consort. Harry, this is father, Lord Anders Greengrass."
The man glared at him and then his eyes widened to see the scar on his forehead. "Harry Potter! You claimed my daughter!"
"I think you will find it the other way around, Lord Greengrass," Sirius stated rather regally.
"Poppy Pomfrey has confirmed the bond," Dumbledore spoke up. "Ms. Greengrass has claimed Harry's life and made him her consort."
Lord Greengrass looked past Harry towards his daughter. Harry stood his ground, his eyes not wavering from Lord Greengrass' face. "You have claimed him? You claimed Harry Potter?"
"Harry Greengrass, father," she stated.
"You have killed us all," the man retorted.
"Lord Greengrass, this is not as bad as you think," Dumbledore started. "There are ways your family can be protected."
"I have heard of your protection, Dumbledore. I will not be a pawn in the games afoot right now." Lord Greengrass stepped back to his daughter. "You will persist in this course of action?"
"Harry is my consort. I will never willingly give myself to Lord Selwyn."
"Then you are not my daughter. I renounce Daphne Greengrass as blood of my blood. From this day forward she is no longer a Greengrass and will not carry that name." There was a heavy feel of magic in the air. Harry felt it as once again he was made House-less. Daphne gasped behind him. Harry felt something he thought was panic, but not his own. "Astoria is going to marry Scion Malfoy. She knows her duty."
Lord Greengrass spun, his cloak flaring and then he stormed out of the hospital wing. It was all of a few seconds before she let out a sob. Harry turned and caught her as she collapsed.
Sirius came over to them, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder as Harry hugged Daphne. "You two are not House-less. You will always have a spot with me and I will talk with Dumbledore about paying for your schooling."
"The details can be worked out at a later date," Dumbledore agreed.
The clack of Madam Pomfrey's boots greeted them. "Are you quite done upsetting my patients! There will be no more talk of any of this for the night." When she turned to the teens, her voice was more sympathetic. "Harry, can you get Daphne into the bed there? I'll give you both a calming draught soon and I want you to get some rest."
"I am taking custody of Daphne through my godson. They will be coming with me once they are ready to travel," Sirius stated.
"I will accept this temporary custodianship," the matron agreed.
Harry helped Daphne to her feet and to the bed. She collapsed into him, burying her head in his chest as she sobbed. All he could do was hold her.
They were now bonded, both essentially orphans and both destitute. He looked up to Sirius. As upset as he still was at his godfather, his godfather was their only hope to survive at the moment.
"You won't be abandoned, pup. Not again," Sirius promised.
Dumbledore seemed to be frowning. "Sirius, come by my office when you are done here."
"Albus, I am going to stay the night to keep an eye on these two. We can talk at the Order's house later this week," Sirius informed the man.
Dumbledore nodded after a moment and walked away.
"I'm sorry," Daphne whispered. Harry tightened his hold on her, not liking to see anyone hurting like this.
Maybe it was the bond, but he knew he had to be strong for her right now. "Sirius will help us."
She started to silently cry.