Daphne even gave her own lady-like snort of sudden amusement and smiled back at the boy. "No, Neville; but, thank you for the offer. What Harry has done is just made me both very relieved and very happy."
Relieved, Neville said, "Well, thank Merlin for that. I think I might have been able to get one, maybe two, hits in before Harry pounded me flat!"
That had them all laugh. Since the return of his parents, the true nature of Neville was coming more and more to the fore. He was actually quite funny and usually had a somewhat dry humour about him, but the calmness and placidity remained without the shyness that also used to be there.
Once they'd settled again, Daphne looked to Harry and said, "Well, since everyone is here, Alliance Secret. I inform you all that Lord Potter's and my discussion proved most fruitful. I shall be informing my father that I wish for him to approach Lord Potter's representative with the hopes of negotiating a Concubine Bond Agreement between myself and Lord Potter.
"I believe we currently have an agreement-in-principle for me to become a Concubine Presumptive to Lord Potter."
As the girls, less Daphne and Hermione, practically clapped in approbation, Neville gave a relieved, "Yes."
Meanwhile, Harry and Daphne smiled at one another.
"That does not mean, however," he firmly said, "That Daphne will become my concubine. It means Daphne will be under a Concubine Bond Agreement to me, only. This is House Potter aiding House Greengrass in protecting one of its daughters.
"What happens down the road is not set in stone. The agreement may eventually convert to a contract, or it may not. That is a matter for another time."
"Ah!" said Susan. "That's very clever. Daphne is taken 'off the market', so to speak, so her father can no longer be legally pressured. Yet is free to make her own choice later?"
Harry smiled at her and nodded. "Precisely."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As the dinner hour closed in, the seven walked as one down to the Great Hall, only separating once they walked in through the double doors. They took the 'main route' down and, as intended, were seen by quite a few other students.
The 'news' that they did that would be around the castle by late that evening. Which, of course, is why they did it. It was visual proof the Potter-Longbottom Alliance was once again active.
This time, finally, Harry's meal wasn't interrupted by people demanding his attention.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Down in the bowels of the Ministry, the Spectral Threat team had just received a report from the Knight's Shadow team.
Scimitar, accepting the note and reading it, said to the others, "As expected, the Knight and Bookworm returned to the castle, this morning."
That had a few breathe a sigh of relief.
Continuing, Scimitar added, an inside contact has informed us both moved into the rarely used Lords' Quarters. Apparently, Little Old Witch had no problem with it."
"She wouldn't," said one. "That's what they're there for."
"Hmm..." said Scimitar. "We can now confirm Monocle has organised a rotating force of eight aurors for the castle. We now have three in their ranks. Eight's an increase of two since the return of the White Knight and Bookworm."
"Any further news on White Beard?" asked one.
"It's finally confirmed he suffered a heart attack," replied Scimitar. "Monocle had managed to have the information of it tied up tighter than a merman's arsehole and it took us until late today to confirm.
"He's alive and currently a guest in the auror secure ward. Apparently, Monocle doesn't want anyone knowing he's there."
"Wise, I suppose," said another.
"Oh, this is interesting. Apparently, there were rumours she'd declared him a Dark Lord."
"Wow!" said the first. "How'd she do that without dragging him before the fuddy-duddies?"
Scimitar grinned and said, "She used a loophole in the law that Dumbledore used to abuse. By law, she's three distinct people; Acting Minister, Director of the DMLE and Regent of House Bones. She used those three distinct persons she is and, for each, declared him a Dark Lord.
"Our analysts have since checked the oath books and confirmed it. Ha! I bet that stung old White Beard. Hoist by his own petard!"
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Once dinner was over, Harry and Hermione returned to their apartment.
As soon as they walked in, Harry said, "I need to contact Sirius about how we got on for our first day and, while I'm on the mirror with him, ask to speak to Ted if he's there."
"You're warning him about the CBA with Daphne Greengrass and that Lord Greengrass is likely to approach him?"
"Yes," he replied. "Plus, I should write to Lord Greengrass, Samuel, and let him know Daphne has now talked to me about it and he should contact Ted to negotiate it."
Hermione said, "And I need to write to my parents to let them know how we got on."
"Save a bit of space at the bottom for me?" he asked. "I'll let them know, in my own words, you're safe and sound."
Hermione hesitated a bit and asked, "Do we let my parents know I'm in the Lords' Quarters with you?"
"That's up to you," he replied. "If you decide you want to let them know that, I'm happy with it. If you don't, I understand.
"You might want to wait for a little while until you're sure one way or the other, though. Once you've informed them you can't take it back."
When it looked like she was going to worry her bottom lip with her top teeth again, he walked over, took her in his arms and kissed her. "If you're this concerned about what to do, delay telling them."
After feeling all gooshy, yet again, because of the kiss, she sighed and nodded.
"Great!" he said, backing off. "Now I need you to tell me what you can of what was discussed between you three girls when I went outside to wait for the others."
Looking a touch suspiciously at him, she asked, "Why?"
"I don't need specifics," he said. "I just need to know whether or not this is something she truly wants. And I want to know if you know what her thoughts are on this.
"Daphne is a pureblood, raised to always obey her father and Lord of her House. When she replied and said to me this is something she wants, what she could actually have been saying is, 'This is something I want, because it's something my Lord wants.' Understand?
"While she'd not necessarily admit the truth directly to me, she more than likely will to her witch peers. And it's a method by which she can inform me of the truth of what she wants without coming straight out with it."
"Ah," she replied. She then seemed to think about it before she started to explain. "She's scared. She knows what is going to happen if you or Neville can't help her. She'd approach Neville next, if you turned her down, by the way.
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