Bonus 1. Part 1

Bonus 1. Part 1

***

Jonathan Harold Potter, or simply John, was very surprised when his godmother, who burst into the house like a whirlwind, not only paid no attention to him, but dashed past, howling his father's name in her voice. Not only had no one ever seen her, the former Ice Queen of Hogwarts, in a shriek (and if they had, they'd hardly live to see her the next morning, judging by the stories), but she smelled suspiciously of something his mother called junk.

His father was not far away, for they were just about to go for a walk to the sea, and Daphne immediately hung on his neck, burying her nose in his shoulder. Little John snorted: girls. He'd never allow himself to cry, no matter how significant the occasion. But the realization that the walk with Daddy would probably not take place almost made him shed a tear. It was all right, Johnny knew that his usually busy father, head of the small community of mages in Barbados, always made up for the time he had promised to spend with his son... Still, it was a shame that Grandma Bellatrix, summoned as a matter of urgency, had taken him for a walk before he had had time to hear the reason for Godmother's strange condition...

***

- So Grandfather is demanding that you get married? - With a sigh Harold questioned his best friend, who had almost as often as Fleur had rescued him from the pile of work that had come upon him from the crowds who had followed his family to Paradise Island. He wished for a quiet life of pleasure, but no: Harry Potter could not have a quiet life.

- Yes," Daphne sniffed her blushing nose, "or else exile. He's referring to the fact that even Astoria already has a child with Nott, and I'm a virgin.

- Harry squinted: he knew his friend too well to believe her hysteria. And it all seemed realistic enough, but little did it matter! Maybe she had invented some kind of "Hysteria Potion"! In the familiar reddened eyes glowed sadness and entreaty. But a plea for what?

He sighed again, regretting that the hard-won day off he had promised to spend with his son would have to be spent on Daphne. And it was a good thing Johnny was an understanding child, willing to be content with time spent with Bellatrix-still-Black or Aunt Gabby, his mother's younger sister. Fleur herself was having a hard time with her second pregnancy, so she had been sent by her caring husband, along with the pregnant (some for the third and some for the second time), Hermione Crum, Luna Malfoy and Rhiona Dursle to a resort in France, where the climate was milder and less hot than that of Barbados. In fact, most of the female ratepayers were vacationing there now. They had decided to get away from their men, leaving them to babysit the children. That was probably why most of the young, married guys in the island's magical community had eyes red from lack of sleep: the children were mostly young, active in their parents, and magically gifted, too. And, of course, it was his fault, Harold, who had decided to please his wife by sending her home to improve her health, but really - everyone knew this - to get a break from her endless tantrums.

And that's just the trouble with Daphne's love life he didn't need! Especially since he couldn't ignore them, because in addition to Gabrielle, free from school only during the summer months, and Bella, Daphne often sat with John as his godmother.

- I take it he offered you inappropriate options? - Lord Derek Greengrass, who, though he differed from the Lords of Magic in Britain in his more progressive views of life, had hardly strayed far from tradition.

- He gave me the choice between the Selwyn Brothers," Daphne grimly grinned, then winced at the memory of the ancient pureblood's crooked, unshapely brothers. - They're the only ones who aren't engaged yet, but pureblooded enough to marry me. - Here she remembered again the reason for her far-fetched tears. Of course, she'd come to her friend for a reason, a request, but would the happily married Potters understand her? - They're ugly and rude, they don't consider women human, and of course they'll force me to go back to England! - Daphne shouted hysterically, not hiding her emotions from her close friend. - And Grandfather is not going back there, not even in his grave!

- And there are no more options? - Potter raised his eyebrows in surprise. She shook her head in denial. He chuckled: It was obvious that Daphne's grandfather was up to something! - Come on, Daph, what do you want from me and what's the catch for me? I know you well, and I know Lord Greengrass's habits well. He has never wished you harm, and his candidacy is obviously not your best choice of groom.

What are you up to? - Daphne did her best not to show fear with her facial expressions...

***

- Derek, why don't you tell me what you're up to with the eldest granddaughter, and what I have to do with it. You couldn't have known who the first person she'd run to to complain is. - Harry relaxed in the armchair opposite the master of the study and the house, sipping the offered wine with pleasure, savoring its unusual bouquet. Naturally, after his girlfriend's tantrums, he decided to visit the man who had caused all the commotion.

It is true that for some time now (since the beginning of his wife's second pregnancy) he had been suffering from hysterics very badly. Usually, to get over his own irritation and desire to spit on everything, he buried himself with his work: yes, he was responsible for the whole community, but he had not decided what he wanted to do in life, so he did what someone had to do. The development of infrastructure, communications with Muggles and the international confederation of wizards, organizing the supply of goods necessary for wizards, the development of trade, the protection of the magical area - it was all on him. And, though he had helpers, the community, which was already more like an average village or Chinese quarters in large cities, was growing, and there was always enough to do.

Except today was his day off, and everyone knew it. Ignoring his friend and his son's godmother wouldn't have worked anyway, so Harold had to deal with the problem at once. There was nothing to drown his irritation in, so as he sipped the fine wine, he tried to breathe deeply and not think about anything, and when a nasty temper crept up his throat, he began to count to himself. It helped, but it was actually weak...

Lord Greengrass, on the contrary, radiated complete contentment with life and even a certain carelessness. He was genuinely pleased with his guest and had no idea how irritated he was by it.

- You know that the basis of any magical family is magic, its laws and a certain set of rules, obligations, established by the ancestor-founder? - From afar, Derek began to answer the question posed.

Harold snorted; you didn't have to ask him that. - Well, the Greengrass Laws dictate that every descendant of a clan must marry in due time, or the magic of the clan will be denied him or her.

I agree," the cunning grandfather admitted, "I offered Daphne not the best candidates for marriage, but this is just my attempt to get her to start looking for a husband," he exclaimed desperately, as if he had persuaded his eldest granddaughter to do it more than once, and this attempt was his last chance to make her change her mind.

Except Potter knew the family and didn't believe a single emotion shown. In his opinion, even Lucius Malfoy could be trusted more often.

- And, you know, Harold, she didn't come running to you right away..." What's your point?

- Potter squinted. He was already beginning to have some inkling of what the Greengrasses wanted from him. Still, he hoped he was wrong.

- It's probably my fault and her father's fault that Daphne is prejudiced against boys and men, looks down on them," the Lord sighed in a truly old man's way. - And to tell you the truth, I suppose you're the only ones she treats with respect. Neutral to your rat-catchers. But your mutual friends were the first of your generation of Britannian warlocks to have wives.

- In short! - Potter, however, couldn't help his irritation a little, shrugging his shoulders.

Derek sighed again, but differently, with a serious squint and a direct hint: "You know that when the mass degeneration of the great magical clans of Europe began in connection with the increase in the number of Muggles and their technological development, not to disappear entirely, the International Confederation of Mages adopted a law, covering all countries, which allowed bigamy for pure-blooded mages with pedigree more than seven generations?

- Harold choked on his wine and thought for the first time in his life that he wouldn't mind choking to death...

***

- Godmother, why were you crying this morning? - Looking into Daphne's face with strange (blue, like her mother's, but with bright green spots, veins, and iris rim, like her father's) eyes, John asked with sincere concern.

Daphne flinched when she heard the voice and felt the careful touch of a small palm on her hand: she hadn't noticed when they returned. She just stared out the window and thought gloomily about having to marry the first man she met, or one of the heirs of Lord Selwyn's former Death Eater.

Harry was indeed happily married, at times obscenely so. Sure, he and Fleur fought a lot, but still, they always lived heart to heart, forgiving each other. Together they were ready to endure any discord. And they couldn't wait to have a son, and they dreamed of having a daughter together. Daphne was jealous. She wanted a family like hers. But in all her life, she'd never met a man she saw as her future husband.

If her grandfather had demanded to marry one of the ratepayers, she would have accepted it. But her friends were lucky: they all quickly found couples worthy of their kind, and they were happy, too. Greengrass just couldn't afford to get in their way. She would have been relieved to marry Harold, the only man she had liked since they had met when they were still children, and the only one she had always been interested in. But she loved him as a friend, as a brother. No more than that. So could she afford to ruin her friend's happiness by coming between him and the Frenchwoman back then, in her fourth year? No, she couldn't. She was happy for her friend, and she would have gladly lived her whole life alone. Yes! That's what she really wanted. After all, she had friends, she had her sister's family, she had Harry's family and her godson, his son. Why would she want anything more than that? But the magic of kin implied a different outcome, unless, of course, she wanted to lose it.

After her conversation with her grandfather, she threw herself into studying the laws of the clan and the international confederation. That's when she found the law of bigamy. The Potters were an ancient clan and fell under the ordinance, so... But what had she hoped for when she raced to her friend's house? That he would easily accept her and risk his happy family? And good for her: she shouldn't have come in the first place. But at that moment she had been hopeful. Now she knew they were not destined to come true, and Harry was looking for a way out of the situation she herself had driven him into.

- Don't think about it, kitten," Greengrass smiled weakly as she buried her fingers in Jonathan's raven hair. - Your daddy will solve all my problems quickly. I hope so.

- Will you stay with us tonight? - The child's strange, witchy eyes, with blood in their veins, including that of a magical creature, seemed to read minds and see souls with ease. The angelic face, so much like the child's father, but handsome as the half-breed vails, expressed participation and concern.

Daphne smiled involuntarily, imagining how many girls would dream of John if he learned to use his natural beauty and charm.

- Yes. I will," Greengrass replied succinctly, feeling tenderness at the sight of her godson.

- Stay forever, and you won't have any problems," John invited Daphne with a sincere smile. Her heart froze for a moment, only to then quicken its pounding: could the little one really be able to read minds?

***

- I talked to your grandfather, and suddenly I wanted to talk to you again. I'm asking you again, but this time it's straightforward: what do you want from me?! - Potter asked, earnestly, harshly, and even coldly, when he returned home and invited her back to talk, now in his office. He was going to bring her out in the open. And Daphne, looking into the burning determination in his eyes, realized that dodging the conversation was unlikely to work, and in the end, his friend would force her to tell him why she had come to him. But that didn't mean that trying to get out of it wasn't worth it to begin with: "Harry, I have to find myself a husband. And I have a limited time..."

Potter sighed, rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly, and repeated even more sharply:

- So, I'll ask you again: what does this have to do with me? Am I supposed to find you a better candidate than the ones your grandfather suggested? Or should I negotiate with magic to have it exempt you from the law of your kind? Or should I marry you? - He was getting quite heated, grunting irritably: his nerves were giving out, despite the fact that he hadn't seen his wife in about three weeks.

Daphne froze for a moment as she realized there was no turning back. She exhaled tornly and covered her face with her hands, whispering a desperate confession: -I don't know what I want. I'm in a desperate situation. You know I despise your sex and... I know all the young unmarried aristocrats of Europe equal to my position, and they are all disgusting! - she cried out, also losing control. On the face of his friend not a muscle has not trembled, and almost angry voice, again turned into barely audible whimper: "Well, who else can I ask for help, huh?

- Marry the first man you meet who attracts you. I guarantee your grandfather won't be a hindrance," Harry offered coldly, sighing as well. On the one hand, he understood his friend's situation. She didn't know how to communicate with the opposite sex, she didn't know how to find the good sides of him, and she despised him in advance, even before she was potentially acquainted. They, the rat-catchers, had tried to rid her of her prejudiced, arrogant attitude to guys, but over the years they could not advance a single step and left it a lost cause. Harold, on the other hand, didn't understand what Daphne was counting on when she approached him with such a problem. The Veils were terribly possessive, and though Potter was the same way, still he tried not to turn his face toward the women for once and not give his lover a reason for another quarrel, which, however, always ended in the same pleasant way.

- "I can't do that," said Greengrass sadly. - "It's unthinkable to me.

- And for me, bigamy is unthinkable! - Growled Potter, however, seeing a spark of hopelessness in the eyes of his girlfriend, he changed his anger for mercy and spoke as softly and heartfelt as possible: "Daphne, understand, I am truly happy in my marriage to Fleur, do you understand? I have a son and soon I will have a daughter. And, you know, I've always treated you like my best friend, maybe even like a sister, but no more. Did you think that as a friend I would agree to save you and make you my second wife? - he asked.

Greengrass nodded sullenly.

- Daph, look me in the eye and tell me, are you prepared for the consequences of such a decision? Do you realize that a magical marriage, even with a friend, is an obligation? That even if you don't have to have my baby, we'll have to share a marriage bed from time to time?

- No, I'm not," Daphne exhaled, not looking at her friend, but staring at the perfect manicure on her dainty hand. Of course, she understood what Harry was talking about, but she hadn't seriously considered it. Or she did, but she didn't want to admit it, even to herself. And yet..." And maybe I was ready, but only with you, because you were the only one I could trust.

- Harold, hearing the quiet confession, almost spilled the whiskey he'd been pouring himself on the floor. He did not offer it to Daphne, knowing that he would refuse it anyway.

- Oh, Merlin! The treachery of a mad woman is monstrous indeed! - he exclaimed, clutching his head, and then a moment later, he poured the liquor into his mouth. A few minutes later he said, "I don't know what to think anymore. Are you trying to ruin my family? Or are you just afraid of married life? - he asked, but Daphne was silent, and he decided: - You know what, honey? Why don't you go and see our paunchy rat-catchers in France. And talk to them. Ask them about their married life. In the meantime, I'll think of a way for you to get out of it..."

Аnd Greengrass was relieved: anything to avoid thinking about the problem, at least for a while...

***