CH 15

Harry thought, 'Ha! Hopefully, I've headed that particular rant off.'

He also noticed Cygnus make a small gesture with his wine goblet as if offering him a toast of congratulations.

"So," she asked with a lower venomous voice, obviously changing tactics, "Am I that repulsive?"

"No, no! Not at all!" replied Harry. "I'm more worried we'd be introduced as Lady Potter and her husband, that Harry bloke; or, that I'd be completely ignored, lost in the shadows of your radiant beauty!"

That stunned the table until Astoria piped up and said, "Oooohhh! He's good!" Before turning to her sister and saying, "If you don't want him, Daffy, I'll take him! I wouldn't mind being Lady Potter if he's going to say things like that."

That elicited an unladylike snort from Isabel and a grin from Cygnus.

Though her cheeks pinked a bit, Daphne just huffed, ignored everyone, and proceeded to assassinate her roast potatoes with her flatware.

"Round One to the future Lord Potter, methinks," muttered Isabel to her husband.

Harry was glad of the time he'd run out of reading material and 'borrowed' a couple of his aunt's 'Penny Dreadful' romance novellas to read until he could get more books.

Over dessert, talk turned to which Houses Harry and Daphne thought they might be sorted into. Daphne thought she might be in Slytherin or Ravenclaw, while Harry thought Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.

When Isabel asked why those two Houses, Harry replied, "I think I'm smart enough to make my way in Ravenclaw, plus I've heard they have their own library in their common room that I would love to have access to. And I know that Hufflepuff House get's a bad rep, but I've no problem with being considered a hard worker and loyal to friends and family.

"Though my father and his friends were in Gryffindor, I don't want to be there just because it's expected of me. Besides, I don't really consider myself all that brave. At least, I don't consider bravery as a defining feature over my other qualities. That would make me seem all brawn and no brain.

"And I'm not interested in Slytherin because, while I consider myself to be somewhat cunning, and I may be able to carry off 'guile' if I worked at it, I don't think I'm all that ambitious. Unless you consider growing up to be a good father and husband and a self-responsible man to be an ambition.

"How about you, Daphne?" he asked.

"Unlike you, I think I'd manage to carry off cunning and guile quite well. And I'm certainly ambitious," she replied before lowering her head and the timbre of her voice with sadness. "However, it's rather pointless for me to be ambitious now, isn't it?" Startled by how dejected she sounded, Harry said, "You can be as ambitious as you want, Daphne. Irrespective of my earlier words I'm not adverse to being married to the upcoming Minister of Magic, the Head of Saint Mungo's or the leading world renown Potions Mistress, Lady Daphne Potter; or whatever it is you wish to do. I hope you're willing to be at least my equal, if not surpass me. I can be just as happy being happy with your successes as with my own."

Daphne's head shot up on hearing that and stared straight at Harry in shock. "You do?" she asked in a quiet voice with eyes becoming moist with tears.

"Definitely!" he firmly replied.

"I..." she started before suddenly pushing her chair back and mumbling, "Excuse me," and dashing out of the room. Looking at Harry with what he considered to be no small measure of respect, Isabel said, "And excuse me, Mister Potter. I need to go and - check on a few things." She, too, pushed her chair away from the table and left the room, following after her daughter.

Cygnus smiled at Harry and said, "You're going to have to stop that, Mister Potter. You're making me look bad by my not being as considerate as you are showing yourself to be."

Harry blushed and said, "I just don't like the idea she would see a marriage between us as being - a burden or disappointment in her life. I may not know her yet, but that's irrelevant to me. Everyone has the right to be happy with their life and I cannot countenance being the cause of someone's misery. "I hope that maybe the ladies of your House will come to view the betrothal contract as you showing great foresight towards your eldest daughter's happiness."

Cygnus snorted in response and said, "Are you sure you're not going to be sorted into Slytherin? You're definitely showing the diplomatic traits required to succeed in that House."

Harry just shrugged. "A turn of the century French poet and essayist, Charles Péguy, once said, 'He who does not bellow the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers'. I do not wish to be offensive, but I have no desire for the - politicking - that appears prevalent in the House of the Snakes in this current climate." "Noted," the older man said with a grin. Then, turning to Astoria, he said, "As for you, young lady, it's time for bed."

"Awww!" she pouted. "But I want to hear Harry say something nice to me."

Harry smiled at her and said, "Fair maiden, there are no words I can convey to you that would do justice to your own beauty. That's why I was hesitant to attempt to do so."

Cygnus snorted, while Astoria sat there for a few seconds with a look partway between awe and being gobsmacked. She then turned to her father and begged, "I meant what I said. If Daffy doesn't want him, can I keep him?"

Cygnus kindly said back, "After tonight I don't think Daphne will be willing to let him go. Now, off to bed." With a bit of a sulk Astoria hopped off her chair and walked around to give her father a hug and kiss goodnight. Hesitating a moment she then rushed to Harry and gave him one, too. "G'night!" she blurted, before blushing, giggling and dashing from the room.

"Well, you appear to have won over my three ladies," said Cygnus. "I wonder what your next trick will be. Shall we retire to the lounge to continue our discussion?"

"Of course, Cygnus," replied Harry.

Rising from the table both man and boy headed for the lounge and were met there by Isabel.

Once again taking seat Harry started by saying, "I hope you do not feel it too forward of me to ask if I may be allowed to court your daughter starting tomorrow afternoon. I'd like to try and get some of the awkwardness of the situation between Daphne and I out of the way before we depart for Hogwarts."

"It won't be courting, Harry," replied Cygnus. "After all, you're already betrothed. However, we're happy for you to come visiting tomorrow."

Giving a slight shrug Harry said, "I understand its not actual courting. I just don't want to deny either of us the experience of courting one another. Plus, it'll give us both a chance to get to know one another in a one-on-one situation. I'm hoping that we can talk things through and allow the relationship to develop that way. I think it would be nice if we started as friends first."

Nodding, Isabel said, "That's quite considerate of you, Harry. And I, for one, agree. If you had not been shunted off to your muggle relatives I daresay you and Daphne would have become much more familiar with one another before now."

Leaning forward, Cygnus said, "As we both are being a little forward amongst friends, may I enquire as to where you're currently staying? I mean to say, if it's with your muggle relatives, you may find it easier to reside here until Sunday."

Hesitating a little before replying, Harry said, "I'm staying at The Leaky Cauldron. I have no wish to return to my muggle relative's tender mercies."

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