06

Over the last few weeks, with everything around Harry coming to a bit of a calm, he had been able to spend some more time with Ron and Hermione. In addition, he'd tried to get to know the other girls in his year, still on the lookout for candidates for the Gaunt and Potter titles.

Currently, the ones he was considering were Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, Millicent Bulstrode, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, Su Li, Padma or Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. And he would be considering Cho – because of the first timeline if nothing else – but he wanted to give her the chance to get together with Cedric, who of course wasn't going to die this time around.

At the same time, she actually seemed more interested in Harry than in the first timeline, and they'd actually met up a few more times. Harry suspected him getting involved with Luna's situation had something to do with it. He did think Cho would choose Cedric though – in particular considering Cedric would no doubt ask her to the Yule Ball, while Harry would ask one of his girlfriends.

Daphne Greengrass, Susan Bones and Padma Patil were all unlikely as well, because they were Heiresses to their Houses – or Lady in Susan's case – so unless the Heirship would be passed on to a sibling they wouldn't be able to marry one of Harry's titles.

He'd consider Hermione if he wasn't worried about her biting his head off for suggesting she join a polygamic relationship. Even if her acceptance of it happening in her vicinity seemed to have improved. In that regard, it probably helped that Harry had been pointing her towards relevant literature, and on top of that he had been dragging Lyra over to explain various traditions. While carefully mediated by Harry of course, because Lyra was still prone to making the occasional incendiary remark by not thinking, even with her increasing acceptance of Harry's side of things. Harry wouldn't soon forget the fight those two had about house elves.

Halloween was fast approaching, and today the other two schools would arrive, so the entirety of Hogwarts stood outside in the cold to welcome them. Lyra was pressed against Harry's chest, his arms around her to keep her warm as he nuzzled her neck.

Lucius Malfoy had… not been amused by what his now-daughter had pulled while she was acting Lord/Lady of the House, but as he had no other living relatives that he could make Heir instead, he was powerless to do anything about it. Still, Harry was considering finding another place for Lyra to stay over the summer. Christmas wouldn't be an issue, he knew, because she would want to remain for the Yule Ball.

The Beauxbatons delegation arrived first, and Harry inconspicuously pointed out Fleur, who he expected to once again be their champion. A few minutes later, the Durmstrang ship arrived, and their students soon filed out. Lyra of course already knew Krum would likely be their champion – and what he looked like – so Harry didn't point him out.

However, he did point out the other important member of their delegation. She looked two, three years younger than the rest – which she was, of course.

"That's her," Harry whispered. "With the blonde hair with blue streaks. Delphini Riddle."

"Has she dyed her hair?" Lyra asked.

"She's a metamorph," Harry replied, observing his hopefully future Lady Black. She didn't see him between the masses of students, but then he hadn't particularly expected her to. Like in the first timeline, Lyra would invite the Durmstrang students over to the Slytherin table – Harry hoped it would succeed – and she and Pansy would talk up Riddle during the initial feast, then the next day Harry would meet up with the three.

Harry bowed slightly. "Miss Riddle, pleased to meet you."

She curtsied in return. "Lord Potter."

Harry kept his face neutral at the short reply. He didn't know the girl very well from the last timeline – she'd been rather isolated after becoming disillusioned with her parents – but he didn't think she was antagonistic towards him.

"As you know from our correspondence, I am considering offering you a marriage contract," Harry said. "However, I wouldn't want to do so without first getting to know you. Perhaps you could accompany me, Lyra and Pansy to a more private setting so we could get to know one another better?"

"If you wish, Lord Potter," she replied, and he started leading them through Hogwarts to the Room of Requirement. "Your letter mentioned that you knew who my mother was," Riddle commented as they were walking. "Considering your… status in Britain, as well as hers, I can only say I was surprised you wished to explore a contract with me."

"You are not responsible for the sins of your parents, Miss Riddle. Not those of your mother, and also not those of your father."

She stopped in her tracks. "How did you know that?" she asked, shocked.

"§In my second year,§" Harry said, nudging her onward despite another shock as he dropped into Parseltongue, "§the Chamber of Secrets opened. I don't know if you have heard of it, however the legend said that the Heir of Slytherin would open the Chamber and unleash the monster within to 'cleanse Hogwarts of the unworthy'. As you may know, Voldemort was the Heir of Slytherin. He enchanted one of his belongings, a diary, with a part of his soul.

"§This diary had come into the possession, apologies for the word choice, of a girl at this school and possessed said girl, forcing her to open the Chamber. Near the end of the year, I myself found the Chamber and went down there, and ended up fighting the shade in the diary, which was in the process of killing the girl. He still went by the name of Tom Riddle at the time, and that is how I learned his name.§"

They had arrived at the Room of Requirement, and Lyra paced back and forth to create it.

"§Why do you trust me with your secrets this much?§"

They entered the room and sat down, Lyra and Pansy flanking Harry on the couch and Riddle on a chair to the side, positioned so she wouldn't sit opposite them.

"I am not really telling you anything secret," Harry replied, switching back to English. "While there are some details I would rather keep silent, which is of course why I used parseltongue, none of this is information Voldemort does not either have, or could relatively easily acquire. Not even me being a parselmouth, as that became public knowledge in that same second year. Blame Lyra for that, by the way."

The blonde had the decency to look abashed at that.

"So you don't trust me?" Riddle asked.

"Can you honestly tell me you would not, at the very least, go and meet Voldemort if he invited you, and perhaps even join him?"

She hesitated.

"Personally," Harry continued, "I believe you would be wasting your time. But that is no topic for a first meeting. Why don't you tell us a little about Durmstrang? I am quite curious, for example, how that ship ended up in the lake."

She did so, and from one topic they ran into another. At some point, Harry even ended up telling about his adventures from the first three years here at Hogwarts – which meant Sirius came up as well, and Riddle was very surprised to hear the politics around his case. For the day, they stayed away from Riddle's personal life – in particular whether she might join up with Voldemort – and of course Harry's time travel.

That evening, Harry sat in between Ginny and Ron at the Gryffindor table when the names for the Triwizard Tournament were to be drawn. He'd prepared all his girls and Ron and Hermione – everyone who knew about his time travel – that they'd tell everyone he hadn't entered himself, which would cover all Houses except Hufflepuff, and had also made sure to make his opinion on the Triwizard Tournament widely known. He suspected most of Hogwarts – or at least his year – knew that he wouldn't enter if he could, with how negligible the money and fame would be compared to what he already had and how dangerous it would be.

Hopefully, it was enough to lead to a better experience last time around. Though, unlike last time he could retreat to the Room of Requirement with some nice girls to distract him. Or, in Ginny's case, the distraction could just take place in the Gryffindor common room.

The three champions were drawn the same way as last time – Fleur, Krum and Cedric – and Harry felt Ginny tense up next to him. Indeed, the Goblet lit up a fourth time, and a very surprised Dumbledore mechanically grabbed the parchment out of the air.

"Harry Potter."

A buzz started up throughout the Great Hall.

Harry looked around, adopting his best possible look of shock. "I didn't enter my name," he said. "You know I wouldn't."

Over at the staff table, several people were having a quiet, but heated discussion, before Dumbledore's voice sounded through the hall.

"Harry Potter! Harry! Up here if you please."

Harry rose and made his way over to the headmaster.

"Through the door, Harry," Dumbledore said, quietly.

Harry complied, ignoring the buzz around him. It didn't sound as ominous as it had last time around, but he was unsure if that was simply his perception, or if people still suspected foul play. The champions seemed just as surprised as last time.

"What is it?" Fleur asked. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"

"No," Harry replied. "Somehow, my name came out of the Goblet."

Three pairs of eyebrows shot up.

Before anyone could reply, Bagman stepped into the room, all amazement and smiles.

"Extraordinary," he managed to bring out before Harry shut him up.

"I disagree, Mr Bagman. Despite being three years too young, I was just entered into this tournament. Just how could this happen? And, unless I am very mistaken, I was entered separately from Hogwarts, considering Mr Diggory is here as well."

"You… didn't enter yourself, did you?" Cedric asked hesitantly. That was an improvement over last time already.

"No," Harry confirmed. "I have more fame than I'd ever want, certainly enough that winning this tournament wouldn't be a notable boost, and I am the Lord of" – he showed his rings – "five noble Houses, so those one thousand galleons aren't exactly going to do it either."

More people – Dumbledore, Crouch, Karkaroff, Maxime, McGonagall and Snape – entered the room. The other judges started questioning Dumbledore, then Dumbledore questioned Harry – upon which he once again clearly laid out just how little winning the tournament would mean for him compared to what he already had in both fame and money. Interestingly, it appeared that explanation actually got through to Snape, as the man did not make any attempts to discredit Harry.

Of course, there was a decent amount of bickering back and forth between the various adults, but eventually it became clear that, whether or not Harry had entered himself into the tournament, he'd have to compete. He wasn't sure how many people believed his claims that he hadn't entered himself, but he seemed to at least have convinced Cedric and the professors from his own school.

"What is it?" Harry asked, sitting down on a couch in the Room of Requirement. Lyra – who had told him she needed to talk to him – immediately sat down next to him, cuddling into his side. Harry was still somewhat surprised that Lyra was so far the one who looked for the most physical contact, even more than Luna, who mostly just liked hugs.

"My father sent me a letter," she told him, taking the offending object out of her pocket. "He wants information about you and how you got into the tournament. I don't trust it."

Harry was not a little proud to realize that he had Lyra's loyalty even against her father. But then, the numerous angry letters – only Lucius's dignity seemed to have stopped him from using Howlers – likely didn't fall well with her, as they all indirectly implied that she shouldn't have become a girl and – subsequently – that she shouldn't have entered a marriage contract with a guy, even though Lucius might not have intended it that way.

Harry read over the letter Lyra offered him. "It might be best to make him think you're actually spying for him," he said. "Tell him you don't think I put my name in, and that I'm worried whoever did is trying to get me killed or something like that. Also, tell him about Riddle, that might make him back off from Sirius's case a little. You can tell about her heritage from both sides – he should already know Voldemort's true name – and that I invited her to Hogwarts."

"What if he tries to do something to you?" Lyra asked.

Harry gave her a brief kiss. "I can handle murder attempts. Remember, I'm a few years more experienced than you would expect from a fourth year – and then I'm not even talking about all the adventures I was up to at school the first time around already."

"I'll do it, but I don't like it. Anyway, I also wanted to talk about Riddle."

"How so?"

"I think she suspects that Pansy and I knew that your name was going to come out of the Goblet, and she doesn't seem happy about Hogwarts having a second champion."

"What about the arguments I've been repeating these last two months?"

"She… said they had merit, but I don't think she was entirely convinced."

Harry hummed. "Well, good to know. I'll have to give some thought to how to proceed."

"I don't like it," Lyra said, throwing her arm – and part of her body – around Harry's chest and looking up at him. "How so many people are looking at you, wondering if you entered your name."

He stroked her cheek. "It'll get better after the first task. And besides, this time I won't have to worry about 'Potter stinks' badges."

"Why not?" Lyra asked.

Harry grinned. "Because the one that came up with them first time around is currently trying to climb on top of me."

She averted her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Harry pulled her close for a kiss. "None of that now. You've been making up plenty for anything the other you might've done to me in my past-that-you-don't-even-remember."

The next day, a plan of action ready, Harry met up with Riddle, together with Lyra and Pansy. He deliberately kept Ginny and Luna out of it – as he had done with all his interactions with the girl so far – because they were far less traditional, so Riddle would likely have a harder time getting along with them.

Harry's Gryffindor side was coming out today. He hoped it would work. "Miss Riddle, please, do sit down." Their positions were the same as the last time around – Harry on a couch with Lyra and Pansy, Riddle on her own chair. However, this time Riddle was looking rather mistrustful.

"Heiress Malfoy told me you thought I had put my own name in the Goblet of Fire," Harry said.

"I know you did," Riddle said harshly. "Neither she nor Slytherin were surprised your name came out of it. They knew it would happen."

"But there is an important difference," Harry said. "It is possible for us to suspect or even know my name will come out of the Goblet of Fire, without me either entering it or asking someone else to do so."

Riddle scoffed. "Why would someone put your name in without you asking them to do it?"

"For one, because I might die. The prime suspect, of course, would be Voldemort."

"Wait. No, this is too good. You're going to accuse me, aren't you?" She stood up to leave.

"No," Harry said calmly. "That is not what I was planning to do. I know who put my name in, and it wasn't you."

"Oh? Why don't you tell me who it was then? Because I'm sure we'd have known if my father had been in the school."

"Actually," Harry said, "he went pretty unnoticed for an entire year just three years ago, but that is beside the point. No, it was his minion, Barty Crouch Junior, who is currently impersonating the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Moody – because imagine I wouldn't have a Defense teacher trying to kill me for one year. If you want to, we can provide proof, however currently knowing what he is doing gives us an advantage, so I want to keep him where he is. No exposing him."

Riddle sat down again. "What happened to the 'not telling me any secrets' from three days back?"

Harry shrugged. "I figured giving you the full truth was more likely to convince you than easing you into it."

"So? What's the full truth? You suspect my father is trying to kill you?"

"No. Or at least, not yet. His plans is actually to get me to win the tournament, at which point I will touch the Triwizard Cup. This Cup will have been charmed by Dumbledore to Portkey me – or whoever wins – to the podium where the winner is crowned, however it will be put there by Dumbledore's close friend Moody, who is of course being impersonated by Crouch. Crouch will redirect the portkey to instead go to a different location. There, my blood will be used in Voldemort's resurrection ritual. After that, he'll probably try to kill me if given the chance."

"That sounds suspiciously specific."

"That's the benefit of being a time traveler."

"You're a what?"

"A time traveler," Harry repeated. "I've already gone through all of this once, that's why I know what's going on. It's why I've suddenly been so focused on my Lordships since this summer. And it is why I know that you are going to regret joining up with your father or mother if you do that."

"You're just trying to keep me away from them."

"Miss Riddle, your father does not care one whit about family. He killed his father and grandparents, then framed his uncle for it. He shed his identity to distance himself from humanity as much as possible. If you were to join him, you would be nothing more than a weapon in his eyes. A weapon that would hopefully be extremely loyal because of the longing for a family. As for your mother, Azkaban has torn away all sanity that may have remained for her. She cares only about causing pain for others."

"No. No, I don't believe you."

"You were not stupid, of course. You were recruited early in your sixth year, when the war truly started. You were eager to join, however not a month after you joined up, you realized that your father did not and never would care about you. And you left again, you secluded yourself away from the war, from both sides, and remained in isolation even once the war was over. And that's about everything I've been able to piece together about you.

"Is that the fate you want?"

"No," she said, sounding like she was near panicking, her hair gaining a reddish tint to it. "No, that can't be. He'll care about me when he sees me."

Harry rose and crouched down in front of her, placing a hand on her knee. When she looked at him, her eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

"What is the family motto of the Blacks?" Harry asked.

"Family first," Riddle replied automatically. She had been taught properly.

"I cannot make your father or your mother care about you, but if you accept my offer, Miss Riddle, I can promise you an Uncle Sirius, always pranking, always in a good mood, an Aunt Andromeda, who despite her being thrown out of the family still embodies everything Black and will teach it all to you if you wish, an older sister in Nymphadora Tonks, who brightens up a room just by her presence, and a sister of your age, with your ideals, in Lyra, whose mother was born a Black.

"Would you rather bet on your father and mother accepting you, with the knowledge of them that you have, or would you rather take what I can give you?"

"I hate you," she muttered quietly. Some red streaks were clearly visible in her hair, now. She glared up at him. "Why do you even care about me? Why do you care what happens to me?"

"I can think of two reasons," Harry replied, taking out his wand and expanding Riddle's chair so he could sit down next to her. "I'm not actually sure which one it is. The first is quite simple, namely that I realized you were the perfect candidate to marry so I could secure the Black Lordship without anyone being able to contest it. The second is that, as my friend Hermione called it at some point in the future, I have a 'saving people thing'. I just can't let it lie, you know. I saw someone who hated everything, who locked herself away from the world because it had locked itself away from her, and… I had to try to do something about it."

"You really don't care that my father is the Dark Lord, do you?" She sounded distant, almost as if she were just mechanically going through the steps of a conversation.

"No," Harry replied. "As I told you a few days ago, you can't help who your father is. And yes, I will fight him, I intend to kill him by the end of the current school year, but I won't fight anyone else unless they actively back him. I've been through seven years of this the first time around, not even counting the years of cleanup, if I round this up over the coming year I can finally do my level best to fade into obscurity.

"Not that that's ever going to happen if I have seven wives," he added, muttering.

"You're right," Riddle said with a small voice. Harry put his arm around her and gestured for Lyra and Pansy to leave. When the door closed, Harry suddenly had a girl crying on his chest, as he put his arms around her to try and comfort her as best as possible.

It took close to ten minutes for her to calm down, but eventually she looked up at him with eyes red from weeping. "Promise me you won't ever leave me."

Harry kissed her forehead. "I promise, Miss Riddle. Or may I call you Delphini?"

She nodded.

"Well then, Delphini, call me Harry. And your hair's gone pale."

Moments later, it returned to it's blonde-and-blue coloring.

"That's the first time you even mentioned my abilities," she suddenly realized. To Harry's surprise, she suddenly kissed him full on the mouth. However, after a moment of shock he fully reciprocated the kiss until she released him several seconds later.

Merlin save him from the mood swings of girls. Though, if their mood swung this way, he didn't actually mind too much. Also, unlike Ginny, Lyra, Pansy and Luna, Delphini seemed to have previous experience kissing.

"I take it that means you want to sign a marriage contract with me?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Then I propose we get to that soon. When would be a good time for you?"

"This weekend?"

Harry nodded. "Let's meet on Sunday. Lyra and maybe Pansy can be there again to weigh in on the subject. And Saturday, you can come along on the Hogsmeade weekend and meet Sirius.