The Greengrasses Chapter 2

His third year of Hogwarts was different from the previous two, possessing an undercurrent of iniquity that he struggled to put into precise words. With that in mind, the year came to an end on a cheerful note as the Hogwarts Express pulled into platform nine and three-quarters.

Most of the students were just happy to get home, away from the dementors and the imaginary, nonexistent threat of Sirius Black. It had been gloomy for most, having to suffer through the presence of the dementors all year, which cast a chill over the entire castle.

And Harry felt this more than most, especially with his final confrontation with them at the lake, having to fend them off with his patronus before he fell unconscious. And while he was happy that Sirius managed to get away, the fact they were unable to clear his name left him in a sour mood.

Which was why the sudden appearance of Mrs. and Mr. Weasley at the platform was so welcome. Ron’s mother pulled him into one of her bone crushing hugs, before checking him over as if he were her own son.

They had taken him in before his second year, and knew of the events last summer with his aunt Marge, as they went on to offer him a place in their home once again if he needed it. Harry declined immediately—which went virtually unheard—eventually relenting and agreeing to spend some of the summer with them.

After that he was accosted by Hermoine, who practically dragged him over to meet her own parents. Both Dr. Grangers were nice people, having careers as dentists, as each shook Harry’s hand while mentioning how much Hermoine mentioned him in her letters, much to the bookworm’s embarrassment.

He soon waved them off, and then made his way towards the exit of the magical platform which led to the muggle world. He sighed while pulling his trunk, mentally preparing himself to face the Dursleys and hoping they wouldn’t be too terrible to him after what he did to Aunt Marge. He had run away after that incident, and hadn’t said a word to them since, which made him especially anxious about the upcoming reunion.

“Harry Potter?”

He stopped when he heard his name, turning to face the female voice that had called out to him. As for why a woman wanted to speak with him, he had no idea, and could only hope that he wasn’t in trouble.

He had to hide his shock when he suddenly found himself facing the most beautiful woman he had ever seen then, who was smiling at him with a small undercurrent of tension lacing her features.

She looked like a model, blonde and beautiful with a body he struggled to tear his gaze away from. Her robes were quite modern for a witch like her to wear, almost to the point of being muggle, and did absolutely nothing to distract from her sinful body. But it was her face he tried to focus on, framed by long, wavy, golden blonde hair, having aristocratic features and high cheekbones with green eyes that stood above a tall nose and plump pink lips.

“Erm… yes?” He asked, confused.

She held out her hand daintily, which he hesitated before shaking, causing her to frown for some reason. “I am Aspasia Greengrass, and I know this might be a bit much to take in, but I’m your new guardian.”

Harry blinked. “What?”

“Your guardianship has been changed from your muggle aunt, to myself.” She explained, momentarily showing distaste at the mention of aunt Petunia before it was quickly hidden. She then reached into her coat and pulled out some official paperwork before handing it to him. “This confirms that I’m now your guardian.”

“I see.” He managed to get out, because what else could he say? Internally he was jumping for joy at the thought of not returning to the Dursleys, on the other hand…

He had no idea who this woman was. The name Greengrass rang some bells, but he couldn’t recall any information about it. For a moment, he wondered if this was a trap, maybe set up by Pettigrew or Malfoy, before discarding that thought entirely. Platform nine and three-quarters was a public space, and if he disappeared then people would immediately suspect the woman in front of him.

Maybe the Dursleys finally had enough of me. That seemed to be the most obvious answer, and he couldn’t exactly blame them if that was the case. He had turned Vernon’s sister into a balloon after all, and then ran away in the aftermath.

“Why?” Asked Harry, looking up at the woman and trying to maintain eye contact. “What exactly is going on?”

She winced a little and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “It’s a bit… complicated. And not something I’d like to explain here. Follow me and we’ll take the floo to my Manor from the platform, and then I’ll explain everything.”

Harry belatedly nodded after a long moment and followed the older blonde in a daze, only for her to walk at his side and grasp his arm possessively. He almost ran from the close contact, startled by suddenness of it, but held it together as they made their way to the multiple fireplaces located on the platform. By this point there were very few families left, so they easily found to an open floo to use.

“Have you used these before?” Asked Mrs. Greengrass as they stood in front of the fireplace, sounding unsure at the question itself.

Harry nodded, which relieved her. “It’s Greengrass Manor.” She whispered into his ear, and he stepped up and grabbed some powder before using the floo.

A flash of green later and he appeared in what he assumed was the Greengrass home. It was a mansion, with ridiculously tall ceilings and decorations all over in what he assumed was an entrance room of sorts. He had to admit it looked… formidable.

Another flash of green and Mrs. Greengrass appeared from the fireplace behind him. She wandlessly removed the soot from her coat before discarding it. Underneath she wore a sleeveless tan blouse that outlined her slim but busty figure, something that made him gulp before he diverted his eyes as his cheeks reddened.

Don’t get distracted, Harry. If she noticed his wandering eyes, she didn’t comment or react.

“You can take a seat… Harry.” She said his name somewhat awkwardly, before turning to a house elf and asking it to get them refreshments.

He made his way over and sat down in a nearby set of chairs, and she followed, sitting in a chair across from him. The atmosphere felt strangely intimate, as he realized that he was suddenly alone with a very attractive older woman.

“Has Gringotts contacted you recently, Harry?” She asked after a long pause, and he shook his head, causing her to frown.

“Mrs. Greengrass—” Harry began then, only to be interrupted.

“Call me Aspasia.”

“um—Aspasia, what exactly is going on?”

She sighed, and seemed to straighten herself up while her hands clutched anxiously in her lap. “To put it simply, it’s this: Your family and my own made a contract a thousand years ago, writing up a binding betrothal contract between House Potter and House Greengrass. It seems that none of our ancestors married each other since it was sighed, so the contract has become outstanding. There is no easy way to say this, but all unmarried Potters are now magically betrothed to all unmarried Greengrasses.”

“Huh?” Was the first word out of his mouth as she finished explaining, the last sentence coming suddenly and unexpectedly. It was like his mind was dealt a hammer blow, scattering his consciousness to the wind and reducing him to an unthinking husk as he desperately tried to grapple with what she was saying.

“S-So, the two of us are going to get m-married?” He managed to get out finally.

Aspasia cringed. “Since you are the only member of the Potter family left, you will have to marry me and my two daughters, Daphne and Astoria.”

Harry gaped, actually speechless. “B-But I can’t marry three girls at once! That’s not even legal!”

The woman smiled, her plump lips curving up towards high cheekbones. “The magical world is much different than the muggle one, which I am aware that you are acquainted with. However, even I will admit this situation is quite extreme, as the contract that caused all this is over a thousand years old.”

Harry slumped, his mind turned to mush as he tried to process this whole mess. He had always wanted a family of his own one day, and he guessed this ensured it would happen. Still, he had never expected to get married this early, much less to multiple women.

“Is this somewhat normal?” Asked Harry solemnly, wondering if the magical world had arrangements like this often.

Strangely enough, Aspasia nodded. “Yes, arranged marriages are common in the magical world. My first marriage was arranged actually, although it only lasted three years until he died.”

Harry sucked in a breath, “I’m sorry for your loss—”

She waved him off, looking away as her expression hardened. “I never loved him, and let’s leave it at that.”

He suddenly remembered something. “You said you have two daughters, do they know…”

“Daphne and Astoria.” Aspasia nodded. “Daphne’s in your year at Hogwarts, in Slytherin, and Astoria is a year younger and in Ravenclaw. They’re aware that they are betrothed, as I informed them that much, just not the details. Both knew they would likely be in an arranged marriage, as is the norm in our culture. I know Astoria will get over it rather quickly, but Daphne will take time to adjust.”

“I see.” He didn’t know many students at Hogwarts, even though there weren’t that many to begin with. And he knew even less in Slytherin, but going off Aspasia’s looks, he guessed Daphne was the cold blonde girl in his potions class who rarely spoke.

“Harry.” Said Aspasia, sounding somewhat hesitant. “After I learned of the contract I did some digging, and I know about your… undesirable upbringing.”

Harry sucked in a breath, eyes widening in alarm. The older woman then slowly leaned over and placed a comforting hand on his leg. “There is nothing to be worried about, and I will ensure that you never see those filthy muggles again if that is what you desire. I admit I am quite proud that my future husband was strong enough to endure all of that growing up. I smoothly arranged for myself to take custody of you, and it has been taken care of.”

He simply nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

She then stood and gestured for him to follow as she began leading him through the giant mansion that was Greengrass manor. “I think I’ll show you to your room. If you need any help, just call for a house elf.”

During the walk Harry let his eyes wander, observing the grand halls that they passed through along with the countless artifacts and portraits on display. He didn’t have much time to examine it all to the last detail, mind still a mess after so many revelations.

But there was something else that distracted him, being the gorgeous woman in front of him. He blushed furiously as he cast glances at the older woman, having more time than before to ogle her body. This woman was going to be his wife! He reminded himself as he looked her over. She was tall for a woman, with the busty figure of a mature woman that would typically classify as a trophy wife.

He nearly stumbled when he saw her breasts jiggle as they turned a corner, before ascending a staircase which caused her ass to bounce with each step. His eyes stayed locked on the mountain of jiggly flesh, round and fat, sticking straight out and stretching her skirt around its spherical shape. It was only once she suddenly stopped at the top of the staircase that he managed to temporarily drag his gaze away.

He suddenly looked up, and realized Aspasia was watching him with a smirk. She giggled suddenly, “It’s alright if you look, Harry. I’m going to be your wife after all.”

His face became even more hot, the redness extending all the way to the tips of his ears.

/////

The floo activated once more in the Greengrass manor, as two girls stepped through.

Both were rather tall for their age, with the one on the left being a tall bombshell blonde with blue eyes. She had clear aristocratic features, with tall cheekbones that went well with her long straight golden blonde hair that reached her mid-back. She was very well developed, with large breasts like her mother, along with a heart-shaped ass that was difficult for most guys to take their eyes off of. She wasn’t overly thin, having a good mixture of muscle and fat on her body to add to her appeal. To put it simply, she was practically a clone of Lady Greengrass, albeit younger with her eyes being blue instead of green.

The girl on the right, however, was almost the opposite of her sister, being a brunette with blue eyes and possessing the body of a ballerina. She had more muscle than fat, but not to the point of being too skinny. She was clearly still developing, but would never have assets as large as her sister. And to add to the difference, she had long, dark brown hair that framed her face, which gave off the impression of being more kind rather than cold and aristocratic.

“Daphne, Astoria, How was the Davis family doing?” Asked Aspasia Greengrass, entering the room before hugging both of her daughters.

“They are doing well and send their regards, mother.” Said the blonde on the left plainly, now named Daphne.

“You should have seen Tracey’s father!” Said the brunette, Astoria, excitedly. “He used all these muggle contraptions to make dinner, it was so interesting! Maybe I should take muggle studies next year…”

Daphne frowned at her sister, but said nothing. Tracey Davis was her best friend, while also being a half-blood who was raised primarily in the muggle world. It was something that Daphne had chosen to ignore, preferring to focus instead on her friend’s company rather than the muggle influences in her life.

With that said, she had only accepted Tracey’s invitation to her home out of courtesy, with her mother prodding her into accepting it. Daphne would rather avoid a home full of muggles entirely, and it grated on her that Astoria was almost the complete opposite.

“That’s good to hear.” Said their mother, suspiciously seeming to not care about the subject of muggles at all. “I will have the house elves take your trunks to your room, and in the meantime we need to have a conversation before bed.”

Daphne looked at her mother sharply. “What is it?”

Aspasia waved her off before taking a seat, gesturing for them to follow. She sighed before taking a deep breath, “I assume you girls got my letter about your betrothals being settled?”

Indeed, it had been several weeks back that Aspasia Greengrass sent both of her daughters a missive informing them about the newfound status of their betrothals. All that letter stated was that their betrothals were set, but not who they were betrothed too. For Daphne, it had caused her a few sleepless nights, knowing that the man she would be marrying was already arranged. It was something she always knew was coming, but to come to terms with it so suddenly… Her grip on the armchair tightened.

At their nods, the Greengrass matriarch continued. “There is no easy way to say this, but our House made a betrothal contract a thousand years ago that has gone unfulfilled since it was made, and as such has become outstanding.”

Daphne sucked in a deep breathe, her eyes widening. She was well versed in pureblood culture and contracts, and knew exactly what her mother meant. An official contract made between two Houses going unfulfilled could have terrible consequences, especially if the contract was older. “You mean to say…”

Aspasia nodded. “As recompense, every unmarried Greengrass is to marry a member of the family the contract was made with.”

“Well, who is it?” Asked Astoria after a long moment, looking nervously between her mother and sister. The look almost never appeared on the brunette’s face, as she was always rather positive.

“The Potter family.”

The two sisters blinked, before the realization came. Their reactions were almost as contradictory as their appearance, being complete opposites. Astoria became as red as a tomato, gaping at her mother in shock. Meanwhile, Daphne went pale, her hand shaky as she looked back at her mother.

“H-Harry Potter is the last Potter.” Said Daphne quietly.

“He is.” Affirmed Aspasia. “And the three of us are going to marry him.”

“I-I see.” Stuttered Daphne quietly, trying to come to grips with the situation.

Aspasia let her two daughters get their emotions under control before speaking. “I have spoken to Mr. Potter earlier today. Strangely enough, he wasn’t aware of the situation, and I had to explain to him the details.”

Daphne looked at her mother in shock. “You mean to say he didn’t-”

Aspasia shook her head. “He was completely unaware. Harry isn’t very familiar with the magical world, and if I’m being honest it is not surprising, considering how he lived before coming to Hogwarts.”

“What do you mean, Mother?” Asked Astoria, looking strangely at her mother. “Doesn’t he live in a magical castle? Trained daily by Dumbledore and the lost portrait of Godric Gryffindor?”

Fury flashed across their Mother’s face, appearing briefly before it went away. Daphne made note of it, wondering why such a silly comment would rile her up so much. “He wasn’t aware of the magical world till he received his Hogwarts letter. Those books you read are complete fabrications, but if you wish to learn more about Harry’s life you can ask him.”

“Ask him?” Daphne frowned. “Mother, neither Astoria nor I have talked to Potter. Ever.”

An amused grin made its way onto Aspasia’s face. “Then you will have plenty of time to get to know him this summer.”

The sisters looked at their mother strangely, wondering what she was referring to.

Aspasia only smiled. “After finding out about the contract, I took measures into my own hands and made myself Harry’s guardian. He will be living with us from now on.”

/////

He awoke slowly, everything from the day before coming back to him lethargically as he recognized the ornate ceiling of the room he was sleeping in.

He sat up, looking over his new bedroom that was located in his own personal suite within Greengrass Manor. His bedroom alone was compatible in size to the entire Dursley home, and he had noted as such to Aspasia but she had brushed his concerns aside.

His future wife—the thought made him feel dizzy—was way out of his league. Harry could tell she was wealthy, seeing as she owned the largest house he had ever seen. He could also tell she was a powerful witch, as with certain wizards and witches one could tell such things. Just being around Dumbledore or McGonagall, he was able to tell they were strong magically, and he got a similar feeling around the Greengrass Matriarch.

Those thoughts were soon brushed aside as he climbed out of bed, taking a quick shower and dressing in a pair of clothes that simply appeared while he was in the bathroom. He didn’t own them, and figured a house elf must have put them there while he was showering.

He soon made his way out of his quarters, walking down a hallway and towards where he figured the kitchen was located in the home. He soon entered a large cozy room with a huge fireplace and several couches, but found it empty. Harry kept walking then, crossing the room and into another room that looked like an armory out of the Middle Ages, filled with suits of shining armor and all sorts of weapons that were displayed on the walls. He even he saw a suit of armor made for a house elf in there.

And so he continued on, entering a new room filled with many large banners that lined the edges, all surrounding a large round table that looked to be from the Middle Ages. Eventually, after navigating a couple more hallways, he entered a part of the manor bustling with several house-elves.

Figuring he was lost and needing help, Harry walked up to one of them before speaking. “I’m looking for the kitchen, can you help me?”

The house elf looked up at him, seemingly almost as excited as Dobby. “Of course, Master Harry Potter Sir! But I’m afraid that Mistress Aspasia wishes to have lunch with you as soon as possible, Harry Potter Sir.”

Harry blinked, was it really lunch time already? Either he had overslept, or had gotten so lost in the manor he missed breakfast. “Erm… Can you take me to her?”

The elf nodded, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. “This way, Master Harry Potter Sir.”

The elf led Harry down a particular hall and around the corner, and then opened a large door with a wave before guiding Harry inside.

The room was a cozy dining room, complete with a small table along with several windows that gave a view over endless grassy fields. He wasn’t alone in the room however, as Aspasia sat across from who he assumed were her daughters, Daphne and Astoria.

All three turned to face Harry when he entered, and he couldn’t help but tense and stop. But Aspasia quickly stood, walking over to him with a comforting smile.

“Harry, how did you sleep?” She asked.

“Erm… fine. Great actually, considering everything.” He answered, his trepidation showing through.

Aspasia forced a smile, gesturing for the two girls to make their way forward. The blonde girl was clearly Daphne, as she had a blank, almost cold, expression on her face, and was obviously the older sister. As for her younger sister, Astoria was the shortest in the room, and the brunette had a kind expression on her face but with some nervousness lining her features.

“Harry, these are my daughters, Daphne and Astoria.”

“Nice to meet you.” He greeted. “I’m Harry, Harry Potter.”

He shook their outstretched hands, prompting a frown from Daphne and a warm grin from Astoria. The group then sat down, with himself and Aspasia sitting across from Astoria and Daphne respectively.

There was an awkward quietness that was broken a few seconds later by a giggle. Harry looked to see Astoria was close to exploding in excitement, which prompted an eye-roll from her sister.

But Astoria managed to force down her laughter, clearly having been waiting for this moment. “Is it true you fought a dragon with the sword of Gryffindor in your first year?”

“Erm… No.” Harry tried to get his incredulousness under control. “There was a troll I fought though, and a three headed dog. The troll had broken into the school and was trying to kill my friend Hermione, but we managed to stun it with its club.”

Astoria seemed almost blown away by his tale for some reason, while Daphne was glaring at him.

“Telling tales of your heroics already, Potter?” She sneered.

He winced. “It wasn’t very heroic if I’m being honest. All I did was distract the troll by jumping on its back so the others could escape. As for the dog, it was a Cerberus and was hidden in the third-floor corridor.”

“And why were you anywhere near such a creature?” Asked Aspasia, her tone betraying her curiosity.

“I was challenged to a duel by Draco Malfoy.” Harry thought back to how he even found Fluffy in the first place. “Me and Ron were to meet him after curfew but he never showed up. Instead he told Filch who chased after us, but we hid in the third-floor corridor. That was when we discovered the dog.”

His story caused a multitude of reactions around the table. Daphne, for some reason looked excited, and the unexpected smile on her face gave him a strange sense of foreboding. Astoria still looked enamored by his story, and was looking at him weirdly. Strangely enough however, Aspasia was sneering in distaste, and it somewhat scared him.

“Typical Malfoy spawn.” Aspasia spat. “There isn’t a shred of dignity left in that family. It’s imperative that none of you associate with filth like him.”

For some reason, the passion in her voice made his shoulders slump in relief. He knew the Greengrasses were purebloods, and had worried they would be like Malfoy’s family, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

In fact, now that he thought about it, he had never seen Daphne associate with Malfoy’s band of lackeys in Slytherin. Maybe I was worried over nothing?

“You can always tell us more later, Harry, as we’d love to learn more about you.” Comforted Aspasia. “But for now let us eat lunch, you must be starving.”

The entrance to the room opened, as a multitude of finely dressed house-elves entered carrying all sorts of food. Harry accepted a dish but blinked when Aspasia gestured for another elf to sit more food on the table just for him. The group soon dove in, with Harry attempting to eat in a graceful manner but looking like a beggar next to the elegant Greengrasses.

The meal was quiet, maybe even awkward, but it couldn’t be helped. There was an undercurrent of tension he knew had to be broken, but he just didn’t know how to do so. He wasn’t the most observant person, but could tell that the other members of the table were casting glances at him throughout the meal.

Harry felt horrible all of a sudden, sitting in their home, eating their food, and knowing that all three of them were being forced to marry him. Supposedly it was all because of a contract, one he didn’t even know existed, which had caused all this. How was it even possible that no Greengrasses or Potters married for the last thousand years?

He felt like apologizing, but how could he even apologize for something he knew nothing about? It was likely his ancestors knew nothing about the contract either, else they would have likely married a Greengrass before his birth. That was unless they knew about the contract, and all decided to put off fulfilling it until he was born. If that was the case, it meant he would still be in this situation even if his parents were still alive.

He was sweating now, desperately trying to get his vocal cords to work and say something about the situation. The more this went on, the worse he felt!

“So what happens now?”

Everyone at the table stilled, their silverware pausing mid-air as they looked at him with tense expressions.

“You mean about the betrothal?” Asked Aspasia, receiving a shaky nod in return. “You will marry Daphne and myself when you graduate, and the same with Astoria when she comes of age.”

Harry’s shoulders sagged a bit, but he was still tense. He figured that at least he would be waiting a few years until actual marriage, but the situation was still awkward.

“I see.” Replied Harry awkwardly. “And what of me living here? I mean, I’d hate to live off you guys all summer. I can always do work around the house and in the kitchen if you need something in return—”

Astoria laughed, and the others at the table looked amused. “Harry, you’re joking right? The house-elves manage all that! Although, you could give me one of your quidditch jerseys. I’d love to wear it to bed, with nothing underneath, of course.”

The last part might’ve been whispered under her breath, but he caught it anyways, blushing furiously, all while trying not to let that last comment get to him. Daphne gave her sister a scandalized look, while Aspasia meanwhile looked exasperated at her daughter’s behavior.

“Daphne, take Astoria with you and you can both get started on your summer homework.” Sighed the woman, prompting Daphne to silently drag her sister out of the room.

Once the two had left and the door was closed, Aspasia turned to face him. “Look, Harry, from how I view it, having you around over the summer is good for everyone involved. I know your… muggle relatives might’ve made you work around the house but that isn’t the case here. Also, I apologize about Astoria, she can sometimes be a bit much. ”

He smiled. “It’s okay. I erm… spent time with the Weasleys during the last two summers, so I just wanted to help where I could.”

He noticed she had a tense smile at the mention of the Weasleys.

“You will find us very different from the Weasleys.” Aspasia’s expression was indulgent. “Harry, what if I told you my family is what you would consider dark?”

“What do you mean?”

“It is because of your muggle upbringing that I’ve made the decision to mentor you on wizarding culture while you’re staying with us this summer.” She said first, before continuing. “The Greengrass family are one of the oldest families in Wizarding Britain, and considered one of the darkest. Out of the twenty dark lords that have emerged in Europe in the last thousand years, three of them have held the Greengrass name.”

Harry gaped at her, completely stunned. She held his gaze firmly, and continued speaking. “Our family’s greatest achievement and greatest shame is supporting Morgana Le Fay, as we were her strongest supporters when she challenged Merlin. Since then, House Greengrass has been viewed… less than favorably by many in Britain to say the least.”

“So that is why you’re so tense about the Weasleys.”

“To put it mildly.” She nodded. “It isn’t so much my own feelings, rather their reaction. Although it has led me to an interesting theory as to why our families never fulfilled the contract.”

“Being?”

“That traditional ‘Light’ and ‘Dark’ families rarely intermarry.” She answered. “When it comes to some Houses, being Crabbe, Goyle, Black, or Nott, then they rarely breed outside of certain lines. While not extreme, the same goes for our situation, in that our families were never in an optimal position to wed, and as such never fulfilled the contract.”