Edward Tonks
Wizard at Law
Law-wizard of Record for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter
~ # ~
Harry quickly scanned through the document and was stunned to find that Lord Greengrass both recognised what Harry was up to and wished to take it a step further. He was willing to sign over complete authority of Daphne to him. And it only took moments for Harry to figure out why.
'He does not want any power to cancel the agreement in his hands!' he thought. 'Damn! That's bloody clever.'
Quickly ducking into the office, sitting at the desk and pulling blank parchment, ink and quill to him from where they were now kept close to hand, he dashed off a response.
~ # ~
Edward Tonks
Wizard at Law
Law-wizard of Record for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter
c/- Diagon Alley
London
Mister Tonks,
I accept the agreement in its current form. However, I wish to first allow Miss Daphne Greengrass to read it for herself and give her blessing to go ahead before I will be willing to sign it. If she is against, then I will not proceed.
Please act as if she will accept, at this time. If she does not, I will send an immediate notification to you of such. For that you should expect my elf. We can then determine where we will go from there.
Without contrariness from her, we go ahead.
Lord Harrison James Potter
Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter
~ # ~
Walking back into the living room he immediately approached the owl and tied the note to the bird's leg.
"Thank you, Justice," he whispered to it. "You may return to Ted now."
The bird gave a bob, turned about and launched itself back out the window.
He stood watching it go.
"Wasn't that Ted's owl?" asked Hermione.
Startled, as he had not realised Hermione had entered the room, he spun to her.
"Errr... yeah," he replied. "He's sent me the latest version of the CBA."
He walked over to the coffee table, picked it up with its cover letter and handed it to her.
After she read through it, Hermione looked just as surprised as he was.
"He's signing her over to you," she said. "Almost as if she's... she's... an asset." It was easy to see she was appalled.
"For the purposes of this, she is," he agreed. "But, he's being smart."
When she frowned back in not a little anger he added, "By handing over any authority over her to me, he is putting himself in the situation where he simply cannot be forced, compulsed, whatever to cancel the agreement from his side. He will be incapable of it."
That had her surprised. Then her expression turned back to a troubled one. "But, from this, you could abuse her."
A little hurt at the insinuation, but understanding she was asking as a general overview rather than just him personally, he replied, "Legally, yes. But, I believe it's clear he trusts me not to do that.
"And, really, would you have anything to do with me if you thought I would be that sort of person?"
"No," she replied. "However, I know you a lot better than Lord Greengrass knows you."
"Noted," he said. "But, what else can he do?"
She had no answer to that and sadly nodded.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Knocking on the Longbottom's door and being admitted by Neville, it was to see that Neville was up, dressed and ready, but the girls weren't.
He quickly went and let them know the 'Potters' were there, by knocking on their doors and calling to them through the closed door.
On his return Harry explained about receiving the CBA and asking for the aid of the two girls to approach Daphne in the Great Hall and sending her to the antechamber before they entered. Harry and Hermione would be waiting for her within.
He was all for it and, once the girls emerged, told them what was going on. They, too, agreed.
As the five then walked down the stairs of the grand staircase to the ground floor, Harry, Hermione and Neville waited in the entrance hall while the two girls stuck their heads in the door to see if Daphne was already there.
A quick glance was all it took before Hannah turned back and said, "She's there. Sue and I'll go let her know." Then both ducked inside.
Harry turned to Neville and said, "You'd best go inside, too. Otherwise someone might figure out you're not with the girls and wonder what's going on.
"Besides, it's probably better if Daphne didn't have such a large audience when she hears what I have to say."
Neville gave a nod, said "Good Luck." And walked in through the doors as Harry and Hermione walked in to the antechamber.
A minute later, Daphne and Tracey walked in. Daphne was clearly worried and agitated.
As soon as they approached, he said, "I received correspondence from Ted Tonks. It's a copy of the amended Concubine Bond Agreement.
"Firstly, as promised, all escape clauses I informed you I demanded to be included, have been included. However, your father has also added stipulations for those; to activate the clause or clauses they can only be done so at Gringotts and only after which of us wants to activate the clause has first been tested free of enchantments or potions that are compelling us to seek such.
"Secondly, so your father cannot be compelled to find a way to break the agreement he has... Daphne, in a nutshell, he's basically demanding I become your magical guardian. He's ceded authority over you to me."
Harry then drew the copy of the agreement from out of his inside robe pocket and silently handed it to her. Then said, "Go ahead and read it."
Daphne never said a word for that whole time. Even when she began to read the document she never said a word. However, she gave out the occasional slight sound of shocked surprise.
When she was done, she looked back at Harry and handed it back. There were tears in her eyes, but Harry couldn't tell if they were from happiness or sorrow. Her expression didn't reflect it either way.
"Now the important question, Daphne," he quietly said. "Having read it, I want to know if you still want me and your father to sign it."
As a single tear slid down her cheek, she silently nodded.
"Very well," he said. "In that case, I shall send an urgent message off to Ted Tonks to arrange a time in the very near future where the agreement can be signed and witnessed.
"As Madam Marchbanks acted as witness for the agreements Neville, Hannah and Susan were entered into, I have little doubt she'll be willing to act in the same role for this one and in her office. I shall suggest that to Mister Tonks.
"Also as we appear to have reached an accord, I believe this will happen no later than within the next two days. I want you to be there for it, just as I want Hermione there for it. Right up until I sign, you can come to me at any time and tell me you don't want to go through with it and I will not sign.
"If you don't want to be there when it's signed, I understand. It's your choice."
"Thank you, Harry," she quietly said. "I th- I believe I do want to be there."
"You're welcome," he replied with a smile. "Now, once you've fixed your face a bit, I suggest you return to your breakfast. Hermione and I will leave you now so you have time to do what you need to do."
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