Once the meeting concluded and they were rejoined by the 'spouses', everyone remained behind to enjoy an afternoon tea laid on by the Longbottom house elves. Harry was quick to speak with Hermione.
Off to one side, he immediately and quietly asked her, "How were you treated by the others?"
"Very well," she happily replied. "Apparently our relationship, as it currently stands, is by no means unusual."
He lightly frowned and said, "I thought Sirius, Ted and I had already made that clear."
"You had," she sighed. "However, it's one thing to be told that, it's another to actually experience it."
He gave a non-committal 'hmm', but nodded. He did then smile. "I'm glad you're becoming more comfortable with it."
That was as far as they got, privacy-wise, before Adeline Greengrass beckoned them over.
As they walked over, she said, "No hogging the future Lady Potter, Harry. You get to spend all your time with her back where you're staying. Now is the time for mingling with contemporaries."
Harry just chuckled, gave a shortened courtly bow and said, "My apologies, Lady Greengrass. However, I find myself unable to be apart from her beauty for more than a few minutes at a time."
"Oh, bravo!" said Lydia Davis, who'd overheard. "That'll score you 'good husband' points."
As the other ladies snickered, Harry just chuckled back, separated from them and made his way over to Eugene Abbott, where he was talking with Miles Ogden.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After reminding Neville of their day of 'muggle shopping' the next day, the two teens were finally able to return to the Granger residence before dinner, but not in time for Harry to cook. A situation Dobby seemed a little smug about.
"Yeah, yeah," he snarked at the elf. "Laugh it up, chuckles. But, mark my words, there will soon come a day of reckoning!"
Hermione, ever the supporting type, laughed out loud.
Not able to cook dinner, Harry joined Hermione with her parents as they discussed what the meeting was like. Though Harry was there he was not there for the 'ladies' meeting. He was pleased to hear his betrothed was fitting in well with the older ladies.
"They're just all so accepting," she gushed. Turning to Harry she asked, "Did you know that just about all of them were in similar contracts before they married? Only Prissy Sibbledotch, of the ladies there, wasn't.
"And Adeline was telling me they've already received offers for similar agreements for Daphne and Astoria." Her expression suddenly darkened and she added, "Though, the offers have all been quite insulting, she says, and are for dark families. They're having a bedeviling time fending those off.
"It took me only a few moments to see and figure out that both girls are practically terrified their parents will be forced to accept one or two of them. The one from Malfoy they keep getting hounded with has for both girls to be effectively handed over, together with eventual control of the Greengrass Seat on the Wizengamot. That's just so wrong!"
As Harry listened he knew he'd have to contact Samuel Greengrass and see what he could do to help. However, he was going to have to talk to Hermione about it, first, if he read the situation right.
Hermione's parents were also listening with some level of alarm. They were pleased their daughter was, for the moment at least, not at risk of such. But were horrified on behalf of the other two young ladies' parents.
Wendell asked, "What can be done to help them?"
Harry sighed and said, "The obvious one is to help get both girls betrothed to someone who will be able to protect them. However, it can't just be anyone. It has to be someone of high enough standing - House-wise - in the community that it won't be seen as a slap in the face to all those Houses who are pushing similar contracts.
"As I've previously explained to Hermione regarding a similar situation, because House Greengrass is a Noble and Ancient House and there's no male Heir, it's likely any first born child or children will be pushed to take the name 'Greengrass' as their family name, rather than the name of the father's House. That will make many reticent to offer such an agreement.
"Of course, because there's two daughters, that problem only exists with the first to accept an agreement. The second daughter, irrespective of the order of birth, will then be free of the requirement to carry on the Greengrass name.
"But, since there are two daughters, that carries with it a major problem. Many are going to hold off until one or the other are in an agreement with a Line Continuation clause before they make their own offers. So, the second daughter, once the first is betrothed, is going to receive even more offers."
Monica suddenly said, "Concubine Contracts. That's what you're hinting at here, isn't it."
Harry nodded.
"You," she suddenly said.
Wendell frowned and asked, "What are you getting at, Mon?"
Harry sighed and said, "What Monica's figured out is that both girls can be bound to me, at least temporarily, under a Concubine Bond Agreement."
"Concubines?!" he angrily asked.
"They play an important part in our culture, Wendell," he explained. "They're important to ensure bloodlines are maintained; and, therefore, Houses."
Before Wendell could get up in arms about it again, he went on, "Daphne and Astoria Greengrass are the last of the Greengrasses, besides their parents, left. They are the two daughters of Lord Samuel and Lady Adeline Greengrass of the Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass. There are no sons.
"Therefore, they will need to marry with a Marriage Contract that agrees to the first born son, at least, carrying the surname Greengrass. The Weasleys aside, magicals don't usually beget more than two or three children at most. So... for the first born, at least, to carry the name Greengrass... there is a risk it means the father's family name will not be continued through their union. There are a great many who will not be willing to risk that.
"That's where Concubine Bond Agreements play an important role. It means the father can marry and beget children through his wife that will carry his family name, while he also begets children for the concubined witch so she's be able to continue her line. It could also be known as a Morganatic Marriage, in that the concubine and her offspring have no legal claim to inheritance from the father of the children; and that includes titles.
"It's also important to note a concubine is not looked down upon in the wizarding world. Instead, they are somewhat revered for their... I'd say 'sacrifice', but that would be the wrong choice... 'dedication to tradition', would be better.
"The only limitation placed on such Bonds is that the husband, or the husband's family, is able to properly provide for the blended dual family that will develop."
Wendell grumped, "It sounds medieval."
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