March sooner rolled in. March came with more study sessions for the fifth and seventh years, cramming for their exams.
Harry and Daphne were the only students set to graduate a year early, so they were both attempting to achieve the highest amount of O's they could on their OWLs.
There were both taking Transfiguration, Potions, Ancient Runes, Arthrimancy, Charms, Defence, and Astrology, but Harry was taking Muggle Studies and Daphne was taking History of Magic.
They weren't seen studying outside the windows of time in the library with their friends, but their advanced levels of Occlumency, they both have been Level Six Occlumens since their mind-melding, meant that they had a near-perfect eidetic memory.
Professor Snape had tested their shields in early January and as he brushed against Daphne's mind, he was forcefully thrown back into his by Harry.
This led to a quick explanation that they were already connected on a mental and subconscious level, which surprised the Head of House Slytherin.
He went on to test their shields individually, an action that the others still felt with their blocking of each other. Searching through Daphne's shields, he was overcome by a heavy chill.
Harry's mind was locked tighter than a firecrab's arse and he heard the threatening growl of a large animal. Snape did not stay long enough to find out what animal.
As he tested their combined shields, a wave of oppressive magic plowed into him with the snarling growls of two large animals.
It was at that moment that he found out that Daphne had complete mastery of her animagus training and understood the depth of their bond.
Snape's love and hate for James and Lily Potter was barely a candle flame compared to the roaring inferno that was the bond between Harry and Daphne Potter-Black-Greengrass.
They were not simply melded together on a mental level. No, they were bound through their intercourse, through their very magic. Their magical cores were intercoiled, endlessly siphoning and strengthening the other. Harry and Daphne were bound by their very souls, a concept that Severus couldn't begin to fathom.
And yet, as he pulled himself back into his mind, he knew a single truth. The couple standing in front of him didn't have to understand just how deep their bond ran. The only knowledge they needed was that they were man and wife and that they were still continually falling in love together. They were happy with that knowledge alone, and they readily accepted they were soul-bonded.
They would be old and grayed, having lived many lifetimes over again, before they would fully grasp what being soul-bound meant. It meant that they were Magic's chosen couple. When the wild magic of the world was in danger of changing, the otherworldly being known as Magic, sister to Fate and Death, would choose two souls to act as her vessels. It was purely by chance that the three entities would choose a single vessel among the collective. In this lifetime, that vessel was Harry Potter. Magic simply gave him a life partner to struggle beside for the rest of time, to forever find each other for all of eternity.
============================
Easter Break lasted from the last week of March to the first week of April. The weather was typically cloudy with smattering rains this time of year, but it had been clear in the Highlands of Scotland.
As Harry and Daphne planned a little getaway for their immediate family, they were undecided on a location. They had a small list of countries but knew they had a few more days to decide.
Several days through the middle of March, Draco was seen in heavy conversation with Hermione Granger. She had spent several days explaining the English monetary system to him. This stemmed from talks about the largest muggle money systems, those being the euro, dollar, and yen.
He was easily able to grasp the concept of pounds, pence, and the euro system. The American monetary values caused him a bit more trouble though.
"It's alright, Draco," Hermione comforted him, "It took me actually going to America and spending two months there before I understood it."
He could only shake his head, "I need to understand the money system if I'm to invest my wealth into their stock market."
"You know about that?" She asked him in surprise.
"Yes. Harry explained it to me and the goblins. He's in the works of helping them set up a similar system to boost the economy," Draco smiled at her.
"How many plans does he have that I don't know about?" She asked.
"A lot, Hermione. He's trying to win this war silently and prevent as much bloodshed as possible."
Their conversation drifted to more muggle studies of the proper Era.
In the greenhouses, Neville was tending to his pet projects with Luna humming a tune.
After turning the soil, he clapped off his gloves, "Hey, Luna, do you think your dad would mind if you stayed with me and Gran for the break?"
"Of course, he wouldn't," She told him dreamily, "Daddy's gone to South America for a month. I was going to stay here."
He chuckled and shook his head, "Then we'll introduce you to Gran and have you over." He walked over to her and laid a kiss on her head.
Luna took hold of his hand, after he removed the gloves, and leaned into him. "Nev, have you ever thought of having a Courtship Agreement between us?" She asked, her voice holding soft clarity.
"Would you like to be in one?" He glanced down at her as he intertwined their fingers.
Her voice was a gentle hum as she smiled. "Then I'll discuss it with Gran," He told her.
============================
"What about somewhere here in Scotland?" Harry asked as he regarded their small list of getaway spots.
Daphne shook her head, "No, we could have more time to explore during the summer."
"Balize?"
"We would have to go to wither Americas before getting there and I don't fancy that hassle."
"Cairo?"
"We would lose Astoria in the tourists."
"Our final listing is Thebes," Harry sighed.
"Egypt or Greece, dear?"
"Neither, so Greece?" He looked over at her. She was painting her nails a soft glacial blue.
She smiled at him, "Break starts tomorrow so we'll go the day after."
"Alright, I'll send out a Patronus message to Cyrus and Aunt Petunia." He said while flicking his wand to his hand.
Being made of purple heart wood and thirteen inches long, the wand held three cores, well technically. The actual cores were Thestral hair, a talon from a Golden Griffon, and the heartstring of a Ukrainian Ironbey. The Thestral hair and Griffon talon were collected and gifted from the herds at Potter Manor.
The wood casing of the wand was infused with his blood. This gave the technical cores of Basilisk venom and Phoenix tears, which lived in his blood.
He had to travel into the heart of Africa to have a lost tribe of Wild Mages to craft it for him during the beginning of summer before the fifth year after his holy and Phoenix feather wand blew up during his encounter with the resurrected Tom Riddle.
Daphne thought it was a truly beautiful piece of craft.
As Harry casually cast the Patronus Charm, two eternal lions stood before him. "Find and inform Cryus and Aunt Petunia that we're going to be going to Greece the day after tomorrow. They are to pack for a week and a half stay."
With his message given, they trotted off until they became only silvery whisps.
"How does the charm work?" Daphne asked him as she wrapped her arms around his neck loosely.
Harry laid a light kiss on her nose, "It's a matter of immersing your entire being in the happiest memory, thought, or idea you have or can imagine. It doesn't matter what it is, but you need to completely subject yourself to that feeling for the spell to work."
She hummed lightly before smirking at him playfully, "What did you think about this time?"
"You." Harry answered much too quickly to be lying, "I thought about spending our lives together and everything that comes with that."
Her smirk turned from playful to a loving smile as he spoke. She stood on her toes, pulling him down slightly to kiss him, "Tha gaol agam ort."
Harry smiled against her lips as they kissed and held her close to him. His body rumbled with a low, purring growl as he kissed her again.
============================
They portkeyed from the Ministry to Thebes. The key itself was a long-distance, time-activated portkey that needed four people to make because of how many people it was to take, and the long distance.
Would it have been easier to floo there? Yes, but ancient cities such as Thebes aren't connected to the floo network.
Once the world settled back into normalcy around them, they were dropped in the middle of what looked to be an ancient temple.
Harry, not wanting to piss any deities off, sighed lightly, "Please tell me we're at least in a temple to Hermes. I know that he at least likes traveling."
"Harry," Daphne chided him lightly, causing him to grin at her.
Astoria was about to lay a hand on a pillar but was stopped by Anna. "Tori, please be careful."
"Magic is old and powerful here. It feels strange." Harry focused on the thrum of his magic, brushing it out around them.
Cyrus, Anna, and Astoria all felt their spines tingle as Daphne brushed her magic along Harry's. It sent the same sensation through them as when they bonded.
They weren't the only ones who felt it. The wave of magic carried all the way to Olympus. It blew strong winds through the land of the gods. The power rumbled the entirety of Olympus.
"What in Hades that?!" Yelled Zeus, his blue eyes sparking with lightning. His white and gold robes billowed about him.
Sitting in the Council of Twelve, a beautiful woman, looking to be in her early thirties, could feel the power of her domain in the winds.
"That was love, pure, binding love, Zeus," Aphrodite said in a light voice, her eyes had fallen closed as she relaxed into the powerful winds. "There's something else to it, something more."
Ares, glad in Spartan military armor, a gladius on his hip and shield on his arm, looked across the room to his sister.
Athena was already looking at him. Her eyes were wide, shot into her hairline. Her crisp armor felt heavy on her body, but the breastplate, wrist gauntlets, shin guards, and thigh plates protected her well in the past. Her spear was clutched tightly in hand.
As the two beings of war made eye contact, they both seemed to settle back, small smirks adorning their lips. They had felt what Aphrodite called 'more' a few times. Men like Leonidas and Spartacus gave off that 'more'.
Ares craved battle, whereas Athena was strategic and methodic. To see the two opposites react the same way unsettled most of the room.
"What the Hades can make those two be at peace?" Zeus asked at large.
Apollo heaved a sigh, his face clammy. He shared a look with Hermes, who looked sightly and unsettled, "A beast of war. A beast of such mental and physical power that I, nor Artemis would capture the creature."
"Of course, you wouldn't," Hera snapped. Her features softened into a light smile as she felt the winds brush over her again, "This love, this 'beast' you call it. None of us could hope to understand what it is. Only Heracles and Hecate could."
Poseidon looked at Hera strongly, "What are you saying, sister?"
"That someone touched by magic has come to our lands. This someone is a fighter, but they use their mind. Whoever this is, has brought their lover with them. I don't believe they mean harm though, I think they are visiting for a short while."
"You got all of that from some wind?" Demeter asked incredulously.
Hera sighed, "No, I got all that from watching the reactions in this room."
============================
Back in Thebes, the Greengrass and Potter-Black-Greengrass couple were making their way toward the Kapari Natural Magical Resort. It was a three-hundred-year-old complex, made using magical construction.
The resort was a mix of muggle and magical, something that the people of Greece tended to respect. They didn't shun their magical counterparts, not when their gods were who they are.
Harry and Daphne were standing a few stalls away from the Greengrasses, who were looking at handmade accessories that were enchanted. They weren't looking for anything but were simply enjoying the time.
Their heightened hearing allowed them to take in the sounds around them when they heard a conversation that made them freeze.
"Are you sure this is where Father said to find the beast?" The baritone voice of a man asked.
A withered voice heaved a sigh, "No, you stupid boy. I feel the call of Magic here. Now, do shut up. Forces outside your understanding are at play here."
The deep voice grumbled, "The air tastes thick... Like a worthy opponent is around."
"Be quiet boy, Magic speaks." The other voice snapped harshly.
Harry and Daphne looked at each other, thinking quickly between the both of them. They suddenly felt a power behind them, one which made their bodies lock. Harry was ready to shed his human form with but a thought when someone spoke behind them, "Excuse me, could you let me see the table?"
Daphne pulled Harry to the side by his arm, turning them around slightly to face a woman who looked to be in her sixties. The woman's face was stoic, her hair long waves of black coils streaked with gray.
"No worries, dear," The woman's voice was low, sounding age-worn.
She held onto the thick arm of a man slightly taller than Harry. His body was thick with muscle. His dark brown eyes were speckled with green flecks. His hair was cropped short, leaving only small curls atop his head.
"You're not from here," The man said, seemingly making conversation. "Well, you look to be, but don't talk like you are." He added, looking at Harry.
"The Potters hold heavy Greek ancestry," Harry shrugged politely.
The woman snorted heartily, "Of course, you'd be a Potter. Do you think you could handle him, Heracles?"
The man, Heracles, seemed to size up Harry seriously. "No, I couldn't. He's different from the Neiman Lion, which was a beast only of the hunt and kill. The beast that stands in front of me wouldn't be put down by simply snapping his neck."
A powerful growl rose out of Daphne as she narrowed her sharp eyes at the man, recognizing the threat to what was hers.
Harry's eyes brightened as his body clenched, ready to defend himself and Daphne.
"You would need to deal with his mate first," The older woman was cut off by Harry's growl sounding loud. His body threatened to change then and there.
His magic was rolling from him, causing the air around him to cool rapidly. His eyes were a bright emerald fire. Daphne's magic responded to the eminent presence of his, the Greengrass family magic seeming to make the ground quake lightly.
The ripples sent by her magic reached deep within the Earth, being felt by Hades himself. He and his wife, Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, were relaxing with their many pet dogs when they felt the disturbance. The King and Queen were quick to investigate.
Back in the mortal realm, Hecate was cackling at the young couple. "Would you look at that! You'd have to take them both!"
She laughed loudly at Heracles, whose body instinctually shifted into a defensive stance. Not even during his Labors had he done such a thing, but this wasn't like those.
He knew that he had put himself in a situation where he could lose. No hunter would try to take down prey with its mate beside them. And yet, he, Heracles of the Twelve Labors, who faced a bloody hydra and won, had openly threatened a beast and his mate.
Heracles had heard the Potter name before. They were bred warriors and fighters. They were mathematicians and artisans. It never mattered what a Potters occupation was, they were always the type to stare danger in the face. He heard stories and watched sideline as the Potters of ancient either came out on top or took the danger to the other side with them.
It was certainly not his smartest play to threaten one so carelessly.
The stare-off was broken by the loud, heavy bark of a dog. The sound was all the lion needed to spring forth.
The magical radiation come off Harry and Daphne had already pushed the surrounding people back several yards. Magical and muggle alike could feel the power of the couple and could hear the mighty sounds racking their bodies. They all knew Heracles and gave him a wide girth as it was, but no one was prepared to see the young man be replaced by the majestic form of the gargantuan lion. Not even Heracles.
The beasts threatening warning caused the air around them to shake. The pings of cracking glass could be heard. In response, the booming bark turned into a trio of rough snarls as the powerful lithe form of a Cerberus approached with a man and woman.
The man looked to be in his late forties, his hair well-groomed. His facial hair was cleanly shaven. The woman on his arm was in her mid-thirties, her hair lush and features holding beauty, and was holding a leash connected to the three-headed dog.
Harry's eyes regarded the dog for all of a moment. It took only a look to know that Cerberus reacted in such a manner because it saw him as a threat to its master.
The lion, standing at two meters tall, and nearly double in length was positioned protectively around a young woman. His body was thick with muscle, his maw drawn back, showing his dagger-like teeth.
Hades noticed that her beauty rivaled that of many goddesses. He took note of her stance, being ready to attack to defend the great creature protecting her. He has watched for the briefest moments that a man was replaced by the lion upon his arrival and he could only shake his head.
"What are you doing, nephew?" He asked Heracles strongly as his wife let go of his arm and calmed her guardian.
Heracles couldn't take his eyes off the lion, that would be another mistake, "Father Zeus tasked me with investigating the appearance of a creature of war that made both Ares and Athena sit back and relax." He told the new man.
"And a Potter at that!" Hecate laughed out, "The beast turned out to be a Potter touched by Magic." Her voice was light and giddy as she snickered.
"Potters are headstrong and battle hearty," Hades sighed heavily. "Of every Potter in the fields of peace, I know not a single one who would be ready to tear your throat and gift you to my domain without knowing what they were doing."
He rubbed his temples as he regarded Heracles.
"Ha!" Hecate sounded, "Our Heracles not only threatened the Potter, but he entertained the thought of combat with his mate as well." The goddess witch clarified for Hades.
The King of the Underworld grew dark, his eyes growing hard. His facial features twisted in anger before he raged, "If any were to think about harming my wife would find themselves tortured without death." He snapped heavily.
He was calmed by the arm of his wife waking his own, "That's thoughtful of you, my love, but you know I can handle myself." She smiled at him.
Hades returned her smile but at that moment Heracles' arm twitched. A blast of burning cold magic not her own came from the young woman as the lion swiped its claws.
The action was over faster than a blink, but Hades saw it. Within one tick his nephew twitched, during that same tick of time the Potter lion and mate reacted, and within the next Heracles was thrown several feet away. He had just barely dug his feet into the ground before he was. His left forearm now had four deep gashes in them from where the lion attempted to remove the limb.
The wounds were nearly bone-deep, but as the eyes of all four gods fell upon the woman and lion, they registered just how dangerous the situation was. The lion was swift and aimed to maim any threat. The woman not only drew from her core but from her mates as well.
As blood poured heavily from Heracles, Hecate understood that she underestimated the magical beings before her.
"That's enough, Heracles," Her voice was thick with power in her command. "We will return to Olympus and tend to your arm."
"What brings this change in demeanor?" Persephone asked the witch.
"I will not be in a position against Magic when her Chosen defend themselves. We all bore witness to the last time two souls were bound within Greece." She said heavily.
"The magic that they use is different than my own. My magic is from the civilization of time of this land, they hold the very Wild Magic that saw to the end of Rome."
Hades sighed, "My brother will not like this."
"It does not matter what he likes," Hecate said harshly. "He will either respect Magic or face every power this Potter is hiding from us."
"You mean that wasn't even his full power and yet he still shook Olympus?!" Heracles asked incredulously.
Hades began to laugh heartily, "No, you stupid boy. It's not only his power."
"Dear?" Persephone questioned him.
"The lion and woman, they share magic, my love. Their cores feed from and multiply the the power of the other." He explained to her.
"Then let's do damage control before someone finds themselves dead." She huffed.
============================
Once Hecate and Heracles were gone, it took several minutes for the magic to be drawn back into the young witch and wizard. Once the area calmed down, Harry was still on edge.
"Daphne!" A voice cried out as a girl came running over. Harry's head snapped in the direction of Astoria and her parents.
He let out a small growl until realizing who it was and he stopped. His growl did nothing to deter the girl from hugging her sister.
Cryus and Anna were still shaken from the power of the altercation and hung back a few feet.
"Are you two alright, hon?" Anna asked her daughter sweetly.
Daphne didn't answer, her inner animal still close to the surface of her mind. She didn't trust herself to not growl at her own mother.
Cyrus stated to his son-in-law, "Harry? Are you still with us?"
His ear flicked in the direction of the man in an answer as his predatory gaze swept to the King and Queen of the Underworld.
"I would've taken his head," Hades told the lion seriously. He was swatted by his wife.
"Please do try to help the situation, dearest." She shook her head.
The Cerberus was still standing guard close to her, its attention on the mighty lion.
"Daphne?" Astoria looked up at her sister in worry. She only got a half smile from her sister.
"Give her a few minutes before she answers," Persephone advised. "She was close to shedding her human form."
Cyrus shook his head lightly, "You've mastered your animagus training months ago, will we ever meet your animal?"
Daphne let out a chuff and pulled away from her sister. Her hands lifted to take hold of the lion's maw and lower his head.
They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment before they closed, Daphne pressing her forehead to the beasts.
"Are they doing that mind-melding thing again?" Astoria watched her sister and lion-in-law.
"She needs to calm herself and Harry down," Anna told her daughter as she pulled her close to herself.
"Do you mind if I ask your names?" Cyrus looked at Hades and Persephone.
"Let's share pleasantries when the young couple is returned to us," the Queen said.
============================
They waited nearly twenty minutes before Harry changed back into his human form, his shirt shredded on his torso.
His face was still in Daphne's hands, their foreheads together as he changed back. He changed with his hands around her, holding her.
It was still a few minutes longer before they pulled away. He leaned down and laid a kiss on her lips. "Are you alright?" He whispered to her.
She smiled at him, "I'm alright. How's your hand?"
"I was aiming to take his arm. The bastard has pretty touch skin." He shrugged lightly.
"And yet you almost did take it," Hades chuckled.
Harry regarded the God, gauging if he was a threat. Daphne laid a hand on his chest, mentally soothing him.
"Forgive my husband," Persephone shook her head, "I'm Persephone and this is Hades."
"I am Lord Cyrus Greengrass, this is my Lady Anna, and our younger daughter, Astoria," Cyrus introduced himself and his family.
"I take it that this young woman is your eldest?" Hades asked with a nod toward Daphne.
Harry took in a deep breath before letting it out, "Forgive me for my rudeness. I am Hadrian, this is my wife Daphne. We are Lord and Lady Potter-Black-Greengrass, Lord and Lady of House Gryffindor, House Peverell, Lord of House Slytherin, and Lady of House Evanshade."
He introduced himself and Daphne, using their proper titles for the King and Queen.
"That's a great many titles, Lord Hadrian," Hades said. "It has been many years since one has claimed the title of Lord Death."
Harry shook his head, "Of every Potter line, only the main family can claim the title. We are not actual Lords of Death, as he can not be mastered and claims us all, but we are the last of his Gifted."
Persephone smiled at him, "You are very astute with the history of your line, Lord Hadrian. However, do you know where your lines hail from?"
"The Houses of Gryffindor and Peverell are from my homeland. House Potter has Greek origins but we are really from the people who came before the Greeks. House Black, coming from the ancient House of Grimm, hailed from today's France regions, House Greengrass also hails from France. The House of Slytherin comes from Egyptian and Middle Eastern descent. Finally, the House of Evanshade holds a background spread throughout the Continent and Isles, your Highness." Harry answered her.
Persephone smiled more and nodded, "Well informed and recorded."
Daphne, pulling out of Harry's hold, took his arm and smiled at the godly beings, "Would you like to join us for the remaining afternoon and evening, your Highnesses?"
"It would be our pleasure to continue discussions with you, Lady Potter-Black-Greengrass," Hades motioned for them to lead the way to the resort.