Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Vivre et Laisser Mourir

Chapter 8

Author's Note: Sorry for taking so long to post this chapter. Life has given me a terrible ride over the past few months. Also, keep in mind this Harry isn't a Gary Stu. He has worked hard to be where he is at, but he needs consistent love and years therapeutic intervention to overcome the betrayal trauma and abuse that he has suffered for most of his life. He will misread situation and like many of us misunderstand the intentions of others. He truly only trusts Daphne but only as far as his broken soul will allow him. Thus, there is an expanse between the internal dialogue of Hermione in the last chapter and Harry and Daphne's upcoming conversation about her.

Bowen Island, near Vancouver, Canada

Harry Potter and the Greengrass Family stuck the landing like Olympic gymnasts. After the ten minutes of spinning while they traveled more than 4,500 km by transcontinental portkey, most people would be more than pleased at having kept his or her last meal down, let alone landing on his or her feet.

This trip was Harry's first time on the island since his first birthday, a few months before his parents murders on October 31, 1981. Even with the assistance of occlumency, he struggled to recall those happy moments here at the Potter's Canadian Cabin. Although it was called the cabin in his real estate portfolio, one would think it would be an "A" frame cabin with 85 square meters and a partial loft or a rustic log cabin an adventure movie. Instead, the Potter Island edifice looked remarkably like one of the chateaus that Fleur had shown him in her photo album. Coincidentally, it is a replica of Chateau de Chenonceau found in the Loire Valley in France.

Harry would later learn that one of his great-grandfathers was the illegitimate son of the French King Henry II and Diane de Poitiers. Jacquot had fled to England and later to Canada after his father, the King, had died in a jousting match. The Queen, Catherine de' Medici, had exiled his mother from her home, Chateau de Chenonceau, and had sent assassins to rid the world of all of Henry's illegitimate sons including Jacquot. Once in England, he changed his name to James Potter in an erroneous attempt to hide his identity. Once England was no longer a safe-haven, the wild frontiers of modern-day western Canada became his sanctuary. James had an amicable relationship with the main Potter Family, even marrying Eliza Potter. Eliza loved life in the great outdoors it lacked everything she loathed: court, crowded cities, and backstabbing nature of the Magical world. Together James and Eliza were the first Europeans to see Puget Sound, Vancouver, and most importantly Bowen Island in 1575 a full two centuries before English Captain Vancouver started his expedition. Potter's are a secretive family after all and kept this one safe. Even with the assistance of intercontinental portkeys, also a Potter Family secret until 1982 (thanks, Albus), it took a long time to recreate his mother's dream home and his childhood birthright. Construction took the Potters almost 80 years, but James and Eliza saw its completion by their great-grandchildren.

Sadly, Tristan Potter recalled the large family back to England in the late 1780's from the trading, exploration, and scientific discovery to instead fight for King and Country. Between wars, never-ending Dark Lords, and betrayals the thousand-strong family was down to just 11 souls at the beginning of the twentieth century and only one member since that infamous Halloween night. Luckily there had been enough ambient magic to power the Muggle repelling wards protecting the Chateau from discovery.

Harry was excited to make new memories here in a place that ought to be called the Potter Island Castle, Resort, and Preserve.

With his recent arrangements with the Royal Family, Harry had just finished acquiring the last parcel of the gorgeous island in the middle of the Howe Sound. He loved the idea of having a 50-square km island retreat in the Pacific Northwest.

Historically, the island had resort towns, but the Potters had quietly bought up everything that became available during the past 85 years. The Fidelius charm had been liberally used here after each additional purchase making it, so most people thought that the island had always been just a private nature preserve.

Lord Greengrass viewed the surrounding vista and said, "Thank you for opening your home to us. Europe and especially England are not going to be safe places for many years to come."

Daphne embraced Harry while he replied, "you're welcome. I would do anything to keep the people that are important to Daphne safe," replied Harry. That earned him a kiss on the cheek but rather close to the corner of his mouth causing him to blush.

Harry and company walked closer to the entrance to the main building. He called out, "Potter Elves to me!" At that moment there were pops of apparition throughout the courtyard. A gasp of happiness occurred throughout the crowd, and one of the youngest elves exclaimed, "look, Master Harry is back!" Twelve young and tiny elves gyrated and rushed forward to embraced their master.

Daphne looked about the scene and blurted out, "And I thought Dobby was the only elf that got this excited to see you." Harry gave a wink and continued to give each of these elves a hug while he was down on his knees.

His Majordomo, Bentley, walked to the front of the elves and waiting for Harry to finish greeting the young elves. This scene brought back happy memories of the kind-hearted way Mistress Lily had made time for the elves and treated us like part of the family. "Welcome home, Lord Potter and friends. My name is Bentley, and I am the Majordomo of the household here on your island."

"It is good to see you once again, Bentley. I appreciate the good care you have taken of my island and the properties. I would like to introduce our guests to you." Signaling to the man behind him, "This is my future father-in-law, Lord Greengrass, and his beautiful wife, Lady Greengrass. That mischievous little pixie is Miss Astoria. She is just like I would imagine my little sister, a marauder heiress, would have behaved." Astoria looked a faux-outrage while she hugged Harry on his free side. "Lastly, I'd like to introduce my fiancé, Heiress Daphne. By the way, I'll introduce the Davis Family once they join us tomorrow. They decided to visit family in California."

Bentley replied with a bow, "My pleasure. Would you like a tour or brunch first, my Lord?"

"Let's do brunch first. After the meal, I need to talk to Daphne about a few things and then a tour this afternoon would be greatly appreciated. Please lead the way," Harry replied.

After arriving to the family dining room, a delectable delight was sampled by the Greengrass Family and devoured by Harry. Although he had three plates of food, he somehow maintained a Lordly dignity. Daphne winked at her mother when Lady Greengrass had a puzzled look at how he could put away so much food so quickly without out a mess, slurping, or other poor table manners.

As the meal concluded, they gave their thanks to the staff for a wonderful meal. The rest of the family went outside to enjoy the gardens while Harry and Daphne hand in hand entered the Lord's office and study.

Inside they took a seat in on a mocha colored leather couch. Harry started the conversation, "You would not believe how much I have missed you this summer."

Daphne smiled at the compliment and replied, "I have missed you too. What's on your mind?"

Harry was content to have some time with Daphne. It had been over a month since they were free to be around each other. "When I broke into the mind of Dumbledore this morning, I learned a few things today that and I need your help to resolve them. They mainly regard Fleur, Padfoot, Mooney, Hermione Granger, and my former betrotheds.

"Dumbledore's mind can't have been a pleasant place. What did you learn?"

Harry played with his hands with worry and responded, "Let's start in the reverse order of importance. I was able to confirm that he didn't use any forms of magic to sway the Bones, Abbott or Weasley Families. Everything they have done was out of laziness, greed, jealousy, misguided revenge or due to believing that white-bearded charlatan."

Daphne had a look of loathing on her face and said, "I think you plan to have Throatslasher sell them to the Malfoys tomorrow is perfect. I think the ripples that the plan is sure to cause will be more than just."

"I'm Glad that you agree. As far as the next one and based on Dumbledore's memories of Nymphadora Tonks, she does not care for my wellbeing. She has been aware of the now defunct contract for years; she was less than empathetic to her obviously malnourished, abused, and ignorant betrothed. Also, there was a small memory where Dumbledore told her not to worry about the contract as I would be dead well before I could exercise the contract. She seemed pleased about that and relieved that I was unaware of its existence but was fine with collected the living stipend. I'm glad to be rid of her."

Daphne nodded in agreement. " Her loss. She is never going to find a better man than you. I know that she has had bad relationships with more than a few boys and even a couple of girls treat her as just a sex object to satisfy their desires because of her talents as a metamorphmagus. I truly think she has been subject to more harassment than any veela. Tell me about your discoveries about Granger."

"Dumbledore was still under the impression that she was under those controls and the prior obliviations. If it hadn't been for Krum's poorly attempted date-rape, Hermione would still be under the Weasley's and thus Dumbledore's control. While she did live up to the deal to spy and pass on information for me, and I have complied with the terms of the deal. I found her and her parents a safe place away from the muss in Magical Britain. Keep in mind, I don't trust her, but I trusted her to act in a way that most benefited her self-interests. I have been in her mind and found that she has always been selfish. Even Ayn Rand would tell her to be more altruistic. She is a textbook example of a thick-skinned narcissism. She is the epitome of the negative aspects of a Slytherin and would have been one if she were a pureblood or a half-blood.

Dumbledore should have bought her, and he would have had a brilliant partner in crime; she would do almost anything to get what she wants. She would have gone along with their plans for the right price. She is brilliant enough to find a way around the life debt she owes me. The most important thing to her is herself, and when they tried to take that from her, they made an enemy that wants to burn the world down around them.

She has a talent for the theatrics and almost convinced me that she could be completely trusted. Little does she know that she has a mental block that won't allow her to betray my secrets until they have become public knowledge."

"If she would have been willing to betray you worse than anyone else has why didn't you leave her to be Ron's slave?"

"I don't think I should punish her for something she could have done but only for what she did. I would like to think that I would have forgiven anyone that asked for forgiveness before today, but no one has asked. I'm am going to let Hermione live her life away from me," explained Harry.

"What about Remus and Sirius?"

"They were reduced to drunkards and under Dumbledores magical controls. I'd imagine a few months away from Albus and alcohol, and we can evaluate where we stand with them.

The discovery that send me for a loop was that Dumbledore used an alchemists' elixir to poison Fleur mind and feelings against me. I can't believe I treated her so coldly after she struck me and called me a coward. I should have known he was behind it. If something goes wrong in my like there is usually just two reasons: Tom or Albus and usually it is just Albus. What can I do? Besides you, she is the only person I have ever felt a connection with."

Daphne hurried from her seat and engulfed a sorrow filled Harry in profound embrace. As she held him in her arms, she whispered, "We get revenge. We live well, and we get Throatslasher to get her clean from that substance and convince her to come back to us. It may be awkward, and it may take time, but I know she loves you. She is probably kicking herself for ruining things with you. Also, I think we should give Skeeter the file on the skeletons in Dumbledore's closet so she can ruin his reputation sooner than later. I thought the stuff Cassiopeia Black had on him was sufficiently damning but the stuff your Mother found looks like libel, but it isn't defamation because she has sourced her claims with mountains of proof. If Rita does it right, more than half of the book will be footnotes and endnotes."

Harry chuckled, Daphne knew what he needed to hear to get out of the funk that had enveloped him. He loved that her mind was so devious in how to deal with their enemies. Susan, Hannah, and Ginny were in for the worst day of their lives tomorrow.

They spent the rest of the afternoon cuddling on the couch and drifted off to a lovely nap together.

The Next Morning at the Malfoy estate in Wales

Draco Malfoy was ecstatic that he was going with his father to buy his first slaves at the Diagon Alley Gringotts in a few minutes. He smiled with sadistic glee as he fantasized about all of the things he was planning to do to those three blood traitors this afternoon and over the next few days. He couldn't believe his luck. Even Saint Potter couldn't be naive enough not to know must of some of the ways he was going to dehumanize those girls. Potter must loathe Bones, Abbott, and Weasley with his whole soul to subject them to that sort of torturous existence for the rest of their lives.

His father, Lucius Malfoy, told him to hurry up as they had a mandatory meeting with the Dark Lord in 90 minutes. They took their floo into the alley and walked into the bank like they owned the place. Even if they had lost most of their money yesterday and with Potter gone from England, they were still in the top three wealthiest families in England. They walked into Conference Room One and met Potter's Account Manager, Throatslasher, Madam and Susan Bones, Lord, Lady, and Hannah Abbott, Mr., Mrs., and Ginny Weasley. With lecherous smirks, the Malfoys gave proper pureblood salutations to the humans in the room and the briefest of acknowledgments to that filthy goblin.

Lucius stated, "Let's get this over with as soon as possible. We are here to take possession of the chattel and be on our way."

"Please, Lord Malfoy. There must be some arrangement that we can make to keep our daughters?" pleaded Lord Abbott.

As Lucius scanned the room, he noticed that everyone but the goblin had looked upon him with humble supplication. He relished in the power that he held over them. He glanced over at Throatslasher and said, "Goblin what does that pompous half-blood require for the completion of this transaction?"

"My esteemed client requires that you and your Heir, Draco, make payment, sign these three forms with these blood quills and initial in these six highlighted spots. Afterward, the contractual terms are acknowledged as valid until voided by you," replied the goblin with a glistening smirkiness in his eye that no one in the room could read.

Lucius was in such a hurry to get back to his manor, and the upcoming meeting with his Lord that he quickly signed and then handed over the quill to Draco to sign. Draco had a nagging feeling that he should take the time to read the contract like his mother, a member of the Black Family, had attempted to instill permanently into his mind. Like her lessons on being cunning, using subtlety, networking, and resourcefulness, he once again disregarded her sage wisdom as carelessly as he would cast aside a dirty kerchief after super. As he placed his initials the last box, there was a flash of gold signaling that the agreement was binding. The outfits on Susan, Hannah, and Ginny glowed for a second and conjured long black Victorian Era English Maid outfits with white bonnets, and starched white aprons appeared on each of them respectively. Additionally, an unconventional silk choker appeared around their necks with the words Housekeeper, Femme de Ménage, Limpiadora, Hausangestellte, and прислуга embroidered in large silver letters.

Lucius commented, "Those outfits are infinitely more than you will be wearing in the manor. Let's go!"

Before anyone could react, Throatslasher asked, "Would you like a copy of the contract to take with you or placed in your vault?"

Draco interrupted and said, "We don't need the contract, you filthy animal! I'm taking my whores out of here and will be teaching them their place shortly." Draco tossed the Goblin a silver sickle, "Keep the change!"

Throatslasher dipped his head in a mock salute trying to disguise his laughter, then snapped his fingers, and the contract disappeared from the room. Another snap and the door unlocked and opened to allow the occupants to leave. Lucius marched from the room with an unspoken expectation that the others would be following. He didn't have time for this nonsense. If he didn't have everything ready for the Dark Lord's meeting, he would prefer to switch places with one of Draco's slaves. He thought it was strange that the outfits and the chokers were so specific.

The quivering girls had hoped to have last minute hugs with their family members before they left, but an impatient Draco was too aroused by the thoughts of what he was going to do to them.

Susan was straggling behind Ginny and Hannah by about six paces until Draco ruthlessly smacked Susan's behind to speed her along. Simultaneously, a short wave of nausea stung Draco, but he discounted it as mere hunger from skipping breakfast.

The whimpering maids failed to keep up with Lucius' determined stride. As they exited the bank and headed to the apparition point, a snarling Lucius turned and released his wand from his cane to teach them a quick lesson for inconveniencing him. As there was almost no one around to see and no one in earshot, he knew the perfect curse for the occasion.

Throatslasher and his guards observed the scene in the alleyway with much interest, even though he cared very little for the welfare of wizards besides Harry and Daphne. He thought Harry was letting them off very lightly, but he agreed that the enemies to all of existing magical beings were a priori. He was visibly angered by what the Malfoys were about to do.

Ginny saw the terror-inducing look in Lord Malfoy eyes as he lifted his wand to strike her. His aim at seven meters rarely missed and this time ought to be no exception, he cast the cruciatus curse straight to Ginny's face, while Draco was three meters behind Hannah and about to send the same unforgivable into her back. The crimson spells flew straight towards them but about half a meter from their intended targets the spell stopped mid-air for about five seconds and then suddenly shot up into the air and exploded like a medium size firework.

The Malfoys looked down at their respective wands in wonder and noted that their wands started to disintegrate and most of their strength evaporated. A piece of rubbish landed into each of the Malfoys' outstretched wand hands, and they felt the unmistakable magical feeling of a port-key latching onto the back of their navels. After a short moment, they stopped spinning, Lucius noted that they were more than four meters from the ground and they quickly crashed to the Earth. Once the pain of having the wind knocked out of him ceased, Draco discovered a duplicate copy of the three contracts and an eviction notice. He started to read the two small letters on top of the contracts his mouth hung open in disbelief and distress:

Dear Draco No Name, the Muggle:

I can't believe that you thought that I would sell you a girl let alone three. You have so many intersecting mental disorders that the next edition of the Magical DSM is going to include you as a Case study. You are going to need more than just a mind healer. I would never leave you alone with anyone let alone a small animal as you consider others as playthings to use, rape, abuse, torture, and humiliate. Even though I hate those girls, I will never allow you to treat anyone else like the way you treated my friend, Dobby.

Best of luck in life as an impoverished Muggle. Although with Tom in a bad mood, I doubt you'll make it away from your former parish alive.

Regards,

Lord Hadrian Black, Peverell, Potter, Slytherin, & Heir Gryffindor

He turned the page and found:

Dear Draco No Name,

Please be advised that business with the Goblin nation has concluded and your life is forfeit if even your shadow passes over our territory in the future.

Enclosed are the servant agreements that you signed guaranteeing with your magic the protection, health and well-being, and comfort of your new housekeepers and that you would not strike, curse, hex, abuse, demean, or hurt in any way. Second, is a copy of the form where you irrevocably relinquished access to your portion of the Malfoy fortune and donated it to the new needs-based scholarship program at Hogwarts to be administered and managed by the Goblins in perpetuity. Third, you will find signed in your blood a document renouncing the Malfoy name. Lastly, in the bag, you find your change of 28 knuts, the full extent of your fortune.

Your father's documents are similar. He vowed on his magic to take care of those girls, and thus like you, he has lost his magic. He granted your mother a divorce and half of the remaining Malfoy fortune. She has left the country for a better life. He donated the rest of his assets to the Hogwart's Development and Revitalization fund. Lastly, he signed a confession for his past crimes and acknowledged his part in Tom Marvolo Riddle Junior's Resurrection, the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, his bribing of ministry officials, et al.

I hope that Tom Riddle (named in memory of his Muggle father) doesn't track you down and kill you now that you are less magical than his mother, an inbred squib.

The pleasure has been mine,

Throatslasher

Head of Clan BAMFs

Senior Account Manager to Lord Black, Peverell, Potter, Slytherin, & Heir Gryffindor

Commotion, from the manor, alerted him to a new issue. After looking up from the documents, the color drained from Draco's face as he watched all of the occupants violently thrown from the doors or windows of the manor. The Dark Lord was the least graceful in his exit as he haphazardly tumbled down the hill causing a few including Draco to laugh at ridiculousness of the Dark Lord's misfortune. As the Dark Lord came to a stop, he slowly lifted himself up and shot off curses at any that had dared to mock him. The closest three hyenas felt their Master's displeasure as their blood boiled while blood vessels slowly ruptured across much of their bodies. The next closed two jokers were crucioed until they collapsed in seizures. Draco hopes of being overlooked vaporized as he was the next to feel Lord Voldemort's crucio. It was about ten times worse than his father's. Draco passed out due to the loss of blood after he had bitten off his tongue during the second dose of the curse.

A concussed Lucius had missed the scene due to his recent nosedive. As he came to, he felt the foreboding that it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. From the position of the sun, he knew it was the afternoon, but he couldn't remember anything since the prior evening. As he took in the scene, he wondered why his son's mouth and face were bloody and that his Master was on a warpath. As Lucius tried to lift his body from the ground, he found that he had a fractured wrist and that he couldn't find his wands. At his side, he found some official notices from Gringotts Bank. As he read through the documents, his lightheadedness returned causing him to collapse back on the ground.

The Dark Lord needed to exact some revenge, and the impulse drove him to make some inferri. He apparated to Godric's Hallow to desecrate the Potters graves. As he appeared in graveyard, as he marched to where the Potter's were supposed to be, he found that their graves were empty. Not only his parents but every Potter, Peverel, and Gryffindor was missing. In his rage, he cast friendfyre at the neighboring church and left with a loud pop to find his next place to attack.

Back in the alley, the chokers fell from the girls' necks, and their outfits returned to the clothes that they had worn to the bank earlier that day. Sensing their freedom, the girls took off running back to the bank and embraced of their loved ones.

Throatslasher thought to himself, 'If only those idiots would have waited until they left the alley to curse those girls; he would be 10,000 galleons richer, and he would wipe that roguish smile off of Lord Potter's face by finally winning one of their little wagers.'

Throatslasher and Potter had a bet on how soon after the signing would the Malfoys trigger the penalty clauses in the contract. Harry was overly confident that it would be before the Malfoys even left Diagon alley and Throatslasher was sure it would be least an hour after they had arrived at home.

Madam Bones asked Throatslasher, "What do we do now? Does Lord Potter have any more instructions for us?"

"The contract between Lord Potter and the Malfoys has been completed. As you have observed that was the quickest way to terminate those girls' indentured servitude. From my understanding that you forfeited your fortune due to your violations of various treaties, I suggest that you apply for the brand-new needs-based scholarship to Hogwarts that Draco No Name so generously funded with all but his last silver sickle. Now bugger off you pillocks!" He replied. Throatslasher turned from the Bones and Abbott families and started to walk back to his office. As he passed the Weasleys, he made eye contact with Arthur and Molly and gave them a devilish fang filled smile that drove home that the future for them would not be a bright one.

After arriving back to his office, he finished paperwork and decided to send a note to his favorite smug shmuck of a client.

Dear Harry and Miss Daphne,

Your plan worked flawlessly, and the Malfoy fortune has been put to much better use to update and revitalize Hogwarts and to provide scholarships beginning with the upcoming school year.

The new Headmaster, cousin Filius, has been notified that the funds are at his disposal to enact the agreed-upon improvements. He sends his regards and hopes you will return to Scotland someday to personally witness the results of our enacted aspirations.

I was able to verify that the only casualties in the assault on Azkaban were the confirmed Death Eaters and the Dementors on that level of the prison.

We have captured Dolores Umbridge and four Death Eaters and sent them to the debtors' mines and dragon pens. I expect in next week's note there will be many more that are no longer a plague to society.

Next, Her Majesty, the Queen, contacted me and asked that I notify you that she has found that multiple magical manipulations have been placed in her residencies impeding correspondence with Harry Potter the child and she apologizes for her inability to fulfill her obligations to you. She would like to meet with you during either her State Visit to the United States next week or in Canada the following week. I'd suggest taking the meeting and demand onerous concessions out of her attempted reconciliation. Please let me know if you have a response?

My next task for the day is to send Miss Delacour to our healers and pass along your invitation for her to join you in the Americas. She has seemed depressed since she came to work for us. I'll let you know if we find that she has been under any controlling influences.

Lastly, your winnings from our bet have been forwarded to the Magical European Council on Refugees and Exiles augmenting your prior donations to the cause.

Best regards,

Throatslasher