I am Daphne. And I am strong.

That was about the only mantra that Daphne, formerly of House Greengrass could recite as she made her way out from another failed interview. She hid her stint in Azkaban, after all, it wouldn't look good if everyone knew of it. It didn't matter much, for somehow they always knew who she were. The black sheep of the Greengrass family. The marked Death Eater.

She quickly shook her head. Pity will not fill her dwindling savings. Applying for help from her family has failed – they had made it very clear that they have struck her from House Greengrass, even her sister refuses all contact with her. Friends have scattered, some still in Azkaban, some have made their way to the continent. Tom, however nice the man is, has been asking about rent payment.

Resolving to put the thoughts out of her mind, she ducked into the bookstore to pick up the Prophet, hoping that there are jobs available that she could quickly apply. Some of her colleague who were not so lucky have decided to try and live in the Muggle world with varying degree of success. She heard that many had problems fitting in, even some breaking the statute of secrecy and earned back their place in Azkaban.

Not her, she refuses in any way to go back there. The nightmares that she still got. She'd die before consenting to go back to Azkaban.

A quick scan of the Prophet in her room at the Leaky Cauldron didn't show up anything interesting. The news was full with the details about law reforms being bandied about in part of Voldermont's short reign. It is just that purebloods, with the control that they have in the Wizengamont, is blocking some of the reforms, and that has led to a very fractured Wizengamot with accusations flying all over the place. Daphne was of the opinion that the very clear delineation of light vs. dark was stupid, they were plenty of neutrals still in the Wizengamont, but the problem was the light side didn't trust them not to go dark, and the dark side didn't trust them because they are not dark.

Politics was in her nature. Cyrus Greengrass was a consummate politician – imagine how he had survived several administration including Voldermonts, and part of why he managed to bring the family unscathed during that short reign was sacrificing Daphne, whom he had trained as a politician's wife from the beginning. Of course, after the war, he simply claimed Daphne acted on her own, wanting to ascend and lead House Greengrass, and promptly disowned her. She couldn't put it pass him that he was the one that tipped the DMLE that she had taken the mark.

She was hungry, and in the end, decided to have her lunch. Tom, after he caught a glimpse of her, motioned her to come near. She could pay the man, and all that would be left of her meagre savings would be enough to eat for a few days, but her choices were limited. Before she could say anything, Tom cut her off.

"I'm not asking about the rent. I'm asking if you want a job."

Daphne nodded. Tom, however, shook his head when he realized what Daphne thought.

"Not here. Just a waste of your talent." Tom then gave her a silver card emblazoned with gold. "A friend of mind is looking for a secretary. She didn't tell for who, but in her position, it may be better for you. If you want, I can set up a meeting for your tomorrow morning."

Emblazoned on the card, was the name Hermione Granger Potter, Lady Black.

The muggleborn witch was waiting for her in her office. The Ministry hasn't changed must since Daphne was dragged screaming on her way to Azkaban, the memories made her shudder. By the order of the Ministry, she had to apply for permission to get her wand back after Azkaban, but she hadn't had time to do so, thinking of the urgency to get a job first. An auror led her to the Winzengamot members office, pointing her to Lady Black's office.

Her secretary gave her a once over, before leading her to the meeting room, and asking her to make herself comfortable, since Lady Black had another meeting to attend to. It was nicely decorated. A wizard picture with two big cats dominated the end of the room, a panther and a lioness frolicking with what she swore had some resemblance to Hogwarts in the background. Before she could examine the picture further, the was a crack on the side door, and in steps Hermione Granger.

Potter. Daphne added. Among the first thing she did was to read the books on what happened after the war. When Voldermont was defeated, the chaos and the fact that she was promptly sent to Azkaban meant that she had a lot of gaps in her current knowledge of the Wizarding world. The curious thing was concerning the Potters. Although the was a lot of things contained about what the Potters did after the war, she felt that a lot of information got left out of the official account of matters.

The years have been good to Hermione. She had an inkling that the awkward girl will grow up to be the typical English beauty, but it was more of her confidence and graceful movement that got her attention. She walked towards her, extending her arm.

"Daphne," she said, shaking her hands. "Please, have a seat. Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee?"

The conversations began lightly, and Daphne was glad that she didn't begin by asking her anything about Azkaban. Instead, the conversations centred on their time in school, and Hermione did describe some of the changes that had happened at Hogwarts over the years. Minerva was now the headmistress, Slughorn is still at potions while a lot of new people have taken over some of the professorships, the older ones have began to retire or moved on with their lives.

In the end, it was Daphne who decided that the light conversation was putting off whatever reasons that Hermione invited her today. "What's going on, Hermione. Tom said that you have a job offer."

Hermione nodded. "I am asking you this, not as a slight, but I need your understanding. Tom said that you were looking for a job, but you have difficulties finding one. You were one of my rivals at school, so you shouldn't have any problems academically, yet to hear Tom saying it, it seems that even the Knight Bus line rejected you. Have you any idea why?"

Looks like I'm going to lose this too, she resigned to herself. She simply pulled up her sleeve, and showed her the dark mark.

The magical tattoo had stopped moving the night Voldermont was defeated, yet it was a beacon that showed everyone who was evil. She had asked healers discreetly if it could be removed, but either she ran into those who despises her for what the mark represented or will cost her too much money.

"I see. Your family?"

"I got disowned right after I got thrown into Azkaban. If you will excuse me." She stood up, gathering her purse.

"Sit down, Daphne. Please." Her imploring tone stopped her. A few seconds later, she decided to sit back.

Hermione exhaled rather loudly. "I am not here to gloat or make you angry Daphne. The war happened. Consequences of the war happened. Right now I am trying to move pass all of that. However, before we do, I need to know everything about you. You will be working with me, and my husband closely, and I don't want old ties to complicate work at hand. If you tell me now that all you see sitting in front of you is a mudblood, then you may leave."

Daphne considered her words. Does she hate her? She asked herself. If I do, for what? She contemplated the matter at hand.

"Hate. Maybe not. This," she jabbed at the tattoo, "in the end, is my decision. My decision to go with the flow, to join up with what I though as the victor at that time."

"Your family? From what I found, a lot of sons and daughters took the dark mark."

"Partly. Father's money did ease me into a nice position here at the ministry at the time. But he disowned me right after."

Hermione gave Daphne a tight smile. "Not only you. A lot got disowned. You were in Azkaban, so you may not know, but there was a lot of mob violence after Voldermont's death. Harry and I in the end had to take up the Potter and Black seats in the Wizengamont to try and calm things down."

"You and Potter entered the Wizengamont to calm things down?" Daphne asked.

Hermione began explaining. Shortly after Harry's triumph, the fear that kept the population down when Voldermont was alive, decided to aim the anger at anyone they though had something to do with Voldermont's reign. Harry himself had to break up a running battle in the Ministry Atrium when a mob descended on the Ministry. It then followed that another mob marched on the Ministry again when worry came out that the Wizengamont had too many pureblood followers.

"For the good of the people, I married Harry. Harry took the Potter seat, I took the Black seat. That cooled people down a bit, since I am muggleborn and not affiliated or beholden to any of the old houses, and them seeing that the Vanquisher had a say in the new laws being drafted." Hermione explained.

"Which is why I need you. But I need to know if you still carry any prejudices towards people like me or Harry. I need to know that now. Hell," she cursed. "I may need you to swear an unbreakable oath before you start."

"You don't trust me?"

"Will you, if you are in my position?" Daphne nodded in agreement, before Hermione continued. "Wizengamont is hard enough as it is right now, and I don't want to keep watching my back waiting if you want to stab me."

Daphne looked down, playing with her nails. She thought back of her inability to find a job somewhere else. Death Eaters engendered no loyalties, she found out, as many of those same set didn't want anything to do with her. In the end, she may have to resort to Knockturn Alley, and what would that say to her pureblood views and status.

"It may be better if we do an unbreakable vow." Daphne saw the disappointment in Hermione's eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

"I appreciate your candour. But I need to asked you a few questions first."

The next few hours was spent with Daphne and Hermione discussing the state of politics in the wizarding world. Daphne's understanding of the world was much better that Hermione since she was born into it and trained by her family from when she was young. Some of the traditions aren't even in the books, and the loopholes and Daphne's intimate knowledge of the laws was really interesting to Hermione. Even the breath of her knowledge on the current social standing was interesting. Hermione order lunch to be served as they continued their discussions.

"Really," Hermione asked, as she played with her food. "You mean bigamy or polygamy is actually allowed to be practiced in the wizarding world? Why don't I see it written anywhere?"

"Because it was an old law to ensure a house has an heir and succession. Just that our problem was we had too many wars bunched up together that eliminated too many heirs. I suspect that soon multiple marriage contracts will be offered to all eligible bachelors, and big house."

Daphne took a sip of her drink, watching as some understanding seemed to dawn on Hermione's face. "So that's what that parchment meant!"

"Parchment?"

"Pansy Parkinson sent me invitation to discuss some matter of import to her. Said that she wanted me as the first wife of Lord Potter to have a say in a mutually beneficial agreement. I blew her off because I though she wanted to bribe me or something."

Daphne had to laugh. "Yes, that is the language."

"But why send the invitation to me? I mean," horror dawned on her face. "Damn, you mean hundreds of those letters are all asking Harry to marry their DAUGHTER's?"

"Probably. Is there any chance that your family controls any other seat without named heirs?"

Hermione nodded. "The Peverell seat is ours."

Daphne smiled. "If Harry have a second wife, he may name her Lady Peverell, and any heirs from her can become Lord Peverell. So that makes Harry more desirable. Title, money, power."

"Argh..." Hermione stood up, and began pacing. "So why are all the letters addressed to me then?" Her eyes narrowed. "I wonder if Harry James Potter is hiding something."

Daphne shook her head. "The Law of Multiple Wives 1521 clearly states that the first wife has power and discretion over who becomes the second wife and so forth, and the declaration must not be made under any undue or illegal influences. That's why they are sending all those request to you. If Harry wants to marry again, you need to negotiate the contracts, you need to agree for it to be binding."

She took a sip from the cup. "You styled yourself as Lady Black. Why not Potter?"

"Appearances sake. Shit! Pansy Parkinson is after my Husband!"

After her outburst, Hermione realized that Daphne was also in Slytherin, and may be her friend. "Sorry. About Parkinson, I mean, I had no right to demean your friend."

Daphne had always pegged Parkinson as somewhat too obsessed with Draco Malfoy back when they were in school. In private, among her own clique however, she had always though that Patsy Parkinson was an airhead, and she had no idea how she got sorted into Slytherin. It didn't mean that Daphne didn't ask help from Parkinson. But in the end, she proved smarted to avoid getting the dark mark. She nodded to Hermione.

"Anyway, the post of secretary is yours if you want it." Hermione accepted. "But I still need the oath."

"You will have it." Daphne offered.

"All right. Come back around tomorrow, I still need to look into a few things. Do you need ministerial housing? Staying a the Cauldron is a drain, if my past experience are anything to go by."

Daphne agreed. She half-heartedly pushed away the advance Hermione offered her, but Hermione refused to take no for an answer, saying that she had experienced living on the edge before, and it does nothing good to the mind. So with cash, Daphne decided the world is looking up a bit, and maybe she could treat herself to something nice.