Daisy and Dahlia

"And you're sure you want to go for the third option on the ritual?" said Ted. "Even though it's the darkest? I mean, calling up the family magic to the point where it's sentient and communicative, and asking it to choose between potential heirs? I get that you're being generous to the girls, offering them an equal chance with you, since at the moment you all register as potential heirs of equal weight, but you're eligible to make a claim age-wise, which they aren't. But still. This is the kind of magic some people like to pretend doesn't exist."

"But it's not bad," said Harry. "It's not evil. We're just getting help to see who'd be best at looking after that side of the family when we're all adults. And pretending things don't exist when they actually do is silly. Besides, Andromeda says some things are inherently Dark, and some things are socially Dark, and then even when things are inherently Dark, there's the kind that's twisted and corrupted and inherently dangerous, and then there's the kind that's just a different style from standard Hogwarts-taught magic, and powerful, but all right if you treat it with respect and don't let it rule you."

"I suppose," said Ted. "Just be aware. And be aware that a lot of your Gaunt ancestors probably would be considered evil by your standards, or mine, or Dromeda's, and that may well show in the magic."

And so Harry got his chalk out again, and the book to double-check his working. Three potential heirs, one of whom was the senior directing the ritual, but open to the possibility that any of them might inherit. The precise wording, explaining the lines of kinship between the three of them, and between them and the previous Gaunt Heads of House. The extra sigils of protection, to guard against the possible displeasure of the magical totem, as well as backlash. Then the explanations to Daisy and Dahlia, and putting them in nappies as if for a nap, so they wouldn't have to interrupt the ritual if they needed the potty. Each sat in their own circle. And so it began. Ted and Stonejaw were both watching from a safe distance.

Harry had been expecting the Gaunt totem to be a snake, and he hadn't particularly expected it to be very friendly. So the gigantic hissing Runespoor, translucent and bright green, didn't disappoint.

"Mudblood spawn!" one head hissed. "Oh, what our great house has been reduced to."

"They are strong," the next head hissed. "They are powerful, at least."

"There are three of them, and they are all technically eligible," said the third. "Better than the time when we had not a single magical descendant who was whole of soul."

"We will choose one of you, then," said the first head. "Even if none of you is truly worthy."

"Parselmouths, and powerful, and with at least some knowledge of the old ways," said the second.

"Perhaps their descendants will be purer," said the third. "While the bloodline continues, there is hope." Then all three heads turned to Harry.

"I don't think much of you," said the first head. "You killed the family basilisk."

"It had been driven mad, and was trying to kill me!" said Harry indignantly. "I didn't have a choice."

"My point stands," it said. "I don't like you. Filth."

"Did you at least sort into Slytherin?" said the second head. "I will know if you lie."

"No, I'm a Gryffindor," said Harry. "The hat did tell me I would do well in Slytherin, suggested it as a possibility, but I picked Gryffindor in the end."

"Very bad, very bad," said the second head. "Gaunts should be Slytherins."

"My mother was a Gryffindor too," said Harry.

"More fool her," said the second head. "Of course, a Slytherin sorting is not guaranteed for either of the others, but it is still possible."

"You are already head of another house, are you not?" said the third head.

"Yes," said Harry. "House Potter. It's just me now, that and an American cadet branch. The twins are wards of House Potter, but I'm the last of the British Potters otherwise."

"Potter!" said the third snake. "Strong Gryffindor taint there. Peverell too, I suppose, which is something, but still. Not ideal. Not ideal at all."

They turned round, but rather than focusing on one twin, they seemed to consider both.

"Your mother and father are both muggles, little hatchlings," said the first head. "No magic at all. That is not good."

"Mummy and Daddy bad," said Daisy decidedly. "Mean to us. And Harry."

"Live with Harry now," said Dahlia.

"Good, good," said the first head. "Wizardkind should stay with wizardkind."

"You are very young, little hatchlings," said the second head. "Our family was great and powerful once. How will you make it great and powerful again, when you are so small?"

"Harry help," said Dahlia. "Harry make everything better. And Dobby."

"Not that small," said Daisy. "Growing girls. Bigger all the time. Wear big girl knickers, nappy only for sleeping and rit-u-al. Bigger soon. Harry say, come here to school when we bigger. One day, we be grown-up. Great and pow-er-ful then." The second head hissed approvingly.

"That was a good answer. And I suppose the boy would do as a regent."

"Tradition is important," said the third head. "Tradition says oldest first. Which is the oldest twin, little hatchlings?"

"Twins," said Daisy. "No oldest."

"Both two," said Dahlia.

The third head turned to Harry.

"Daisy's the oldest," said Harry. "By ten minutes. I wasn't at the hospital, but the birth certificates have notes on, so I'm pretty sure."

"And your mothers were sisters, one magical, one not. Whose mother was the oldest?"

"Theirs," said Harry. "By about three years. She isn't magical. But she was the oldest."

All three snake heads hissed in triumph. Then turned, and bowed to Daisy.

"Heiress Apparent Gaunt." To Dahlia: "Scion Gaunt, heiress presumptive to the heiress." To Harry: "Regent Gaunt, back-up heir presumptive to the heiresses." And the runespoor faded away, leaving no sign.

"Well done," said Harry, wiping away the circles and giving the girls big hugs. "Great job staying put. And you impressed the snake, too, both of you."

"Snake likes Daisy best," said Dahlia.

"He liked you, too," said Harry. "He just had to pick one, and tradition says oldest first. He still liked you better than me. And he'll be counting on both of you to be impressive witches for the Gaunt family."

"And Harry?" asked Daisy.

"I have to be an impressive wizard for the Potter family," he explained. "And I have to look after the Gaunt family for you until you're old enough to look after it yourself."

"Regent Gaunt?" asked Ted quietly.

"Regent Gaunt," confirmed Harry. "Daisy's Heiress Apparent, Dahlia's Scion and second-in-line after Daisy and her potential heirs. I'm third. But I'm just about acceptable as a regent, even if I am a basilisk-slaying Gryffindor."

"Let's tell Gornuk and Riptooth," said Ted, "so they can move forward now we know which contingency plan we're using for You-Know-Who. And let's see if we can get the girls out of here before they actually start skinning the creature or opening it up."

"Open it up!" echoed Daisy happily, and one of the side-chamber doors Stonejaw had mentioned swung open.

"Is it bad that I'm starting to recognise the sound of Goblin swearing?" asked Harry. Stonejaw laughed.

It transpired that Harry was free to leave at any time. Of course, the harvesting would take days, and the team members would need breaks to eat and sleep. But they would not be reliant on Harry to let them in and out each time, as they had brought a Portal with them. "A little like one of your wizarding Vanishing Cabinets," Gornuk explained condescendingly, "but of course far superior, and fully reliable." Harry still looked confused.

"So people can go in the Portal here, and come out the other end of it somewhere else?" asked Ted, for Harry's benefit. "No risk of getting lost, or stuck between places? And where does the other end come out?"

"Gringotts, of course," said Gornuk. "In the conference room we have set up for the taskforce. We might even permit the four of you to use it, if you like. And to come back that way, when we've finished here and it's time to pack up and retrieve the portal." They accepted gladly. They still had the Muggle forms to fill in for Petunia and Vernon's signatures, and Gringotts was far more convenient for Ted's office. They were able to proceed with getting the Parental Responsibility Agreement signed, and moving the twins, the tent, and Dobby to Potter Manor. And Petunia was happy to be rid of her daughters a day earlier than agreed, to the point where she even acquiesced to Harry's insistence (backed by Ted) that she say goodbye to her children in a civilised fashion. (Closure, Ted had insisted, was important.)

She didn't want Harry to say goodbye to Mrs Figg in person - what if he let something slip, and she talked to the other neighbours? - but she let Harry use a notelet of hers to write a note thanking Mrs Figg for the time she had spent babysitting him, and wishing her all the best in the future, and even grudgingly condescended to purchase a bunch of flowers and something nice for the cats, if Harry gave her the money. "Normal money, mind." These would not, of course, be purchased or handed over until the Dursleys were on the point of moving out. (Petunia would buy the cheapest flowers the supermarket had, and a pint of sprats, leaving most of the money for her own use. Arabella Figg would be deeply touched.)