Chapter Nine
Upon the heath
At ten the next morning, the fifth of January 1992, Frank watched as Harry Potter came onto the platform in an absolute blizzard of witches. He looked at his son, who was watching with trepidation. "Just apologize, Neville, and try to be an acquaintance first. Remember you're a wizard, just like him. I never raised you to be a prat. You let the press and the wizarding people tell you that you were something you aren't."
Neville looked at his father. "But Mother and Grandmother--"
"Barty Crouch Junior made your mother nearly insane, Neville. She dotes on you; you're very nearly her whole world. My mother--well, there's no explaining her. Trust me on this, though. If you go on like you have been, you'll die miserable and alone. Your mother and I won't be here forever, son." He gave Neville a one-armed hug and pushed him toward the train. Neville walked a few steps with his head down and then lifted his head and marched up to Harry. Frank held his breath.
Neville had had a hard Christmas. Sure, he got the normal ton of mail and presents from wizards and witches he didn't know and would never see, and his parents were there, but otherwise he was completely alone. His father had caught him crying miserably in his room Christmas night and the whole story had poured out. Frank had listened calmly and then, in the ultimate betrayal, had told Neville that Harry Potter was right. It had taken until New Year's for Neville to sort that out and speak to his father again. Since then, though, Neville had changed, hopefully for the better. Now here was Harry Potter in front of him. "Potter."
Harry looked up and braced himself. "Longbottom."
Neville grimaced. "Sorry, let's try this again." He stuck out his hand. "Neville Longbottom. I'm the other Boy Who Lived. Your parents and mine were friends. Glad to meet you."
Harry reached out cautiously and shook Neville's hand. "Harry Potter." He considered a moment. "Call me Harry." Harry gave Neville a small half-smile.
Neville nodded. "Call me Neville." He turned and walked away.
Harry rubbed his hand through his hair and Hermione leaned in and kissed him on his cheek. Harry looked at her and gave her one of his full-on broken, panty-wetter smiles. "See, Hermione? My way works."
Hermione smiled back and rolled her eyes. "Yes, dear. Kiss the girls and then take me to the train." Harry barked a laugh in return and offered his arm.
On another part of the platform Lucius Malfoy watched the whole exchange with Draco standing silently beside him. "Draco, take a page from Longbottom. Get close to Potter."
Narcissa, who had watched too and who had covertly run a few charms on Draco, nodded. That was an excellent idea.
Lucius watched the momentary play of shadows of emotion across Narcissa's face and had his answer, or an answer of sorts. He knew Draco was sterile. From Narcissa's look she suspected Potter had made the idiot that way. Draco knew nothing. The incident was a complete blank in his mind, as if a page had been ripped out of a book. His thoughts before that page was ripped out, though, had been of tormenting Potter. He also knew Potter was very powerful. A carefully worded letter seemed to be in order. He might not be able to get an heir, but he still had blood and knew the ritual. Narcissa was young enough and, unlike Bellatrix, had never more than dabbled in the Dark arts. She should be well able to carry to term. If not, one of the Malfois would do. Cousin Jacque had three daughters--second cousins to be sure, but with the blood and ritual, even more Malfoy than a Black/Potter would be. Narcissa had thankfully kept her mouth shut about the whole thing, so his options were completely open. Draco, the little eunuch, could be useful too, so much bitterness to be harnessed....
Draco kept his face carefully expressionless. He knew he was on the razor's edge. To stay alive he had to stay useful. "Yes, Father."
"Good. Now go." Draco nodded and strode to the train.
From the shadows Sirius Black and Remus Lupin watched Harry. "James would be so proud, Remus."
"He is, and yes he would be. I told you, Sirius, you need to go to the castle. Now you've missed your chance until we can write to Harry. He has to let you through the wards."
Sirius nodded. "A few weeks, Remus. Just let me get back in some kind of shape. Can't meet Lord Potter looking like a ragamuffin."
"Harry won't care about that, Sirius." "So you said. Just give me a little time, Remus."
They watched Harry onto the train and then turned and left before the train pulled out and the crowd could turn and see them.
Harry turned away from the window and noticed that he was surrounded by wizards. Ravenclaw and Slytherin Wizards, with drawn wands. The wizards watched in amazement as Harry disappeared. Suddenly they were no longer amazed: they were on the floor howling with their wand arms snapped cleanly between the wrist and elbow. Harry decided a little physical chastisement was in order and went from boy to boy, kicking them in the nuts as hard as he could. The howls turned shrill. Harry squatted down and waved his hand, Vanishing the vomit. "If you try that again I'll kill you all and then hunt down your families one by one. If you tell anyone what happened I'll do the same thing. If I ever catch any of you bullying someone, I'll kill you all." Harry looked them all in the eye for a moment, then stood and walked away. Heads followed him
through compartment windows. Hermione met him at the end of the car. "Harry?"
"Just coming, Hermione."
She leaned over and looked down the passageway with a raised brow. Harry smiled. "We had a little discussion. They'll be fine."
Hermione kept the arched brow; Harry shrugged. "Well, after they see Pomfrey." "Harry!" "What?"
Hermione followed him back down the train. "I didn't kill them or emasculate them, Hermione. Relax," floated back over his shoulder. Hermione sighed; it was something, at least. She missed the sotto voce "Maybe".
Harry turned into a compartment that all the witches were standing around and waved his hand. The compartment expanded significantly. The witches filed in and found seats. Nym looked at Harry. "You've been holding out, Harry."
"No, actually I just learned that over the break. Mr Jones showed me." Su sat in Harry's lap. "Harry, have you noticed that you do all magic wandlessly when you can?"
Harry kissed the back of her head, as she was sitting on him reverse-cowgirl. "I do. I don't like the wand between me and the magic. It seems to take something away. Are you wearing knickers?"
"Harry! Sex fiend!" Su blushed an odd reddish tan and got nuzzled on her neck. Harry, meanwhile, was doing some wandless magic involving pants and Y-fronts. Su squirmed for a moment and then sighed and leant back on Harry's chest. She got several pink tongues as a reward, but at that particular moment she couldn't have cared less.
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The train glided into Hogsmeade station in an ethereal cloud of steam, and as it stopped moving Harry stepped to the platform. The witches followed him in short order and Kristen led them to the carriages. Harry was amazed by the skeletal horses. "What are you, beauty?" Harry approached the horse with his hand out, and when it did not draw away he turned his hand over and stroked its leathery hide.
All the older witches stood looking at Harry and the horse. Hermione frowned. "Harry, what are you doing?"
"Petting the horse, Hermione. They should feed them better."
Kristen rolled her eyes. "They're thestrals, Harry. Hermione never saw anyone die, apparently, so she can't see them."
Hermione blinked. "Who did you all see die? Oh, I'm so sorry, that's so rude!"
Kristen laughed a little sadly. "Last summer my great-great-grandmother died at a garden party. We were all there."
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Harry nodded. "It was horrible!" Kristen laughed. "You'd better hush, little man, or she'll make you dance with her all night again."
Harry scampered away into the coach. Kristen sighed. "It's horrible, Hermione, you can't imagine. Granny Thomas has such a crush on Harry!"
Hermione's eyes threatened to roll up in her head. Eliza steered her to the carriage. "Kristen's great- great-grandmother stayed on as a ghost--an extremely lively, earthy ghost."
Emma snorted. "Earthy? She makes Ella look urbane and demure!"
"Hey!" Ella exclaimed. "I'm not that bad."
Kristen snorted. "Oh yeah? Why was Granny trying to posses you so she could shag Harry, then?"
Ella blushed crimson and joined Harry in the now hugely expanded coach.
Hermione shook her head. "So things have always happened to Harry, then?"
Kristen nodded. "He does seem to attract more than his share of loons. Ooops, sorry, Granny!" She looked around with her head ducked between her shoulders.
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Minerva stood at the top of the entrance steps watching as the first coach drew up and disgorged Harry and the coven. She beetled her brows and stepped down to the carriage and looked inside. Harry leaned in with her and waved. The interior shrank back to normal and Minerva looked at Harry. "Twenty points to Gryffindor for acquiring new skills over the holidays, Your Grace."
Harry beamed at her. "Thank you, Lady McGonagall?." He scampered away to lead the witches inside. The female Professors and staff stood watching and snickering. Minerva rejoined them just in time to see Pansy Parkinson follow Daphne Greengrass into the castle. You could almost see the leash and there was no mistaking that collar, disguised as a choker or not.
Pomona Sprout chuckled. "What's that Muggle expression--'Another one bites the dust'?" Aurora Sinistra chuckled. "More like licks and sucks the warlock. I doubt she bites."
Tracey, who was just passing, by turned to them and threw out, "Oh, but she does," before she scampered away. The Professors looked at each other and grinned. Minerva just groaned.
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Albus sat looking out over the crowd at the resumption feast and beamed. He wasn't sure what had happened to Longbottom, but the boy had a determined look and was being quiet and hovering around Harry Potter. Well, not around, perhaps, but at least toward the middle of the Gryffindor table instead of being at the opposite end from Harry, as had been the norm. Yes, things were looking up indeed. Giving Longbottom that cloak had been just the ticket.
Albus looked over the staff table and sighed. Severus looked fit to burst an aneurism. What could
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be wrong with the boy now? Albus followed his eyes and blinked. Half of the Slytherin upper years were in slings. What could they have been doing? Scattered through the hall were a few other wizards in slings. "Poppy?"
"Roughhousing on the train apparently, Albus. The Head Boy and Girl say no other students were hurt, and the wizards involved refused to comment. I suspect they were playing with some magic and it escaped out of their control."
Severus abruptly stood and left the Great Hall. Albus sighed.
He failed to notice Minerva's little smile, directed at her plate.
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Sirius Orion Black, The Lord Black, sat in Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, the Black's London townhouse, with his head in his hands and Andromeda Tonks née Black pacing in front of him.
Kreature dragged himself in, muttering, and Andromeda stopped pacing and knelt down in front of him. "Kreature, Sirius told you to get some rest."
Kreature looked up at her, still stunned. Sirius had, in fit of rage, lashed out and lit his mother's portrait on fire. The screaming had gone on endlessly, although the portrait had not been consumed, and now the only part of Walburga's image that moved was her eyes. It was disconcerting. Kreature nodded to Andromeda and toddled off like an exhausted drunk.
Sirius barked a laugh. "I should have just killed the thing; it would have been kinder."
Remus snarled at him. "Sirius!"
"'S true."
Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Back to these letters, Sirius. What are you going to do?" She waved at the five letters on the table.
Sirius rubbed his hand through his hair. "Well, yours is the easiest. I'd have to be insane to oppose you, and while I might be insane, somehow I can't quite bring myself to be upset about Harry taking Nymphadora in a service contract. Perhaps because my memory of him is him sitting in front of me on my motorcycle and us flying like bats out of hell to get away from Lily."
Remus laughed. "I wouldn't remind her, Sirius. She and Hermione are very, very close, and Hermione will hurt you for her."
Sirius shook his head. "Something else I can't quite believe. Harry is married? Well, as near as makes no difference. And Lily approves? Hell, and he has a harem and Lily approves?"
Andromeda rolled her eyes. "We've been over this, Sirius. Harry is the warlock of a coven. It can't really be considered a harem. He'll never give the witches to anyone, and they have entirely too much freedom for it to be a harem."
Sirius sighed. "Pardon my semantics. Anyway, Harry is the primary warlock of a powerful coven and Lily doesn't mind?"
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Remus eyed his friend narrowly. "If you weren't such a coward you could ask her yourself." "You wound me, wolf."
"Not yet, but I will if you don't get in that trunk in a week and meet Harry at Camelot so he can get you through the wards," Remus replied.
Andromeda tapped the letters on the table again. "And this other issue, Lord Black?" Sirius winced. "Can I just go back to Azkaban?" Andromeda huffed. "No! Now what do you intend?"
Sirius leaned back in his chair. "If I was completely healthy and well practiced in my dueling, I would love the opportunity this presents to stick it in Lucius and break it off, as Narcissa'a letter outlines. Lucius's letter is just posturing, but it does present a problem in that he knows or suspects that Harry emasculated Draco and believes he can prove it to the Wizengamot's satisfaction.
"I do not, however, feel comfortable secretly annulling Narcissa's marriage to Lucius and allowing her to be--be--well, bred by Harry, but timing things so that the birth of Harry's and her baby occurs and the child is acknowledged a Malfoy and then, before Lucius can perform the blood adoption, having Harry duel Lucius and kill him. It's all so--so Slytherin!"
Andromeda ground her teeth. "Sirius! Get the order right. Harry gets Narcissa pregnant--this will happen with or without your permission; Lucius intends to demand it and you can see his solicitor confirms it's possible. He will demand that the line-securing potions and fertility potions be used. Narcissa and Harry are going to be joined for a weekend; she'll make up for all that lost time and happily walk bowlegged for a month.
"I wonder how she plans on dealing with her hormones in the second trimester? No matter.
"Narcissa then has the baby after October the eleventh, but before November tenth, before the full moon. Lucius must acknowledge the child as a Malfoy immediately, but the blood adoption must be performed at the full moon.
"Harry duels Malfoy, after Lucius acknowledges the child but before the blood adoption, and after Harry kills Lucius you annul Narcissa's marriage. This keeps her in a position from which it will be difficult for her to challenge Hermione. A vassal by conquest.
"The child remains a Malfoy but Narcissa keeps him.
"You then contract Narcissa to Harry in a service contract--and we gain control of the Malfoy fortune and keep it from Voldemort or any other Dark Lord that appears.
"It will also probably have the effect of keeping the other Dark families from attempting to use Harry in this way.
"It does, however, dovetail nicely with this scheme of Peter and Louisa Parkinson's. It would bring that situation to a head nicely, and Draco could then be disowned by Narcissa acting as regent for the heir, freeing Pansy to provide any number of heirs to both House Malfoy and House Parkinson.
Sirius banged his head on the table and then looked up. "You forgot one thing: Harry has to agree
to this madness."
Andromeda's mouth opened but no sound came out. Sirius barked a laugh and she finally managed, "So you see the sense in it?"
Sirius nodded. "Sure, but we're talking about an eleven-year-old boy."
Andromeda smirked. "I'm sure Narcissa can manage that. Besides, those potions make the poufters want witches. We just need to convince the other parents and then Lily will convince Hermione. After that, Harry will do what Hermione wants. But it needs to be by February."
Sirius was suddenly very serious and Andromeda found herself talking to Lord Black. "If this estranges Harry from me or harms him in any way, I'll cast Narcissa from the House and curse her name forever."
Andromeda blinked. "Yes, my lord." Sirius slumped back in his seat. "Moony?"
Remus shrugged. "We'll work it out, Sirius. Just get well for the next week. The potions are already helping."
Sirius nodded but his eyes were already closed. Andromeda motioned with her head and Remus rose and followed her out to the hall. "Remus, is he really all right?"
Remus shrugged. "Unbelievably enough, the mediwizards are impressed with his condition and say it's nothing a six-month regimen of potions won't cure. Dan and Emma's Squib psychologist says that while his development seems arrested, he's well adjusted for a man who's been wrongfully imprisoned. In my opinion, his development was always arrested; I don't know what 'well adjusted' could mean after twelve years in Azkaban. He tires easily still, though."
Andromeda nodded. "So that's four of the five letters. Now this last?"
"The Ministry is not going to rehire him as an Auror, but they've given him nearly a million Galleons in compensation for his time in Azkaban and he controls the Black fortune, so he doesn't need to work. Andromeda?"
Andromeda was glaring at Walburga, who glared back at her but dared not say a word. The Black Lord had reinstated the whore to the family, and after his demonstration of intent to murder even her spirit she could only acknowledge him as the Black Lord. Azkaban had DONE the boy a world of good.
Andromeda turned and looked at Remus. "He should be taken from this pile. I'll talk to the solicitors about the other properties."
Walburga could no longer contain herself. "This is the ancestral seat of the Black Lord!" "It's a moldering pile, Aunt Walburga. That elf has not kept it up."
"He will, I'll see to it. Perhaps if he had some help? He is quite old, after all. It would also help him to be bound to the Lord, not just the House."
Andromeda narrowed her eyes. "I am the matriarch until the Black Lord marries, Aunt Walburga. I'll talk to Sirius about it."
Walburga nodded. "Yes, Lady Black. About a marriage--I understand you have a daughter?"
Remus started and Andromeda sighed. "Yes, Aunt Walburga. However, she is contracted to a wizard. The Joneses have a daughter, Hestia, a fine, powerful witch."
Walburga looked contemplative. "Not in that coven of Melba's, Lady Black? I would not see the Black Lord with used goods as his matriarch."
"Her first daughter, Aunt Walburga."
Walburga smiled tightly. "The Joneses hold no allegiance but their own. They are powerful, though, and ancient. Wealthy, too. A possible match, Lady Black."
"I will continue to make enquiries, Aunt Walburga."
Andromeda led Remus to the next room, a sitting room. Walburga never acknowledged his existence. "I hate that witch!"
Remus chuckled. "Good she died miserable and alone, then. Hestia, Andromeda? Andromeda shrugged. "She sprang to mind. The more I think about it, though...."
Remus smiled. "It may be all uphill there. She knew him in school. She was a third year when we were seventh years. I think she may be a witch's witch."
"Meh, could be. She's still single, but it could be she just hasn't found what she was looking for. I'll never understand the couples who marry early from fear of being alone, Remus."
"Not everyone is as strong-willed as you, Andromeda. I mean, you did oppose the will of the Black Lord."
"Uncle Orion was an ass, and very ill when I left, Remus." "Still, he controlled the house, Andromeda. Nothing to laugh at." "True. I never thought Walburga would kowtow to me, of all people."
Remus grimaced. "It was ghastly, Andromeda. He doesn't even have his wand back yet. He waved at that portrait and it burst into these odd black flames. His mother screamed like the dammed for two days before he waved again and the flames went away."
Andromeda winced. "Legendary family magic, that. He must have been very angry."
Remus shuddered. "That was the worst part. He was calm as milk. I've only ever seen that once before, when he tried to use me to kill Severus Snape."
Andromeda grunted. "A true Black after all, then. I always wondered a little. So that's why he and Lily had that falling out."
Remus nodded. "Lily never knew, but Sirius caught Snape Polyjuicing some fourth year Slytherin witch into her form and trying to rape her. He went berserk. James is the only thing that saved Snape. I'll never understand why."
"Because he didn't want you executed, you berk." Andromeda shook her head. "You wizards are all emotional cripples. You do things for each other you'd never do for any witch and then stand around maintaining your personal space. Speaking of witches, I met a very nice bitch the other day. I'll give you her address. You should knock her up."
Remus groaned. "That was a horrible pun, Andromeda--both of them, in fact." Andromeda simply smiled.
H There to meet with Macbeth
Harry smiled and clasped the warm body to him. Pansy purred and pulled Hermione closer to her. It was marvelous being the center of a Master/Mistress sandwich. Even if it was with her in the dreadful Gryffindor tower. Mistress having Master use her with the door open while all these Gryffindor witches wandered in and out of the room to watch was humiliating, deliciously humiliating. She would do better next week, though. She had been unable to serve Master to orgasm more than four times a day this week. Of course, that was after he'd had Mistress, her roommates, his Quidditch teammates, and whatever other witch asked--but still, she would do better.
Hermione rolled over. "You did fine, Pansy. We accomplished our goal."
"Mistress? You heard me?"
Hermione sleepily leant in and kissed her. "Of course, sweetie. I always listen to you."
"I didn't speak, Mistress."
Hermione's eyes snapped open and her brown eyes stared into Pansy's blue. "What?"
"You heard my thoughts, Mistress."
Hermione leapt up, squeeing all the while, and danced around the still-dark room crazily, hair bushy, coltish arms and legs akimbo. Harry raised his head. "All right there, Ne?"
Hermione leapt into the bed pushed him down, sucked him hard, and literally jumped on his cock. She collapsed two thrusts later, shuddering and clenching on him. A surprised Harry sprayed her belly with cum as her orgasm fed back into him.
Harry hugged her and sighed. Just when they had settled into a groove. It was always something.
Hermione sat up on him, smiling. "I'll give you a groove." She thrust back and forth on him, grinning all the while.
Harry laughed. "You already did, months ago, and several more since then."
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The now awake witches in the room and standing in the doorway laughed. Hermione blushed. "Harry!"
Harry chuckled and rolled her under him and took up a rhythm. "My turn, Mistress. You've been playing all week." Hermione gloried in submitting as Harry very easily dominated her in every way. The Gryffindor witches watched for a moment and then fled to their beds. Sweet Morgana's dying breath, that was hot!
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Somewhere around seven on that morning, Saturday the eleventh of January, Parvati and Lavender returned from PT and smiled. Hermione's little round butt was sticking up in the air, a nice rosy pink. Pansy had gone back to her dorm and stayed to shower and dress for breakfast this time. Parvati and Lavender woke the two crazy people, shooed Harry into Hermione's trunk, and took Hermione into the shower. They washed her off and then sat her down at her dressing table and worked on her hair while she napped in the chair.
Meanwhile, Harry stumbled through his morning routine and then sat on the edge of his bed. Neville looked over and grinned. "Tough night, Harry?"
Harry grinned back. "Tough morning. Give me a minute."
Neville decided to capitalize on this opportunity. "Harry, can you teach me like you teach the witches/"
Harry, still a little groggy, took a moment to think. He can't be asking me that, can he? No, stupid, he doesn't know about that. He's asking about magic. "If we're talking about magic, then sure, Neville, but only if you stay a human and don't revert to a ponce."
Neville shrugged. "I'll try, but no promises."
Harry grinned and waved. "No worries." Neville didn't notice the loyalty charm that washed over him. "Come on, let's go eat. I'm starving."
Harry's stomach punctuated that statement with a horribly loud growl and the wizards left the room laughing and pelted down the stairs. Harry skidded to a stop at the bottom, hypnotized by a radiantly glowing Hermione with sparkling brown eyes and a French braid falling down her back. Parvati and Lavender took one look at the gaping Harry and high-fived each other over Hermione's head.
Hermione grabbed Harry, kissed him, and then dragged him away smiling. Neville followed in their wake, surrounded by Lavender, Parvati, Katie, Angelina, and Alicia. Alicia narrowed her eyes at him. "Watch those hands, Longbottom, or Harry will cut them off."
"Erm, well yeah, sorry about that." Neville blushed.
Angelina looked at him. "Have you really come to your senses or are you just playing up to Harry?" She stopped and Lavender and Parvati halted and turned around.
Neville, perforce, stopped and found himself surrounded by witches who had some very
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inscrutable looks on. "If you try something we don't like with him, or her, we'll kill you. We might have to give up a child for it or pay a monster wergild, but rest assured we will. Boy-Who-Lived? or not."
Neville swallowed. "Actually, I'm tired of being an ass. A stupid ass. I talked to my father over Christmas. I don't have any actual friends and it's completely my fault. Sure, people know me, but I don't even like the me that they know. I want them to know the real me--at least some of them, maybe only one or two of them. Does this make any sense? I'm just babbling now; I'll shut up."
Alicia looked at Neville for a moment and then laughed. "Neville, you must have a big witch side. You just described a month of our lives. Need a PMS potion?"
Neville blushed and the witches laughed. They dragged him with them and ran to catch up with Harry and Hermione, who were both smiling deliriously. They had felt and then understood the witches. "Ne, what was that?"
I have an idea, Harry, but I want to confirm it with Melba and you need to talk to Lester. We can do it after we get Sirius keyed into the wards.
Harry was looking right at her and her lips never moved. "Ne, I heard you in my head." Duh! Really, Harry! Oh, by the way, I can hear you too. You don't have to talk. Really? Yes, really, doofus. Didn't you hear Pansy and me this morning?
Thought I was dreaming, Ne.
Harry! Now pay attention, here they come.
The witches and Neville came barreling around the corner laughing and nearly crashed into the back of Hermione and Harry. Neville watched as the witches automatically checked each other, Harry, and Hermione. He straightened himself up and ran a hand over his clothes.
Hermione leaned over and wiped a hand over his hair, straightening it, and then rubbed a few wrinkles from his shirt. Neville beamed and offered his arms. Lavender took his right and Parvati his left. They followed Harry with Hermione on his arm, followed by Angelina, Alicia, and Katie, into the Great Hall.
The Potter coven, already ensconced at the Hufflepuff table, looked toward the doors and smiled.
Pomona Sprout, up at the staff table, was beaming. Minerva looked over at her. "It's not a contest, Pomona."
Filius leaned forward from the other side of Pomona. "Says you! You have the warlock and lead witch in your House."
Minerva rolled her eyes as the staff giggled. Even Irma Pince was in on it this morning. "Where are Albus and Severus?" Minerva nearly clapped her hand over her mouth, regretting it as soon as it was out of her mouth.
Charity Burbage, of all people, snickered first, which started a General laugh that died for a moment when the Headmaster and Potions Professor entered together, and then burst out again in a giant guffaw. Minerva shook her head, compressing her lips at her colleagues. Severus Snape's face darkened and he spun on his heel and left the hall with robes billowing. Aurora's not-so-sotto-voce "Well, now we know who's who, did you see his skirt flare?" drew scandalized titters as Albus strolled up the aisle between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables.
"Ah, Mr Potter, Mr Longbottom, so good to see you, our two Boys Who Lived, finally sharing a meal in peace." Harry did not look up but, as expected, Neville did. Harry watched as Dumbledore locked eyes with him and the old man's blue eyes twinkled madly. Harry said nothing. Neville grinned cheekily at the Headmaster but did not reply.
Dumbledore quickly rifled through Neville's thoughts but found nothing other than the two meetings of the boys since term restarted. This would bear watching, though, as Longbottom's attitude had changed completely. Now perhaps finally the boy could be molded into the weapon he must be! "Well, I will leave you in the company of these lovely witches. I'm sure they have great plans for today."
Hermione nodded. "Studying, sir."
"Ah, but Miss Granger, a wizard cannot live off knowledge alone. Perhaps some other pursuits will spring to mind. Just remember to stay away from the third floor."
Dumbledore strode off, completely invigorated. Granger would need to be rewarded for providing that opening to plant the seed.
Once he was safely clear Harry waved his hand, casting a very powerful Finite Incatantem. "Barmy old poufter. Neville, you should be careful--I think he's in love with you."
Neville squeaked, "Me? What? Why me?"
The girls and Harry broke up laughing. Harry recovered first. "Never mind, Neville. We'll still like you even if he turns you into a poufter."
Neville bowed up a little. "He should keep his perversions to himself! If I want a wizard I'll find my own! Errh, wait a minute. I didn't mean that--well, not like it sounded. Yes I did--well, except I don't want a wizard."
Harry was howling now. "Oh gods, Neville, please stop. You're killing me." Tears ran down his face. Neville thumped his forehead on the table.
Daphne shook her head. "All this levity is fine, but what exactly was Dumbledore trying to do? Get us in broom closets or get us killed on the third floor?"
Dumbledore watched the group eat breakfast and departed with his eyes on maximum twinkle. Minerva was thoroughly disgusted. As soon as Albus left, which was soon after the coven did, she burst out, "What is he playing at? He'd better leave my children alone! They're perfectly fine without Longbottom!"
Bathsheba chortled. "What's the matter, Minerva, afraid Harry can't stand the competition?" "Competition? From Longbottom? Have you been drinking, Bathsheba? Harry makes ten of that
boy on his worst day."
Bathsheba was laughing now. "Minerva!"
Minerva stood, flung down her napkin so hard it popped when it hit the plate, and stalked from the hall, children scattering from her path. The Professors waited until she had gone and then laughed out loud. Aurora shook her head. "See? I told you this was going to be a great seven years."
Poppey Pomfrey shook her head. "It's all fun and games till someone dies." Bathsheba clucked. "Don't be a spoilsport, Poppy. We'll be more vigilant." Filius nodded. "Good idea." H
Harry and the witches led Neville to their reading room, and Harry sat talking to Neville while Hermione got him Squib Squad guides. "Neville, you'll need to start doing physical training. A healthy body and mind lends itself to the growth of a healthy core. You can exercise with us in the mornings, but if you make the witches uncomfortable you'll have to go do it on your own, so no ogling.
"Now, read these guides that Hermione is giving you and then come here after classes and we'll do homework. Then we have dinner and come back here for an hour. After that you're free to study or practice on your own. Remember we have Quidditch practices too, so sometimes we'll have to change the schedule."
Neville nodded and then groaned as Hermione thunked down a stack of softbound guides. Harry continued, "Feel free to use the room, Neville, but the witches and I have a few things to do today. We'll see you for PT at seven tomorrow in the entry hall."
Neville nodded and opened the first guide. Harry and the witches studied for about an hour and then left Neville to it.
H
Sirius, a completely different looking Sirius compared to a week ago, sat in a wingback in his study. He was filled out and healthy looking. His hair--long, black, and just shot with a few gray hairs at the temples--was pulled into a ponytail, and he even had the beginnings of a tan. He still tired more easily than he should, but that was getting better too. He was as nervous as a teenager waiting for his first date, however.
Sirius wasn't the only changed thing around. The house was painfully clean, as was Kreature. The elf was decked out in the Black livery and now went about his job with verve and élan. Walburga assigned him jobs and moved from portrait to portrait throughout the house, supervising and directing. Oh, the house was still a bit dark, but it was no longer a hovel. All five magically expanded floors were freshly cleaned and papered or painted, and the floors were either polished to a high shine or covered in ornate silk rugs. A new elf, Lambert, had the huge formal back garden pruned and trimmed to the exacting standards of an English formal garden. The only plants that were even partially non-magical were the black roses, however.
Overall it was the very picture of an English noble's capitol townhouse. It was cold, though.
O
O
Somehow the house just did not lend itself to warmth and hominess.
Remus looked over at Sirius and chuckled. "He probably won't kill you, you know."
"He should! I'm the reason he was sent to those people!"
Remus rolled his eyes. "Which afforded him the opportunity to develop his magic and meet the girls. It made him what he is, and he knows it. He's liable to be your biggest supporter."
"The boy is crazy, then."
Remus had finally had enough. He withdrew his trunk from his pocket and put it on the floor. It expanded and he opened it. "Come on, Sirius. It's time."
"I changed my mind." "Sirius, don't make me Stun you."
Sirius levered himself from the chair and crossed the study. He peered into the trunk with great trepidation and Remus shoved him in.
"HEY! Ouch! Dammit, Remus!"
Remus went down the ladder with a smirk and led Sirius to the door. "Come on, you big baby."
"You pushed me down the ladder, Remus!"
"And if I hadn't you'd still be up there, Sirius," Remus tossed over his shoulder as he opened the door to the hall of doors. He led Sirius to the large double doors in the center of the right wall.
Sirius passed along the hall, reading name plates on doors. "Granger, Hermione Granger, Patil, Parvati Patil, Padma Patil. Hey Remus, what's with these doors?"
Remus laughed. "Harry is an interesting lad. He has this trunk, you see, that has all these other trunks attached to it--one hundred all together. You can walk through Harry's mansion trunk--the girls named it Camelot--to one of the girls' trunks which have two storerooms, a workroom, and a loft-type flat. Harry also put trunks at all his properties and gave the witches' families trunks, deploying a total of seventy-seven of the one hundred.
"The girls have sussed out the magic, and let me tell you, the spells that operate this and hold it all accessible in subspace--or perhaps null space--are amazingly simple but horrifically powerful.
"I heard some discussion about them creating spaces and portals of their own. I think Harry intends to connect a hub trunk to this one and create a null space connected by portals and give trunks to all the Muggleborn as soon as they appear in the register, then start teaching them and their families about magic. He thinks it will give them a safe place in case the Death Eaters start attacking them. He also outlined a plan to set up a shadow government and security apparatus in another connected hub trunk staffed with Muggleborns and Squibs. He thinks he...you don't really care, do you?"
"Oh no, Remus, it sounds really interesting, but can I just meet Harry first? I mean, before we subvert the world?"
Remus stopped in front of the double doors and pushed them open. "Welcome to Camelot, Sirius."
Sirius, like all first time-visitors looked around in awe. Remus chuckled and led him to the sitting room. He opened the door and grinned as he announced, "Lord Black to see Duke Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, et al."
Harry stood from the couch he was occupying with two Hermiones and strode purposefully to Sirius. "Lord Black, an honor to meet you finally. I have to thank you. You facilitated all this. Unintentionally, I'm told, but still. Lord Black!"
Sirius had gone to his knees and tears were streaming down his face. "Harry, I'm so sorry! I never should have given you to Hagrid. I should have fought him and taken you away."
Harry smiled; he had wanted to hear exactly this. He had wanted to confirm that he'd been tortured for seven years because of Dumbledore and Dumbledore alone. He already knew the story of what had happened that night; the Squib Squad and witch auxiliary had worried at it like a small dog with a large bone until the thing had unraveled.
Harry stepped forward and hugged his godfather. "You weren't to know Dumbledore is mad, Sirius. He played you as much as he played anyone. We'll make him pay, though."
Sirius rose and tightened his arms around Harry, and the Squibs and witches all pulled kerchiefs. Nym morphed to her normal self, with the addition of hot-pink hair she had taken to using lately. She walked up to the wizards and stopped a step behind and a step to the right of Hermione with her wand in her hand. Hermione handed Remus a conjured kerchief.
Remus didn't miss the fact that Nym had her wand in her hand, nor that nearly all the witches in the room were in the same posture. The Squibs were holding something curled in their palms. "Hermione, thank you for seeing us."
Hermione smiled at him and pulled at Harry's shirt. Harry stood, raising Sirius, and they all went to seats.
For the next two hours they discussed Harry's early life, with Sirius apologizing every other sentence for the first thirty minutes and furious for the next thirty. Sirius and Remus were amazed, Remus even though he had heard bits and pieces of this already. He had never heard the whole thing strung together. Lily and James watched silently from the desk frame on a side table of the couch. Sirius, very nearly overwhelmed, never noticed them.
H
Meanwhile, through the hall of doors, the families gathered at Potter Castle. As they waited in the formal sitting room, Lester Jones approached Peter Parkinson. "I hear you have a plan to secure Malfoy."
Peter blinked. Lester had always been abrupt, but this was unprecedented--and how the hell did he always know things like this? "I suggested a possibility to Lord Black."
Lester looked Peter in the eye. "Your possibility had better not interfere with my Megan's happiness. The coven and I would take a dim view of that."
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Peter nodded. "As would Pansy and her mother."
Lester nodded and walked away. Aidan Parkinson chuckled from behind Peter. "And so the war begins again. Oh well, peace was making us soft."
Peter turned to Aidan. "Are we doing the correct thing here?"
Aidan shrugged. "I'll await the plan before I make any judgments."
Lincoln McNair? tuned into the conversation and nodded. "Although I think the question is, are we doing the right thing by our daughters? I believe the answer to that is yes. Look at the Jones family: they fear nothing. I'd like to be in that position. I think Harry Potter represents our best chance."
Peter and Aidan nodded. Aidan asked, "And when a Death Eater daughter is involved finally?"
Peter shrugged. "We'll have to wait and see. I don't know of any Death Eaters who have daughters, though." The other two men reviewed their memories. They could not remember any either.
Across the large room the wives gathered around. Melba Jones looked at Louisa Parkinson. "Well?"
"I'm taking lessons from him. He's massively powerful and completely ruthless," Louisa responded with glowing eyes. All the mothers knew who she was talking about.
Melba smiled. "Lessons in what, exactly?"
Louisa looked distant for a moment. "Oh my, wouldn't that be fun? No, though, just dueling. He really is only really interested in Hermione. Well, interested enough to pursue her. The others have to come after him."
Melba frowned. "So how is this going to work with Narcissa?"
Louisa laughed. "I hope she likes being dominated by witches. If not, she'll walk away with her baby and never be back. Well, no more than the contract Hermione and the girls force her into will require. Hermione will move to establish dominance of her early, and Harry will back her up all the way."
Melba nodded. "I just wonder if Hermione can do it, though."
Louisa snorted. "Harry's taught her that bizarre wild magic technique of his. Narcissa won't know what hit her. She'll be servicing Hermione the whole time she's getting her belly full."
Melba laughed. "Louisa! So crude!" Louisa arched a brow. "You think I am wrong?"
Melba shook her head. "Oh no. One way or another Narcissa is going to know who her mistress is. Can Harry kill Malfoy?"
Louisa shrugged. "Physically? Very easily. He wasn't even working hard and had me down in seconds. That wild magic of his is nearly unblockable. I've beaten Lucius five years in a row on the dueling stage. Mentally, I don't know. He appears to not care about anyone unless they threaten the
witches or the girls. If they do that they're warned, punished lightly, and then punished hard. No one has tried a fourth time yet. Lucius duels dirty, though, and that might set Harry off."
Emma Granger cleared her throat. "As much as I hate this, Lucius and Harry have already had a run-in. Harry considers him a bully and hates him. This forced breeding of Narcissa and its attendant theft of what Harry will view as his child will no doubt make Harry hunt Lucius down and kill him, if for no other reason than to get the child back. How did the wizarding world get this way?"
Melba sighed and shook her head. "Too much power. The wizards with power think they should rule the world--well, most of them. Lester would happily tinker in the basement forever if left to his own devices.
"I couldn't see my friends abused, though, and we--well, he stopped the first one's suitor from mistreating her, and Bob's your uncle. Before I knew it we had forty witches in the coven and all of them hot for my Lester.
"One night the original witch, my best friend, got a little too familiar and, well, I just took control of her. By morning she'd gotten what she wanted and I had found out I enjoyed Lester using her. It just snowballed from there. Now we have a core coven of twenty-eight; some other witches have moved on and married and started families, but they remain in the coven."
Emma nodded. "Almost exactly like Harry: all by accident, and then Hermione was the catalyst for the sex."
Melba nodded. "Much earlier than us, though. I was fifteen and Lester sixteen."
Anna Abbot nodded. "It's the Muggle-born. They reach sexual maturity earlier; well, if you consider sexual maturity a regular menstrual cycle. Most witches don't get regular until fourteen to sixteen. Muggles and Muggle-born witches can start as early as nine, and most reach regularity by thirteen. No one knows why."
"Melba, can we expect them to keep adding witches?" Patricia Bell asked.
Melba thought for a moment. "If Harry has made the wizards where they're afraid of him enough that they'll stay in control, then no. I bet they'll go a few years and then add another slug of witches as the wizards will grow over-bold and have to be reminded.
"Once Harry is out of school they probably won't add any more other than sisters or cousins from the extended clan, Patricia. Although if the war heats up again you could add some widows to that."
Charlotte Greengrass sighed. "Why are we all so convinced this war's not over?"
Amelia Bones raised a brow. "Slytherins! No body of the half-blood Tom Marvolo Riddle who styled himself Lord Voldemort, and the senior Death Eaters were let right off the hook by Dumbledore and the Ministry. That did it for me."
Charlotte chuckled. "And here I remembered you were a Hufflepuff, Amelia. You've gone all over Gryffindor."
"Phhht! Harry mentioned a few things in passing and the story jelled for me. I went and
investigated; turns out Harry was right," Amelia supplied.
Charlotte nodded. "Yes, he is. We--Aidan? and I--watched it all unfold last time and remembered. We were amazed that the population of wizarding Britain seemed to forget right away after 'Riddle', as you all call him, was killed or whatever that was that happened to him. The Lestranges were the only senior Death Eaters to be convicted, and all because they refused to acknowledge the loss."
Emma Granger sighed. "So it's everyone's opinion this isn't over?" She got nods all around and sighed.
H
Back at Camelot, Harry stood and raised Hermione. He turned to Sirius and grinned. "Come on, Sirius, let's get you into the castle so you can talk to Mum and Dad."
Sirius nodded and followed Harry. He already had a shrunken trunk in his pocket and had been keyed to it. The group left Camelot and went through the door marked Potter Castle. They climbed out. Sirius went last and Harry, laughing at Sirius' consternation at being stuck to the floor of the entry hall, said, "Lord Black, welcome to Potter Castle. You are welcome any time."
The wards looked Sirius over and he distinctly heard them groan. "Hey, I've grown up! And I never broke anything on purpose."
The wards grudgingly accepted him and Harry led the way through the formal sitting room and introduced Sirius around. Lastly he brought him to the landscape that James and Lily used in that room. "I rather think you need no introduction to these two?"
"Prongs! Lily Flower." "Don't you Lily Flower me, Sirius Orion Black! Hermione, sting him!"
"But Lily, it's been eleven years--and I brought Harry back eventually! How can you still be mad? OWWW! Hermione!"
"Still? I'm mad for the first time, you dunderhead. Remus just told us about it the other day. I was painted before your brains dribbled out your ears," Lily shouted.
Sirius shot Remus a wounded look. Harry, meanwhile, had sidled up next to Lester Jones. "Lester, do you have a minute?"
Lester looked at the foursome in the front of the crowd. Apparently they had settled and no more entertainment was forthcoming. "Sure, Harry, but let's not go far. Black will say something stupid in a minute and Lily will have Hermione torture him some more."
Harry grinned. "Was he always like this?" Lester nodded. "He's not the only Black Gryffindor for nothing, Harry."
Harry walked over to a corner and waved a silencing dome into place. Lester poked it with his wand. "Oh, that's very nice, Harry."
O
"Thanks, Lester. I can hear Hermione's thoughts." Lester whistled. "Can you really? Plain as day, or do you read her feelings, Harry?"
"I think it started as reading her feelings. I can read most of their feelings. All of them if I'm touching them, but I can hear Hermione now as clearly as you, Lester."
Lester arched a brow and whistled again. "Well, that was damn quick. Took me and Melba about five years to hear each other, and I still have to touch most of them to read them. The ones you can read without touching, you'll probably eventually hear them and they you, too. I have two others besides Melba I hear like that now."
Harry sighed and Lester laughed. "Come on, lad, it's not so bad. Makes it easier, really. You know what she wants, and she you."
Harry looked at him. "Poor Hermione, though. Sometimes I think really evil things."
Lester really laughed now. "Oh son, you have so much to learn. You just think your thoughts are evil. Wait until someone makes your Hermione really mad. Or scares her badly, or threatens her family. Those thoughts will scare you. The really scary part is that you can see how close she'll be to acting on them."
In another corner Melba was looking at Hermione. "Hearing him already, then?"
Hermione blushed. Melba laughed. "Yes, it's a wonder they get dressed thinking about sex all the time like that. You'll want to be careful though, Hermione. Remember those thoughts you had about ripping the tits off of the girls in your middle school who tortured you? Well, now he can hear them. You don't want to scare him too badly." Hermione's blush was now epic. She hadn't actually thought of ripping their tits off. Setting their pubic hair on fire, sure, but she got the point.
Melba chuckled. "You and your man did that really fast. You'll want to pay attention to the women he can feel without touching. They will become your core group. At least that's how it worked with Lester and me. He'll eventually hear them too, and you through him. It can make the bedroom a fun place but it can also amplify anger and hurt feelings. You'll have to work on it. Just be easy with each other until you get used to it and pay attention to what he says out loud, too. Sometimes you have to ignore his little voice. They ignore their little voices most of the time."
Hermione smiled. "Thank you, Melba." "No worries, dear. Glad to help where I can."
Harry and the others were chased back home or off to school shortly thereafter and the adults got down to serious talking and a little drinking.
They all heard and had reached a tentative agreement on a slightly modified "Malfoy action plan". The modifications were all semantics, though, no substance at all. It was agreed to have Eliza review and talk to the others in Harry's coven. Then Harry and Hermione would be told of it next week. The adults left and settled back in their homes and the children all settled at school. Harry settled in the broom closet Hermione pushed him and Mandy Brocklehurst into for a few hours. Hermione hummed and watched and bossed a little.