Chapter Twelve
Fair is foul, and foul is fair
The parents of the Coven watched in awe as Harry destroyed training dummy after training dummy in the training hall in Potter Castle. The poor things never stood a chance, even with the girls controlling them. It was the evening of the fourth of June and the parents had been attracted to the hall by a series of rumbling explosions. They still didn't know what had happened as they hadn't been able to speak to Harry or any of the Coven yet.
Finally Sirius stepped up to Harry. "So, rough day, Pup?"
Harry froze for a second and then rolled on the ground laughing. The parents watched with concern. Emma looked at Hermione and raised a brow. Hermione threw a silencing dome over Harry and explained what had happened. During her thirty-minute explanation Hermione and the Coven folded into seats Indian-style on the mats and Harry managed to get control of himself. He waved the silencing dome away and was surprised to find the adults and Coven chuckling. James looked down at him from the landscape on the wall. "So it was a big day, then."
Harry's eye-roll drew more chuckles and the parents either conjured chairs or sat on the floor Indian-style. Eliza spoke from her position behind Harry. "Dumbledore no doubt thinks Nym is the Matriarch. He'll move to pressure her to use her to control you, Harry."
Harry nodded and Aidan Greengrass rubbed his hands together. "Wouldn't that be grand? Surely he can't be that daft, though."
Harry shrugged. "I think he assumes it. We can do several things to further that belief."
Nicholas Flamel spoke from a chintz armchair. "It would play to his suspicions. He has mentioned that he believes a witch was responsible for the injuries to the wizards at Hogwarts. Nym is fairly powerful and now feels even more so since she is fully bound to her lord. If he doesn't look too hard he would assume it's all her. He was never bonded, so he won't know."
Harry leant over and took Nym's hand in his and covered her sigil. He thought hard and released his magic. He removed his hand and Nym was now wearing a duplicate of the Potter Matriarch's ring. "That's more along the line of what I was thinking."
Nym sat frowning. "Where's my ring, though?"
Harry rolled his eyes and everyone else chuckled. Nym huffed. "So I have to impersonate Hermione and take instructions from the old coot?"
"Hey!" Nym looked apologetically at Hermione. "That didn't come out quite right." Harry shrugged. "We will then do our best to make it appear as if we're following you like good
blackmail victims."
Lincoln McNair? grinned. "All the while building layers of our own organization and looking for Dumbledore and the Ministry's weaknesses."
Augusta nodded. "But Neville is all right?"
Harry smiled. "Physically and magically exhausted. A few minor cuts and bruises. He'll be in hospital for few days. Ron, too. They did well making it through all those traps, though."
Frank looked at Harry. "You realize that was probably Voldemort possessing Quirrell, and you just showed him your magic."
Remus frowned. "So short an exposure probably wouldn't allow him time to formulate a counter, but we should avoid more exposure if possible. If you fight any Death Eaters or Dark sympathizers you can't leave them alive, Harry."
Ella Caldwell snorted. "Like he would anyway--well, not with their memories intact."
Harry grinned at her and nodded. "So the consensus is that we're okay, the plan still goes ahead, we let the 'pure-bloods' who won't align with us fight it out with the Dark and then swoop in, knock off the winner, and pick up the pieces?"
Lily winced in her portrait. "Do you have to put it like that, Harry?" H
For the next fortnight Dumbledore tried to find Nymphadora alone. Every time he thought he had DONE so the boy appeared from nowhere. Finally he had sighed and asked Harry if he might speak to Nymphadora alone.
"It's Tonks. She doesn't like her given name, and after her NEWTs...."
Dumbledore drew himself up and found himself frozen again. Harry smirked at him and led Nym away.
Harry was having great fun. Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw and took the Quidditch Cup on the sixth. Oliver was stunned and then ecstatic. The party in the Gryffindor tower went on for two days. The Ravenclaws were amused to be invited and attended in large numbers.
On the eighth of June at the end of year feast Dumbledore, eyes in full twinkle, gave Neville and Ron fifty points apiece for courage and skill and Harry twenty-five points for being a "friend" in time of need. Gryffindor supplanted Ravenclaw for the House Cup. Harry rolled his eyes, got together with the Coven, applied his money to their plan, and threw a party in the Ravenclaw tower for the real House Cup winners and invited all the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and his Slytherin who felt the same way. Neville showed up but Ron didn't. Filius and his 'Claws were in love. Cho was very definitely interested in the Gryffinpuff, as she had taken to calling Harry.
The Coven studied like mad, the fifth and seventh years who were still taking OWLs and NEWTs never flagging in their efforts one bit. The Coven members and Professors who tutored were in awe of Harry and Hermione's drive and determination.
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On the eleventh all the other exam results came out and Coven Members placed first through however many Coven members were in that year in second through fourth and sixth forms and first through eleventh in first year with Harry and Hermione tied in first place. Harry and Hermione were well pleased and the school, staff, and Magical Education Authority were stunned.
NEWTs and OWLs finally finished on the nineteenth, and Albus sent for Nymphadora. She arrived in his office and sat in the chair in front of his desk, resisting the urge to put her feet up on it. She had to appear sufficiently cowed but not too much. Mother and Narcissa had played this scenario with her endlessly. It had been nearly as bad as NEWTs. Of course, it all went straight to hell the first time Dumbledore opened his mouth. "Ah, Nymphadora."
Albus blinked in surprise when his office door opened and Harry strode in. "Are you daft, old man? You've been told it's Tonks and that she doesn't like her given name."
Albus was suddenly on his back foot and came out swinging. "Ah, Mr Potter, I don't believe you were invited."
Harry deflected the jab and returned an uppercut. "Stupid, I think--willfully so, even. Look at her left hand, Dumbledore."
Albus blinked as his ire came up but he looked and stopped. Nymphadora--erm, Tonks--was wearing the Potter Matriarch's ring. He snapped his eyes to Harry's left hand and sank back in his chair when he saw the Potter ring. Harry smiled. "Yes, well, we'll wait while you reformulate your blackmail attempt."
Albus winced. "You are not a normal boy, are you, Harry?"
"Something you'd know if you'd ever bothered to check on me in that hell you stuck me in, Dumbledore."
"Harry, I had to. Your mother cast some kind of ancient magic during that encounter with Voldemort." Albus noticed neither of the young people even flinched. "You had to be left with your blood relatives for your protection, as did Mr Longbottom."
Harry smiled grimly. "So it was just the luck of the draw that mine turned out to be monsters who thought torturing a child great sport, then."
"Surely, Harry--"
Harry cut Dumbledore off. "You don't know and you never will, Dumbledore. I suppose I should thank you. Like Tom Marvolo Riddle, you've made me what I am."
Dumbledore blanched and reached for his wand. Harry laughed. "So easy, Dumbledore. Were you a Hufflepuff, perchance? If you try that I'll fight you, as will my Coven and their parents. Do you really wish to divide the wizarding world when Riddle is so desperate to get a body back? I have no intention of 'going Dark'. I find myself desiring about a hundred little green-eyed children, and I know the attendant risk of the so-called Dark magics and rituals."
Albus sat very still for a moment. "So you will work with me?"
Harry smiled. "Perhaps a Gryffindor after all. That was very blunt. If our goals coincide and you've provided me with enough information, I might."
Albus frowned. "Your little Coven can't be much help, I'm sure. All but the Matriarch are still in school."
Nym finally took an opening she had practiced for and they hoped would present itself. "Perhaps you're right. We'll just go our separate ways, then." Narcissa had planned for Harry stomping on Dumbledore; this was the minimize-and-drop-under-the-radar plan.
Dumbledore wasn't biting. "But as they, say every little bit helps." He was suddenly feeling confident again. She was not so sure and she was the elder. She probably had the better idea of what was really going on. "I would be tempted to allow your Coven to continue to function if you would guarantee your support to me."
Harry?
Like he could stop us anyway. Fine, Nym, I've told him the truth. He's too stupid to see it and use it. He wants his delusions. It worked out just about like we'd planned. Remember: "I swear to support you with any coven of which I am Matriarch."
Nym nearly snorted but managed to control herself.
Harry didn't say another word during the next hour of negotiations and only stood looking displeased when Nym gave her oath to Dumbledore. Harry's sour face pleased Dumbledore no end.
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Saturday the twentieth was another long, interesting ride on the Express in another compartment magically expanded by Harry. Pansy took the opportunity to piss off Hermione and get completely dominated again. The last thing she said before she went to sleep, completely exhausted, was, "I love trains!"
The group met Hermione's parents, Remus, Sirius, and the Squibs on the platform after Harry's terse exchange of greetings with Lucius Malfoy and a hate-filled glare from Narcissa. Narcissa would apologize profusely on Monday in Camelot while Harry and Hermione congratulated her for a superb acting job and Hermione milked her again. Narcissa was really enjoying that. Well, that and her "breedings".
Harry stepped off the bus at Privet Hell and trooped into the house. Vernon lifted him off his feet just inside the door and found himself with second degree burns from fingertips to elbows. Harry laid down the law to all three of them. He would go to his room. The door would be sealed. They would not open it. He would see them on the way out of the house on September first. Harry turned, went upstairs, waved a Healing charm at Vernon, who was heading into shock, and disappeared into his room. He warded the door and one window so hard he was fairly certain Dumbledore couldn't get through, put the trunk in the floor, opened it and took Hedwig's cage, and disappeared inside the trunk. This needed more thought. Sure, it seemed to fool Dumbledore while they were at Hogwarts; he'd never tumbled to the fact that twenty-odd students were out of the castle sometimes, but why? Also, being emancipated, did he really care? Sure, it kept him off the radar, but really!
The Durselys sat in the living room listening for noises; after an hour or so of hearing nothing they relaxed. Dudley looked at his father. "So I have to do the chores, then?"
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Vernon snapped, "What was your first clue, moron?" Dudley fled outside in tears and Petunia started shrieking like a Banshee.
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Lily watched the memory of Harry and Nym's encounter with Dumbledore play in the solicitor's Pensieve again and shook her head. "He must have had a stroke. I remember him being much smarter than that."
Peter Parkinson laughed first, but it soon became general. A shrill scream was heard and Louisa shook her head. "I know they have to let off steam, but really! Pansy is completely dehabilitated and the rest seem to think it's a good plan."
Clarissa Bulstrode shrugged. "They're playing in the pool outside."
Sirius barked a laugh. "Yes, well, I'm not going near the windows. I don't want to see that 'playing' too closely."
Clarence Bulstrode looked over from the window "No, really, they are playing. Nothing sexual at all, like kids really." The windows and a landscape that looked out of one of them were soon filled with parental faces beaming down at the splash war that was apparently intended to empty the pool.
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Tuesday the twenty-third of June found Harry with a smile apparently permanently affixed to his face, lying out in the back garden of the castle and working on his tan after he had DONE his physical training for the day. Sirius walked up. "I'd grin like that too if Charity would wear two thimbles and a string."
"Oi! Ogle your own, dog!" The Coven members, all laid out on the grass, rolled over chuckling. It had been a running battle between Harry and Sirius since school let out. Harry accused Sirius of ogling and Sirius ogled. The Coven took a perverse joy in teasing him. Charity was not amused.
Hermione pushed herself up on her elbows and Sirius rolled over on his belly and turned his head as her untied top stayed on the towel, Hermione had a respectable pair of milky white breasts capped with crinkly, hard pink nipples. "Hermione! Honey, you aren't quite a little girl any more."
Hermione beamed at the back of his head. "Thanks, Dogfather! Harry, we want to go shopping!" "Go ahead, Ne." "With you, Harry." "You've had it now, pup. Just say yes." Sirius grinned.
Harry chuckled. "What do we want to shop with me for, Ne?" "This and that, Harry."
James piped up from the silver desk frame on the grass near Harry. "Toss in the towel, son. Just go."
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Harry grinned. "You wouldn't say that if you knew how much money thirty-five young women can get through shopping for this and that."
"Phhht, what fun is making it if you don't spend it?" Lily leaned over and pecked James on the cheek.
Harry just smiled. "I'll go, but you all owe me." The girls' heads all came up and they had gleams in their eyes.
Sirius covered his eyes. "Mush alert!" Charity slapped him in the back of the head. "Wizards!" H
Later, Harry was standing in a shop that sold magical glasses, looking around at what new charms had been developed. There was a thermal vision charm that Harry tested with his cloak and a mirror. The charm saw right through the cloak. There was also a new magical sight charm that let you see magical objects. It had a zoom capability that let you zoom in on the different charms of a multiply charmed object. Harry nodded and put the charmed test glasses back. He turned around and left the shop.
Elizabeth Hutchins, sixteen-year-old Squib, put down her Omnioculars and looked at her witch partner, Kristen Thomas. "He liked those glasses."
Kristen nodded. "Come on, I'll copy the charms." The pair slipped into the store. Everywhere Harry went in the Alley, pairs of Coven members who he didn't hear unless he was in contact with them watched and then followed him into stores.
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On Saturday the twenty-seventh of June Emma Granger towed Hermione away from Harry and into a bedroom of Potter Castle, where they were all staying. She stripped Hermione and looked at her critically. Hermione finally gathered her wits. "Mother! What on earth has gotten into you?"
Emma sighed. "I've been looking at you--well, you all--and I couldn't put my finger on what it was until today. You're thick."
"Beg pardon?"
Emma ignored her daughter and put one hand on her back and one on her belly. "Mother!"
"Does Harry like this, Hermione? I mean this hard body of yours? There's nothing soft about you."
"Uh, he seems to, Mother. Why?"
"How are you planning on having babies? Do you even have any body fat? Your period has stopped, hasn't it?"
Hermione blushed furiously and Emma looked at her. "You're addicted to the endorphins from the exercise, aren't you? You're doing, what, five hard hours a day, or you have been since you've been
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home. You're a real fitness freak, in the addicted sense."
Hermione shrugged her mother's hands off and Emma looked at her daughter's now tear-streaked face. "Oh baby, I'm sorry. I'm not saying you don't look good or that you're unattractive. Quite the contrary, you and the others are stunning and these tans you're acquiring just make it even better. Unfortunately, there are some complications to being addicted to exercise for females of childbearing age, especially growing ones."
Emma pulled Hermione into a hug and Hermione wrapped her arms around her mother. "So what do we do, Mum? We need to be strong for Harry and our magic, but I do want to have children someday."
Emma smiled. "You have years to worry about it, I hope. Why don't we talk to Gwenog? She's a witch and in great shape. I'm sure she has some ideas. In the mean time, ease up on your exercise a little and don't be so restrictive on your intake."
Hermione tried her "look over her shoulder and down her back" thing again. "Will I get a butt like Lavender, then? Harry really likes her butt."
"I like yours more, Hermione."
"Aiiie!"
"Eeeek! Harry! You aren't supposed to be listening."
Harry held his hands up in surrender and backed away from the door. Emma and Hermione were both posed with hands on hips. Neither appeared to realize Hermione was stark naked.
Emma put her hand on her chest after Hermione waved the door closed. "How do you stand that? I'd kill your father."
Hermione giggled. "I wonder more how he stands it. There are lots more of us. Occlumency helps, although if he really wants to he can just dig out what he wants, but so far he never has, at least on us. He roots around in other people's heads fairly regularly."
Emma sighed and looked at Hermione. "Let me get a camera. I want some pictures before we ruin this little hardbody."
"Wizarding camera, Mother. I don't want the fellows at the chemist ogling me." Hermione went back to trying to look at her butt. Emma walked toward the door just in time to meet Padma, Susan, Daphne, and Nym on the way in with a camera.
Harry went to the bedroom, put his Occlumency walls up, and cleared his mind as the hen party proceeded.
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Sunday the fifth of July found them all at a Harpies exhibition game. Afterwards Harry was dragged into the locker room, where the Coven was stripped and evaluated by the training staff and Harry was given a look at what extremely fit but fully healthy witches should look like. The Harpies apparently had decided to use the opportunity to perhaps attract some of his attention. They had liked Gwenog's plan. Harry was speechless, once they pried his hands off his eyes.
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Hermione laughed and took him home after arranging for visits to the castle from the Harpies' trainers.
Sirius asking for the Pensieve memory seemed to be the last straw for Charity Burbage. She wasn't really even disappointed. Sirius was fun but not really serious relationship material.
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Saturday the eleventh of July found Harry in a hammock out in the back garden after lunch contemplating life. It was good. He smiled; well, grinned really.
Mum was excited about some preliminary work on the Lycanthropy/vampirism virus. It turned out they had the same parent virus. The college-age Squibs and some of the witches were very excited about this. Who knew vampire saliva was a potion ingredient or that you could pull the virus from it? Well, of course, that was where it had to come from to infect the victims; but still, a potion ingredient?
The first-born--Harry had decided "Muggle" was not a term he was prepared to use--first years were coming along nicely in the classes over in the first-born government trunk. Emma was enjoying Saturday classes--errh, seminars, she called them--with the first-born and Coven parents.
Collin Creevey and his brother Dennis were still awed. Harry still thought the pictures of their faces Parvati had taken while he dueled Perenelle were hilarious, cartoon-like even, all bulging eyes and gaping mouths. Hmmm, they still followed him with their eyes whenever he was near. Something to be cautious of; how could they be so enamored of him while Nicholas was teaching them?
Mrs Creevey was a demon with a Dial-A-Spell? and a hell of a potion brewer. Maybe she was a Squib? They should look into an employment offer for her--hell, for all the parents and siblings that didn't have jobs. They needed the labor, and now that Amelia had given them all cards identifying them as parents or siblings of magical persons, they were employable in magical firms. That Squib thing was worth looking into--maybe a curriculum for them and then a job offer.
The manufacturing facilities in Knockturn were running at maximum capacity, twenty-four hours a day, and the managers of the product lines wanted more space and more workers. The Blacks had some buildings across the street. Lester and Sirius were looking at converting them. Dad and Daphne seemed to be constantly together, along with some of the other parents, and they were happily taking over the commercial world or trying to. Daphne had started making Dial-A-Spells? out of semiprecious stones and charging ridiculous amounts for them. The Dark pure-bloods were snapping them up.
Oh, and Sirius had met his match in Magda Ivanova, an international playing for the Harpies. She was just as childish as he was. It was a match made in heaven, apparently. They had been circling each other since the Harpies came over Monday; the pranks and body gags were flying. Hey, wasn't that supposed to be just the trainers that came over?
Do they bother you, Harry? No, Ne. Didn't think so.
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Harry rolled his eyes, knowing Hermione felt it.
More importantly, perhaps, Evangeline Harris and Magda were thick as thieves. Harry chuckled. The Marauders were obviously outclassed. Hmmm, wonder how long they'll last before the witches afix their brands? Harry felt his girls smile. They all looked to their brands on their left ring fingers.
Professors McGonagall?, Sprout, Sinistra, Babbling, Vector, Longbottom, and Flitwick, as well as Madam Pomfrey, were delighted to come tutor two days a week and had been glad to expand that to teaching the basics to the first-born. Splitting the cost earned the teachers a nice bit of coin and kept the cost from being prohibitive for any student. They had also accepted the loyalty oaths immediately. Harry was seeing some small success with both the Occlumency and the wandless magic. Kids seemed to pick up the wandless stuff really fast when Harry goaded them into accidental magic and then, after he apologized, told them to remember how it felt.
So all in all life is good right now. Hope it stays this way. I haven't had it this good since, well, ever!
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At Longbottom Manor Neville penned invitations to his birthday party on the thirtieth. Harry, of course; the Coven, too; Ron, Dean, and Seamus. Then of course his father's list of Auror friends and Grandmother's list of political contacts, the GOL--Grand Old Ladies, Dad called them. Neville was pleased. This would be the first year the majority of the people invited would be from his own list. Harry just had to accept. Neville hadn't been able to talk to him much before school let out, but he and Ron owed him their lives, no question. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? would certainly have killed him--them--if Harry hadn't come along. Dad thought it was an old vassal bond working on Harry but Neville hoped that wasn't all. He hoped it was that Harry was his friend, too.
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At the Burrow a visiting Charlie was regaled with stories about both Boys-Who-Lived? by the twins and Ron. Ginny listened, fascinated. Arthur discounted half of the stories as tall tales; but still, even at half this Harry Potter was massively powerful and very determined. The twins seemed very happy about him, less so about Longbottom. Ron, of course, seemed the opposite. In fact, from what the twins said, even though young Harry had saved Ron and Neville, Ron obviously carried a grudge for some reason.
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Albus Dumbledore pulled his head from the Pensieve and looked at Alastor Moody. Moody grunted, "The lass hopes to be an Auror?"
Albus nodded. "With her NEWTs she will be, too. She took twelve and her lowest grade was an E."
Alastor blinked. "Twenty-four NEWTs? The Unspeakables will talk to her during her first week of training."
Albus beamed. "And I'll have a hook in the Department of Mysteries at last. You saw the oath." Alastor nodded. "I wouldn't get too excited. Horace is no dummy. He'll find a way around that if he
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wants her bad enough. And she's a full Metamorph, too? Aye, Horace will work long and hard on that."
"I'm not worried, Alastor." "You never are." H
Riddle hopped out onto the edge of the road at the peak of the curve and took two long hops. The white Ford van hit him just as he was bunching for the third and last and he cursed luridly as his disincorporated form drifted nearly helplessly away from the road-killed rabbit that had been his latest host. Again, bloody Muggles and their automobiles!
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Severus Snape, Potions Master--no, Severus Snape, youngest Potions Master in history, much better--would not yield to these puny creatures. His Occlumency shields had held against both the light and the Dark Lords. Snape mustered his haughtiest stare and surveyed his current kingdom. The Half Blood Prince sneered at his filthy six-foot by six-foot cell. They would never break him!
The jailer observed from the bars and laughed. "Who's your lover, Snape?" The laughter grew loud as Snape remembered telling the interrogators his most feared question and then they had made him answer. They had laughed and then asked him again and again. The everlasting shame of having to admit it was Dumbledore because of a thrice-damned potion he might have brewed himself was unbearable.
The jailer felt the cold and beat a hasty retreat. The boys seemed hungry today.
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Sunday the nineteenth of July found Harry in the air Seeking for the Lions of Gryffindor against the Harpies. The Lions were getting slaughtered. Harry was loving it. This was a whole different style of play. Seekers breaking up plays, Chasers helping Seekers, it was great! The girls were loving it too. Oliver looked as if he would cry. Harry flew by. "Oliver, cheer up, man! You're having your ass handed to you by the best looking witches in the game!"
Oliver's retort of "Alicia, Angelina, and Katie aren't shooting at me, Harry!" drew ooohs and awwhs, then a flurry of viciously fast Quaffles from the Harpies' Chasers. Harry laughed until Magda flew by nearly on the Snitch. He yelped and took off after her.
Later the players all sat around the pitch while the coaches critiqued their performance. The Harpies squirmed just as much as the Lions as the coaches ripped them, too.
Later, while the trainers scuffled over who got to rub Harry down, Hermione talked to Harry in their heads. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie are going to reward Oliver for that comment.
They should, Ne, that was totally sincere. I don't know why Alicia isn't after him already. Because he's a Quidditch freak, Harry. Sure, she likes the game and enjoys playing, but really! Daphne? You think? Oh Merlin, this witch can rub a wizard. Harry groaned loud and long.
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The trainers smiled as Marilyn Compton, the trainer who'd won the toss, blushed and the Potter witches giggled.
Back at Potter Castle toward evening, Harry and Hermione lay in Harry's favorite hammock. Hermione was using both forefingers to turn his grin into a frown and giggling every time she let go and it popped right back up. The Coven was scattered around the lawn near them. Hermione took her fingers away and propped her chin on his chest. "So no more fighting over the girls--well, no more resisting, rather?"
Harry looked down into her eyes. "Didn't do any good. They're happy, you're happy. I'm ecstatic, so...." He shrugged. "The parents seem adjusted. Dumbledore thinks he's in control. Daphne is making oodles and gobs of money. Meh, life is good."
Hermione smiled and snuggled closer. "'Meh', Harry?" Harry rolled her under himself. "Meh!"
The Coven laughed as Hermione shrieked and laughed and then they heard, "Meh meh meh, faster! Mehmmmmmm!"
Emma Granger smiled and moved to turn away from the window where she was watching the writhing, lumpy hammock and found herself pinned to the windowsill, with her husband pressed to her ass and his chin on her shoulder. Emma smiled and wriggled. Dan grunted, then asked, "So we're all right with this, then?"
Emma frowned, puzzled. "Well, yes; actually I always have been."
Dan blinked, then laughed. "Good to know, but I thought so. I meant that, though, the lumpy hammock out there."
Emma chuckled and leant back. "You know I am, Dan. She's madly in love and he is too. She isn't even prodding him to do anything with the others any more. Melba was right, they've settled right in. It's odd, but as Harry says, they are happy." She shrugged.
Dan nodded, still watching the hammock writhe. "You know, that's where that saying came from, 'shake a leg'--it was originally 'show a leg'. Bosuns used to yell it so they knew which hammock not to dump out on the deck when waking sailors in the messes. Those kids weren't much older than these."
Emma spun in Dan's arms. "I don't need more justification, Dan. I told you, they're in love." "Maybe I need some more, Emma. I don't have your woman--much less mommy--skills."
Emma's eyes sparkled. "Come on, let's see if you can get some through osmosis." She dragged him off by the hand.
Lily got the same sparkle and dragged James out of the frame in which they had stood quietly, watching.
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Neville was having a great day. He was currently mounted on a brand new Nimbus 2000, chasing Harry hopelessly but with great determination. Harry, of course, was right behind the Snitch and the rest of Neville's list of guest were all mounted on brooms playing with the three sets of Quidditch balls he had received. Frank and Augusta's guests watched from the ground and laughed and shook their heads.
Alastor Moody stood watching the group of children and keeping his own counsel. Dumbledore was an idiot. Tonks might be in the boy's inner circle, she might even be committed to the boy for her whole life; but the Granger girl was without question the Matriarch. Why couldn't Dumbledore see the ring on her finger? Sure, the one Tonks wore looked just like it, but there was no mistaking which one was the real thing, at least not to his little eye, so there was only one possibility. The ancient charms on those rings the girl and Potter were wearing didn't trust Albus. This bore watching. The Potters had been the champions of the light for the last eight hundred years. If that House didn't trust Albus, then he shouldn't be trusted at all. Perhaps the boy had DONE something to those rings. Alastor nodded. He would keep his own counsel and watch this develop.
Griselda Marchbanks watched Tonks flash by and then turned to Augusta. "A Coven? Complete with Warlock, the Duke Potter, last of the ancient and noble house, and you're hosting them, Augusta? You've been holding out on us, you naughty witch!"
"They saved Neville, Griselda, from himself and then from what had to be Riddle's spirit inhabiting the Quirrell boy. Duke Potter has asked for nothing in return. My family has suffered enough. Alice is half mad and Frank lost a leg! I will answer his call. The Longbottoms do not forget their friends nor their obligations!"
Griselda blinked, then smiled. "So you have to introduce us to Duke Potter, Augusta. We'll need to be in on the ground floor, so to speak, if we want good seats to watch Albus being tortured."
Augusta smirked. "Why Griselda, why would you think His Grace intends to torture Albus?"
"Because Nymphadora Tonks--who took twenty-four NEWTs, by the way, more than Albus--is wearing a ring that looks remarkably like the one the Granger girl is wearing."
Augusta blanched. Griselda laughed "Did you forget who most of the light are vassal to, Augusta? Most of us are not foresworn by oaths to Albus, self proclaimed Lord of the Light, Dumbledore."
Horace Heath stopped near Frank. "The witch with the pink hair is Nymphadora Tonks?"
Frank eyed Horace. "Already, Horace? We haven't even got her in training, and it's Tonks unless you want to offend her. She really doesn't like her given name."
"Twenty-four NEWTs, Frank? Sure, not all with Os, but still."
Frank laughed. "And you'll get around her oaths to her lord how?"
Horace smiled. "I was actually thinking we wouldn't."
Frank laughed. "When he lands and if the opportunity presents itself I'll introduce you. This should be fun."
Horace's smile froze.
Harry looked around and smiled. He reached forward and snatched the Snitch out of the air, ending the game, and flew down to the ground. Neville joined him and they all folded into seats right on the lawn. Neville smiled at Harry. "This is the best birthday ever, Harry. Thanks for coming. Thanks for that book, too." Harry had presented Neville with a grimoire of spells including all the Light to Grey power-increasing rituals.
Harry laughed. "You try keeping girls away from a party, Neville. Thank the girls for the book, too. I helped, but they did most of it. Remember that with practice you can do all of those. There are some blank pages in the back for any others you find or when you're older."
Neville looked at Lavender, sitting next to him, and blushed. Lavender smiled and chuckled.
Ron Weasley mocked Harry behind his back and turned into a chicken again. The group laughed uproariously. Fred looked at George. "How is he such a prat? I mean, he's our brother."
George shrugged. "So is Percy. Mum must have been ill for those two." The two turned back to chicken-Ron and he was suddenly a wizard again. "Why, you--" George just raised a brow, and Ron quieted.
Neville recovered and led the kids off for some of Florian Fortescue's excellent ice cream. Frank called out to Harry on the way by. "Harry, Duke Potter, I would like you to meet Horace Heath. He heads the Unspeakables at the Ministry."
Hermione, Padma, Susan, Daphne, and Nym arrayed themselves behind Harry. Harry nodded and shook the offered hand. "Mr. Heath."
Horace actually tried to resist the probe and pull his hand away; he managed neither. Horace, nothing if not adaptable, went with it and had a whole discussion with Duke Potter in his mind. Finally the probe departed on its own and he withdrew his hand. He looked into a pair of green eyes with a fading glow. "Oh yes, Duke Potter. We can help each other. I look forward to our association."
Harry nodded. "Mr Heath, just remember the condition. If Nym needs me, I show up; and if someone tries to stop me it will go badly for them. If someone treats her badly they die. You've been warned." Harry turned and offered his arms and led the witches away.
Frank looked at Horace; Horace grimaced. "I wasn't ready for that. He's not a normal boy, is he?"
Frank laughed. "Oh sure, in an insanely powerful, operates under his own moral code, using some kind of raw magic bent to his will that's impossible to counter kind of way."
"The question being what exactly is that moral code, Frank?"
"Don't hurt the girls and he won't kill you. Perhaps you could add his wizard friends and him to that, but I'm not sure about that yet, Horace."
Horace nodded and smiled. "I sense he'll obey the law, though."
Frank barked a laugh. "The law from five hundred years ago, the ones that apply to Noble Houses and Covens, and only if they coincide with his wishes."
"So you think he's a rising Dark Lord, Frank?"
"No! But he is something the light hasn't seen in centuries, a true lord. Have you ever heard Dumbledore quote the old axiom, Horace?"
"Those that fear the Dark don't know what the Light can do? Yes, I have, Frank."
"I think that's what the Light can do, Horace, walking over there with those witches. I hate to sound my sycophantic old self, but I agree with Dumbledore in this case."
Horace watched Harry walking away and nodded. This could be very good or very bad for the department. He would need to think on it for a while. Phtt, he had to have Tonks, so the outcome was already certain. The only thing to think about was how painful the road ahead could be, or perhaps how high it could take them. That little beast was very, very powerful, magically and politically.
The rest of Neville's party, including dancing, proceeded splendidly. It would be hailed as the feat of the season in the gossip columns. No mention of Harry, other than as Neville's guest, the other Boy Who Lived, would appear.
That was if you asked the girls. Harry and Neville would beg to differ until their feet quit hurting. From the first tune to the last they had both been on the floor, passed around like party favors. Harry had it slightly better as he could look in the girls' heads and get dance tips.
Ron was horrified to be asked to dance and did it horribly, despite the girls' patient attempts to teach him. He was in that odd, girls have cooties but they're cute stage. Neville wanted to be, but Lavender wasn't having it.
Harry found himself passed to the matriarchs of the noble families and Hermione smiled as they all fell at least a little in love. Griselda Marchbanks actually gave Harry one of those grandmother cheek pinches. Harry blushed furiously, completely sealing the deal.
H
The next day, the thirty-first of July Harry woke up and did PT as normal. When he returned to the master bedroom in the castle it was empty. He rubbed his head and shrugged and took his shower. When he came back out to the still-empty bedroom he grumbled and dressed. The girls were fine, he could feel them, but where were they? Harry wandered down to breakfast.
He opened the doors and the world exploded. Harry looked around in awe for a moment and then went from girl to girl amongst the Coven, snogging them hard. He'd had parties before--the Squib girls had seen to that--and even surprise parties, but this was out of control. The room was literally covered in party decorations and Sirius was wearing a stupid little hat.
After everyone got a quick, hard snog and the catcalls died down, Harry was led to a seat and Hermione explained, "This is the family party, Harry. At ten the Coven party, with families, starts and then at one we have the public party, then the girls and I have something for you--or now, whichever, you'll see. Sit, eat, and open prezzies!"
Harry looked at them all and grinned hugely. He ate with one hand and opened presents with the other. Gwenog and the team sent a calendar. Harry opened it and nearly sprayed cantaloupe over
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the table. Every Harpie was in four wizarding photographs. All of them started clothed and stripped; two of the photos of each Harpie then went on to demonstrate exactly why Harry needed to spend some time with them, usually with help from their teammates and magical stick-ons. It wasn't just the current starters, either. It was every Harpie still in childbearing years and not committed. Hermione looked at the calendar and blushed. Katie grabbed it. "It's a Harpies girlie calendar, Harry, they sell these in the book stores."
"WHAT?"
Daphne looked over Katie's shoulder. "Oh my! Erh, I don't think they do." Padma, Susan, and Nym nodded and the other girls looked puzzled.
Su solved it. "Harry, touch me."
Harry grabbed her outstretched hand and Su looked at the calendar again just as Gwenog yanked the hair of Julia Clark, a Chaser, pulling her head back, and rammed eight inches of magical stick- on home in one go. "Oh! Ouch!"
"Touch me, Harry!" Katie wanted to be next. Soon the calendar was by Harry's plate and the girls were touching Harry's neck or bare arm and turning the pages. Harry had to admit some of those things looked like fun.
Nym shook her head. "No wonder Gwenog wanted you to get that in private." They all settled again and Harry opened the next package. "Contacts?"
Elizabeth Hutchins and Kristen Thomas came up to Harry and took his glasses. They put in the contacts amidst kisses and fondling, and Elizabeth looked at Harry. "Say thermal on, Harry."
Harry smiled. "Thermal on!" His smile grew. "Oh, I like those knickers, Kirsten."
Kirsten chuckled. "You should, you rip enough of them off. The contacts are charmed with the thermal vision charm and anti-summoning and stick-on charms. We can add more charms later but we thought it was best if you got used to these now. Oh, they automatically update to your prescription, too. You have to use these drops when your eyes feel dry, though, Harry. The saleswitch said that will decrease over time and someday you won't need the drops except in extremely dry conditions. We had to charm the contacts. We bought blanks from the manufacturer, but now she's selling them."
Harry smiled. "Thermal off!" He kissed both girls thanks and they went back to their seats a little dazed.
Pairs and groups gave Harry their presents, all scouted while they were shopping for this and that, or during the school year, and all ended up like Kristen and Elizabeth, slightly dazed.
Hermione presented Harry with the Coven's gift: a photo album of all the Coven naked and with their no body-fat hardbodies taken by wizard camera that evening with Emma. Harry blushed furiously, pleasing them all greatly. Sure, it wasn't the Harpies calendar, but the inner circle could feel Harry's excitement and their smiles brought the rest.
At nine fifty Hermione nodded, shooed Remus, Evangeline, Magda, and Sirius out, and the girls sealed the doors. And Hermione brought out her present: a Time-Turner?. She passed the chain
around and spun the device, nd then led them all out the opposite door to an until now unused wing of the castle that had been fully prepared for this excursion in time. Harry spent the next seventy- one hours and fifty minutes making love to the witches in every possible way while they stayed out of sight. Stamina and analgesic potions were on hand and Harry used them. The girls didn't. They shagged or played very hard--some still hadn't gone all the way--until they couldn't any more and one of the others took over.
They returned up-time and Hermione unsealed the doors to see the group leaving out the other door. She waited a moment, then they all went in and collapsed in the chairs, completely sated. Harry pulled his plate to him and Charles, the chief elf of the Gilroy family, one of Harry's lesser houses, put a nearly raw, large filet mignon wrapped in streaky bacon on it. Hermione and several others put their hands to their mouths. "Harry, how can you eat that?"
"Hungry, Ne, sorry." Eliza chuckled. "He'll be eating all day. Next time we need nutrient potions for him."
Nym rolled her eyes and wriggled. "Who knew he could just keep going like that? Stamina potions, sure, but he's still supposed to get soft after a while."
Daphne nodded. "We should have known, though. We've never shagged him soft. He only gets that way when we're finished."
Marjorie Paling, a Squib, chuckled. "A challenge for this summer. No potions and we see if we can make him go soft like conventional wisdom says he should."
Johanna Householder, Glynnis Householder's older sister and the one that brought her into the Squib Squad, nodded. "Sure, but give me a day or two. He's ruined me, both--no, all three ways."
Hermione nodded and looked away from the disappearing steak. "All that protein, too. I won't need any for days, weeks maybe."
The girls laughed and nodded. Padma stood, grabbed Harry, and pulled him up. She led him out to the lawn where the parents were all waiting. Harry's cheeks were stuffed full of nearly raw steak and he looked like a chipmunk.
James looked at Lily. "That was frightening. He's like a machine. How do the girls stand it that hard?"
Lily laughed outright. "I told you not to look. And we, erm they like it like that sometimes. He can also be very gentle, you saw that too; it just depends on what each girl wants from him at that moment." She eyed James. "He does have it easier than you, though. He just has to touch them, even in the least committed ones' cases, and he knows exactly what she wants."
James looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure Hermione wanted to be tied to that four-poster and whipped, Lily."
Lily huffed. "He had his hand on her the whole time even though he hears her, and she came like a freight train five or six times before she begged him to bugger her. I'm amazed she comes so hard from that, although he was stimulating her manually at the same time and Padma and Pansy were each on a nipple. Her being stuck on Nym's Harry probably helped too." She looked thoughtful. "Maybe we'll try that."
"Hah! Caught you! I knew you watched too." "Or maybe not."
James's brain caught up and his face glowed in anticipation and then fell. Lily couldn't even stay mad. "You're a dufus, just like Harry. No question whose son that is."
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Earlier on the A9, Suzanne Sauter had been glad to see her mapped landmarks passing by. The 'rents and siblings were all still enjoying the ride tremendously. They should. This bus Harry had had her charter was fabulous; hopefully they would never have to make this trip again. At least not overland. Katherine Clyde's mother had taken the loyalty charm and no test was thrown at her she couldn't pass. Even Nym couldn't get in her Occluded--or whatever that was--mind if Harry told Jennifer not to let her in. Now Harry would just charm them all and they would use the trunks.
Slightly underhanded, now that Harry was shagging all of them if they wanted him to but really! How was a parental unit going to respond to "Mum, Dad, this is my boyfri,end Harry and I'm shagging him rotten. Oh, by the way, magic exists and he's a wizard and your grandchildren will be witches and wizards too"? They'd all be in treatment, that's how.
She looked at her watch. Plenty of time to get there. That way predawn pick-up had worked a treat. Now they would be at the castle in plenty of time for her to join the rest of the Coven for three days of lovin'. Hey, that rhymed! Andromeda would take over the care and feeding of the families and then at ten they could meet Harry and Bob's your uncle. Suzanne settled back in her seat behind
the driver. H
Harry stepped out onto the manicured lawn and his jaw dropped. All the Squib parents were here! He turned to Hermione in a panic and blurted, "Hermione they can't be here!"
Hermione rounded her eyes and asked innocently, "Who, Harry?" Harry turned to point and heard and felt her laughing in his mind. "Hermione, what did you do?" "Made it easier for us all. Loyalty charm, Harry, chop chop. We have partying to do." "Hermione!" "Please, Harry?"
"Put those away, Ne. Puppydog eyes won't work this time. Arrrgh! Okay, fine, but if I don't like the explanation I'm taking it off them." Harry waved and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. The Squibs' parents and siblings, minus Jennifer, looked around slightly stunned; Tracey's plan had worked. Uh-oh.
"Daphne, Tracey, could we speak to you a moment?"
Daphne looked at Tracey. "I told you so." They walked over to Harry, heads high, and followed him as he and Ne turned away and led them a small distance from the crowd.
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Sirius looked at Remus and James in the wallet-size portrait he had pinned to his robe. "Ooooh, someone's in trouble!"
Magda poked him in the ribs. "Serious time, little doggy. Shhh." The crowd watched and waited.
Harry looked at the three witches. Daphne sighed. "Just take it from our heads, Harry, it will save time."
Harry nodded and stepped into Tracey. He pulled her into a kiss and used the contact to course through her mind. He saw the discussion with the Squibs after he charmed Jennifer Clyde because she put the pieces together. Hell, that was really the reason he wasn't mad. None of the Squibs' parents were stupid; they would all put it together eventually. He was peeved the girls hadn't discussed it with him, but he could even follow the reasoning that it needed to be DONE now and he would have argued about it endlessly. He had just recently stopped arguing over a lot of things. Harry broke the kiss. "Okay, I get it. I agree, by the way. They would have found out eventually, and keeping the secret was already driving some wedges between the girls and parents. The siblings would have been next.
"Now, since I've recently come to my senses and realized we're all going the same place and I'm enjoying the journey, I'd appreciate a little more openness. That thing with you 'not in my head' Coven members planning things and then executing them and asking for forgiveness was fun and very Slytherin, but I think it's played out now."
Three immediate "Yes, Harry!"s drew a smile from Harry and Hermione raised a brow. "That must have been some kiss."
Tracey grinned. "You have no idea. I don't know what was better, the kiss itself or pissed-off, forceful Harry in my head. I think I like being taken."
Harry groaned. "Let's not make that the next thing, okay?" Three "Yes, Harry's" later Harry rolled his eyes and led them back. Sirius was pouting. "What, Harry, nobody gets spanked?"
Magda's low-power Stunner made Sirius just goofy enough for her to conjure a straight chair and put him across her lap. The resounding slap on the arse brought him back to full life. Harry rolled on the ground laughing. Magda gave Sirius the innocent face. "What? You said someone should be spanked."
The chase began immediately. Sirius was seriously out classed. Padfoot was, too, when Magda whipped out her shrunken broom and flew just out of reach after mounting it on the run.
Harry watched the broom mount with narrowed eyes. Hermione groaned. They would all be practicing that next week.
H
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When Neville arrived in the back garden at one with the Portkey his family had been sent, he staggered, caught himself, looked around, and staggered again. Potter Castle was huge, at least as big as Hogwarts, and these grounds were amazing! All these plants! Magical and mundane both, all rare. Oh my, and the people too. These were Harry and the Covens' families? Morgana, there were two hundred people here!
Harry ran up. "Neville! Seems like only yesterday, mate!"
Neville oofed and went down under Harry's laughing flying tackle. "So, good birthday so far then, Harry?"
Harry got a far-away look for a moment. "You have no idea." He leapt up. "Come on!" Frank and Alice watched their son be dragged away and Alice smiled. Harry had called Neville "mate". Frank steered her over to the parents, where Sirius made the introductions.
More and more Portkeys arrived carrying Hogwarts students, and the Coven met their friends and took them off to find Harry. The parents were all escorted to Sirius by Remus. Arthur and Molly Weasley were amazed. Remus and Sirius watched them like hawks. It had been decided that they would say nothing and see what happened. The old man was going to learn eventually anyway, and this would test exactly whose camp the Wealeys were in.
They needn't have worried. Being inside the Potter wards woke the vassal oath the Weasleys and Prewitts had sworn all those long years ago. Even if Arthur and Molly wanted to tell Dumbledore, they wouldn't without Harry's permission, or Hermione's.
Minerva looked down at the brooch on her breast that Lily occupied. "Well?" Lily shrugged and answered somewhat tinnily, "I think they'll be fine." Minerva nodded. She would watch Molly anyway.
The Quidditch started as soon as enough people were there to make two teams. Those not playing Quidditch either swam in the crystal-clear, sand-bottomed lake or sunned on the lawn or did a little of both. The adults were not left out and there were a lot of things besides drinking and talking for them: cards, Mum vs Daughter and Dad vs Son Quidditch, swimming, sunning, and of course politics. The Squib parents were folded right in and brought along with the rest. A great time was had by all--even Ron, who managed to be a chicken only for demonstration purposes for the Squibs' younger siblings. He would find a way to make the twins pay for that one.
Ginny, who had come along because Harry had scrawled her name on the invitation to the Weasley children himself, spent the day torn between games and ogling the boys who lived, blushing furiously whenever they looked her way. Hermione smiled, Millicent frowned. She recognized a dangerous crush when she saw one.