Chapter Sixteen
Harpier cries, "'Tis time, 'tis time."
Wednesday the twenty-fifth of November found Dumbledore back at his post and more than a little jumpy. Augusta had kept up a steady stream of letters and demands. Albus pinched the bridge of his nose. Not a single plan would stay on track!
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At the Ministry, Cornelius Fudge looked over the reports of the Creevey boy's Petrifaction. He then turned to the old files his records clerks had dug up for him. Any fool could see what was happening. This Hagrid fellow was at it again. Dumbledore was a fool! Now how to play this? Damn Lucius, getting himself killed by the Black, idiot! He should have just let his whore go; he had the baby. He should have been smarter than that. Hmm, the Black...here was an opportunity, perhaps. Especially with Longbottom in Black's camp and having some type of tiff with Dumbledore.
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Tom Riddle lay in the hole his host had crawled into and thought. Things were bad; not as bad as they could be, though. Who would have thought he could find a large snake in Britain in November? Sure, it was only a constrictor, probably turned loose when it got too big for someone's pet, but it was a snake.
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Harry sat his broom and watched as Hermione and the others worked the starters over hard. He smiled. Hermione was improving all the time.
Hey! Harry rolled his eyes. At Quidditch, Hermione. Oh. Thanks, Harry! Harry smiled. School was totally a routine now. The Coven was fun, not very predictable. Daphne smirked As it should be, Harry.
Hah! Leyland was great, Cissy was too. Apparently a handful for Sirius during the week, but maybe that was as it should be too. After all, for her to stay--in power? powerful? whatever--she needed to be seen out. Besides, who better to housebreak the Black and his Lady?
Susan nodded. And Morgana, doesn't he need housebreaking. I don't understand how Sirius and Magda got to their age still being children. He's nearly useless at politics without Cissy at his elbow. You giving her the Potter Proxy was a masterstroke, Harry. She votes it and the Malfoy seat
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sitting in the Black box and everyone thinks it's Sirius. So Aunt Amelia says, anyway. Dumbledore is vastly confused now, although from what I've heard he thinks it's reasonable for Narcissa, the Potter Matriarch's Aunt, to vote the Potter Proxy; he just can't tell who it really is. He thinks you're in Nym's control because of her, erm, abilities, Harry.
Nym smiled. They all felt it. See, Harry? Albus says you should shag more different women. How about Princess Di? I can do her real good.
Nym! Harry shook his head but he was smiling. Nym was bringing home all the Auror techniques and magics and now Alastor Moody's training too, as he had adopted her or something. Dawlish still needed killing, but apparently Amelia wasn't DONE with him because no trial had been scheduled.
Because they're afraid of you, or me--maybe both, Harry.
I don't know why, Nym.
Maybe because you said as soon as he's free you're going to kill him, Harry.
Heat of the moment, Nym. Assure Madam Bones that I'll wait until he's outside the Ministry.
Phhht, only because you don't have enough space for a clean shot with that giant slingshot in the Atrium, Harry.
Harry chuckled. Nym knew him too well. The diary thing was going slowly but apparently well. Please God, never let Ginny find out.
Padma nodded vigorously from her position in the stands. Really, Harry! Who knew Tracey was a complete pervert?
We should have, Padma. I mean, we've been in her head, for Merlin's sake.
Developing thing, Harry. She'll get it out of her system.
I hope so, Padma.
So all in all life was looking up. CRAP! Harry put on a sprint and just managed to out-dive Neville for the Snitch.
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Later, in Myrtle's bathroom, Neville fended off Myrtle and her very aggressive advances while Ron checked the potion and fumed. "Neville, what the hell? Aren't you interested in Ginny? You shouldn't be chatting up ghosts!"
"Weasley, you're crazed. One minute it's 'Hey, you can't look at her' and the next 'Hey, don't look at any other girls'. Make up your mind, prat!"
"Don't listen to him, Nev. He'll never get a witch anyway. Now where were we?" "Leaving, Myrtle, sorry!"
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Myrtle pouted while Ron looked at Neville and Myrtle, pop-eyed. Neville sighed and dragged Ron out of the bathroom by his collar. "Come on, prat!"
"Hey, I was checking your potion!"
Neville stopped and turned on Ron. "My potion? This was your idea, Ron. I can just ask Harry what happens in the Slytherin common room. He goes in there whenever the witches call him."
"Yeah, you're right. Maybe Potter is the Heir!"
Neville put his head in his hands and Ron heard a muffled "How the hell do you win at chess? You must be some kind of savant."
"Hey! I'm nobody's servant!" For a moment, Neville just wanted to cry. H
Ginny sat on Hermione's bed blatantly ogling Lavender. Her breasts were huge and perfect and matched her hips--and were still growing! Lavender shook her head. "You wouldn't want them so much if you had to carry them around. Besides, they confuse wizards--they always talk to them and not me. Well, except for Harry. He only talks to them when he's kissing them."
Parvati peeked around her friend. Lavender's breasts were round, pert, large, and the envy of the school--well, the witches. "Still look good, though. How are those support charms Kristen gave you working out?"
Lavender grinned. "Better than bras, more comfortable. It's like having Harry cupping me all day when he does them. Susan loves them too. Poor thing, she actually needs them already. Hers are so big they hurt her. Cheaper than bras too; you can wear the charm and a camisole. You know, we could do something with this, Parv. Kristen could get a royalty on the charms. I wonder, can we do one for bellies and butts?"
Parvati blinked. "Why? Your belly is amazing and that ass causes traffic jams in the halls. You and Susan are walking wet dreams."
Lavender smiled, leant down, and kissed Parvati hard. "Thank you. Not for me, though. Older witches. That's where the money is. I mean, we can hardly afford regular bras. A bra and panty set of the finest lace with these charms? We could sell it for, well, lots of Galleons, I bet."
Ginny sighed and flopped back just in time to have Hermione come from the shower and sit down, then lie back next to her. "Jeez, Ginny, relax. Even without them you have Neville completely flummoxed. He wouldn't know what to do with breasts."
Ginny grinned. "It will be fun teaching him, though." "Ginevra Molly Weasley! You slapper, you!"
Ginny sat up and examined Hermione closely. "Phht! Hey, when I get more hair down there do they like a full--uh--patch, or a landing strip like yours, Hermione?"
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Hermione blushed and Lavender supplied, "Lucky bint doesn't know, Ginny. Her hair just grew in all sexy like that. She doesn't even have hair anywhere else. No depilatory charms for our Ne. And the sexiest bottom in the school, all pouty like that." Lavender shook her head. "And whatever's with the hair on her head, that's the best pubic hair I've ever seen, heard of, or read about. The perfect color, just enough of it, fairly straight and soft as the finest silk. We should transplant it to her head."
Hermione's blush grew to epic proportions. The girls giggled madly. H
On Monday the thirtieth Harry was wowing the crowd at breakfast when an unfamiliar owl swept in and dropped to the table at Harry's plate. Harry eyed the owl and handed it a piece of raw tuna. The elves had discovered sushi after Harry's insistence that he wouldn't eat eggs and bacon after the Harpies' trainers had reviewed their diets. Harry took the owl's letter, got a happy nod and a hopeful look, which he ignored, and the owl leapt into the air and flew away. Harry opened the letter. It was a protection order forbidding him from coming within one hundred yards of the Dursleys. "Uh-oh."
Hermione took the letter. "Lisa, you were right. It's a protection order. Harry, why are we doing the trunk at their house thing, anyway?"
Harry shrugged. "It keeps Dumbledore from asking questions somehow."
Hermione and Padma's eyes lit up. The other girls groaned; they could feel a research project coming on. Daphne frowned. "Just lay your signature on the house then, Harry."
Harry nodded and shrugged. "How?"
Hermione's eyes were fairly glowing now. Daphne sighed. "Come on, class in ten minutes." She towed Hermione away.
H "Augusta, please!"
"Do what I ask when I ask and I'll stop raking you over the coals, Dumbledore. I know Fudge is gaining more power and challenging you."
"You don't know what's at stake, Augusta."
"Don't presume to think you know more than me, Dumbledore. I've come to see what you're up to. You want to play politics? Good, go do it full time. Leave the school to those of us capable of running it correctly and honestly. I'm going to break you if you don't, Albus. Malfoy won't be there to save you again.
"You can acquiesce to these class changes or resign, I don't care which. And don't even think of Obliviating me. I have several Pensieve memories in appropriate hands."
"Augusta, that's blackmail."
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"And? Oh, you're the only one that can use that, too?"
Albus spun on his heel and strode away. Minerva stepped from the shadows. "A dangerous game, Augusta."
Augusta nodded. "I haven't had so much fun in years!"
Minerva glared at her and got laughed at. "Loosen up, girl. In fact, you need a date. Still a fine figure of a witch. We'll have to get you some sun."
"Augusta!"
"What? You're what, sixty-five? Prime of life. We'll find you a nice young wizard. They like their witches tanned. He'll be able to keep up." She leaned in. "The older ones just don't have the stamina. A younger one can fill that belly and give you a baby or two, something to keep you busy."
"AUGUSTA!" Minerva was left standing there amidst the echoes of cackling laughter. H
On Saturday the fifth of December Cho Chang rode along as Moaning Myrtle used her body to get, well, fucked by Harry. This was beyond shagging. Why had she agreed to this? Harry had her bent over and was driving into her as hard as he could while Myrtle pulled herself back on him as hard as she could. Her head was yanked back by her bolt of blue-black hair and she was mewling like a slut, again. Morgana, she looked good getting fucked. She needed pictures of this. What? Oh gods, here she went going schizophrenic again. Cho lost her train of thought as the orgasm racked through her and she sprayed Harry. She flushed in embarrassment. Harry apparently didn't care, at least from that satisfied grin and him pounding her right through it no matter how she or Myrtle thrashed the body.
Cho sighed. It just couldn't get any more degrading than this. Letting a second year turn her into a fuck toy for his friend the ghost and himself to use. Circe, it was fabulous! Oh, again!
Harry flipped the thrashing Cho and looked in her eyes. No unfocused look; yep, Cho. Myrtle was gone.
"Right here, Harry. And you're a naughty boy, using my mind to find what turns me on the most like that. How can I complain and whine for another go when you used every bit of me? I didn't even know I liked being held down and buggered until today. You made me leave. I couldn't stand another orgasm for a minute or two."
Harry chuckled and stiffened and Myrtle slid back into Cho to feel Harry splashing against the walls of her vagina. Harry smirked and dove into both their minds. Cho and Myrtle came again and screamed into Harry's mouth.
Hermione looked over at the table in the corner of the main Library and thought about dropping the aversion charms and letting Cho's witches see their leader begging for more. Myrtle certainly had a lot of pent-up need. Cho would be lucky to stay out of the Hospital Wing. Susan eyed
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Hermione and then giggled. This set off the rest of the Coven and drew Madam Pince's ire. "SHHHHH"
Hermione put her head back down in her book, still giggling. H
On Sunday the sixth after practice Hermione found herself in the master bedroom of Potter Castle with Harry. "Not complaining, love, but what's going on with you?"
Harry raised his head from his minute inspection of a crinkly nipple. He gave her a lick, got a shudder in return, and smiled. "I just want to spend some time with the love of my life."
Hermione purred. "Proceed."
Harry went back to his inspection. He was fascinated by her changing body. Her breasts had grown and her hips gotten more defined since his last close inspection, and he fully intended to explore every inch of her nicely padded, very muscular body. Like this apparently very sensitive patch of skin on the bottom of her breast that made her growl when you licked and then blew on it gently. Or the top of this set of now barely visible washboard abs.
H "A dueling club?"
Sirius looked at Minerva and shrugged. James piped up, "I was on the tie, Minerva. I heard him say it."
Augusta frowned. "What can the old coot be thinking? Where could this possibly lead?" Remus frowned. "Does it always have to be some plot? I remember a dueling club from school."
Lily spoke from her frame where she was sitting in a loveseat with James. "That Dumbledore canceled when we were in third year. Up until then Hogwarts had always had one. If the records are to be believed, they produced several runs of European champions from that club."
Louisa Parkinson nodded. "Filius would be the logical one to restart the club, though, and duelists need to be familiar at least with the grey and black arts. No offense, Sirius."
"None taken. I agree, Louisa."
Narcissa nodded. "So we must then assume as Augusta has that Dumbledore is in fact up to something if he hasn't restarted at least familiarization with the Dark arts and teaching the grey arts."
Remus nodded. "Harry will have to be kept well out of this. He would slaughter any opponent and the Dark families would instantly make the connection."
Narcissa nodded vigorously. "Yes, I don't want any sisters-in-law other than the Coven."
Eliza sat up suddenly. "Dumbledore suspects a student and so is trying to find someone whose skills exceed a student's. Did that make sense? What I mean is that the Chamber was last opened
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fifty years ago. So anyone impersonating a student would have to have at least fifty years of knowledge to hide. The Heir, however, sounds very assured in his graffiti, minus the bad spelling."
Padma nodded and Su spoke. "Riddle was the Heir. He opened the Chamber. He bragged about it to Tracey's Ginny. We haven't found where it is or what the animal is, but it can't be an Acromantula."
The room sat stunned for a moment and then exploded. Su waited a moment; then when they all settled she continued. "The diary seems to be attempting to use Ginny to open the Chamber and continue where it left off. Riddle hates Dumbledore with a passion that we have never experienced." She blushed lightly. "Well, the opposite we have, but not hatred."
Lily beamed at her. The room sat contemplating this development for a few moments.
Aidan Greengrass looked puzzled. "So if Tracey's Ginny is a mental construct, who's killing chickens, writing graffiti with their blood, and releasing this creature?"
Narcissa shook her head. "It can only be Draco. He must have used the diary and it got enough of him or got enough in him to use him to do this."
This set off another round of conversation, of which the upshot was that the Slytherin Coven members would have to go to work watching Draco.
Sirius sighed finally. "So we go ahead with the dueling club and try to keep Harry out of the duels." Kristen nodded. "Or he only duels one of us. Oh, oh! He can duel the cover wizards."
Remus nodded. "That would work once we get him through the second year bracket. He'll just have to stick to known spells no higher than third year or so until then."
Neville looked up. "This is going to go stupidly, I can tell. Somehow everything Dumbledore plans, I get caught in."
Lavender reached over and hugged him. "Sorry, Nev, we'll protect you." Neville blushed and the roomful of people chuckled. H
Back in the master bedroom Nym was fighting a losing battle. Her Demi Moore in the pieces of navy uniform, hat, and shoes from A Few Good Men got her absolutely nothing. Harry wouldn't do anything with her until she was in her natural form and was driving her crazy by doing everything she wanted DONE to her, to Hermione. Finally Nym had had enough. Her hair lengthened and darkened to a deep black, her face narrowed slightly, her eyes turned violet, and her bust grew a cup size. Her hips rounded a little farther into perfect proportion with her slightly wide-for-her- frame shoulders. Her legs, already very fine, became longer and more tapered, the kind of legs that get insured for millions. Harry was hypnotized. Hermione giggled and pushed him to Nym. Nym sighed and then just went with it. So he didn't want her talent. There could be no question he wanted her, all of her and the natural her.
Merlin, that took a while.
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Hush, Harry. Love me. Always, Nym.
Hermione watched and shook her head. So she looked like Bellatrix, an exact copy even to the light pink aureoles and slightly large nipples on the upturned breasts that reddened as they hardened and crinkled, if Cissy and Andy were to be believed. What was the big deal?
He'll want her, Hermione.
Silly cow, he doesn't care what you look like. He wants that part he's running through right now. No--your mind, Nym. Get your head out of your pants!
Nuugh uhh, can't! You try going a week! Hermione laughed. Don't try to talk, Nym. Mmm-hmm. H Daphne sat in her dorm room very, very upset. She was failing Harry! They had tried everything to
get and stay close to Draco, but the little nutless wonder just disappeared constantly! "Aiiie! Harry! Godsdamnit! Please don't sneak up on me like that." "You needed me. I'm here."
"I failed, Harry. I'm so sorry! Harry?" Daphne was puzzled. Her clothes had been Vanished and they were suddenly under her covers but Harry simply folded her in his arms and appeared to be going to sleep with her pulled into his chest, quite comfortably but still. He didn't feel like he wanted sex, either. Was she such--"
"Shhh. No, you're not. Sleep now; sex later, if you still want it." Harry kissed the part in the back of her head.
Daphne snuggled in and had the best sleep of her life. The only thing that made waking up at the ungodly hour of four a.m. bearable was the transition from sleep to wakefulness via a crashing orgasm. They really needed their own rooms. This was an experience worth repeating four or five hundred thousand times. Harry chuckled. "That's over a thousand years, Daphne."
"Su will make us a Stone, or Padma will."
Harry slid down her belly, chuckling, and Daphne braced herself. Harry was an expert at oral sex by now.
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Hermione led PT smiling. Daphne was getting the full Harry morning spa treatment manny, fingered to orgasm, pedi--Harry always started oral at the toes--and after a cleansing shag it felt like a facial was coming up. Susan and Padma looked at her and giggled madly. Nym supplied, Hermione Jane Potter! I'll never be able to keep a straight face in the salon again.
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Shh, it was funny and we have that stupid dueling club tonight, Nym, and thanks for that Potter. Crap, it's Thursday the seventeenth? Got to go to Stealth and Tracking. Wish me luck. The bonded sent Nym their support. Harry and Daphne did, too. H
Classes, while not a dawdle, were a lot of fun for the Coven as usual. Nym wasn't doing so well in Stealth and Tracking, so while Harry and Susan helped her as much as they could, the others concentrated on class. They didn't notice the looks Draco was sending their way. Neville and Ron did, at the very back of the Coven seats. "What's his problem?" Ron asked.
Neville looked and then shrugged at the condescending smirk on Draco's face. "How am I to know, Ron? I still have my balls. I couldn't begin to imagine what it's thinking."
Ron turned to look at Neville. "Wrong side of the bed?"
"I caught that thing trying to corner Ginny. He thinks what whoever did to him was bad? Just you wait. I'll skin him alive."
Ron blinked, smiled, then frowned. Lavender turned, smiled at Neville, and patted him on the thigh. Ron's face was a study. Lavender was a witch but she was a damned good-looking witch, and no question she was a witch. Very different from wizards. Ron blushed as what he was thinking dawned on him. He turned back to the lecture, praying to Merlin it didn't end before he got rid of this woody. No, don't look at her! Oh Merlin, Davis was just as hot, and Greengrass was a house on fire! Granger, too, there was just something about her...stop thinking about it! Let's see: the Cannons play Puddlemere and then the Harpies--oh, the Harpies, they're smoking hotties. Arrrrgh!
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Neville looked at Ron, who was noticeably off his feed at lunch. He followed his eyes and found Lavender Brown at the end of that stare. Neville smirked. "Damned hot witch that, eh?"
Ron nodded, then froze. "Don't know what you mean, mate. Ready for this dueling club tonight?" Neville chuckled. "Let's see you get up, then." Ron blushed crimson. H Later the Great Hall buzzed with excitement. Dinner was finished but not a student moved. Sirius
looked at Remus and groaned. "It's going to be a long night."
James nodded on the tie. Remus looked at the sign-up list. "They didn't all sign up. Spectators, I guess."
Minerva, and Lily on the brooch, nodded. "You'd better start, Professors."
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Sirius and Remus moved down and created a dueling stage, moving the tables to the walls where they formed into bleachers. They installed the dueling shield and then they demonstrated a duel that had the older female student's hands to their chests and their eyelashes fluttering. They selected and then started the first pair of the same sex and year, drawn at random. The two first year girls stepped up and Ginny and Luna took their places at the opposite ends of the stage. They bowed and then jumped around with huge grins as they ran through the entire first year syllabus. Luna won by Transfiguring Ginny's wand into a big needle. She got raucous applause and suddenly the sign-up sheets were mobbed.
Sirius looked at the mob. "Oh, brave now, eh? You'll have to wait until the next club meeting, though."
A chorus of groans went up but they kept signing.
Harry watched the first years duel with everyone else. It was great fun, no one as inventive as Luna or Ginny, so mostly Stupefy versus Protego, but a few slipped in a creative casting here and there.
The second years started and somehow Neville ended up facing Draco first thing. Their duel began with a lot of sneering and name-calling and rapidly accelerated toward the most harmful magics they knew. It was a great show, Draco obviously on his back foot since the "Squib" Longbottom had come out swinging hard with well-placed and -paced spells. Draco leant back into his memory and cast his father's favorite spell. "Serpensortia!"
A black mamba left Draco's wand and slithered toward a backpedaling Neville. Unfortunately Ron, right at the edge of the platform, recoiled from the snake and it oriented on the movement. Neville opened his mouth and hissed, "Stop! Attack the other one. He pulled you from your home." Neville blinked at the hissing that apparently was coming from him and snapped his mouth closed.
Somehow the crowd saw Neville's open mouth moving and assumed it was him. They screamed and recoiled as the snake turned and oriented on Draco. Sirius finally banished the snake inches from Malfoy, and Neville blasted him with an emotion-fueled Stunner, lifting him off the stage and slamming him into the barrier.
Neville turned to the crowd and they all recoiled, Ron perhaps the farthest of all. Only Ginny, Harry, and the Coven looked him right in the eye. He hung his head. Harry moved to the stage and picked him up, bringing him back to where the Coven was sitting. "Sorry, Neville. That was me. I'm a Parselmouth. No idea why it seemed to come from you."
Neville looked at Harry. "Maybe better this way. I can't believe they were all fooled, or how much of a prat Ron is. People only see what they want to see."
Harry nodded sadly. "I'll be glad to tell them it was me." Neville actually grinned. "Like they'd believe you." "Erm, I can prove it, Nev." "They would think I possessed you or something, Harry. Just leave it."
Harry sat with Neville. When his own duel came with Ron, Harry laughed low in his throat. He mounted the platform and took his place. He bowed, smiling gently, and Ron snarled at him. Harry blinked and on the referee's signal fell over laughing. Ron had fired some kind of curse but his dodgy wand turned it back on him and he was turned into a bright yellow turtle which scampered--
well, as fast as a turtle could scamper--around the stage, leaving a trail of urine. Sirius looked at Harry. "Potter wins. Change him back, Harry."
Harry looked at Sirius. "It wasn't me."
Sirius rubbed his hand through his hair and tried a half-hearted Finite on the now terrified turtle. Ron sprang up. "That's human to reptile Transfiguration, very advanced. You're the Dark wizard Longbottom's henchman braaaack cluck cluck braack!"
Everyone was rolling on the floor now as George blew on the end of his wand and made like he was putting it in a hip holster. "Let's duel for your henchman spot, Potter."
Needless to say, after that the first outing of the dueling club was mostly a joke contest. Madam Pomfrey was incensed as a few nodding daisies and two wallflowers made overnight trips to the Hospital Wing after difficult reversals. Why flowers became a theme no one was sure.
H "Really, I did, Aunt Alice!"
"Harry did offer, Mum. It's not his fault wizards are idiots. Everyone in the room actually heard him do it. They just assumed it was me. We think it was some kind of group hypnosis or something. If they thought about it for just a second or two they'd realize it like Ginny and Fred and George here did."
Ginny's head swiveled like she was watching a tennis match. The evening had been a blur. She had been taken into a trunk, Harry had DONE something to her, and now she had her own trunk hooked into this, or rather, Harry's little world. Little? Who was she kidding? It hooked to this gigantic castle and was filled with all these girls--hot girls. Neville knew them all. Hey, wait a minute!
Harry held out a hand and caught the magic Ginny fired at Neville. "Not that way, Ginny. Talk first, then shoot him."
Neville appealed to Harry with his eyes. Harry held up his hands. Hermione trailed after Ginny as she dragged Neville away.
Fred looked at Harry. "So, a Parselmouth."
George broke in. "Any ideas about this Heir stuff?"
Padma laid out what they knew. Fred and George nodded. Fred started. "The secret passageways."
"It's how Draco gets away from Daphne," George finished.
Harry raised a brow. "Secret passageways? Wait a minute." He unfocused. "Oh, okay, got it. How do you know about these?"
Fred and George looked at each other and smiled; then they produced a piece of parchment. Sirius snatched it up. "Mooney, the Map!"
Remus smiled. "Yes, I see, Sirius. I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
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Fred and George goggled. Fred finally managed, "Mooney?" while pointing at Remus.
Remus pointed at Sirius: "Padfoot," and then James in his portrait, "Prongs. Wormtail was a traitor, as it turns out."
Fred and George looked at each other and went down on their knees. "We're not worthy, we're not worthy."
Harry laughed while Lily, Magda, and Evangeline looked at their grinning men, hands on hips and right feet tapping.
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Ginny went about the next day in a kind of fog. She'd tried to talk to Ron about last night and found her tongue paralyzed or something. She was able to talk to Neville, and that was comforting. Luna was just Luna at breakfast except for a smile and a really creepy, very hungry look at Harry while she chewed her food. Sure, Harry was good looking and one of the Boys Who Lived, but he wasn't "the" Boy Who Lived, the one that had been written about all of her life. The one Mum talked about. Anyway she would just have to sort this on her own. Hey, wait--the twins were there! Okay, so talk to the split brain, then.
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Neville was in the same kind of daze but for totally different reasons. Ginny had declared her intentions in no uncertain terms last night. Neville was scared nearly witless. Harry's sardonic "It gets better mate, less scary anyway" wasn't a big help.
Neville followed along with Harry, who was occasionally steering him by the elbow, the whispers in the corners getting laughing derision and single-syllabic explanations from the top witches and wizards in the school.
Ron was unshakeable, however, calling Neville the Dark wizard Longbottom and Harry his henchman, and had ended up a chicken with Bat Bogeys three times so far. He was the laughingstock of the school.
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After dinner Neville had gotten away with Ginny for a moment. He was walking her to study group slightly before the others left the Great Hall when they came upon the Petrified bodies of Justin Finch-Fletchley? and Nearly Headless Nick. Ginny screamed just as Harry and crew skidded to a halt behind them, Harry's eyes glowing green, and Dumbledore came round the corner from the other direction. Harry and Neville hugged Ginny and Hermione and then rubbed their hands through their hair in an odd mirror image. Dumbledore cleared his throat. "And again, Mr Longbottom?"
Hermione would have snapped if Harry hadn't muzzled her in the bond. Let Neville do it, Ne. He needs to stand up to Dumbledore at some point.
Harry, Dumbledore just focused all these idiots' suspicions on Neville. Yes, hon, I know.
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The "hon" slowed her down and Harry waited for Neville to say something and sighed when he didn't. More work, then.
"What do you know about this, Mr Longbottom?"
Nevilles eyes turned hard. "It scared Ginny, Professor."
Ho ho, roar, my little Lion!
Harry!
Shhh, Ne.
Dumbledore blinked. Neville sighed. "The scream you undoubtedly heard five seconds before you arrived was Ginny when we first saw them."
Ginny nodded. "Are they dead, Professor?"
Dumbledore looked at the bodies, or body and spirit.
That was a fine distraction technique.
Hah! You can comment on yours but I can't on mine, Ne?
Harry, Hermione, shhh. Padma rolled her eyes.
Dumbledore ran a couple of charms. "Petrified. I didn't know ghosts could be."
Ginny looked at Dumbledore with big, scared saucer eyes. "Shouldn't we get them to the Hospital Wing, Professor?"
Oh, that's a little thick there, Ne, she looks like a PowerPuff? Girl. You'll need to work on that.
How did you mange a telly and Sky One in Camelot, Harry? Never mind, you have to stop watching the Cartoon Network. Glad she's loyalty charmed. Did you see that twinkle?
Beg pardon? Yes I did. Now about the telly...
A chorus of SHHHHH! came in response to this and the two refocused on the conversation. "An excellent idea, Miss Weasley." Dumbledore looked around. Someone had gotten to this witch too. He couldn't get in her mind at all. "Everyone go about your business."
Harry led the girls away as the crowd broke up. Neville followed with Ginny on his arm. The crowd's eyes followed them.
Tracy met them at the reading room. She pulled Harry, Daphne, and Hermione aside. "I found these in Draco's room."
Harry frowned. "Tracey, that was dangerous, going in his room!" Tracey looked at Harry. "No, actually he was at dinner watching you. I think he wants you, Harry."
Hermione rolled her eyes as Harry made retching noises. "So what are these?" Tracey unrolled the clothes. "Pants and a shirt smeared with the blood of a rooster."
Harry rubbed his head while the others looked thoughtful. "So this confirms Malfoy is doing the graffiti. Good work, Tracey. Now does that mean he's Petrifying these people too, or is he opening the Chamber?"
H
The evening of the nineteenth found Harry talking to Neville in the sitting room of Potter Castle. "What? Ron the prat? You're going to keep working with him on this mad Polyjuice scheme of his?"
"I told you so, Neville. I'm not the only one who thinks it's mad." Ginny folded her arms across her chest in triumph. Harry winced.
Neville smiled at him. "It's all right Harry. I'm really having fun making the Polyjuice. Besides, I'm nominally staying at Hogwarts over the hols. It's something to do and I can keep an eye on Malfoy."
Daphne chimed in, "Which I have yet to thank you for, Nev. I hate that little shrew."
Ginny hugged Neville's arm possessively. Hermione eyed her. "Ginny, we talked about this. You don't own Neville, you're with him."
Lavender looked at Parvati. "Yeah, well, that's a work in progress." Parvati snorted. "So Hermione has a hobby for the next twenty or thirty years." Ginny looked over "I am right here. Lavender shouldn't you be off flaunting at Bilius."
Lavender shook her head. "Not for a few more years. He has potential, but why should I train him when I'm with Harry? If he grows to his potential and I turn all nesty and have to have my own, we'll see. Don't think so, not as long as Parv and I are together. Harry can give us babies any time and if we need him he appears, but we'll see. Besides, Ron is going to have to have someone to grow him up and I just don't have the energy between the Coven, school, and--well, I just don't have the time, either." She was holding Parvati's hand.
Padma shook her head. "Harry, you'll have to marry them. Or we'll have to get them a cover wizard, a pair actually. Father will insist. It's fine for them to be together but they have to produce children."
The room blinked and turned and looked at Lavender. "What? We know that. Oh, I can't plan?"
Susan patted her on the cheek. "No one said that, dear. You just surprised us. Who knew you'd be all toppy?"
Harry shook his head. "Okay, Neville, so you'll be spending your days running around with Bilius and your evenings or nights at home or in Ginny's trunk?"
O
Neville nodded. Padma handed him a piece of parchment, a small piece of parchment. "Use a sticking charm and put it on your wrist. Tap it with your wand and say, 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.' When you're DONE with it tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed'."
Neville took the parchment and stuck it to his left forearm. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
The room watched as a light formed over the map. "In honor of Messrs Mooney, Padfoot, Prongs, and Mademoiselle Lily Flower, the SSWA present the New Marauders' Map."
Padma smiled. "That went well. It only shows you that the first time, Neville and now it's tied to your signature."
The image faded and another formed. It was Hogwarts, all of it, secret passages and hidden rooms included. Padma explained as tiny people started to appear in the castle with their names floating above them. "Harry is tied to the wards, so this shows everything inside them. You can't get into all of these areas without the passwords, though."
Remus and Sirius came over and looked. Remus was awed. "This is so much better than our map, Padfoot!"
Sirius nodded. "We didn't even think of that 3-D thing."
Lily smiled. "Good thing too. We would never have gotten the charms right. It took Perenelle, Padma, Hermione, and I hours."
Alice had been thinking about something. As Neville closed the map she looked at Ginny and him. "You two come with me."
Neville blanched while Ginny looked serenely confident. An hour later a red-faced Ginny led a nearly catatonic Neville back into the sitting room ahead of a smirking Alice. Frank looked at his wife, and Alice chuckled an earthy little chuckle. Frank closed his eyes. "Do I want to know?"
"Probably not. You boys are so squeamish. Let's just say there probably won't be any untoward adventures in those trunks. Well, any that will provide us with surprises later."
Frank blanched and then laughed. "You know I gave him the talk last year, Alice." Alice smirked. "And now he knows the girl version, which I just gave Miss Ginevra." Frank shook his head. "Surely her mother gave her hers." Alice nodded. "Maybe, but she didn't give it to Neville."
Neville and Ginny couldn't look at each other. Neville now knew more about the female anatomy, erogenous zones, and reproductive system than was legal, he was sure. Ginny was horrified that she had been the demonstration model. Where had Alice learned those transparency and tickling charms?
H
On Monday the twenty-first of December the Express boarded and the Potter compartment, again hugely expanded and warded, became the witch's party place for any witch the Coven approved of.
O
Pansy didn't even get a chance to be naughty; she was stripped and passed around like a toy. She loved it.
Ginny sat in the corner pouting as Luna practiced the art of fellatio, warming Harry up for Pansy. Hermione looked at Ginny. "Dead sexy, isn't it? Look at that innocent face full of cock. Never thought you'd see that, did you? Amazing how she can get all of him in her throat like that, isn't it? She can hold her breath for more than two minutes, did you know?"
Ginny glared at Hermione. "So did you want to just come stick a finger in me to see how wet I am, Hermione?"
Hermione smiled. "I'd be glad to, Ginny."
Ginny's surprised face was her reward and she laughed. "If you didn't get wet watching I would doubt you more, Ginny. But you're neither staring nor looking away. I'm thinking that means you aren't attached to the issue except as a matter of interest."
Ginny gathered her wits and decided to play. "Oh, I don't know. Learning more than interest." She left her seat, crossed to Harry and Luna, and lay her head on his thigh with a full view of half of Luna's face.
Ginny resisted the urge to close her eyes and Luna drew back with her mouth fully open, and what seemed to be a foot of hard cock slithered from her throat. Luna's sparkling, startlingly blue eye and then eyes looked into Ginny's and seemed to freeze her in place as a smile formed around the tip of the large helmet-shaped head and a tongue snaked around the ridge at the bottom of the helmet. The eyes then became an eye again as the smiling face descended again and then froze as Harry stiffened and jerked. Ginny nearly passed out when a wave of something washed over her and ripped an orgasm from her. She leant back and sat flat on her ass in the middle of the floor, a flaming red.
Luna pulled off of Harry and Pansy straddled and sheathed him almost before Luna was clear, directly in Ginny's line of vision. Watching that cock slip into Pansy both lengthened and deepened her aftershocks; she was now completely and embarrassingly soaked. Luna sat on her heels in front of Ginny and very obviously swallowed. She leaned forward with her mouth slightly open and her warm breath smelling of something that went straight to Ginny's dripping sex; just millimeters away from kissing Ginny she was gently pulled back by her hair. Hermione looked down at Ginny. "Enough training for today?"
Ginny could only nod. Hermione smiled, kissed Luna passionately, gave her a soft but definite lash with her favorite cat, and passed her to Susan. Hermione raised Ginny and sat her in her lap on the bench opposite Harry. Ginny sneaked glances at Pansy being thoroughly shagged, or shagging herself, and occasionally catching a light lash from the lounging whip Hermione had conjured when she slowed, screaming into Harry's mouth where her lips had locked. When she was completely spent and Harry had achieved his release Hermione stopped driving her on and Pansy just rested on Harry as she recovered before she went face-down in his lap and spent the remainder of the journey attached to him.
Hermione smiled. Her passive Legilimency combined with Ginny being opened by skin-to-skin contact with Harry when he came in Luna, and now their skin-to-skin contact, let her into Ginny's mind. Hermione took her time and fully evaluated Ginny. The poor girl was horrified by what her body had done. She was thinking of it as a betrayal of Neville; that was interesting. They would have to talk about this before tonight. It wasn't a betrayal, it was just Harry and Luna looping
through her skin. Oh, she hadn't used the diary! Well, only once, and it barely talked to her.
Hermione rooted around while Ginny snuggled in her lap. Nothing bad in here; well, that I can find. Tracey has the most experience, and Harry knows the most about it. Hmmm, how to get Harry in contact with Ginny so he can review this, without it seeming sexual? Pansy wasn't letting go of that cock, that was for sure. Hmmm, did that mean someone else had used the diary? Bilius was a perfect candidate.
Oh, poor Ginny! She was very nearly programmed by her mother to be Neville's. She really never had a chance. Maybe they should let her and Harry have a go? Perhaps that would break up the programming. Hermione snickered. There was very little seven or eight velvety hard inches of Harry wouldn't break up, and that was if you didn't feel like ten or however many inches. Sometimes it was like having a horse in you--well, what that should feel like, anyway.
Softy, and no Mistress Pervert. She needs to work it out with Neville. Harry would just confuse her worse, Ne.
Nym?
Of course, Ne. Piggybacking as much as I can. You didn't think I'd miss a train ride, did you? Don't second-guess yourself. Luna would have every female on the planet full of Harry. It's her nature, she's lonely. Ginny needs to be with Neville and he needs her. It will work out, especially with you helping her. When Harry is resting between bouts with Pansy he can use your connection to check Ginny. Now pay attention. I'll see you at home tonight.
Hermione was left with the impression that she and Nym had just spoken privately. Ginny snored lightly, bringing her back to the present.
Hermione waited until Harry relaxed and Pansy curled down into his lap further before she called him mentally and they reviewed Ginny together. Ginny shuddered through several more orgasms in her sleep as they held her in her dreams. Dream-Neville? was a hell of a lover.
H
At Hogwarts Albus watched as the students staying for Christmas returned to the castle. He frowned at Neville, walking with Ron. Damnit! That had died a natural death--well, he thought it had. Ronald's prejudices had put Neville straight off after that delightful incident with the hysterical students claiming that little Neville spoke Parseltongue. Really, students today! Whatever that had been--and after a few passes of the students present at the dueling club with his Legilimency, he wasn't sure--it obviously hadn't come from Neville. Sure, his mouth had been open, but that was all.
Ah, that reminds me. I must speak to young Draco. So angry. That had to be redirected to our, erm, the wizarding world's benefit.
H
The train pulled into the platform and Emma stood at the front of the crowd of Coven witches' parents watching the sea of wizards and witches part and Harry lead the Coven at a sedate pace through the crowd. She shook her head. Well, at least this year they could all go straight to the house. God, "the house"? A castle she still hadn't seen all the rooms of, and when exactly had she started thinking of it as "the house", like it was hers?
O
O
Emma started out of her thoughts when Hermione wrapped her arms around her and squeezed. "Hermione, if you're going to be Mistress Hermione Bitch Queen all the way home on the train you need to Scourgify yourself before you leave the compartment, dear," Emma whispered into a shell- like ear and wrinkled her nose.
Hermione flushed and waved her hand, Scourgifying her robes again, and whispered back, "I actually didn't, and I did. It's not me, it's Ginny."
Emma arched a brow. "Ewww, and that will need some explaining, dear."
Hermione laughed. "At home, Mum."
Emma shook her head. "You do it too! You do know the Castle isn't our home."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes it is, Mum, at least mine, and you'll always be welcome in Harry's and my home."
Emma's mouth opened and closed silently for a moment.