When they returned to #12 Grimmauld Place, everyone could see how chipper Daphne was. As such, it was no surprise that each of the women in his life wanted to go with him to the same location to see just what was so special about a cabin in the woods.
It made for quite a nine-day excursion for Harry who remained permanently away from Grimmauld while the women switched every morning, having decided the order amongst themselves. Harry had to give it to them. They certainly knew how to go about these things.
Even though things were limited around the highlands, each woman brought something unique to the table, be it outdoors or in the bedroom, and Harry was utterly delighted with the respite it brought him. One thing they had all agreed on was that there would be no discussions about what was happening outside unless it was absolutely necessary. They did not want anything to spoil their quality time over here. As a result, there were barely any talks about the happenings around Britain. They refused to let the situation control how they lived their lives, their happiness being the main priority.
It was the final day as Harry woke up with Fleur cuddling up to him, her silky silvery-blonde tresses draped over his chest which she used as a pillow as she slept. She had agreed to go last, and they had spent some quality time with no one else to bother them in the mountains. They hiked, they played in the waterfall, they cuddled in front of the fireplace, and whenever they could, they made love. Alas, like all good things, their time there also came to an end.
For the first time in nine days, Harry was going to be back in #12 Grimmauld Place, which meant a return to the usual life of war, politics, and training. Although all those affairs were important and required his utter focus, these past few days had brought all of them closer and he knew how happy they all were. That mattered the most to him, and as such, he believed the break was a sacrifice worth making. He was certainly going to miss this carefree life full of love, passion, and bliss.
Yawning, Harry shut his eyes as his breathing evened out. It was still very early, with the sun not even over the horizon. He could do with some more sleep, especially after the intense night they had shared.
XXXXX
The night was intense but wasn't enough to fully satiate them. Truth be told, perhaps nothing would be enough to accomplish that feat. However, none of them were complaining.
Harry let out a gasp when Fleur sucked hard, her tongue swirling around the head of his prick as she kept her soft, pink lips wrapped around it.
"We had so much fun yesterday and are already leaving. Doesn't it make sense to say goodbye to this lovely place properly?" Fleur asked, kissing the throbbing, engorged head adoringly. "We'll soon be back to fighting, worrying and Merlin knows what not. At least let's enjoy the little time we have left here."
"I couldn't agree more," Harry replied.
Fleur beamed at him and leaned forward, dragging her tongue along the underside of his cock, licking it as if it was a popsicle. Harry placed his hand on the back of her head and guided her back to his length.
The veela's eyes closed as her lips parted, and she moaned with her lips wrapped around his length, taking half of him in her mouth. She swirled her tongue around it wetly and as she opened her eyes once again, she gazed deep into his emerald orbs and began bobbing her head up and down.
Harry groaned as she gradually took more and more of his length inside her mouth until she had taken him entirely in, her nose firmly pressing into his groin. He writhed under her ministrations, loving how her throat spasmed and felt hotter than a furnace around his length.
"Merlin, Fleur," he gasped as Fleur slid her tongue all over his prick, slathering it up with her thick, wet saliva until finally, she pulled her mouth off his length with a lewd, wet squelch. She began to stroke him furiously as she gazed at him with that sultry smirk that never failed to send his blood rushing south.
"I love how your cock feels, 'Arry," she whispered. "It feels like we've known each other forever."
Harry groaned when Fleur plunged her mouth onto his cock once again. Her lips were stretched wide around his girth as she dove down on his prick, burying him deep in her throat repeatedly, pressing her nose against his groin as she made him bottom out inside her. All Harry could do was grunt and groan as she took control. He had a feeling that his lovely veela was not very patient right now given how enthusiastic and horny she was.
Fleur glanced up at him, locking her eyes with his, and Harry could see the burning passion in those blue orbs as she kept burying him deep in her throat. She would pull back until only the head remained inside her mouth and she would suck harshly, her tongue lapping away, and only then would she plunge back onto his cock, sucking harshly to coax her reward out of him.
Harry knew what she wanted and he could feel it already building up deep inside him. He reached out to grab her hair in a fist and began to thrust his hips up, feeling his climax imminent. Fleur allowed him to take charge now and she gagged lewdly around his length, her cheeks hollowed out as she sucked. Thick strands of saliva dripped down her chin and onto his groin as she let him use her. However, it did not mean she remained idle. She reached up with her hands and started raking her fingernails over his inner thighs, slowly climbing to his crotch.
Her hand wrapping around his contracting balls finally tipped him over the edge and with a feral growl, Harry came deep inside Fleur's throat. His fists gripped her hair and the bedsheet tightly as he slammed upward, his back arched. Fleur quickly took charge and began to stroke his slick manhood harshly, keeping her lips wrapped around his cock as she took everything he had to give her inside her mouth.
His breathing was ragged and his heart beat rapidly as Harry gazed at Fleur with her lips wrapped around the head of his cock as she stroked it, coaxing everything she could from him. Only when she was satisfied did she pull back, keeping her mouth shut as she gazed up at him.
"Drink it," Harry commanded. Fleur gave him a saucy wink and made a show of swallowing down the entirety of cum she had coaxed out of him. Her tongue darted out, licking her lips as she grinned.
"Did I do good?" She asked coyly.
"Perfect, as always," Harry replied, grinning widely. Fleur smirked and sat up on her knees, giving him the perfect view of her large, teardrop-shaped tits as they swayed and smashed erotically.
She swung her leg over his lap and straddled him, trapping his softening length between them.
"Now that won't do," she pouted, leaning forward and pressing her soft and heavy tits against his chest. Harry's hands reached behind her and grabbed the pillowy flesh of her arse, caressing and fondling it.
"Give me a few minutes," he replied.
"Can't wait," Fleur smirked and suddenly, Harry was blasted with her allure. His magic welcomed hers like a lover that she was and he was at full mast in an instant. Smirking, Fleur reached between them and wrapped her fingers around the base of his cock. Harry lifted her hips, holding her by her cheeks, and helped her align him with her hot, sopping-wet entrance.
Their matching groans reverberated around the room as Fleur sank hotly, spearing his cock deep in her depths as he bottomed out inside her for the umpteenth time. Her incredibly warm, wanton depths hugged his length tightly.
"Ugh… Fleur," Harry groaned as he reached up and wrapped his arms around her back. One hand remained wrapped around her lower back, grabbing onto one of her arse cheeks while the other held her by the back of her neck, keeping her face firmly in the crook of his neck as he thrust upward, slowly gaining pace as he fucked her.
"'Arry… oh 'Arry," Fleur moaned as she planted her lips on his neck, sucking harshly. Her teeth nibbled on his skin, her tongue lapping away to soothe the bites as she kept repeating her ministrations, allowing him to fuck her.
Harry took full charge of their lovemaking, furiously slamming his hips upward, shoving the entirety of his length deep inside her gushing womanhood. He pulled her face upward and planted his lips on hers in a scorching kiss.
"I want you on top now," she whispered and Harry immediately moved, rolling them over. Fleur laughed breathlessly as she gazed up at him. "Now fuck me like you mean it."
Harry smirked and slammed his hips forward, burying his entire length roughly inside her and making her gasp. He kept hammering away inside her, loving how her large tits rolled around on her chest as he fucked her. She was on her back and yet her tits were perky, reaching for the skies as they jutted out proudly in the air, jiggling hotly.
Fleur moaned loudly, sensually as he jammed himself to the hilt inside her again and again. He claimed her lips in a desperate kiss as he thrust into her like a savage, swallowing her cries that seemed to be getting louder with every second.
Suddenly, Fleur went limp as she gasped into the kiss before she shuddered violently. Her walls tightened around his length like a vice and Harry let out a powerful grunt. He did not relent and fucked her through her orgasm, not stopping for even a second as he kept himself aloft over her, pushing his arms against the bed. His eyes bored into hers, desperate and frantic as he chased his orgasm as well.
"'Arry!" Fleur cried out at his relentless pounding. She was sent crashing from one orgasm to another and she reached up, clutching on to him. Harry let out a breathless laugh as he slammed his lips against hers once again, furiously fucking her.
He reached downward and began sucking on her neck, driving his cock deep into her gushing depths. His eyes shut as he lost himself in the wet and hot tightness of her inner walls around his prick, her heavenly feminine smell, and the feeling of her sinful naked curves pressing against his equally naked skin.
With a powerful grunt, Harry buried himself to the hilt inside her and he let loose. An inferno of passion wafted over them as they clutched onto each other tightly as if trying to fuse their bodies into one, and Fleur's back arched as another climax tore through her in perfect tandem with his.
Both lovers shook as they orgasmed, their fluids mixing deep inside Fleur as Harry collapsed on top of her. As they slowly came down from their respective highs, Harry rolled over so that they were lying on their sides, their eyes locked as they breathed heavily.
"Now that was a fitting goodbye," she whispered, burying her face in his chest, and Harry sighed, caressing her sweaty, naked back. The veela smiled and purred in contentment.
XXXXX
From his spot near the fireplace, Harry smiled as he watched the lovely veela as she bustled about, checking whether they had not forgotten anything for the umpteenth time and he let out a sigh.
"Come on, Fleur. You've already done this twice," he called out.
"There's no harm in making sure, right?" She replied as she rushed over with a smile. "All right. Good to go."
Harry chuckled and handed over the keys to the house to the owner who they had rented it from. Secrecy vows had been firmly in place throughout their stays to ensure their continued safety and privacy.
Mere moments later, they walked out of the house and Harry wrapped his arms around Fleur as they looked around whimsically.
"We'll come back soon, all of us, I promise," he said softly. Fleur glanced up at him and pecked his lips lovingly.
"I'm sure all of us would love that," she replied. Smiling, Harry twisted on the spot and apparated away with a barely-audible crack.
They appeared right in the middle of the foyer of #12 Grimmauld Place and it was hard to miss the voices coming from the dining area. Curious, they walked over and were surprised to see that everyone was present.
"Hey," Harry walked in with Fleur who took the empty seat beside Daphne, exchanging a bright grin with her fellow blonde. "What's going on?"
"The Ministry is making its move," Sirius replied and threw the evening issue of the Prophet on the table. Curious, Harry picked it up and read the front page news with a growing frown. Things had certainly developed since his disappearance, it seemed.
"So Fudge wants a stooge at Hogwarts, hmm? Probably someone loyal who would report everything back to him."
"He believes you and Dumbledore need to be watched, for obvious reasons."
"Yeah, we're after his seat," Cassie snorted.
"Well, he's not wrong," Harry replied, chuckling. "We'd definitely like to see him gone as soon as possible."
"Don't think it's gonna happen anytime soon though," Evelyn replied. "Elections are a long way away and you'll go old and senile before you get those sorry lot in the Wizengamot to agree to vote on something."
"They love to drag nonsensical topics, like how thick a cauldron should be," Nym snorted. "Believe me, I know it's important and all, but I must have stood guard for at least twenty long sessions and they couldn't agree on anything."
"No wonder we're in such a terrible situation if only those old geezers are in charge."
"Do we know what Dumbledore is doing about this?" Harry asked, his eyes darting around.
"Looking for a new professor as always, I reckon," Daphne chuckled.
"He also has his hands full with that investigation," Nym replied with a meaningful glance towards Harry and Fleur. They gazed at each other, both knowing what the metamorph was talking about.
"How's it coming along?"
"Fudge's got his knickers in a twist 'cause we haven't tracked down those raping gits yet. And with that ferret Malfoy whispering in his ear, you can bet your arse he won't be keeping his cool for much longer."
"Makes sense from his POV," Harry mused. "Heirs of pureblood houses have gone missing for weeks now."
"Yeah, which is why Dumbledore is facing a lot of scrutiny right now. Those students went missing under his watch and he has no answers. Coupled with the slander campaign going against him in the Prophet, he doesn't have a lot of people standing with him right now, at least in the political sphere," Narcissa remarked.
"Cutting their losses when he looks like a sinking asset. Typical."
"The Ministry is also using this as an excuse to have more control over Hogwarts, and it would not surprise me if Fudge sends a few aurors over as well."
"Given how paranoid he's become, he'd send aurors who would be loyal to him and not Amelia," Harry mused thoughtfully. "What does she think about these developments? Did you talk to her?"
It was almost as if the woman heard she was being discussed as the floo flared, catching everyone's attention. They turned around, surprised to see the redhead stepping out of the floo.
"Sorry for being late," the woman said, her eyes darting around before finally coming to rest on Harry who shook his head.
"No worries. We've only just started," he replied with a small smile. He already knew about Amelia who had become a frequent visitor of Grimmauld Place over the past week, coordinating with the witches on their plans for the upcoming war.
The woman nodded and walked around the table, taking a seat beside Andromeda who glanced at her friend with concern etched on her face.
"You look a bit worse for wear," she remarked, eyeing her up. "Everything good?"
"Well, given I had to sit through the company of Fudge and his toad bitch for over an hour, I'm not surprised," Amelia replied.
"That bad, huh?" Harry asked with a sympathetic smile.
With an exasperated look on her face, Amelia sighed. "Things are getting worse very quickly. Fudge is not happy with the lack of progress on that missing students' case. Them being heirs of old pureblood families makes the situation a bit more… delicate."
"We were just discussing that affair," Harry nodded. "Andi already told you everything, right?"
"Yeah," the redhead nodded. "Not that I'm blaming you here, but there's not much for me to work with. There are no bodies, so we can't declare them dead. Their parents would never believe it. Since we can't prove anything conclusively here, it means the case will remain open. Fudge won't like it, not one bit. And then there's Umbridge to consider."
"Umbridge? Her name is Umbitch," Nym remarked, coaxing a round of chuckles around the table. Grinning, she asked, "What about that toady, Boss?"
"She's been trying to target Harry by any means possible," Amelia replied, to their surprise. "Just a couple of weeks ago, she tried to send a warrant blaming him for casting magic in front of muggles and violating the Statute of Secrecy when we fought those werewolves. Fortunately, I found out about it and took care of the matter before it could escalate, but she is not one to give up so easily."
"Sounds like someone who has it out for you," Fleur frowned as she turned towards Harry. "Probably the ritual is affecting her motivations even more."
The mention of the ritual garnered frowns from everyone present. So far, they had observed its various perks but this was probably the first time they were witnessing its demerits.
"And that means she is someone who should be eliminated," Cassie said curtly. "I've met the woman a few times, and I'd rather die than even spend a minute in her company. A harridan in every sense of the word. She's a cruel bitch who thinks too highly of herself, and that makes her dangerous."
"She's rash."
"She can be, but she's calculating as well," Amelia replied. "This entire slander campaign was her idea, and now she's trying to use that werewolf attack to target both you and me."
"How's she targeting you?"
"By insinuating that I am abusing my position as the head of the DMLE to choose which cases I want to focus on and who I want to save," Amelia spat. "She's trying to use both the cases to push her vendetta of removing me from my position."
"Surely it won't happen?" Daphne asked with a frown. "You're very well respected and Fudge can't just fire you without proper reason."
"No, it won't be easy," Amelia nodded. "But there is a possibility, especially if they play their cards right. And to be very frank with you, they are doing a fine job right now."
"Really?"
"The failure to resolve the case of those missing heirs has put the entire DMLE in a very negative light. It's sending the message that the aurors have failed at their job. On the other hand, Umbridge is trying to discredit me because she knows they can't control me. In any department, it is easier to change the manager or a department head instead of overhauling the employees."
"And as always, people will go for what is easy," Harry frowned.
"Then there is this new case to consider," Nym interjected, earning a resigned sigh from Amelia.
"What now?" Harry asked. It seemed quite a few developments had taken place while he had been away, enjoying life.
"There have been a number of disappearances reported recently in Knockturn Alley and across the seedier parts of Wizarding London," Amelia informed. "The victims are mostly... unsavory types. Petty criminals, muggers, and the like."
"That's concerning. Have you found anything?"
"Nothing as of now," she frowned. "It all started two days after Greyback's attack."
"Brilliant," Daphne scoffed. "So this Umbridge woman will try to use this case as well as the others to insinuate that the DMLE is not capable of protecting the people so something needs to change, and that change needs to be you because it's the easy choice."
"On point," Amelia replied, nodding.
"How could so much happen so suddenly?" Harry asked in surprise. "Everything was fine and dandy when Daph and I left and now suddenly we have this crisis at our hands?"
"The situation outside is out of our control, Harry. Fudge and his cronies are in charge and one of them is both impatient and calculating. It's all come to a head at once," Nat sighed.
"What are our options right now then?" Harry asked in slight exasperation. "I couldn't give a toss about Dumbledore but if Fudge and his secretary are thinking about targeting Amelia and I then they have another thing coming for them."
"I believe they are trying to consolidate their power right now while neutralizing everyone they consider their enemy or even the slightest of threats," Amelia replied gravely. "Dumbledore is a no brainer, and since you are also claiming that Voldemort is back, they see you as a threat too."
"Which explains why that Umbridge woman is targeting Harry," Fleur mused.
"Exactly," Amelia nodded just as Nym muttered, "Call her Umbitch!" Glancing over at one of her aurors, Amelia continued, "That leaves me. As I said, they want to consolidate power which means appointing their people in positions of authority or passing legislations that would give them even more power. Already, they have introduced a decree that would allow them to interfere in Hogwarts affairs and there are rumors of forming a post independent of both the Department of Education and the Hogwarts Board of Governors to ensure the standards of Wizarding Education are upheld. Standards, my foot. It's all a power grab."
"I guess that means we need to take care of Fudge and Umbridge soon," Harry remarked.
"We can't do it right now," Narcissa interjected with a shake of her head.
"Why not? It'd be better to just be done with it."
"Because we don't know who will replace Fudge," she replied calmly. "We need to think about this properly before we do anything. If Fudge dies, V-Voldemort will do whatever he can to put one of his people in charge."
"Which means violence," Harry understood immediately. "He will take out anyone who he thinks will stand in his way."
"Exactly, so unless we think we are ready to fight them on even field and are sure that we won't suffer casualties, it's a bad idea to go into battle with them right now. They might not care about theirs, but we can't afford anyone here to get hurt in any manner, or Merlin forbid, even worse."
There was nothing but absolute silence in the room as Narcissa finished and they all glanced around, gazing meaningfully at people around them—people they loved beyond measure. The mere thought of seeing any of them getting hurt terrified them, particularly Harry who stared at the woman. Narcissa gazed at him with a certain look in her eyes, and Harry understood immediately. She was terrified of losing anyone in the room, and that included him. He gave her as reassuring a nod as he could, conveying as much care and strength to her as he could.
"I've told you all about that mark, right?" He said, glancing around. "We can't do anything if we can't replicate it. I'm not exaggerating when I say that those fucking Death Eaters won't stand a chance in front of all of us if we manage to get it done."
"We're working on it, Harry, but it's a very complicated piece of magic. Even though we know how it works, the way it has been traced leaves no room for mistake. It's the most precise piece of runic sequence we've ever seen," Evelyn said softly.
"I know," Harry sighed. "I know you're all doing your best and trust me, I know you will succeed. But until then, we can't say we're ready for a large scale battle with higher-ranked Death Eaters. Too much is at risk, and I can't afford to lose any of you."
A somber silence stretched in his wake as Harry gazed at every one of them meaningfully until he finally rested his gaze on Narcissa who chewed on her bottom lip softly, gazing tenderly at him. The silence was broken by Amelia's enquiring voice.
"Can someone clue me in here?" She asked curiously. "What mark are you talking about?"
"What other mark is there, Boss?" Nym asked.
"Surely not," Amelia whispered, her eyes wide in shock. "You want to replicate the Dark Mark!?"
Harry fixated Amelia with a penetrating stare and the woman could not help but feel her heartbeat escalate as his gaze bore down on her.
"This is something only people I trust with my life know about, which includes everyone in this room right now," Harry began seriously and Amelia knew he was talking about people whom the ritual had recognized as his allies, or in the case of women, everyone who had given or wanted to give herself to him. She glanced around, knowing that every woman present in this room had been with this man—mind, body, and soul. She and Narcissa were the only exceptions. Nobody had missed the looks the former lady of House Malfoy had been sharing with Harry and her eyes locked with the woman, a meaningful look passing between them. Like two peas in a pod, they understood each other and their desires perfectly.
Blinking, Amelia turned back to Harry and gave him a nod, indicating her understanding.
Harry smiled and began telling her everything about his connection to Voldemort, how and why that connection had come about, how it got severed, and what the repercussions were. Everyone else had already known about this so they all sat quietly as Harry explained how he got Voldemort's knowledge and discovered some of his biggest secrets.
Amelia could only listen in growing shock as Harry told her everything and it dawned on her just how massive of an advantage they had over their foe.
"There is only one problem and that is skill," Harry sighed. "I have power and I have knowledge, but I don't have Voldemort's skills. I've been working on it and the knowledge definitely helps, but this matter with the Dark Mark is at an entirely different level."
"That explains so much," Amelia whispered. "You saving Fleur by using magic of such high level and how your spellcasting is so superior. And that's just the beginning."
"I've still got a long way to go," Harry replied with a small smile. "But there you have it. Voldemort barely ever fights alongside his puppets, which means they have a constant supply of magical reserves that allows them to keep fighting for a much longer period. Most of the times, they manage to take care of matters by themselves and when Voldemort finally shows his face, his magical reserves are replenished enough thanks to that ritually-enhanced body of his. If we replicate the Dark Mark, we can use the same benefits those pathetic Death Eaters have been enjoying for so long and nullify their advantage."
"With you acting as the conduit," Amelia nodded in realization.
"Once we figure out that mark entirely, all I need is one marked Death Eater and it would be easy to trace back the mark to everyone who has it. That would allow me to get rid of the connection easily, which means they won't be able to draw and share power during battle," Harry continued. "Obviously this has to be done while Voldemort is away from his Death Eaters, otherwise he can reverse it instantly. This is the biggest trump card we have against him and his forces, and it has to happen when Voldemort is at his weakest."
"And when we don't have Dumbledore and his dumb ideologies to worry about," Fleur reminded them. "There's no way he would let us kill those Death Eaters."
"That too," Harry sighed. "The Order might interfere and screw things up for us, so we will have to take care of that as well. And the mark we are going to develop will help us with it too."
"I see," Amelia muttered. "Then figuring out that mark is definitely of the utmost priority here, and given how massive the advantage is, it makes sense for it to be the most challenging."
"You don't say," Evelyn sighed with a small smile. "Looking at that piece of art, we all feel like amateurs, and we all had O's in our Runes NEWTs."
"You, Narcissa, and Fleur, hmm?" Amelia asked, earning a nod from the blonde woman. "I think it would help you a lot if you had a master in the subject helping you out."
"Fleur here has been studying as a curse breaker," Harry interjected as he smiled at the veela.
"That's good, but a runemaster's input would go a long way in helping you out. Being a curse breaker is great, but there are few who have the finesse with runes like a runemaster."
Glances were shared around the table as everyone pondered on Amelia's suggestion.
"I can see the merit in that," Evelyn remarked, breaking the silence and grabbing everyone's attention. "We all have knowledge of Ancient Runes but we all are either out of touch with the application or don't have as much experience as this situation probably asks for. Someone who has been working with runes for years to become a master of the subject would indeed be helpful."
"But that would mean trusting this person with the biggest secret there is," Sirius argued. "We can't take this lightly. One wrong decision and we would have a disaster on our hands."
"You're not wrong there either," Evelyn nodded, sighing.
"Listen, we won't gain anything like this. Let's keep an open mind about it. If we gain an ally in the future who is a master at runecraft or find one who is trustworthy enough, that would solve the problem easily. In the meantime, all we can really do is keep working on what we have. Already, we have such a massive advantage. Thanks to Harry, we don't have to worry about the complicated Arithmancy or the types of runes in that mark. The only thing missing is a hand skilled enough to properly replicate it. I'm sure it will all be resolved soon."
Harry gave Nat a fond smile and nodded.
"Nat's correct. Seems like Fudge has a bit more time in that comfy chair of his. In the meantime, we must do what we can, and that is to keep him and his cronies in check as much as we can."
"His dear undersecretary won't stop at anything until she gets rid of everyone they consider a threat," Amelia remarked seriously. "That woman is not above getting her hands dirty if she's pushed enough, and she's a prideful bitch."
"She won't try to kill me or anything, not if she wants to keep her position secure," Harry replied. "The most she can do is try to frame me. Let her do her worst. As long as the proof is with us, she can't do anything."
"She won't try to kill you, but she can definitely arrange something," Daphne frowned.
"I say we get rid of her alone," Astoria interjected, frowning. "Leave Fudge in his chair. Get rid of the undersecretary. She is the conniving one trying to target you, Harry. We deal with her and all Fudge will have is Lucius Malfoy whispering in his ear. He would not get his hands dirty. It's menial labor, and he's well beyond it. With no one to do his dirty work, Fudge will be nothing more than a tool sitting in his chair. All he can do is tinker with policies, which are still manageable. And on the off chance that he replaces that undersecretary with someone just like her… well, it happened once, why can't it happen again?"
"And what if we're somehow caught?" Daphne asked her. "We all know Fudge will be looking for an excuse to get rid of Harry, and he wouldn't hesitate to do the same with any of us if he manages to connect the dots. It's too risky."
"It's funny hearing literal crime being discussing right in front of me," Amelia interjected with an amused curl of her lips, her eyes fixated on Astoria who raised an eyebrow. "I don't think there are any options we have short of resorting to criminal activities, especially since we don't want to take any amount of risk. As you said, no one here can come to any sort of harm."
"Exactly," Harry said firmly.
"Then all we can do is stay vigilant, as Moody likes to say. Keep the proof of innocence on our side, maintain alibis as much as possible, especially you, Harry. They might be trying to undermine me to consolidate their power, but the primary target here is none other than you. Apart from Dumbledore, Fudge sees you as a threat, and that means you must be eliminated."
"I know," Harry nodded before he suddenly paused. His brows furrowed, he asked, "What if I'm no longer a threat to Fudge?"
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked curiously.
"Dumbledore is under pressure, isn't he?" Harry asked, earning a nod. "Well, why don't we put a bit more pressure on that son of a bitch?"
Everyone stared at Harry curiously before it slowly started to dawn on them.
"No fucking way!" Tracey exclaimed, grinning widely. "You're really thinking about that?"
Harry nodded, smirking.
"Well, it would certainly buy us time if you can get it done. But would Fudge bite?" Sirius asked.
"When he gets a big fish like Dumbledore? He'd be salivating," Harry smirked.
To be continued…
Visit patreon.com/Vedros if you'd like to access chapters early or have a say in what goes.
There are also character artworks for the ladies if you're interested in seeing what they might look like.
I'll be back soon with the next update for this fic. Meanwhile, check out my other fics if you haven't yet. Cheers!