Chapter Four
And trouble
On Thursday the thirty-first of October Hermione fled as the tears broke over her bottom lids and flowed down her cheeks. Harry shot a burning glare and a grimace at Ron Weasley, leaving him to withdraw into himself. Harry sped up, following Hermione into the girls' loo. He looked at her twisting and trying to suppress her tears and sighed. He stepped in, took her into his arms, and she dissolved into tears. Harry backed into a stall and sat down on the toilet, pulling the distraught Hermione into his lap. He held her as her sobs wound down to sniffles.
When she had mostly stopped, Harry tilted her head up and kissed her tears away. Hermione protested at first and then was silenced by a burning kiss. She sat, stunned, with her arms twined around Harry's neck and let him do what he pleased to her, not that he wasn't pleasing her too.
Harry's warm hands wandering under her shirt and camisole hypnotized Hermione and she squirmed around to bring them from her back to her belly. Harry smiled and kissed her hair as his hands wandered up and over her growing breasts and hard nipples. "No bra, Ne?"
Hermione blushed. "Do you want me to wear one?" Harry's hands stopped. "Ne, I want you to do what you want."
Hermione turned back around until she was straddling Harry and pushed him back into the wall, locking her lips on his and pushing her tongue into his mouth. Her panty-clad vulva rubbed the length of his very hard erection and she settled in firmly, grinding him hard. Harry kissed her back and laughed. Hermione withdrew and blushed. Harry tilted her head up again. "Ne?"
"You're laughing at me!"
"No, Ne. I didn't realize you were quite this much of a tiger, though."
"I've wanted you since the train, Harry." Hermione blushed furiously.
Harry chuckled. "Mmmm, how many times have I made you come so far?"
"Harry!" Hermione looked into his clear green eyes and smirked. "Twice a day religiously, five last Sunday--it rained, remember?"
"So I have a lot to live up to replace fantasy-Harry."
Hermione shook her head quickly and panted, "Not if those kisses are any guide."
Harry smiled and pulled her head down for another. Hermione ground herself down on his hardness and moaned. Harry deepened the kiss and pushed up with his hips, and Hermione shuddered in climax. Harry smiled, stood her up, and dragged the uncoordinated, flushing witch to their next class.
Moaning Myrtle had watched the whole thing, stunned into silence. Now she had blackmail material, and the other Boy-Who-Lived? was going to pay, handsomely and with his warm cock. Myrtle giggled; no more stealing wet dreams for her.
Hermione leaned against Harry the whole way to class and nearly got them both a detention from the Professor for inappropriate behavio,r as she simply had to be touching him while they sat through class. She finally settled for kicking off her shoe and twining her leg around his.
Class finally ended and Hermione pulled Harry into the first broom closet they passed. Ron watched in a rage. Lavender and Parvati pouted and giggled alternately. Lavender looked at Ron's red face. "It's always the brainy ones, huh, Ron?"
Ron stomped away amidst giggles.
Lavender looked at Parvati. "She's going to shag him. She's been mooning over him since the train, and he's stood up for her time and again against Malfoy and Weasley."
Parvati nodded. "She's a Muggle-born and he's Muggle-raised. Too bad the Potters are rich. We lost that one."
Lavender pouted. "Rich? Who cares about that? We are magical, after all. He's damn powerful, though. If he comes in her belly one time, her magic will never let another in, I bet. I know mine wouldn't. Who says we've lost him? We just have to be nicer to Hermione."
Parvati nodded. "You know, we could work a multiple with her."
Lavender wrinkled her nose. "Uh-uh--not me, anyway. I'm not into witches, I just want a belly full of Potter every once in a while."
Parvati filed this fact away and led Lavender off by her arm.
In the broom closet Hermione pushed Harry against the wall and slid to her knees. Before Harry could protest she had his robes open and his hard cock in her mouth. "Ne!"
Hermione pulled back and looked up at him with her heart in her eyes. "It's my first time, Harry. Tell me how to do it better."
Harry blinked. "Uh, well, I don't know. I've never DONE this either."
"All those girls and you never...." Hermione smiled and took him in as far as she could. Harry groaned low in his throat and collapsed, halfway seated on the embrasure at the back of the closet. He lasted about a minute before he exploded in Hermione's mouth, and she hummed proudly and swallowed. Hermione stood, smiling, and was kissed and spun into the embrasure. She soon found cool air washing over her thighs as Harry pulled her robes and skirt up. He pulled her panties aside and buried his face in her sex. Hermione grunted and held Harry's head, gently steering him where she wanted him. Harry smiled and worked his tongue in long licks as Hermione showed him how to please her. She lasted no longer than he had, once he found her button and Hermione thrust into his face. Harry stood and locked his lips to hers and Hermione licked herself off his face. "Hey, I taste good!"
Harry grinned and nodded. "Yes, you do."
Hermione growled. "You do too, and no fair--now you're ahead again. Turn around and sit down."
Harry blinked. "It's not a contest, Ne." He slid back in the embrasure and pulled her into his lap and they cuddled and kissed in the afterglow.
"Harry?" "Mmm?" "You don't think I'm a slag, do you?" Harry shook his head and kissed her again. "No. I know a few slags, Ne. You aren't one." Hermione digested this. "Harry?" "Mmm?" "You said I was your first."
Harry barked a laugh. "First blowjob--and no, I haven't DONE it either, but the group had some couples when the girls got older. We knew they were having sex, and there wasn't much cover in the park. Kristine Conrad and Mark Fellows gave us all an education. They were like rabbits. I have snogged a few girls."
Hermione giggled. "And now we are." She stroked Harry's hard cock several times and curled around in his lap, taking him in her mouth again. Harry lasted a little longer this time, mainly because he was working a finger into Hermione and stroking in her in time with her licking and sucking on him.
They came together and Hermione sat up and pouted when she found Harry already licking his fingers clean. "Hey, share!"
Harry grinned and offered her his hand; she sucked his middle finger clean, then straightened his clothes as well as hers. Harry kissed her and she lay back in his arms, just in time.
The broom closet door opened and Fred poked his head in. "Oy, Harrikins, if you're through with bagging the brainy bird--"
George's head came round the corner. "--we have practice."
Neither Harry nor Hermione would ever have been able to say why, but they didn't even blush. They leapt up and joined the twins in the corridor.
Fred started. "Uh, you two do know--" George continued, "--what normally goes on in--" Fred finished, "--broom closets, don't you?" Hermione and Harry turned up innocent faces and Hermione said, "Cuddling?"
Fred looked at George and they both nodded while thinking they would have to get one of the girls to talk to Hermione, and they would talk to Harry in private. Who would have thought it, at the tender age of eleven? Most wizards still thought witches had cooties at that age. Cuddling indeed! These two must think they were stupid. The Map had shown them right on top of each other, and it did that when a couple was making out. Although they had been cuddling when the door was opened and they weren't embarrassed at all. This bore watching.
HOHHOHHOHHOHHOHOHHOHHOH0HHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHH
The Halloween feast was going very well when the idiot DADA instructor burst in and announced, "Troll in the dungeons!" and then fainted in the phoniest way Harry had ever seen. His girls could act better at two years old. Harry looked at the staff table and watched Dumbledore make his pronouncements in a completely over-the-top manner. He had to be gay, and a graduate of the James Tiberius Kirk school of over-acting--that idiot Quirrell, too.
Harry filed out with the other students, edgy and on guard. Why would you send students wandering over a castle when a beast was loose in it? Harry had wrapped one arm around Hermione and was comforting her, and himself too really, on the way back to the dorm. The older Gryffindor girls watched and smiled indulgently. Potter was gaga over Granger, and she just as much over him.
Angelina and Alicia saw the two and decided tonight was the night to talk to Hermione. If Fred and George's suspicions were right, she would end up bound unless she was careful. Hard to believe eleven-year-olds could be sexually active, but the Muggle-borns were getting more precocious every year, starting their periods earlier, too. It was a topic of conversation among the older witches. Some of the pure-blood girls still hadn't had their periods in fourth year, while most of the Muggle-borns had been dealing with it since before Hogwarts.
Harry was another story. Him being on the platform at King's Cross with fifteen crying Muggle girls from ages eight to eighteen was a shock. That each of them had frenched him goodbye was stunning. Harry Potter had a Muggle harem! The rumors had been flying ever since. All the wizards had been able to get out of him was that those girls were his family--but who frenches their sisters?
Katie Bell had provided some insight. Apparently there was a group of girls in Surrey who had been fighting constant battles with bullies in school and in their neighborhood. It had made the papers a few times in the last three years. Harry was apparently the enforcer for them. He certainly had Malfoy of the nine fingers cowed. Whenever Harry showed up, Malfoy shut up and withdrew into himself.
The group had reached the common room; Angelina and Alicia glanced at each other and pulled Hermione away. In their third year dorm they sat her down on Alicia's bed and stood in front of her. Angelina started. "Spill."
Hermione frowned at Angelina. "Spill what?" Alicia grunted. "What were you doing in a broom closet with Harry Potter?" Hermione snapped, "That's none of your business!" Angelina sighed. "You shagged him, didn't you?"
O
Hermione leapt to her feet and was pushed back down. "No! And what we do is none of your business!"
Alicia grinned. "Thank God for small favors. So what did you do? Fred and George said the closet smelled like sex and you were lying on each other."
Hermione's cheeks flamed and she clammed up. Angelina narrowed her eyes. "Did he return the favor?"
"What?" "Come on, Hermione, you blew him. Did he eat you?"
Hermione was angry now. "He masturbated me twice and I sucked him off once. He ate me once today too. There. Happy, Angelina? Got enough grist for the rumor mill now?"
Alicia sat next to the nearly crying Hermione. "Baby, it's not like that! We care about you. If you keep on you could end up bound to him, and if you aren't on the potion you'll be pregnant. Muggle birth control won't work for you. God, I can't believe you have a better sex life than I do. I'm supposed to be reaching my school peak and I haven't even blown anyone yet."
Hermione grinned proudly. "I know, and he nearly killed me giving me oral sex. I thought my skull was caving in! You could do it for Harry, I'm sure. I'll ask him if he'd like you to."
Angelina blinked. "Uh, Hermione, don't you want to keep him?"
Hermione blushed and smiled. "Oh, that won't be a problem. He loves me. He'll always be mine. We're happy to help all the witches, though, at least I think so. We can do a contract with you. Harry has all the Muggle girls in his neighborhood. They're a little odd though, they can see magic! He has this thing about defending and helping witches. Well, girls really. Apparently he had a cousin that tried to bully girls in school, everyone really, and Harry stopped him. It went on and on and Harry ended up putting his cousin, uncle, and aunt in hospital at various times, and now they leave him strictly alone. The girls from the platform are the girls he's helped; he protects them and they provide him with food and clothes. Harry has helped lots of them. He doesn't want to admit it, but they love him and...and, well, they express it too. I've seen some of his letters from them. You should see the photos they send. It made me nervous at first, but Harry speaks to me differently than he writes to them."
Angelina looked at Alicia, then turned back to Hermione. "All right, hon, just be careful. Contact with his sperm without a magical contract will bind witches to him. Harry is way, way popular with the witches. You know the Gryffindor witches' code, so he's off limits to us unless you allow it, but the other Houses are free to try him. We'll help you, but you have to be vigilant. If you even think somebody is looking at him, make them sign a contract in blood."
Hermione smiled and shook her head. "Harry will be fine. Oh and he's not 'off limits'; if you want, I'll have him do you."
"Hermione! Aren't you listening?"
Hermione chuckled at the scandalized older witches. "You'll see, he loves me. That doesn't mean he can't have some fun or that you shouldn't. Just remember who's in charge." Hermione hopped up and strode from the room.
"Morgana! Harry has created a monster." Alicia nodded. "This will end in tears, just you wait."
Angelina nodded; she thought so too. Other witches had tried this "open" approach to wizards and they always ended up used, hurt, and alone in the end. "They're young, they'll grow out of it. I don't think he'll hurt her on purpose, and a minor binding can be broken if both parties are willing. We'll teach Hermione to establish limits on her wizard for her next one."
Hermione, meanwhile, scampered away downstairs and into Harry's lap in his favorite wingback in the corner of the common room and began whispering ferociously to him. Parvati and Lavender listened and smiled. Apparently some of the older witches had begun explaining things to Hermione. Finally! Morgana, it had taken them long enough--and from what Hermione was saying, they had very little idea what else was going on. They as a group really had to figure out these contracts, just to be safe.
Neville Longbottom was holding forth in front of the fire. Ron watched him breathlessly. Harry looked over and cracked his knuckles. The girls in the common room winced. "Leave the idiot be, Harry. Everyone knows he's a prat."
Harry smiled at Hermione and kissed her head. "I know, but he, Malfoy, and Weasley pick on you, Ne. Neville started that crap today, egged Weasley into it. I'm not having that. Boy-Who-Lived? or not, I'll kick his fat ass."
"Harry!"
"Trust me, Ne, it's better to nip this sort of thing in the bud." Harry stood, carrying Hermione up, and then turned and put her in the chair. He walked over to Neville and Ron.
Hermione shook her head and mumbled, "Like all your nipping so far has been successful."
Harry grinned over his shoulder. "Think Pavlov, Ne. Soon they'll look at me and start hurting."
Lavender and Parvati looked at each other. What did a Russian have to do with this?
Harry turned back to Ron. "I don't appreciate the things you said to Hermione, Weasley."
Ron looked at Neville, who smiled, nodded, and stood up. Now, with the Boy-Who-Lived? backing him, Ron said, "What are you going to do about it, Potty?"
Harry narrowed his eyes and lashed out, hitting Ron in the gut. Ron bent over into Harry's uppercut, which lifted him off his feet and deposited him, unconscious, on the hearthrug. "You're next, Fatbottom."
"What? I don't have anything to do with this!" "You miserable coward. You egged Weasley into this and then you just stand there?" "I'm the Boy-Who-Lived!" Neville tilted his nose up. Harry barked a laugh. "One of them. You're also the coward who got into Gryffindor."
Neville surged toward Harry and met a right hook, dropping him on top of Ron. Harry retreated to his seat. Hermione jumped up so he could sit and then she returned to his lap. The common room was as still as a churchyard.
George looked at Fred and they approached Harry. Harry looked up at them. "Want some?"
Fred shook his head. "Not as long as it ends here."
"Keep your brother in line, then."
George nodded. "We will, Harry. Look, Harry, you should be more discreet. We need you at Seeker--Longbottom? sucks."
Harry nodded. "If you stop bullies early you don't generally have to do it again. I won't tolerate bullying, however."
Katie gave a significant look to Angelina and Alicia, who had come down the stairs in time to see the whole Weasley-Longbottom? lesson.
HOHHOHHOHHOHHOHOHHOHHOH0HHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHH "No!" Harry leapt off the sofa and out of Ella's reach. "Morgana, Harry, you let Granger. Now come here!" Harry growled at her and left. Emma looked at Ella. "Fucking Gryffindor idiot!"
She followed Harry out of the trunk mansion's sitting room in time to see the door labeled "Potter Castle" slam shut behind him. She sighed and let him go. She reentered the sitting room in time to catch the dressing-down Ella was getting from Eliza. "You stupid cow! Can't you think with something other than your cunt?"
"Hey!" "Hey, my ass, Caldwell! You've set us all back months!"
"I heard two fourth years talking; Harry took Hermione in a broom closet, or she took him. She at least gave him oral sex and he returned the favor."
Eliza rolled her eyes. "So he's automatically ready to shag us all? Stupid bint, he loves Granger! It's plain as day! He won't do anything unless she suggests it now. You know how he is."
Ella hung her head, tears running down her cheeks. "I'm just so frustrated!"
Eliza sighed. "We all are, silly cow." She sat next to Ella. "Just wait a while. Granger is apparently pretty aggressive with her roommates; at least she talks a good game, and certainly she's bossy enough. We just have to pander to that a little. And figure out the contracts. Once we get those ironclad we can subtly drop one on Granger and suggest some things."
Kristen sighed. "At least if I have to have a mistress it's going to be a smart witch, not some bitch social-climbing using my body."
O
HOHHOHHOHHOHHOHOHHOHHOH0HHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHH Harry entered the library of Potter Castle and flopped on the sofa, facing his parents' portraits. "Harry? You're up late. What's wrong, son?" "Well, Hermione and I, errh...well, uh...nothing, Mum."
Lily looked at James. "You had a fight with Hermione, Harry?"
"Uh, no, the opposite actually...." Harry blushed furiously and studiously ignored his dancing father, who was singing a mad little ditty.
"James!" Lily drew back her arm and James settled instantly. She turned back to Harry. "Well, what's the problem then, son?"
"Ella wants me to--well, she tried to--oh Gods...." Harry could not talk to his mother about this! "Sirius will be so proud!" James crowed as he danced. Harry latched onto this apparent non sequiter in desperation. "Sirius?"
James nodded rapidly. "Sirius Black, your godfather! Hey, I've been meaning to ask you why he doesn't come with you. I mean, I understand he's probably BUSY with chasing witches, but really, it's been months! And what about Moony?"
Harry blinked. "Moony? Hey, wait, Sirius betrayed you and the Longbottoms. He's in Azkaban!" "WHAT? NO WAY!"
"James, stop shouting! Harry, are you sure? Sirius Orion Black is in Azkaban and you've never met Remus Lupin?"
Harry nodded. "Sirius Black betrayed you, killed twelve Muggles along with Peter Pettigrew, and was sent to Azkaban."
James--Portrait? James--passed out and Lily looked at him with a curious expression. "I didn't know that was possible. Harry, that can't be true. Peter Pettigrew was our secret Keeper at Sirius's suggestion. Sirius couldn't have betrayed us."
Harry rubbed his hand through his hair. James sat up. "Where's Moony?" Harry scowled. "What the hell is a Moony?"
James looked at his son, all traces of Humor gone. "Remus J Lupin. A friend of ours. His Maurauder nickname is 'Moony'. Sirius Orion Black, another friend of ours, is a Grim Animagus, hence his Marauder name of Padfoot. Pettigrew, appropriately enough, was a rat Animagus named Wormtail. I was a stag Animagus, Prongs, and Lily was a doe but her name remained Lily as she hexed us when we tried to call her Bambi. Peter Pettigrew was the only one who could have given us up. You have to find Moony, son! Sirius has to be gotten out of Azkaban!"
O
Harry frowned. "So how do I find him?
Lily smiled suddenly. "Harry, haven't I seen you talking to elves around here? I know I have. Send a note with an elf. They can find him. If they can't, try a post owl."
Harry nodded and moved to a secretary against the wall. He got out parchment, quill, and ink and then just sat there. What the hell do you say to your parents' oldest friend? James solved the dilemma for him. "Harry, write this down; 'Moony, you bastard! Get your ass to Hogwarts and meet my son! Wormtail is a traitor, Sirius is innocent and must be freed now! Why the bloody Hell haven't you been taking care of Harry?' Sign it Prongs and Lily." Harry wrote the letter and below that wrote, "This was dictated to me by my father's portrait, Mr. Lupin. Please meet me after the Quidditch game on the ninth. Signed, Harry James Potter."
Harry folded the parchment, sealed it, and called, "Otto."
The elf popped in and Harry looked at him and smiled. "Otto, please take this to Remus Lupin. Can you do that?"
Otto bowed and popped away. Harry rose. "I'd better get back to school."
Lily called after him, wanting to get back to the witch problem, but Harry was gone. She turned to her restlessly pacing husband. "He's eleven, James! Perhaps you should lay off the 'find 'em, fuck 'em, and forget 'em' training."
James winced. "Lily flower...." HOHHOHHOHHOHHOHOHHOHHOH0HHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHH
The next morning, after a very satisfying workout with the witches and a mutually satisfying detour into a broom closet with Hermione, Harry sat at breakfast and was bombarded with owls. The first letter was a stern note reproaching him for language. The second was a little more conciliatory. The third asked many questions Harry couldn't answer; he would have to ask his mum and dad. The fourth letter was an agreement to attend the Quidditch match and meet him afterward. Harry rubbed his head in frustration. Hermione looked at he letters. "Harry?"
Harry sighed. "Tonight, Hermione--I'll? show you tonight." He refused to comment further, and the day passed slowly. Finally Harry walked the witches to their dorms near curfew and then led Hermione up to his dorm room. His dorm mates were downstairs in the common room or already in their beds. Harry quickly pulled Hermione into his bed, closed and sealed the hangings while silencing them, and pulled his shrunken trunk from his pocket. He had developed the habit of carrying it around, as he suspected Longbottom and Weasley had tried to get into it. He opened the lid and shooed Hermione inside. He climbed in after her, closing the lid behind them.
Harry didn't notice the curtains on Weasley's bed twitch back together. He wouldn't have cared.
Hermione looked around the space at the bottom of the ladder; it was a simple, well-lit stone room. Harry moved up beside her and took her hand. He led her down a barrel-vaulted passageway and stopped in front of a set of thick iron-shod double doors that would not have been out of place in a castle keep. "Welcome to Camelot." Harry pulled the door open. "The girls call it Camelot, anyway."
Hermione, who had missed the "girls" comment, gasped. The room was either faced, floored, and
O
vaulted with snow-white marble or built entirely of it. The fabric on the seat cushions and arms of the side chairs was a shimmering gold. The wood of the furniture was ebony--and this was just the entry hall. Harry led her to a sitting room full of girls and young women. Hermione looked at him. Harry shrugged. "I had to know you, Ne."
Hermione drew a deep breath and paused; she thought about it, looked into Harry's honest, anxious face, and nodded. Harry was slightly shocked. He had expected a little ranting, at least. Marie Caldwell came forward and pulled Hermione away from him and began introducing her to the Squib Squad and its coven.
Harry watched and waited for the explosion. None came, so he led Hermione to the hallway of doors and through the one labeled Potter Castle, then through the castle to the library. He kept a tight grip on her hand as he led her to the reading area beyond the stacks. Hermione might have given herself a permanent injury had Harry not been careful, as walking with your head turned all the way around was difficult. Snapping your head back and forth and making mewling noises was not exactly conducive to safe locomotion either.
Hermione whined and turned to look at Harry when he finally stopped. She was frozen by the painting of Harry and a older Susan hanging on the wall, and her heart leapt into her throat so hard it hurt. They looked brilliant together.
Hermione's eyes teared up and she moved to withdraw from Harry. Then the paintings spoke. "So, introduce us to this lovely witch, son," "Susan" said.
Hermione's mouth dropped open and she looked at the portrait again. The eyes--the witch had Harry's eyes, or apparently vice versa. Harry was speaking. "Lily Evans Potter, James Erasmus Potter, may I present to you my fiancée, Hermione Jane Granger."
Lily beamed at Hermione. "Well, aren't you the fast mover, Hermione Jane! Harry tells me you're smart, too. Tell me, how did another smart, pretty young witch get hooked on a Potter?"
James waved Harry toward him as Hermione stumbled initially and then warmed up and opened up to Lily. "So Harry, when is Remus coming? We need to plan how to get Sirius out!"
Harry nodded. "I know, Dad. He'll be at the game on the ninth. I'll check him out and if I think he's okay I'll try to bring him by then. I'll also give him a satellite trunk."
James looked at Harry. "I know it's a strain on you, son, and you only give the trunks to people you really trust, but Remus is a great guy. You'll see."
"Excuse me, Hermione. JAMES!"
James flinched at Lily's shout. Harry raised a brow and Hermione looked between the Potters like it was a three-way tennis match.
James hemmed and hawed while Lily threw up her hands in exasperation. "Remus is a werewolf, Harry. You may get a bad feeling from him because of this, but he's never hurt anyone. He was bitten and turned by a vicious werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, when he was a child. Fenrir made a habit of biting children to turn them."
Harry was puzzled, "Uh, why would I get a bad 'feeling' from him?"
James shrugged, "Werewolves are Dark creatures, Harry."
Harry blinked "Really? What makes a creature Dark? I mean, they're creatures--why would they be evil?"
The others started. Hermione asked, "What about Dark is evil?"
A spirited discussion resulted that lasted far into the night, covering philosophies and where Harry had learned his. That caused a bit of a blow-up and some contemplation on James and Lily's part. They had trusted Dumbledore and he had betrayed that trust. Harry explained that he had cut off Dumbledore's access to the Potter accounts and that Ragnok was now managing them, as the previous account manager had died, and was conducting an audit. James was left contemplating some actions to take.
Later Harry took Hermione back to his room and she kissed him and took her shrunken trunk to her own room. They would have several discussions over the next few days about Harry not telling her, but she was generally happy with him. She actually understood the magnitude of what he had revealed to her--or thought she did, anyway.
HOHHOHHOHHOHHOHOHHOHHOH0HHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHH
On Friday the eighth Harry sat in Potions surrounded by the witches as normal. He was looking around as he waited for his cauldron to simmer when he suddenly jerked. Snape had just dropped something into Longbottom's cauldron. Harry put up his best shields. Longbottom's cauldron melted down in spectacular fashion, and all those near him were unconscious from the noxious fumes. Snape was amazed that Potter and the witches kept calmly working inside some kind of shield as the Slytherins not near Potter quickly fled the classroom.
Snape was too BUSY banishing the fumes and levitating a train of Gryffindor males to the hospital wing to do anything, and by the time he returned Potter's group had put their labeled potions on his desk and left.
Minerva listened to Harry and the witches' account and taught them how to extract their memories. She collected the memories in crystal vials which were covered in runes and shooed everyone off to lunch.
Friday night found Harry and Hermione back in front of Lily and James's portraits after their study session. Harry took down his parents' answers to Remus's questions and then they talked some more. They went their separate ways after a couple of hours, as Harry needed his sleep for Quidditch the next day.
HOHHOHHOHHOHHOHOHHOHHOH0HHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHHOHH When shall we three meet again?
Saturday the ninth of November dawned over Harry leading the witches of Hogwarts--a good percentage of the, anyway--through some Tai Chi kata. Harry was relaxed and focused, unbothered by the "pressure" of his first Quidditch game to come later in the day.
"You see, Professor, there he is--right next to the Mudblood slag!" "Detention, Mr Longbottom! I will not tolerate that kind of language from any student, much less
O
O
the Chosen One!" Dumbledore looked out onto the lawn thoughtfully. "There are no rules restricting witches from wizards' rooms, Neville. If Miss Granger was there of her own free will, why should you complain? This is just like the broom incident. Harry needed the broom, as a member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and he received one as a gift by post. You forced the issue, and without the intervention of Ms Granger and Harry Potter you would have been a laughingstock. You will need intelligent, resourceful friends, Neville."
Neville jerked. Again with that! What was wrong with Ron and Michael? They were perfectly fine friends, and they had the right attitude. Too bad about Draco, but Neville hadn't given up the hope of making him less vocal and more--well, Slytherin really. "Yes, sir."
Dumbledore watched the "Chosen One" waddle away and shook his head. The boy took so much time and effort...he was almost as bad as Cornelius. Now to talk to Minerva about her Muggle-born and that Muggle-raised Potter. Why was that boy always in the middle of something? He had been from birth, really. It was a puzzle.
Harry and Hermione ate breakfast with the group at the Hufflepuff table, completely disregarding House tables as usual. Well, usual for them. They didn't pay attention to the convention on weekends and barely followed it on weekdays. The Slytherin had been a little stroppy about the invasion of Harry and the coven, but after some hard looks from Eliza and her witches as well as Daphne, Tracey, and Millicent, a grudging silence reined--a silence guaranteed by one look from those burning green eyes. Potter was scary. A few of the seventh through fifth year Slytherin wizards had objected and found themselves ambushed and, at the very least, stuck to walls or ceilings. A few, like Marcus Flint, had tried Eliza or Daphne and their witches and found out that they were not to be trifled with either. First they beat you, then those green eyes showed up and the beating got worse, and you were stuck upside down in some dark hallway up near the ceiling screaming for help before your guts dropped and got strangled in your own innards. It was disconcerting and required much more thought. Some of the Gryffindors had had the same experience after objecting to the Slytherin witches' presence, with the added joy of their witch Housemates dishing out a dose of the cold shoulder to go along with some moderate to heavy jinxes and curses.
Harry watched the staff table. Minerva was violently disagreeing with Dumbledore about something, if her hand motions were any guide. You'd have thought that after a hundred years the idiot would have learned to leave a Scottish woman alone, especially that one. "Whatcha reckon, Ne?"
Hermione looked up and then glanced at the staff table, only to look right in Professor McGonagall's? eyes. She sighed. "Something involving us, Harry. Finish breakfast; she'll come get us when she's ready."
Harry chuckled. "Yes, ma'am." He returned to picking the table over for fruit and Canadian bacon, the lightest of the breakfast fare offered.
Hermione frowned at him, then smiled and shook her head. The older witches gave her glares. Obviously Hermione was going to need another talking-to when she got used to the coven. She was entirely too--too--well, bossy again.
Hermione was right, though. Professor McGonagall? finished her breakfast and came over to the Hufflepuff table. "Ms. Granger, could I speak to you, please?"
Hermione nodded and rose, following Professor McGonagall? out. Harry and the coven rose and
followed them.
Professor McGonagall? was deep in thought as she walked. Finally she led Hermione into the anteroom in which the first years traditionally waited to be Sorted, and turned to her. She began, "Mr Potter, ladies, I wish to talk to Ms. Granger alone."
Harry and the coven just looked at her for a moment. As they looked at her, Professor McGonagall? realized she was looking at the top students from sixth through first year, the witches anyway. The light broke on her blindingly: these were the same witches in Harry's study group, and they were the witches the female staff linked with Harry. "What's going on here?"
Harry smiled. "You wanted to talk to Hermione, Professor."
"Don't be cheeky, Mr Potter. I wanted to speak to Hermione alone--that is without you present-- about a matter of concern to witches."
Harry favored her with a short bow. "Of course, Professor. Hermione, I'll be at the pitch. Wood will be throwing a wobbler in a few minutes anyway."
Hermione nodded. "Tell him we'll be there soon, Harry."
Harry leaned in and kissed Hermione and then left smartly. McGonagall? cast a gimlet eye over the others and sighed. "So respecting my wishes is right out, then? Very well. Ms. Granger--Hermione- -it? has been reported that you spent the night in Mr. Potter's bed."
Hermione gasped. "That's a complete lie, Professor! Well, the salacious aspect anyway. I will admit I spent some time there, but Harry and I were just talking."
Professor McGonagall? examined the young witch closely. She believed her. "Hermione, you must be cautious. Certain forms of contact with a wizard could have you bound to that wizard."
Hermione nodded. "We know. Harry and I are already--erm--lightly bound?" Ella Caldwell snorted. "She's affianced to Harry, Professor." Professor McGonagall? blanched. "Hermione! You're twelve years old!"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I know, Professor. I also know what I'm doing. We've studied it extensively. I won't be able to do better than Harry, and he loves me. Are we DONE here? We really do need to get to the pitch or Wood will 'throw a wobbler', as Harry says."
Professor McGonagall? opened and closed her mouth several times. There was really nothing to be said. Her family had been very progressive in her youth; they had dropped the practice, but other witches were commonly placed into arranged marriages and sharing their husbands' beds by the age of thirteen. The practice had receded in recent years but had not totally died out. It was more common now for the witches to not be officially wed until they were out of school, but the practice of contracting for marriages was still in play. She finally managed, "Do your parents know about this, Ms. Granger?"
Hermione at least had the grace to blush. "Not the details, but I've informed Mother of my status and intent as required, and Harry has asked for permission to 'date' me from my father. We intend to discuss this issue with them in detail over Christmas break; we felt it was better DONE face to
face. You should probably expect a letter. They'll believe me, but they'll want all the details from a source not--erm--influenced by the situation."
Professor McGonagall? had one last shot to fire. "And Harry's guardians?" Hermione bit her lower lip. "I'll have to have an oath of silence to talk to you about that, Professor."
Professor McGonagall? smelled blood in the water. "You do realize I cannot give that oath." Belatedly she noticed she was now surrounded by the witches, who were all watching her intently, piranhas circling a mako who had mistakenly swum too far up the Amazon and scratched itself on some trash.
Hermione smiled. "I swear on my magic that we intend no harm to Hogwarts." A blue flash coursed over Hermione. She pulled out her wand and conjured a teacup full of steaming orange pekoe and handed it to Professor McGonagall--conjured?, mind!
Professor McGonagall? blinked. "Well yes, then, I swear not to reveal what I am about to learn about Harry James Potter to anyone without his permission, so mote it be."
Hermione smiled at the blue flash and the coven relaxed. "Harry is emancipated in the wizarding world and ignored in the Mundane world. His "guardians" would be only too happy to never see him again. That's actually a good idea; we'll get working on it right away. Mum and Dad could be his Mundane guardians. He has known and used magic since he was four and had control of it starting at seven. Thank you--we'll see you at the game, Professor." Hermione turned and led the coven away.
Professor McGonagall? raised the cup to her lips and drank. Oh, very nice, just one sugar, just the way I like it. Conjured--extraordinary. Minerva, get hold of yourself! Lily and James's son has been neglected. The least of your fears about those people has come to pass. The least--what else could have happened? Albus, the bloody great lump! Oooooh, that wizard! I have to talk to Harry! Harry has been doing controlled magic since he was seven? Circe! That means he's doing wandless magic!
Down at the Quidditch pitch Harry slowly got into his uniform along with the twins, Ron, Neville, and Oliver Wood. "Potter, where are the witches?"
Harry chuckled. "Up at the castle, Oliver. They'll be here soon. Relax, we have half an hour yet."
Oliver simply sped up his pacing. Harry smiled when Hermione led the girls in and sat next to him. "We have to talk, Harry. Professor McGonagall? knows but is under oath."
Harry blinked. "Shaping up to be a BUSY day, then."
Hermione leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips before she followed the witches to their side of the locker room. Harry sat on the bench thinking, his head leaned back against the wall and his eyes closed. Neville sidled up to the edge of the curtain dividing the locker room. "Do you want to die, Longbottom?"
Neville jerked at Harry's calm-voiced question, then bristled. Harry sighed and in the same calm voice added, "Don't bow up on me, Longbottom. I'm trying to restrain myself from ripping your undescended bollocks off right now. If you provoke me, I will. What the witches do to you will be worse because it will be public and permanent. Witches have long, long memories, Longbottom."
Neville suddenly realized that Harry had never even opened his eyes, and the other wizards, minus Ron Weasley, were eyeing him with hostility. They obviously didn't respect the Chosen One. They would see when he saved them all and they had to worship him! He retreated and turned to his locker to examine it in great detail.
Moments later Harry finished practicing his Occlumency, sighed, and listened as the witches returned kitted out and Oliver began his review of the game plan and his pre-game speech. Harry mounted his broom and flew out with the rest of the team. He was immediately glad he had ordered his mind. The crowd was roaring, it was a glorious day, and the excitement was palpable.
Marcus Flint, the Slytherin Captain, tried to intimidate Oliver but the big Scot returned Flint's crushing grip with a smile. Madam Hooch shooed them into the air and kicked the box open. Harry was shocked at how quickly the Snitch disappeared, but he circled to gain altitude and took up a search pattern closely marked by the Slytherin Seeker.
Harry watched as the Lion's Chasers were roughed up by the Snakes. He ground his teeth until he saw an opening. Harry saw the Snakes in the open field and dove on them, with his trail closely following. He easily cleared the Snakes' Chasers, but their own Seeker crashed through their close- packed ranks, scattering them and knocking the Quaffle loose and into Katie Bell's arms.
Harry smiled. That was fun!
The afternoon proved entertaining to Harry and the Lions, as he used the Slytherin Seeker to break up so many plays that Flint and the other Slytherin Beater started knocking Quaffles at him. Harry nearly laughed himself off his broom.
Harry was roaring around the pitch as fast as his broom would fly, amazing the crowds and scaring Hermione.
Neither of them noticed Professor Quirrell eyeing Longbottom and Professor Snape watching Professor Quirrell.
Harry was having a blast when, down near the pitch, the Snitch appeared as if by magic. He shouted in surprise as the Snitch did a kamikaze attack on him and went right into his open mouth. Harry lost concentration, dragged a toe on the pitch, and rolled across the sandy arena. He sat up at the end of his roll and coughed the now bedraggled Snitch into his hand. He looked up in surprise as the roar of cheers nearly overwhelmed him.
Just as he stood he was hit by a brown-haired missile and found himself locked in a passionate kiss on the bottom of a dog pile.
Harry was finally able to surface and the team looked around. If they had expected to shake hands with the Slytherins they were disappointed, as the other team had left the pitch while they were still in the dog pile.
They shrugged and headed for the locker room. Harry entered last and burst out laughing. Neville Longbottom and Ron Weasley were naked and stuck to each other, face to face. Apparently they had tried to push themselves apart because their hands were stuck to each other's shoulders. "What happened?"
Angelina turned to Harry. "Little pervs tried to sneak a feel while we were in that dog pile. They
want sex so much they can just shag each other. Grab my fanny, little bastards."
Harry laughed all the way through his shower and chuckled as he changed. He waited on Hermione, who was under attack in the witches' locker room as the witches had decided her hair needed something DONE to it.
When she stepped out in a huff, Harry blinked. Hermione's hair was less BUSY but no less curly. It flowed around her head and was bound in a French braid. He smiled at her. "It may take a lot of effort and not be schoolwork, Hermione, but it looks very nice." He reached out and touched her hair gently. "Feels nice, too."
Hermione groaned. "I'll think about it, Harry."
Lavender and Parvati clapped their hands and squeed. Harry laughed and left with Hermione on his arm. Padma, Susan, Daphne, and the rest of the coven met them right outside. Harry smiled and passed out kisses. The startled witches smiled and blushed.
Remus Lupin arched a brow. "Harry Potter?" Harry looked at the wizard and smiled, offering his hand. "Mr. Lupin, I presume?"
"Yes, Harry. And call me Remus, please. Has anyone ever told you that you look startlingly like your father, except--"
The witches smiled and said in unison, "--your eyes, they're your mother's eyes."
Remus blinked and then chuckled. "So I'm not the first, then."
Harry smiled. "So Remus, shall we walk and talk?"
Remus nodded and walked beside Harry, who still had Hermione on his arm and was leading the other witches.
"So Harry, how have you been? You look good."
Harry was in a mood. "I was abused by my relatives to the point where my magic took action to protect me. It happened so often I learned to control it and have been using magic since I was seven. Since then I've taken control of my destiny. So far I'm not very impressed with the magical world. It seems filled with megalomaniacs, perverts, and imbeciles. Unfortunately, they all walk around armed." Harry shrugged. "And you, Remus?"
Remus blinked. "Uh, fine, Harry. I've been out of the country, perhaps by design--I'll have to look into it. Your letter said you had some questions?"
Harry nodded. They had reached the disused classroom that was his destination. "Ladies, if you please, I'll catch up with you later. Ella, if you and Eliza would stay?"
The witches nodded and left. Hermione never left Harry's side. Harry took his trunk out of his pocket and put it on the floor. As he was opening it he introduced the witches and said, "Ella and Eliza will guard the trunk." Harry waved Hermione down the ladder and then followed.
Remus looked inside in amazement as he followed Harry down. Harry wasted no time, leading
them straight through to the trunk in Potter Castle and up into the castle itself. He led the way to the library and to his parents' portraits. The shouting started immediately.
Harry and Hermione watched for a moment and then withdrew to peruse the stacks as the yelling settled into tears. "So, Harry?"
Harry sighed and looked back at the three adults--well, one adult and two paintings--again. "Obviously they're friends. We'll get him to take a loyalty oath and then give him a trunk."
Hermione hugged him. "It will be okay, Harry."
Back at the paintings Remus shook his head again. "So Sirius is imprisoned illegally--apparently without trial, if Harry is correct--and Peter is the real traitor. You, Lily, cast the charm that disincorporated Riddle, and your sacrifice powered it, making Harry the true Boy Who Lived, but Neville was selected by Dumbledore to be the Chosen One. Why would Dumbledore do this?"
James frowned. "Because he's a senile old pure-blood."
"James! Remus, that was a little too simplified. We think Dumbledore assumed that Voldemort, Tom Marvolo Riddle as Harry found out, was after Neville. I believe that may be true, but he was also after Harry, as we all know, and luckily for him he caught us all at one time. Harry has a pretty obvious mark, but apparently Neville has some sort of mark too."
Remus nodded. "Potter Cottage was destroyed."
Hermione, who had walked up with Harry, gasped. "Harry, just before Angelina stuck Neville and Ron together she Vanished their clothes. Neville has a mark on his chest like this." She conjured parchment and a biro and drew a stylized heart shape with the letters LV and an ampersand in it.
James, meanwhile, was looking at Harry. "Angelina stuck two boys together naked?"
Harry laughed. "Yes, we won the game and they dog piled me. Apparently Longbottom and Weasley tried to cop a feel and Angelina objected. She Vanished their clothes and stuck them together, chest to chest, naked. We left them like that."
James laughed and looked at Hermione's drawing. "Hey, that looks like those hearts on the beech by the lake, doesn't it, Lily? Remember, I carved one for you and me in fourth year?"
Lily snapped her head back to the drawing. "You know, the last memory I have is of Bellatrix holding Neville and doing something to him. After that it was all running and then the green flash!"
Everyone looked at each other and shuddered. Remus was amazed. "So Dumbledore was fooled by a lovesick psychopath?"
Lily and Hermione shrugged simultaneously. Harry and James laughed. The laughter reached new heights when both witches stamped their foot at the same time, mirror images of each other, and put their hands on their hips. Lily threw up her hands. "Dumbledore was led astray by circumstance and has been unable as yet to see that his theory, though sound, is off by a hundred and eighty degrees--or one boy."
Harry smirked. "Good for me, then. We keep the geezer in the dark, and when Longbottom gets
toasted I can see how much they offer for me to haul their irons out of the fire. It ought to be worth some serious coin."
The room stilled. Hermione spoke first. "Uh, Harry, Riddle will be killing people."
Harry waved her off. "Muggles and Muggle-borns, Hermione, at least from what the old papers say. Well, those and whoever publicly opposed him. We can take steps, alert the Muggle-borns and start warding their homes, figure out ways to track Riddle and his Death Eaters. Build a team to fight them when they venture into the Muggle world, several teams even. Hell, we can start killing off the Death Eaters now. I mean, we know who they were from the trials. We can swear everyone to secrecy and set up a whole shadow magical world and let the pure-bloods fight it out, or let the ones we trust and I vet join our world and the rest fight it out. Then we swoop in and take over after they've exhausted each other. We have very little to do with this civil war between pure-bloods, and they surely won't help us. Eventually, when the pure-bloods pony up the cash, I'll take Riddle down. If they don't and he's the last man standing, I'll take him down then."
James frowned. "Grand plan, son, but how are you going to fight a wizard with sixty years of experience on you?"
Harry laughed. "Who said anything about fighting? I'm a fair shot--I'll shoot him in the head from a thousand meters out and Bob's your uncle. It's been DONE before. I just need a place to practice. The grounds here should work."
James and Remus scratched their heads while Hermione and Lily looked appalled.
The argument lasted an hour longer before Harry noticed the time and said that he and Hermione had to leave. James told him how to key Remus into the wards and they took Remus's loyalty oath and gave him a trunk.
Remus would start working to free Sirius. Harry could plan world domination, but they would have to discuss it more before he began the conquest. Or so they thought.
Finally Harry and Hermione came back up out of the trunk in Hogwarts and the four--Harry, Hermione, Eliza, and Ella--walked to Gryffindor Tower, where they joined the victory celebration. Eliza put up with the ribbing with a sardonic tilt to her mouth.
It was getting on toward dark when Harry asked Angelina if she had ever unstuck Neville and Ron. Her reply of, "Who?" drew laughter and a telling of the story. Percy huffed as he went to free them.
Meanwhile, Minerva McGonagall? was preparing a letter explaining magical bondings for the Doctors Granger.