MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1996. Potter Manor.
Harry awoke in a room filled with sunshine following the best night's sleep he could remember. His sleep was filled with pleasant dreams instead of the nightmares about death. All his dreams centered on one young woman and their life together. He wasn't certain about what happened yesterday. He and his Hermione and not really done that, had they? They were not now magically married, were they?
He opened his eyes. He felt a warm weight pressing against his body. He saw a brown blur of hair and felt the head of its owner against his chest. He could smell her. He felt her soft skin beneath his arms and hands. He was warm. He felt loved, perhaps for the first time in his life, or at least for the first time he could remember. He realized that yesterday, as bizarre as it was, was quite real. His naked wife pressing against him was proof positive of that.
If it were up to him, they would never get out of bed again. However, he realized reality was a problem. Right now, the reality was his feeling an increasingly urgent need that had nothing to do with the beautiful angel in his arms. As much as he wanted to stay right here like this forever, nature was calling and he had to get up.
He squeezed her gently wondering if she was awake, asleep or just dozing. A soft, contented sigh escaped her lips.
"Sleeping?" he whispered.
"Mmmm," she replied.
"It's morning," he continued.
"I know," she whispered back.
"Think we should get up?"
"Don't want to. Too cozy," she purred back.
Harry gently pushed her off of him and onto her back. She gave him a playful pout.
"Well, I have to get up," he said after kissing her lightly.
"Why?" she whimpered playfully.
"Well, it's either that or I stay here with you…"
"That's what I want."
"…and wet the bed."
"Oh," she giggled. "Yes, I don't want that."
After a long kiss, Harry got up and headed to the Master Bath, which itself was probably the size of the ground floor at the Dursleys. There were four toilets, five sinks, a small bath tub as Harry called it. It was small because it could probably only hold three people. The large bath tub was practically a swimming pool. The shower was equally huge and could easily accommodate six people. Harry wondered at why the bathroom was so large and then decided it was simply a wealth thing. It was large because it could be, not because it needed to be.
Harry stepped into the shower and began to wash himself. It wasn't long before he realized he was not alone and another pair of soapy hands was caressing his back. He turned and saw a naked and wet Hermione smiling up at him.
"I wanted to help you," she said with a grin.
"Wish I thought of that," Harry chuckled as he began soaping her up while he washed him. The result of this activity was predictable as Harry's basilisk was wide awake as the couple rinsed off. Hermione was looking at him with an odd pout.
"What?" Harry asked.
"I - I can't."
"Can't what?"
"Let it play in my chamber," she whimpered.
"Why?"
"It's sore."
"Oh. Sorry."
"Don't be. You didn't make me do anything I didn't want. And I promise to make it up to you later today and shag you silly."
"Can't wait."
"In the meantime," she added with a mischievous grin, "maybe I can add another of my fantasies to my I've-Done-That-With-Harry list."
"And what, pray tell, is that, you little slut?"
"Sucking you off in the shower."
"That's only mildly erotic."
"In my real fantasy, it's the girls shower at school."
"Are there other girls there?"
"Most certainly," Hermione said as she knelt before him. Before he could say another word, he watched as he disappeared into her mouth. If anything, he thought as he watched her suck him off, she's even better than before. She did not take long to get him moaning with pleasure. He felt his orgasm rapidly approaching and told her he was going to come. Just like the first time, she did not stop and kept sucking him long after he came in her mouth. She finally stood up. After a long kiss, she told Harry he could do the same to her, if he wanted to. Harry needed no further encouragement and was soon on his own knees, exploring her once again with his tongue. Her knees buckled and she slid down the wall of the shower. Soon she was lying on the floor, her legs spread wide from her lover, moaning with pleasure as he worked his magic on her sex, bringing her to a swift, powerful and load orgasm.
Fully showered, the couple were drying themselves and each other, taking in each other's bodies with interest.
"I was, um, just wondering," he said glancing at Hermione's hairless bits.
"Wondering what?"
"Well, I used to knick nudie magazines from my cousin and all the women had hair down there."
"Yes?"
"And you don't."
"I know."
"Um - why?"
"You know how bushy the hair on my head can get," she said.
Harry nodded.
"Well, it was just as bad down there. It was annoying and it looked gross. Practically from the day I started Hogwarts, I noted there were at least a few older girls who were bald down there. So the summer before Third Year I used a Muggle hair remover. It's not permanent, but it's more comfortable than shaving, and faster. I had already been using it on my legs and underarms. And that's a sensitive area. Fourth year, when we were learning spells and curses for the Tournament, I came across a fairly useless one. It removes hair permanently or at least until the counter-curse is performed. So I cursed the unwanted hair away."
"Do - do you like it?"
"I definitely prefer my bare pussy to the hairy one. Do you?"
"Yeah," Harry said. "I do."
"But," she added, "I do like your hairy bits and prefer them to bald ones, so don't even think about getting rid of your hair."
"Whatever turns you on, Love," Harry said with a smile.
As Tonks had some additional errands to run and Hermione was in the Library reading books Tonks had laid out on Consorts, Concubines and certain kinds of bonds and bonding rites, Harry spent the morning exploring the Manor. The day before he had only seen the ground floor and a small fraction of the private apartments on the first floor. This morning he checked out his study and found that in addition to a personal water closet, just off the study was a large conference room. There were six bedroom suites on the floor in addition to the Master's and Mistresses suites. These suites had their own sitting room, playroom and / or study, the bedchamber and a private bath. There was also a small library on the floor, a large parlor, a second study that Harry presumed was for the Mistress, a kitchen and a room that he thought of as a music room as it had a grand piano and other musical things.
Harry had learned to play at a young age. His relatives had frequently sent him to the home of Mrs. Figg, a widow who lived within a short walk of the Dursleys. Harry had always thought she was a bit batty, but she was nice to him. That was more than he could say about the relatives he lived with or anyone they seemed to know. Mrs. Figg began teaching him when he was about five. His payment was to listen to her as she went on about her multitude of cats, but that was minor. Before learning he was a wizard, Harry had come to learn he had two talents. He could cook extremely well and he could play the piano. He cooked because his Aunt hated to and he was available. She had taught him the basics. He suspected he was well beyond that when he learned he was a wizard. Mrs. Figg encouraged him in many things, but in particular music.
At primary school, when they were allowed electives, he had chosen music in no small part than because his cousin wanted nothing to do with it. His skills at the piano were recognized immediately by the music teacher. Ms. Williams encouraged him and offered him lessons at not cost. He accepted and managed somehow to convince Ms. Williams to tell his relatives he was being tutored in other subjects because he had a learning problem. Anything to make him look less talented than his barely functional cousin was a good thing.
Playing the piano was something that had nothing to do with the Dursleys. In fact, he was certain they didn't even know. He was also quite good and had been encouraged to give recitals, but that would have required the Durlsey's permission, something he was sure they would never give. They would probably put a stop to his playing altogether as he was not allowed to be better than Dudley at anything except chores and cooking. Cooking was another thing he liked doing. Even though it was a chore, when he was cooking his god awful relatives left him alone.
Hogwarts did not have a piano, or if it did he was unaware of it. Consequently, his one "sercret" talent could not be continued. He had replaced music with Quidditch at school. Now he had a piano and no Dursleys to worry about. He spent a couple of hours playing. He hated to admit it, but he was very rusty by his former standards and it might take weeks to get back in form. Still, it was a relaxing way to spend the morning.
He had just finished working his way through a piece by Chopin, surprised with the treasure trove of sheet music he found in this Music Room and was thinking of trying to relearn a piece he had learned the spring of his last year before Hogwarts by Scott Joplin when a voice interrupted him.
"I didn't know you could play," it said. Harry looked up and saw Hermione standing in the door to the room.
"Oh. Well, I used to."
"I'd say you still can," she smiled.
"Haven't really since starting Hogwarts. I was a lot better before, I think."
"Still, you are a man of many surprises."
Harry smiled at her. "I can also cook," he quipped. "But I'm never doing dishes again!"
Hermione laughed. "Turns out, I played too when I was little."
"Piano?"
She shook her head. "Violin. 1st chair in my school orchestra."
"Really? That's great! Maybe we could make music together?"
"We already have," she quipped. "Just not with notes."
Harry chuckled. He never knew she had such a randy mind.
"Now how about some lunch," she said. "After we can go to the Library and I can tell you what I've learned about this bonds."
"What? No sex?"
"Later. Still a little sore. But if you want, I can suck you off for desert. I wouldn't mind a Harry sucker."
The two teens were seated at a table in the library. Somehow, they remained fully clothed. Hermione had three books on bonds and bonding rituals spread out on the table and a fourth on Ancient and Noble Houses which she said was important too.
"Tonks left these books here last night along with a note to me telling me what she thought I should read. These books cover certain kinds of bonding and the oaths a rites that create those bonds. The three bonds I was asked to read about were: the Consort Bond, the Concubine Bond and the Fealty Bond. They are all versions of a category of bonds called Loyalty Bonds."
"Loyalty Bonds?" Harry asked.
"Basically, it is a bond that creates and maintains the loyalty of the bonded to the bonder." Hermione replied.
"How does it do that?"
"To the extent that an act of disloyalty requires the exercise of a person's free will, that free will is suppressed. Even if they want to be disloyal, they cannot be."
"And this is the bond between us?" Harry asked. "I didn't want that."
"It's okay, Harry," Hermione said soothingly. "Remember, I would have to want to betray you for the bond to suppress my will. So long as my true desires, wants and ideas are consistent with the bond, I'm the same person I was before.
"The bonded person is loyal to the bonder. I've always been loyal to you, Harry. The bonded cannot lie to the bonder. I may have not told you the whole truth about some things, but I've never lied to you. The bonded will never betray the bonder or the bonder's secrets to anyone. I never want to betray you, Harry. Those traits are consistent in all three bonds. With the Consort Bond and Concubine Bond, the bonded can never hurt or be made to hurt the bonder or any of his family. You know I've never wanted that, Harry."
"Does the bonded have to do what the bonder tells them too?"
"It depends both upon the type of bond and what they are being told to do, but in general, yes."
"Even if they don't want to?"
Hermione nodded. "It varies from bond to bond, but yes."
"So I took advantage of you?" Harry began.
"No Harry! You did not! Our bond did not form until after we had been making love for hours. Everything that happened yesterday, and this morning, I wanted to do! I suppose you could have ordered me to fuck you this morning when I was sore and I would have probably had to comply, even if I didn't really want to, but you didn't."
"I'll try not to."
"Thanks Harry."
"Now suck my cock."
"Okay," Hermione said with a smile as she began to slide off of her chair.
"Stop!" Harry commanded. "I was kidding." Hermione got back into her chair. "You were going to do it?"
Hermione nodded.
"Is that because I told you to or you wanted to."
"If you want a blow job, I want to give it to you, Milord."
"And that has nothing to do with the bond?"
"Not that I can tell. Although I did want to complain that you're insatiable and kept my mouth shut. That might have something to do with the bond, but I don't know. I really do like sex with you, Harry. I really want as much sex with you as I can stand. I wanted that from the moment you first made me cum. And that was before we bonded."
"Okay. So what else do I need to know?"
"Remember that I said the bonded cannot betray the bonder or the bonder's secrets?"
Harry nodded.
"Well, one of the things this means is that I am at least somewhat immune to the imperious curse."
"What? How's that possible?"
"The imperious curse is a form of compulsion magic. So are loyalty bonds. The bonds, however, are much more powerful and longer lasting. If the enemy were to use that curse on me in any manner that would lead to betraying you, betraying your secrets, going against your orders or wishes, or causing harm to you, me or any member of your house, the spell simply won't work at all."
"That could be useful."
"Very. One of the Death Eater's tactics in a large scale engagement is to imperious some to the other side into attaching their own side. That won't work if they are under a powerful loyalty bond."
"But they can still affect me?"
"No Harry. You cannot betray me either, which means you cannot be forced to. As with me, you cannot be imperioused to hurt me unless you wanted to in the first place. Basically, you cannot be forced to do something regarding me against your will by any magic known."
"I'm glad to know that, Hermione. I don't think I could live with myself if I did. Any other benefits?"
"As I said, I cannot betray you. The Consort Bond and Fealty Bond also would prevent you from betraying me. This means two things. First, we will have no secrets from each other. I can't lie to you and you can't lie to me."
"Oh no!"
"What?"
"Promise me you'll go easy on the 'girl' questions."
"Girl questions?"
"Does this dress make me look fat?"
Hermione giggled. "I can see how that might be a problem. I promise to try and avoid that, okay?"
"Thanks."
"Any way, I will eventually know everything about you and you everything about me. This means we may one day be able to passively legillimize each other."
"What?"
"We will be able to access each other's thoughts, memories and feelings. There are accounts of Consorts and their Husbands who stopped talking. Not because they stopped communicating, rather because they no longer had to speak to each other out loud. They were communicating with their minds. There are also accounts of where they came to feel everything the other felt. It was said to make their sex lives amazing as each could feel the other's pleasure. Then again, the poor guy could also feel the pain of child birth and his Consort's discomfort when she was menstruating."
"Um, first bits sounds cool. The last bit not so much."
"It doesn't happen all the time, Milord. There are only a handful of cases where the couple could truly feel what their partner felt and even then it was not all the time. They had to focus on it, it says."
"Oh. That's a relief, I guess."
"On the other side, I can never reveal your secrets to anyone not bonded to you. That means, I cannot be legillimized for information and veritaserum will not work on me to make me talk about what I know about you or your plans. I can only say what others not bonded already know. The protection also prevents anyone from forcing any information from you against your will."
"Now that's useful!"
"Indeed it is, Milord."
"So I don't have to learn Occlumency?"
"Arguably not. It's still a useful skill to learn. But so long as I or another bonded to you knows that which you wish to hide, no. Not even Voldemort or Dumbledore can access those thoughts."
"Anything else?"
"With a Consort or a Concubine, you can summon or be called."
"What's that mean?"
"If we are apart, say I was at Hogwarts and you were here, you could summon me to you and I would come. Likewise, I could call you to me if I was in trouble and you could find me."
"What about the wards? Surely you can't pass through the wards here or me at Hogwarts. You said so. You said it's written in Hogwarts: A History."
"Actually, this form of travel can pass through any wards known. The only limiting factor is unless you or I are there, we would have to first know where there was. For example, I can in theory go home to my parents place and then come back here no problem. You can leave here and go anywhere you know of no problem. And even if I've never been there before, you can summon and I would follow."
"And how do we do that?"
"We need things keyed into each other," Hermione said. "Consorts and Concubines wear special collars around their necks. This is the device that allows them to call their Master to them and to jump when they need to. To be summoned, their Master needs his family ring or Master's ring."
"But we don't have these things?" Harry complained.
"I'm pretty sure the Potter ring Tonks told you about is the ring that will call me to you."
"And your collar?"
"Apparently, once you put on the ring, my collar should appear."
"And anyone can see it?"
"No Milord. The collar of a Consort or Concubine can only be seen by those who are bound to their Master and those the Master allows to know about their status. While Consorts are generally not secrets, Concubines usually are."
"Why?"
"Well, if you ask me it's really silly, but…"
"But what?"
"Concubines are a part of British Wizarding culture and society for that matter. They have been throughout history. It is estimated that as many as one third of all witches over the age of sixteen are concubines. Apparently, for Muggle Borns such as myself, the majority are. So you would figure that being a concubine shouldn't such a big deal, and yet it can best be described as a dirty little secret of our world, you see."
"Dirty little secret?" Harry had to admit that the notion on Concubines was just that. Still, from what Tonks had said last night and Hermione so far today, he was surprised that what was common place was also such a secret.
"Even though perhaps a third of all witches of age are concubines," Hermione said, "their status in society is … well … they are at the bottom. They are viewed by all other witches as little more than whores and by most wizards as little more than property to be bought, played with and sold. Yet, at the same time, many of them are in exclusive relationships with their masters or at least are not shared with others. They attend school. Many have jobs, even quite respectable ones. Many bear their masters' children and in some cases the sons become heirs. Still, even the ones who are well treated and have careers, family and a rather nice life, they fear being exposed as what they are because they are viewed as being at best marginally better than a Muggle."
"It's fair to say, from what I've read, that they may be suspected as what they are by those around them: family, co-workers, friends. Above a certain age single witch without a known boyfriend, be he muggle or wizard, is generally believed as either being a concubine or a lesbian, the latter being even lower on the social scale. What really makes it worse is that in all likelihood not one concubine is bonded as such by their choice.
"What makes the thing so hypocritical is that there's little difference between a Consort like me and a Concubine in so far as their bond is concerned. The only real difference is I chose to be bonded with you and I did so out of love. Yet I am considered equal to a wife and the concubine is not."
Harry did not. "Perhaps you should explain the difference between a Consort and a Concubine."
"For all practical purposes, a Consort is the wife of the wizard she is bonded to."
"So we're married?"
Hermione nodded. "According to law and custom, as you have no wife, I am your wife and have been for about a day."
"Hermione? Do you mind? I mean we've been boyfriend and girlfriend for less than a week and now we're married?"
"It's a bit quicker than I had hoped, Milord. And I must admit at least a part of me wanted the whole wedding thing…"
"We can still have one"
"Thanks, Harry," Hermione said softly. "I would like that one day."
"So you don't mind?"
"I love you, Harry. It's sooner than I expected, but I've wanted to be your wife for some time. Actually, being your Consort is better than simply being your wife."
"H-how so?"
"The magical bond that made me your consort," Hermione replied. "In addition to the other goodies we've discussed, the Consort Bond reinforces and strengthens the relationship we already had before we bonded. Of course, the bond itself does urge me to call you either Milord or Master when we are alone like this instead of Harry."
"Really?"
Hermione nodded.
"And I thought you were just being cheeky."
Hermione shrugged. "We will become even closer than before and even now. Our love will only strengthen as time goes on. I will be yours, only yours and always yours for the rest of my life."
"And me?"
"I will always be first in your heart. We will never break up."
"I mean, will you always be my only?"
"I'd like to be. But you are the Head of an Ancient and Noble House and based upon what we learned last night, it's fair to believe you're the head of two such houses." When Harry's eyebrows rose, Hermione continued. "Sirius was the last Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, Harry. He died without issue, without a son or daughter. Had he died without a Will, his title and property will pass to his closets living male relative in the next generation. As that is Draco Malfoy, I doubt Sirius would allow that to happen.
"As the Head of his House, having no son to inherit the title, Sirius could by his Will designate the new Lord Black and cut Malfoy out altogether. The only requirement is the new Lord Black must be a male descendant of a former Head of the House of Black. You are. Sirius and your common ancestor was Phineus Nigelus Black, his Great-great Grandfather and your Great-great-great Grandfather. His granddaughter Dorea married your Great-grandfather. So, you are eligible to be the next Lord Black.
"Great," Harry moaned. Deep down the only thing he wanted in life was Hermione. The fame, earned or otherwise, the money, the titles all meant nothing to him. Trying to lighten himself up he said: "So that means you're Lady Black as well?"
"No, Harry it does not. You would not be the first man to become the Head of two Ancient and Noble Houses. It's happened on occasion, the last time about three hundred years ago. The law is that a wife or consort can only bear the heir of one house even if the husband is head of two."
"So the Black line ends with me?"
"No. If you produce no male heir to the line, it will pass to the nearest Black male relation."
"Again, that would be Malfoy?"
"Or his son if he has one by then."
"Great! Last thing I'd want is letting that git have anything!"
"There is a way around it, love."
"And what's that?"
"Obviously, you need to have a son to carry on the Black line."
"But you said you can't do that! You're the Consort of the Potter line!"
"That's true. I cannot."
"But that means … you must be joking!"
"As Head of an Ancient and Noble House, you are allowed by law to take a wife and a Consort. The one you take first generally will bear the heir to the line, unless of course she does not. As the Head of two such houses, you are allowed the same right for each House."
"So I can have two wives?"
"Up to four actually: A Potter Consort - me, a Black Consort, a Potter wife and a Black wife. You don't need all four, though."
"Are you suggesting what I think you are?"
"If you are indeed Lord Black as well, yes Milord. I am suggesting you either take a wife or a Consort at the very least. If possible, although a wife might be easier to get I would say because of the bond, a Consort would be the preferable option."
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"No. He's the one who left this to you. I'm Hermione."
"Channeling now?"
"No. Just trying to lighten you up a little."
"And why would a wife be easier to get?"
"First off, we know there are offers out there because Dumbledore accepted one on your behalf for Ginny Weasley. Now that offer was probably made for my position and not Sirius's."
"Besides, I don't want to marry her. Kill her? Maybe. But…"
"It's her Mum who's the real problem."
"And Dumbledore," Harry added.
"The problem with a wife is that she is not bonded to you magically and marrying her necessarily places you in an alliance with her family. There are no political strings associated with a Consort."
"Bloody hell!"
"You don't have to do anything yet. Even if Sirius did what I suspect and name you as the next Lord Black, until the reading of his will, you cannot take a wife as Lord Black."
"How 'bout a Consort?"
"That you can. But what are the odds that there's another girl who's truly in love with you who will offer herself to you of her own free will between now and the middle of July?"
"Ginny probably would."
"And would you want that?"
"I would practically be handing the Black property over to the Old Man, wouldn't I?"
"To the extent she could exercise free will to do so, yes. But that would be limited. What you would be doing is giving the Weasley family access to your property, which would include this Manor. While the bond might keep Ginny in control, her mother and Ronald are another matter altogether."
"That and I suppose I have to have some feelings for her? I have to at least trust her somewhat for the bond to form, right?"
"Correct. Thus she is out of the question. So, unless you get lucky and have the right woman fall out of the sky, you're probably out of luck in the Consort finding department for the foreseeable future. We're sort of in hiding. Not many dating opportunities in hiding."
"There's always Tonks," Harry suggested.
"I'm sure she would have asked already, Harry."
"Oh."
"Of course, you could always buy some concubines."
"What? Why?"
"First, because if the Black Head of House has no wife or consort, he can designate the son of a concubine of his as heir. Second, unlike legal marriage or the Consort Bond, you don't need anyone's permission to take a woman as a concubine, not even her own. You just buy her."
"Are you sure you're Hermione Granger?"
"Technically, Milord, I'm Lady Hermione Potter as of yesterday."
"And as of yesterday, you would have had nothing to do with a harem or me buying women! As of yesterday, you still thought binding elves to a family was evil!"
"And you told me yesterday that even if we disagree with the social order as it exists in our world, we should learn to take advantage of it."
"Still…"
"Preservation of the Potter and Black lines is important in the long term. It is also important to keep those estates out of Dumbledore's or Voldemort's hands. As heads of those two houses, you probably have votes in the Wizengamot. A House with an heir has more political pull than one without."
"Where did you learn all this?"
"The books Tonks left for me."
"Fine! I guess I'll consider this."
"Just trying to be practical."
"So you think I should get a concubine?"
"For the Black line, you should consider it."
"You read about those too?"
Hermione nodded.
"What do I need to know?"
"Where do you want be to begin, Milord? The nature of the Bond, the economics of the trade or how you bond with one?"
"Nature of the bond first, I guess."
"Well, as I said, it is a loyalty bond and all loyalty bonds are similar. The Concubine Bond differs from the Consort Bond in degree of free will retained by the bonded. As your Consort, I do retain a fair amount of free will. I can speak my mind in your presence. I can offer you my opinion on things. The bond prevents me from really getting into a row with you, but otherwise I can be my own woman in that regards. What it prevents is my ever being with another man, not that I mind at all. I will not want to and you can't make me," she added sticking her tongue out at him.
"I wouldn't want to," he replied. "What about another woman?"
"Only if I want to, you let me and the other woman is bonded to you as well. I can also refuse certain sex acts if I feel they may cause pain."
"Like now 'cause I made you sore?"
She nodded. "Course, if you ask for a blow job, I really have no excuses."
"I'll keep that in mind. Anything else?"
"No anal sex. That's an exit, not an entrance as far as I'm concerned."
"Anal sex?"
"Fucking me in the bum and not the pussy."
"Guys do that to girls?"
"Some do. But I don't want you doing that to me."
"I hadn't even thought about that."
Hermione nodded and continued. "Anyway, the concubine lacks a significant amount of free will when in her Master's presence. She will call you either Milord or Master unless you're in public. She will not speak unless spoken to first. She will not speak her mind or give you her opinion's or advice unless you tell her to. Even if you do, that permission only lasts until you withdraw it or she leaves your presence.
"In regards to sex, you can order her to do just about anything unless it would cause either of you serious harm. If you want her to have sex with another man or woman, whether she wants to or not, she will do it. You can even give another man what's called 'General Permission' to her. The other man is effectively her second Master and can have her do just about anything, unless she's with you. The other man cannot, however, whore her out as its called. Only you can do that. About the only thing you cannot order her to do is kill herself, a member of your family or to harm herself, a member of your family or you."
"So basically she's a slave."
"If you treat her that way, yes. But close relationships between the Master and his concubine are not unheard of. Many treat them more like a wife, just that the concubine won't complain, bicker or argue with him."
"Anything else?"
"As your Consort, I am free to bear your children. In fact that is a nature of the bond and I will be compelled to get pregnant soon and probably often. Once I've born an heir, you can tell me to stop getting knocked up, but not before. In all probability, I'll have our first child within the year.
"Birth Control?"
"Doesn't work now. Not until I've had a child. The only way we can avoid that is if we are apart."
"I can always refuse."
"Can you? If I asked you to fuck me right now, could you refuse?"
Harry thought about it. "I'm a teenage boy."
"Girls have been all but throwing themselves at you for a couple of years, Harry. How many have you shagged?"
"Aside from you? None. I - I never told you this, but that time Cho kissed me?"
Hermione nodded.
"Well, the reason I ran away was not because of the kiss, it was because of what happened after."
"What happened?"
"I didn't even touch her and when we broke apart she was naked. She begged me to…so I ran."
Hermione giggled. "Didn't run away yesterday."
"Yeah, well … I wanted you to be with me that way. I - I was certain it would be special and … and forever."
"Was it?"
Harry nodded.
"Thanks, Harry. It was special and forever for me too, and that was before we bonded."
"So I can refuse then?"
"You can no more refuse me than I can refuse you," Hermione said. "The Bond will see to it we have a child sooner rather than later. Oh, under certain circumstances we might be able to resist…"
"Such as?"
"Such as if we could not afford a child yet."
"Don't see that as a problem," Harry moped.
"Or if we were going back to Hogwarts."
"If what Tonks said about Dumbledore is true, don't see that as an option."
"Or if we are not safe…"
"If what she said about the wards here are true, that's not the case."
"Since all reasonable arguments against are not issues…"
"We are too young, don't you think?"
"The nature of the bond does not see youth as an issue. If we are old enough to bond, we are old enough. And if there is not outside pressure that would discourage a child, the bond affects both of us. I am going to bear your child, Harry. Unless I am barren, I am going to be pregnant within the year. Our bond will bring us to that point and we will want to get there."
"So this Consort Bond affects both of us?"
Hermione nodded. "I'd like to think we'd have been the perfect couple anyway. But soon we will be if we are not yet there already."
"Fine," Harry said. He hoped she was wrong, but knew he could not refuse Hermione her happiness. She had told him before she wanted to be his wife and have his babies and he had even told her father that was what he wanted from her, and that was before they had bonded. It was, however, a lot sooner than expected.
"And a concubine," Harry asked? "Is there a difference?"
"The Concubine can only get pregnant with her Master's permission. Even then, such permission is limited to his progeny. Even if she's having sex with other men in her bed at his command, only her Master can get her preggers."
"Interesting form of birth control," Harry observed. Hermione nodded in agreement. "Okay," Harry continued, "Tonks said Concubines are sold into slavery by their magical guardians. How does that market work?"
"A girl or woman can be sold into bondage at any time, even before they are born, even before they're even conceived."
"Really?"
"For example, I'm not pregnant - yet. But if you wanted to, you could sell an interest in a future daughter. That's usually a desperate act as there's no guarantee I'll ever have one. Those sales don't generate a lot of money. You could also sell the hypothetical daughter while I'm pregnant. Again, the contract would be worth more if you knew it was a girl.
"After the girl is born, they are worth more. There are then several categories of merchandise. Before the child reaches bonding age, when the woman has reached bonding age and can breed, and older woman who can no longer bear children. Young girls fall into two categories: the less valuable ones are girls who have not yet expressed accidental magic. The reason is because it is illegal to sell a Squib. After they have proven to be witches, they're worth more.
"Girls who are of breeding age vary in price as well. A variety of factors effect the price. For example, girls who have not taken their O.W.L.s or whose results are unknown are worth less than those who have, generally. O.W.L.s are worth less than N.E.W.T.s. First time girls, those who are not already Concubines are worth more than used girls. Virgins are worth more than those who are not. It seems a fair few buyers will pay a premium to deflower their purchase. Later in life, girls who have proven to bear children are worth more than those who have not. Also, price varies on blood status. Muggle Borns are worth the least, Purebloods the most and everyone else is in between."
"So, if I buy a girl whose too young, for example, how does that work?"
"You get a magical contract called a 'Title of Interest.' It's keyed into her, but the magic lies dormant until she attains bonding age."
"Then what? I go pick her up? Someone delivers her?"
"Once she's of age, you can summon her to you using the contract," Hermione replied. "Same's true of all purchases. Once you've paid the price, it is the contract you initially receive, not the woman. You then can to summon her at your leisure."
"So once I buy her she's sort of like property?"
"Yes, Milord. You can sell her whenever you like, give her away as a present either for a short while or permanently. If you keep her and she out lives you, she will pass to your heir or as you spell out in your will."
"What about freeing her?"
"Not an option, Harry. Once a Concubine, always a Concubine. You can no more free them than you can free me from the bond. Moreover, most Masters keep their Concubines even if they don't like or want them anymore."
"Why?"
"The loyalty bond. Once she's transferred to another master, she is no longer bound to you. She can betray you, hurt you or your family, betray your secrets to your enemies, as far as you're concerned, she's just another woman and to her you're just another man."
"Once I buy one, saying that I do so, what happens? Do they come here to live?"
"That's up to you. You can do that. Most Muggle Born witches wind up never seeing their families again. That's more by contempt and custom than anything else. But they can also live outside either with their parents or not. They will not be able to tell anyone what they are as that's considered your secret. Even if their parents know about the sale, and at least the father will, the status is a taboo topic in their homes. This can be useful has they effectively become your spies. If bought at auction, their parents would never know who bought them, only that they were sold."
"So, when does the bond attach? When I first summon them?"
"No. Like the Consort Bond, the final bond itself is the result of a sex ritual. You start by telling your new Concubine you own them. You're their Master, they're your Concubine. You tell them how you came to own them and then tell them you own them in mind, body, heart, soul and magic from this point until their death or sale. You then command them to take off their clothes and perform two sex acts with you: they must suck you off and they must have intercourse with you."
"Even if they don't want to?"
Hermione nodded. "The forming bond will compel compliance, even though their mind does not wish it."
"Sounds like rape," Harry grumbled.
"Under any other circumstances it would be."
"And you're saying I should do this to a woman?"
Hermione nodded. "The Black line needs and heir, Milord. I'd prefer it from a Consort, but…"
"Whomever she will be will hate me," Harry moaned. "I don't think…"
"Regardless of what you do to them, the Concubine Bond helps them get over it. They may not fall in love with their Masters, but they come to at least respect them and maybe like them. They almost always come to like the sex with their Masters."
"One then," Harry resigned. "For the Black line."
"Actually," Hermione said quietly, "you may want to consider more than one."
"What?" Harry said in shock.
Hermione pushed the auction catalog over to Harry. It was the one that told them Dumbledore was going to sell her into slavery, a plan they foiled somewhat buy accident and certainly not by design when they performed the Consort Bonding Rite. "Open it to the first Lot Number, Milord. You'll see what I mean."
Harry did as he asked. The entry shocked him.
HANNAH SUZANNE ABBOTT
Born May 16, 1980. MUGGLE BORN (Magical background seven generations back). Completed 5th Year Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. O.W.L.s pending and posting will be updated July 10. Vitals: 5'10". Blonde hair, brown eyes, 38-25-36, 132 lbs. Bra size - D cup. Believed to be unspoiled.
Initial asking price: 200G
Seller 1276 (Dumbledore was written beside the number in pen)
Pre-Auction Bidding Interest Expressed:
Buyer 2132
Buyer 3690
Buyer 11710
In addition to her, there were several other Hogwarts students both Muggle Borns and not up for sale whose lives were about to take a drastic change for the worst in most cases: Katie Anna Bell, a teammate of Harry's on the Gryffindor Quidditch team; Cho Chang, whom Harry had dated briefly that year; arguably the two best looking girls in his year Parvati and Pamda Patil; and a former Gryffindor classmate who had not returned to Hogwarts following her Fourth Year named Sally Anne Perks. There were several other Hogwarts students for sale as well. Most were younger and were being sold probably to pay off a debt. The whole thing made Harry sick inside.
"You know you won't let this happen to them, Milord," Hermione whispered. "It's who you are! You can't save them from becoming Concubines, but you can save them from becoming slags or an old git's toy. You know you will try."
"Bloody 'People Saving Thing'," Harry agreed. "And you're okay with this?"
"Harry," she said quietly, "I know you would beat yourself up if you didn't try to help them. You would be miserable and that's not the Harry I want."
"Fine," Harry grumbled. "I'll consider it! Knowing my bloody luck, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find out that I also inherited a Concubine or two from Sirius."
"It's possible," Hermione agreed. "He was a pureblood. He had no girlfriend that we know of and he most definitely is not gay."
"How do you know?"
"He'd always sneak a peak at boobs, cleavage or girl's bums."
"Oh. I was worried maybe he tried something."
"He may have been a bit of a rouge, but he was a gentleman. As Snuffles, however .. That dog was a perv!"
Harry actually laughed remembering an incident the previous summer when the dog Suffles entered a bathroom just as Ginny was toweling off.
A/N: RELATIONSHIP SCORECARD:
If you didn't read the Intro, you missed that. This is so you can keep up with who's with who and how.
Lord Harry James Potter, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, age 15 (born 7/31/80)
Lady Hermione Jane (Granger) Potter, age 16 (9/19/79). Girlfriend/fiancé as of 6/18/96; CONSORT, HOUSE OF POTTER 6/23/96.