Note: Characters and world originally based on J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. This story is set in the indeterminate future.

Note: By this time in the life of Harry Potter, he is known as 'The Great Wizard.' His name is John Bellamy. Terms used: The technical term for Wizardkind is Anirage, muggles are Medjkind, the Ministry of Magic is known as the DMT, and the Minister is now the Dachier. Khatabis: Zoe and Najia,Bouchra, Suma Khatabi, former leader. Hicham Khatabi was one of the Khatabi Fighters whom Bellamy defeated, (BOOK 9. ) He is subject to a pendreia, and is now unable to fight. Khatabi-Richi are the servant class of the Family Khatabi. Unvoiced communication is shown in italics.

Chapter 14:

Bellamy slept deeply, stirring though, in the early hours of the morning. It was Zoe's dream, strong enough to penetrate his sleep. The face of a baby, smiling, happy. After a while, the image in his mind vanished, and he heard the muffled sound of crying, then suddenly total silence. A silencing shield, he suspected, so he wouldn't hear the sounds of her grief. It wasn't just Zoe, he felt, though he was turning his mind away. He should not violate their privacy, and Zoe would hate him to know that she cried, just as if she wasn't a fierce and ruthless leader, almost as if she was just a lonely girl, who would never, ever again, have a child to love.

Breakfast was the first regular meal that Bellamy shared with the girls, and for the first time, saw that the middle-aged man who'd been so frightened of punishment the previous day, was to act as taster.

"Clarence," Najia said. "We've had a taster since we arrived."

Bellamy shook the hand of Clarence, and felt his surprise, and again, fear - just like he was an equal. He probed a little. It was like he thought. Clarence had been far too long a slave. If merely freed, he would not know what to do, how to try and survive. He thought he wanted to be free. He thought he couldn't wait to be freed. But he was protecting himself. There was no real belief in freedom.

In the morning, Bellamy leaned casually against the wall of Ryuichi's office, as Zoe saw those wishing to leave. He must not take the lead unless invited. Zoe was leader, and determined to remain so. There were fewer than expected wishing to leave. Mostly, one by one, servants came in, apologised, and asked if they could stay. A few green faces were returned to normal, and hands sealed shut in fists, were released. A couple of times, Bellamy asked if they remembered hearing his request that they forget about trying to continue the Khatabi blood lines. His casual few words, as if just a reminder, were a pendreiya, and binding.

He felt the manager's suspicion, but Ryuichi decided he couldn't be doing anything. So casual, no wand raised. It couldn't be anything - could it? Bellamy thought the girls had a real asset in Ryuichi. He was a very intelligent man, though he hadn't seen much evidence of intelligence in most of the Khatabis he'd met.

Zoe said finally, "Please organise that any of the male servants whom I have not yet met, report to me in my office." She just spoke briefly to each of the servants, twice raising her wand, saying a few words, that the man should not attack any person or animal, should request a transfer to a job other than on the security forces, and should not know he'd been 'spoken to.'

Bellamy leaned casually against the wall, not interfering. He saw Patek, heard what was so prominent in his mind, and chose not to do anything. Patek had been the one who'd inflicted him with multiple memory change spells in order to wipe all memory, and then the terrible Cha Keeyo Curse, that should have destroyed his mind. He'd done it on orders, and was no worse than any of them, and not as bad as those who simply liked to cause pain. Bellamy was a little surprised he'd stayed, but maybe he didn't know that he had telepathy. No-one had seemed to be thinking about it. He felt Patek's deep relief as he left, trying not to show it, and not to hurry.

By the time the procession finished, Clarence was waiting to be with them at lunch. Zoe smiled at him. "We're almost safe now, I think, so join us if you want."

Clarence said awkwardly, "Carol says to ask you..."

Bellamy said, "I went home briefly yesterday, and my secretaries, along with the British DMT, are looking for appropriate accommodation." He smiled at Zoe as he started to eat, not waiting this time for Clarence. Zoe frowned at him, and decided that she'd wait and make sure that it was safe. They couldn't afford for them all to be disabled. The door was sealed shut, as it always was when they ate.

Clarence asked, "How are you going to take us there?"

"App. Box, if you're brave enough."

"App. Box?" Clarence asked cautiously.

Zoe said, "There's no App. Box here."

"I can make one. It will take a group of fifteen or so at a time, instantly, Morocco to Britain."

Clarence asked timidly, "You're taking us to England?"

"Scotland, I think, to be precise. Somewhere there's plenty of space." He smiled. "When a person's been a prisoner, space feels good."

"Have you really been a prisoner - and those other things?"

Bellamy stared into the distance, and suddenly shuddered.

Najia said, surprised, "I thought you said the medj treated you well."

"They did, mostly. I was thinking of another time, that was infinitely worse." He said briskly, "A long time ago."

Clarence was looking down at his meal. He'd never got over his shame at being used the way he was. "Those other things?"

Bellamy looked at him, and knew his shame. Eleven, and kidnapped because Adil fancied a boy for a change. Bellamy said calmly, wanting to help the man, "I was kidnapped and raped once, although they kept me drugged and I didn't even know it was happening. But afterwards, I felt shamed. Killing them helped a lot. There was another time. Did you know I'm a lot older than I look?"

"No, Sir."

"I'd grown up a lot by the time it happened again, and there had been something worse. It made me think that being upset about a minor physical intrusion was really a bit childish. I killed that man, too, but it was because he was an evil man, who'd hurt many innocent people, including children."

"You were tortured?"

"I guess that scarcely counts, as I was drugged then, too. There were a couple of times when I was a teenager, the Pain Curse, though only for short times."

Clarence said tentatively, "They say you can work magic without a wand."

"It's made me hated, often enough, made me enemies, but it's saved me often enough, too." Bellamy knew that Clarence wanted to ask more questions, but he'd stopped, looking down, hoping not to be punished. A slave must not presume to act almost as an equal.

When Clarence left, Zoe said, "I'm surprised. I thought you were lying at first, to make him feel better. But you said you were kidnapped, you were tortured, you've been raped, you've killed..."

Bellamy said coolly, "I've had a long life, many things have happened to me." He wished he hadn't mentioned the rape. People were a little silly about that sometimes, especially if it was a man who was raped. He didn't want Zoe and Najia thinking less of him because of incidents long ago.

"Is there some sort of a workshop?" he asked after lunch, and Zoe and Najia, with their guard, went to the maintenance area, and introduced him to Zeeko, the head of the building and maintenance section. Nearly all the men had a broad green stripe on their right shoulder, next to the 'yellow flash' that denoted Khatabi-Richi. Zeeko didn't, and neither did one of the other maintenance men, indicating, as Bellamy already knew, that they hadn't qualified as Fighters. Even when the servant went into a different specialty, it was expected that he would be a Fighter first, as long as he could achieve the required standard.

The Khatabi-Richi were reserved, though shaking hands when Bellamy offered his. Zoe ordered curtly, "You're to give Bellamy all cooperation," and the three maintenance men, almost in unison, inclined their heads in a gesture of respect.

Bellamy announced casually, "I'm going to make an App. Box, and I want your help."

Zeeko was puzzled, "What's an App. Box?"

"Haven't you heard of them? It apparates small groups of people from one place to another."

Zeeko glanced at the others. There were already rumours that the slaves were to be freed, and the general consensus was that it didn't matter about those in Enclosure 2, but not the ones still wanted for sex. Shar-kutsu asked, trying to hide his hostility, "What do you need an App. Box for?"

Bellamy didn't answer, only becoming very businesslike with plans and materials required. Zoe and Najia watched for a while, then detailed two of their guard to stay with him, and went to find Fudo. Bellamy didn't appear to notice when the girls left, but he did. He was still very alert, very wary. He could not afford to let down his guard when surrounded by enemies.

The Khatabi-Richi became easier with him after a while, and one finally asked what was on his mind, "Are you really going to free the dirt-people?"

Bellamy hadn't expected it to be kept quiet, and already knew that there was a lot of resentment. But he was very angry that medj had been taken into slavery, merely in order to satisfy the sexual appetites of wizards. Clarence, who might never recover, from his shame at being abused, and from the effects of decades of slavery. He spoke heatedly, "Don't call them dirt-people! They are people, to be respected, not abused, not used for sex, except with consent, and not used to practise spells on."

The men backed off immediately. Bellamy saw what Zeeko was seeing, that his old forehead scar was suddenly showing more prominent. The men knew what it meant, too, and Zeeko's words were hasty, "All right, all right. We'll treat them with respect!"

Bellamy cast a glance at two extra guards who arrived, assigned by Zoe to watch over him. No problem. There would simply do their job, as ordered by the leader. He was beginning to relax now. Zoe's rule seemed accepted, no-one seemed to be trying to render the girls helpless, and after the fighting when he'd first arrived, no-one had raised a hand against him. They were theoretically co-leaders, Zoe and Najia, but it was unquestionably Zoe who was the driving force.

Three hours later, he looked at the box with satisfaction, and said, "That's Stage 1."

"What's next?" asked Zeeko.

"I need lots of wire, to encircle inside, then some metal panelling, then I start on the spells."

"I'll organise the materials as soon as possible."

"It can't be conjured and we can't use magic. It has to be totally physical, and very solid."

The App. Box had a lot of people dropping by to inspect it that evening. To make an App. Box was complex magic, and to make an App. Box that would travel more than normal apparation range was something that only the great wizard could do.

Bellamy was talking about the medj again. "I'll go home in the morning and see how Dot's doing." He addressed Clarence. "I can take just one person at a time when apparating, but as soon as something's in prospect, I can take someone to see if it meets your approval." He and Najia and Clarence were eating the dinner provided, but Zoe was eating some of what Bellamy had brought back from his home. She still thought that she could not risk too many of them being disabled. Bellamy was eating with appetite, and she looked at him in disapproval. He grinned at her. "I don't know how often people have tried to poison or drug me, but I nearly always know straightaway."

She looked at him in disgust, and said, "Nearly always know!"

He nodded, his eyes twinkling again. "Nearly always." It might have been dangerous, but he was very much enjoying the company of the girls.

Once Clarence was gone, Najia asked curiously, "Yesterday, you said you endured something worse than kidnap and rape. What was it?"

Bellamy said, "I once shared a hotel room with a very desirable girl and couldn't touch her. That was definitely torture!"

Najia preened herself, but Zoe took no notice of the diversion, and asked, "Was it the Deruchnia?"

Bellamy shrugged, and said the Deruchnia were pretty bad, and he guessed it was his turn to clean up.

Zoe frowned at him, wanting to know. At last, when every speck of leftover food was vanished and clean dishes were stacked, ready to be taken away in the morning, he sighed and asked the girls what they knew of Dementors, or Deruchnia as they called them. He told them the story then, all that was in a book and was public knowledge. Zoe looked at him curiously, and he felt her temptation. She wanted to pry. He said, "You dare, and I'll show you some magic you've never seen!"

Zoe, perversely, was more tempted then ever, but refrained, barely. He was too well guarded in any case.

That night he had a nightmare. It was the talk of the Dementors. He saw it again, the last survivor, the Privileged One, that he could only kill if he had time to raise his strong magic. It was coming for him and he couldn't stop it. He woke with a cry of terror.

Zoe was brought by the yell, and he tried to reassure, "Sorry, sorry, just a nightmare." But he was trembling violently, very agitated. He had to go for a walk, and when Zoe protested, he took little notice, only saying that he thought they were almost safe now. Two guards were on duty outside their door, but Bellamy shook his head at them as they started to follow, used Cloaking Magic, and went walking, striding, through the footpaths that twined through gardens, between buildings and through orchards. He slowed after a while, and sat on a comfortable bench in a grove of trees, suddenly remembering caution and checking his surroundings.

It was nearly two hours before he quietly slipped back into their rooms. Zoe was still awake, and he could feel her profound relief at his return. He'd been silly, he acknowledged to himself. It was not nearly safe enough yet to go walking by himself, especially when he was in a state.

Bellamy had broken the stalemate, and Zoe and Najia now had a firmer control over the Khatabi Family. An important landmark was the formal dinner arranged by Suma, a welcome party for the new leaders, several weeks late. All the ones left who were Khatabi, were there.

Hicham, and Bellamy felt Suma's disdain as she looked at the woman accompanying him. A dirt-woman. Fancy eating with a dirt-woman! But then there was a resignation. Everything was changed, and Hicham was so timid. He would not have attended without Mariabella to give him confidence, and Suma had wanted all the Khatabis. There was Haru, as well, the teacher, who was nominally Khatabi, though for so long, treated as a nonentity. Haru didn't fight. Bouchra, still in her wheelchair, still with her pose of being crippled and useless. There was also Driss Khatabi-Richi, Suma's consort. Plus Madam Zhor, as they addressed her, and Madam Najia. Plus himself. It was going to be an interesting occasion with such an ill assorted group.

Two of the Enclosure 1 women ate the same food, in a small separate room, as tasters. Bellamy knew they were there, and looked at their minds a little. He'd have to stop that soon. It wasn't ethical to probe without good reason, but he needed to know just how damaged these younger ones were, what they would need to help them recover. No-one introduced them, and Bellamy realised that even Zoe and Najia didn't regard them as of any real significance. One should be kind to them of course, but even now, the girls raised as Khatabi, thought them far beneath them. Dirt-people, even if they no longer used that term.

He was cheered a little, when he felt the minds of Nikola and Bridget. They were listening closely, a continuation of the spying they'd been doing for years, to aid Helene and Carol's scheming. They were not showing it. All the guard would see was the dirt-women eating quietly, eyes down. But even Nikola and Bridget had been prisoners for a decade or so. And like Clarence, they still had no real faith in imminent freedom.

Mariabella. She was fond of Hicham, who depended on her. Mariabella was less damaged than most as well. A little extra self-confidence from knowing that she was a vital part of the medj spy network, that possibly she might even have enough influence with Hicham, that she could intervene to protect them all. Once there were no Khatabi children needing subjects to practise spells on, those in Enclosure 2 had been expendable, superfluous, and Mariabella's position as Hicham's Favourite had been deliberately contrived. The medj had been doing their best to engineer their own survival.

Haru was uncomfortable, and Suma and Driss nervous, but Aunt Bouchra talked calmly with Mariabella about medj fashions. Mariabella wore a long-sleeved dress that covered the number on her arm, but she was very conscious of the yellow wrist-band that marked her as Hicham's Favourite - a slave. She whispered to Hicham, and he started to talk about the new orchards the head gardener was putting in. Hicham was humble, as a Khatabi was never humble. Bellamy was a little sorry for him, but Hicham had done some terrible things, just like the rest of the Khatabi family.

Bellamy looked at Haru more closely. This was the man who had presided over the lessons using those men from Enclosure 3, including his friend, Jimmy. Driss Khatabi-Richi, a qualified Fighter, and also with proficiency and seniority in administration. All the Khatabi-Richi, male and female, wore stripes of various colours, and Najia had explained their significance. Driss had a yellow flash on his right shoulder, meaning Khatabi-Richi – servant class, plus a broad green band that meant qualified Fighter, a narrow black band next to it that meant proficiency and some seniority, but also he had a narrow beige stripe on his left shoulder, with the black band next to it, this time with a silver insignia. He had authority over others in his specialty of administration.

Khatabi wore no stripes. They were Khatabi and known as Khatabi. It was sufficient.

Zoe and Najia worked hard at appearing confident and totally at ease, but they were very young, and had difficulty knowing what to say. A casual reference to the App. Box had Haru interested, and Bellamy agreed when he asked whether he could have a look tomorrow.

"I'm not familiar with App. Boxes," Haru said. "Hadn't even heard of them until recently, and that was when eleven Anirage vanished without a trace."

Bellamy enlarged, "Cooper Fitzwilliams. Always was a conceited ass. Needs more care, and more ability than he could bring to the job."

Najia asked nervously, "Is it so dangerous."

"The British Ministry has been using them routinely, but only ones I made for them. No-one else can manage the range, and Fitzwilliams proved that even a short trip can be dangerous if it's wrongly made."

Haru, who had so badly hurt those Americans, and how many others before that? Bellamy looked critically at the short man. "You're planning to stay around then?"

Haru said calmly, "I like to teach. What I have done has always been done."

Zoe leaned forward, "Do you agree that never again will you use unwilling subjects to teach the curses?"

Haru asked, "How otherwise would I teach them?"

Zoe said coldly, "Civilised people do not need the wicked curses, and things like Paralysis and Stunning can be practised on each other."

Haru said, "Yes, Madam Zhor," and went back to his dinner.

Bellamy sighed. Haru was like the others. He did not feel guilty about what he'd done. It was what had always been done. The teacher was even relieved. Those in Enclosure 2 hated him, and now they'd be gone. It was why he refused to see them as people, addressed them by number, and was very quick when he used the ones that were for sex. Helene had not even tried to plant a Favourite on Haru. He hadn't addressed a word to Mariabella, and Mariabella had not addressed a word to Haru.

Bellamy started to talk about using sheep to practise some defence spells on, and said that he himself, had never found any need to practise anything that caused pain. Driss said, "But you are known to have killed…"

Bellamy acknowledged, "I have killed, but not for a long time. I have the skills merely to give instructions these days."

Hicham looked away. Once, his name had been known and feared, along with Adil, Ahjmed, Brahim, the great and powerful Khatabis. He'd lost his self-respect, he thought, because of those instructions. For years, he'd wanted to be dead, but could not even attack himself. It was only after he'd been manoeuvred into claiming a Favourite again from the dirt-people enclosure, that he'd found some contentment. But now Mariabella was to leave. Hicham was bitterly depressed.

Bellamy was listening to him. But there were plenty of Khatabi-Richi women around. Surely one would take pity on him.

Later that evening, Bellamy said, "I just don't understand that there's no feeling of guilt. Some of my guard have used children, and accepted it as normal."

Najia said, "I never knew they used children, and never knew they sometimes used boys. I didn't even know about the enclosures until Zoe told me."

Zoe said, "When I was little, I could feel them. But then they were moved further away, and I guess I preferred to forget they were there."

Najia sighed, and said, "We accept what we're told as normal, I guess."

Zoe admitted, "If I'd been male, I could easily have accepted it as well. I might have raped and tortured and inflicted wicked spells, because they were only dirt-people. And on other wizards, too, as the Khatabis had to be respected as the most powerful Family there was."

Zoe was honest with herself, and Bellamy very much admired that quality in her, as well as her great courage and determination.

In the morning, Zoe and Najia watched a while as Bellamy and three maintenance men worked together, perfectly amicably, on the App. Box, and the App. Box stand. He said, "The first time it's used, it will be only to put the box on the stand, then we'll test it properly."

"Best use a few of the dirt-people for the first test," suggested one.

Zoe said coldly, "The dirt-people are no longer being used like that, I thought I made it clear!"

"Sorry, Madam Zhor. I forgot."

Bellamy didn't visit the medj prisoners, putting all his efforts into completing the App. Box. Zoe and Najia did, and reported what Abensur had said - that they were very restless indeed, and it was becoming more difficult to keep them under control without cruelty. "He was thinking about the young man, Valencio. Worrying that he'd become uncontrollable. Thinking of asking permission to restrain in some way, but then decided not to risk even asking the question."

Bellamy was working hard again the following morning. He needed to feel for gaps and cracks in the field of the box. He was in the box, just extending his senses, feeling for danger. He didn't quite understand himself how the magic of an App. Box worked, but he knew when it was right, and when it was not quite right. He sent everybody well back, and then made a light, just feeling with all of himself, it seemed. Feeling for weaknesses, feeling for danger.

This time, it was not right. He wasn't worried. It often took several tries before the wire was just exactly right. He came out again, and said to Zeeko, who looked distracted. "Pull it all out, we'll try again."

To his surprise, he noticed Abensur with six medj prisoners, standing close. The young man called Valencio was there, tall, vividly good-looking, wearing an impassive expression, and acutely uncomfortable. He hadn't wanted the great wizard to see him. Ashamed, Bellamy assumed, the same as Clarence. His shame was a part of his consciousness. He could feel it, without probing.

He could see that Abensur was very aware of Valencio, seldom taking his eyes quite off him, though trying not to be obvious. There were two other guards, and they were the same. They treated him with a great deal of wariness, but Valencio was now just staring at the box. He was not like the others. His hope was real, and he was very, very tense.

Abensur introduced Bellamy to the prisoners, and Bellamy took care not to take much notice of the man. He didn't probe. He already knew that he had some telepathic talent, and a probe might be felt. It could provoke the sort of attack the guards were prepared for. Surprising that Abensur had allowed him out, but when he listened to Abensur, he felt his fondness for the young man. Still in Enclosure 1? Somehow, he didn't think so. He said, "Decide on someone whom you all trust, to say if a place is suitable. Also ask around, take a vote. I want to know if you'd rather go somewhere that's not yet ready and will mean you have to work, or wait here for a bit longer until it's fully prepared."

One called Tasha smiled, and said, "I think we'd all be prepared to sleep in the open rather than wait here a moment longer than we have to." It wasn't genuine. Even to herself, Tasha was thinking it was only fantasy. Surely. It could not be real.

Bellamy grinned at them in their light clothing, and said to Abensur, "It's a lot colder where we're going. Can you organise that they be equipped with warmer clothes, and a suitcase each for their possessions?"

Abensur bowed his head in the standard gesture of respect and obedience, as if Bellamy was a Khatabi Elder.

"And get those ghastly numbers off them!"

His glance took in Valencio's wrist and ankle cuffs, and Abensur said quickly, "The cuffs as well, as soon as we're back in the enclosure."

Bellamy knew his reluctance to take off those cuffs, and heard his clear thought, I'd prefer to hobble him again! He was also wishing that Bellamy would not notice him any further. Valencio would go totally berserk if any attempt was made to try and use him for sex again. Bellamy didn't understand it. The man was good-looking, but why should Abensur consider it entirely possible that Bellamy would desire him? He'd never wanted man or boy in that way. Zeeko provided him with an excuse, and Bellamy hurried back to the workers. "Don't use magic. Magic leaves traces."

Zeeko looked up, puzzled.

Bellamy explained, "It all has to be manual, or the track gets confused."

Zeeko said sorry, and looked at the neat rolls of wire in his hand. Bellamy glanced at the wire, and it turned bright red. "Put it away somewhere, and it can be used for other things. Just not this. Nothing must be touched with magic, and no magic should be used in its construction."

Zeeko said, "I'll order in some more, as quickly as possible."

"It should not even be moved with magic. Get some of those great fighting wizards doing something useful with their muscles for a change!" There was laughter, and he said, "Do it the way I want, and I'll bring us back some beer for knockoff time." He already knew there was no beer on the premises. It seemed it wasn't a thing that Khatabis did.

Zeeko kept thinking about that prisoner. He'll be free finally. Happy, finally. Zeeko wanted him happy, and had a feeling of guilt. Bellamy turned his attention away, feeling a little ill. Had Zeeko raped the poor boy? Even his guard. One of them was remembering... How many had used him? No wonder he'd wanted to hide in his shame!

Bellamy raised a casual hand to the prisoners, and started to walk off. Four guards followed him, and he said, irritated, "Patek, do we really need this many to follow me everywhere I go?"

Patek said stolidly, "Madam Zhor's orders."

Bellamy shrugged, and said, "Well, you can have an hour off, as I'll be out."

***chapter end***