The Lust of Gryffindors

Chapter 37: A Spanking and a Trap

The Pride was visited by an unusually high number of people over the next few days. The party after the quidditch win seemed to be the catalyst for the newest members to let go of their last inhibitions. Only Fay didn't make an appearance in their secret room.

Colin, especially, was coming out of his shell. His new routine was to stroll into the Pride proudly nude, his little cock already hard and bobbing.

Harry hadn't touched him or the other boys during their post-match tryst with Hermione, but the four had teamed up to leave her sated and begging for mercy. Harry had felt Colin's eyes on him the entire time. It was strangely gratifying to be watched so reverently while ravishing his best friend.

Ginny too was becoming more willing to being seen. By unspoken agreement, neither she nor her brothers spoke of what had happened during the Polyjuice party. Most of the members had the good sense not to tease the twins about anything that would earn retaliation. Any incest jokes were whispered in secret. Harry, however, delighted in goading Ginny until her face turned a bright red. After she'd experimented with his body in the dorms, turnabout was fair play.

He was still pondering a suitable punishment for Hermione. She seemed aware that the liberties she'd taken invited a response. Her cheeky smiles ensured that holding her down and fucking her silly wouldn't be enough. Harry had a vague idea of what he wanted to do, and spent some time in the library doing research.

It was a pleasant distraction from the approaching solstice. Soon they might be playing for much higher stakes than OWL scores, quidditch wins, or sexual payback.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry whipped off his cloak and closed the door, then locked it several times over. Tracey and Daphne looked up at his entrance. As usual, they were pretending to study.

Tracey smiled. "Hello, stranger."

"Hello, my lovely Slytherins. Dare I ask if you missed me?"

Daphne inclined her head politely. "Congratulations on your humiliation of Parkinson and Nott, Potter. I'm pleased you weren't injured."

"Why, thank you. So am I."

He was relieved to see them again. He hadn't been able to arrange a meeting since their housemates had attacked him. Tensions between Slytherin and Gryffindor had been so high that the girls felt it was too dangerous. Everyone had been keeping a closer watch over their peers.

Tracey stood and began undressing immediately.

"Well, Tracey seems desperate for some Gryffindor attention. What about you, Daphne?"

She returned a flat look and didn't answer, but her best friend giggled. "She is. I've been listening to her whine all week."

"I don't whine, thank you very much. You're the one who whines."

"No, I'm pretty sure you were whining. Something about hoping Potter would sneak into our dorms in the middle of the night. What was it you wanted? Your face pressed into the pillow while he ravaged you?"

"Tracey!"

"Daphne!"

Harry laughed. "I'm happy to bring that fantasy to life, you know."

A nude Tracey strolled up to him and began pulling off his robes. "Then call your elf, dummy. We've been deprived of our sex toy for too long."

Daphne sniffed but Tracey ignored her and focused on getting him undressed. She yanked his trousers to the floor and he stepped out of them. His underwear followed soon after. He decided not to tell them that they might have actually had an 'experience' with him since their last session together. The prank with the breakfast pastries would have to remain secret until he was certain they wouldn't kill him.

"Before anybody gets bent over, I want to know what's happening in Slytherin. I'm assuming Nott's little power play didn't work."

"Nope," Tracey replied, already fondling his cock. "He's supremely pissed off, but he's stopped trying to boss people around. The prefects all ganged up on him."

"Thank Merlin for that. Is he still harassing you, Daphne?"

"He knows better than to touch me."

Harry kept it to himself that Dobby sometimes watched over both girls when they were in the dungeons. He wasn't sure how that would go over, but he intended to find a way to remove Nott from Hogwarts if the boy didn't heed Dumbledore's warning.

"What about Parkinson?"

"She's gone all quiet and keeps to herself, but she's surly," Tracey said. "What did you do to her?"

"Just a friendly little threat."

"Uh huh," she replied doubtfully. "She looks like she wants to murder Nott in his sleep."

"No other Death Eater kids are making a move?"

"There's not really a leader at the moment."

That was a relief, at least. The Slytherins always seemed to present a united front in public, no matter what sort of chaos was happening behind the scenes.

"I don't understand why you need a leader in the first place," he said. "Do Slytherins require a mini-Dark Lord every year to keep everybody in place?"

They both gave him affronted looks, and Tracey squeezed his cock painfully.

He shrugged. "It's a bloody school, not a criminal cartel."

"And you clearly have no idea how to navigate pureblood society," Daphne replied archly.

"Don't really want to, either. You're the only two Slytherins I want to navigate. Just keep your head down and stay safe for me, okay?"

Tracey smirked. "Aww, are you getting fond of us, Harry?"

He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, eliciting a surprised squeal. "What were you saying about pillows?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry sighed in bliss as he slid deep into Daphne from behind. She was so warm and wet and ready. He loved the fact that he was responsible for it. He squeezed her ass cheeks hard, marveling at the taut perfection of her alabaster skin. This was the first time they'd used this position. When he'd suggested it before tonight, she had refused, calling it 'undignified.' Apparently, a few weeks without his presence was enough to send her dignity packing.

Her face was buried in the pillow at his command. She had pretended to be mortified, just as she always did, but it hadn't stopped her from obeying.

Tracey lay next to them wearing nothing but a stripe of cum on her cheek and a smile. She was delighted to witness Daphne in such a vulnerable position.

He thrust into her ever so slowly, savoring every inch until he filled her. Daphne moaned beneath him. He pulled out just as slowly, his cock glistening with her arousal. It felt like the most exquisite torture to him. Thanks to his experiences in a girl's body, he knew it felt the same for her. He intended to make her squirm and beg tonight. Her dignified mask slipped a little more every time they were together. Maybe this treatment would yank the damn thing off.

His cock slid into her soaked depths again, filling her as slowly as he could manage. Merlin, she was still so tight, almost as tight as Demelza. Her soft flesh stretched as he moved through her, and she grew wetter with each penetration. The sound of it made him ache with desire.

Daphne wriggled her hips and made a noise that definitely sounded like a whine. "What are you doing? Go faster."

"Torturing you, little pureblood princess. Isn't that a Slytherin virtue?"

"So is revenge," she murmured, her voice muffled by the pillow.

He squeezed her ass cheeks and slowly pulled out again. "I'm not going to give you what you want until you beg for it."

She groaned and squeezed his cock with her muscles. "Fuck you, Potter."

Tracey giggled. "Oooh, she swore. You're on the right track, Harry."

He slid back in, and she reached a hand between her legs to rub herself. Tracey pushed it away. Harry smacked her hard on the ass, leaving a bright red handprint, and she gasped.

"I swear to Merlin, I'm going to kill you both!"

"You always say that," Tracey said. "You could just do like Harry says and beg. You know you're gagging for it, you slut."

He laughed at their rapport. They might actually be as close to each other as he was to Hermione. A year ago, he would have been surprised to hear Tracey speak that way to her. Now it delighted him. He would give anything to eavesdrop on one of their private conversations. Especially about him.

"She doesn't sound desperate enough to me yet," Harry said, stilling completely within her. "Are you desperate, Daphne?"

She sighed when he didn't start moving again. "Yes."

"Not sure I believe you."

He spanked her other ass cheek. She gasped again and squeezed him with her walls. Her little pink asshole flexed when she did it, and he doubted she was aware that he had such an intimate view.

"Potter!" she growled.

Harry resumed his teasing strokes. "Hmmm. I suppose you've earned another inch or two. Tell me how much you love what I'm doing to you."

"I love it. Now speed up!"

He smacked her ass again and she whimpered into the pillow.

"Are you a whore for Gryffindor cocks?"

Tracey laughed and Daphne groaned in misery. "Potter!"

He thrust into her a little harder. "Say it."

"No!"

Harry spanked her yet again. The sound echoed loudly through the room. He was leaving red marks on her pale skin that she would feel tomorrow. This was exactly the sort of treatment he'd wanted to give her when they first got together. It was a just revenge for all the disdainful glares she had sent his way. If it helped her acknowledge her own desires, it was what she needed anyway. Plus, it was fun.

"Say it," he insisted.

He gripped both of her cheeks as hard as he could, kneading her flesh. She groaned and squeezed him, her asshole winking cutely at him again. There was a prolonged silence. He reached a hand down to tickle the back of her thigh, and she shivered.

"I'm a whore for Gryffindor cocks," Daphne mumbled into the pillow.

"We couldn't hear you, Daph," Tracey said gleefully.

"I'm a whore for Gryffindor cocks!" she yelled, sounding both furious and desperate.

Harry and Tracey smiled at each other, both of them enjoying this little game. He slid into her slowly and she wriggled her hips, trying in vain to pull him deeper.

"To be fair," Tracey observed, "I'm pretty sure she's only a whore for one Gryffindor cock. She talks about it constantly."

Daphne cursed something inaudible into the pillow, likely promising unholy vengeance against her friend. Harry smacked her ass once more.

"Is that right? Seems wrong for her to call me 'Potter' all the time when she's so in love with my cock."

"That's a good point."

"What do you think, Daphne?" he asked, giving her another hard smack.

She twisted the bedsheets in her hands, raised herself, and turned to glare at him. "For the love of fucking Merlin, Harry, I'm begging you! Please just fuck me!"

Tracey couldn't contain her laughter. "Okay, now that sounded like begging."

"Yes, it did. She's shameless. But it never occurred to her that she could just throw her ass back and fuck me. I thought Slytherins were cunning."

Daphne growled and drove her hips back into him, filling herself roughly. He smiled. As much fun as it was to taunt her, he also wanted to see her abandon all decorum. She couldn't lose her mind with lust if she was too worried about playing the role of the reluctant participant.

Harry held still while she threw herself against him with increasingly hard and squishy thrusts. The sound of her panting soon filled the room. She was so wet that she was swallowing him whole, no matter how tight she was. Her pace was going to make short work of him, but he could tell she was getting close too.

He grabbed her hips and held her still, stopping her frantic movements. She turned to stare at him with blazing eyes.

"That's a good girl," he cooed. "Now put your face back in the pillow, princess, and I'll give you what you want."

Daphne obeyed instantly. He grabbed her ass and began driving into her hard and fast. She made rasping grunts with each penetration, inspiring him to pound her even more aggressively. Her walls were quivering around his cock, so wet that she could no longer squeeze him with such firmness.

He slowed his pace, then leaned forward and pressed her into the bed with his weight. She collapsed into it and he covered her limp body with his. It felt incredible to have such control over her. He thrust deep inside her, sliding his cock along her most sensitive spots. The tension in her body rose. One more stroke was all it took. Daphne twisted the sheets in her hands, moaning continuously as she gushed around his cock.

Her warm pussy gripped and released him intensely, and it overwhelmed his control. He thrust into her again, ecstasy tearing through him as he spurted copious bursts of cum deep inside her.

Afterwards, both were breathing heavily. He removed his weight from her and kissed her shoulder, then sat down beside her. Daphne stayed where she was, her face pressed into the pillow and her body into the bed.

"Merlin, that was hot," Tracey enthused. "Are you alright, Daph?"

Harry caressed her ass affectionately. "She's a whore for Gryffindor cocks, and she was just ravished by one. Of course she's alright."

Daphne took a deep breath and sighed. "Fuck you both, so very much."

"As much as you want, my lovely Slytherin," he said. "Don't pretend you didn't enjoy every second of that."

"She'll probably talk about it all week," Tracey said, smiling at the blush creeping up her friend's neck.

"It's a shame we can't meet more often. I guess you'll just have to listen to her whine until next time."

Daphne huffed and rolled over. "Potter, if you don't stop mocking me, I will hex your cock to never get hard again."

"Liar. We all know you wouldn't tolerate this kind of talk if you didn't love it. Such a dirty, submissive little girl, aren't you?"

He smiled innocently at her death glare. "Daphne's desperation reminds me though—I have something to tide you both over until we meet again."

"What?" Tracey asked.

Harry leapt off the bed and retrieved a little bag from beneath his clothes. "Call it a very early Christmas present. I have to give it to you now before it gets used up. A certain someone is hogging it all."

He pulled four small potions from the bag and placed them on the bed. Both girls examined them.

"They've already been prepared. All you have to do is drink them."

"What are you babbling about?" Daphne asked. "What is this?"

"Four doses of Polyjuice. You'll turn into me for an hour. I figure you can take turns ravishing each other with my body. It'll really cement your friendship, don't you think?"

"Are you serious?" Tracey asked.

"Very. Don't you want to know what it's like to be a boy?"

Harry loved the looks on their faces. That's partly why he wanted to do this. He had taken the doses from their dwindling stash—mostly Hermione's dwindling stash now—because he wanted to share the fun with his two Slytherin lovers. They were his friends now too, and he wanted them to know it. He also wanted to know whether they would sleep with each other if one was in his body. So far, they hadn't laid a hand on each other while in this room. Giving them the opportunity with Polyjuice almost felt like a prank.

"What in Merlin's name is going on in Gryffindor?" Tracey wondered in awe.

He shrugged but didn't answer.

Daphne grinned slyly. "You know, you're taking a rather large risk by giving us these, especially since my bum is smarting right now."

"I trust you both. Are you going to do something to hurt me?"

She sniffed. "Of course not."

"Well, there you go. Enjoy your gift. Just don't use them inside Slytherin. I don't want to know what would happen if you were caught in my body in the girls' dorms. This is our secret."

"So you have a big stash of this stuff?" Tracey asked. "Who's the certain someone hogging it all?"

"No comment," he said, belatedly realizing he shouldn't have mentioned that.

"Right. You kinky whore of a Gryffindor! You and Granger are swapping bodies, aren't you? Does she bury your face in the pillow too?"

"No idea what you're talking about."

Tracey didn't miss his little glance away, and laughed. "Fucking Merlin, Harry! Is this the kind of stuff that goes down in your club?"

"Maybe one day you'll be lucky enough to find out."

"I don't want to know what sordid things Gryffindors do together," Daphne said archly.

"I sure as hell do," Tracey retorted. "What can you tell us without breaking your contract?"

"Nothing. You'll just have to imagine it, and know that it's superior to Slytherin's in every conceivable way."

"Please?" she begged. "Do you have a secret room where you all have outrageous orgies together?"

Harry laughed at her guess. He wasn't sure if she was being facetious or not. Between the two of them, they could probably deduce exactly what happened in the Pride with only a few clues. He decided to keep his mouth shut before any further damage was done.

Tracey looked at Daphne and then back at him. "Hypothetically speaking, if we signed a contract to stay quiet, could you tell us?"

"Tracey!"

"What? I'm not saying we join. I just want to know all the gossip."

"Sorry. I'm not spilling anyone's secrets. I don't think you'd be able to tell anyone else, but since you wouldn't be present for any of it, I'm not sure."

"Dammit."

He smiled at the look they exchanged. He had no intention of sneaking them into the Pride just yet, but wanted to sow the seeds. It would be easy now that they could use the Room of Requirement.

But neither they nor the Pride was ready for it. Daphne might not ever be ready. If she wore a mask with him, she wouldn't set foot in the Pride without full body armor and a sword. Plus, he wasn't sure they'd receive a warm reception from everyone, given the hostility between the houses. Maybe one day. It was a fun idea to entertain, and he only did so because he wanted to know them better. It was frustrating to be unable to speak to them in public.

"Maybe if you—" he began, but didn't get to finish the thought.

Tracey jumped him and pulled him to the bed. She kissed him feverishly, and then he trailed kisses down her torso until he reached the wet cleft behind her legs. While he slowly grew hard again, he focused on making her squirm. The night was still young, and he wanted to make the most of their time together too.

Harry kissed and nuzzled her clit while Tracey ran her fingers through his hair. He looked up, discovered Daphne's eyes on him, and winked.

"She got so wet watching me spank you," he said. "You could always help her out, you know."

"What?"

"Look how hard her nipples are. Why don't you play with them while I make her moan? Or you could kiss her. Aren't you going to do that while you're in my body?"

"Potter," Daphne grumbled, and he smiled at the blush that made her fair skin glow.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He met Hermione in the alcove shortly before midnight, just as he had done when he learned he would face off against a dragon. The same sense of dread was settled deep in his stomach. But this time there was an equal amount of anticipation.

She could tell from his face that something had happened. "Harry, what's going on?"

"Something big. Maybe. I just met with the Headmaster for an hour."

"Did he discover another horcrux?"

"No. We're about to take a big risk. And this one was sort of my idea."

"I'm a little scared at the look on your face," she said cautiously. "What risk?"

"One I feel like I have to take. We're running out of time, Hermione. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to sit this one out. It's too dangerous."

"Harry Potter," she growled.

"Shhh, just listen. You can't be near me for what we're about to do."

"So I just get to watch while you risk your life again? You don't know what that's like. I almost lost my mind watching you in the tournament."

He smiled at her tenderly. "I know, and I'm sorry. But I might not be in any danger at all. We're about to poke a snake with a stick and see what happens. I'm not going to keep it a secret from you. Will you listen to the plan and see if you can find any problems?"

She nodded, unsettled by the determined gleam in his eye.

"Fine. But if you die, I'll learn necromancy and raise you from the dead just to torture you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"That's it, Harry, just like that," Katie panted.

She was sitting on his lap, her back pressed against his chest, with his cock buried deep within her. He was leaning back on a couch, hugging her to him as she ground her hips and moved him around inside her. One of his hands snaked around her body to knead her little breasts. The other was between her legs, teasing her clit as she writhed atop him.

Hermione sat across from them, watching with a pleased smile. She had a book in one hand, and was casually stroking Neville's cock with the other. Neville seemed enthralled with the show taking place in front of them. Katie's wet folds were spread wide around Harry's cock, giving him a clear view of every thrust and every caress of her clit.

Several other people were watching too. Harry almost felt like they were performing. Katie lifted herself and withdrew most of his cock before sliding it back into her warm depths. She did it again, giving everyone a view of his full length penetrating her, and of the way she soaked it with her arousal.

"That's it," she murmured. "Make Katie-bugg cum. Fill her with your stuff."

Harry renewed his efforts to torture her swollen clit. He nipped at her neck as her pants grew louder. His eyes met Hermione's. She might think she was being clever, but he knew exactly what she was doing. She had finished riding him not twenty minutes ago, and had immediately conspired with Katie to keep him occupied. Given the looks that Parvati was sending them from across the room, she would be next in line.

His best friend had gone over the plan and grudgingly given her approval, even if she thought it an unnecessary risk. Now that she knew what was coming tomorrow, Hermione had resolved to take his mind off it. She wanted him relaxed and ready, not tense from a night of restless sleep. He thoroughly approved of her methods, and hoped they would be successful.

Katie was starting to come undone. She moaned and rode him harder as he fondled her clit. He pulled her closer to lick underneath her jaw. His fingers gave one last tug on a hard nipple and she cried out. Her ass cheeks flexed against his thighs and her pussy squeezed his cock with the most delicious force.

Harry sighed with satisfaction as she came. Even if he planned to chase danger tomorrow, tonight it wouldn't hurt to take shelter from it with his friends.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He tried to control his nerves as he passed through Hogwarts' gates. They were outside the wards now, and anything could happen. Remus and Sirius flanked him. Harry's hood was up, concealing his face, but that was just part of their act. They slowly walked down the road that led to Hogsmeade, pretending to carry on a casual conversation. Each was palming their wands, their eyes scanning the trees and underbrush that lined the ditches on the side of the road.

Dumbledore was somewhere in front of them, leading the way. He was invisible, and probably undetectable in every other way too. Moody walked behind them under an invisibility cloak, his magical eye scanning for threats. Above them on brooms were Tonks and Shacklebolt. They were disillusioned and hovering in case they were needed.

Harry couldn't quite believe he had talked the Headmaster into this plan, but he had. The old man was keen on defanging Voldemort too. Once they were able to minimize risks to other students, he had given his permission. The biggest objection had come from Sirius. He had just returned from Switzerland, happier and healthier, only to learn that his godson wanted to be used as bait in a trap. He had grudgingly acquiesced to Harry's begging, knowing that a little danger now might prevent a whole lot of it in the future.

The plan was to walk slowly toward Hogsmeade, as if he, Sirius, and Remus were just enjoying the afternoon together. They had left long after the other students, and didn't intend to actually do anything in the village. The hope was that someone would attack them out in the open before they reached it.

He had no idea whether Voldemort would take the bait. The Dark Lord might not even be aware of this little jaunt. But they had tried to catch his attention through Theodore Nott.

The boy had been serving his daily detentions with Professor McGonagall for the past week. A few days ago, Dumbledore had entered the room to speak to her. They had moved away from him for a private conversation, speaking lowly, but made certain Nott was still in earshot.

Dumbledore had informed her that Harry was desperate to see his godfather, and would be visiting Hogsmeade this weekend. McGonagall had pretended to object, citing safety concerns, but the Headmaster had assured her that Harry would be safe with Sirius and Remus for a few hours.

He had left after asking her to escort him to the castle gates late in the morning.

Now they were watching and waiting. If Nott was truly spying on him, he would inform his father of what he'd heard. If Voldemort wanted to kidnap him for a ritual, this was his chance to get at him outside the safe confines of Hogwarts.

Harry's heart thudded as they walked. Sirius made small talk, but he barely paid attention. For the first time in his life, he wanted to be attacked. He hoped Crouch or Malfoy or Nott, Sr., or anyone really, could be captured. They needed to discover Voldemort's whereabouts before he became fully-embodied.

Dumbledore had wanted Tonks to impersonate Harry at first, but he had refused. He didn't want someone else risking themselves for him. The prophecy said this was his fight, and he intended to fight it on his terms. Better that it happened now, when the risk could be minimized.

They had been walking for half a mile now. The sun shined and birds sang, and nothing looked out of place. Harry was growing despondent. He had expected something to happen quickly or not at all.

Moody suddenly hissed behind them. "Flyers! Nine of them, disillusioned and coming from our right flank."

"Shit," Sirius muttered. "How far away?"

"About ten seconds and closing fast. Look sharp."

Harry gripped his wand tightly, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest. He fought the urge to look at the sky. He had to trust that he was as protected as he could be. Dumbledore was here, after all, and they had flyers of their own.

"Any second now," Remus whispered.

Suddenly there was a deafening boom, and a shockwave rippled through the air from just ahead of them. Dumbledore had cast something, and the nine flyers were now visible. One was knocked right off his broom, but the Headmaster caught him before he could fall to his death. Another spun wildly in the air, his broom out of control. The rest decelerated sharply, shocked at the concussion and their sudden visibility.

The sound of spellfire erupted everywhere. Harry raised a shield, as did Sirius and Remus. His job today was to play defense. Their shields were hit by several stunners, but they held. He looked up and saw two of the flyers knocked off their brooms by spells from Tonks and Shacklebolt. They floated gently to the ground.

A spell from Moody sent another one flying. The man was yanked violently toward them and caught a stunner in the face. The other flyers maneuvered desperately out of the way of the onslaught. Harry watched in awe as a huge golden lasso trailed one of them and pulled him right out of the air.

The last three panicked and began spraying the ground with explosive curses, barrel-rolling to avoid the incoming spells.

Harry raised his wand in case he needed to attack, but Remus suddenly collapsed, hit in the back with a bright red spell that appeared out of nowhere.

"Two from behind!" Moody shouted.

He cursed and turned, hurriedly renewing his shield. A pair of stunners connected with it, and then something physical bounced off. A shiny gold galleon rolled away from him on the ground.

He stared at it in confusion for a moment. Another pair of galleons ricocheted off his shield, and he realized they had to be portkeys.

The new attackers were invisible and hiding behind ditches on both sides of the road. A barrage of powerful spells came from the left side, and Sirius' shield lit up. It held for a moment and then collapsed. He gasped as a bludgeoner sent him sprawling backwards, smacking his head hard against the ground.

"Sirius!"

A shouted spell came from above them. Moody cast a shield over Harry's head, absorbing a concussive blast from an airborne attacker. The force of it almost sent him to his knees. Tonks landed next to him to cover the downed Sirius and Remus, sending a flurry of spells into the ditches. The flyer who had attacked them suddenly slammed into the ground hard enough to break bones, and didn't get up. Ropes flew from the Headmaster's wand and wrapped around him.

Another broom rider sped along the ground, right at them, seemingly intent on grabbing Harry. Harry dropped his shield at the last second, and stunners from both him and Tonks sent the attacker somersaulting through the air.

The final flyer, it seemed, was more skilled. He dodged and weaved around Dumbledore's spells, aiming blasts wherever he could and forcing him to shield his allies.

The ground attackers continued their assault, and Harry renewed his shield, covering both himself and Sirius from several spells. He'd no sooner cast it than everything descended into chaos.

The air behind Dumbledore began swirling violently, and two huge dust devils rose from the ground. At the same time, a horde of three dozen dogs emerged from the underbrush on the left, snarling and sprinting at their position.

"Fuck," Harry whispered, and tried not to panic.

The Headmaster was forced to protect everyone from the surging tornados. He danced nimbly away from incoming spells while banishing the dust devils and trying to transfigure them into something else. Shacklebolt landed to help Tonks and Moody deal with the dogs. Their creator used the distraction to send an assortment of dark curses at everyone in the vicinity. The three were nearly overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught. For a brief moment, it seemed that the lead dogs would rip everyone to shreds, but Dumbledore somehow slowed them down, giving the defenders a moment to regroup and start blasting them.

More spells came from the right side of the road, and Harry's shield absorbed them. He'd been instructed to play defense, but was growing frustrated with that strategy. There were too many attackers. He dodged the next spell, then threw everything he had in the vicinity of his opponent. Banishers, stunners, bludgeoners, and explosive curses leapt from his wand. They sent rocks and soil flying where they connected with the ground. A shield lit up and his next curse shattered it.

There was a pained cry and he saw a man sprawled out, a ruined invisibility cloak covering his legs. Harry had no idea who he was, but he was bleeding badly from the head and his arm was a mess. The man made one last feeble attempt to banish a galleon at him, then grabbed something around his neck and disappeared.

"Down!" Moody yelled, and Harry ducked just as the last broom rider passed by overhead and tried to grab him. Dumbledore yanked the man from his broom with a spell. He fell to the ground with a thud, but still managed to raise his wand.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Harry levitated a rock instinctively, but the spell hadn't been meant for him. Dumbledore stepped out of the way and the spell went wide. The Headmaster snapped the man's forearm nearly in two, and he screamed in agony before he was stunned.

Another killing curse came from the wizard who had sent the dogs, but Dumbledore was able to summon one of the transfigured dogs into its path. He managed to shrink one of the tornados, and a moment later turned it into ice. A blasting curse sent the icy shrapnel hurtling toward the ditch.

Harry turned his attention to their remaining foes. The second dust devil had been banished far away. A dozen of the feral dogs remained, and they were still causing pandemonium. They leapt about everywhere, trying to clamp their jaws on anything in sight. Tonks, Moody, and Shacklebolt were slaughtering them, but were having a difficult time dealing with both them and the hidden wizard. Tonks was breathing heavily and bleeding from a bite on her arm.

Several spells sped in Harry's direction, and he raised another shield. Another galleon bounced off it. Moody unloaded on the man's position, but his spells missed. Their attacker was on the move now, and a ceaseless stream of cutting curses flew at them, forcing even Dumbledore to shield.

Harry jumped away from a snarling dog. Moody eviscerated it in mid-air. One leapt at the downed Remus and Dumbledore sent it flying with a sweep of his wand, before swatting away a purple curse that had been aimed at him. A dazed Sirius managed to shield an incoming blasting curse that exploded into the road and sent dirt flying everywhere.

Their attacker was getting desperate, the odds against him impossible, even if he was powerful. He was still invisible, and was casting lethal spells haphazardly, hoping to kill a few of his opponents. A killing curse nearly took out Tonks, but Shacklebolt shielded her by sending the remains of a dog into its path. Another forced him to dive to the ground.

Harry was growing increasingly angry. It was only a matter of time before someone took a killing curse. While the others defended against the barrage and dealt with the last dogs, he threw everything he had at their opponent. Two vicious gouging spells were absorbed by the man's shield. It flickered and disappeared a moment later when something from Dumbledore slammed into it.

The-Boy-Who-Lived cast the most powerful cutting curse of his life. It flew with lightning speed across the road. No shield blocked it, and suddenly the spellfire from their opponent ceased. Silence reigned. They couldn't see clearly on the other side of the ditch, but the soles of a pair of boots became visible.

He breathed hard, looking in every direction. The dogs were dead, their entrails and gore spread everywhere, and no new attackers appeared.

Their group strode cautiously toward their downed foe, Dumbledore at the fore, and Harry blinked at the sight before him. There was a body sprawled out on the ground below the road. Its head was several feet away. He didn't recognize the face, and it took him a moment to realize that his spell had actually beheaded someone.

Moody grabbed his arm before he could stare too long. A suddenly numb Harry was tossed onto a broom behind Tonks and flown at top speed toward Hogwarts. He looked back once, and saw bloody carnage everywhere. Dozens of dead dogs, broken brooms, and debris littered the road. Most of their attackers were restrained in tight ropes. He breathed a sigh of relief to see Moody helping Sirius and Remus to their feet.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry sat next to Sirius in Dumbledore's office. It was a day after the attack, and he was still in shock. Both that their trap had actually provoked such a violent response, and that he had killed someone. It wasn't the first time he had done so. He had accidentally killed Professor Quirrell in first year; he had killed an incarnation of Voldemort in second year; he had killed several mermen in the second task; and he was partially responsible for Pettigrew's death.

This one felt different. Far more visceral. He had sliced off someone's head in battle, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it. He knew theoretically that he might one day have to kill someone—Voldemort himself, if the prophecy was to be believed. But the reality of it, of seeing a dead body that he had mangled, was something different.

He had told only Hermione, and she too had been shocked. She did her best to comfort him, assuring him the only thing that mattered was that he was okay. But she couldn't hold back her tears any more than he could shake the image of the man's severed head.

It had all happened so fast. It wasn't at all like his practice duels, or even like his battle in the graveyard. Yesterday had been pure chaos, with attacks coming from every direction. He would have been kidnapped or slaughtered if he hadn't been protected by so many defenders.

No one on their side had been seriously wounded. Remus had merely been stunned. Sirius had suffered a concussion and a few cracked ribs. Shacklebolt and Tonks had both suffered bite wounds from the transfigured dogs, but would recover.

In the end, they had successfully sprung their trap. Harry prayed it had all been worth it.

"Thank you for joining me," Dumbledore said. "We have a clearer idea of what's happening now, and I thought you'd like to know right away."

"Thank you, sir."

The old man seemed a bit subdued and Harry instinctively prepared himself for bad news.

"Madam Bones has finished with her interrogations, and I'm afraid the results are frustrating. The men that we captured were not Death Eaters. They were mercenaries under the command of Yuri Maximov, a Russian bounty hunter and a very dangerous wizard. They had been placed under the imperius curse for good measure, but it seems they didn't know who they were truly working for."

Harry groaned. "They weren't even Death Eaters?"

"I'm afraid not. But they had agreed to kidnap someone, even before they were imperiused. Most were wanted men already, and Maximov will likely be executed by the Ukrainian Ministry as soon as he is extradited. The rest will go to Azkaban."

"What about the other two? The ones who attacked from the ground," Sirius said.

"Both were using Polyjuice, but I believe we are aware of their identities. The one who escaped early was Theodore Nott, Jr."

"What?!"

Harry couldn't believe his ears. He hadn't expected the boy to actually participate in an attack, nor to be that powerful. They had intended to use him only as a pawn.

"He's not in the school, and wasn't seen in Hogsmeade," Dumbledore said gravely. "I examined memories of the event, and I am certain that the attacker was using his wand. He was injured, perhaps badly. If he turns up at St. Mungo's, he will be arrested. Young Theodore has made a terrible mistake."

"And the other?" he asked, dreading to hear the identity of the man he'd killed.

Dumbledore looked at him with a pained but benevolent expression. "Harry, I know what it is like to take a life. It's hard, but I want you to understand that it was not your fault. Things happen quickly in battle, and you were defending yourself and others. I admit that I had not expected such a fierce fight yesterday."

"Thank you, sir. I wanted him alive. I didn't mean to do it."

"I know you didn't. You couldn't even see him. You should grieve over the necessity of your actions and then put it behind you."

Something unclenched in his chest at the Headmaster's words. He had expected the man to scold him, or perhaps worse. But he seemed to be aware that this was no mere tournament task. It had been a real battle, with deadly stakes.

A strained silence followed. Dumbledore seemed reluctant to reveal the man's identity.

"Who was it, Albus?" Sirius asked impatiently.

"It was Lucius Malfoy."

Harry's mouth fell open in shock. Sirius too was rendered speechless.

"He appears to have been the leader of the mission. He was under Polyjuice when he died, but they were able to revert his body to its normal state."

"Oh, my God," Harry whispered.

His mind whirled at the implications. He had killed Lucius Malfoy. Draco's father. One of Voldemort's chief lieutenants. And one of the men most likely to know where Voldemort was.

He closed his eyes as the full weight of the Headmaster's revelation washed over him. The captured men knew nothing. Nott had escaped. And Malfoy was dead at his hand. They still had no idea how to locate Voldemort.

"So we have nothing to show for all this," he said dejectedly.

"The plan always had a low chance of success, my boy. Voldemort is no fool. But I would not call it a failure."

"Sure as hell seems that way to me. If I hadn't used a cutting curse—"

"Stop that, Harry," Sirius said. "Everyone out there was using lethal spells at the end. It just so happened yours got through."

Dumbledore smiled kindly. "Listen to your godfather. The plan was worth trying, and you are to be commended for your bravery. You must also remember that we have removed a powerful enemy from the board, and a dangerous young man from the school. Voldemort will be handicapped without Lucius Malfoy's money and influence, and indeed without his formidable wand. He has lost a very important member of his inner circle at a crucial moment. That is a victory for us."

Sirius squeezed his shoulder soothingly. "It almost worked. I don't want you beating yourself up over this. Lucius Malfoy was an evil bastard, and he deserves to be rotting in a grave."

Harry tried to feel reassured by his words.

"And we're going to have a long talk about you taking risks like this in the future. That was a damned close call."

"I know. It's not like I want to do these things."

"We shall make every effort to be more careful in the future," Dumbledore said. "For now, we still have a month to find Voldemort. No stone will be left unturned."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Note: So long, Lucius. Hope everyone enjoyed the reunion with Daphne and Tracey. Next chapter features the fallout from the battle and an interesting patrol with Susan Bones.

Fair warning: it will be two weeks before the next update. Too many other things are going on right now, and I need more time to edit. Don't worry—we'll return to weekly Sunday updates afterwards. I've already written 44 chapters, and expect there to be about 53.