"I never knew you had a taste for other girls."
"I don't really. I honestly think it's just Su. She's so pretty and energetic."
Cho was right, Su Li was undeniably beautiful. Harry had thought her rather plain on first sight, but there was a certain inner radiance to her that shined forth that evening.
"And tight. Merlin, that was painful. But I agree. We may just have to keep her."
"Yeah, we need to make this a lasting arrangement. We'll talk to her in the morning."
Cho leaned over Su's body and kissed her fiancee one last time before falling asleep. Harry alone remained awake. He could feel Su's lips curl into a contented smile against his sweat-glistened chest. He rhythmically stroked the younger girl's hair until he too eventually succumbed to slumber.
Chapter Twenty-Two: A Kunoichi's Love - Insanity Prelude
Disclaimer: If you've seen it before, it belongs to J.K. Rowling. Otherwise, it's mine. Naturally, I'm making no money off this.
Only a few days remained until Halloween as Harry walked down the darkened streets of Hogsmeade with Kenzo, escorting the old village leader back home after the latest training session deep underneath Gringotts. He walked slowly, allowing the elderly Japanese man to use him as a crutch. Harry carried a wrapped parcel intended for Hitomi under his other arm, contents courtesy of the artisans that Grilthauk had contracted to fashion equipment for his vassals. Most of them had selected light and functional gear, namely breastplates and leggings crafted of magically reinforced silver, as well as dragonhide battle robes. As for weapons, the male contingent of his unit opted for silver short swords similar to the Roman gladius, heavy enough to inflict significant damage while remaining easy to wield. They were about two feet or so in length. The females had instead taken up lighter silver daggers that were a little less than a foot long.
The only exceptions to those uniform standards were Ron and Su. The redhead asked to have a large flanged mace crafted of a heavier alloy along with some sturdier battle armor. He was coming to terms with the fact that he was mostly ineffective in a purely magical duel, and that his greatest martial asset laid in his physical strength. His budding fighting strategy was to use his wand mostly for defense, deflecting hostile spells for long enough to get into close quarters and maul the aggressor. Many wizards and witches, and especially purebloods, were in markedly poor physical condition and would thus be largely unable to evade him. He did show some talent for the Dark Arts due to the fact that he was generally dominated by his emotions and consumed with a great deal of irreconcilable hatred for the likes of Death Eaters. He took to the Unforgivables rather more easily than his counterparts. As much as he hated Voldemort's lackeys, Ron wasn't all that different in temperament, distinguished from them only in terms of ideology.
Su, on the other hand, needed to remain as flexible as possible while fighting and resisted taking the same static armaments as the others, instead choosing a light woven mesh garment similar to Hitomi's training suits, along with a pair of customized combat sais. The latter were going to take a good while to craft, as they were to be imbued with magical cores so that she would be able to wield them in each hand and still be able to work spells in combat. It wasn't unheard of for enchanted combat weapons to be used as an alternative to a wand, but the power output was typically a great deal lower. That wasn't a problem for Su, who relied on finesse and technique rather than raw magical force to begin with, but Harry felt the reduced strength to be too much of a handicap to consider using an imbued sword himself. Being at anything less than optimum power against a wizard of Voldemort's caliber was a sure way to get one's self slaughtered.
It had been a simple matter for Harry to order some items to be fashioned for Hitomi on the side, as he had filched one of her battle suits the previous time he had stayed with her and was thus able to provide her measurements. He had arranged for the tailor, a surprisingly reputable dealer basted out of Knockturn Alley, to create a similar garment woven with magically reinforced silver thread. It would protect her well, though she would likely have to wear it under her usual suit. The glittering metal would be extremely easy to spot otherwise, and would summarily destroy any attempt at stealth. Harry had also come across a short blade similar to her favored ninjato while rummaging around in the Black vault one evening as his vassals were occupied with independent study. The blade was terminally moist and razor sharp, and seemed to be coated with some form of lethal corrosive agent. He had no doubts that she would appreciate his rather macabre gifts. Or at least he hoped, as plying the kunoichi into a contented mood would bolster his odds of getting through the night intact.
As per the usual with the young dakaathi hybrid, Harry's actions bore an ulterior motive. He intended to tell Hitomi of his engagement to Cho tonight, lest she come to find out about it in the Daily Prophet the morning after the Ministry Ball. She had been forgiving when he had previously kept his relationship with the Chinese girl hidden, but would not likely be so again. She wouldn't leave him regardless, but this had to be handled carefully as not to provoke unnecessary friction. Kenzo apparently noticed him spacing out.
"You seem rather distracted this evening, young lord."
"This village is quiet now. And yet, it's going to become a battlefield within the week."
"I have heard nothing to the effect."
"You wouldn't have, but I know. Voldemort will be arriving here on Halloween night. He aims to induct me into his ranks, at least according to the letter that he sent me nearly two months ago. I will face him in the town square and finish him off once and for all. You're the only person that knows of this."
"Surely you must know that he will be prepared for a battle. This Voldemort is no fool. We have observed his movements and activities for several months now. He is far too cautious to blunder into his own demise. This scheme of yours is doomed to backfire."
"Voldemort is hopelessly arrogant, Kenzo. I have dealt with him personally and seen it several times. He will come, content in his delusion that I hate Albus Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic enough to join him, and that I could never hope to defeat him otherwise. He will die and his carcass will rot here for all the wizarding world to see."
They presently reached their destination, the modest Japanese robe shop that served as home to Hitomi and Kenzo. They sat down at the kitchen table after climbing the stairs. Hitomi's grandfather was not yet through remonstrating with Harry.
"Of course he will come, young lord. But you cannot hope to defeat him and his followers without backup. You are far too important to us all. Do not cast away your life needlessly. Such a thing would destroy our cause and shatter my granddaughter's heart."
Harry shook his head. He had to go it alone, or else Voldemort's suspicion would be roused right from that start. Besides, he simply needed to hold out for a few minutes, and then he would be free to engage the Dark Lord one-on-one. Dumbledore and his people would doubtless come running down to the village the very moment the Hogwarts wards detected spellfire. Harry would use the old man's protective nature to his advantage and let the Order sacrifice their people instead of publicly revealing his own force.
"Were I to bring an escort or lay an ambush, he would certainly sense it and withdraw. His forces are weak now, Kenzo. His most powerful followers are still imprisoned in Azkaban and he has yet to replenish what he lost in that failed attack on the Hogwarts Express. This is the moment to obliterate him once and for all. Anyway, our forces will be occupied elsewhere that night. I've ordered Alberto to divide them into five separate raiding parties. They are to plunder Voldemort's key strongholds and supply bases while I have him occupied here. So you see, I'm counting on him not coming alone. He will leave his positions vulnerable and open to our sneak attack. If I slay him as planned, then this war is over and the first phase of our overall plan is complete. Should I for some reason be unable to finish him off, then we will at least have crippled his war effort."
"It is a dangerous gambit, but one that you seem to have planned carefully."
"I've had several months to put this attack together. The Ministry Ball that I'm expected to attend early that evening puts a hamper on my immediate preparations, but hopefully everything will go off smoothly. And don't worry about me. I seem to have some uncanny knack for surviving when I really shouldn't. I'm not going to die just yet."
Kenzo chuckled and reached for a warm bottle of sake.
"I certainly hope not. And Hitomi, do stop hiding behind that corner. You are a most gifted eavesdropper, but still not yet good enough to spy upon this old man."
Harry glanced over to the entrance of the small nook that represented the kitchen as Hitomi slinked in from around a corner and sat down on his knee, burying her head into the crook of his neck. He was too used to it to be in the least embarrassed.
"Of course you noticed me, grandpa. I wanted to see if Harry would."
Harry grinned broadly.
"I'm afraid not. I seem to recall being preoccupied with looking down the instructor's top when she went over it in class. I'm sure you'll understand."
"Then you'll just have to suffer through a private remedial lesson tonight. It's lucky for you that I'm such a dedicated teacher, or else you'd be lost. I'm making some of your favorite banana tempura now. I'll have mine on our futon later."
Harry raised an eyebrow at the young woman's suggestive talk in front of Kenzo as she brought out two bowls of sake pickles and a pot of tea. The old village leader excused himself for bed almost immediately after the brief snack, flashing his annoying knowing smile and chastising the remaining pair about making too much noise at night and interrupting an elderly man's much needed rest. Once he was gone, Harry found himself being force fed tempura by the beautiful female reclining in his lap. It was decidedly enjoyable, a sort of homey intimacy that would probably never experience with Cho. He had the feeling that his married life with the Chang heiress was fated to end up being a very public and somewhat formal affair, as opposed to the private and relaxed life that he might have with Hitomi. Both had their distinct appeal and he couldn't bring himself to choose just one. He would simply have to make both women his. He noticed the wrapped parcel sitting on the floor beside him and picked it up.
"I brought something for you, here."
"You really shouldn't have. But I'm glad that you did, of course."
She took a moment to open her gift and look at the contents, running her hands over the silver threaded fighting suit and carefully inspecting the ninjato. After a moment of silence she squealed and slammed her mouth onto his, nipping on his upper lip and then forcefully thrusting her tongue into his mouth. The kiss lasted for the better part of two minutes before he pulled away.
"I take it you approve, then."
He was gifted with another peck on the mouth in response.
"Most men would only bring flowers or chocolate. You have much better taste."
"An instrument of war illuminates the path to a lady's heart, or something to the effect."
Hitomi laughed against his chest.
"That's possibly the worst line I've ever heard, but rather true in my case. Most couples exchange trinkets and jewelry as presents, but we give each other weapons. As it happens, I have an offering of my own ready for you tonight. Go lie down in our bedroom while I get changed."
Cho often lovingly baited him about his horrid romantic lines, so Hitomi's statement came as no surprise. Harry had intended to spill about his betrothal then and there, but instead decided to play along with her wishes. Hitomi was always at her most pliable just after having being fucked out of her senses and would be least likely to react angrily when tired. He proceeded down the hall and relaxed on the familiar futon while undressing Kenzo's former guest bed was now beginning to carry the kunoichi's distinct scent. She sauntered in not long behind him, now dressed in her new silver garb. The metallic thread was extremely tight against her voluptuous form. Hitomi looked as if she had merely stripped to the buff and covered her body with glittering metallic paint. Her soft pale skin was very faintly visible underneath the taut garment. He sat transfixed by her alluring beauty as she slithered onto the futon and fused her lips with his ear.
"I'm glad you like the view. You went to all this trouble to have a new training suit made for me, so the least I can do is allow you a private exhibition."
Harry kissed her roughly and ran his hands all over her silver-clad body. He fondled her backside as he clasped her against himself and traced her soft chest with the palm of his free hand.
"This is quite the present, but the wrapping is so enchanting that I can hardly bring myself to remove it."
Hitomi wrenched his head down to her chest.. The metal was bitter to the taste but also strangely additcive. He immensely desired the kunoichi at that moment and moved to claim her. She stopped him with a pout and regarded him with a raised eyebrow.
"You'll ruin my new suit, not to mention chafing yourself."
Harry smirked, a fanatical gleam shining in his emerald eyes.
"I had the tailor fashion an opening down there just for such an occurrence."
"By all means then, continue."
Harry did just that, indulging in the game that had long since overtaken Quidditch as his favorite. That thought caused him to briefly recall Gryffindor's opening match against Ravenclaw. It had taken place roughly a week before. Cho was extremely put out upon noticing that Harry had moved positions, effectively robbing her of her long awaited rematch. She had been flying a brand new Firebolt, a present from her father as a reward for her procuring a suitable husband. The man seemed to be too confident that Harry would accept his offer. Gryffindor's Chaser line, consisting of himself and Katie along with a third year girl whole name he couldn't recall, played remarkably well. Harry scored six goals himself but Cho flew circles around Ginny and eventually caught the snitch for a 170-130 Ravenclaw win, gaining a measure of revenge for the previous year's embarrassment in the finals. Harry's own broomstick was getting some mileage of its own at the present. It wasn't the best night that he and Hitomi had shared together, but he was too preoccupied with the coming conversation to really get into the spirit. She had shrugged the silver bodysuit off halfway through and was now resting against his chest.
"Hitomi, there's something I need to talk to you about."
"In the morning, loverboy. I'm too exhausted right now. Besides, I already overheard the story. I won't try to stop you from fighting on Halloween, but just please be careful. I don't want to lose you, Harry. A life without you is unthinkable to me now."
"That's quite a statement for having known me less than half a year. Like I told your grandfather earlier, there's no need to worry. I have no intentions of dying yet. But that's not what I needed to tell you."
Hitomi picked up on his lowered tone of voice and sat upright, leaning against the wall.
"I can already tell from your tone of voice that it involves that Chang girl. I'm listening."
Harry sighed, knowing it would be best to come right out with it and then explain.
"I won't circumvent the issue, then. She and I are betrothed due to an arrangement put forth by her father. The official announcement will be made in a few days. I hope that it doesn't change anything between us, but you deserve better than to have to find out through the Daily Prophet or some other rag."
Hitomi was silent for a long time, but then smiled softly.
"I suppose it was going to have to be somebody. At least it's a girl that you genuinely care about and not just some political match. I really couldn't have married you anyway. Had you asked me first, I would have been forced to decline."
Harry was confused and just a little hurt.
"I don't understand."
She gently cupped his cheeks and stared into his eyes.
"You know what I am, Harry. The world that I come from. My entire existence is meant to always remain shrouded in secrecy. Famous Harry Potter's beautiful bride will become an international wizarding celebrity. For me to be thrust into that spotlight would risk exposing our clan to the entire world and I would be memory wiped and banished as a result. Or even worse, outright executed for treason. Grandpa's aware of this, and he's been worried almost to his death for months now about what he was going to say should you actually ask for my hand in marriage. He wants us to be happy together, but his foremost duty is always to our people. So you see, your getting married to Chang is the best scenario for everybody in the end."
"And what we shared is over, then. You just said that you couldn't live without me, and now you're saying that this was all a farce. I don't like being toyed with, kunoichi."
Hitomi's shaky smile faltered somewhat and she cast her eyes away. Almost too quickly for Harry's eyes to even register, she whirled around and slapped him in the face. He was too stunned to respond, having never really seen her angry before. He voice was low and dangerous.
"Don't you ever accuse me of playing games with you. I have been nothing but true and honest with you from the very beginning. You've shared bedding with several other women while I've remained unwaveringly faithful, and you're now engaged to marry another girl. And you still have the audacity to say that I'm the one playing you for a fool. I love you with every fiber of my being and I've never once uttered a single word of complaint about your sleeping around, but that is crossing the line. And no, we are not finished. I'll be with you for as long as you'll have me."
Harry gave as close to an apology as he was willing in response. Just about anybody else would already be writhing on the ground for daring to strike him, but he could never bring himself to raise a hand against her. Besides, she had every right to be pissed. He had put her through quite a bit without even stopping to think about it.
"I shouldn't have said that, but my feelings on the subject are unchanged. I care too much about you for me to just keep you as some lowly mistress. Cho will soon be married to Harry Potter and will become the famous celebrity wife. The entire magical world will know of our union. But the Boy-Who-Lived is only a part of me. I no longer completely reject it as I did just after my transformation. Harry Potter is the shining icon of the light and the savior of the wizarding world, and is important in his own right. But there is that other side of me as well, the one that strives to conquer and carry on my ancestor's legacy. That part of me needs you, Hitomi. Cho will see to the future succession of my father's ancestral line, and I want you to do the same for my mother's. I came here tonight with the intention of asking you to marry into the line of Grindelwald. I won't deny that I am very much in love with Cho, but I also feel the same way about you."
Hitomi closed her eyes and hugged her significant other. Harry needed to take a second wife according to tradition. A lord of more than one family was expected to sire successors legitimately by different women for each, in order to keep the bloodlines as strong and diverse as possible. There were other suitable claimants around for the Black family, and so he could simply allow it to revert later, but both of his parents' lines were extinguished aside from him. Aunt Petunia might have been a claimant as a Squib at one point in time, but her vehement hatred of all things magical would have extinguished whatever reservoir she might have possessed. Now she was for all intents and purposes a Muggle, and her only son was dead regardless.
"That's very sweet, Harry. But I just can't have that sort of..."
"There's no need for any publicity. Once I've been married to Cho and the media zealots have had their fill of the Potter wedding, you and I can have a quiet little ceremony somewhere. No reporters or politicians, no spectacle to speak of. Just the two of us and maybe a few witnesses if you like. I don't know about your people's traditions, but perhaps your grandfather can marry us as the leader of your sect. I can pull enough strings to ensure that nobody ever has to find out about it, if it worries you that much."
She didn't look convinced, but gave him a kiss.
"I'm not sure that's going to work, but we'll ask my grandpa about it anyway. I've been worried about what might happen when this whole struggle is over. I would be expected to travel to Japan with the rest of our sect and rejoin the larger clan unless there was something binding to keep me here. I would have had to become a runaway and be considered a traitor permanently marked for death in order to stay with you. I've been prepared to do that, you know. I would fight for us until my dying breath, but being allowed to marry you without any nasty repercussions would be a dream come true. I don't ever want to have to leave you, Harry. Please believe me when I say that."
Harry felt gratified by her words, as he would never let her go either.
"Then I'll make the proposition to Kenzo after breakfast in the morning."
"No, let me broach the subject after you return to the castle. Grandpa will appreciate being able to consider the matter before you approach him with it. You are our lord until the end of this campaign, and he wouldn't think to defer his decision before you."
Harry nodded his agreement.
"Fine, we can do that. I don't want to force his hand either."
"Thank you. I'm really sorry for slapping you, by the way. But you know, it really was rather underhanded of you to bring all of this up right after sex."
Harry smirked and shrugged his shoulders.
"If this was fated to be our last night together, I wanted to get my money's worth."
She had fallen into a giddy slumber before hearing his response. He quickly followed, dreaming simply of being hand fed tempura and rice cakes every morning for the rest of his life. Hitomi knew everything and had accepted it. Now all that was left was to repeat the entire process with Cho. The second run would prove more treacherous than the first.
Halloween had finally arrived. At a little past six in the evening at the Ministry Ball, Harry sat at a small table eating with Cho and her parents. He was dressed in his most expensive silken dress robes. Cho wore the a resplendent red lacquered Chinese robe that was in many ways the same make as the one that she had been sporting when he had come across her in the middle of Liangshan Alley all those months ago. Her parents were likewise extravagantly dressed, determined to make a good impression upon the Ministry bigwigs in attendance. The large ballroom was nearly filled to capacity, with nearly a hundred Hogwarts students and their parents present along with almost any government official worthy of note. Harry took a moment to look around for his friends.
One table a good distance away was filled almost entirely with Weasleys. The four youngest had all taken part in the battle that brought this stuffy celebration about, and both Molly and Arthur were present as well. Percy was also sitting there, though he seemed a bit less than pleased with the arrangement, along with his longtime girlfriend. Harry recalled her as being in Ravenclaw and as one of the students who had been attacked by the basilisk during his second year at school, though her name escaped him at present. Hermione was sitting with them as well. Mrs. Weasley appeared to be rather put out when Harry didn't sit with the family, but accepted it after a brief explanation.
His other vassals and the remaining student defenders and their families were spread about the hall. The meal was almost over, and it would soon be time for the dancing that would conclude the evening. The Order of Merlin awarding ceremony had already taken place. Harry now bore First Class honors, surpassing everybody in attendance aside from Dumbledore, who sat at the front of the room with the remaining dignitaries from the prestigious magical society. Ron and Hermione both received Second Class for all of their various contributions to Harry's victories over Voldemort. All of the other students were awarded Third Class. The ceremony was preceded by a long speech from Dumbledore and followed by an even longer one from Fudge, who also rushed to stand next to Harry at the front of the group of awardees when the Daily Prophet cameramen showed their faces. Trust the bumbling politico to never pass up a photo opportunity.
"Have you come to a decision regarding our proposal then, Harry?"
Harry snapped his gaze over to Cho's father, ready to answer the big question. She grasped his hand from under the table in a supportive gesture, though he hardly needed it. He had expected the question to come at any moment, as soon as everybody at the table had finished their meal.
"We have come to a decision, Mister Chang. Your offer is accepted. You may feel free to schedule the wedding for whenever you see fit."
Song Chang clapped his hands repeatedly, the handsome older wizard's victorious grin threatening to spit his face asunder. Cho's mother likewise seemed pleased, but her enchanting visage betrayed a hint of unease about the arrangement. Cho herself kept an impassive countenance as her father continued.
"Excellent, then we will conduct the ceremony on the Chinese New Year. It will serve as the perfect centerpiece for our annual festival. I must admit that I had worried for some now time that my daughter would never condescend to find herself to a suitable partner, but she's climbed to the very peak of the mountain and claimed the dragon as her own."
Being called a dragon brought up some very unwelcome parallels to Malfoy, though Harry was sure that the senior Chang had intended nothing of the sort. The young wizard answered accordingly as the man continued to heap praise on the betrothed couple. Despite all of her previous complaints about her father, Cho was nearly ecstatic at finally having appeased the man. Albus Dumbledore's voice rang throughout the hall, abruptly ending the moment.
"If you will all please rise from your seats, we will clear the floor and continue with the evening's dance festivities."
Everybody stood as instructed. Dumbledore waved his wand lazily and the chairs and tables vanished along with all of their contents, leaving room full of people standing on an empty dance floor. A long table topped with an enormous punch bowl and other refreshments appeared at a far edge of the room. The ceiling phased out and took on the form of the starry evening sky, looking identical to that of the Great Hall at Hogwarts during the annual beginning of term banquet. Dance music rang throughout the hall from some unknown origin. Harry allowed Cho to drag him off to a less crowded spot.
"Dance with me, Harry."
"I can't dance. Ask Parvati if you think I'm joking. Then again, I seem to recall spending that whole entire Yule Ball being preoccupied with scowling at some Hufflepuff for taking the girl I fancied."
"Well, you don't have that excuse now. Just follow my lead."
Harry tried his best to do just that. He was rather sleek and graceful to begin with as a result of his dueling training with Bill and adapted without much difficulty, or at least well enough that he didn't step on Cho's toes at any point. He was far from the most elegant dancer on the floor, but nobody could deny that he and his partner made the most attractive couple. Harry noticed some of the looks they were receiving and laughed softly.
"Half the women here are giving you the death glare, and some of them are almost old enough to be my grandmother."
"Then I'll just have to give the cows something to really be jealous about."
At the very instant Cho finished her sentence her mouth was covering his. Never one to shy away from causing a scene, Harry kissed her back with equal fervor. He could feel the eyes of most of the other couples on the both of them. She pulled back once she was apparently satisfied that she had marked her territory. Somebody cleared his or her throat behind them. It was Song Chang, grinning like the proverbial Cheshire Cat.
"The two of you do indeed make quite the pair, but I'm afraid I must ask to cut in."
Harry nodded and backed out as Cho directed a rather scathing glare of her own at her father. He ventured over to the refreshment table and glimpsed the Weasley twins huddled over the punch bowl with identical grins on their faces. One of them held a bottle that was obviously filled with some sort of liquor. The other noticed Harry and roped him in with an arm around the shoulders, whispering conspiratorially.
"Insty-Drunkinsky Vodka, mate. Smuggled in from Old Mother Russia. We owe Mundungus Fletcher huge for this one. Whoever comes to this punch bowl's gonna be knackered out of their undercrackers after one swallow."
"Let's hope that Dumbledore or Fudge get thirsty at some point, then."
Harry left the twins to their scheming with that remark, coming across Cho's mother traipsing through the crowd while her husband was busy embarrassing their daughter.
"Care to favor me with a dance, Mrs. Chang?"
Da Qin Chang smiled broadly at her future son-in-law.
"Waltzing about the ballroom floor with my daughter's fiancee, the very idea. I think that I might enjoy that very much, Mister Potter."
Harry smiled slightly and took the older woman's hand. She couldn't have been much older than her mid-thirties. She had to have given birth to Cho at a rather young age. She was in many ways a dead ringer for her daughter, except more developed. Cho's mother was dressed in a perfectly tailored white Chinese silk robe and her hair was arranged and pinned with a pair of scented wooden sticks. Absolutely breathtaking, and Harry soon found himself entertaining thoughts that he shouldn't about his future mother-in-law.
"And speaking of Cho, you would be impossible to distinguish from her if only your hair were let down. She's a beautiful young woman, and it's easy to tell where it comes from. Your husband is a very lucky man, Mrs. Chang."
The woman blushed ever so slightly, broadening Harry's smile to the same degree.
"You certainly are a charmer. I can tell that Cho will have to keep you on a tight leash. She has her father's nose, but the rest does indeed come from me."
Harry led Mrs. Chang onto the dance floor. As she had offhandedly predicted, the next number was a waltz. She was a magnificent dancer, far more experienced and talented than her daughter. Harry had difficulty keeping up with her. In the middle of the routine, her smiling face turned serious.
"Mister Potter, I need you to reassure me of something."
Harry cocked an eyebrow.
"And what might that be, Mrs. Chang?"
"I need you to promise me that you are marrying my Cho because you genuinely care for her and not for the sake of whatever my husband has promised you in addition. It is not my place to interfere with Song's dealings, but I need to know that my only daughter will be able to live a happy life without being ensnared in a loveless marriage."
"I nearly outright rejected your husband's offer out of respect for Cho. I felt that she deserved better than to have her father choose a husband for her. We discussed it together and mutually decided to accept. This marriage is our choice, not just mine. Yes, I love your daughter very much and I will do everything in my considerable power to ensure that she is nothing but happy in our relationship."
The dance ended and Mrs. Chang bowed to Harry.
"Then she is very lucky to have you. I look forward to including you into our family."
For some reason, that statement carried some importance for Harry. The dancing continued for the next few hours, during which time he did a few more rounds with Cho and also found himself commandeered by Blaise Zabini as he went for a glass of water. She wore a revealing tight black dress and came onto him with her usual act. Ginny thankfully showed up and snagged him away before the Slytherin was able to fully embarrass him, and he shared a quick dance with her in return. Several people around the room found themselves quite inebriated after partaking of the punch, much to the delight of the twins. Delight that turned into terror when Mrs. Weasley noticed them smirking and dragged them from the party with an ear in each hand. The last dance of the evening was due to start before long. Harry and Cho were wandering about the mingling crowd for a few moments when somebody bumped into the former from behind.
"Harry, my boy! Finally managed to catch you, I see!"
Harry turned around to see a smiling Cornelius Fudge, accompanied by a slightly chubby woman who was apparently his wife. He looked decidedly out of place without his bowler hat, his balding top exposed for the world to see. Harry forced himself to smile back and took a slight bow.
"Good evening, Minister. It is rather odd that we've managed to pass the whole evening without crossing paths once until now. Excellent party, by the way. The punch is particularly exquisite."
Harry rather wanted the dance to begin, so that he could avoid more small talk with the blustering gnome of a Minister. He did hope that Fudge would try the twins' spiked drink on his recommendation and proceed to make a fool of himself.
"I'll be sure to have somebody pass your compliments on to the house-elves. I don't believe that I've been introduced to your young lady friend. I seem to recall seeing the two of you together that afternoon on the Hogwarts grounds as well. Oh, and this lovely woman is my wife, Annette."
Harry buried a grimace and kissed Mrs. Fudge's hand respectfully. Cho appeared to be mere seconds away from retching.
"Well met, Mrs. Fudge. And my lady friend is actually now my fiancée. We've finalized the arrangements with her family just this evening. Cho Chang, of Liangshan Alley."
Fudge returned Harry's gesture with Cho. If Harry didn't know better, he would have sworn that she turned slightly green at the contact. The Minister then clapped Harry's back jovially.
"Well, that's splendid news if I've ever heard any! Harry Potter, engaged to marry!"
A slightly slurred male voice sounded from behind them.
"Yes, just bloody wonderful."
Harry, Cho, Fudge and his wife all turned to see a reeling Amos Diggory standing behind them. He had an empty punch cup in his hand and fire in his eyes. Harry had long disliked the man and strode forward. The bloodlust was pounding within him. His hands ached to strangle the life out of this pathetic loser of a man. He would be more than happy to begin tonight's inevitable slaughter a few hours early.
"Do you have some sort of problem, Diggory?"
The shorter man drew himself up comically, stumbling due to the effort.
"None at all, boy. Except that I now see my dear departed Ced's beloved girlfriend all cozied up with and ready to marry the little punk that watched him die. I can't help but wonder what he would say if he could see her now. It shames me to know that my only son ended his life head over heels in love with a filthy slant-eyed trollop like her."
Harry's own eyes blazed as he reached for his wand. Fudge was bristling with anger and redder than a beet. His wife tried to intercede before the Minister blew his stack. Cho stopped Harry from attacking Cedric's embittered father.
"Don't, Harry...let me."
Cho calmly usurped her boyfriend's place in front of Amos Diggory. The bearded man sneered down at her with something akin to hatred in his eyes. He then sank to his knees in pain, courtesy of the Chinese girl's foot lashing out and connecting hard with his groin. She followed up with a vicious right hook to the drunken man's face. Harry almost winced as he heard Diggory's nose crumple like biscuit under the force of the blow. He fell to the ground in a heap, one hand on his groin, the other on his gushing face. Cho stepped on his head and spoke coldly.
"You vile, bitter little man. If you want to know about Cedric's feelings, then I'll tell you. Wherever he is now, he's much happier for having to be nowhere near you. He despised you, Amos. Of course, he was always too meek and loyal to say anything, the very epitome of a Hufflepuff. But make no mistake; he was both resentful and ashamed of the fact that you tried to live vicariously through him. You pushed him to the very brink of a nervous breakdown simply because of the fact that you yourself are a miserable failure in life and needed some small claim to fame. Think on that for a while, Diggory. Your beloved son hated you and would have given almost anything to have never had to see you again. Voldemort did him a favor if anything."
Cho then turned on her heel and walked away. Harry went to follow, but turned first to the irate Minister. He smirked broadly at his future wife's actions. Just maybe she would be able to keep up with him. Their married life was sure to be quite interesting.
"I'm afraid I'll need to be leaving now. It's been a most eventful evening."
Harry then followed Cho, leaving a shocked crowd behind. As he left Fudge, he could have sworn that he saw a certain familiar beetle perched on the shoulder of the Minister's tacky green dress robes. Song Chang might not have been able to announce the betrothal to the world that night, but it would surely be all over the headlines the nest morning regardless. Or maybe not, depending on the results of Harry's forthcoming encounter with Voldemort. As Harry left the ballroom after Cho, he could clearly hear Fudge screaming at Diggory. She was waiting for him in an outdoor garden.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I just lost my temper."
Harry smiled wryly at her, in a gesture that he hoped was reassuring.
"Don't worry about it. You were brilliant. Now let's go back to the castle. I'm tired."
Cho nodded and took his hand. Harry withdrew his Portkey necklace from his robes and activated it, bringing them straight into her dormitory at Hogwarts. They went straight to bed together, though he had no intention of falling asleep. He held Cho until he could feel that she was no longer awake. He then stood up out of bed and gently kissed her forehead, speaking in a soft voice barely above a whisper.
"Sleep well, Cho. Voldemort will be dead and gone by the time you awaken."
Harry quickly left her dormitory to prepare for battle. He never noticed her soft obsidian eyes shoot open in horror as he departed.
With fifteen minutes remaining until the stroke of midnight, Harry stalked quietly down the path leading into Hogsmeade. He had Portkeyed from his empty dormitory in Gryffindor Tower where he had dressed for combat to a point well removed from the castle in an effort to ensure that no patrolling faculty member would catch him leaving. Only the noise of his two tiger bodyguards, Grindelwald and Khariana, broke the silence as he neared ever closer to what might very well be his death. His hands were shaking with anticipation and a slight bit of fear. He alone would take on the terrible Dark Lord Voldemort and almost surely a large party of his elite followers as well. A silky, dangerous voice resonated in his mind just as the village became visible on the horizon.
"Off to battle once more, my fallen angel."
Zharrghast's presence was normally unwelcome, even as infrequently as he made it know. But now, as he marched alone into Hell, Harry found the indomitable fallen god's voice to be quite strangely reassuring.
"It's been nearly two months, Zharrghast. One might forget that you even existed."
"Hehehehe...I have been watching you grow. You are evolving even more quickly than I could have hoped for. You now crave the slaughter. Your inner demon cries for blood, just as your hands tremble uncontrollably out of lust for it."
"My hands shake for many reasons. Fear not the least among them."
"Indeed, you march into a battle even more difficult than your last. You are wise to be afraid of death. But fear not. You shall be victorious. I shall see to it."
"Naturally. But I can't help but wonder about the price of that conquest."
"You would do well not be impertinent, mortal. The time for us to become one is drawing ever nearer."
"But the time to fight is now."
And indeed, Harry had arrived in Hogsmeade. He walked into the main square, standing under a charmed lamppost. The streets were oddly deserted. The chime of a grandfather clock rung out from a nearby house. Midnight. Twelve strokes, and the cracking noise of Apparition filled his ears. Almost as if predetermined by fate, they arrived directly opposite him. The tall, skeletal figure of Lord Voldemort stood in the center of a ring of six masked Death Eaters, all wearing the pure white masks that signified the inner circle. Harry stood straight and proud, unwilling to show even the slightest inkling of dread before his destined enemy. Voldemort's serpentine face contorted into an eerie grin as slitted crimson eyes bore into blazing forest green. His high-pitched voice spoke out with just a small hint of glee.
"Well met, Harry Potter. Prince of Darkness."
(End Chapter Twenty-Two)
Author's Note: Yeah, I'm late in updating again. I had a hard time writing this one for some reason. All of the stuff with Hitomi and Kenzo just wouldn't come out properly. Also, I had a final to prepare for. Took that this morning, hopefully aced it. In the end, I liked this chapter. I think Hitomi came off rather well. I know a lot of you expected her to be angry, and I originally intended to make her that way. But I got the idea for her to have other concerns higher than marriage to deal with. It says a lot for her character that she would be willing to risk her life in order to stay with Harry. I didn't feel the need to post an NC-17 warning here, as there was nothing in the intimate scene that could even be remotely described as explicit. I know I didn't follow up the thing at the end of last chapter with Su, but I couldn't think of anywhere to fit it here. It'll be dealt with in an upcoming chapter.
The Ministry Ball was a lot of fun to write once I got into it. I'll admit it, I hate Amos Diggory. I had my own fun by making Cho knock the shit out of him, and I really think that his words were reflective of something he would say, especially with his tongue loosened by drink. I also felt that the story has been woefully short of Fred and George moments, so I put one here. And now I have this urge to have Harry carry on something with Cho's mother. Nothing is likely to come of it, but the possibility is there.
And finally we're set for battle. I've been looking forward to writing the next chapter for a very long time now. If my vision bears fruit, then it will make the Hogwarts Express battle look like a student duel in the corridors of the school by comparison. On quick note I gleamed from a review now. Just because Harry thinks the entire world will fall into place for him once he overthrows the Ministry doesn't mean that it will. Harry is a bit delusional and arrogant when it comes down to it. Everything isn't going to work out as easily as he believes. Hope you all enjoy, and don't forget to review. The more feedback I get, the quicker the battle you've all been waiting for will come out.