Dauntless Dimensions

Chapter XII

Home

"Am I seeing and hearing things?" Ginny asked Stephanie quietly as they had just gotten back to Harry's place, and were introduced to a talking skeleton man in a pinstriped suit. "Is that really a living skeleton man, who talks and walks, and-."

"Yes, Ginny!" Stephanie said for the fifth time, to her, as Hermione had also asked eight times already, but surprisingly, Luna didn't bat an eyelid at the idea.

Harry and Sirius were having the times of their lives with laughter, as they knew introducing Skulduggery to new people would never get old.

"Gin, why don't you just take Luna to your room, so you can both put your stuff away?" Harry said with another eyeroll. "We figured that you girls could share, or we'll have to build an extension, or get on with a move to a bigger place. We've set it so that Astoria will share with Steph, and Daphne with you Hermione, since I figured pairing new gusts with those who are either familiar with the house, or me at least."

"Okay, Luna, c-come on," Ginny said, taking her best friend's hand and leading her out of the lounge. "You don't think a talking skeleton is weird?" she asked Luna quietly, but everyone else heard.

"No," Luna agreed. "It's not any weirder than magic and fairies, is it?" she asked before they were out of hearing range unless the others wanted to use magic.

Harry chucked sheepishly. "Anyway, Hermione, follow us, and we'll take you to your room."

Stephanie grinned at Hermione, as she knew what was coming, and led the way, as she was rather excited to see what would happen, as she didn't take the living skeleton very well. It didn't take long to show Hermione her room. It was rather massive with one huge bed that she was going to share with Daphne. They had thought about getting in some new beds – the day before, as Stephanie was wise enough to see the issue. Unfortunately, the extra beds would take two weeks, but they were all girls, so they wouldn't have any issues sharing until then.

"Steph thought the oversight was hilarious!" Harry finished the story with a shake of his head, though, she was a little more than embarrassed and uncertain when Harry suggested she stayed in with him, and just wasn't ready for that kind of commitment yet, as she wanted to wait that sort of thing out for a little while more.

Stephanie didn't want to feel forced by the multiverse to conform or anything, but Harry was pretty sure she was just shy and wanted to raise her courage level first, as they got on so well, and he saw her looking more than normal. It also wouldn't be wise with all their guests, and pure-bloods being rather, marriage first when it came to those sorts of things, and plus, those people also thought they were eleven and twelve, so that would have been weird and uncomfortable, even if they thought they were 'just' sharing a room.

"So, how does a talking skeleton work?" Hermione asked, much more hung up on that mystery than her roommate, as she liked Daphne, and Daphne didn't seem to have any issues with her.

"No one knows," Stephanie said with a shrug. "He was murdered pretty gruesomely, so… maybe it was just that he wanted vengeance so bad that he couldn't quite die?" she suggested thoughtfully.

"Maybe it's like he's haunting his own bones?" Harry suggested with a sheepish shrug while Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "But right now, Hermione," he continued with a smile as he stroked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm going to tell you the biggest secret in this universe!"

Hermione looked confused and shocked when Harry pulled a golden chain from his pocket, and it had a little blue gem hanging off it. It was stunningly beautiful.

"I am not… I mean Stephanie and I are not susceptible to mind reading, not really, but you are," Harry said coolly. "This is a seal circuit designed to stop the skill of Legilimency, the art of reading memories, thoughts, and feelings, from working on the untrained mind. That is until I've taught you the defence, Occlumency."

"It's, beautiful," Hermione said slowly as she took the neckless without question, and with trust in her heart, for the one boy she cared about over so many; the best friend she could have ever imagined. The fact was, Harry kept secrets, she knew, but he never lied to her. Stephanie and Harry watched as Hermione slipped the neckless on, and it shrunk slightly so no one but Hermione could take it off without a lot of time and effort, or ridiculous amounts of power.

It was then that Harry just told her what he and Stephanie were – who they were, and Hermione sat with tears in her eyes, enraptured by Harry's tale, and then Stephanie's. They both had been on so many amazing adventures, and weren't even the ages they pretended to be, but still so young to have gone through so much hardship, and they had an eternity more.

"That actually explains a lot," Hermione said after a few too many moments wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "So, Harry, you're actually eighteen… and Stephanie is fifteen?"

"Don't worry," Stephanie said with a cheeky grin. "I'll let you play with him when you're older. After all, it wouldn't be fair to let you fall further in love with someone who's going to be around this Earth for a long time, you could never have."

"I-I-I," Hermione stuttered at a loss for words while her cheeks were deep scarlet.

Stephanie smiled sheepishly, and then pulled Hermione into a cuddle. "He may not be the brightest, but he's not an idiot, and we're not heartless, Hermione. I know how you feel, and since he pretty much has to… be with all these other girls anyway…" she said shrugged as she kissed Hermione's cheek and stepped back. "Just think about what you want in the future… you have quite a few years," she said winking.

"T-thanks," Hermione said as she looked to Harry and he smiled at her making her heart pound strangely in her chest before he pulled her into his arms and she melted, and held him as tightly as she dared. Hermione always loved when Harry held her, as he was such a good person, kind, and always willing to help people. Then she thought about it, of course he was like that; he was the God of Heroes, which was a strange thought, as he would have his heroing mission in this reality, dealing with The Dark Lord.

"You are the best friend a guy could ask for, Hermione," Harry said, "And I had to tell you who I am, because I love you!"

Hermione seemed to hold on tighter. "I love you too, Harry!" she whimpered.

Stephanie smiled, but rolled her eyes. "Okay, enough sappiness with my god. Harry said, Death and Life are still moping about after an argument enough as it is. And I saw our dear, Harry pick-pocket something from that Malfoy prick earlier, and the curiosity is killing me."

"Oh, right," he said with a smug grin as he pulled from Hermione's arms and pulled out a little black diary. "I found a gift for Lilith," he said looking over the diary in glee.

Hermione squeaked as she started as an older girl stood behind Harry in black flowing robes, and her face barely visible enough to give Harry a glare. Stephanie looked the chilling girl over too, and held back her shiver, as she wasn't used to that kind of thing yet, but she knew who this girl was.

The girl in the waving black robe was so pale, Hermione thought she was almost blue for one moment, and then suddenly she took on a darker hue, and she stopped next to Harry eying the book eagerly with shifting dark eyes, as a terrifying smile aimed itself at the book.

"Six," she muttered gently, showing off a Russian accent. "Including the whole, and this book… he wanted… and wants, a magical seven!"

"S-seven, what?" Stephanie asked because she couldn't help herself.

Lilith turned to her sharply, but took the book gently in her fingers, as Harry offered it. "Pieces of Tom's fractured soul, Valkyrie," she said as she turned what was both a beautiful and creepy smile upon the book as it suddenly screamed as it crumbled away into nothingness, and she brushed her hands of dust that evaporated into nothing. She then bowed her head to Harry and Stephanie, and faded away as if engulfed by nothing.

"W-who is Tom?" Hermione asked, as she was pretty sure that the Goddess of Death had just been in her room, and she chose not to say anything right then, as that would take some time to process, as she was also trying to come to terms that her best friend was the God of Heroes.

"Voldemort," Harry answered, and Hermione cringed, a lot less than she used to.

"Is that how he stayed kind of alive, by cutting his soul apart?"

"Apparently."

It was the next morning, and Hermione had trouble sleeping at first, her mind whirling with discoveries. Harry Potter; her best friend, was also, Hīrō Yevon. The God of Heroes. Hermione didn't know what to do. She had never been a very religious girl, seeing reason over the irrational, and then she finds out magic and dragons and things were real, and now gods – she was best friends with a god, and had a goddess for a friend too, and she was pretty sure she watched the Goddess of Death murder a portion of the Dark Lord Voldemort's soul in her bedroom.

Hermione blew bubbles as she ducked her head under the warm water of her bath, and closed her eyes. The tub was rather normal sized, but she bet there was at least one huge tub somewhere. The bath salts were nice and she felt well relaxed, but too confused. The only thing she wore was her new neckless, as she wouldn't ever take that off until she had learnt to defend her mind.

Splashing her head above water again, Hermione took a deep breath, and combed her hair back with her finger, wiping soap from her eyes, and then squeaking as a beautiful blonde girl was leaning on the edge of the tub staring at her. Hermione felt the embarrassment creeping on, as the water wasn't very murky with soap, and Daphne Greengrass could see everything.

"That Stephanie girl took my sister to their room to put her stuff away," Daphne said with a shrug as Hermione tried to half-hide her bits and not be too obvious. "I hope you don't mind, but you left the bathroom door unlocked, and we are both girls… Stephanie said extra beds will be arriving in a couple of weeks, but as long as you're not like my little sister and a cover hog we can share all month for all I care. You are our fiancés best friend, and the way you are with him, you'll likely end up married to him too, so things like this will be common place in the future, and I don't mind, I see how he is happy with you as well as the rest of us. I know I don't have to say it, but Harry is an amazing guy, and as long as all his wives allow themselves to be close friends and love each other, we will always have each other too; Mother talked about these things with me and Astoria, and believe it or not, but not all Slytherins care about one's blood status."

"A-and you're not weirded out by all of this?" Hermione asked.

Daphne shook her head. "I honestly really like Harry, and one or two more aren't going to hurt any, and for a witch born outside of all of this, I find your company highly agreeable-."

"Hey Daph, Daph!" It was a slightly smaller version of Daphne who barged into the bathroom with Stephanie following her in. "There you are-," she said before pausing as she noticed Hermione. "You must be Hermione?" she asked while offering the blushing girl in the bath her hand, and Hermione took it, hoping that they would all leave her to finish her bath and get dressed in peace.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Breakfast is ready, Hermione. Hurry up and get dressed," she said looking the girl over with a roll of her eyes, and taking the sisters by the hands and pulling them from the bathroom.

"I think Tracey will be here soon," Daphne said as the door muted her voice, and Hermione sighed as she flopped back in the tub.

"At least Harry didn't wander in too," she muttered to herself as she leaned back in the tub for a few moments, as she hoped that having other girls seeing her nude would desensitise her from things like that a little, as she had always been a rather shy girl, as before Harry she had never actually had a friend before, and now she had many.

Meanwhile, in the dining room, since they were going have more guests, they figured everyone eating breakfast in the lounge was a load of messes waiting to happen. Food had been served, and Sirius looked rather nervous as he sat opposite Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass.

Mr. Aaron Greengrass was quite the surprise to Harry. He had short cut brown hair, neatly trimmed, and a perfectly trimmed stubble around his mouth and jawline. He wore neat black robes with a white shirt, and even though he stepped out of the fireplace, his shoes were emasculate and shined. He had an appearance of a man who took everything too serious, but had this strange sparkle in his dark eyes, and a mouth used to smirk in amusement.

Mrs. Laurel Greengrass was rather different. She was a graceful woman, and dainty whereas her daughters were fuller than her. However, she had long pale blonde hair neat and perfect to her waist, and amazing grey eyes. She was a beautiful woman, and wore a pale blue robe-dress, and didn't seem to have much in the boob department, which was surprising since Harry had figured that Daphne and Astoria would develop well in that area from their body types. He figured that was likely more from their father's side of the family, as he was also rather tall, and Mrs. Greengrass was a shorter woman. The woman had a gentle look as she studied the selections of food and drink waiting to be devoured on the table for breakfast.

Ginny, Luna, Daphne, Astoria, and Stephanie were sitting together to one end of the table, looking uncomfortable, while Harry sat next to Sirius, and talked, and talked, and talked like they had all been rather close for years.

Aaron Greengrass listened to Harry talking about all the adventures he and his friends had had at Hogwarts, quite amazed that the kid had such massive balls as to not even look remotely nervous of their meeting. He liked that. That was a young man who would protect his daughters, and their family legacy. It also came surprising to note that Harry was in charge of himself, and was exceptionally well informed and intelligent.

"So, Harry," Laurel piped in and interrupted with a soft voice. "Daphne tells me that you, during a duel, punched a boy so hard, that he knocked into some of the spectators, and knocked them over like, skittles?"

"Oh, yeah, that Muller guy I got expelled," Harry agreed with a shrug. "I suppose they did go down like skittles. I didn't realise how weak he would be, so I probably should have held back a little more."

"That was holding back?" Aaron asked sceptically.

Harry shrugged, and stood. They watched him as he moved over to the girls with a grin, and gestured for Astoria and Daphne to stand, and once they did, they squealed as he wrapped his arms around their waists, and hoisted them effortlessly over his shoulders where they held on tightly while blushing up a couple of storms.

Turning back to the Greengrass parents they both looked rather surprised and shocked while Ginny, Stephanie, and Luna held back their sniggering. However, they stopped as Harry grabbed both, Ginny and Luna's chairs by the back, and lifted them with his arms out to the sides, and with a winked gesture, Stephanie got the message and jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist, and arms around his neck, and he didn't even stagger.

"Hermione, climb on my back," he said lowering himself for her, as she entered the dining hall looking befuddled, and like she wanted to laugh.

"Harry, I think they get the point," Sirius said with a shake of his head, rather impressed himself.

Harry groaned as he lowered Ginny and Luna, and Stephanie pouted and hopped back down to her seat, patting the spot next to her, Hermione shook herself out of her stupor, and rushed over to sit, as Harry lowered the Greengrass sisters, and helped them into their seats.

"You have nothing to worry about," Harry said with a wicked grin. "When Voldemort drags himself out of whatever crap he's gotten himself into; he's going to wish he stayed there. And I swear to you, that I will take care of the girls."

"I-I don't think we can doubt that," Aaron spoke once Harry was seated again, and let a small grin onto his lips.

"Also, I'm sure you have other issues plaguing your mind," Harry said while they both nodded their heads. "Daphne can keep your family lineage, and I do have others at hand for the very few who will care to keep a lineage going, or those that feel the need to. Some have other children for that, and therefore, Astoria will be free from such burden, to live her life, and enjoy her family, and do as she wishes; though for that, I give to Daphne too, of course."

"Thank you," Laurel said with a smile as she and her husband looked relieved. "You have removed a great weight from our hearts."

"We're practically family already," Harry said sheepishly. "As for all the business mumbo-jumbo side of things, you are both welcome to continue with your own ventures at your whim, until you feel the need to retire, in which case you can hand it to Daphne to takeover, or whomever she may wish to proxy. As for all the loan side of things, and the money owed, we shall freeze that for now, and once everything is complete, and after the wedding, the debt will be absorbed as capital investment."

"Yes, oh, yes, thank you," Aaron said as he looked so relieved and smiled before frowning in confusion. "You actually want a proper wedding, and not just a contract signing?"

Harry frowned as he looked over at the embarrassed girls and smiled as their eyes all sparkled before looking back. "Of course, I do," he agreed. "I want them to all have an amazing time, and everything they could want out of it, and if they all want different things… what better excuse for a fun party, and magical day than some weddings, right?"

"No wonder, the girls all love you, so much," Laurel said with a gentle smile. "Such a kind and generous boy, who knows a little about romance; you could teach my husband a thing or two."

They all laughed, and with that, the uncomfortable feeling from before slid away, as they ate their breakfast.

It was later that day and Astoria was with Harry, seizing him up, as it was the first time they had been alone together, since the others were distracted as Susan Bones, and Tracey Davis turned up, and they were rooming together.

"Will you promise, you're really kill 'him' for good this time?" she asked as she was so worried about herself and her sister, marrying, a man with such a monster after him would hurt them.

Harry smiled and pulled the surprised girl into his arms, and put her left hand on his chest, she could feel his heart beating through powerful muscles.

"I swear to you, Astoria," Harry said gently. "What remains of Voldemort is on a countdown timer, and it is running out!" he said, making her quiver as golden light span like time and space within those emerald eyes, and she knew, her worries were unjust, as he kissed her, gently on the forehead, and he held her, and she snuggled contently, knowing her sister undersold their future husband.

"Come on, lets go and join the others," Harry said, linking their fingers, and holder her hand, she smiled as he led the way back downstairs where they paused in the Entrance Hall.

"Is that skeleton really talking?" Daphne asked Stephanie, as the skeleton had just entered the house, and was wearing a stylish blue suit with a wide brimmed hat to match.

"This is Detective Skulduggery Pleasant," Stephanie introduced while looking amused as all the guests stared with their mouths hanging open.

"It is a pleasure to meet everyone," he replied smoothly. "Don't mind the…" he gestured his skull. "Not all curses, go unseen, unfortunately," he said with a chuckle.

"Of course, sorry," Amelia Bones quickly said, stepping forward with a smile and offering her hand. "I'm Amelia Bones, Head of Magical Law Enforcement for the Ministry of Magic."

"A pleasure, Madam Bones," he greeted, amused, and shook her normal hand with a glove covered one. "I've seen a few terrible curses before, but this one is up there… especially as necro-magic counts."

"Yes, I'm afraid so," he agreed with a sigh. "I got used to it, and its surprisingly the little things you miss most, like eating, and the warmth of someone touching you, and maybe some day I'll find out how this happened."

to be continued…