Inheriting a Draconian Mantle – Book 4
By Stargatesg1fan1
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognized characters or universes within. If I did…I would have ended the Inheritance Cycle with Arya and Eragon in love and entangled in a heated, naked, and sweaty mess in their bed. Harry Potter would have been smarter and taken every opportunity he had to make love to the gorgeous Miss Granger and when they were old enough he would have made her the next Mrs. Potter.
Females Bonded by Harry Potter So Far (In Books One through Three):
Nymphadora 'Nym' Tonks is played by Sarah Chalke
Hermione Granger is played by Emma Watson
Susan Bones is played by Karen Gillian
Cho Chang is played by Katie Leung
Ginny Weasley is played by Julie McNiven
Luna Lovegood is played by Evanna Lynch
Queen Dianna of the Fairies is played by Dianna Agron
Females Bonded by Harry Potter in Book 4:
Jaimie (Merlin's mother) is played by Jaimie Alexander
Arya is played by Sienna Guillory
Professor Bridget Regan is played by Bridget Regan
Fleur Delacour is played by Clemence Poesy
IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM - IaDM
Chapter 7
Harry was presented with an unusual problem after Professor McGonagall announced the Yule Ball that was to take place at Hogwarts over the Christmas holiday. McGonagall had called Harry aside for a word after the other Gryffindors had left.
"What is it professor?" Harry inquired after the last student had filed out.
"Potter, the Champions and their dance partners traditionally open the Yule Ball," McGonagall explained.
"I see," Harry replied, already having expected as much from his readings of the history of the tournament.
An amused expression almost stole over McGonagall's features but she suppressed it. That didn't stop the extremely perceptive Rider from picking up on the instructor's feelings.
"I daresay Potter that the other students will have the problem of finding a date. You on the other hand will probably have trouble selecting which of your female companions to take," McGonagall suggested.
"Indeed," Harry answered before bidding the professor farewell and leaving her classroom.
"She's right," Saphira pointed out.
"I think I can come up with a solution," Harry assured as he teleported himself to Mars. Saphira followed her Rider as he approached the equipment which housed his constantly evolving holo-computer core. The computer system had come a long way from the crude interface system Harry had started off with the year before. AIVAS had shown the sorcerer how to copy his biological based intellect into a virtual and digital environment. "If I amplify the resources holo-me has available and combine it with the astral projection abilities I have been developing…"
"That could work," Saphira agreed while thinking of AIVAS' ability to duplicate its attention many times over depending upon how much hardware resources it had available.
The Riders could interface with the system psionically. Psionics was the science of telepathy as termed by the people of the Earth AIVAS had left behind so long ago. Through genetic manipulation and technological enhancements the people of that long ago Earth had been capable of a measure of psionic workings which included projecting their consciousness over great distances. They called it astral projection. Harry had been learning these astral projection techniques from AIVAS archives and was taking it a step further to create force constructs at a distance. With his biological mind being telepathically enhanced by his holo-mind Harry should be able to create multiple copies of himself.
"Let's get to work and start testing it out," Harry suggested with a determined expression stealing over his features.
Saphira would help her Rider however she could. With their powerful link she could be of considerable aid in the mental department. Together they would succeed.
IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM
"So Potter, who are you going to be taking to the ball?" Nym asked shortly after the announcement was made.
Her tone screamed warning to the wizard as did her stance. Harry was in his study within his trunk forest where he sometimes came for peace and quiet. A larger portion of the warlock's free time was spent working in his lab on Mars. Nym had simply materialized into existence in the study. That was what tipped Harry off.
"I would be honored if all of my ladies would attend the ball with me," Harry answered with a calm tone.
"There aren't enough dances during the ball for all of us," Nym pointed out.
"There is with the way I'm doing it," Harry assured.
"I know that look in your eyes Mr. Potter," Nym suggested confidently. "Your dad and mum get a similar look when they're up to something."
"And I know Saphira helped you get the jump on me, lover," Harry replied with a grin. "I also know the other ladies are present watching this encounter."
Harry snapped his fingers and every single one of his other mates appeared standing against one wall of his study.
"How did you do that?" Dianna demanded.
"He shouldn't have been able to do that," Jaimie pointed out.
The two fairy-born females were using their natural magic to conceal everyone. Dianna had always been extremely good at veils of concealment. Nobody had been capable of detecting her or what she concealed when she desired to keep something hidden.
"That's for me to know and you to try to find out," Harry informed his mates.
"Saphira, how did he do it?" Arya asked.
"I do not know," Saphira answered. "He keeps some things hidden even from me."
"We'll figure it out," Hermione assured Harry.
One of Harry's projects was testing to see if the technology AIVAS brought from the alternate universe could defeat magical defenses. AIVAS could detect veiled matter by the effect that matter had on the spacetime continuum. Incredibly small variations in the spacetime continuum caused by mass distortion could be read by AIVAS' sensors. Harry had been training with AIVAS to improve his wizarding extra-dimensional senses in order to detect the same small variations. He wasn't as sensitive as AIVAS yet but it was enough to detect the group of females by their mass. From there it was fairly simple for a mage of his power to overload Dianna and Jaimie's spell.
IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM
Most of the students of Hogwarts were out on the school's grounds. It was a Saturday in late October. A snowball fight was currently under way between the students. Ice forts had been built. Dividing lines were not clear. Students from Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, and Hogwarts were all involved.
Fleur's smile was bright as she launched half a dozen snowballs at a pair of redheaded twins using her wand before ducking behind an ice wall. She found herself next to Harry Potter. He gestured with his palms apart and his fingers twisted into claws and a torrent of snow rushed up from the ground to float between his palms forming into a huge snowball. The corner of his mouth was upturned with a grin of mischievousness. His fingers danced and the large snowball multiplied into dozens. Fleur's expression was one of admiration. Potter's next comment almost had Fleur choking.
"Let's see if the others like my big icy balls as much as you seem to Miss Delacour," Harry teased before launching the balls of snow over the wall at dozens of students.
Dozens of snowball fighters went flying as each large ball sent by the celebrity hit a different student. The casual display of wandless magic still surprised Fleur even though she knew Harry Potter was one of if not the most powerful mage in the world. His performance at the World Cup and shortly after proved that. Suddenly a flurry of snowballs was sent over the barrier the duo was crouched behind in return fire. Harry's grin was immense but suddenly disappeared from his features. Fleur turned and looked behind her to see a massive form rising out of the lake.
At first Fleur thought what she was seeing was the Giant Squid Hogwarts was rumored to host in its Black Lake. But this creature slithering out of the lake was no squid.
"Qu'est-ce que c'est?" Fleur said while slipping into her native tongue to ask what the creature was due to fear.
A fluent speaker of many languages, Harry understood and answered, "A kraken."
The creature was hundreds of feet across and dark magic poured off of it. Even Saphira was dwarfed by the beast. Many things happened at once. Several large tentacles coated with sharp angry red barbs extended to wrap around the Durmstrang ship. More tentacles went towards the shore and the students there. Dumbledore on an ancient looking broom flew overhead towards the lake. Teachers came pouring out of the school while students ran screaming for Hogwarts. Wards on the Durmstrang ship flared briefly. Several tentacles exploded but for each that disintegrated two grew in its place. Dumbledore began attacking the Kraken with lances of fire, ice, and lightning. Monster flesh crackled, sizzled, and partially disintegrated. The creature hissed and roared but seemed to recover from its injuries just as quickly as Dumbledore could assault it. The beast lashed out at Dumbledore with several tentacles but he managed to dodge the huge limbs with a nimble grace one his age should not have possessed.
The Durmstrang ship let out a crack then imploded as the wards disintegrated and the Kraken broke it in half.
"Summon the students who are on the ship," Harry sent to his Riders at Hogwarts.
Luckily only a little over two dozen souls had been on the ship when it was attacked. Harry, Hermione, Nym, and the other Riders all began summoning the water logged survivors. Normally the summoning charm didn't work on wizards and witches but the Riders overpowered the charms and forced their magic to adapt the basic magic of the summoning charm. As the Riders brought the rescued students to rest on the snow at their feet they saw many were injured. Several teachers came rushing up.
"We'll get them to the infirmary," Bridget assured even as Flitwick and several other fighters among the staff rushed to Dumbledore's aid.
The fight was not going well for the Headmaster. Several more tentacles shot towards the other professors as they engaged the beast. Flitwick tried freezing one of the massive tentacles solid. This appeared to work for a moment but then the tentacle broke off under its own weight and two more grew in its place. McGonagall tried transfiguring the tentacle into a feather but the black magic saturating the Kraken's form caused the transfiguration magic to sizzle and die. McGonagall was sent hurtling by the swipe of the tentacle for her efforts. Hermione caught the Transfiguration professor and rushed the unconscious Deputy Headmistress towards the infirmary.
Dumbledore's spell work was a sight to behold. Tentacles shot at him left and right. He burned, cut, and blew apart every Kraken limb thrown at him. At one point it appeared as if his tactic of tying the limbs together in knots might be successful but then the Kraken just severed its own limbs and grew two more for each lost. Flitwick was the last among the staff besides Dumbledore to fall and Cho assured Flitwick was pulled out of the way.
"Shield," Harry called to his fellow Riders.
The Riders began waving their wands in practiced unison while chanting in the Ancient language. A semi-transparent energy barrier formed a wall around the castle front nearest the lake just as the Kraken's reaching limbs got that far. The Kraken's tentacles crashed into the barrier with a sound like thunder. Angry dark red energy lashed from the blue barrier onto the Kraken's limbs and the beast let out a howl of agony before retracting its tentacles somewhat. Dark burn marks were all along the tentacles.
It only took ten seconds for a black aura which seemed to suck in light to form around the tentacles.
"Oh shit," Neville called, voicing the Riders' collective concern.
The tentacles approached the energy barrier again and this time when they met the wall of force and power the angry red energy was absorbed into the black aura surrounding the invading limbs.
"Harry, I think it's time you go kick that thing's ass," Nym told her lover, the strain evident in her thoughts.
Nym and the other invisible Riders were showing up one by one and adding their power to the shield.
"If the Kraken keeps drawing in energy like that it's going to explode," Hermione pointed out.
"Yes, but the explosion will take out all of Hogwarts and probably Hogsmeade," Luna added.
"Go kick its ass Harry," Ginny encouraged.
Just as Harry phased through the energy barrier Dumbledore let out a pain filled cry. One of the tentacles which had been doing such a great job of keeping the Headmaster away from its main body had lashed out and seized him around his remaining good arm. The black aura latched onto Dumbledore's magic like a leech. His aura flared dark green and appeared to be vanishing into the tentacle. Dumbledore managed a wandless severing charm and fell with the severed tentacle onto the shore. He was out for the count. Harry took to the air with no broom aiding his flight.
The sorcerer flew towards the creature and attempted to phase through the several tentacles coming at him.
"AAAARRRRGGGHHH," Harry screamed as purplish energy lashed out at him and attacked his magic.
The contact was only a second before an invisible Saphira crashed into the tentacles trapping her Rider and tore them free with tooth and talon. To the spectators it looked like the celebrity had torn the tentacles off with his mind. Harry flew back and evaded several more tentacle attacks with Saphira's help. He drew one of his favorite wands and changed it into his sword Brisingr.
"Brisingr," Harry said, causing his sword to catch fire.
The flames burned hotly and he began slicing through the tentacles. The magic of the sword caused the time it took the tentacles to regrow to lengthen.
"Try teleporting it," Hermione suggested.
"That was one of the first things I tried. It's too unstable for my magic to latch on," Harry replied. "I have an idea! Dianna, Jaimie, I'll need your help."
"Anything," Jaimie responded while Dianna nodded her agreement.
"Follow my lead," Harry directed before closing his eyes and twisting his fingers and hands through the air.
Massive vines thicker than a tree trunk suddenly erupted from the bottom of the Black Lake and made their way up towards the Kraken causing so much mayhem above. The Fairy Queen and her half fairy sister caught on quickly and summoned forth more vines with their own nature magic. The vines began assaulting the Kraken. The creature howled in outrage and attempted to fight back against the vines. The purple aura from the tentacles attempted to leech onto the life force of the vines but the Earth magic empowering the vegetation proved too strong for the Kraken's leeching power. Smaller vines bound tentacles while the larger vines bound the body of the creature and lifted it out of the lake. The beast writhed as it rose higher and higher. Harry flew above it along with Saphira assaulting with sword and claw equally.
To those watching from the ground it looked like a tiny pixie with a fiery sword was hounding a much bigger predator. When the Kraken was over two thousand feet above the surface of the Black Lake Harry darted beneath it and drew his Omni-weapon. The construct wasn't meant to channel the amount of power its creator needed to send through it. In modern times it was a lost art but in the past a sufficiently skilled magician could augment the capabilities of the foci they used in spell casting by the power of their mind. Foci were crutches. Eragon had grown up in an era where the crutches hadn't even been invented yet. The force-constructs were an extension of this principle. Harry's Omni-weapon shifted into the form it needed to generate a beam of ruby laser energy. Then the air around the object seemed to distort and take shape into an even larger version of the Omni-weapon's form.
Harry sent his power surging into the Omni-weapon and was rewarded as a beam of ruby energy thicker than he was wide shot upward and hammered into the Kraken right in the middle of its body. The Kraken's pain filled scream shattered every window in the castle below and caused the spectators to cover their ears as quickly as possible. Harry's powers of flight strained against the weight of the Kraken as the beam of energy transmitted force between the beast and the Rider.
"Bloody hell," Harry growled out as even his immense strength began to fail him.
Before his magically enhanced muscles could give out the Rider reinforced himself with his telekinesis. His telekinetic abilities took the force of the Kraken's weight off his arms. Slowly but surely as the beam of energy tore into the Kraken's underside the beast rose into the heavens. A cloud of darkness spilled out of the wound the beam was causing. The manifested black magic attempted to contaminate the Rider but his aura flared brightly and pushed back the twisted energy. Saphira's magical power combined with that of her Rider to further strengthen his resolve. This struggle of weight and black magic against the wizard and his dragon's might went on for several minutes. Eventually the Kraken broke through the upper atmosphere and into space. Harry's armor automatically encased him within its protective form as he continued to pour on the energy through his Omni-Weapon.
Harry repositioned what angle his beam was impacting the Kraken and used this new angle to direct the beast towards the sun. With the pull of Earth's gravity effectively nullified the Kraken began picking up speed. It was soon heading towards the sun at a good clip slowly dying. Harry was not surprised that the creature still wasn't completely inanimate. Black magic was an extremely tricky force of nature to contain. It was the force of creation twisted into unnatural energy patterns. When he was sure the Kraken was no longer a threat he turned and flew back towards Earth. Several of the Riders, the ones who hadn't been visible to the students and staff of Hogwarts, hung suspended on the edge of the atmosphere in their spacesuits sitting on the backs of their dragons.
"I never get tired of seeing you do something so awesome," Sirius said with a tired smile.
"You all helped," Harry pointed out as the group began descending through the upper atmosphere.
"No need to be so modest, Harry," Lily replied. "We all sensed the amount of energy you were putting out compared to our own. Only Merlin could come close to matching that output."
"It's true," Merlin added.
"He could be a god to women," James suggested.
"I think he's doing pretty well in that area James," Remus replied. "He already has quite a few willing young women to be his companions."
"But he can handle more and he will have more," Saphira assured, wanting what was best for her Rider. "I am the mother of a new breed of dragon kind. My Rider will be the father of a new breed of Riders, one that is more in tune with their dragons than any previous species which has taken up the mantle of Rider before it."
The descending Riders were silent for several moments. Sometimes Saphira revealed a profound piece of information that left words useless for a short time. Saphira's vision of the future certainly wasn't frightening, quite the opposite in fact. Hogwarts castle came into view shortly. To those watching from the ground Harry Potter did in fact look like a descending god who was returning from battle in the heavens smiting a terrible foe. When the Riders were still quite high up they could hear the cheering from the crowd below.
"Oh yeah, the after party is going to be epic," Sirius declared with a grin.
His words proved as prophetic as Saphira's would in time.
IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM
The school became livelier as the end of term approached and the Yule Ball with it. Harry was able to put the curiosity of his mates off by constantly throwing mysteries at them to solve. He told them to show up at the Entrance Hall on the night of the ball dressed to dance. The staff showed their excitement and willingness to show off by enchanting the school with extravagant displays of magic. The holly berries glowed. The Christmas trees sported real hooting golden owls. The suits of armor even sung Christmas carols.
The term ended in short order and the castle's inhabitants stuck around for the ball. Snow was falling thickly over that portion of Scotland. The kitchen elves had taken to preparing warming thick stews in the style of comfort foods.
"Zis food is so 'eavy I do not zink I will fit in my dress robes," Fleur complained good naturedly after one sumptuous meal prepared by the Hogwarts elves.
"I will never understand how a woman can think so little of herself. You look gorgeous Fleur without an ounce of body fat on you," Harry replied.
Fleur smiled. Of course Fleur had a little bit of body fat on her because it was only healthy after all, but not much. It was still nice to hear such a response from a member of the opposite sex.
On Christmas morning Harry was awoken by the amused mental voice of Arya.
"Harry, you have a visitor," Arya projected to her mate as she lay against his left side.
As an elf Arya slept even lighter than Harry. The trance like state her people went into in order to rest allowed her to still be somewhat aware of her surroundings. Harry's resting state was similar. Harry opened his eyes and slowly levitated Hermione into the air so that she was off of the top of him. Nym was pressed against his side opposite to Arya. The sorcerer willed a barrier of silence in place so that his sleeping beauties would not be disturbed. Arya was excluded from this of course.
"Good morning Dobby," Harry greeted the house elf. "What brings you here so early Christmas morning?"
"Dobby wanted to wish Harry Potter sir a Happy Christmas and bring him a present," the excitable house elf said.
"Merry Christmas to you too Dobby," Harry replied.
Harry's present from Dobby was a pair of handmade socks. The left sock was bright red with a broomstick pattern. The right sock was the same green as Harry's eyes with snitches flittering around it. In exchange Harry summoned his gift for Dobby out of his lab which caused the elf's eyes to widen.
"Dobby did not know Harry Potter would be getting him a gift," Dobby stated as he reverently removed the wrapping paper.
"It's from Saphira and I," Harry assured.
Dobby's present turned out to be a miniature pair of wings perfectly sized for his body. Two straps held them in place across his shoulders. When he slipped them on the straps of the wings melded into his skin. To Dobby's surprise he could control the small set of dragon wings like they were an extra set of arms.
"Come Dobby…I will show you how to fly," Saphira suggested.
The dragon and the now flying elf disappeared.
"Why do I get the feeling mankind will not thank you for that invention," Arya said amusedly.
"Because you have good instincts," Harry suggested with a grin.
"There is too much Marauder in you," Arya stated before kissing her lover's lips and then making her way down his body and giving him an early Christmas present.
Harry spent most of the day in bed with his lovely ladies until he was told to go get ready several hours before the Ball was set to begin.
Harry met his dates at the entrance hall outside of the Great Hall. The hall was packed but none of these students seemed anxious to crowd around Harry. Indeed, spacetime itself seemed to expand around him to give extra space. Ginny, Hermione, Nym, Fleur, Susan, Cho, Luna, Dianna, Jaimie, Arya, and Bridget walked into the entrance hall from the upper floors and spotted the eleven Harry Potters standing in a line waiting for them. Each Harry was dressed differently to match the dress worn by his date. No Harry's haircut exactly matched that of another Harry either. The Harry Potters accompanying Jaimie, Dianna, Arya, and Bridget also looked older and more mature to match the physical appearance of their female counterparts.
As she stepped into his arms Hermione couldn't help but ask the Harry that was obviously meant to be her partner that night, "How is this possible? Are you time traveling?"
"No, guess again," Harry answered with a mischievous grin.
"You cloned yourself?" Arya queried.
"Nope," Harry replied.
A charm had been woven around the group so that they alone could hear their conversation.
"'Arry can travel zrough zime?" Fleur asked in amazement.
"Harry can do anything," Cho told the French witch knowingly.
"Are these golems?" Susan inquired.
"Not in the traditional sense," Harry assured. "What you are feeling is astral projection like in AIVAS records but on a whole new level."
"You aren't kidding," Dianna said. "All of my senses tell me you are completely solid and real."
Fleur kept quiet and didn't bother asking who AIVAS was. She had learned that her friend Harry was very mysterious and would tell her more when he desired for her to know. While she had a burning curiosity within her to know more Fleur suppressed that curiosity in favor of just spending time with the gorgeous hero.
"You all smell amazing tonight," one of the Harry's announced after each version of him had smelled his date.
"You can smell through them too?" Ginny questioned.
"I cannot yet perform magic through these forms but I did have time to figure out how to give them senses. The location where my brain would normally be contains a connection which feeds input and output both sensory and control through a tiny portal back to my main physical form via a complex artificial intelligence modeled after myself. This AI helps me interpret the sensory input and control all twelve forms simultaneously. Everything functions as it should," Harry explained.
"Your physical base form is among the eleven versions of you," Luna observed.
"Yes, but can you tell which one?" Harry asked.
"No, I cannot," Luna admitted.
That more than anything drove home just how real the duplicates forms appeared to be. When Luna and Dianna couldn't see through something it was about as real as it could get.
"That is how it should be. I will be shifting between my duplicates throughout the evening so that each of you will be dancing with my base form. But make no mistake, I feel everything my other forms do and my responses are my own," Harry assured.
"You've achieved a new state of being," Cho observed
"You are now capable of splitting your personality and attention among many forms just like AIVAS," Jaimie added.
"This is amazing," Bridget put forth.
"Yes, he is," Arya agreed while staring into Harry's eyes with her feelings conveyed through her bright orbs.
The various Harry Potters received many kisses over the next several minutes until they noticed the Tournament officials and Krum had arrived with their dates.
McGonagall gaped at the multiple Harry Potters but when Harry dropped his silencing bubble the Transfiguration professor called, "Champions over here please."
Minerva McGonagall wanted to feel disapproval at Harry Potter's presence multiple times with multiple dates but the truth was that she felt nothing but affection for the son of two of her favorite former students. Harry Potter had saved the world probably arguably several times over now. He deserved every bit of happiness he could get. If that meant multiple partners then so be it. That wasn't evening mentioning the fact that Minerva knew a few things about golems and magical duplicates and whatever Potter was doing it involved no duplicating technique she knew of. The Champions and their dates waited to one side as the other students filed into the transformed Great Hall. The Champions lined up in pairs at the door. Fleur and her Harry went in first followed by Krum and the blonde Beauxbatons witch he had as his date. The other Harry Potters and their dates followed along behind to great applause as they entered the hall.
The Champions walked towards a small cluster of tables at the front which were seating the judges. The hall was filled with many other smaller tables which seated a dozen students apiece. Enchanted frost lined the walls of the Great Hall.
"Everything is so sparkly," Nym declared with a wide grin mirrored by her companions.
"Who doesn't like shiny objects," Luna said with agreement of the obvious feeling of enjoyment in Nym's tone.
"Oh great," Ginny grumbled as she noticed Percy sitting where Barty Crouch Senior would normally be sitting.
Percy pulled a chair out next to him and pointedly looked at the Harry Potter escorting Fleur Delacour to the ball.
"I think we can all fit at that table," Harry projected to his dates while indicating one of the tables which was empty.
"With a little spatial manipulation maybe," Dianna pointed out.
But even as the Fairy Queen sent her thoughts out her man was causing space to expand and more chairs to materialize at the table. The Riders and French Witch placed their orders through their enchanted plates. Almost immediately after they had stated the items they would like from the provided menus the house elves in the kitchens sent the food onto their plates. Dinner was a fun affair with lots of conversation among the Riders and Fleur. Once the food was gone Dumbledore stood and gestured for the students to all do the same. Dumbledore cleared the hall of tables and summoned forth a stage complete with instruments.
The musicians known as the Weird Sisters took the stage then took up their instruments. The many Harry Potters took up dancing positions with his beautiful partners as did Victor. Harry enjoyed dancing with the soft feminine bodies pressed closely against his forms. Their perfumes and natural scents were many and varied and all intoxicating to his enhanced senses. Soon other couples began to take the floor and join the Champions. Soon the first song had ended and the Weird Sisters transitioned to a much faster paced tune. Harry didn't sit down anytime soon. When they were ready for a break his females dragged him out into the rose garden which had been conjured up outside of the entrance to the castle.
"The professors went to a lot of trouble," Jaimie observed as she examined the many statues which looked intricately carved but were in fact detailed transfigurations.
The bushes lining the paths were also finely sculpted.
"Professor Sprout's work obviously," Neville commented, he and Hannah having followed their group of friends from the Great Hall for a breather in the cool wintery air.
An energy barrier around the garden kept the air from being too cool.
"Now those are pretty wicked fountains," Ginny said while gesturing towards a nearby fountain.
The Riders looked and saw one fountain among many arrayed throughout the garden. The light coming from the bowl of the fountain was cycling through a rainbow of vibrant colors which paused for a few moments on each color. As they drew nearer the friends could hear faint music coming from the pool of water.
"The sounds are Mermish singing but as one would hear from under the water," Luna mused.
"Zat is not an obvious 'int," Fleur said sarcastically.
The French witch was of course referring to the use of Mermish in the fountain enchantments when the second task involved the merpeople in the Black Lake.
"Yes, we British aren't exactly always subtle," Cho replied wryly.
"Especially men," Hannah added.
"I feel like we should be insulted," Neville stated while grinning.
"Not really," Harry answered. "We aren't always subtle."
As the group walked past one section of bushes they fell silent as they heard a familiar male's voice say, "Momen' I saw yeh, I knew."
The group of Riders was so used to practicing stealth movements with stealth based magic that it was second nature for them at this point in their lives to utilize the quietest methods of movement at their disposal.
"What did you know, 'agrid?" Maxime asked the other half giant.
Harry waved his hand at the bushes to the left of the path he and his friends were standing on and the bushes became translucent in one direction. The Riders and Fleur could see Hagrid with Maxime sitting on an oversized stone bench pressed tightly together.
"Harry, there is something wrong about that beetle. The magic around it twists in unusual ways for an insect," Saphira told her Rider from where she stood not far from him.
Harry focused his attention on the beetle and reached out with his senses. The magic felt familiar.
"It would appear Miss Skeeter is a beetle animagus," Harry said aloud for Fleur's benefit.
The stealth enchantments kept his tone from carrying to the beetle in question.
"Zat woman should not be spying on ze 'eadmistress," Fleur asserted.
"Agreed," Harry responded before gesturing at the beetle and causing it to disappear.
"What did you do with 'er?" Fleur asked in a whisper, not realizing the enchantments surrounding her kept Hagrid and Maxime from noticing the group.
"I sent her about a mile over the North Sea near Azkaban," Harry explained.
The pair of Champions had missed a bit of the exchange between the two beings now revealed to be half-giants or rather Fleur missed the exchange. Harry's new attention splitting techniques allowed him to process both conversations. Hagrid had just revealed that he was a half-giant and his suspicions that Maxime was one as well. Then he had started explaining a bit about his childhood and how Dumbledore had helped Hagrid growing up after Hagrid's father had died.
"Anyway, that's enough about me. What about you? Which side do you got it on?" Hagrid asked.
Maxime stood suddenly at that question.
In a cold tone she said, "It is chilly. I will be going now."
She left before Hagrid could get a word in. Hagrid missed what was upsetting Maxime.
The Hogwarts Groundskeeper hastily said, "Please don't go. I've never met another one before."
"Anuzzer what exactly," Maxime demanded.
Hagrid was about to blurt out that he had never met another half-giant but suddenly he paused.
Hagrid heard a voice in his ear whisper, "Another person as tall and strong as I am."
"Another person as tall and strong as I am," Hagrid repeated louder. "Or another person who likes creatures other people call beasts as much as I do."
Hagrid had shown Maxime some of his pets in the forest and she had shown no fear. Indeed she seemed to get along famously with them. Maxime, like Hagrid, had grown up with few friends. She too had been ridiculed for her size. She had befriended animals which were shunned because of their nature just as Hagrid had. Hagrid had just revealed himself to be a half giant and Maxime thought he was going to actually come out and accuse her of being one too. Even though that was exactly what she was such an accusation would cut too close to those taunts she had received as a child. Maxime calmed herself. She would likely never meet another man who could meet her needs like Hagrid could. While she could physically be with a regular human sized man much easier than her giant of a mother could such a man could never fully satisfy her. Hagrid was also much better than using a troll to satisfy her needs Maxime realized. She sat back down.
"Come on, let's get out of here. We shouldn't be listening in on anymore of this," Neville suggested.
The group walked around the rose garden for a bit longer before heading back into the ball. Fleur hugged her date tighter, having heard him whisper the one statement to Hagrid which had changed the course of the groundskeeper's interaction with her headmistress. Fleur thought her headmistress deserved all the happiness the elder witch could get. Harry Potter's control over magic always amazed Fleur. He had so casually projected his voice as a whisper into Hagrid's ear. She always got a pleasant tingle in her nether regions when he performed magic near her. She and the other witches among the Riders order enjoyed the rest of their evening spent dancing and later enjoying a bit of snogging. In Fleur's case she was satisfied with the snogging but the other females among the group enjoyed a much more active evening and early morning. While Fleur went to sleep that night with dreams of dancing with a certain green eyed wizard her new female friends never went to sleep and enjoyed a different kind of dancing with that same wizard.
IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM
The rest of the holidays were uneventful other than the usual Christmas and New Years parties involving the Riders and various family gatherings. Harry did find it quite enjoyable experimenting with his ability to create duplicates. He could be attending one of the family gatherings of one of his girlfriends while at the same time he was working in his lab or out flying with Saphira. Rarely was there just one copy of Harry Potter in Earth's solar system.
"I can get many times the normal amount of work done in the same time I had before," Harry informed Saphira one day.
"Just be careful you don't burn yourself out. We have the rest of eternity after all," Saphira pointed out.
IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM
Harry was sitting in the Great Hall enjoying a meal with his friends when he couldn't help but overhear a conversation between Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown.
"Ooohhh…that Unicorn was so magnificent," Lavender gushed.
"I know. I'm just surprised Hagrid showed it to us. It's nothing like the beasts he usually shows us," Parvati replied.
This earned an amused snort out of Harry. The two witches turned to the celebrity with curious expressions.
"Let me guess…our resident genius knows something about unicorns that we don't," Lavender prompted Harry.
"You've obviously never seen a unicorn mating. Did Hagrid tell you that unicorns prefer the touch of females?" Harry inquired.
"He did," Parvati confirmed.
"Unicorns are all males," Harry explained. "When they reproduce they do so with any female from another equestrian species including horses, zebras, donkeys, gazelle, etc. Unicorns can go into a mating frenzy when it's time for them to reproduce. They will cover and rape anything in sight if they don't have access to a female equestrian. Thousands of years ago large herds of unicorns roamed free and would rape other creatures in mass including humans during their mating frenzies. Because of their virility which is magical in intensity unicorns can be used in all kinds of sex enhancing potions. Unicorns prefer the touch of females because they prefer forcing themselves on females but males will do in a real pinch."
The table around Harry was silent.
"That's terrible," Lavender said, breaking the silence.
"Hagrid showed you unicorns because they really are beasts. They just don't eat you like most of the other beasts you'll come across," Harry clarified.
Parvati and Lavender didn't think unicorns were so fantastic anymore.
Leaning over Hermione whispered into her lover's ear, "I find it so incredibly sexy when you reveal some piece of knowledge that has been lost to time."
"You must find Harry sexy all the time then," Arya projected at the younger witch.
The elven Queen's keen hearing had picked up the whisper.
"I do," Hermione agreed before going back to eating her meal.
"Thanks Harry," Seamus said to the Rider. "Those two would not stop talking about how the unicorn Hagrid showed us had the best taste in choosing girls over boys."
"In hindsight maybe it was better that it didn't really want us near it," Dean pointed out.
"Too right, mate," Seamus agreed. "Just out of curiosity, what kind of performance enhancing potions are we talking about?"
"Need a little help with your form, Finnegan?" Neville teased.
"Not at all," Seamus rebutted adamantly. "But I bet I could really develop a reputation back home with some of the muggle lasses."
Harry and Neville exchanged amused looks. They could feel their mates listening to the entire conversation with equal entertainment being had at Seamus' expense.
"There are potions which will make your equipment harder, larger, and last longer than seems humanly possible," Harry answered.
"But if you botch the potion the unicorn products will melt your dangly bits off like you had the most corrosive acid on the planet poured on you," Ginny declared with an unrepentant grin.
Seamus and Dean winced.
"Are these products how Harry keeps up with all of you?" Seamus asked.
"Harry doesn't need those products," Cho assured.
"He's just that good," Susan promised.
Parvati and Lavender looked a bit jealous. Dean just shook his head while Seamus continued to ask questions throughout the meal about unicorn based sex enhancement products. It was a very amusing time to be sitting at the Gryffindor table.
IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM
As the Riders attending Hogwarts walked to Hogsmeade that Saturday, they spotted Victor Krum diving into the black lake for a swim.
"I don't care if magic can allow us to endure some pretty extreme environments comfortably. That just looks cold," Ginny said with a shiver.
"This coming from the witch who just loves flying her dragon around in space," Hannah said.
"Zero gravity is awesome," Ginny replied with a shrug and an unrepentant grin.
"That it is," Neville agreed.
Just then Fleur approached the group from the direction of the Beauxbaton carriage. Again multiple Harry Potters were in appearance and Fleur took up the arm of one of the said wizards. Almost as soon as Harry entered the Three Broomsticks Ludo Bagman broke from the bar where he had been nursing one of Rosmerta's glasses of mead and headed straight for the world's savior.
"Harry, I was wondering if I might have a moment of your time for a word in private," Bagman requested.
Harry didn't care much for Ludo Bagman. The man was a chronic gambler and looked to others to dig him out of the gambling debts he got himself in. But Harry didn't see any reason to be rude. After all, it wasn't much difficulty to task one of his duplicates to speak to the former professional quidditch player. Harry and Bagman stepped off to one corner while the other Riders found a table. A wall of silence formed around Harry as magic bent to his will.
"What did you need?" Harry inquired as soon as the privacy magic was in place.
"Well I would like to congratulate you on your splendid performance against the Horntail," Bagman replied.
"Enough ass kissing, Bagman," Harry rebutted. "Get to the point."
The carefree expression disappeared from Bagman's features. Ludo realized very quickly that he wasn't dealing with his typical Hogwarts student. Instead he was dealing with the man who had saved the world. Harry Potter may have been in only his fourth year of school but that was only by choice. Ludo had no doubt that if the celebrity wanted to he could graduate immediately. He probably didn't even have to take the exams. The examiners wouldn't refuse Harry Potter if the hero asked just about anything of them within reason. Beyond that fact Potter was a genius as he had proven time and time again. The tests would be child's play for him. It was best to get to the point and not anger the power house that was Harry Potter.
"How are you coming with figuring out the clue in your egg?" Bagman inquired.
Harry gave the man before him a reproachful look.
"You actually think that little puzzle would cause me any pause whatsoever? You've got to be kidding me," Harry replied before dispelling the silencing magic and moving towards his table, dismissing the Triwizard Judge from his company.
"What did Bagman want?" Nym asked as Harry sat down.
"To increase Harry's chances of winning the Tournament by helping him with the egg clue," Arya answered for her mate.
"I take it the silencing barrier was no obstacle," Harry said to Arya with a raised eyebrow.
"Live another hundred years in a court setting and you'll learn to read lips," Arya said by way of answer.
"If I lived a hundred years in a court setting I would probably go mad and slaughter the courtiers," Harry replied with a grin.
Arya smiled and inclined her head in acknowledgement.
"I will be the first to admit I have thought of smiting a few courtiers myself in my time as Queen," Dianna stated with a dreamy expression on her features.
"What stopped you?" Cho queried.
"Honestly, I had more fun making them squirm later for aggravating me. Being Queen does have its privileges," Dianna explained.
"Indeed," Arya agreed.
Fleur stayed quiet and listened to the conversation going on around her. The more she was around the group of friends the more she learned. She didn't bother asking what Dianna and Arya were queens of but had known from past conversations she had been involved in that they were monarchs.
"Oh look, trouble just walked in," Jaimie pointed out while nodding towards Rita Skeeter and her photographer entering the Three Broomsticks.
The reporter and photographer took a nearby table but didn't notice the Riders and French witch.
"It is times like these that make me glad for Notice-Me-Not charms," Hannah declared.
"Most definitely," Susan agreed.
"I did find her article on the Yule Ball particularly interesting but I just wish she hadn't gone into so much detail about Draco's sexual habits," Ginny said.
Rita must have learned more secrets about the inhabitants of Hogwarts before Harry had thwarted her attempt to learn of Hagrid's heritage because she had released a particular juicy article the next day on the ball. Draco had been caught in compromising acts with Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson.
"Yes, the photos were particularly disturbing," Harry replied. "Rita must have a high quality pensieve."
"Perhaps we should turn her into the Ministry for her illegal animagus form," Hermione suggested.
"It would be easy enough to mention it to Auntie Amelia," Susan added.
"Let's just let her be. She might actually dig up something useful someday and as long as we are aware of her abilities she can't easily harm us or those we care about," Nym directed.
"Someday she will write a book on Dumbledore exposing all of his dirty little secrets," Luna assured.
"That sounds like a good enough reason to me to leave her alone," Neville added.
Those around the table nodded or gestured their agreement.
"Besides, she's nothing compared to those in Azkaban," Cho pointed out. "They would squash her like a bug."
There were groans of dismay around the table.
"That was a terrible joke," Ginny replied.
The others agreed.
"I blame Zurariel," Cho declared. "It was his idea."
Fleur wondered who Zurariel was and how he could contribute to a conversation when he wasn't present but didn't bother asking. Every once in a while Fleur's English friends would mention someone she didn't know in a conversation and it seemed everyone else knew this strange named person mentioned.
"Be mindful of Fleur. You're confusing her. And dragons shouldn't try to use human humor. They don't understand it," Harry projected to the Riders. "I have an excellent topic for conversation," Harry began aloud, his tone mischievous.
Nym called him on it.
"What are you up to now Potter?" Nym questioned with a suspicious look on her attractive features.
"Why nothing Miss Tonks," Harry answered. "I was just going to suggest we come up with a good bikini for Fleur to model for us during the second task."
As he spoke Harry's fingers danced through the air several inches off the table and a miniature version of Fleur stood on the table's surface clothed in an attractive blue bikini.
"'Arry," Fleur chastised, a blush suffusing her features.
Harry's grin was unrepentant.
"Turnabout is fair play Mr. Potter," Jaimie rebutted and caused a miniature version of Harry clothed in a Speedo to appear next to the miniature Fleur.
Fleur noticed the miniature version of Harry sported a rather sizeable bulge in his Speedo.
"The only flaw in your plan my dear Jaimie is that I'm not embarrassed to be seen in such a state," Harry assured.
To prove his point the celebrity caused the table to disappear and stood where it had been moments before. Harry's clothing shifted form to match what Jaimie had just had him wearing in miniature.
"Oh Merlin…I don't need to see this," Neville said with a groan while covering his eyes.
"No, but I don't mind," Hannah assured while eagerly looking Harry up and down.
Nym let loose with a wolf whistle while the girls laughed and shouted approval. The privacy charms kept those around the booth where the group sat from noticing the ruckus. Hermione produced a ten pound note and stuffed it in the string of her mate's Speedo.
"Go on Harry…give Fleur a lap dance," Nym encouraged.
"What is zat?" Fleur asked in confusion.
In answer Harry began to show her. The French witch enjoyed this type of education very much. The other women laughed and cheered as this show went on. At one point Harry leaned down and blew hot air against Fleur's neck, causing her to shiver.
His mouth came up to her ear and he whispered, "Go on, you can touch."
Fleur's hands roamed all over the incredibly fit wizard.
"Alright…I think Fleur has had enough," Arya stated after she noticed a tremor of orgasm run through the mortal witch.
The elven Queen could smell Fleur's reaction.
"Yes, go around the group," Dianna encouraged.
"Alright, alright," Harry agreed with a manic grin on his lips.
The highlight of the dance for everyone involved was when Luna hauled off and smacked Harry's right ass cheek so hard it left a very pervasive handprint. The act was so spontaneous nobody saw it coming.
Between her peals of laughter Ginny declared, "Sweet Circe, Luna. You are so outrageous I love you."
With a straight face Luna replied, "The nargles made me do it."
Then the blonde's grin made its presence known and lit up Luna's face.
"I'll be sure to return the favor later, love," Harry sent to Luna and Luna alone.
"I look forward to it, Master," Luna purred mentally.
Harry culminated the dance by using one of his favorite tricks to generate a massive orgasm in each of the ladies watching.
When Harry sat down as the women thrashed through their orgasms Neville said, "Even I have to admit that deserves a high five as the Americans might say."
Neville put word to action and gave Harry a high five.
IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM – IaDM
Posted: 12/28/2014 (Edited Version) Rev 0
Author's Note:
On my Facebook group there is an Excel file listing what stories I have read in the recent past and what I thought of them. This also includes stories you should probably stay away from and the reason why I think you should probably stay away from them (rated from 1 to 10). If you get a chance check it out. It might save you the trouble of reading some really bad fics and might also direct you to some really good fics. My Facebook group is called Stargatesg1fan1's Fanfiction Works and Favorites. The name on my author's profile is hyperlinked to the group.
~Deserdi Etere Lume
Stargatesg1fan1