CHAPTER 5:

LAYING DOWN THE LAW

Thankfully, Ron bought the story about Morrigan being Lilith's sister, intending to look out for them. Morrigan decided to claim that she and Lilith were variations on Veela. Which wasn't far from the truth: somewhere, millennia ago, Succubi and Veela shared ancestry. It was why the Veela had their allure, though they didn't feed on people's souls, and didn't live for centuries.

Apparently, Hermione had dragged Morrigan away to interrogate her about Darkstalkers and Makai. Morrigan seemed both bemused and even amused by the whole thing. After all, it was rare that a human ever actually asked her for information on these things.

The Leaving Feast was solemn, held in remembrance of Cedric. Harry knew that there would be many, like Fudge, who wouldn't believe that Voldemort was back. And others, especially amongst the Slytherins, who would help their Death Eater families tarnish their reputation.

As they departed on the train for King's Cross, Harry thought back to the night he was summoned to Dumbledore's office. He had to say, he wasn't pleased when he learned a few things, first and foremost why he had to go back to the Dursleys. When he protested, Dumbledore pointed out that this time, Morrigan and Lilith would be there to protect him from his relatives, and that hopefully, Harry wouldn't need to stay long.

He also said that a rather vile piece of magic had been removed from Harry long ago, leaving him the ability to use Parseltongue. Though Dumbledore seemed disturbed when Lilith casually mentioned eating a 'fragment of soul' long ago. And apparently Dumbledore and Morrigan had come to something of an agreement on some matter or other. Including teaching Harry something called 'Occlumency'. Apparently, once Harry and Lilith learned enough, Dumbledore intended to divulge some more information.

Morrigan did admit to Hermione and Ron that she would be teaching Occlumency as she sat with them in the train carriage. "What's Occlumency?" Ron asked.

"A relatively obscure branch of magic, though a good portion of it isn't actually magic, but mental and psychological discipline," Morrigan said. "In fact, a good Occlumency technique is what the Muggle call 'method of loci', or a memory palace."

"I've heard of those," Hermione said, ignoring Ron's muttered 'of COURSE you would have'. "But what is Occlumency used for?"

"Basically protecting your mind from magical attack, or Legilimency," Morrigan said.

Harry frowned, remembering Dumbledore reading Lilith's mind and calling it that. "It's crudely speaking mind-reading," Lilith explained. "Of course, a mind is more chaotic than you'd think, so you can't exactly read it like a book."

"But memory palaces are used to organise memory," Hermione said. "Wouldn't that make it more vulnerable?"

"Not if you place defences. For example, if your memory palace is a castle, you could have cannons, knights, archers…you could even place a dragon there," Morrigan said. "Now, a skilled Legilimens can't just read your mind, but tear it apart, force people to relive their worst memories or even have their memories corrupted, unable to tell false memories from true. Few Legilimens can do that, and it takes a lot of magical power, which is why they generally favour using the Imperius or Memory Charms, as they do similar things for less magic."

"Bloody hell," Ron said weakly, staring at them. "And You Know Who was a Legilimens?"

"Call him Voldemort," Morrigan said, smirking at Ron's wince. "He won't have placed the Taboo Spell on his name yet. And yes. Legilimency is a rarely learned art, though, if only because of the difficulty involved. Occlumency is also difficult, but a useful skill to have, and probably easier to learn, depending on the teacher."

"Can you teach us, Morrigan?" Hermione asked, the Succubus having insisted that Hermione call her by her first name.

"Certainly. I should have plenty of opportunities," Morrigan said.

They then went into a discussion about Rita Skeeter being an illegal Animagus, before Draco Malfoy and his goons made an appearance. And when he began to taunt Harry over the death of Cedric, Lilith seemed set to attack, only for Morrigan to put a hand on the lavender-haired Succubus' shoulder, and got up herself. "Oh, how naughty of you, to taunt your peer over the murder of an innocent," she said with a predatory smirk. "But then again, empty vessels frequently make the most noise."

"And you are?" Draco sneered.

"Beyond anything you can handle." Morrigan then stood in the doorway, forcing Malfoy and his goons out by little more than her presence and confidence. "Your father gets on bended knee to fellate that ophidian abomination he calls a master. Voldemort is nothing special, just another monster with an ego in inverse proportion to his penis size who uses power and fear to compensate. Harry Potter, Lilith, their friends, and indeed, the entire population of Hogwarts is under my protection, save for those who align themselves with Voldemort. I care not for your petty squabbles over blood purity, save where it impacts me and mine. In fact, I can smell the heady scent of inbreeding in you. Tell me…was your mother also your sister?"

Malfoy roared in fury, whipping out his wand, only for Morrigan to snatch it from his hand…and then, she crushed it within one hand. "You get one chance. That was it. The next time you try to hurt me or those under my protection…I will crush more than your wand." Suddenly, an oppressive presence filled the carriage, like the aura of a Dementor. No, not like that. Fear was caused by the aura, but it was a product rather than something pervading the aura. No, it was an aura of power, a sheer overwhelming pressure that made those present feel like they were at the bottom of the ocean. Harry wrinkled his nose when he smelled what had to be at least one if not all three of the interlopers soiling themselves.

"I'll…tell…my…father…about…this…" Malfoy croaked out his favourite comeback cum threat.

"Indeed, please do so. Warn him that crossing me will be the gravest of errors…and the last he will ever make," Morrigan said.

The pressure went away, and Malfoy and his goons made an undignified exit, their robes dripping mephitic fluids. The Twins entered shortly thereafter, and once they had cleaned the floor several times with Scourgify spells, promptly got to their hands and knees and started worshipping Morrigan as a goddess for humiliating Malfoy and his bookends, much to the amusement of almost everyone present.

The rest of the journey passed with a few games of Exploding Snap, the Twins discussing Bagman and his defrauding them of the bet they won at the Quidditch World Cup, and their curiosity about Morrigan and Lilith. Then, finally, they pulled in at King's Cross Station, Harry giving the Twins his prize money, as capital for their shop.

After saying his farewells to his friends and to Molly Weasley, Harry, along with Lilith and Morrigan went over to Vernon, who scowled. "I received a letter," he said stiffly and gruffly. "Apparently you are lodging with us."

"Oh believe me, Mr Dursley, I want to be in your presence as much as you want to be in mine. I am here for my sister's sake, as well as that of your nephew. We'll discuss things further when we get back to your house…"

Morrigan had already heard the horror stories from Harry and Lilith about the Dursleys, and her first impressions only seemed to shore up that perception. Vernon was a big, blustering bullying boar, boor, and bore of a man, with delusions of affluence when in reality he was full of effluence. He was obsessed with normality, which equated to being upwardly mobile in his mind.

Petunia was a little more complex, but was nonetheless showing a mixture of contempt and envy for magical powers. Plus, Morrigan could see the horse-faced bitch being jealous of Morrigan's perfect figure. Still, the woman made some tea when Morrigan asked nicely, more nicely than she should have. And it was excellent tea, she had to admit. When pressed, Petunia could at least make an effort for hospitality.

Dudley, though, was a spoilt little fuck. One who gawped openly with his piggy little eyes at Morrigan, even though she was wearing (by her standards) extremely conservative clothing. Okay, the rather elegant suit she had chosen (mostly for the sense of authority it gave her) didn't actually hide her figure that much, but she wasn't showing as much skin as she preferred. Though it seemed he had a bit more muscle than he used to before, from Harry and Lilith's descriptions. That, and the subtle signs of injury long-since healed led Morrigan to realise he had taken up boxing.

"Lovely tea, Mrs Dursley," Morrigan said from where she sat on the couch. "Now, perhaps we should get down to business."

Petunia sniffed in disdain, though Morrigan had to admit, the bitch was afraid of her. So too was Vernon, but Petunia's fear was married with what little intelligence she had, while Vernon might be stupid enough to attack her. "Dumbledore's letter said that you would be staying with us for a time," she said tightly.

"Yes. To protect Harry and Lilith from those who would harm him," Morrigan said, her gaze narrowing pointedly at Vernon. Petunia may have abused Harry in many regards, but it was Vernon who did the bulk of it.

"So, you're one of them?" Vernon asked dangerously. Morrigan could sense that the emphasis on 'them' seemed dangerously close to him nearly saying 'freak'.

"If by that, you mean I am a witch, then rest assured, I am not." Her eyes narrowed even further. "I make a so-called witch look like a kitten by comparison. Perhaps I should introduce myself fully. I am Lady Morrigan Aensland, heiress to the throne of my father, Belial. I am also a Succubus. Do you know what that is?"

All three of the Muggles present shook their heads. Part of Morrigan sighed with relief. It meant she could tailor the explanation, twist the truth somewhat. "We are not unlike a vampire, but instead of feeding on blood, we feed on other things. Lilith is, in effect, my younger sister, and she is bound to Harry as his companion. Unlike most of those fools in Magical Britain that you have doubtlessly met, I have an idea of how to function in what you laughably call civilisation. So, until the wizards deign to pick Harry up from this…domicile, I will be staying here."

"We don't have enough room…" Petunia protested angrily, before Morrigan held up a hand, and glared.

"I can use magic on Harry's room…"

"We will not tolerate that freakishness in this house!" Vernon sneered, before a vicious smirk came over his features. "Anyway, your lot can detect magic."

"Oh, you really are as stupid as you look, aren't you?" Morrigan said, her politeness worn away by Vernon's stupidity. As he gaped, his face getting deeper in colour, she said, "My magic cannot be detected by the Ministry of Magic. In any case, using it in front of humans who are aware of it shouldn't be a problem. All I intended to do was expand the space of the room's interior, rather like the TARDIS from that TV show you humans make, and move a few things in. Lilith, Harry and I will endeavour to keep ourselves out of your hair. Frankly, I would've taken Harry to Makai, but apparently the old goat believes Harry would be better protected here, and frankly, if I do take him to Makai, he may get targeted."

"Mackay? Isn't that in Australia?" Petunia asked, confused.

Morrigan actually laughed out loud at that. "No, no. It's another world entirely. Anyway, here, he supposedly charges up protections between you and Voldemort, the same person who murdered Harry's parents. He's back, by the way."

"But…I thought he was dead!" Petunia protested.

"…Only mostly dead. But he got better." On seeing their blank looks, she said, "The Princess Bride? Monty Python and the Holy Grail? I mean, I may not be human, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy movies."

"It's not funny, Morrigan," Harry said.

"No, I suppose not," Morrigan said. She then glared at the Dursleys. "Seriously, you treated like excrement the very reason you've been kept safe in case a Death Eater got smart and checked a telephone directory for your nephew."

"We never asked to be saddled with him," Vernon said. "Maybe we would have been better off without him."

"Oh? If Voldemort was in charge, you wouldn't last five seconds. You and you," she said, pointing to Vernon and Dudley, "would be roasting on a spit, and they wouldn't bother killing you first, and you," she pointed to Petunia, "would probably be given over to them as a plaything. All because you don't have magic. The Death Eaters are the magical equivalent of Nazis, and you think you would be safe from them if you got rid of Harry?"

"I wouldn't say no to them dying," Lilith muttered mutinously.

"Don't be rude, my darling little sister. We're guests here. So, let's lay down the terms, nice and simple, certainly simple enough for you to follow. You leave us alone, and we'll leave you alone. But you give any of us enough grief…and, well, I am over three centuries old." Morrigan smiled once more, albeit in a predatory manner that showed more teeth than mirth. Probably one of the few things she learned from Demitri Maximoff. "I've forgotten more about causing torment than you'll ever learn in a lifetime…"

CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Morrigan's laid down the law with Malfoy and the Dursleys. But will it stick?

Next chapter, BB Hood! And Hsien-Ko!

Review-answering time! Gabriel Herrol: We'll deal with what happened to the Horcrux later. However, during the awakening, Lilith ate the Horcrux inadvertently.

No numbered annotations this time.