Hey everyone,
Well, this chapter was pretty high overdue and while I admit that I have some plans for the story, was I a little bit in fighting with myself how to get the chapters flowing again, thus making it so that this story got pushed to the background in favor for other stories instead. I apologize for this and will work my hardest yet again.
See yah,

Venquine1990


Chapter 16
Titles And Threats

Daphne's POV

Aerith really is the most amazing woman I have ever met, especially because of how kind and warm-hearted the woman is, but also because she apparently recognized my personal mask for what it was and gently coursed me into revealing to her why I still wear it now that I have actually gotten together with my fiancé.
The woman had not been condescending, aggravated or anything else and had not even raised her voice a single note while she spoke to me after I told her of my stupid stalker and when she asked: "And now that your engagement is official? Will that effect him?" Had I hurt myself by replying in a negative fashion.
The woman had nodded in understanding and told me that, until I felt confident to speak of this on my own terms, it would be best if I stayed close to either Lea or Harry as Lea would be able to phase me out of the room at a moment's notice and Harry knew Hogwarts inside out, including all the secret passageways and escape routes.

I had agreed with the kind woman and had thanked her, yet the way she had gazed at me had proven a certain little something I had been thinking about since discovering about Harry having more than one partner; Harry was not the only one meant to fall for his many mates as I could easily see a growing sense of love shining in her eyes.
I then look further into the room and my eyes widen in a very pleased way as I actually see Harry and Lea locked in a kiss that proves they have fallen for each other right at the first meeting as the way they are holding each other makes it look as if they have been dating for at least 2 to 3 weeks instead of meeting just this morning.

"Harry will be a brilliant partner for us all." Aerith then says and when I look at her, does she say: "That kiss was initiated by Harry and the way he is holding Lea proves he wants to share whatever is in his heart with those that are willing to receive it. That doesn't just show proof of being a good lover, but also of being a good king."
This makes me smile from the elder, elfin like woman to the two lovers still locked in their loving kiss and embrace and when they finally part lips, does Lea prove that he too is a good lover as he smiles at Harry and whispers something to the younger boy before kissing his forehead and letting him go, Harry smiling and sitting down.

I then decide to bring up another topic that – on the long run – could form a problem and while moving away from Aerith, who follows me a few steps behind me and when Harry spots me, does he smile before I make him become serious as I ask: "Harry, I don't mean to be rude, but – have you thought of your titles, yet?"
The boy tilts his head a little and I say: "You have several titles coming from the Lines you descend from and there are several people here that can help you continue those lines. Won't it be a good way for you to get to know them if you discuss with them which title would be best suited for them to take as future Lord or Lady?"
The boy nods and smiles as he says: "You're right, Daph, and I already have two lines decided." This intrigues me as I only know of the Peverell Line as we had agreed I could best take that line myself and then Harry proves me he has already been taking a close look at his mates and their qualities and personalities as he says:

"I would like for Aqua to take on the Role of Queen. She's amazingly caring, very powerful and she will give more than everything she has to help those that need her help, which is exactly what a Queen should want to do. I'm not so sure yet about Terra and Ventus, but I just know that Aqua will make an amazing queen."
Both Aerith and I nod and then Harry looks at Lea again and says: "And – well – I – I would like for you to be my Potter mate, Lea. I – I know it sounds a little selfish, but – well, I just feel closest to you of all my mates and – well – I have always felt closer to my dad than I did to my mum, regardless of her having saved me years ago."
At this the ginger smiles at our mate warmly and says: "I'll keep it memorized." Which to everyone of us is another way of the man to voice his acceptance and we all smile at him before Aqua, Ventus and Terra all return to us from the other room, each of looking very happy and having healthy flushes of love showing on their faces.

We all smile at the three of them and then Harry says: "Guys, we're discussing who should bond to which of the titles I inherit from my legacies and – well – I've been studying the lot of you and I think Aqua should take the title of Lady Pendragon as I think her caring, helpful qualities will make her the best choice for a queen."
The blue-haired woman looks shocked, while Ventus and Terra smile widely and Ventus says: "You only met us this morning and already you know us well enough to realize our secret and recognize our qualities well enough to know Aqua should be your Queen. You're really good." This makes Harry smile and Aqua asks:
"Are you sure?" Harry nods with a warm smile and the young woman shrugs with an accepting smile on her face before Terra asks: "Have any other titles already been decided?" Harry nods and says: "Daphne will be taking the title as my Lady Peverell and Lea will be my Mate for the Potter line. Others are still open, though."

The two males nod and for the next half an hour do the rest of us all discuss what titles belong to what lines, what their histories are like and who's personalities, qualities and talents best fit these titles. Halfway through all this does Neville decide that he will hop on over to the kitchens and get us all a meal real quick.
However, when he comes back, does he not just have several bowls, plates, platters and jugs filled with food and drinks floating around him, he also comes with the one bit of news I had not been wanting to hear for at least another three to four days, if at all, as he tentatively says: "Eeh Daphne, someone followed me.
And – he wants to talk to you – well, to you and Harry, really." And while this confuses my partner in life, do I look at Aerith fearfully, the woman quickly coming over to sit next to me and wrap a warm arm around my shoulder as she says: "Harry, consider this person not just a test to your bond, but a test to you as King."

Harry looks from his friend to one of his partners and when he sees how Aerith is holding me and the look I am slightly trying to conceal with my usual mask, does a determined look show up on Harry's face as he says: "Lea, Terra, with me and keep close to Daphne." The two men nod and I sigh in relief as I stand up.
The four of us then move over and when we pass through the portrait, do I indeed see Burk Bernhard standing on the other side, the Slytherin turning angry when he says: "I specifically –." But Harry interrupts him and says: "My dorm, my rules, Bernhard. What do you want?" The Snake growls and says: "I challenge you, Potter."

This makes the very floor sink away underneath me and makes my heart and stomach sink below the Slytherin dorms as I already know exactly what Bernhard is planning, yet Harry seems unaware as he asks: "Why?" And my fellow Snake glares as he says: "Because I want what you have. Greengrass – or better said."
And with that the same leer as the first time I confronted him reappears on his face, making me wish I had my persona up as it would make me able to hide the shiver running down my entire frame, yet while Lea and Terra notice this and move closer to me, does Bernhard snigger and say: "Her body – if you catch my drift."

Yet this seems to be the wrong thing to say as Harry turns angrier than I have ever seen him, his reflexes as fast as he uses them on the Quidditch field as he draws Excalibur and rushes at my biggest enemy, pushing Bernhard against the wall on the other side of the Grand Staircase, actually dragging the boy down a staircase.
The elder Snake grunts in pain over feeling his legs get dragged down the stairs, but before he can even utter a single letter, does he gasp in fear as Harry has the full brunt of Excalibur against his throat, his emerald green eyes burning like Floo Powder as he glares at the elder boy, making me feel relieved and protected.
Only then do I realize that the feeling of being protected doesn't just come from the man now holding my enemy under the threat of his sword, but also from the two men besides me as both of them have drawn their Keyblades and Lea even summoned a wild burning tornado of flames to surround me, himself and his partner in arms.
Realizing this by suddenly seeing a flurry of flames pass my vision like a gust of wind, do I feel shocked as I look around me, the swirling winds of flames twisting around the three of us, yet their heat feels warm and comforting, not dangerous or even painful and I realize that this fire must come straight from Lea's heart.

Then a voice colder than the ice on the Black Lake in winter hisses straight through this burning inferno of flames and while I feel a shiver of solid emotions running down my spine at hearing the fury coming through this icy-cold tone of voice, does Harry intimidate both me and my aggressor as he hisses and says:
"If I ever hear any hint that you have even thought of touching Daphne in any way or form that her title as Heiress to the Greengrass Line does not deserve, you will be begging me on your very knees that I cleave you through with Excalibur, do I make myself clear?" And Bernhard flaps his head up and down in furious nods.
Harry then steps back, but keeps Excalibur up and ready as he says: "Voldemort didn't come after me since I was just an infant without reason, Bernhard, remember that. The reason itself might have never been legit, but my triumphs over him and his attempts on my life were. Remember that – and get OUT OF MY SIGHT!"
Harry then screams at the top of his lunges and before he has even finished has Bernhard made a run for it, a foul smell leaving behind him proving that Harry has scared him so badly he has lost himself in his pants, making me shake my head and wonder how he could have ever thought of challenging Harry to a duel.

Harry then takes a deep breath to calm himself and throws up the sword, actually bending his body in such a way that the weapon itself falls perfectly into the scabbard before he turns around and says: "Drop the flames. We need to find out who else thinks they can treat their fellow witches like this." And Lea does as said.
Yet the thought that I could not be the only one treated like Bernhard has treated me for years shocks me as I have been so busy keeping up my persona and avoiding his disgusting advances that it never even crossed my mind and then Harry turns to the portraits and says: "Summon all those loyal to my lines here as quick as possible."
The maiden in the portrait nods and dashes out of her field of corn and grapes, those in the portraits surrounding her moving other ways and while I am shocked that so many of them are willing to listen to Harry, do I still feel highly proud of how Harry is taking this new task up on his shoulders, truly proving himself as King.

A good ten minutes later are all the portraits on both the wall holding the doorway to our dorms and the one opposite filled to the brim with painted people, all of them clustering over each other as they look at my beloved, who is leaning on the small bit of wall between the portrait to his dorm and the one to mine.
Harry then looks up and says: "I want you all to come into this here dorm one at a time and report to me if, in the last seven years, you have heard of anyone who is still at Hogwarts being treated in any kind of way because of how they look. Anyone who was approached just because they look good is most important to me, got that?"

All of the people in the portraits nod and then an elder voice asks: "What on Earth is all this?" And when we look down, do we see Dumbledore standing half a floor below us, his eyes wide when he sees the overfull portraits surrounding me and my three partners before he asks: "Your Highness, what is going on here?"
Yet Harry seems happy to see him and says: "Greetings, Headmaster. Thank you for coming. Would you care to join me in this little investigation regarding the students and their behavior to one another? I recently discovered that one of them has been threatened in the worst way possible and wish to make sure no others get treated like that."
The man nods, his face a mask of concern and slight confusion and then Harry moves into the Dorm with the many knights, one of the people in the portrait on the left of that moving into that same portrait and then moving deeper into it, disappearing around a painted corner and making me know they entered a different portrait.

I then look at Lea and Terra, but the two of them shake their heads and say: "You're better off waiting, little Serpent. Your best use right now is to be an example. Bernhard has already proven himself an example of what happens to those who try this, you best be an example of those who will, from now on, be protected from it."
I nod, while knowing that the elder man doesn't just want to use me as an example, he must have also realized that I never thought of the chances of me not being the only one treated like I was and I smile at him, touched that he doesn't want me to be hurt worse by hearing about others having been treated like I was before I'm ready.
I then look at the other portrait and the woman inside it looks at me with a mix of worry and pity as she silently opens her frame for me, Lea and Terra following me inside while I see Dumbledore moving over and into the other portrait. Yet with the portrait of Harry's dorm closing, do I feel like closing myself off to this as well.

2 hours later

I was only kidding myself when I thought I could close off this part of myself and my history as the longer it takes for Harry and Dumbledore to question all the people painted and having portraits stationed around Hogwarts, the more I grow worried over my friends and – even worse – over my little sister Astoria.
Neville had picked up on this together with Lea, Aerith and Ienzo, yet it had been Ienzo this time who had taken to me as he had used his actual powers to make me feel as if I was surrounded by them all, Harry and Astoria included and as if I was the center of a large group hug, not making me feel forget, but still helping me slightly.
I had felt calmed and, as imaginary Lea had softly stroked through my hair, had I felt my worries over what the others could think if they heard my tale, what Harry could do if he heard it and whether or not Bernhard would even do anything slowly seep out of my body, my form relaxing and my mind shutting off ever so slowly.

Yet two hours after Harry had invited Dumbledore into our dorm, does the same black-haired Prince wake me softly and say: "Princess, it's time to bring an end to all this. Are you ready?" And while yawning and rubbing a single hand over my eyes to get some sleep out of them, do I nod at him, nonetheless feeling strong.
My year mate and boyfriend smiles at me and nods back, his eyes proving how proud he is that I am willing to do this regardless of my own experience with it and a few minutes later are we all standing in front of a still overfull Great Hall, none of the students having apparently decided to leave the hall bar Neville and Bernhard.
Yet, when Draco sees me and sees how I am still standing between Lea and Terra, are he and Blaise instantly on their feet and moving over to me, their own masks dropping for their worried frowns to start showing and Blaise is the first to reach me as he asks: "Are you alright? Why are you protected like this?"

Yet while the Gryffindors that Harry is friends with look at my friends warily, does Harry take advantage of Blaise's question as he says: "She's protected because there is someone in your House that has been making comments about her that are beyond degrading to both his own and her Noble and Ancient House."
And while I feel great joy in seeing Bernhard again whiten in pure fear, does Harry move forward, his entire stance practically screaming royalty, power and leadership and while this seems to calm down his friends, Ronald and Granger smiling at him as they see him, does Harry again take stance behind the Owl Stand.
Dumbledore then appears from the other entrance, having taken a secret passageway to get here without being spotted and the man takes a place next to Harry, yet sets himself one step behind the boy, proving that he is a member of Power, yet that he also recognizes Harry as the Heir to the Throne and his leader.

This silent admission makes many of those around me look shocked and then, while care and worry shine in both their eyes, does Harry ask: "Could Angelina Johnson, Parvati and Padma Patil, Sue Li, Marietta Edgecombe, Tracey Davis, Sally-Anne Perks and Sophie Roper all please come over here and stand with me.
You too, Daphne." I nod, while my face has turned white as snow at hearing so many names as I never expected for so many of them to have been treated like this, yet when we all stand with our prince, does Harry make it even worse as he takes a deep breath, obviously to hide his own disgust before he goes on and asks:
"Could Terry Boot, Stephen Cornfoot, Dennis Creevey, Roger Malone, Oliver Rivers, Seamus Finnegan, Wayne Hopkins and Kevin Entwhistle also please get up from your seats and join me here with these ladies and our Headmaster." And the whole group of eight young boys all join me and Harry as well.
By now my stomach and most of my entails have practically disappeared as I cannot believe how many people are actually in my year and having experienced the same kind of humiliating behavior as I did from Bernhard and while I feel relieved that Astoria is not one of the girls mentioned, does Harry go on and say:

"I'm certain all of you have noticed how many of these people around me are actually in my year and that – out of the whole reason that I stand here before you right now – disgusts me the most. I'm also quite certain that a couple of individuals amongst you all have, by now, caught onto why I called these sixteen people forward."
And indeed, just by taking a quick glance over all of the faces around the Great Hall, can I easily discern several of them having turned white and Harry glares at these faces as he says: "Professor Dumbledore, please station our current guests behind you and make certain they cannot be approached as I continue here."
The Headmaster nods and while I move along with my House and Year mates, do I whisper: "I can't believe they tried the same with you, Trace. Why didn't you tell me?" And just by the way that Tracey's eyes widen do I realize my answer; like me did Tracey not even think of the chance of there being others like her.
This makes me smile warmly at my friend and I whisper: "It will all be over soon." Before I focus back on Harry, who is now standing on the other side of the Owl Stand, Excalibur once more in his hand and the tip of the sword softly pressing into the stone floor as he looks around and with a clear voice speaks and says:

"I would like all of you to know that I have given a new task to all of the portraits here on Hogwarts, using my rights as the Heir to the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Line and that I will be using the combined powers I got from them and Arthur Pendragon to enchant their frames so that they can fulfill this new task at all times.
This task is to – twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week – keep an eye on any and all students, specifically those in Fourth year and higher and to report to either me, Dumbledore or – if so possible – a visiting member of the Ministry for Magic any and all behavior that could cause either emotional damage or a scandal.
I will now allow such behavior, Professor Dumbledore will not tolerate such behavior and I have heard many portraits wishing they could step out of their frames just to give the people behaving like that a good kick exactly there where it will damage the most. So unless you want your line to end – you end that behavior tonight!

Do not think I am joking for I already have proven myself to one of you and I have the Headmaster's full permission for this. I will also be staying at Hogwarts after my graduation, just to make absolutely certain that this kind of behavior is out the window. If any of you wish to have further info please owl me for a personal meeting.
The reason why I am saying this and not specifying what kind of behavior will no longer be tolerated is two sided. One, many of you here are old and wise enough – not to mention hormonal enough – to have already realized what I am talking about. Two, I have no intention of traumatizing those not yet old enough with that kind of info."
The boy then tightens his hold on Excalibur and raises the handle before slamming the entire sword into the ground, right into a crack between two blocks of stone and with a clear, determined voice that practically drips with the power of a true leader, does Harry say: "In name of Arthur, so I have Spoken, So shall it be Done!"
And while the same students that have turned white earlier now look as if they are seconds away from fainting and while others are whispering amongst themselves and while those around me now look as if they just got send to paradise that relieved, do we all feel the power of Harry's oath taking hold over us and over Hogwarts itself.


And there you have it!
HOT DAMN! That update took bloody 14 months! I can't believe I let a story be on Hiatus for that long, but still, after the way the last chapter ended, I just completely closed up. I couldn't think of what to write next and even when I did, I didn't feel the ability to put it up on paper come back to me, not even once.
So next chapter will be the end of this whole problem as one of those that had been white before has not yet realized what kind of behavior Harry was talking about and once he gets busted, will everyone realize it and will those that are like him get further evidence that such actions will no longer be possible to be done.
After that, we will move onto Harry further discussing who will get the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor line – sorry, when I wrote about the discussions about that I forgot Harry only had five lines – and after that will Fudge make his first appearance as he will – by then – have discovered that there is a new powerhouse in play.
Hope you enjoy,

Venquine1990