Chapter 26 - New Territory

With such a sensational headline, everyone, staff and students alike, wanted to read the paper of course. Reading on, Harry found that the reporter had combined the supposed disappearance of Muggle-borns with the hate spewed against them by wizards unknown into an explanation of a new Dark Wizard fanning the flames of bigotry and attacking the usual targets.

The articles, going over several pages, pointed out whole families were no longer making their usual shopping runs in the Alley and their rundown houses empty or vandalised. And yet, the paper portrayed it all with a "Well, what do you expect?" type of approach to the whole affair, as if they should accept being persecuted. It also criticised the supposed dark wizards doing the persecuting and the Ministry for failing to do anything about it. In short, the paper was slinging mud at almost everyone, though not enough to provoke a major response.

The articles even reduced to mere snippets at best any mention of the charity work carried out by the Foundation's Lifeguards division. Their people provided hot soup and fresh bread to those in need, as well as encouraging a favourable atmosphere for when the Foundation's planned expansion meant they needed to recruit again.

Gone, too, was most of the space devoted to Quidditch or the regular gossip pages, in favour of more sensationalist articles.

The reactions in the Great Hall were interesting to note. Some Slytherins were allowing their pleasure to show, though the majority of the Snakes were emotionless, and a very few appeared upset by the story. Whether their reactions were faked or not, these few were far more in touch with the attitudes of the rest of the school and they were quick to assure their friends and acquaintances outside the House that they weren't like the rest. Harry would still watch them later regardless and find out what they said and did in private.

By now, Sophie and Tracey were spending just about all their meals with Harry's friends, and they were as quick as any Snake to make sure he and his friends knew where they stood.

Hermione just smiled at them, answering for all of them. "We know. If you had, you wouldn't have lasted this long in a group like ours."

The girls had been talking to the pair, knowing they wanted to join Harry's Harem, as Tonks had dubbed it. The Slytherins weren't the only ones looking to get closer to the green-eyed young man of course. Sally-Anne, Sue Li, and Lisa Turpin from their year, Cho Chang from the year above and Luna Lovegood from the year below were also interested, having heard only good things from his girlfriends.

Since it was a Sunday, there were no classes to get in the way, and the girls had planned a party to celebrate their anniversary. Harry had also had that in mind, and when the girls mentioned their idea, he just smiled and offered to provide the music. Since it was only going to be them, they didn't have to hide their feelings or Harry's clones, something they all appreciated.

Harry was surprised after lunch, however, when Cho Chang led the rest of the prospective girls to their hideaway, knocking on the door. Hermione and Susan just called for them to come in, surprising him further. He didn't know his girls could be that sneaky, and he loved it. He also resolved to be more proactive so that he didn't get a nasty surprise.

"Hello, ladies. What can we do for you?"

Instead of Cho or the other arrivals replying, Hermione, Susan and Daphne waved for them all to take a seat, before looking to Harry. "My love," Daphne began, "we know your heart is big, and that you have developed feelings for each of the ladies here. We also know you would never stray, never hurt us. Two years, over seven hundred days, and you have proven that we can trust you with our hearts. As we can trust these ladies with yours."

Susan took over smoothly, "Harry, what we are saying is that they have our consent, our blessing, if you would choose to accept them into your life as you accept us."

Harry looked at the girls, stunned, then glanced at the girls lined up at the front of the room, seeing their hopeful expressions, their desire and yes, even love in their eyes. Unbidden, a brilliant smile was born as he nodded, speechless for the first time in a long time.

He didn't get the chance to speak either. As soon as he had created the additional clones, each girl came up to one and hugged him, Cho moaned as she finally kissed the man who had starred in all her better dreams. Hermione and the other girls watched for a minute before Padma broke, giving in and kissing her Harry deeply and passionately, something the other girlfriends decided was an excellent idea.

As she came up for air, Hermione whispered in Harry's ear, asking to have the real Harry that night. All she said when he asked if there was a reason was "It's a surprise, honey." Since none of the others had asked for that, yet, permission was automatic.

Cho finally broke away from Harry, grabbing her wand and changing the room's furnishings to something more comfortable for them all. Harry rewarded her thoughtfulness with some light kisses as he massaged her back.

One by one, the couples moved onto the loveseats that used to be desks, cuddling and relaxing, talking about their relationship quietly, the highs and the lows. Harry made sure each of the new girls knew that they would be expected to visit over Christmas, which they did and looked forward to. He also discovered from Sophie and Tracey that they would have to be careful about their public interactions until Snape's pets within Slytherin had calmed down.

While Harry didn't want to lie or hide his love, he was intimately aware that sometimes it was completely necessary and other times still a good idea to hide his feelings. How could he not be, given the way the Dursleys reacted to him, even before he got training from the Clan. True, mostly he had used that training to control his anger, but the idea was there.

So Harry had agreed without protest, noting that, yes, caution was warranted, as long as they knew his feelings and he theirs. As Sophie put it in front of the others, "I know you love me, Harry, and I trust my parents with that knowledge too. I do not trust Malfoy with it until I know he won't hurt us through it." Put like that, even the Gryffindors saw her point.

Harry had decided that this year, he would be fine going to the Halloween Feast. Finally he had cause for celebration himself now, and he didn't want a repeat of his previous Halloweens in the castle.

That evening, Sophie and Tracey dutifully sat at the Slytherin table, keeping an angry Pansy from hexing Draco right in front of everybody for being openly happy at trouble for Muggleborns. While Pansy was certainly no friend to those of lesser blood, she was smart enough to know it was a bad idea to display his schadenfreude in such a public way.

Draco's drawling comment that "Maybe now the Mudbloods will stop dirtying our streets" could be heard at the Staff Table, prompting angry staff to compete to punish him first. To Snape's surprise, and horror, Minerva was the first to rise.

"That will be a hundred points from Slytherin and a week's detention, Mr Malfoy, and you are at serious risk of being banned from any Hogsmeade visits!"

Draco was outraged and didn't know when to keep his mouth shut. "But we've already missed out on two visits! When I tell my father-"

"That will be all, Mr Malfoy. You have just lost your place at the feast and your Hogsmeade privileges until further notice."

Fortunately for Draco, one of the older Slytherins whose family owed their position to the Malfoys took that time to cast a Silencing Hex and Tongue-locking curse on the blond, preventing him from putting his foot in it any further.

"Professor McGonagall," Snape interjected silkily, "surely you will agree that such a punishment is too much, and besides, I have always been in charge of my House."

"Quite right, Severus. Minerva, won't you reconsider and allow Severus to discipline the boy?" Albus added, eyes twinkling.

"I did, Albus. For over two years now, Severus has failed to teach the boy discipline. We need to try something else."

Those words saw Severus worried and Albus working to keep his disappointment and surprise from showing. Despite the recent stubborn streak she had shown, or independence of thought as a more neutral observer would have termed it, this was a new low in their working relationship.

"And you think that punishing an innocent boy so harshly will lead him back to the Light?"

"First, Albus, he would have had to be in the Light for him to be led back to it. You really should be more precise in your speech. Secondly, he is not an innocent boy, he is a young reprobate who just publicly encouraged harm to wizards and witches including ones we teach! Such an attitude will not be tolerated by me."

Albus was stunned. This raised the stakes considerably. Her public statement meant that even if he wanted to, he could not risk adjusting her mind and he ignored the way the Elder Wand buzzed in his robe, wanting to be used. Such a thing would be impossible to keep quiet. It also meant that short of talking her out of her convictions, never an easy task, the only way to stop her would be to fire her! If he did that anytime soon, she could always accuse him of doing it because of her moral stance. If he didn't fire her, she would create problems with the Dark families he was still trying to lure to the Light, as was his duty as its leader.

Albus decided, reluctantly, that he didn't have the time to get a replacement. Replacement DADA teachers were time consuming enough to get already! While Remus was more difficult to convince than he had truly anticipated, he had, in the end, obtained the werewolf's services within the allocated budget. He had even included a restriction on him so that he couldn't introduce himself to young Harry as a friend of Harry's parents, nor bring them up with the boy unless Harry did first. He had justified it on the basis that the boy wouldn't want to be reminded of his loss. Albus would feel more comfortable if he could have used Legilimency on Remus, but the younger wizard had always had that inner guardian to alert him of any intrusion.

As for Minerva herself, she hadn't considered Albus' response to her actions, or rather they were irrelevant to her duty to the students. While the old wizard was still thinking it all through, Minerva had turned back to Malfoy and glared at him.

"What do you think you are doing here? Return to your dormitory at once! Think on your failings before you show your face in public." Seeing Snape puffing up out of the corner of her eye, she quickly flicked her wand, Silencing and Confounding him before he could try to undercut her authority again. While Severus had time to undo the Silencer, the Confounding Charm meant that he forgot entirely about having anything to fight, so he returned his wand to his sleeve.

Draco turned accusing eyes to his Head of House when no protest was issued, and without that fig leaf of cover, Albus found himself unable to step in. Since the Deputy Headmistress gave the order, and no staff member rose to his defence, the proud hater of anyone different was forced to comply. He shuffled off reluctantly, thinking he was retaining his dignity. The disgust sent his way from his own House was invisible to him with them behind him, so the delusion remained unchallenged.

With that excitement over, staff and students alike soon returned to their meals, and their conversations turned to speculation about what all this would mean for life at Hogwarts. The Gryffindors were solidly behind their Head of House for the first time in living memory, rather than merely liking her as an effective teacher.

The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had many pleased by the change given the higher numbers of Muggle-borns in the two houses, though some of the Ravenclaws did have Dark leanings due to their families. The most complex response, of course, was among the Slytherins.

For all of them, it was a shock to see the Golden Boy Malfoy publicly taken to task for his attitude. This was compounded by the massive number points he cost them in a single incident, and the detention and Hogsmeade ban were likewise shocking. Thanks to Snape, Slytherins had been all but immune to the threat of either punishment, and they had all seen their Head of House win them the House Cup most years.

Potter had ended that run the year before by doing something so ambitious that all of them not blinded by prejudice had to admire it. It seemed his ambitions rose higher still with the newly created Lily Potter Foundation. Nevertheless, the prospect of detentions, real ones, not spent with a colluding Head of House, and having their privileges stripped away, put all the Snakes on notice that they would have to abide by the rules or be more cunning.

For that reason, a few welcomed that change and the implied challenge. More felt that it was about time the arrogant, stupid ponce learned that he did not rule the House of the Cunning. It was a lesson long overdue, really. For the bigots, it was a slap in the face, a sign that Hogwarts was no longer the haven they desired but was going to the dogs.

While Albus was talking to Severus, Minerva had started discussing with Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick the changes she intended to implement. She wanted to start with punishing anyone else who failed to learn from Draco's fall. They agreed easily enough that encouraging the death of Muggle-borns would merit the same punishment, while using hate-filled language would result in a smaller penalty. Any attacks motivated by blood status would likewise receive tough treatment.

Now that they knew they had the backing of the Deputy Headmistress rather than her silent acquiescence to the Headmaster and Snape, both were willing to try again to ensure the halls of Hogwarts were the place for all their students to learn and grow in a welcoming environment.

While Harry enjoyed the Feast for once, especially the defeat of a petty bully along with some interesting conversations about the future, what he was doing after would be the event that stood out for him later.

Hermione had asked, and received, Harry's cooperation in having him, the real Harry not a clone, with her that same night. With the looks and smiles she was sending him, Harry decided to do something special for her. He took her to one of their secluded places in the castle, setting up a lookout and some privacy before he started to dance with her, holding her close and supporting her when they shared kisses. After a couple of songs, they drifted over to a plush couch, making out and hands slowly, teasingly wandering over each other.

All of this they had enjoyed before in their explorations, but their young love was keeping it new for them. Eventually, Hermione pushed Harry back, breathing heavily as she looked in his eyes. "Take me to bed, my Harry."

Well, who was he to refuse?

As he carried her, taking secret or barely used passages to keep their activities quiet, she snuggled closer to him. She enjoyed the way his movements made her rub against his hard chest so much that she barely noticed when they arrived at the Hufflepuff Corridor. A quickly cast Illusion technique allowed the lovebirds to make their way unseen into the Third Year Girls' Dormitory and a second ensured their privacy.

Once there, a quick flick of his foot opened up the curtains around her bed and he deposited her as carefully as any treasure on the four-poster bed. As they caressed, Hermione turned the lighting on low and lay down, bringing her lover on top of her as she quickly stripped him of his shirt, enjoying the muscular chest earned by his hard training.

Later, exhausted after hours together, she looked up into his eyes with her newfound awareness, kissing him tenderly and sweetly as she caressed him, both awash in the afterglow of their love, whispering to him, "I love you, Harry James Potter."

"I love you too, Hermione Jane Granger," Harry whispered back, performing a quick medical jutsu to prevent pregnancy then settling into her arms and staying just as close as he could.

"You made me feel amazing, my Harry, full of your love, safe with you, and excited by you, all at the same time," Hermione whispered, snuggling close to her man. She had never felt so loved or in love before.

"And you are wonderful, Hermione, your love and passion, I'm amazed by how much trust you're giving me, and it makes me feel ten feet tall!" Harry stroked her hair as he kissed her again, wanting to give her all the good things he was sure she deserved.

The pair of lovers awoke with Hermione resting her head on a warm, breathing pillow, and a pleasant feeling between her legs, before the sun rose. Despite having only a few hours rest, neither were particularly tired. Harry had used one of the more useful medical techniques he knew, extracting fatigue toxins from her bloodstream before they went to sleep along with the normal healing regimen, courtesy of his family's training. That training was, now that he thought about it, for moments like this one, where he had someone who would need the help after a long day without much time for rest ahead.

With the early hour, Hermione didn't awake quickly as was her norm, but slowly in a fog of comfort and warmth and love. When she opened her eyes, Harry saw the moment when she realised just what she had done the night before, and her brilliant smile was everything he could have hoped for. "Good Morning, my handsome man."

"And a very good morning to you, my beautiful lady. What can I do for you this fine morning?" Harry asked, already having a good idea what she wanted.

It was much later when Harry slipped out unseen to his own dorm, having helped clean up the physical evidence of what they had shared. Hermione wanted to share the news in her own time.

Sadly, their idea was doomed from the start. Hermione walked a little stiffly to the showers that morning, and had a wider stance than normal. These were signs that could have been ignored perhaps, but the proud and pleased expression she couldn't suppress no matter how much she tried were damning. Truthfully, she couldn't muster the will to really try, and that meant the other Hufflegirls quickly started asking her questions right in the shower, especially about just what that white stuff between her legs was.

Trapped and not really upset about the whole affair, Hermione was soon spilling everything to the amazed girls, from his length and girth, to how hot it felt inside her and how complete the experience made her feel. Naturally, the others were curious, especially about how much it hurt. They had heard the older girls sometimes talking, and feared the pain. "Harry was as gentle as could be, and even had a talent that made the pain fade in a second!"

Her smile was broad and genuine as she reassured the others about the night of pleasure, how Harry would make them feel just as good as he made her feel if they let him. Her honest enthusiasm convinced the others more than any guy could hope to try, and they each gave her a hug in thanks before they left the shower.

Outside their dorm in the Common Room, Harry was waiting somewhat anxiously. Despite that, he too had a slightly different bearing from the night before, a sign to any good observer that hinted at the change he had undergone.

Though he didn't know how, the rumour mill quickly started and spread word that the Boy-Who-Lived was now the Man-Who-Lived. Before he found out, however, Hermione emerged, flanked by the other four Hufflegirls, all of them looking extra lovely to his eyes. He gave each of them the same loving kiss he did each morning, or so he thought. However, his extra confidence and their knowledge of what the pair had done made the kisses better for each girl, imagining or remembering his body with their own.

The group now complete, they made their way to the Great Hall, taking their selections from what was on offer and the pair of lovers both eating more than usual. Daphne was the first to guess what had changed when she saw them arrive. The shock on her face triggered awareness in Harry's other girls, and she gave Hermione a thorough look before grabbing a seat next to Harry, her left hand stroking his thigh under the table and up to his groin. This was bolder than she had ever been before, but Hermione's expression told her enough about how she felt about their Harry, and Daphne didn't want to miss out any longer. She would have her man that very day.

Daphne was frustrated in her goals however, not by any opposition from Harry or even the other girls, but by time itself. She and Harry had too little shared free time before dinner, but a moment's thought brought a smile to her face. That just meant she would take all the time she wanted with him after dinner. A quick word to Harry, and he nodded, making some off movements with his hand then she felt a pulse of something wash over her, nothing painful just nothing she could understand. "Thank you. Are we now secure?"

"Yes, Daphne."

"Good, because I want all the juicy details from Hermione." Daphne grinned at the named girl, the others all crowding around while Harry left their little group to chat with the boys. He knew they would be talking about the night in ways that he was not ready to hear.

Over the remaining minutes before their first classes, Daphne extracted more information from a grinning Hermione than any of the girls expected. This only served to increase their interest in one Harry James Potter.

Harry found himself the cheerful victim of intimate touches and caresses throughout that day, as well as a no-nonsense request from Daphne at lunch that he be in her bed that night. The flirty Slytherin redhead gave him a triumphant grin. She had already cleared it with the other girls at Hogwarts, and they agreed, subject to his approval, that she could have all night with the real thing.

The girls kept flirting with him whenever they had the chance, indeed in history they had an impromptu contest to see who could get the biggest rise out of him as they passed him notes with suggestive messages. Harry was sure that if he hadn't had the Clan 'training' him, they would have made him blush Weasley red. As it was, well he was glad they had desks to cover the evidence of what they had managed to do to him.

It warmed his heart that they were able to do such a good job though, it meant they knew him well enough to adjust their teasing to him specifically, and not just use more general teasing that wouldn't work.

At dinner, Tracey kept a very close eye on her new boyfriend. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she was feeling things she didn't expect. First, there was the spike of lust whenever she saw Harry, stronger than before thanks to the stories from Hermione. Second, she was pleased that he had accepted her into his strange life, though she still wasn't sure that she knew what she was getting into. Muggles and, indeed, Muggle-raised just seemed so weird to her, always changing things. Though she was gradually getting more comfortable with them, it was taking time. At least those girls in Cranleigh sounded sensible enough.

Still, she couldn't deny that pang of jealousy she felt hearing that Hermione was his first, and just how good he was to her.

Harry, for his part, was well aware of her regard but didn't know just what it meant yet. He had decided to ignore it until Tracey told him whatever she wanted him to know, or at least until he got more information. He happily chatted and cuddled with the two girls next to him, Hermione on his left and Daphne on his right.

He gave each of his girls his full attention whenever they spoke, treating them each as fairly as he knew how. After dinner, the guys teased him when he was dragged off to the room the girls had set aside for themselves. Soon, Harry had a clone chatting with them too, studying with them if they wanted and generally having fun.

In their special room, Hermione immediately took one Harry out to a free part of the room, dancing with him to music that only she could hear. A few of the other girls thought that was a good idea, and Harry quickly fashioned an Illusion technique to play some waltzes. Daphne didn't bother, just taking her man to a seat and straddling his lap, cuddling and kissing and talking. When the dancing finished half an hour later, and the other girls moved to start doing their homework, she stayed right where she was. She didn't have anything due soon so she could take the night off, an opportunity she took full advantage of.

The girls gave her space, giving her smiles before they squeezed together under Harry's invisibility cloak. As much as Daphne wanted this, she didn't want to risk having it spoiled by someone interrupting her. Her years as a Slytherin, and as a friend of a rather paranoid Potter, were encouraging her caution and cunning.

As for her ambition, well, she already had a lot of friends, and also a piece of the heart of Harry Potter too.

Once near the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room, Daphne slipped out of the cloak, striding up with Harry behind her as she gave the password. Once she was inside the Common Room she headed up to her room, faking just the right amount of exhaustion as she did so. It wouldn't do to show real weakness here in the heart of the Snake Pit, after all, not with idiots who might take that as an invitation to attack, like Malfoy or Nott.

With only that hint of fatigue showing, she headed up to her room, stepping aside and allowing Harry room to follow her. She got to her bed and put up all the privacy and protection charms the others would expect. As she settled down, she nearly screamed when an invisible Harry suddenly kissed her, then moaned as he became fully revealed to her sight. Her heart pounding, she started tearing his shirt off.

Harry resisted, pushing her hands back to the bed, then took off his own shirt, slowing the pace deliberately. "We have all night, my beautiful Daphne."

She blushed at the strength of her own desire, hands sliding up over his muscled chest, just exploring again and fascinated at how well defined his body was. Calmer now, she caressed and pulled him down on top of her, with Harry resting much of his weight on his arms rather than the lovely lady beneath him. At his kiss, her heart beat faster again, and slowly they explored more of each other.

The next morning, Harry sighed to himself. He had to get back to the Hufflepuff dorms before he was discovered in a Slytherin girl's bed, or in the girl herself. He gave her a long kiss before he slipped under the invisibility cloak and out into the corridors of Hogwarts with another student providing unwitting cover.

Daphne lay down, letting her wonderful memories play in her mind before she got up and started to get ready for the day. As she did, she felt a slight stiffness despite Harry's best efforts. She also felt incredibly loved and appreciated. She'd always known Harry loved her for her personality, and that he had noticed her growing beauty, but making love with him brought home that it was all of her, not just bits and pieces. She took a shower and prepared for the day in a great mood, heading into the Common Room to read since there was still plenty of time before she would normally head up for breakfast.

Daphne also wondered how her cute little sister was doing and if she would be ok with what Daphne had done to 'her' Harry, despite the fact that the younger girl was nothing more than a friend to him. Little Astoria could be frightfully jealous, and wouldn't be pleased if someone had upset Harry, so it would be interesting to see which way she went. Though either way, Daphne trusted her own ability to handle the situation.

Every girl in the room noticed Daphne's stiff gait and the careful way she sat in one of the luxurious seats. It was subtle enough to be hard to spot, not to mention the kind of thing that no boy would bother to notice unless he was the one that put it there or had been bragged to about it. However, the grin on Daphne's face drew more curiosity than her impaired walk and caution when sitting. Several girls across the years cornered her in the Common Room, trying to weasel answers from the practically glowing girl and only received a happy grin in response.

They all suspected it was Harry Potter who put that grin on her face but that was only conjecture - educated to be sure - and not definitive. None of them had spotted the pair headed for a rendezvous and it was surprising that Third Years would be able to get away with that. After a while, the gathering dispersed with nothing else to be gained from their inquiry. As the girls moved away, a new one approached, obviously waiting for there to be less of an audience before initiating anything.

"So you finally lowered yourself to giving into his demands?" Pansy inquired, prompting Daphne to lose her jubilant look in favor of a rebuking glare.

Taking a moment to collect herself so as to not give into the temptation to tear strips out of Pansy's hide for the insults towards Harry, Daphne continued her stare, which Pansy was starting to find a bit unnerving.

Without breaking her glare, Daphne spoke, slowly, clearly and quietly. "Just so we have an understanding, Parkinson, nothing happened that I didn't want to happen. He treated me like a princess and did everything he could to make it all about me and what I wanted and needed." Pansy started to squirm under the harsh rebuke, but Daphne wasn't done.

"I don't know where you got the idea that he is somehow lower than you, or that anyone involving herself with him is debasing herself by doing so, but he is the kindest, most caring man you will ever meet. If I didn't know beyond any shadow of any doubt that he would still love and respect me as much afterwards, if not more so than before, nothing would have happened. And for the record, never in the over 2 years that I've known him, has he ever pressured me into anything. Everything that has happened between us has been by mutual consent and has always included the utmost respect for one another, something that you would never find occuring with someone like Draco." Finishing her chastising speech, Daphne continued to stare at the raven haired girl.

Pansy was visibly uncomfortable after the rebuke, and had obviously backed down from her previous position. A few long seconds of silence filled the air between the two girls before Pansy's shoulders slumped. Dejectedly, she spoke, "He really is good enough even though he's a half-blood?" Mild anger flashed in Daphne's eyes at the second implied insult towards Harry but, again, she kept herself in check.

"Harry being good enough has nothing to do with him being a half-blood." She silently mused to herself that he was even less considering the Clan blood flowing through him. It would not do to share that fact regardless of the nature of it being a secret she had sworn to keep as it would only damage her case in defending Harry to Pansy. "Harry is the bravest Gryffindor, the smartest Ravenclaw, the most loyal and hardworking Hufflepuff, and the most ambitious and cunning Slytherin you could ever dream to meet all rolled into a single person. I will never want for anything as long as I am with him and have his love and I will never abuse the love and trust he has in me."

Daphne rose and walked out of the common room, needing to find Harry for a bit of comfort. She was not a fan of ripping into people but Pansy had insulted Harry, Daphne's Harry, and she wasn't about to let that slide. Leaving behind a thoroughly chastised Pansy, Daphne hoped it might start breaking the other girl free from the obvious indoctrination she had been exposed to at home.

Thank you for your support and for reading. Thanks as always go to my betas for their work in improving this story. Feedback is appreciated though a reminder that I can only respond if reviewers sign in and have PMs enabled. SeanHicks4, that is why I haven't responded to your questions. And lastly, the full version of this chapter is on HPFFA. Scenes were cut to fit the M rating.