Chapter 43 - Grand Opening
Harry looked around the tent, giving Cedric a smile. "Good luck!" Cedric barely managed a wan smile back, his earlier nerves now back in force.
Inside the tent with Fleur and Krum, Harry gave the girl a smile and stood by her while they waited, able to hear but not see the contest. The ooh's and aah's of the crowd and Bagman's commentary were just enough to let their imaginations paint pictures of the Hogwarts Champion's progress, but not enough to dispel any worries.
Harry reached out to take Fleur's hand which she gave gratefully, taking strength from the contact then putting her hands back in her lap while the unseen battle continued, keeping his hand in her lap.
Fifteen minutes later, the roar of the crowd reached a peak and Bagman was shouting "Very good indeed! And now the marks from the judges!" Only he didn't say what their marks were.
"One down, three to go!" A whistle blew again. "Miss Delacour, if you please!"
Fleur started to tremble until Harry gave her a quick hug, and she walked out with her head held high and wand in hand.
Krum had avoided looking at the others, intent on his own coming brush with danger, which suited Harry fine.
While Fleur was out there, Harry was trapped inside the tent, trusting in his clones to keep her safe just in case. He knew that if they had to intervene, at least one would dispel to let him know what was happening. In this case, no news was good news.
Harry kept watch on his breathing and heart rate, steadfastly refusing to allow the adrenaline to take hold and reducing his precision and awareness.
After ten minutes, Fleur had finished, Krum was called, and Harry was alone with his thoughts, attempting to become fully at peace with himself. The thunder of applause again rent the air with its power, and Harry stood calmly, heading to the entrance to the tent.
When the whistle blew and Bagman called for him, Harry exited the tent walking through the trees and into the enclosure.
He saw everything in front of him in sharp relief, his senses on overdrive as he assessed his environment. There were hundreds and hundreds of faces staring down at him from stands that had been magicked there since he'd last stood on this spot. And there was the Horntail, at the other end of the enclosure, crouched low over her clutch of eggs and the golden one that was standing out to his vision.
She had her wings half-furled, her yellow eyes upon him, a monstrous, scaly, black lizard, thrashing her spiked tail, leaving yard-long gouge marks in the hard ground. The crowd was making a great deal of noise, yelling and cheering his name.
He raised the wooden stick he had shaped to look like his holly and phoenix wand, pointing it vaguely towards the dragon and making pointless but eye-catching waves with it. "Incarcerous Filum!" he shouted.
Hopefully unnoticed by the audience, he had dipped his other hand into a pouch and grabbed the ninja wire he kept on him at all times. As everyone was looking at his obvious wand movements, Harry threw the high-tensile strength wire at the oversized lizard, his chakra guiding it to wrap securely around the beast then pulling it tight.
Harry was pleasantly surprised that his plan had worked perfectly. He had managed to surprise the dragon before it could draw breath to shoot its fire at him, and now it never would. With the wire preventing its movement, the dragon was stuck on the ground, wings still half-furled and useless.
While he kept an eye on her just in case, Harry knew he could take it slower. To prove that he had already beaten the challenge and in record time, Harry did cartwheels towards the massive beast before picking up the golden egg on one of his turns before a standing somersault to finish his impromptu routine. A sharp kick to the dragon's skull knocked it out, the wire preventing it from doing any damage to the eggs, and a shouted "Finite!" covered nicely for when he recovered his wires.
Turning to the stunned judges and the crowd, he threw the egg up into the air where it caught the light, then waiting while they recovered. The response wasn't a clap but an enormous roar of approval coming from almost every throat. They had just witnessed one of their own, the underdog, take on one of the most dangerous beasts in their world and make it look easy.
It was only then that Harry noticed his Dad, Naruto, and Tsunade-mum were right there in the audience. Looking around, he spotted Cedric's family near them, as well as another family that were almost certainly the Delacours. There was the familiar long silver-blonde hair in just about the exact shade of Fleur's on both the wife and her daughter, while the older man sitting next to her shared Fleur's cheekbones and some of her build.
Harry stopped looking around, noting Professor McGonagall striding over hurriedly. "Into the first-aid tent if you please, Mr Potter. I know the dragon didn't get anywhere near you, but part of it is to ensure there was no cheating involved."
"Very well, Professor McGonagall." Harry smiled. He headed out of the enclosure to the second tent that had been set up where Madam Pomfrey was standing.
"If you would do the honours, please?" Harry asked politely. "I would like to check on Fleur and Cedric soon. I haven't heard how they did, yet."
Pomfrey's eyes softened marginally but still did her job, casting diagnostic after diagnostic before giving up. "Unbelievable, you have absolutely no injuries on you, not even a scratch, and certainly nothing from the dragon. I have never examined anyone as healthy before. I am also not detecting any magical effects on you, not even the level of drain from using such a powerful spell. Since I cannot find any traces of potions in your system, there is no reason to disqualify you, but this is abnormal."
"That's the story of my life," Harry replied, "I mean, who else do you know gets attacked by a troll and a basilisk before they enter their teens? What's one more mystery, I guess." He hit the tone just right, making the School Matron dismiss the whole affair since there was nothing wrong with her patient.
"Very well, young man, you are free to visit, but no disturbing my patients, mind!"
Harry shook his head solemnly then ducked through the partition to the other side, seeing Cedric laying on his front with his back hidden from view. "Cedric, mate, are you ok?"
"I'll be fine, Harry, just got a little cocky and paid the price when I turned my back on my dragon. How about you?"
"Not a scratch, mate, that new spell that shoots wires worked a treat." Harry winked so that Cedric got the message.
"Yeah, I couldn't get that one to work for me. I wish I had, now." Cedric grinned, glad his younger friend got through unscathed. "I'll be back in the dorms by tomorrow, mate, but I'll have to spend the night in Pomfrey's care."
"Looking forward to it, Ced." Harry smiled, taking the hint and heading out the tent.
Outside, he found a frantic Fleur who calmed at the sight of him whole in front of her, talking in French in her excitement. "Oh Harry, I was so worried when I couldn't see you. No one could tell me what had happened to you or where you were."
Harry smiled at her. "I was fine. My first plan went off without a hitch. I just saw Cedric, he will be fine by tomorrow, just a bit singed for now."
"And you, Harry?"
"No injuries at all, Fleur, I promise. Madam Pomfrey ran about a dozen diagnostics on me before she'd believe it, too. Let's get out there so we can hear the scores, ok?"
Fleur relaxed, her eyes confirming Harry's report of his good health, and walked with him back towards the enclosure, letting Harry go out alone to get the results as much as she wanted to hold his hand and be right there with him.
Harry walked confidently up to the judges' area, raised seating draped in gold. Standing before them, he took an at ease stance. The first judge, Madame Maxime, raised her wand in the air. What looked like a silver ribbon shot into the air, forming into a nine. There were some boo's at her bias against Harry and in favour of Fleur, others because he was a Hogwarts champion, but mostly cheers met the response.
Mr Crouch was next, shooting up a ten. Next, Dumbledore who was still looking Harry over consideringly as he absently put his own wand up and another ten was displayed. Next, Ludo Bagman grinned as his own ten was put on display with a flourish.
Last of all, Igor Karkaroff's turn came. He raised his wand, looking extremely sour. As much as he wanted to keep his prized student in the lead, there was no way short of giving the Boy-Who-Lived a zero. Since the boy had smashed the times of the other competitors and done no damage to the dragon or her eggs, the only reasonable score to give was a ten, or at least a nine, and he knew everyone knew it. Even the acrobatic display that played to the crowd was part of the idea for the Tournament so he couldn't argue that it was too showy when showy was the reason they chose the dragons.
Karkaroff slowly cast the spell, producing a small, unobtrusive eight. He would admit later if only to himself, that if he hadn't been judging a rival for Krum, he would have given the boy a perfect ten, just as he was sure Maxime would have done.
Despite the ill-will his blatant favouritism created, the audience went wild as Bagman announced Harry's score of forty-seven and a clear lead of seven points over Krum who was in second place. As the crowd roared their approval once more, Bagman waved him over.
"Let's get into the tent, H- Mr Potter." Bagman was still grinning, letting Harry precede him. The tent looked just the same but the atmosphere was infinitely different. Between the adrenaline and the relief at having survived the First Task, the other three Champions were feeling great. Even Krum wasn't scowling as intensely as normal.
"Well done, all of you." Bagman said, though the look he shot at Harry showed just who he was most pleased with. "Now, just a few quick words. You've got a nice long break before the next task which will take place at half-past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fifth, but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open. See those hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go then!"
Harry didn't have any immediate questions, and it was obvious that Bagman had no intention of answering any, seeing as Bagman was the first to leave. Harry chatted a bit with the other Champions, mostly mutual congratulations on surviving the bloody thing, before saying goodbye and heading out to where he found the families were waiting on them.
"One minute, Dad." Harry said fondly before ducking inside to let the others know. When they emerged, Harry found his Dad in conversation with the Delacours while Tsunade-mum was talking with the Diggorys.
Fleur's arrival didn't go unnoticed, of course. Amos Diggory, Cedric's father, gave her a second and even third glance before his wife's elbow met his ribs. Naruto and Tsunade gave the girl a welcoming smile, while the small French girl flew at Fleur.
"Gabby!" she cried as she hugged her sister, while Naruto introduced their son to Jacques and Apolline Delacour.
Harry bowed politely to the couple. "Bonjour, Monsieur Delacour, Madame Delacour."
The French couple were clearly pleased to find Harry spoke a civilised tongue. "We are glad to see Fleur's reports on you were not in error, Mr Potter," Apolline added in clear English, "you are a most impressive young wizard."
Harry smiled at her. "Thank you, Madame Delacour. Fleur tells me you are something of a diplomat, I believe."
"Indeed, Mr Potter. May I call you Harry?"
"Please."
"Thank you, Harry. Yes, I have the honour to represent Magical France at the International Confederation of Wizards. That body has some influence but little power, I'm afraid." Apolline explained.
"Still, you make us proud." Jacques put in as he smiled at his beautiful younger wife.
By this time, Gabby had finally let go of her big sister and launched herself at Harry, hugging him too, before Fleur pulled her off. "Hello, Harry Potter." Gabby managed in carefully rehearsed English before dissolving into a torrent of French.
Her mother silenced her long enough for Harry to answer some of her questions, then guided her family away, allowing Harry to talk to his own parents at last.
"Well, my son, that was quite a show you put on," Naruto allowed, "Still, are you sure you made the right call to play it that way?"
"I believe so." Harry replied cautiously. "My friends already knew or strongly suspected that the dragon wouldn't be a real threat to me, though they were worried for me. If I had held back enough to stay in the shadows, it would have increased their worry for me even further and caused them to doubt my abilities. While at times, being underestimated is useful, I reserve deceiving my friends as something of a last resort. So if I was going to pass the challenge easily, I might as well do it in a way that defuses their worries quickly. This way, the 'danger' was passed in under a minute and the audience had little chance to observe my method which makes countering it in future difficult for them if they want to try."
"Plus using a fake spell and fake wand means that they will suspect undetectable magic, rather than looking for something other than magic to cause the effect." Naruto agreed. "Relax, Harry. We aren't criticising you. It was your choice just as it is your life."
"Thanks, Dad," Harry replied smiling, "I'm pretty sure you already knew why I did it that way."
"It's still polite to ask, Harry," Naruto grinned, "and I am proud of you, too. You came first without showing anything suspicious at all, and without exposing your true abilities. Very good show."
Tsunade nodded and hugged Harry close, smirking at his body's involuntary reaction. "Thank you, Harry. A girl likes to be appreciated." She whispered in his ear, holding the hug until the problem had passed.
They headed off to the stands, talking more with the other families before the families had to leave, their permission expired, and the Delacours staying in Hogsmeade for the weekend. Fleur was glad to have her family around her, even little Gabrielle who didn't stay quiet for more than five minutes at a time.
Harry took the time to dispel the clones he had watching Cedric and Fleur during the First Task and signalled to a hidden clone to head inside with his mates while the rest went with his Jewels.
Up in the large East Wing rooms, Harry's clone found the guys as arranged, lounging around and listening to Queen's classic song "We Are The Champions" in a soundproofed room. They raised a cheer as he entered.
"Hail to the reluctant Champion!" Ernie bellowed out, already on his fourth butterbeer.
Harry grinned and bowed. "Thank you! Thank you all! I couldn't have done it without all the little people-"
The guys laughed at his antics as he hammed it up, pulling him into the centre of the room and pressing a drink into his hand.
Justin was the first to speak once they got their 'hero' seated. "Well done, Harry Potter! The hero of the hour! Here's to the most powerful wizard in the school! To Harry!"
"To Harry!" Hogwarts students from all the Houses raised their drinks to him.
"Thanks, guys. Really."
"So what was it like?" Neville asked curiously.
"A bit of a letdown, actually."
"What!"
"Yeah. I had planned out a dozen different moves to use. I worried that I hadn't prepared enough. There are all these stories about how tough dragons are and how many people have died. After all that, I didn't expect my very first plan to work perfectly."
"'No plan survives contact with the enemy' and all of that?" Mark Wilkinson asked him.
"Exactly. I think in a way I got lucky. It wasn't used to wizards being physically quick or using that method of attack. That speed worked in my favour. Otherwise-"
"Otherwise, Harry, you would have beaten it another way." Kevin Entwhistle told him firmly. "Don't forget, we do know how good you are. It would have needed a miracle to beat all of your tricks."
"Good thing you didn't let it!" Roger Malone grinned. "You would never have lived it down! To Harry and to Hufflepuff!"
"Oi!" Terry Boot shouted and laughed. "To Harry and to the Potter Alliance!"
"To the Potter Alliance!" The guys chanted and finished their drinks.
Ten minutes later, Cedric tracked them down, sticking his head in and called out to the younger competitor. "Congratulations, Harry!"
The guys pulled Cedric in for a drink or two, letting him go after he protested a second time he had to get back to his mates. An hour of celebration finished with Justin and Ernie leading the guys back downstairs to the rest of the students, Harry's clone watching from the shadows as they moved like a pack of football fans through the castle. Wisely, the few unhappy Slytherins in the castle gave them a wide berth.
As the two Champions headed up to the castle, Fleur gave Harry a smile. "So, Harry, what did you really do?"
"Want to see?"
"Bien sur! I mean, of course, Harry!"
He led them to the nearest unused classroom, locking the door with a clone on guard, then quickly set up the Illusion. Since the entire thing from start to finish was so short, they were done and Harry was already unlocking the door again before Fleur got over her shock.
"Zat was incredible, Harry!"
"Oh, that was nothing." Harry replied. At her incredulous look, he added, "No, really. I have been taught much more powerful techniques than a minor Illusion and how to control those wires."
"Show me!" Fleur demanded.
Smirking, Harry replied, "If you trust me, I can take you somewhere new. I promise it will be a memorable experience."
Blushing, she replied, "I trust you."
Instantly, Harry's hands were around her and as the door opened, Fleur felt something strange yet exhilarating. When it was over, she was in another part of the castle near a painting with some trolls. She was about to gasp when she noticed Harry had paced back and forth and a door appeared opposite the painting.
The door opened inwards when he got near and he looked over his shoulder at her. "Coming?"
Fleur's mind was still swimming with Harry's earlier comment and her Allure had slipped out of her control in her shock. While she did get it under control, it meant she was putting a different meaning on his words, so she was surprised to step into yet another of the rooms in the castle to find a vast grassy field stretching over a hill, with a small stream to her left.
"What eez zis place?" she wondered.
"It's a special room called the Room of Requirements, Fleur. It is 'called' into existence by someone who knows where it is and knows what they require. That's not why I brought you here, though we can explore it more later. You wanted to see my more powerful techniques, and this is the only good place around to show you. You'll see why later."
Making sure Fleur was standing clear, he showed her both the holly and dogwood wands, putting them on a table that the Room provided. Waiting until she was ready, he performed a number of techniques, ranging from a simple Fireball and Phoenix Flower to a Water Dragon, from an Earth Wall to Lightning, and Wind Vortex and Breakthrough techniques. Feeling an urge to show off for the girl, he ran through all the techniques he could safely perform there. Where there had been a grassy field, there was now a wasteland.
Picking up his holly wand again, he made sure she could see him then swore an Oath that these weren't the most powerful techniques in his arsenal as they were too destructive to use even here without being discovered.
"After all, I don't know if the Room could survive being filled with lightning and fire, but I do know I don't want to be here to find out."
Fleur nodded mutely. That sheer power had left her in awe, and the surprise of it meant she had no control over her own Allure. Grabbing Harry by the shirt, she ripped it off him, groaning at the clearly displayed muscles as she knocked them both to the ground. "You - I - now!" She could barely stop kissing him long enough to say even that much as she did her best to tear his clothes off right that second.
Harry groaned too. Even with his mental defences up and the Allure neutralised, the fact remained that Fleur was amazingly sexy. He knew, even without the others there, that they had all given the pair of Veelas their consent to join them. With his focus on Fleur, Harry intentionally dropped his mental barriers to her Allure. She was driving him on with both her body and magic to make love to her.
Fleur was breathing hard as she recovered from her first time. When Fleur opened her crystal blue eyes at last, she leaned forward, hugging and kissing Harry tenderly. "Oh zank you, my Harry. I know I am doing zis ze wrong way around, but may I be your girlfriend, your lover, your-"
Harry quieted her with a kiss and smiled. "Yes, Fleur, of course. Normally, I would ask the others to be sure they accepted you too, but! As it happens," Harry gave her another smile, "I happen to know that they all have, even my ladies in Cranleigh so long as they get to meet you soon. Otherwise, gorgeous, I would have had to turn you down until I did know. I love you, Fleur Delacour, and I won't ever hurt you if I have the choice."
Fleur couldn't let that go, kissing him again passionately.
When the pair finally stopped a while later, and Fleur had finished pouting at having to clean up, Harry called upon the room to provide a decent shower for them to use, caressing his new lover as they washed off and dressed again.
Harry was hoping to introduce her to the others straight away, but Fleur begged off. "Merlin, Harry, I need a rest after zat. You were so big!" She gave him a kiss then headed back towards the Beauxbatons carriage, turning down Harry's offer of help. "Non, if I do that, 'Arry, I will never get out of bed. And I have plans, you know!" She giggled, a high musical sound, then left the Room of Requirements, a satisfied smile on her face as she limped slightly on the long walk to her bed for a pre-dinner nap.
On her way, she drifted into a pleasant haze of recent memories. It was fortunate for her that one of Harry's clones had spotted her inattentiveness and was making sure no unfriendly souls could bother her, allowing her to ride high all the way out to the lawns where she was stopped by her friend Yvette.
Yvette smothered a gasp seeing the supremely satisfied expression on Fleur's face and the way she was walking differently. While the other physical evidence had been cleaned up, there was still enough for her to draw the correct conclusion.
Unfortunately, Fleur was in no condition to answer her questions, still blissfully reliving the glorious way Harry had taken her virginity, so Yvette grumbled and set off to find Harry Potter. As she tried to track him down, asking whoever she encountered, her mind wandered imagining all sorts of things Harry could have done to Fleur to make her feel that good. The only thing she ruled out was Harry taking her against her will. It simply wasn't possible given the Oaths he had taken, not to mention that Fleur would have cooperated anyway.
"Zut! Where in zis Merlin-damned castle is he?" she moaned to herself as she took yet another castle. "I wish I could find Harry!" she added more quietly.
After watching Fleur safely to her bed in the Beauxbatons carriage, the clone returned to the scene of Yvette Baudin stomping around the castle corridors, muttering to herself as she searched room after room, corridor after corridor, evidently looking for someone without success. Making a decision, the clone dispelled himself and the real Harry, down by the kitchens to pick up a Ron Weasley sized snack, got the memories.
Harry smiled knowing that the newest Jewel made it back okay, then frowned in thought. Between the low volume, the emotion in her voice and the foreign language, he didn't quite catch just what she was looking for. Still, she was obviously worked up about it so he decided to find her so he could find out what all the fuss was about.
Finishing his steak, bacon and sausages, then washing it down with some clean water and then a glass of orange juice, Harry felt much better after the exertions earlier. His rapid metabolism would quickly break it down, refilling his reserves, and he thanked the elves for their help before heading off into the corridors to track down the witch.
Yvette had just entered the East Wing on the sixth floor, ignoring the huge fireplace and the rest of the decor as she looked for Harry Potter, when she heard a polite cough behind her. She wheeled around and stared in shock. "Harry?!"
"Yes, Yvette, I heard you were looking for something or someone and wanted to give you a hand." Harry replied.
Yvette groaned at the images his reply gave her and took his hand, pulling him to her and kissing him with all the fire of her passion, a fire that had banked up as her search proved fruitless. Her Veela Allure had slipped entirely from her control and she rubbed against his hard body.
"Please, Harry," she begged him, "I will be yours any way at all, I will marry you, be your slave, your property, your plaything, anything at all, just make me feel how you made Fleur feel, right now!"
Harry was shocked by her, of course, the transformation was sudden but it did make at least some sense. His thinking was impaired a little by the wanton way she was plastering herself to him and rubbing his cock through the Hogwarts robes, trying to get hold of him while kissing his face and neck.
"Yvette, no. Not like that."
The witch groaned, she would not be denied, not now! She pumped up her Allure, desperate to have Harry, feeling her body get lubed up in preparation for the sex she craved.
"I will never take any woman to be my slave or my property or in any way less than my equal. If you want to be one of my Jewels, then-" He was cut off by her urgent kisses, moaning into him as she stripped him hurriedly.
Yvette apologised after they finished their first round for hitting him with the Allure and for trying to take him like that. She explained that she hadn't been in her right mind and was very thankful for him and his love. "I love you too, Harry." Yvette added blushing, her legs still wrapped around his waist.
Harry talked with her about it, finding that the real Holy Grail for a Veela was to find a man who could ignore the Allure and outlast them in bed. The surprising thing was that both witches had been virgins despite the lack of any physical evidence. He didn't even have time to raise an eyebrow in surprise before Yvette was offering an Oath in support.
It made sense, though, the way she explained it, as the boys were warned off from them or too sleazy for them at Beauxbatons, and both Fleur and her had been social outcasts.
"Fleur was always braver zan I, but even she couldn't deny zat ze other girls didn't like us. We were more beautiful even zen and zere is a reason Fleur was chosen above us others. She is dedicated to being ze very best. Moi, I am content to be in ze shadow, but Fleur decided that if the girls were going to be jealous anyway, she might as well give them a reason to be zat way."
"But what about you, Yvette?"
"Me? I 'ave a younger brother as you know," Harry nodded, "I do love him, even if 'e can be a pest at times. My Maman, she is a Veela like me, of course, and her mozzer and zo on. Cher Papa works of course, 'e is a Healer. Tante Angelique 'as gone into la recherche magique, I mean, magical research. It is very hard to be approved for such work so we are all so proud of her. She 'as never married, she says she never found someone for her and that my mother refused to share," Yvette giggled and added, "Papa says 'e was already in love with Maman and that he didn't want anyone else, and that she has never given him any cause to change his mind."
"He sounds like a very good man." Harry smiled at the beautiful woman in his arms.
"He is! Though Maman I know would've welcomed Tante Angelique into her marriage, she has said so often enough. And into her bed." Yvette grinned at the surprise Harry showed.
"Really? I thought that kind of thing was very frowned upon."
"Oui, it is, if you get caught. We Veela, however, well, we know how powerful ze Allure can be, on each other as much as on others, and we are, shall we say, more relaxed about the sex with women. Most men cannot keep up nearly enough with a Veela, so ze Veela often has to look elsewhere for satisfaction or go without. Mostly, we go without, but some lucky ones get to share themselves with another woman."
"Not other men?"
"Merlin, no! Zat is just what those damned 'arpies think we do, and we are better than that! We will not steal another woman's man. Any who would do it are shunned by everyone. We have such a poor reputation already despite zis, unfortunately. The bad apples have spoilt it for all of us.
"But sex with women, well, the women have just as much to lose if it gets out so that is safer, and ze woman's body is very beautiful, yes? Also, it can warm zose lonely nights without risk of a baby."
"And it doesn't bother Veela if one Veela wants to make love to another, even if they're related?"
"It is just harmless fun, non?"
"As long as it isn't forced, I'd agree, Yvette. I am curious about the Allure, though. That's a few times I have been on the receiving end of it. How strong can it get and so on."
"Ah, it has a minimum level, something that we mentioned earlier, which we must train to reach. The training is all about control of the Allure, making it as weak or strong as we wish, making it affect ze right person, or avoid ze wrong one. When we relax control of it, it returns to ze highest level zat uses our magic slower zan we generate it. I can only reach the seventh level yet, but with practice I will get eighth, like Maman, or ninth if I put in a lot of practice. Zere are stories zat some Veela got to tenth level, but." Yvette shrugged to indicate that she didn't put stock in those reports. "Each level uses twice the power of ze preceding one."
"And is there a reason why Fleur's seemed to hit harder, Yvette?" Harry was curious.
Yvette winced a touch. "Oui, there is. I 'ave said zat Fleur is driven, yes? To be ze best, she says, she must have ze best control over ze Allure, so she practises much when she can. She 'as called me lazy because I have not been as dedicated to my study and to practice of ze control. I can keep it at minimum, and zat suited me, Harry. Now, though, I have no more reason to 'ide." Yvette gave him a loving smile. "I 'ave my gorgeous man, and I 'ave reason to shine once again."
"Thank you," he kissed her briefly, "for sating my curiosity."
"I live to please you, my lord." She ground herself against him, her legs still wrapped around Harry.
"You have indeed." Harry grinned, starting the next round.
The inclusion of the two Veela ladies was not unwelcome, but it made Sophie and Luna question themselves and their own hesitation. While Luna had said that she was still too young, Sophie didn't feel as if she had any excuse. When she looked around at the other girls, she knew they would all cheerfully tell her to make love to Harry. She had even heard that he could make it painless and wonderful right from the start. The truth was, she was happy where she was and afraid of going further.
That had changed since the First Task. The proof of his superiority to any other wizard she had ever known had been put on display, though few recognised that yet. It gave her hope and confidence to know that as strong as he was, in a way she was stronger, for he would never use his strength against her. She also found his power very sexy in a primal way she couldn't put into words. She loved Harry with every cell of her body, and the way he cared for her, for all of them, was endearing, but the power he could bring to her protection was setting her nerves on fire!
The fact that he had obviously wore out not one but two Veela was overkill, really. She was already going to seduce her man with the emerald eyes.
Luna felt differently about it. She still loved her Harry but he was so powerful, she was finding it intimidating any time she thought of going all the way. That was what she really meant by saying she was too young. She wanted to be better as a witch before she became a woman, and time, study and hard work would give her that power and confidence.
She knew she would never be his equal in combat, but so long as she felt helpless, she couldn't feel confident or sexy enough for him. 'Soon,' she promised herself, 'soon I'll be able to defend myself.' She drove herself harder to learn not just the Third Year spells but also the Fourth Year and up.
The dinner after they revealed their new changes, Lavender and Parvati squealed. When they noticed the looks from the others, Lavender asked "Don't you see what this means?"
When no one seemed to get it, she explained "This means they will be a full part of our lives, right. And all of us have enjoyed the Harry touch." At the blushes and smiles, she hastily added. "I mean to our wardrobes, though that too." Lavender winked at Harry who had already put up a sound barrier as soon as the pair started to make that noise.
"You're right, Lavender." Harry replied.
Hermione adding, "And that means these gorgeous French witches will need fittings, of course." Her grin was anything but innocent, suggesting to Yvette and Fleur that the fittings would include other fun activities.
"Not tonight." Harry said. "The fittings can take a while before we're both satisfied. Does tomorrow work for my lady Fleur and my lady Yvette?" Harry grinned.
"Of course, Harry." They replied in unison, startling the others and then laughing with them.
That night, each of the newest lovers made sure to demonstrate to Harry that the rumours of the Veela sex drive were correct, going on until sleep claimed them. In the morning they followed the minor medical jutsu he performed curing their fatigue with enjoying themselves once again.
For Harry's part, the night also included a big party in Hufflepuff where he was made the guest of honour. That wasn't the only party, either. While none of the other Houses had a Champion, they still used the excuse of the First Task to throw their own. Gryffindor's was particularly rowdy, a given with the Weasley twins, but even the Ravens and Snakes let their hair down. The Snakes were treated to the sight of a Silenced Malfoy stuck to one of the walls after a particularly nasty threat was made for them celebrating the win by 'That stupid Halfblood'. Flint and two others got the same treatment before the rest of the House got the idea to shut up about blood and just have fun.
Mark Wilkinson was particularly proud of the purple shade they got from the ferret but prouder of the way the House had followed his lead.
The next day, many students were wishing for a Bezoar to wipe away the after-effects of over-indulging the night before. This set didn't include many of Harry's friends. They knew that the raven-haired wizard was willing and able to cure those effects himself for his mates.
After a hearty breakfast, Fleur and Yvette turned to Harry who simply took the pair out of the hall while one of his clones took his place. With a smile, the ladies each took an arm as he headed to one of the rooms that he and the Jewels had renovated for their own purposes. Inside the room, they threw up a number of privacy spells while Harry quickly set up for doing fittings for the girls.
Although they had been skeptical at first, the French pair soon got enthusiastic about the process. Even the gowns he handed the girls to change into were exceptionally well made and designed, and it just got better from there. Harry had been taught by Naruto that a proper fitting wasn't just about the clothes. No, it was a process to bring out the best of a girl's beauty. So while clones performed manicures and pedicures, played soft music and brushed their hair, Harry and another clone were doing the actual measuring.
Hermione had been perfectly correct, of course, about the fittings. Neither Fleur nor Yvette were any more immune to the pampering than anyone else had been so far, and once the measuring tapes went away and the massages heated up, they made the same decision to seduce their tailor.
As lunchtime neared, the girls were taking turns kissing Harry and suggesting a return to the Hall for a much needed recharge. Harry shook his head, smiling, as his clones revealed themselves and unveiled a number of outfits for each of them. That led to them modelling the clothes for their handsome tailor.
"Harry? You say all the others have your clothes too, yes?" Yvette asked.
Harry nodded, curious where the girl was going with this.
"I would like to see zem," she explained, "both the clothes and ze girls." She grinned. "We could have a party, non?"
"Oui, oui, a party!"
"Oui, a Lingerie Party! Zere will be modelling, makeup, some hors d'oeuvres, drinks, it will be magnifique!" There was a fire in Yvette's eyes. "And of course, our 'Arry to see it all, n'est-ce pas?"
"Of course!" Fleur was catching her passion for the idea. Harry wasn't far behind. Not only would it be a good excuse for a party but with the two Veela involved he had a feeling that there would be more fun and games of other sorts too.
Heading down to an almost late lunch, the girls were waiting for him and eyed up the trio with amusement. At the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy almost choked on his own bile seeing that blasted Potter with two of the hottest girls in the school on his arms. He did manage to keep it from being too obvious, however, with the unwitting help of the ladies in question. Their positions and smiles were like a magnet to conversation as mostly accurate rumours sprung up about the trio.
Snape nodded mentally. Finally, the Malfoy boy was starting to learn the barest modicum of discretion. 'I wonder if it will be in time.' Severus mused.
'Lucius has already started the opening moves in a dance that leads towards getting a Fertility Potion and a gender selection ritual performed. Oh, he'll never come out and say that's what he wants, of course. Both of those are highly illegal. The potion requires the placental blood of a magical child, something that's a forbidden ingredient due to the list of control potions that are empowered by such a thing. The ritual, on the other hand, yes, the ritual requires the carving of runes in the body of both parents, and the wounds cannot be magically treated until the child is conceived, as well as requiring preparatory potions, which are most exacting. Yes, that will be a most lucrative commission.'
Snape knew that Lucius was still only in the opening stages. The man still hadn't made a firm decision on the matter but it was becoming untenable to support his idiot son in public. In private, Lucius had all but washed his hands of the boy, despairing of him ever becoming what a Slytherin should be. To go through with the plan, though, would require the willing cooperation of his wife who Snape doubted wanted to lose her figure again. The ritual would backfire if the woman was coerced in any way, something that had caused a number of men to lose their chance at continuing their lines as the ritual stripped away all magical influence as soon as the dagger touched their skin as well as transferring a portion of the man's magic to the woman until the union was complete.
Snape looked over at Lily's boy. He saw again in his mind the way Harry had defeated a fully-grown nesting dragon, and now the boy was enjoying the rewards. This was as it should be, of course. Only the truly cunning would get ahead in life, thus they deserved what they got.
The Jewels were only too happy to agree to the idea of a Lingerie Party and they chose the very next Saturday to hold it. The plan took on a life of its own, becoming bigger and more elaborate. There was also going to be alcohol obtained for the older girls, namely Fleur, Yvette and Nym, who wanted to really cut loose and celebrate.
The lead time allowed Harry to get supplies from home in the form of extra drinks, mostly soft drinks and juices both as mixers and for the younger crowd, himself included, and of course snacks. The hors d'oeuvres that Yvette suggested were a fine idea but the ingredients for his best cuisine were lacking at Hogwarts. As the days passed, Harry was called on to provide new lingerie for all the girls, a sacrifice he gladly made.
Lastly, Hermione suggested involving the girls back in Cranleigh if they could. Thanks to the Marauder's Map and their own explorations, they knew of several 'secret' passages that could be used in addition to the official entrances.
It did call for breaking traditions, of course, and for some outside help in any case to get the girls to Scotland and back. That meant someone who would be willing to do this for Harry and the girls and could keep a secret. It called for someone with daring, style and a callous disregard for school rules and Albus Dumbledore. It called for Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.
At first, it was just going to be Sirius but Remus insisted on taking part in this since it was the greatest prank they had done in ages and it was a prank on Albus Dumbledore, all of Hogwarts including Snape and all the Wizarding World, in a way.
Between the two of them they wouldn't have to make too many trips by Apparation to just outside of Hogsmeade. After that point some disguises and a timed distraction would be enough to get them to the passage that led from Honeydukes into the castle.
That gave the Clan the idea to set up a property in or near Hogsmeade. It wouldn't be too much work to set up a modest place with a few rooms set up for storage, cooking and of course at least a bedroom for anyone staying there.
The Cranleigh girls, when asked, loved the idea of attending the party and getting to see a real school of magic. Harry, as jaded as he was by now with Hogwarts, could still appreciate that and got to enjoy their enthusiasm by proxy. Plus it gave more time with his Jewels all together which he was always in favour of. He still remembered the loving kisses that name got him from his Cranleigh girls the next day after his Hogwarts girls accepted it.
It wasn't all fun and games, however.
That damned First Task had left the Champions with golden eggs retrieved from angry nesting dragons. Eggs that were hollow and made an awful screeching sound when opened. They tried a number of things, including first of all just being far away when they listened to it, which failed, then trying crazier and crazier things.
The first thing after Plan A (moving away) failed was to bombard the egg with a variety of spells all with the vague theme of trying to make the wailing and screeching into something they could understand.
With more and more failures, their creativity cooled off and they were left scratching their heads about what to do with the things. Harry was getting more in favour of Plan Z (destroying the egg and going into the task blind) every time he opened it up.
With the week over, and winter officially begun, Sandra was eagerly awaiting her first trip to Hogsmeade. At Harry's strong urging, Remus, Sirius and their regular magical guests had given each of the Cranleigh girls some experience with being Side-Along Apparated. The whole sensation of being squeezed through a tube was very disconcerting, to say the least, and a couple of the girls were close to losing their lunch.
After a while, though, they got more used to that form of magical travel, enough that they could land safely on their feet at the other end even if surprised by a wizard or witch. Only then were the Clan satisfied. So with the first Saturday of December upon them, Sandra was the first to be taken to a cave near the all-magical settlement by a cautious Remus Lupin. Pranking was serious business and he had no intention of allowing this one to fail.
There would be wizards and witches, many of them, who would call for the killing or mind-wiping of the girls if they got caught even though it was legal.
Catching sight of the village, Sandra pulled her cloak around her further against the wind and any prying eyes. Two pops half a minute later announced the arrival of the other four girls, the first in centuries to see any of this as they all held onto their guides to negate the Muggle Repelling wards.
With their party assembled and disguises given a last check, they set out for the village, walking to Honeydukes as if they owned the place. That attitude was nine-tenths of what got them in the door. Their disguises were perfect, just in case someone got suspicious, and they reached the 'secret passage' safely. Trudging through the passageway, they came out near the statue of the one-eyed witch and were received by Harry and his Hufflegirls while clones were on guard to divert any students or staff. The Weasley twins heard the sound of the abusive caretaker Filch and decided against going for another run for sweets from the village.
Escorted up to the East Wing, the Cranleigh girls were relieved to finally drop their heavy winter cloaks and greeted everyone, getting mobbed and congratulated for their successful penetration of Hogwarts.
Michelle didn't hear much of that, however, locked onto Harry and kissing him madly now that she could kiss the real thing after months without. She came up from the kiss to a round of applause from the Jewels, grinning.
That started a procession where the wizard was kissed by each of the girls in turn, then heading to the tables where drinks and finger food awaited them, chatting away at each other and at Harry's clones. After everyone had settled in enough, Fleur and Yvette grabbed everyone's attention.
"Welcome to the first Lingerie Party! Today and tonight, we will be modelling our favourite clothing for our very sexy 'Arry, as well as seeing what each other are wearing. Let ze fun begin!" Yvette called as Fleur strode to where she could be seen by all, posing provocatively as she stripped for her audience, her smoky gaze locked onto what she hoped was the real Harry.
Her Allure was low but that didn't stop her from being one sexy witch all on her own. When she ended her routine and the music stopped, every clone of Harry's, and every girl, clapped for her. She was flushed but proud and happy as she stalked over to the Harry she had chosen, wrapping around him and kissing deeply. The applause re-doubled at that and she came up with a brilliant smile.
From there, the ice was well and truly broken. Yvette was next, going through her own striptease and her excitement was clearly visible by the end. The other girls were quick to descend upon both Veelas, chatting about their fashion choices and then showing off their own designer clothes.
Daphne was the first to follow the two Veela's shows. She loved her lingerie, probably more than any other Jewel, the colors, the textures, the way it moved with her body and how it caressed her; this was the perfect time for her to display her favourite pieces made just for her by Harry. Next came Sally-Anne, then Susan and Hannah did a double act. The Cranleigh girls went next, displaying the wider fashions available outside of the Wizarding World to much applause. After that it got confusing with girls taking turns with no regard at all for origin, just the way Harry preferred it, really.
Harry fetched a nice white wine for the first two models, getting a kiss and smile in return, and joining them thanks to his parents' poison resistance training. Thanks to that, it was impossible to get him drunk and nearly impossible to poison him as his body filtered out the toxins rapidly.
Since Harry was drinking, and had kindly offered to cure any hangovers from the party, other girls decided to at least try some of the lighter drinks. Harry kept an eye on all of them, concerned about going too far, while enjoying the sight of the Jewels down to their lingerie.
The party atmosphere heated as the two Veela drank a little more and decided to relax. No more than tipsy, the girls were getting more frisky as the afternoon and evening wore on, and the party turned into an orgy after Padma and Cho decided that kissing each other was just too good to resist. While not everyone joined in, it was still a sexy sight, especially with the Allure and the atmosphere of the group.
There was still a lot of talking going on, a lot of flirting, as the girls exchanged tips on makeup, how best to dress for appearing at their most sexy or most beautiful. Harry was called on to judge the relative merits of their jewellery and makeup, the way their heels set off their legs, and of course, their lingerie.
Navigating this minefield was made easier by the friendly atmosphere, the booze and the way some girls found each other as sexy as Harry did. They also liked the variety of clothes the various clones of Harry was wearing, all stylish and sexy, and the assortment of subtle colognes.
Sophie was particularly affected by the night. She had already intended to seduce Harry, and made sure that that night was her night. Sophie stood and took his hand, leaving the party and heading to a broom closet for some privacy.
Harry grinned, "I think we can do much better than that, Sophie." Taking her in his arms, he lightly ran to the Room of Requirements, setting it up as a beautiful sitting room with a fire crackling.
Michelle, who had started things off in a way, had tried to clear her mind of the lust fogging it for a while before she gave in, kissing and straddling her man's lap, grinding and caressing him. She had been worried when she first heard about the party that she might go too far and had asked Harry to protect her, even from herself. She was now cursing that request since it meant Harry kept stopping her, always returning to cuddling and kissing whenever she tried to go all the way.
Meaghan and the other Cranleigh girls were having similar issues, apart from Sandra who was already showing off her dragon tattoo on her back.
Eventually, the party wound up and most of the girls returned to their own beds. The Cranleigh girls couldn't do that without the help of the Marauders and they chose to stay overnight rather than leave early or give more ammunition to the teasing from the legally adult boys.
Harry came through with another room set up as a temporary dorm for the girls, a queen sized bed for each with curtains, much like the Hogwarts students got, and they enjoyed the rare chance to sleep with Harry's clones. Michelle woke up, thankfully headache free despite the loud party, snuggling into Harry's chest. "Good morning, Michelle." Harry rumbled and kissed her.
Michelle quickly remembered just how turned on she had been the previous night and talked to Harry about it. "Thank you for keeping your promise, Harry. That does mean a lot. Now that I am in my right mind again, I still want to make love to you. Will you? Please?" She sucked on her bottom lip, knowing that begging girls were a weakness for him, and soon got her wish. Thankfully for the others, the sound barrier around them held up and the girls got more sleep.
Thank you for reading. As ever, I remain grateful for the help of my wonderful betas. And feedback is appreciated and questions will be answered.