The Bonds That Tie
The rest of yesterday was spent with Severus explaining how Occlumency worked to the six people Harry had called on to start the recruitment phase of the plans. Severus went over how people looked into the mind with the spell Legilimens, and that Occlumency would shield the mind from these kinds of attacks because those who were skilled at and have mastered could do it wordlessly and without a wand. Severus's best description was creating an impenetrable mental barrier. Draco, Bellatrix, Lucius, and Narcissa helped in getting the new students to understanding the right images to maintain, along with controlling emotions. Severus looked into their minds one at a time, just so they'd feel the sensation of what it was to have their minds invaded and then he gave them the task of trying to block him, which none did fully, but Severus had a good idea of who would catch on pretty quickly. The six returned to Grimmauld after dinner, then went on to their own homes. Harry ended up retiring to his room with Severus, not that they did anything, but Harry had used a lot of magic and needed to rest, as suggested by Severus. It was now the sixth of April and time to return to Hogwarts, Harry and Draco would be getting on the train together and meet up with their other Slytherin friends. Harry did already remind Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Ron that they had to keep up the act of not being friends.
Severus returned to the school after breakfast, and the Malfoy's were going to let Remus stay the week to recover before returning him to Grimmauld Place. Voldemort had send his other death eaters off, but of course, Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan remained at the manor as extended family since Bellatrix and Narcissa were sisters.
"Are you boys packed to return to school?" Narcissa asked lightly.
"Yes, Mom," Draco replied.
"Something on your mind, Harry?" Lucius questioned, seeing his adoptive son going over papers.
"Mmhm, just making sure it's all in order." Harry tapped the papers on his lap to straighten them out before putting them away in the folder with a written one on top of the pile. "Would you drop these at the bank with Griphook, please?" He gave the folder to Lucius, who took it. "He knows what it's for and what to do with it."
"I don't mind, but may I ask what it is for?" Lucius looked to Harry.
"Copy of bank transactions and withdrawals between November 1st, 1981, to when you adopted me. When Albus had full control over my trust and family vaults. He never had access to the Black, or Peverell, and Slytherin vaults." Harry informed. "I told Griphook when I met with him before returning to school after the Christmas holiday that I'd go over the account summaries and mark where things were not me as obviously from November 1981 to July 31st, 1991; I was with my muggle relatives having no idea about my magical heritage. And the only time I went to the bank was to withdraw for school supplies." He paused. "In second year, Molly Weasley was given a small bit of money for my school things and I knew they were already poor and going to struggle with their own children's supplies. Yet, she said they'd manage for their kids. But there was no worry for mine. Arthur did tell me that Molly was given money by Albus for my things." Harry said.
"Third year, my books were already purchased and given to me at the Leaky Cauldron by old minister, Cornelius Fudge. He told me that my school items and new books had already been bought and brought there as it was when I accidentally blew up my aunt and left the house, then got picked up by the Knight Bus." Harry continued.
"What about fourth and fifth year?" Draco asked.
"I gave Harry money for his school supplies, I wasn't able to take him in as a felon, but that didn't stop me from sending money to him for when he went with the Weasley's into Diagon Alley, and, of course, Miss. Granger." Sirius spoke up. "I still felt it was my job to support him."
"And sixth year was us," Narcissa stated. "Albus had no right touching your money." She scoffed.
"Albus has had control over the vaults, painting himself as my guardian, all those years." Harry explained. "Griphook knows to put in a formal request theft with the ministry, added to the investigation, since he never had any legal control over me. He didn't have the right to touch what is mine and it's theft. That's a charge now added and Dumbledore will be forced to put back everything he took."
"I will submit this at the bank on my way to the ministry after we take you boys to the train." Lucius assured.
"Thank you." Harry relaxed now.
"How much longer are they gonna drag it out?" Bellatrix inquired. "Surely they have enough to arrest the man?"
"It is taking a while, they should have enough. Lucius, why don't you see what you can find out while you're at the ministry today?" Voldemort suggested.
"I'll get what I can, but I don't have the pull I do in the ministry when Fudge was minister of magic." Lucius stated.
"I still have my pull, even though I'm a vampire. Scrimgeour has been trying to recruit me as mascot for the ministry to boost morale. I've refused and because the ministry is still corrupt as hell and he's making the same mistakes Fudge did with downplaying the situation to give everyone the feeling of safety and security, that the ministry will protect them." Harry remarked. "Moving on, I'm not the minister's favorite person, as I wasn't with Fudge because I told him where he could shove his ideals, just like I did with Umbridge."
"Harry…What did you say?" Draco sighed.
"He likely mouthed off, but wasn't wrong." Severus spoke as he appeared in the room.
"Me? Mouth off? Never, Sev." Harry acted innocent.
"Now you sound like your father," Severus remarked.
"Mmhm," Remus and Sirius sounded together.
"I was joking. I know I mouthed off and I do it when I know I'm right and want a point to get across." Harry stated. "Umbridge. Dumbledore. Scrimgeour…"
"I thought you left already?" Narcissa asked.
"It doesn't take me much to go back, Narcissa. I'm not missing anything imperative. Dumbledore isn't even there, Minerva said he was hunting for one of the dark lord's horcrux containers." Severus stated. "Harry, did you re-hide them in their original places?"
"Of course." Harry nodded. "They're still holding dark traces of magic, so he'll believe the soul pieces are still in them."
"Smart boy," Voldemort praised. "Now…What was all this with the current minister. I'm curious…"
"After I refused to be his mascot, I told him how he was failing and he told me that he wouldn't let me get away with everything Dumbledore had. That I might wear my scar like a crown, but it wasn't my place to tell him how to do his job that I should learn respect for him. I copped back that my scar wasn't being worn as a crown, but a mark of survival that people stronger than him have tried to stop me and failed so his threats didn't scare me. Also, that if he felt it was time for me to learn respect for him, then it was time for him to earn it." Harry rolled his eyes. "Leaders don't become highly looked to and respected by demanding it and forcing others. They earn their place by proving they can do the job." He stated calmly.
"He's not wrong." Voldemort agreed. "Respect is earned, so is trust."
"Anyway, Lucius…I still have my pull, as mentioned. Talk to Kingsley Shacklebolt and Amelia Bones." Harry said with his eyes closed. "Kingsley is a member of the Order and was quite bothered by what he heard that night at Grimmauld; he also works right under the minister. And Amelia Bones has always been on my side for years, and one who stood up for me in fifth year when I got brought in for a hearing about using magic outside of school."
"Why on earth would you use magic outside of school, Harry. Obviously, you used your wand to trace you?" Draco remarked.
"It was before I was turned into a vampire…And I didn't have a choice. Two dementors ended up in Surrey while I was escaping the rain with my cousin…They attacked us and I used the patronus charm to drive them off." Harry stated. "They were sent by Fudge and Umbridge, to get rid of me, so I'd stop spouting off that Voldemort was back. Amelia stuck up for me that it was necessary and her niece was part of Dumbledore's Army."
"Who?" Severus wondered.
"Susan Bones." Harry informed.
"I will speak to one of them." Lucius said. "And let you know what's going on," He added.
"What are we discussing?" Severus asked.
"Why the investigation hasn't had enough to remove Dumbledore as headmaster and have him arrested." Bellatrix responded.
"He's probably using whatever power he still has in the ministry to affect it's progression." Rodolphus mentioned. "He was still chief warlock of the Wizengamot,"
"He's probably working with Scrimgeour to reign me in." Harry shrugged. "Albus and Rufus know I don't trust them, they're probably attempting to concoct some underhanded plan with Ginny involved. My next bet is on smuggled love potion when they plot out how to get it to me because I never drink at meals, nor eat food."
"That's your guess?" Narcissa stared.
"They have nothing else to use. I'm immune to the imperious, cruciatus, and killing curse. My rings warn me of charms and potions. Even if Ginny were to successfully find a way to hit me with an undetectable love potion, Severus or literally any of the Slytherins would know something was wrong and I'm sure Sev would put a stop to it. Love potions don't create real love, it's just obsession. If I suddenly became obsessed with Ginny, it would be pretty obvious." Harry told them. "That's if it even worked. Most don't against me and her only goal in it would to be to probably try and sleep with me to get pregnant and then Ginny would refuse to give up the baby. This would only be a ploy to get me to marry her so she could be added as a Potter to the vaults, which would fail when it's revealed Severus and I are bonded."
"That's very specific for a theory…" Rabastan blinked a few times.
"There's plenty of theories, that's just the only one that seems most likely given Ginny's obsession with me. How else would they get access to trapping me and my vaults? And again, there's two factors in failure. One would be if the potion even worked. Second would be that if it did work, she'd never get me aroused enough to sleep with her even under a potions because I only react to Severus. Even if she managed that far to get pregnant…Her body would never hold the pregnancy to term. And with that…Forcing a marriage won't work because they'd try to use bonding that couldn't be broken, and that would fair because it will come out I'm already tethered to another." Harry explained. "So don't worry about whatever they're doing…It'll never work."
"So, since we're on the topic…How does it work? Vampire pregnancy thing?" Draco asked. "I never found a lot on the matter in research."
"And how do you know the girl's body wouldn't sustain a pregnancy, she's almost sixteen herself and well into age muggle teenagers land themselves pregnant?" Bellatrix stated.
"How do vampires even get aroused. I thought everything in them was dead except their hearts?" Rodolphus asked. "How would they even reproduce if everything was dead?"
"Okay, first of all…The only thing any man needs to get an erection is the ability to have flowing blood through their veins. That's what causes them to get hard until release. Vampire is no different. I still have blood flowing through my body, same situation applies." Harry remarked. "While the releasing part for a vampire only activates during arousal. The rest of the time, yes, you can consider it dead like other organs. Stasis, rather."
"Fascinating…" Voldemort stated.
"In a male vampire's case, without arousal…Our ejaculate sits similar in being frozen to use later. Only during arousal, that whole system temporarily comes back to life." Harry said. "Make sense?"
"Yes, now what about the girl not living or holding the pregnancy?" Bellatrix wondered.
"Secondly, while vampires can inpregnate humans…If they aren't matched in power, the human's body can't sustain the pregnancy itself. If Ginny ever got pregnant by me, she'd miscarry before the second month, maybe the third. Being a witch doesn't matter, she's not on my power level and the child would be considered not just half-blood by wizarding standard, but half-vampire as well. A child that would require blood as well as human food to survive so unless Ginny was planning to drink blood like I do, that kid might survive, but kill her during birth because she wouldn't be able to withstand how much energy got used to maintain the pregnancy and then give birth. The blood loss. She'd die during or moments after."
"Have there ever been situations where the child and mother survive?" Lucius asked. "If the power level isn't the same?"
"Yes, but I'd never do it and regretfully, let her die for her own stupidity to engage in the plan to try and trap me for selfish reasons." Harry said.
"How would both survive?" Severus asked.
"Much like what I told you in the turning process; catch the person before they die and change them. If she wanted a chance to survive, the moment the baby was out; I'd have to turn her into a vampire. And I wouldn't. That might be cold, but it would be her own fault and I don't think anyone would hold it against me as she chose to purposely endanger herself with selfishness. At that point, not even Dumbledore or the minster could use the kid because it would be mine." Harry informed. "I'm telling you, it's nothing to worry about because it's not going to happen, love. I promise." Harry smiled. "Too many factors at play, ones I can easily avoid and detect before anything happens. You're stuck with me."
"So would pregnancy still work between two vampires?" Draco wondered.
"Yes, works the same way I said for males with females. Only that child would be born entirely as a fully vampire." Harry nodded. "And it's possible for two males to have kids too."
"Wait, it is?" Narcissa stared. "That's not even possible for male wizards!"
"Being a vampire has it's perks," Harry grinned.
"If that's the case…Could you theoretically get Severus pregnant?" Voldemort questioned.
"I could." Harry nodded. "While he's still human or vampire," He added.
"Would it kill him as human?" Lucius inquired.
"No, he'd be fine." Harry promised. "We're on the same power level, even though I'm a vampire and he's a human. I believe you can figure out the reasoning behind why?..."
"Because he's your soulmate, everything between you is compatible." Remus jumped in.
"Very good, Uncle Remy." Harry nodded with a smile.
"Just out of curiosity…How would you know if I were pregnant? Does it work the same way as women?" Severus asked. "Do you know when I'd get pregnant?"
"I can smell, darling." Harry told him. "Or you'd display similar symptoms that a woman does when she's carrying."
"He means that he can pick up when you'd be considered fertile," Remus offered.
"No, I could get him pregnant whenever we have sex, it's just purely by chance when it takes hold. There's no set point like a woman's fertile week after her cycle end. I just don't allow it to happen." Harry informed.
"Don't…Allow it?" Bellatrix and Narcissa asked with surprise. "You can control that?"
"There's probably spells or potions or else people be getting pregnant all the time." Sirius remarked.
"Well, I know girls take a potion every three months at school," Harry stated. "Hermione told us when we were debating why boys can't go in the girl's dorms but girls can get in the boy's dorms. She said that the staircase to the girl's dorm will flatten into a steep slide, sending males down it. But there's nothing to stop the girls from going to the boy's dorms. Kind of pointless, if you ask me. Either way, Hermione said the girls have potions on their required shopping lists for all those fourth year and up. She said it acts like muggle birth control pills or the shot. I'd say more similar to the shot."
"What are those items, the muggle means of preventing pregnancy?" Narcissa asked.
"They do just that, prevent pregnancy. The only difference is that the shot is given once every three months, and the pill is taken every day. Those are for the girls, there are male forms of birth control as well such as condoms. It's a very thin, but durable type of rubber that men slide over their cocks that prevents sperm from entering the female body." Harry explained. "Anyway…Hermione informed me that all girls, fourteen and up are required to buy a set of these potions for school, taking one every three months. I'm assuming the school believes that's enough as the boys aren't required to do anything. And yes, the girls have to take them in front of Madam Pomfrey. So there can be no accidents in forgetting to take it." He stated.
"I know for us back in school, pure bloods just knew control and were not permitted to have a child outside of marriage." Narcissa stated. "We were trusted to follow the rules."
"Moving on…Harry, since Severus is not a girl but able to get pregnant by you, how do you prevent him from getting pregnant any time you do it?" Draco asked.
"Contraceptive charm I was taught by some vampire friends." Harry stated.
"I've never heard of such before…" Severus said with surprise.
"It was created by vampires for vampires. We've already said that normal muggles or wizards can't get pregnant, but vampires can. I couldn't explain to you the process and I only know because one of the times I met up with the small group, one of the males was pregnant and I couldn't help myself in asking how." Harry admitted. "Either way, I mentioned having a male soulmate and one of the gay couples in this group told me I'd want to use the spell to ensure Sev didn't end up pregnant at random."
"And when did you learn this spell?" Severus asked.
"One of the days after we bonded when I was gone." Harry confessed. "That's how I learned about the information I gave you. That it was a soulmate bond, and unfinished life mating."
"How did you find these vampires?" Voldemort questioned.
"They actually found me, little self-made family of them. I was informed that vampires are one of the few creatures who can actively find their soulmates and when done; the bond forms during sex, just like ritualistic bonding through marriage and sex cements things." Harry said. "But yeah, sort of got the crash course on all that from them."
"Is the charm you use what I felt before you entered me?" Severus wondered.
"No, love…That would be the lubrication charm I was taught." Harry informed lightly. "The charm I use to keep you from getting pregnant is more or less a protection spell targeted at stopping conception. As I said, built by vampires, for vampires. You never hear me say it, I always do it non-verbally when I bite your neck. Just as the precaution that I get carried away with your blood and want to fuck you afterward." Severus blushed.
"Harry!" Severus glared.
"What? It's not like they don't all know, Sev." Harry smiled. "Come now, you know you have a very forward mate. I don't sugarcoat anything," He reminded before giving the man a light kiss then pulling back. "Behave yourself and maybe I'll come see you tonight…" He teased with a wink. The blush on the potion master's cheeks darkened. "And on that note, it's 10:15 am. We should get to the station. Merlin knows it's always a mad house."
Nothing else said or mentioned about what Harry hinted at with Severus for later tonight, the Malfoy's got ready as Severus left back to Hogwarts then Harry departed with his adoptive family to get to King's Cross. It was time for the train ride back to the school and then this term would be over in two months. The summer was going to be a busy one and Harry couldn't wait for all the good that would come of it.