Harry played with Baby Andrealphus on the floor of the drawing room. Stolas sat reading a book by the fire and Octavia listened to music while playing a handheld VoxBox Switch she got for Saturnalia. But the mood wasn't very joyful even though Octavia was to be entering her final year at Overlord Rosie's School of Finance.
Their patriarch figure, an Imp named Blitzo, the O was silent in his name and husband to Prince Stolas, had been killed in action two months ago. He was protecting their second oldest and heir to Prince Stolas, Harry Goetia from an enemy he's had since before his very birth. Harry had risked his own life to reach the imps corpse and bring him home to bury him in the Goetia family graveyard.
The widowed Prince was now leaning on support from Harry's future father in law, the Archduke Zepar. Harry had walked into the library one day to see his lord father leaning into the obese cockatiel's chest as he cooed into the princes ear sweet comforting words.
Archduke Zepar had experience in losing a loved one. His firstborn son Leopold, the older brother of Harry's fiancé and Duke Zepar's now heir Francesco, was caught outside on Extermination day and erased by Hells Heavenly exterminators. After his death Duke Zepar let himself go and began to eat his feelings away. Leading to his obesity.
Harry had conflicting feelings on the growing relationship between Stolas and the Duke. On one hand he was the fiancé to Zepars son. On the other they where both adult leaders in the Ars Goetia and could persue whatever sexual relationships they so desired. On a third hand, It was only 2 months since Blitzos death and burial in the family graveyard. On a fourth, Stolas needed support Harry and Octavia couldn't provide as they had no personal experience with loss of this sort. Sure Harry had killed Octavia's mum Stella when he was thirteen but she had been emotionally detached from Stella for many many years by then.
Harry was also suffering. Not only was Blitzo gone but their older sister Loona was now in drug/alcohol rehab. She had dropped twelve years of sobriety when she heard that their dad died and disappeared who knows where. When she was found in a drug den by Vortex who went looking for her they immediately sent her to the rehab their aunt Barbie Wire had graduated from sober.
Speaking of. Aunt Barbie was spending a lot of time with Boxley lately. Another among their household missing Blitzo. Stolas' Head Butler had been apart of his and the Princes' relationship for many years often joining them on their full moon marital nights. Harry and Octavia often thought of their trusted Butler as a grandfather figure. Turns out he was about ten years older than Blitzo, around his late 40s now. He had been spotted by staff with Barbie in his arms in the moonlit garden cuddling and kissing. Barbie needed a stable relationship to help her stay sober and if she was together with Boxley, she'd be around the mansion more. Which was both helpful and hurt at the same time. She was her own person, but she was Blitzos twin sister. She looked so much like him but their horns where different. They also had a similar attitude and disposition towards life and murder making her an ideal IMP employee.
Harry put Andrealphus in his playpen as he grabbed his bag to head off to work. "I'm off to work." Harry said to his family.
"Good day." Stolas absentmindedly waved off Harry. Harry closed his eyes and sighed sadly as he turned to the door.
"See you later." Octavia called after noticing her baby brother leaving. Harry raised a hand to let her know he heard her.
Speaking of, IMP was in disarray right now. Not only did Loona leave because of rehab, Moxxie and Millie vanished for a few weeks which hurt Harry even more. They where on thin ice right now even though they where Harry's SatanParents.
"Do you have ANY idea how awkward it was asking Cherri Bomb and Angel Dust to go with me to do these recent jobs?!" Harry had pulled his feathers out so hard he bled on his Dads nice office chair.
"We're sorry Harry, we needed to grieve our own way." Moxxie said.
"Vanishing off the face of Hell is NO WAY OF DOING THAT!" Harry shouted angrily slamming his fist on his desk. "Would it have been so hard to call and say "Hey New Boss of whom we are two of only three employees! We need a couple of weeks off to grieve the loss of our friend and colleague but no! instead all I get from my SATANPARENTS, who I have known since I was a baby weren't around when I got back from burying my dead Dad!" Harry slammed his fists repeatedly in anger.
"Harry, we're sorry." Millie started, moving her arms toward him.
"Don't!" Harry interrupted, holding out his feathered palm. You don't get to speak right now. Get out. Your both on probation for six months."
"Six Months?!" Moxxie shouted.
"Wanna make it a year?" Harry asked with a glare at his Satanfather.
"We're good with six months." Millie said slapping a hand over Moxxie mouth before carrying him out of Harry's office.
"Everything okay Boss man?" Came a welcome voice as the two imps scittered out of the room.
Strings had come to join IMP. While initially he had been a little miffed Harry was no longer available to persue relationship wise he completely understood Harry's positions during the last year. THAT had been an uncomfortable conversation. He and Francesco both understood that the Life Debt was still in play and Strings could ask Anything of Harry, sexual or otherwise.
"Uncle Moxxie and Aunt Millie are back." Harry slumped back in his desk.
"Shit, how'd ya take it?" Strings asked as he strolled in with a cup in his hand and a straw in the other.
Harry motioned down to his desk where his Hellphone lay in pieces. Something he had inherited from his dad apparently. Muttering a quick spell the phone repaired itself.
"Any new assignments? Brought ya some coffee. Iced Mocha."
"Thanks and no, you guys have the rest of the day off." Harry said. He snatched up the iced drink and started downing the sweet nectar of life that was coffee. "Our Profit Margins are up, customer satisfaction is skyrocketing and Grandpas weapons are actually increasing productivity! There's actually a profit surplus for raises this quarter. But not for them." Harry glared out at Moxxie and Millie now at their respective desks. Cherri Bomb glared at them from her receptionist desk as she was filing her nails.
"Immediate Murder Professionals you name 'em we Kill 'em." Cherri answered an incoming call.
"At least this receptionist is more friendly." Moxxie said to Millie. *BOOM* "YIPE!" Red sparkly mist came from Moxxies desk and surrounded him as he opened a desk drawer for a new pen. Moxxie coughed as he waved the smoke away.
"That's for abandoning Harry when he needed you guys." Cherri said with a smirk. She and Angel had been the one's comforting Harry. Keeping him stable and from spiraling like his Hellhound sister had. They gave his father an earful too. Making sure Stolas remembered his kids where suffering too. They had caught Harry powdering his pills up and snorting them instead of taking them his usual way. Putting a stop to that and making sure that while he basically had no parental supervision due to Stolas' busy work schedule lately, Sir Pentious dispensed Harry's morning and evening medications. Also being escorted to and from bathroom breaks, searched regularly and being kept on task by regular check ins from his serpentine grandfather.
His support system, while far from perfect, was good for now. But he needed the comfort of his immediate family. Soon. Or else, who knows what may happen.
The Next Afternoon.
"So I've been going over ideas in my head about what to do during your Probation." Harry padded his fingers on his chair turned backwards to Moxxie and Millie. "I want you two to take up Teaching Dads classes at Hogwarts."
"Say what now?" Millie asked in confusion.
"I know Moxxie has a thirst for battle but he's a thespian at heart I think he'd thrive as a teacher of Dads higher class material for Third Years and up teaching about various weaponry the wizarding children will encounter in the non magical world. You Aunt Millie have a nurturing side to you that could really help some of the struggling first and second years while teaching the history of warfare. These classes are important to the wizarding children's world knowledge and safety when they become adults in the eyes of wizarding law. So I'm extending your probation from IMP from 6 months to a year."
Both Imps protested but Harry raised his hand and they stopped. "Let me finish. Your still on IMPs payroll. However you have forfeited rights to any bonuses this quarter due to you abandoning me in my hour of need. I seriously, almost spiraled like LOONA."
Moxxie and Millie visibly cringed.
"Yes. Be ashamed." Harry said, looking sadly over at the office poster featuring his dad and Barbie Wire as The Amazing Imp Twins! "You also will be collecting paychecks from the board of governors as teachers which can be exchanged at Gringotts for Souls for your home accounts, or you may purchase whatever trinkets or books, weapons, what have you that you wish to bring home. This is an important assignment and incredible opportunity to earn my forgiveness, is that understood?" Harry asked as he looked them square in the face sternly.
"Yes sir." Moxxie said timidly.
"Yes Boss." Millie said, shamefully looking down at her feet.
"Good. Term starts September First, you'll need to fill out this paperwork for the Board Of Governors. Bring it back to me and I'll send it on."
Harry sighed as he made sure the two imps closed the door to his office. He went back to his desk, the one thing the others forgot to search regularly and opened a hidden compartment in a drawer bringing out a vintage bottle of whiskey. He poured himself a half a small glass with two nevermelting ice cubes and sat back in his office chair with his back to the door. Tilting his head back he brought the liquor to his lips and drinking deeply. Sighing, and sobbing silently.
To Be Continued...