The Shower
A/N: I like the middle part of this chapter less and less every time I reread it, so I might change it someday, if I ever figure out what ought to be different.
"Harry," said Hermione, "Tell me you're not doing what I think you're doing? Also that bed-jacket … bed-gown? is a more becoming length on you."
"Thanks," said Harry, "And it depends on what you think I'm doing?"
"Enchanting the safety shower to provide hot water."
"To provide non-cold water at any rate," said Harry.
Hermione sighed, "Who's idea was that?"
"I think we've all had the idea by this point," said Harry, "And anyway, you might not have been around enough to notice, but most of us have sponged off from the sink a time or two, which works well enough for everything except hair. Anyway, Luna told Susan to let me have the first crack at it, something about most practice, therefore most likely to survive getting it wrong. Everyone either agreed, or didn't care as long as the section of people they don't snog use a curtain, or under the assumption of a curtain being rigged already, would prefer that to watching or being watched sponge off at the sink. So I'm in charge of runes, Parvati's in charge of the curtain. Susan's in charge of the curtain rod. Which is good, the suggestions about how to get curtain rings and rod supports to flow past each other was hurting my brain."
Hermione went cross-eyed for three seconds, "I have a solution, but don't know how workable it might be compared to Susan's plan. No, two solutions, not sure if my shaping is up to implementing either of them."
Harry goggled at her, then held up a hand, "Don't try to explain until I'm done with this."
"Fine, what's your strategy here?" she waved at his rune work.
"I contemplated several things but they all ran into issues of being too complex for me to comprehend without two or three weeks to prepare, or too likely to interact and meltdown, this system will just be several independent rings of heating runes that only activate when the sensor runes detect that the water is below blood temperature. I know that most people like it a bit hotter than that, because of cooling from both the pressure drop and evaporation between the showerhead and their skin, but it's as much as I can write easily. I don't think this will heat water fast enough to give a constant stream at full blast anywhere close to warm, but it has the advantage that at trickle it should be close to that, and shouldn't ever get too hot."
"Ah," she said, "If you said cat's blood temperature instead of human blood temperature?"
"I don't know how to say that in runes any more than I know how to say 105 degrees Fahrenheit or 43 degrees Centigrade in runes, the reliable way to measure temperature with magic … the arithmancy acts like, … well it looks like its measuring from 0 kelvin, but the numbers have so many digits that I have to guess it's measuring a quantum scale effect, not a molecular effect."
Hermione sighed, "and you didn't just measure a block of ice, divide your measurement by that temperature, multiply by 273.15, and pretend that's accurate enough to be getting on with?
"First of all, I'm inking this on with something that can be taken off with orange oil or alcohol, so we can change any of it later, but it shouldn't wash off with water or soap splatter from normal use. Second, futhark has no concept of decimals and a really impaired idea of division and fractions, I'd have to multiply first, (if I divided first, it would round to zero or 1 and there would be nothing to multiply). The best really is a subtraction from a premeasured temperature that someone has already made a rune pattern for, 'human blood temperature' is the closest I've found in this case, followed by checking if the subtraction failed because of becoming negative. That's another thing futhark hates is negative numbers."
Hermione sighed, "and you haven't switched to Greek?"
"Then I'd have to make it all up from scratch," said Harry, "and I haven't got time for that, either way, weren't you the one who wanted this shower to not be comfortable?"
Hermione snorted, "That's not quite what I meant."
"What did you mean?"
She shrugged, "someone didn't want us to have a real shower, so they didn't give us a real shower. Why is Padma going along with this?"
"Padma wasn't here at the time, but every once in a while she makes comments that seem to imply we could be demanding significantly more from the faculty than what we've been provided with."
"Why would that be?"
"Either because Susan and I are heirs of houses, or because something about the fact that we're trying to take care of Luna."
"Hmm," said Hermione, "and why would …" her eyes narrowed, "I think I'd better get hold of a copy of those rules."
"They don't issue them to you as a prefect?" said Harry.
"No, they merely put me in charge of which rules I am expected to help enforce, and when."
"Oh," said Harry, "that sounds familiar somehow."
"Well, Carry on," said Hermione. She turned away, but after a few seconds she turned back, "Everyone but me has sponged off at the sinks in here?"
"Yes," said Harry, "and Luna has showered, might mostly shower here, or maybe just mostly showers here when she doesn't want to also wash her hair."
"Merlin. Things must be really rough in Ravenclaw these days."
"That's my impression," said Harry.
"Is there anything else we can do?"
"Spread rumours what percentage of gryffindor prefects are on Padma's side?"
"Hmm," said Hermione, "anything less slytherin? … I mean more direct?"
"Stand at the eagle door for hours at a time until I guess a riddle or until someone else opens the door going in or out, and doesn't also stop me from catching it before it closes. Then yelling at people. Except I don't know who to yell at, because Luna still hasn't named names."
"Why hasn't she?"
"Because she's decades older than them in some ways, and doesn't blame them for being childish."
Hermione gaped, "but that's … where did you get that idea?"
"The way she tells Leona tales," said Harry, "she's lots older than I am, lots older than most adults I know, maybe."
"Oh, good grief," said Hermione and covered her face with her hands, "you were abused at home, but lost your parents early enough you don't remember?"
"I can bring up the memories with help from a boggart or dementor, which I theorise are two different life stages of the same thing."
She blinked at him, then shook her head, "And Luna didn't lose her mother until she was nine?"
"And had her first long term sexual relationship shortly before that," said Harry.
"How long do you mean by 'long term'?"
"I … don't remember if she's told me, but my impression is between a week and a month. And no support from human culture or communication for the duration of it."
"That is so horrible, some people want to rate 'long duration solitary confinement' as a kind of murder."
"She wasn't solitary," said Harry, "But veela aren't human, no matter that we can hybridise and share languages … with enough effort."
"And how much of your early life was not solitary, but you wished it were at the time?"
"Most of it until Primary, then only three-quarters of it. Depending on how you count the time I was nominally asleep, Then at least I was as solitary as I could wish to be."
Hermione nodded. "And was Luna's experience better? Or was the fact that she knew what she'd lost make it affect her deeper."
"Oh, I see what you're saying," said Harry, "I'm not arguing with you about temporarily losing access to her parents, and then really losing her Mum, I'm just saying …" Harry sighed, "I think by the time she was found, she was more than merely resigned to, more than merely accustomed to, the relationship with her veela."
"Oh," said Hermione, and nodded, "And she still loves easily, in spite of all that pain."
Harry nodded.
Hermione sighed.
"She loves so easily, that," Harry sighed, and started over, "she loves so unconditionally that she won't help her classmates grow by withholding forgiveness until they've been punished, or even until they admit they've done wrong."
Hermione sighed again, then looked away. She didn't seem like she'd be done meditating anytime soon.
Harry resumed the delicate task of inking runes on a round vertical surface.
He'd finished an entire rune circle and most of another when her breathing changed and she turned to face him again.
"Harry?" she whispered.
"What?"
"Nothing," she said.
He kept working. When he finished another circle he put down his brush and stood to ease his muscles. He turned to face her.
She stepped forward and lifted one of his arms over his head. "Do you shave your armpits now? or has my memory gone off?"
"Not shaving precisely," said Harry, "I enchanted my washcloth to transfigure hair into soap."
She blinked, "You what?"
He nodded towards his towel rack. She crossed to it and unfolded it.
"First of all yes, everyone was borrowing it, until Susan copied it but changed it to lye, with a plan to never need to shave again. Apparently, that stung like anything, and wouldn't rinse away nearly so well, and Parvati told her it sounded suspiciously close to dark arts and copied mine again, but changed it to aloe, now everyone borrows hers instead of mine."
She stared at him, "why do I feel like there's another shoe waiting to drop?"
"Be careful with it. In theory, it could eat wool. And Luna and I have both taken off our eyebrows by mistake. But mine grew back overnight, and hers don't."
"Luna's eyebrows are so blond that some people can't even see them in the first place."
"True."
"When did Luna lose her mark?"
"It started fading when we finished having sex, and called me hers."
Hermione smiled, "sounds about right. Except now she's vulnerable in Ravenclaw again?"
"Yes."
"Does she spend any time in Ravenclaw?"
"To my knowledge, No. Or not when Padma is in classes or too busy with prefect things to guard her back."
"But she's not here all the rest of the time?"
"She spends as much time in the library or the great hall as the rest of us. If you're asking whether she moved her trunk here and all her things here or into her satchel, the answer is yes, she has moved out of her assigned dorm room."
Hermione sighed, "it might be time to start teaching her self defence."
"Yeah," said Harry, "past time for us to add a lot more defence to our study group regimen. I just wish it wasn't owl year."
Hermione shrugged.
.
"We're back," called Padma from the outside door, "did we miss anything?"
They went out to meet them, Everyone was here now except for Susan.
"You didn't miss anything," reassured Hermione, "did we?"
Everyone shared their news, mostly that Ginny and Luna had been on "An Actual Date," (butterbeer at the three broomsticks, then a picnic behind the shrieking shack.) Apparently with animagus practice while they were there. And Ginny had a flush to her cheeks that Harry did not think matched cold or the increase of blood flow from mere flying.
Luna seemed serene. Perhaps more so than usual.
Then Padma shared about accompanying Parvati to find three rune books, (Also an acceptable piece of fabric to waterproof for a shower curtain).
Partway through this retelling, Luna grew bored, circled the crowd to embrace Harry, and within seconds after he accepted the embrace, she started snogging him and pulling up his underthing so that she could stroke his bum.
Harry didn't stop her, but on principle wasn't going to go farther than stroking her back until she invited him out of the study room into the bedroom.
He came up for air to find Ginny staring at him hungrily, or was that mild annoyance. The others seemed only mildly interested.
"You didn't manage to wear her out, I take it?" he asked.
Ginny shook her head, "she wore me out," she sighed, "you're welcome to her."
"Thank you," said Harry. They stared at each other two seconds longer before he returned his focus to Luna. "We should go in the bedroom."
She nodded fervently.
"We should let the rest of them vote on whether to close the door or the curtains behind us."
Her eyes widened fractionally. A smile played at one corner of her mouth. But her eyes went blank. "How do you think they will vote?"
"If I was sure," said Harry, "I would merely do as they wished."
"What about what I wish?" said Luna.
"You wish they were all old enough to watch," said Harry, "But you don't wish to impose."
Her face crumpled, "Yes, my lord," she said.
He carried her into the bedroom and placed her on the bed and sat down in front of her, "Did I guess wrong?" he whispered.
"You are right about what Luna wants with Lord Harry," she said.
"And?" said Harry.
"I didn't want Luna, I wanted to give my demiguise to Leona."
"Does your …" Harry stared, "demiguise wish to be seen or not?"
"I don't know how to make the demiguise wish to be seen by more than one person at a time," she said.
"That's fine," said Harry, "We'll do what you want."
Two other bodies climbed onto the bed in front and behind them, and then the bed curtains were pulled closed.
Luna stared at him pleadingly.
"I'm sorry for the false alarm," said Harry, "apparently this is about trying something new, not about demonstrating what she's learned."
"No," said Luna, "It's about demonstrating what I learned, just to Leona-Harry. I … can show you later."
"That's alright," said Susan, and petted Luna's bum, before reaching for the curtain again.
Luna's eyes went wide, and her stare went different and confused.
She glanced at whoever was behind Harry. And her face crumpled again, "Don't go," she said, "I don't want…"
Susan stopped with her hand on the curtain, "I don't understand," said Susan.
"I don't want you here," said Luna, "I don't want you to go."
"I still don't understand," said Susan, "Tell us what you do want."
Ginny made her own grunt of confusion and crawled around Harry and took Luna's left hand and turned it over. There was her green-eyed lion mark bold and clear as ever.
"I understand," said Ginny.
Luna hung her head.
Ginny waddled closer and knelt. Stroking Luna's side and then her bum.
Luna slumped like melting wax, and Ginny caught her. Susan seemed to catch a hint and caught her other side and they lowered her gently until her chest rested on her knees. Then pulled her shirt up as far as they could. Stroking her bum and back.
Then they nodded at each other, and lifted her shoulders again until she was sitting and took her shirt off the rest of the way.
Normally, Luna without clothes was nude, right now she was naked.
It was awful to see.
"Luna," said Harry, "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do."
Luna nodded, "I want to," she said.
"Tell us what each of us should do to help, including going away, if that's what you want."
"Stay," said Luna, "But … can you all be Leonas."
"Yes," they each said.
"Lord Harry must not share his things without tasting them first," said Luna.
"Alright," said Harry.
Luna vanished mostly, then she also closed her eyes and they were gone, too. Without her mark in existence, the draw of the magic to power it ceased.
Harry turned into Leona. And felt echoing swells of magic as Ginny and Susan did the same.
He … she reached for the spot where Luna had been. She was kneeling again and covered in long silky fur which shimmered a bit as he smoothed it back.
She found Luna's bottom and the wiry muscles of her hips below the luxurious fur. She knelt closer and crouched over her, grabbing Luna's furry bum with both hands, and squeezing just firmly enough to telegraph intent, but not so much that she couldn't get away if she didn't want to stay.
A shimmer passed across the fur as she moved and sat up, and was only a monkey with dark grey hair, and dark grey skin with a hint of lavender around her eyes and button nose, almost like a cat's nose.
The monkey's soft hand picked up Leona's hand and moved it, not to her breasts but to her cheek. And moved Leona's other hand to under Luna's wiry arm.
She gave a grunt and snuggled into Leona's palm.
I think the hand and cheek mean I'm supposed to kiss her, thought Leona, but I don't really want to. The hand under her arm means, pick her up; and therefore, move her wherever I want her.
Leona scooted back and reorganised her legs, then pulled off her shirt the better to enjoy that silky fur, then reached forward again and lifted Luna by the armpits to sit around Leona's waist.
Luna's arms encircled Leona and squeezed desperately hard. Not hard enough to hurt, but only barely. Leona breathed deeply to make sure that was fine before she either objected or let that slide. It was fine, just … if she wiggled it might be more breast stimulation (especially more after effects) than Leona wanted to deal with.
As fun as it was to give in to instincts, it was more important to not get carried away when it might scare Luna.
Luna wiggled her bottom, it didn't bother Leona's breasts, but it did cause a shift in Luna's bottom and suddenly it became obvious: The demiguise was male. The demiguise turned out to be hairless one more location beside the nose and eyes and the palms of hands and feet.
Leona pushed the situation to arm's length and sorted instinctive reactions between bodies. Sher said: Luna is pride. Leona said: shag the snugly warm thing that wants us. Harry said: Luna is mine to protect, but should be female, because … I've never seen her be male before. But then her thing is not being seen, and taking care of everyone else, and only after that letting anyone take care of her.
A lot like Harry, except with less violence associated with the 'taking care of' part. And a lot more learning associated with the 'not being seen', and … not like Harry actually. Harry learned things to protect. Luna protected things to keep them around long enough to study. While Harry had been busy protecting things, and all her ravenclaw dorm-mates had been busy learning things, Luna had already been nesting. That's why they'd gone off on her being different, probably with a motherly sense of decoration to their untrained eyes.
Or fatherly, if her animagus form not being female was an indication of her true personality.
Finally, Harry accepted Luna could be male, just as much as he could be Leona.
Leona un-dissociated, and returned the embrace.
Luna stopped wiggling and tried to look into Leona's eyes.
Leona met the gaze but kept holding on with her left hand. With her right she stroked down Luna's back and tried to hook fingers around her bum … his bum, anywhere to guide Luna to pull back and enter.
Luna understood and went back to wiggling, after a moment he succeeded in getting close, but not in. He let go with one hand pulled far enough back to feel where he was aiming, then grabbed hold of his erection and aimed, and entered.
After a few moments of thrusting, Leona was about to relax into helping the search for the best rhythm, when she remembered: Plenty of lubricant did not by definition mean enough contraceptive.
She let go and drew her wand to cast the charm.
Luna gave a startled bark at the coolness, but then understood and went back to thrusting.
Leona put her wand away and met Susan-Leona's gaze. She gave a widened eye and a half-smirk.
Susan returned the half-smirk, then cast an appraising glance over them both.
Leona turned towards Ginny-Leona and repeated the process.
Everything was fine with the audience.
She moved her hands to Luna's hips and helped.
Luna's eyes rose to meet her own.
"Thank you for this, Luna," she breathed.
Luna barked and thrust more slowly, more deliberately. More of a pause to grind against Leona's clit at maximum penetration.
"Oh, much better," whispered Leona.
Luna's eyes went wider, and her mouth quirked up. Leona had the impression his lips didn't have nearly the range of motion as a human's.
"Is there anything I could be doing differently to help more?" said Leona.
Luna shook his head, then nodded, and moved Leona's left hand to the back of Luna's head.
Still wants kisses.
A mouth that has never eaten anything before last week might be significantly cleaner than my own, I haven't brushed since this morning, no … this is Saturday, so I might not have brushed since last night.
Leona kissed him. His tongue was narrower and smoother than a human tongue, but no less dexterous at seeking out the best snuggle spaces within Leona's mouth. The teeth were not bigger exactly, but blockier, fewer of them were the sharp front teeth and there were more of the squarish blunt back teeth, a mouth meant for eating plants. One of Hermione's rants came to mind, a mouth that didn't fit the pattern of 'optimised smaller to account for humans eating mostly cooked food.'
It was an interesting place to explore after all.
About a minute later his rhythm ended with a desperate thrust and a throbbing climax as he left his scorching load inside her.
Good boy, Leona thought, but hearing the other pronoun had freaked her out that first time, so she only said, "Good job," and, "Can you stay big for longer?"
The monkey's liquid eyes widened, and his shoulders shrugged in confusion, not that his shoulders were wide enough to make it a very expressive gesture.
He did not pull out, but he also did not continue thrusting. And he did not seem to be shrinking.
"May I take a turn on top?"
Luna nodded.
Leona hugged him tight around the shoulders and the small of his back, climbed up to her knees, and then rolled over and down on top. As soon as she was sure that Luna was alright she began searching for her own rhythm.
It took her less time to get out of breath, and more time than she expected to build her arousal to the point of beginning to anticipate climax.
And Luna was howling so gently that it might better be called cooing.
And suddenly Leona became aware that Susan had moved closer, and was running her hand over her thighs and bum.
Or was that Luna's hand-feet… No, Luna's hand-feet were clasped tight around Leona's thighs, just above her knees, helping with the rhythm.
"Susan!" said Leona.
The hand jerked away, "Sorry?"
"Either stop that, or rub harder, like you mean it, and at least as far up as the small of my back."
"May I really?"
"Yes, you may."
Susan cackled and put both her hands to the task.
After half a minute Ginny joined in, though only with one hand.
That spread her focus, not concentrated it. So maybe it didn't help after all.
Then one of Susan's hands slid to her spine and down to the sensitive spot just below her tailbone, and climax suddenly seemed both inevitable and easy to focus toward.
Leona cooed also, and then climax took her.
.
When she had control of herself again she climbed off of Luna and helped her up, "Thank you, Luna," she said, "do you want to turn back and compare notes?"
Luna shrugged again then remembered the audience and hunched in and faded more than halfway back into invisibility.
"You're alright Luna," said Leona, "No one here is angry at you."
Luna sat up and bared her teeth.
Was that humour or anger or an invitation to kiss?
Leona caught Luna's cheeks in her hands and pulled slightly. Luna went limp and came to her. His penis slipped away inside. And he trembled.
"I'm right here, Luna," said Leona, "But I don't speak Demiguise, you'll have to teach me, or change back sometimes to tell me what I'm missing."
Luna held out her hand, palm up.
"What?" said Leona.
Luna glanced at Susan, back to Leona.
"What?" pleaded Leona.
Ginny-Leona took Harry-Leona's wrist and moved her hand and made her close her hand around Luna's wrist.
"Hold your pet by her thrall mark, and offer her to the heir of your ally house," suggested Ginny.
Luna didn't flinch at all.
"Luna," said Leona, "I don't want to call you thrall. I don't want anyone to call you thrall."
Luna turned from Susan to stare at Leona.
And then she was Luna again, and still naked in front of the others. And she kept staring, then said, "My lord, please be Harry again? Or Sher?"
Leona cancelled her transfiguration.
"Alright Luna," she … he said, "What's up?"
She held out her left arm again, thrall mark plainly visible, "You know what this means?" she said.
"When it's right there, it means magical slave," said Harry, "How did it get there, I put it somewhere else."
She rubbed her collarbone with her other hand, and for a moment didn't seem naked.
"We played together in a space I like," she said, "for a little while we were equal and I wasn't yours and you were mine just a little bit, and then you had to leave and couldn't be mine anymore, and then everyone was even meaner than before. And Padma … was still too busy to hug me, but it was worse because everyone could see me, and I couldn't just be patient for her to finish and come back, and … and I went to Ginny or you or Hermione and they all acted impatient about me needing help now. About not being invisible anymore. About—"
She shuddered, "about being a slave of the group instead of only of you, and Parvati was worst of all, like I was … Like I was already your slave, and she only is nice to me because she's going to marry you and help be in charge of your house and then I'll really be her slave. Instead of Padma who only acts like my new aunt or my own personal prefect or something. And Ginny treats me like her friend, and Susan treats me like a girlfriend that isn't quite allowed to be hers because I'm yours first, and—"
Luna subsided and stared down. And started to finger herself or … maybe just to smooth her folds more comfortably, then put her hands by her sides, and looked up again.
"I couldn't do that anymore, so I took myself in front of a mirror and put my wand to my wrist and repeated, 'Mihi data est luscus leo viridis,' over and over, the same as I do for my things I want to be invisible until your mark came back. And I've been waiting for you to notice, but you didn't."
Harry drew his wand and laid it on the mark.
"Don't abandon me again," pleaded Luna.
Harry raised his wand, then sighed and put it away.
"I was so happy that you could see me as an equal," said Harry, "I was so happy to watch you interact with people other than Lion's-Keep and professors. I want you to be wearing a marked wand holster instead of a mark. I was going to offer to go with you to buy one this weekend, but it was Ginny's turn, and you two were so excited to go to Hogsmeade, I left it alone, left you alone, when you needed my help. I'm sorry."
Luna stared, stared as if a thrall forgiving her master was a non-sequitur.
Harry sighed, "I will give you a marked holster soon, maybe for Christmas. I'm going to teach you and all the rest of Lion's-Keep some duelling spells and theory. You-know-who is back, and we should all be prepared. I'm sorry that I let studies distract me from the dark lord outside, and what each of you needs."
They all nodded.
"I expect like every other study group we've done, that we'll all learn something and we'll all teach something," said Harry.
He looked at Luna again, "May I please move this mark from your wrist back to your chest?"
Luna nodded, "and can you make it like Padma's: to only hide me when I want to hide?"
"I can try," said Harry, "Finite."
The mark was gone.
He moved his wand to her chest, "My friend, My lioness, My ward."
Nothing.
"Luna," said Harry, "May I place my magic about you to protect you from unauthorised observation and unwanted attention?"
"Yes," said Luna.
"My friend, My lioness, My ward," he tapped her chest again. No mark appeared.
She smiled sadly. And scratched her wrist.
Harry looked. His mark was there again.
"Interesting," said Susan.
Harry sighed, "Does the mark being on your wrist make it try to trick you into acting like a thrall?"
"No," said Luna, "Not very much."
"Good," said Harry. The mark faded a little.
"My mark is on you so that you can use my magic to protect yourself, not to make you take care of other people instead of yourself."
"Because only you are allowed to take care of people instead of yourself?"
"No, not that," said Harry, "Just, Love is best when it's given by choice not demanded by duty or by magic."
Luna went still. Susan and Ginny backed up a little.
"So I'm only allowed to give myself away, a little at a time, not all at once?" said Luna.
"Yes," said Harry, "Until you are of age, then you can make permanent decisions if you so choose."
Luna held her arm out, "Make it permanent." The mark darkened again to a bold clear black.
"I'll consider it," said Harry, "But I want you to meditate for at least three days, on whether that is the best way, let alone the only way to accomplish what you want."
She pulled her arm back and the fight went out of her again.
"Would you like to get dressed?" said Harry.
"Yes," said Luna, "That's what I keep saying, Harry: cover me up again. Just, not with clothes."
"Oh, Luna," said Ginny.
Harry scooted forward again and wrapped his arms around Luna.
Ginny began petting her back.
Eventually, her crying subsided.
"Luna," said Susan.
"What?"
"If he ever refuses to mark you," said Susan, "you can come to me, I won't guarantee that the effect of my mark would be anywhere close to as useful to your situation as his mark has been. Probably physical strength, or keener awareness of the arithmancy behind the magic around you. But you are welcome to the protection of the House of Bones, Whenever you ever need it."
"Thank you," murmured Luna.
Luna looked up into Harry's eyes, frightened and questioning.
"Thank you, Susan," said Harry.
Luna relaxed, not frightened, still questioning, "May I make out with your ally?"
"You may not pay for her protection with sexual favours," said Harry, "You're welcome to make … make love with her, regarding the bonds of love and care that must have already existed between you and her, which made her offer her protection in the first place."
All three of them gaped.
Luna turned to Susan, and her mouth worked for almost four seconds, before she relaxed, and just said, "Please?"
Susan nodded, and also said, "Please."
Luna smiled as bright and beautiful as The Milky-way on a clear night.
They kissed and fit themselves together in a way that Harry had never imagined before, but he carefully memorised it in case Leona ever needed it.
He looked away to find Ginny staring at him.
"Is that the first time you've ever called it that?" said Ginny.
"What?"
"Making love," said Ginny.
Harry shrugged, then nodded, "I think so."
"Is that what's different about it from 'shagging'?" said Ginny, "it's sex about a relationship, instead of a physical 'benefit' that the relationship exists to support?"
Harry shrugged, "maybe, my insight is said to be 'deep, but slow,' and this has been the first time I've tried to put most of that into words."
"Who told you that about yourself?" she looked affronted.
"Luna's dad."
"Oh," she said, "Yes, well. Compared to him we're all a little slow."
Harry shrugged.
"Make love to me Harry."
I don't know if I love you enough. Was the first thought that popped into his head. The second was a list of things he'd done for her, and what he'd meant by each of them. Only the basilisk thing was repayment of debt to Ron's family for the previous summer's rescue. Everything since then was intentional … direct … real.
Just because she hadn't seen and recognised acts of service to her, didn't mean he hadn't meant them. Just because she'd seen and recognised affection and service shown to Luna as roundabout proof that they were allies and co-workers at making the world better, and other things as an expression of love that … Harry might have meant as care, just not as consciously.
"Please," said Harry, "But … I thought you were tired out."
"I was," she said, "But I want you. I just won't go very fast. Or very long. Is that alright?"
"Does that mean, 'Harry, I'm tired, be prepared to get on top at the end," Or does that mean, "let's fit together and snuggle just roughly enough that it counts as having sex in camaraderie with our friends, not as snuggling and ignoring them?"
"Oh God, Harry. Both of those," said Ginny, "but start with the second."
Harry smiled.
She stared at Luna and Susan for a moment then turned back to him, "Sit back to back with Luna, then let me get on."
"Alright," said Harry.
He was barely in position for four seconds before Luna started using him as an anchor point to further her arching and wiggling. His eyes met Ginny's and together they flashed amusement and lust at each other.
He drew his wand and lubricated her with contraceptive, while she concentrated on balancing and climbing on around him.
She bounced for about twenty seconds before slowing drastically and pressing their lips together.
Harry resisted the impulse to force the speed faster and deepened the kiss instead. He also squeezed her around the shoulders in a way that he knew would affect the sensations in her breasts.
"I think," said Ginny, "That having Leona makes you a much better snuggler."
"Probably," said Harry, "and probably just practice, and being told what each of you likes."
She nodded, "I like this."
"I like this too," said Harry.
"May I take off my shirt?" said Ginny.
"Yes," said Harry, and let go of her shoulders.
When she had it off and was leaning tightly against him again, she said, "This is my first time with my shirt off."
"Do you like it?"
"Not sure," said Ginny, "It's a nice shirt. It's … it's the first time I've taken it off other than showering and animagus practice."
"You're welcome," said Harry.
"Oh, you mean do I like sex without my shirt?"
"Or snuggling in general without your shirt?"
"Yes … I think I do," she said, "It's usually not nearly as comfortable. But just now, with four of us breathing inside this canopy, we've gotten it nice and warmed up. But … Hogwarts is better with warming charms that don't need recasting every couple of hours."
"Exactly," said Harry.
"It doesn't bother you?" said Ginny.
"I like naked snuggles a lot," said Harry, "but…"
"But what?"
"But Hogwarts in winter," said Harry, "Or heatwave in summer, and the Patils aren't farm girls."
"Trying to imagine that there is any stereotype that you can copy from Susan or Luna to anyone else is problematic," said Ginny, "and I probably spend more time doing farm work than either of them."
"Alright," said Harry, "I'm sorry."
"What's wrong?" said Ginny.
"I might have said this before, but … I think Parvati might make a better head-of-house than you, and you might make a significantly better mother than her."
"Possibly," said Ginny, "What's your point."
"I can never quite figure if Padma would be an excellent mother, or a better crazy aunt that lives next door and keeps a library, not a family."
"Maybe," said Ginny, "you make her sound like Luna's Mom."
Harry nodded, "and to what extent did your Mom raise Luna."
"Yes," said Ginny.
"If you were my wife," said Harry, "Will you be mother to all my children, regardless of what their last name might happen to be."
"Hmm," said Ginny.
"In exchange, I think Luna will run wild with them, and tutor them about plants and animals, and Padma will tutor them about books, and Parvati will make sure they know how to be presentable, (when there is actually a need to be presentable)."
"Yes, I see," said Ginny, "And you want them to run wild?"
"I want them all to have four or five parents to take care of them, and give them advice, and no one to give them unnecessary orders."
"You want them like Luna."
"Yes, or maybe more like Susan and Hanna," said Harry, "Luna knew there was food available at your mother's table, and that she didn't quite belong. I want my children to know they are welcome to food, but not thinking it's the most important thing, like Ron. That gentleness and friendship are important. That the only rules are 'don't hurt anyone', 'don't go outside the wards without permission', 'come to meals on time if you want to eat', and 'don't bother Padma if it doesn't require first aid', or whatever. Not the huge stacks and stacks of rules that I grew up with, that basically meant I didn't really have the right to exist. Or the huge stacks and stacks of chores that you and I both grew up with, which made us question if our families knew we weren't house-elves."
Ginny closed her eyes, "managing that impossible dream would require more house-elves than I hope you ever own or would bother to afford."
"That's what enchantments are for," said Harry, then rubbed his head, "I'd be surprised if there were never house-elves at Potter manor. But that doesn't mean they survived a decade and a half without a mage in the house."
Ginny nodded soberly.
"It's just a dream," said Harry, "reality never matches the vision that motivated one to try to change the world."
"But thank you for telling me what you want," said Ginny, "I might not agree with it, but now I at least know where to start thinking."
Harry nodded.
"How much would your ideal change," said Ginny, "If you knew for sure that you like cooking better than I do?"
Harry shrugged, "I don't know, I'll have to think about it."
"Good," said Ginny, and closed her eyes and returned to her slow, sliding grind.
"Even if I'm the one who does the cooking," said Harry, "You might still be the better one to teach how to speak respectfully and lovingly than I might be."
Ginny cracked her eyelids slightly to study him, then closed them again.
"Maybe," she said.
.
Harry came, and Ginny opened her eyes, Harry kissed her. She shivered, and moved his hand to her clit, and pressed it hard.
Harry rubbed. She slowed a little. "You don't need to stop," he said, "please don't stop enjoying yourself, just because I'm finished."
She smiled.
He rubbed faster and in slightly more random curves.
Her eyes and mouth clenched tight, around a whimper, and then she shook. Her eyes popped open. Harry kept rubbing until her shaking stopped, and kept rubbing until her throat relaxed and she started gasping for breath, "Thank you, Harry, you may stop now."
He smiled. She smiled. And then she relaxed and climbed off of him.
"I think I need a shower," said Ginny.
"Me too," said Luna.
"I'll come with you," said Susan.
"Likewise," said Harry.
They made their way into the bathroom.
.
There were not one but six curtain rods: some round, some square, some square with round corners. All with unusual looking hooks laying nearby. All of them laid out on the floor, none of them suspended around the showerhead.
Three witches with wands out arguing and explaining why none of the designs worked quite as intended, and what to do about it. And how to shape the track or the hooks or the supports differently so that things could slide or roll nice and easy.
"Is water going to hurt any of this?" said Ginny.
"No," said Hermione, "It's all conjured for planning reasons, none of it is real."
"Ok," said Ginny, "because we're all going to shower."
Parvati looked up, then spun away.
Padma looked, then glanced at Hermione.
Hermione glanced at her and then at the rest of them, and shrugged, "go ahead."
Padma grabbed her shoulder.
Hermione shook her off, and motioned to the whole room, "It's not like I'm not fluid bound to you all, I'm just not currently practising."
"That's not what I meant," said Padma.
"Do you know what a floor show is?" said Hermione.
"Not specifically," said Padma.
"It means I'm not going to look away unless asked," said Hermione.
"Exactly," said Susan and wandered over to stand beside her.
"What?" said Hermione.
Susan took Hermione's hand and made as much show of turning to face the shower as Padma was of trying to turn her away.
Padma glanced at her sister and back, "Is this an event that needs the family to bear witness to it?"
"No," said Harry, "it is several of us taking a shower, you're welcome to watch me or not. I haven't finished the runes, it will probably involve a lot of shivering, even after all the current runes are finished it will not be hot water."
"Harry, may I borrow your washing leather?" said Luna.
"Yes," said Harry and Ginny together.
Hermione blinked at them. Parvati walked out into the study room and closed the door.
"I still don't understand why you didn't just bring hot water over from the sink," said Padma.
"Probably because I'm not a plumber," said Harry, "So I didn't know how, or even think to wonder how."
Padma sighed, "I'll look into it over Christmas."
"Thank you," said Harry, "Um, on that topic, how many of us are going home for the hols?"
"I'm not," said Hermione.
"I am," said Ginny and Luna.
"We are," said Padma.
"Don't know yet," said Susan.
"Are any of you interested in hosting me, and optionally Draco."
"Interesting," said Luna.
"Yes, and certainly not," said Ginny.
"Why him?" said Padma.
"Because Draco invited him over two years ago, and he wants to return the favour before there's time for it to get any more awkward?" said Hermione.
"Because he needs protection," said Harry, "In theory Hogwarts is safe enough, in reality, it's not quite safe enough for real Christmas, and his house is even less safe."
Hermione's eyes went wide, "But he's a prefect."
Padma snorted, "and probably half of the people who make Hogwarts 'unsafe' for him are also."
Hermione shivered and turned to stare at Padma.
Padma nodded.
"Alright," said Hermione.
"I'll invite him over," said Luna, "And Ginny will have you over. And Susan, Sirius, and Tonks can floo over when they feel like it."
"Thank you, Luna," said Susan.
.
...-...
Associated Houses Defence Training
Rebekah looked up from her revising to see, not an heir and one of his friends, but a huge group, including at least three heirs. And if she didn't miss her guess, each of their seconds.
"Potter? What's going on?"
Harry took a deep breath, and stood up straight, "Rebekah, may I address you as Gamp for the duration of this meeting?"
Rebekah shivered, then nodded, "Yes."
"You probably know us all, but I'm going to introduce everyone to make sure: Neville Longbottom, and his second, Fey Dunbar. Susan Bones, and her seconds, Hanna Abbot and Earnest Macmillan. I'm Harry Potter, and my second about this is Padma Patil."
"Understood," said Rebekah, "Should I grab Tracy, or parchment to be writing my brother?"
"Whichever," said Harry, "Daphne and Draco also might be interested, but … hear us out before you decide. Who, when, and how you advise approaching them."
"Alright," she said and crossed her arms.
"It has come to our attention that since 1992, the board of governors have repeatedly blocked anyone from reforming anything resembling a duelling club."
"Ah," said Rebekah.
"However, there is no fencing club, nor a fencing professor, and yet it's a healthy and thriving part of the Hogwarts experience for as many students choose to invest their time in it."
"True," said Rebekah, she uncrossed her arms and looked between each of them.
"According to our research," said Harry, "this is based on, the fact that the Hogwarts charter precludes the administration from blocking Heads of Houses from providing their house members with whatever defence training they 'deem necessary'."
"As long as appropriate safety measures are enforced," agreed Rebekah.
"Exactly," said Harry, "and as long as those activities do not disrupt the regularly scheduled school activities."
Rebekah glanced at the fencing arena schedule book. Regardless of scheduled classes, the arena schedule stayed fairly full, which implied both that people skipped classes to use it. And that no one cared enough that it was happening to put a stop to it.
She shrugged, "which might or might not hold a lot of weight, depending on how the administration feels about whatever you get up to."
"Agreed," said Harry, "But they cannot entirely block us, without implementing either a much earlier curfew, or a homeroom type schedule."
His second nodded, and everyone else looked lost about what 'homeroom type schedule' meant.
"Which would require significantly more teachers, and negate the point of office hours."
"Ah," said Rebekah, "seems like an easy wager then."
"Exactly," said Harry, "And the rules strongly imply that Houses can, when it is convenient, band together to provide such training at lower cost, or higher reliability, etc."
Rebekah glanced around and grinned, "I think I like where this is going."
"Would you help us form an Associated Houses Defence Training program?"
Rebekah grinned, "I think, I'd love to. Who're the teachers."
"Harry and Susan," said Harry's second.
"To start with," said Rebekah, "and members who pass defence OWL with an O? And/or members who are accepted as competent by either a quorum of other association teachers? Or a quorum of agents of member houses?"
"Ugh," said Harry, "Probably, one of those, not sure which."
Rebekah nodded, "Each teacher may refuse to teach any student for breaking too many safety rules, but a quorum of teachers is required to bar a student from attending any more classes for the rest of the year."
"Hmm," said Harry.
"Makes sense," said Bones.
"What do you think an ideal venue would look like?"
"Biggest unused classroom, closest to the hospital wing," said Longbottom.
"Good," said Rebekah, "Prudent, are we planning on formalising the process of inviting and scheduling guest teachers. Maybe NEWT students who are not members, or any of our Professors."
"As long as it's all watertight," said Harry, "I'd like it if we could invite them."
Rebekah nodded, "Then … let's plan on invitations needing to be formalised, until or unless further research proves otherwise."
"Are you planning on only teaching defence skills, or also defence mindsets, such as security, teamwork, and discipline?"
"We think, that with the correct application of lawyers and diplomacy, operational security won't be necessary."
Rebekah nodded, "It's a nice idea, but … I would advise not counting on the general public or the board of governors to agree, and the board of governors have their own lawyers."
Harry nodded, "Worst case scenario, they get the charter changed, and the interested houses have to decide whether to attend school elsewhere, or put up with the cost of restricting our teaching regimen to the holidays."
Rebekah stared at the wall for several seconds, "from one extremely cut and dried perspective, yes, that is the worst-case scenario. Have you considered how bad the media campaign might need to get, for the Wizengamot or the board to go that far?"
Harry shrugged.
His second looked put out.
"But that's just it," hissed Longbottom, "we represent the Wizengamot, and by the time anything gets that far, hopefully, the Wizengamot will know that."
Rebekah grinned, "I know, but … just making sure you knew which side of the bread you're buttering before you go joggling the elbow of the status quo."
It was amazing how much Longbottom's statement seemed to have startled Harry.
She could let them sort that out later, "Alright," she said, "on the topic of the board of governors, and operational security, is it intentional that Smith and Malfoy are not here? Because they should either be first or last to know, depending on your strategy."
"I tried to get Smith, but he was busy," said Susan.
"Same," said Harry, "Malfoy has been preoccupied all year."
...-...
Minerva 'investigates'
Minerva turned the page in her enchanted staff schedule and saw a fairly unique entry just after the end of defence classes.
Nymphadora Tonks: Presenting, 'advanced shield charms' to 'Associated Houses' Defence Training,' and a classroom number Minerva did not recognise.
She consulted her floor plans of the castle.
Near the hospital wing, the last officially recorded use was August of 1859, when the school was rented for a week over the summer to host a Healer's convention, apparently about advances in muggle sleeping potions.
Whatever, lots of unused classrooms had very little history recorded about them since Hogwarts had stopped being a college as well as a school.
The more pressing concern was: What mischief was the new defence professor getting up to?
She turned to one of the other books that had come with the promotion to Deputy Headmistress. She was afraid to look up anything on the defence professor, so she looked up the audience: Associated Houses' Defence Training.
Another section-28 organisation, she could have guessed that from its name. It would be interesting to see whether this group was led by ravenclaws or slytherins.
If it was slytherins, it would have 2 to 16 members and last 1 to 8 years, if it was ravenclaws it would have 5 to 10 members and last 2 to 4 years. Unlike the last twelve section-28 organisations she'd seen, this one did not have a sponsoring professor. Which merely let her know that its founding members knew the difference between a club and a section-28 organisation.
She really should check in on it and make sure that no one, and especially not the defence professor thought they were getting anything past her.
But … better to alert Albus before she investigated. She took a pinch of floo powder and did the needful.
.
"Good Afternoon, Minerva, To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Are you aware of a new section-28 organisation operating out of the large healer classroom?"
"No?" said Albus, "but … I haven't seen the bottom of my internal inbox for several weeks."
"So if this was instigated by an heir, rather than a Head of House, you might not know about it yet?"
"Yes."
"Alright," said Minerva, "Well, I think I'll visit the meeting they have scheduled this evening, and see what they're up to, test if and how vehemently they choose to expel me."
"I could have Severus do the needful if you'd rather."
Minerva shrugged, "That may tell us more about the personalities of the participants than the tenor of their organisation."
Albus frowned, "Flitwick then," he shrugged, "or just put both of them on call before you go in."
"Given the proximity to the infirmary, I think I should be fine."
Albus shrugged, "suit yourself."
.
Minerva soon found herself outside the hospital wing looking around and counting doors.
Severus approached with a bemused expression on his face.
"What are you up to Severus?" said Minerva.
"Albus just sent me to 'back you up,' something about remaining discreet and letting you do the talking, but also not letting you come to harm."
Minerva raised an eyebrow.
Severus raised an eyebrow then glanced away, and without drawing a wand, vanished.
"Oh," she said. It didn't seem like his preferred disillusionment charm.
"Feel free to tell me any plans you wish me to be aware of," he said.
"Just fact-finding at the moment," said Minerva, "This door I think," she pushed it open, it wasn't locked.
The room inside was in absolute chaos. Hexes flying and shield charms of at least four types interposing. Some the more stable more solid long use types, Some blinking into and out of existence, as the casters practised channelling only enough magic into them to block the needful, and to conserve energy by not keeping them raised a moment longer than required. Today's lesson must have been specifically about that. No one except professional duellists and hit wizards actually used that technique. No one else expected to be in fights that would last long enough for energy conservation to matter. Better to train hard and hone your edge until you could survive a 5 to 12 minute battle than worry about whether exhaustion would find you at 6 minutes or at 3 hours. Or that's what the veterans told her in Auror training, almost a century ago. And both wizard wars she'd lived through or seen memories from somewhat bore that out. On the other hand, gauging the power required to deflect incoming spells was just one more way to trick the auror candidate's mind into doing an actually accurate analysis of what kind of spell it was and therefore what kind of shield to use.
Also, there was the whole thing about continually practising one's skill to survive 5 minutes of skilful onslaught had a way of improving other parts of one's constitution and staying power. And…
Before she could get her bearings, Harry Potter stepped out of the mess and addressed them, "Hello, Professors," he said, "Do come in, you're welcome to offer advice."
"Hmm," said Minerva and stepped inside, leaving room for Severus to follow her through the door.
"Care to explain?" said Minerva.
"Oh, there were several requests for additional tutoring, it was our duty to arrange for something, it really was."
I know what a section-28 organisation is, thought Minerva, what I want to know is whose idea, who is in charge, and how there are … 120 students here. That's almost a quarter of the student population. Mostly I want to know how long a siege to tell Poppy to prepare for.
Harry gave her another searching look, then glanced away, "Just a moment, Prefect Patil Padma can explain it better, let me get her for you."
"Wait!"
But Harry was darting away through the milling crowd. Finally, she spotted someone who wasn't in Hogwarts student uniform. "Professor Tonks!" she bellowed.
The Defence Professor grinned at her and cantered over, "Isn't it glorious," she said, "I'm glad you could come."
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Oh, don't look at me like that, I'm just a guest today, I didn't realise you were scheduled for today also, I wouldn't have prepared so much material."
"I wasn't invited," said Minerva.
The Defence Professor frowned, "Then should you really be here? It's not like —"
"I'm the Deputy Headmistress."
"Yes, but this is not a Hogwarts function."
"Hark! Time's up. Wands away," bellowed Miss Patil, "Heirs, forward! Families, line up by House!"
The motion which had barely paused, restarted just as quickly, but instead of chaos for the sake of chaos with scores of taunts and hexes flying and shields blinking in and out of existence, there was a quiet hurried bustle, and then neat ordered columns. Every line with an heir of a house or great house at the front.
There were muggle-borns everywhere, but only a few seemed at all confused about where they should line up.
Interesting.
If anything it was the blood traitors that had more trouble deciding where they belonged. Unfortunately … the Weasleys weren't such a group.
"Hurry it up!" barked Miss Patil, "Eddie, you're up."
Heir Carmichael stepped to the front and pulled out a notebook, and started calling roll, two names at a time, and they'd call numbers back, usually agreeing, sometimes arguing a little.
Miss Patil jogged toward the line of students behind Potter, but he tapped her shoulder and pointed her towards Minerva.
They talked for a moment, then she jogged over, "Hello Professor, Welcome. Lord Potter assigned me to give you an overview or just answer your questions, depending on how much time you have."
"Let's start with, 'who authorised this?'"
"The heirs of several Houses, according to section-28 of the Charter of Hogwarts, Rights and Duties of Pureblood Houses with regards to the Defence of the Realm, to bring the charter into compliance with the Wizengamot - Ministry treaty of alliance, 1710."
They'd drilled her in that part well enough, they usually did.
"Who's in charge?"
"Technically all the heirs that chose to pool their resources, but in reality, they're mostly deferring to Lord Harry and Heir Bones, with Heir Carmichael for secretary, and me for sergeant and timekeeper. We're hoping to get a few more up to scratch with healing spells, but … that is unfortunately not as clearly in the purview of what they're allowed to teach us according to the charter, we can only invite students with knowledge of healing, we cannot ask them to train anyone else."
So it wasn't a ravenclaw or a slytherin, it was a gryffindor and a hufflepuff, with two friendly ravenclaws to spout facts and keep figures. Hmm.
Still, it was interesting that Harry hadn't chosen to deliver the 'section-28 line' himself.
"So this is not safe?" said Minerva, keeping her smirk hidden.
"Not as safe as it could be if there had been a more modern perspective on the healing arts in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries," said Padma, "But as it is, we can still teach the dangerous spells, but only for target practice. And only use the easy-to-counter jinxes and hexes for duelling strategy practice."
"I see."
"Also we chose a classroom based on size and proximity to the hospital wing."
"Hmm, and whose idea was this?"
"Basically everyone who saw Harry fight in the tournament last year wanted to learn how he thinks about situation assessment and defence. A few of us for longer than that."
"How much longer?"
Miss Patil shrugged, "he and Miss Granger kept us safe from the incompetence of Gilderoy Lockhart and Hagrid. We picked up a few things just being in the same classes as them, but most of the others never saw him first-hand until the tournament."
"I see, And what is the name of this group?"
"Defence Association," said Padma, "there have been a few less bland names suggested but nothing has been popular enough to carry a change."
So if it came to it, she might be able to trip them up, for not knowing how they'd registered themselves. Not that she'd want to, given what she'd seen so far.
"I see," said Minerva. She looked around again. The defence professor was lecturing again, and somehow mostly picking 'volunteers' from Harry's group. That was, generally a bad move. But perhaps she was aiming to not be invited back.
Then again, Hermione seemed to be proficient at casting the buckler charm already. And perhaps none of the sixth years would be learning it until later in the year. So maybe it was a well-calculated move.
"It seems a fairly even mix of the four houses," said Minerva.
"Yes, Professor," said Padma.
"Hmm, Carry on then."
Padma looked around, "I think I'm to stay here and answer your questions until I'm needed elsewhere."
"Ah," said Minerva.
So she kept quiet so that Padma would be able to hear the lecture, and made her own assessment of what was being taught.
It was apparent, to Minerva at least, that the Professor was cribbing more than a bit from auror training lectures on her current subject.
Regarding some of the charms at least, not much had changed in 80 years. Regarding others, the theory had advanced, even if the practical considerations had not changed at all.
And yet … she seemed to be tailoring to her audience. Mostly third through sixth years with a smattering of seventh years.
More evidence that this was a product of Harry's extended network, and not a NEWT or OWL study group intensive.
What happened when a student as famous as Harry agreed to tutor for free, rather than when he chose to hire a tutor.
"Between two and a half years," said Minerva, "to four years."
"What?" said Padma.
"I was offering a wager to a friend," said Minerva.
"No bet," said Severus, "but thank you for advising me where the smart money is."
Minerva snorted.
Padma spun around and turned invisible, when she returned to visibility she was smirking, and just dropping her hand, as if she'd been shaking hands … or saluting.
"Severus?"
"Yes?"
"Dare I ask?"
"Care to show us your left wrist?" said Severus.
Padma showed them her left wrist. She also smirked and blushed.
"Why, Professor? Would you care to show us yours?" she said. And stared down into the middle distance in front of where Severus must be standing.
Then shrugged, nodded, and turned away.
"Was that entirely necessary?" said Minerva.
"Was betting on the duration of your pets' projects?"
Minerva shrugged, "allow me my little amusements."
"Allow me my own," he said.
"Yes, well," she said, "I think I'm done here."
Padma looked up at Severus, she seemed to talk to him but no sound came out of her mouth.
Padma smiled and nodded, and looked away.
After another minute she seemed entirely focused on the lecture.
Minerva turned and made her way to the door.
When the door had closed behind her, Severus reappeared.
"Somehow," said Severus, "I'm suddenly much more hopeful about the future of Britain."
Minerva turned to stare, "Who are you and where did you put Professor Snape?"
Severus smirked his impossible smirk at her, "I haven't gone anywhere," said Severus, "did I let my mask slip? I apologise."
Minerva doubted the defence professor knew Severus well enough to make that face. "Why do you hate gryffindors?"
"Early and thorough conditioning by Sirius Black and James Potter, why do you hate slytherins?"
"I don't," said Minerva.
Severus nodded, "And a broken wrist during your first quidditch game, are we done with this?"
"No," said Minerva, "I don't trust the defence professor."
"Of course not," said Severus, "But shouldn't you ask these things when we first meet, and before you let me behind your back, not when we part ways?"
"Technically yes," said Minerva, "And I was mildly willing to overlook the experiments with variations on the disillusionment charm, but the … dare I call it flirting with the youngest ravenclaw prefect didn't seem in character."
"I wasn't flirting with her," said Severus, "She was flirting with me, and I was calling her bluff."
"Is that what they call it now?"
"Hmm?"
"What was she trying to accomplish?"
"Encourage me to feel goodwill towards Harry Potter's organisation."
"Should I be concerned?"
"Very," said Severus, "a dark lord was to have marked someone as an equal."
"True," Minerva shuddered and looked away.
Severus stretched and picked up his wrist to examine it.
She hadn't seen him do that since Order meetings, never in the middle of the hall.
"What?" she said.
He tilted his wrist so she could see it. Blank.
She'd heard him mention that it had faded gradually throughout '82, and she'd heard but she thought
"Is the war over?" said Minerva, "I thought … but what about the rumours that …"
"No," said Severus, "The war is not over. There's a rival around, stealing death eaters, or trying."
"Harry?"
Severus smirked.
"Marking students?"
"Well of course," said Severus, "though rumour says he stopped that once he learned that they aren't permanent if he doesn't wait for them to be of age."
"Why didn't you tell me?" said Minerva, and glanced back at the classroom door, behind which something violent was going on.
"Because," said Severus, "There's nothing for you to do."
"But … are they in there?"
"They are training all comers, in a calculated manoeuvre to provide themselves cover to train themselves."
"Um?" said Minerva.
"Think about it," said Severus, "that meeting was full of muggle-borns and half-bloods even if heirs of great houses are parading to the front, and in doing so, they teach the muggle-borns and half-bloods enough about the traditional parade etiquette that the traditionalists of all social classes, and all political classes, inside and outside of the death eaters will find nothing to object to. All of them will be equipped to protect themselves from death eaters, all while forcing those death eaters that are not hypocrites, to have no justification for attacking them. Basically, he's stealing the dark lord's thunder, doing his best to beat him at his own game, and multiple adjacent games that the dark lord never invested time in."
"Um?"
"If Harry is to become Britain's next blue lord, I welcome it. The only thing I find objectionable about his regime so far, is his last name."
You don't exactly have a stellar track record of betting on winning horses. Or even at spotting unobjectionable regimes.
"You use his first name?"
"In private," said Severus, "not at all something I'd try with Tom."
"He … you … what?"
Severus raised an eyebrow, "I can oblviate you if you wish, but I'm sure you'd rather go find some Ogden's."
"No," said Minerva, "Just … let me think."
She turned and stared at the closed classroom door, "And Susan Bones is helping him."
"And several ravenclaws and slytherins," said Severus, "Draco and Neville were in there. I noticed that Nott's and Gamp's lineup had enough muggle-borns to make the lines even. I wonder if that was entirely aesthetic or if it indicates where things are really going."
"Neither of those surprises me," said Minerva, "the groups of freeborn behind Zabini and Finch-Fletchly are …"
"Good point," said Severus, "I also wonder what that means, I haven't heard that Zabini's house has moved to Britain. And Finch-Fletchley is definitely a muggle-born."
...-...
Nightmare
Sher woke to Ginny restlessly trying to snuggle between Lightfoot's side and his own.
She was trembling. At least he didn't think she was cold enough to be shivering, but it was hard to tell from inside a fur coat.
He shifted human.
"Ginny, are you alright?" he asked.
"Bad dream," she said.
"Need another blanket?" he asked.
"No, maybe one fewer," she said, "very vivid."
"Ah, maybe," he said.
"What was it about?" yawned Padma.
"A king, except, it seemed like I knew him," Ginny said, "walking along a rocky riverbank, there was red coral in the river, and a rose garden on the bank, except that it's winter right now of course so all the roses were dead. And there was ice along the riverbank, though the river itself hadn't frozen yet. And the dried petals were blowing around on the snow."
Parvati shifted human and stared at her, "What else?"
"He was complaining about how a battle had gone, but it was just small talk to have something to say. Then his general or adviser or something arrived, and he handed him a crown, and another soldier arrived carrying two shields, he gave one to the general and one to the king, but the king wouldn't take it, and in the process of the argument with the general also trying to make the king take a shield, the king's fancy sword with Juniper berries, also gets handed to the soldier, and then suddenly it's just the soldier and a shield and a sword, and the rose garden."
Parvati shuddered, "anything else?"
Ginny shrugged, "There was music, sad at first, then angry, during the complaining and advice, then during the argument, um the market music from The Hopping Pot play, then, when everything is gone except the roses and the sword, it's nicer music, then the soldier walks out of the roses into a grape orchard, and the sword isn't so heavy for him anymore, and … floats along beside him or behind him, like a broom, so does his helmet and other armour and things."
Parvati sighed, "well that's something at least."
"You know what it means?"
"It means, your father will die of blood loss, and you'll end up with Harry instead."
"WHAT?" exclaimed Ginny.
Parvati shrugged.
"How?"
So Parvati explained: King meant father; River and dead roses meant death, especially of a loved one; coral and rose petals meant blood; the sword with Juniper berries, meant Ginevra, her personality and her name; the soldier that wanted to help shield everyone, and held up Ginny when no one else could, was Harry.
"Did he cross the river?" said Luna.
"What?"
"Did the king cross the river, or only walk near it."
"Walked along the path, it came close to the edge of the river twice, then stayed near it for a while, then went away to meet the general."
"Then," said Luna, "once means once, three times means forever, twice means either exactly twice or very many times, but not forever, your father won't die of blood loss. But … telling him that might make him not take proper care of himself." She shrugged.
"Hmm," said Padma.
"Oh," said Ginny and slumped, mostly against Harry. He rubbed her back.
Parvati looked both annoyed to be contradicted and relieved by the hope that she'd been wrong on that point.
"So … I should warn him of something? But what?"
"Yes," said Harry, "There's floo powder on the mantel, call home, make sure everyone is alright, warn them as much as you feel comfortable talking about."
"Alright," said Ginny, "How soon will all this happen?"
"During winter," said Parvati, "While there's snow."
"Ugh," said Ginny.
"And get prepared for Bill to sell you to Harry," said Luna.
"Hmm," said Ginny, "you think the General was Bill? "
"Bill or your Mum," said Luna, "I think Bill."
"Who inherits headship of your family, should your Father die?" said Parvati.
Ginny shrugged, "inherits which part, yeah … that's probably Bill." She turned back to Luna, "And you think Bill will sell me? Sell? Because of the market music? "
Luna nodded, then shrugged.
Ginny turned to stare at Harry, "Would you buy me like that?"
"I'd buy you for any price I could afford," said Harry, "and I'd help increase the protections on The Burrow in any way Bill or your father asked me to. I wouldn't charge more than materials, if that much."
She stared at him for several more seconds, then turned towards the fireplace to find the box of floo powder.
.
Parvati shrugged and lay back. Harry did also and realized that Luna was shuddering.
He pulled her close, "You alright?" he said.
"No," she said, "I … I'm going to … to shower." She went away. He stared after her. Mostly because he was already facing that way, and they always left the bathroom door ajar now for a nightlight.
Luna took a long time to start the water, but when she did and the chattering of her teeth rapidly slowed into contented sighs, he knew something was up: Barely not-freezing water did not still chattering teeth. Unless it wasn't cold that was bothering her, but … memories of disturbing amounts of blood? Had she dreamed also? Or listening to the dream and interpretation given her flashbacks?
He got up and went to her. She hadn't closed the shower curtain, and she wasn't using the safety shower, she'd pushed one of his pet door patches up around a sink faucet, and affixed the other half of the pair to the rim of the showerhead. Now there was plenty of hot water, but it was just a faucet stream, not a shower spray. She looked up, smiled, and gave an inviting wave.
"Thank you for solving that problem," he said, "It's alright, enjoy yourself, I'll take my shower in the morning."
She shrugged and closed her eyes again.
"I don't need you wet," she said, "I just … please stay and watch me."
"Was that a horniness request or a company request?"
"Company," she said, "I'll want snuggles again when I'm done, but Parvati will too, Ginny won't until she decides what she believes, and then it will be too late."
...-...
Yule plans
"Heya Kitten," Sirius answered the floo, "What's up?"
"You haven't written back, also a lot has changed, so I'm calling. Do you have plans for me this hols, or should I stay here?"
"I'd like to see you," said Sirius, "I've drawn rowdy patrol duty this year, so I'll be … scarce on the holiday evenings, but … by the same token, I should be available mornings. And I've invited Moony, so he might be around some also. I was thinking Christmas morning at the Tonks'. Care to join me?"
"Sounds fine."
"Fine?"
"Fine."
"What else were you hoping I'd say? Do you want gift ideas for everyone?"
"That would be nice," agreed Harry, "Or else advice: There were schemes in the works earlier for me to crash Yule at the Weasleys and the Patils for Christmas, or the reverse, but … now things have gone wrong, so …"
"So …" Sirius nodded, "What do you want?"
"I want to visit to help and comfort, maybe drop off presents, and then get the hell out, not impose for holiday cheer which they might not feel like at all."
Sirius nodded, "Knowing Molly, she'll be cooking up a storm, in order to hide in a space where she has complete control." He closed his eyes, "Like most blood traitors, (and yours truly), The Weasleys don't 'celebrate' Yule as a Holiday, we just keep the seasonal spirit of hospitality.
"So here's what we do: we stop by early afternoon on the 21st (even though the solstice is on the 22nd this year) to drop off Firewhisky and a ham of beef, unless you're more partial to tenderloin or ham of pork, maybe presents if you have any, without once referencing the date or the solstice. In return Molly will insist on feeding us to bursting with whatever is already on the sideboard, then we waddle around the backyard admiring the snow on the apple trees, or play a bit of pick-up quidditch, then we leave, citing my duties at work. A couple of days later Molly will realise that we tricked her into celebrating a degenerate form of yule with our degenerate selves and have a good chuckle."
"Sounds good," said Harry, "Do we have any idea if Mr. Weasley is going to pull through?"
Sirius clenched his teeth, "No, we do not, but it's looking more possible every day. Why?"
"Do we also drop off a marriage contract signed on our side to see what happens, or do we wait until he is recovered and can negotiate from a position of power and equality?"
Sirius' eyes widened, then nodded, "Come home on the train, bring all your contracts, we're going to go over all of them together with a fine-tooth comb, and then we're going to visit Arthur, in hospital if need be, and make sure he understands: He doesn't need to sign, but he needs to know that he has the option of instructing Molly or Bill to do so at any point, and can stop worrying about the future of at least one child."
Harry nodded, "Is that going to be fast enough?"
"What?"
"Classes are over tomorrow," said Harry, "I could floo over right then, or right now."
Sirius shook his head, "they say they've got the venom neutralised enough it's not causing further organ damage, just nothing is clotting properly. Come home on the express. If that is too horribly boring, floo to the Tonks' house before mid-afternoon, so they don't run out to pick you up."
"Alright," said Harry, "Yes, Sir."
Sirius nodded. Then paused, "No, wait. Little Tonks is there with you, coordinate with her, do whatever she says."
"Anything except take off my clothes," muttered Harry.
Sirius raised an eyebrow, "like you wouldn't if she asked."
Harry shrugged, "Not at school anyway, too many kinds of conflict of interest type accusations could be made."
Sirius shrugged, "That never stopped Narcissa or I, but do what you want."
"I didn't want to know that about Narcissa," said Harry, "knowing Nim is bad enough."
Sirius nodded, "Nim is very active, but she wasn't known for sleeping with school teachers."
"Oh," said Harry.
...-...
{End Chapter 17}
