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Chap. 68: What Lies Ahead

Over breakfast, Sirius, whose house was cleaned and mostly packed away now with a lot of the furniture covered by sheets and wards prepared to lock up the house from anyone except he, Harry, or Remus for the rest of the school term, asked a question that broke Harry from his troubled, if pleased thoughts. "So what're you doing over the next few months, Miss Delacour?"

Fleur, who had been quite happy to meet Sirius (who had himself been the perfect gentleman as far as Harry knew, and almost completely able to resist whatever charm she used against him a few days before), smiled benignly at the older wizard, "I will be sztaying at 'Arry's 'ome, if 'e permits me, I theenk. Someone must stay zhere and finish zhe preparations. I steel work at Gringott's during ze day, of courze, as well."

"Of course you can, Fleur," he told her seriously, "It's... your home, too, after all."

"Zhank you, 'Arry," she beamed at him, and he felt a foot slide up the inside of his thigh teasingly, no doubt from her if her wink was any sign. "After zhat, when ze 'ouse is fully ready for residents, I will leave Gringott's, and stay zhere full-time. Someone must also keep it up, you see."

Sirius nodded thoughtfully, "I'm still kind of annoyed you won't show it to me, Pup, but I guess I can't blame you wanting to keep it a surprise for now. What's on the agenda for you two?"

Hermione glanced at Harry, shrugged, then looked over at Sirius as she finished off her tea, her plate just as empty as Harry's now, "School, of course, but beyond that I'm not sure. We still need to find Vicky and see if there's a way to get Isabella Ross from Draco's clutches, but I'm starting to doubt that's feasible anymore."

"I'm surprised Dumbledore didn't find him over the holidays," the older wizard groused, "Since he told us that it'd be easier with fewer students in the castle."

"There's got to be a reason," Harry told him diplomatically, "we'll just have to see. I'll ask first chance I get. Come on, Hermione, Lilith, we should get ready to go. You should finish packing too, Padfoot. Train's leaving in an hour."

They had been sitting at the table for more than two hours, since Harry had been forced to explain what all the letters had been about.

He kept only Mr. Greengrass' to himself, for now. Fleur and Sirius didn't need to worry about it, there was nothing they could do, anyway. Not yet.

There was something Fleur could do about another matter, though. He looked over at her, grinned, and said, "Hey, Fleur? If you get bored, I have something that needs doing. You'd be good to take the lead on this little project of mine... if you're interested. I'll talk to you more about it in a letter. Probably write it on the train, if I can get time, or in the next couple of days after getting back to Hogwarts."

"Of course, 'Arry," she smiled, the foot on his crotch rubbing a little more firmly, then withdrawing down his leg before she stood, her wand causing the long-empty dishes to move toward the sink and begin washing themselves. "Anyzhing you need."

"You are certain," Voldemort hissed, his usual black robes closing about his person as if formed from shadows themselves, as he pushed away the eager mouths that had been on his cock. Theodore Nott Sr. nodded, gesturing once more to the image in the old book he had brought from his family's library. The creature carefully drawn within did indeed match the descriptions of the woman who had fought alongside his nemesis at the train station weeks before. If the descriptions and more crude drawings the three surviving Death Eaters who had seen it were to be believed, it did indeed look very much like the creature shown in ink.

Voldemort read the ancient words carefully, for even he occasionally struggled with English so old it could barely be called that, which was scattered with more ancient Germanic and Latin than his own native tongue. But he was hardly inexperienced at doing just that, so it did not take him more than a few minutes to understand the basic incantations, the binding rituals, and move from there to contemplating the usefulness of such a creature.

It would be, almost by its nature, better than any human at pleasing him, for example.

Voldemort allowed himself to imagine it for a few moments. Not just one, but three or more of these otherworldly beings, entirely devoted to his rapture, able to please him more deeply and constantly than any human.

Then he scowled, and looked at the women he had already pushed away. "Out." Then, at every single Death Eater in the room. He named them, for the most part, sparing only three, and then repeated the command.

Once his throne room was much more empty, he stood, taking hold of the floating book with one hand, and using his wand to conjure a table and chairs, just large enough for five people. His own seat, of course, was more ornate and comfortable, but he gestured with a benign smile, "Sit, my friends. We have much to discuss. You three... this is the creature you saw, correct?"

"N- Not that creature, My Lord," the sole female in the room, a rather attractive specimen he'd never bothered with before aside from her skill with a wand and whose name he did not know, said quietly, "But one of the same kind. I'm certain of it. This one looks like it had... lighter colored plates, but the one we saw was darker, almost purple. Same shape and form, tails, horns, wings."

"A Succubus, then."

The owner of the book, Theodore Nott Sr., nodded grimly. "As you know, My Lord, my family has had a history with summoning creatures from other realms. My great-great-grandfather penned this work. It was said he died in the embrace of that creature he sketched, but only after learning a fair bit about what they could do. This is, I believe, the definitive work on the subject."

"I see," Voldemort hissed, and scanned through the pages a little more quickly, listing off a few of the being's known abilities. "Translocation through a means that is not Apparition... Creating fire in the hands, much like a transformed Veela. Interesting. Invisibility, flight, inducing... arousal. Emotional manipulation. Most interesting indeed."

What Voldemort did not mention to his underlings was a sudden new, sneaking suspicion that he had fallen prey to that very thing. His own much-compounded lust had been nearly a thing of the past. His current body should not have even been capable of feeling it. He'd wondered at the time... Now he knew.

It was because of this new piece on the board, the one Potter had apparently summoned and bound to his service. Through their connection, one that Voldemort had been trying to use for a year now, that it had begun to affect him, instead. He scowled, even as his needy loins began to cry out for more attention.

"On your knees," he hissed to the woman, "You will get your reward now. I must think on this. Nott, you have done well. Your offspring continues to grow in strength. Soon, you will both be rewarded greatly. Until then, thank you for... loaning me this book. I shall read it with great interest."

The woman was already sucking on him beneath the table, which did at least cause a little relief. It was annoying, he decided, that even though he now knew where the feelings and desires were coming from, he felt powerless to stop them.

It wasn't as if he really wanted to, of course. No... he simply wanted Potter dead. After that, his immortality would be secure, and he would have access to all the world's pleasures without fear of repercussions. But how to go about removing the creature? He needed more information, but if what he'd seen while skimming the pages was true, the thing would be difficult, if not impossible, to destroy by normal means. Wounded, yes. Killed, not so much.

And while their primary purpose was pleasure, he could see with ease how a creature like that would be useful in combat. Deadly, even. In fact... he'd seen evidence of it, at the end of the last school year.

Voldemort frowned. The burns and slash marks on the Carrow siblings, for example. She, the Succubus that Potter had summoned, had been with him at least then. Yes, the timing fit. No doubt, at some point he would have to summon at least one of his own, if only to counter Potter's. Unless there was some method to strip her from his possession, take her for himself. Killing her would be an option, of course, but as loathe as Voldemort was to admit Harry Potter was anything akin to a capable wizard, if he had summoned a demon at the age of fifteen, then he could do so now at sixteen.

Demonology was hardly a safe art, true, which was why precious few families had any books on the subject at all. That Nott had been able to recognize the creature based on descriptions alone spoke highly of his family's expertise in the matter. Being able to provide a tome detailing the creatures' known abilities and powers was even more useful. Yes, he would be rewarding Nott. The risks for himself, though... even he had rarely done such things. Extra-planar creatures had been used in a few of the rituals that had gained him great power before his first body was destroyed, but the knowledge that even he could be subverted to the lesser being's will was an ever-present thing in his mind, gnawing at him with self-doubt every time he had to turn to one for aid.

A Succubus, considerably more powerful than the lesser demons he had brought to this world years before, would pose a greater threat... unless he were able to command her as Potter did his. Yes... he would have to use a few powerful divinations to find out exactly what Potter had done to bind her. It would take him some time, not least of which to pierce the veils of time and Hogwarts' protections, but he knew how it would be done already. And time was something Lord Voldemort hat plenty of. After all, he was already immortal.

Only one method could possibly kill him, and only the old fool Slughorn had any idea exactly how protected he was. Voldemort's lips twisted into a rictus grin as the female Death Eater suckled on him harder. Yes... he would pay a dear price if that information got out. He was already going to die, for having openly sided with Dumbledore. But Voldemort knew his cowardice would prevent him from telling the old mage what he knew. Just in case, though, he needed to be removed, and quickly.

He would tolerate no threat to his safety. So before even Potter, Horace Slughorn had to die.

"Turn," he hissed downward, "hike up your robes, but stay beneath the table like a dog in heat. Yes, that's it... I can sense you are prepared to be claimed by your master..."

Harry and his friends, now including the Weasley siblings, Molly, Arthur, Charlie, and the group of strays that had spent the entire holiday at the Burrow because of the attack, surveyed Platform 9 3/4 carefully as they stepped, one after another, out of either the Floo or apparition. Harry and Lyra alone had come via Shadowstep, appearing a moment before Hermione and then Sirius had stepped from his home's Floo connection into the central London station. He could see no outward signs of damage from the attack three and a half weeks ago, but the evidence of it was still everywhere.

The crowd was significantly smaller, for one thing. The final death toll was counted at ninety-seven souls, counting four Death Eaters, five Giants, and one Dragon. Because of the lost, family and friends that might have seen them off were not present, too.

Some, he thought might be Apparating or taking the Floo to Hogwarts' gates, or Hogsmeade and arriving from there.

But there were still signs of the attack, even if there was no visible damage.

Aurors in their magenta and gray robes lined the platform, more than thirty that Harry could see, and looking past the repaired scarlet steam-engine showed him more going down the tracks, too. The Daily Prophet got it right, then, he thought grimly, the Auror presence is pretty strong. Let's hope it's enough if they do try anything. Don't think they will, though... he'll come at us a different way, next time.

That was the problem with being on the defense, Harry knew. It was why he wanted to be the one attacking the Death Eaters and Voldemort. Reacting always hurt.

But there was nothing he could do for now, Lilith had been right at the Burrow. The army he needed at his back was not ready. He might be getting close himself, but they weren't nearly as prepared. Still, Harry saw signs they were moving in that direction as he looked around the platform, winding through the thin crowd. Neville and Hannah's eyes, grim as his own, hard, flanked Susan Bones, who looked nervous but wore a steely expression as she met his eyes, nodded once, and kept moving onto the train. Katie Bell, weeping as she wheeled her trunk and cat's carrier on a trolley at the fringes of the crowd the Weasleys had brought, but determined still. Lavender, Parvati, and Padma, all arriving together, who fell in behind the Weasleys without a word, offering silent support for the orphaned children that followed them.

The Slytherin contingent, all of them he still trusted, arrived together from the left-most Floo, wands drawn in one hand, and shrunken trunks floating behind them. Even Astoria looked angry still, her too-young eyes sweeping the crowd for any threat. Harry met Tracey's eyes first, but she vanished behind moving families, hurrying to get onto the relative safety of the train. Astoria saw him next, and he raised a hand, beckoning them to join his group. He watched the smaller blonde point him out to the others, and without question they joined the group, but still kept their wands out. At least, he noted, they were watching everyone else, not his own growing cluster.

But no one gave them any problems this time, even if a few others sent them nervous looks, and other Slytherins glares instead.

The Carrow twins, who he'd briefly met at Millicent's and then again at Slughorn's Christmas party, moved to the opposite side of the group together, keeping an outer perimeter in open defiance of expectation. "Ron, Ginny," he asked softly, "Go join the Carrows, would you? Back them up if there's trouble."

"Huh? Oh, sure, Harry," Ron murmured, slowing slightly to push his way through the orphans they surrounded with his younger sister in tow. Harry himself grinned. A few months ago, Ron would've protested protecting any Slytherin, especially two he didn't know well at all.

He had probably seen them at the Platform, if only briefly, before the fighting. Harry would've expected him to assume (wrongly) that they had left before the attack on purpose. But he still went to protect them, and as he took up a position in front of them with Ginny behind, one of the twins looked over the shorter students between them at Harry, obviously confused.

He smiled back, mouthed, "Backup," and went back to scanning the crowd.

Dean was not there, as far as he could see. He'd been at the Burrow for three days, according to Ron, but then been sent along to his family. No one had heard from him since. Harry resolved to encourage Neville either to spend more time in the quarters- Slytherins or not- or he, Harry, would have to spend more time in the dorms himself. Neville would be alone, after all, if both he and Ron were occupied of an evening.

Then again, now the only sixth-year boys that would be staying in the dormitory assigned to them had Runes, and were part of Harry's inner circle of friends, so maybe it would become an alternate trysting spot. Maybe riskier than the quarters, but still available.

He saw more familiar faces, both friendly and not, before they had crossed the platform. He and Hermione, without discussion, joined Arthur and Molly, Sirius, and Remus who had arrived a moment before, at the doors while the students in their care moved onto the train one after the other. Molly made it a point to hug each one, encouraging them to write if they could, and sent them on their way.

By the time he and Ron were the last ones, she pulled them both into a tight embrace at the same time, "Be safe, my boys. Keep your sister safe, too."

"We will, Mum," Ron muttered, clearly embarrassed.

Harry didn't mind. Even in public, he was happy to be shown affection these days. He hugged her back, then pulled away in time for Arthur to steal one before Sirius and then Remus could.

"Be safe, Kiddo," Sirius muttered, "I'll see you in the Great Hall."

Harry nodded, and reminded himself that even if Sirius was only teaching DADA to the younger years, he was still available just to talk outside of class hours. He hadn't seen nearly enough of his godfather. "We'll meet you there."

A few short minutes later, the last of the students were onboard, and the train started moving ten minutes early. If nothing else, perhaps the slight change in schedule would keep another attack from finding them.

When Harry, his own trunk shrunken in his pocket and wand still in hand stepped into the train-car's corridor, he did not expect what he saw. His closest friends, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, were vanishing into the compartment at the farthest end, the slender red-head giving him a sultry smile and a wave as she vanished with her brother and best friend. That wasn't all that unusual. What surprised him was everyone else who had joined their group, the Slytherins including the now seventh-year Carrow twins, Katie, Lavender, Parvati and Padma Patil, Hannah Abbot, and Susan Bones all standing against the outer wall in some reasonable facsimile of 'attention'. Then, almost as if they had rehearsed it, every single one of that group's wands came up to their brow, which lowered in a shallow bow.

Harry felt his face heat and darken suddenly, but the moment passed quickly as he remembered that, at least this time, they had fought beside him. This was not the mindless hero-worship that he was so used to seeing. This was eleven people who had been attacked, and chosen to fight back, just as he had. He and they had shed blood together, spilled it together too, in most cases. They were comrades at arms, giving respect to the one who had stepped up and taken the lead.

Harry Potter was not a person who enjoyed attention. He did not enjoy this. But he found, as he analyzed his own feelings, that he could respect it. Disregarding how these young witches and wizards felt would be imposing his own wishes and will on them, and telling them they had no right to feel how they did. Foolish, he concluded, before forcing his face to smile faintly. He tried to imitate the salute-like gesture, feeling awkward and clumsy while he did so, but each and every one of them were watching him closely, and when Harry raised his head, they were smiling, too.

Even Cassius Warrington, who was stern and disapproving of expression most of the time, was smiling, if a bit grimly.

"So, what's this all about, then?"

Pansy, the nearest one to him, glanced down the hall at her peers, then looked back to him and said quietly, "It's a... well, an Auror's salute. It's meant to honor someone who fell in battle, or who risked their life to save someone else."

Harry thought about the words for a few seconds, tried his best to truly understand what they were saying. The second seemed more easily understood, for he definitely had been put in peril during that attack, when he could have fled with Lilith. The same applied to each of them, in return. But it also seemed to Harry, as he thought about it, that in a way he had died for his friends. He'd certainly been willing to, but it was more than that. As if his old self was gone, replaced now with something new.

The him that now felt emotions quite as strongly as before, according to Lilith, who'd only kept them suppressed for about a day, but that now was in control of them. He had, in some ways, mastered himself. He was not a child, or a even a child-warrior, and not in a way that changed with the loss of his virginity, either.

Quirrel had been a death he caused without knowing how or why. Tom Riddle's shade, and the Basilisk, had been either not alive or very inhuman and inhumane. Dementors, he didn't know if any had died in the third year, but for them he could feel no remorse. No one had died in his fourth year except Cedric Diggory and Barty Crouch Sr., but Harry knew the second death had nothing to do with him, and the first had not been his fault aside from trying to share a victory. The last year... well, he would've been happy to see Umbridge kick the proverbial bucket, but the political and social sabotage Lilith had inflicted on the woman was good enough, and Snape? Harry was just happy he was gone from the castle.

But the deaths of his friends and the Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic had changed him, started a process he had not wanted to begin. It seemed that the attack on innocents at King's Cross had finished it. Harry would not, could not, stand by and let others steer his destiny or the path of the war.

It was his to fight, by prophecy and choice.

And fight it he would. If it meant stepping into the limelight and taking the lead, he would do it. After all, Harry James Potter had always been one to rise to the occasion. This was no different, except that he knew what he was getting into and chose to do it anyway.

His future family required it, and his present family needed it.

So Harry stood tall, gave them each the salute again, trying to put even more meaning and feeling into it, then asked another question. "Let me guess... you each want to talk to me?"

Pansy's face turned a bit pink too, but she nodded, "Yes, well, at least the Slytherins do. I'm not sure about Bell, Bones and Abbot."

Harry glanced at the two Hufflepuffs, then nodded, "Alright. Let me put my things away really quick. Is there a compartment? Assuming we need privacy?"

Warrington grinned, "Turns out there's a bit of extra space. We've got the whole car to ourselves, actually. No one even questioned it when they saw our big group showing up. The ones up there and behind us are filled with the Weasley's guests."

"Alright, well, I'll be right back. You can figure out who I talk to first, I suppose. Civilly, of course."

"Of course," Pansy scoffed, as if it was inconceivable that they would be anything but.

Harry met more eyes, giving each a nod if he could swing the timing, as he walked down the hall and stepped into the last compartment. The others were already there, each looking up at him with an expectant grin. "You knew it was going to happen? I hate you all."

Ron snorted, wrapping his arms around Hermione and Lyra's shoulders, "Nah, you just hate the attention. It's good for you, though."

Ginny, sitting next to Neville on the other bench, shifted to make it easier for him to put his tiny trunk up onto the shelf, then stretched out on it, putting her head in the blonde boy's lap. "You go on, Harry. We'll be here."

"Might take half the ride or more," he told them, "Apparently everyone wants a word."

"Well, you are Harry Potter," Hermione said succinctly, looking down at a book he knew she wasn't reading as a grin spread across her face.

"You still all suck. But alright, you lot have fun... don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"There's nothing you wouldn't do though, Master," Lyra said with a giggle.

"There are some things," he protested, "another bloke, maybe."

Ron coughed something that sounded suspiciously like, "Iris," which made the girls who knew they'd been together that way giggle, and Neville to look around questioningly.

"I still hate you all," Harry laughed as he turned around and headed into the hall.

Now, Cassius was the only one in it, sitting on a conjured chair as the slow clack, clack of the train on the rails began to pick up speed until the sound nearly vanished into a constant vibration. The older wizard pointed at the door next to him, "This one's empty except for your first, uh, appointment. Figured I'd stand guard in case anyone decides to get uppity. The rest are in those two compartments."

"Alright. Thanks, Warrington," Harry said with a genuine smile.

The older man snorted and stuck out his hand, "Nah, mate, it's no problem. Also, Cassius. Or Cass. That's what Milly calls me. Kinda grew on me."

"Sure, Cass," Harry said, shaking his hand briefly, then glancing at the door. The curtains were down, so he couldn't see who was waiting for him. "No clue?"

"Nope. You'll see. Female, though."

"They're all female," Harry chuckled.

"Lucky. Don't get me wrong, Milly's great, but man... a guy can dream. Bastard."

"Sometimes," Harry agreed, then rapped on the door with his knuckles and pulled it open.

"Er, hi, Katie," he said quietly as the door slid shut behind him. He took the seat opposite her, and shot a quick silencing spell at the door, which made the dusky-skinned girl blush a little as she watched him. Once his wand was back in his sleeve, he looked at the slightly older witch and asked plainly, "What's up?"

Her blush deepened, but not as much as he might've thought, given the words that, a few minutes later, would begin spewing from her. At first, though, she was clearly hesitant to say anything. Her mouth opened and closed several times before the normally brazen chaser and his current Quidditch Captain got out so much as a peep. Even then, she started speaking six or seven times, getting out either single syllables or short word before starting over. "H- Harry," she finally began, "I... I've given it, a, uh... a lot of thought. Over the last few months, actually, because... well, what I... what we had with the others... I mean Fred, George, Alicia, and Angelina and I... it was special. Now... with Alicia gone, I... well, you remember most of this, I'm sure."

He nodded, "I remember you talking about how it was different, that you'd largely lost interest in... being with them. That it was still fun, but not the same."

She nodded again, looking more at his feet than his face, then gave a long, slow sigh. "I... when we shagged on the stands, I... felt like I cheated on them, somehow. I liked it, it felt good, but it... I felt like I was betraying them, but especially Alicia. She was my first, you know. Well, my first lover. George took my cherry."

She looked up at him as if waiting for a reaction, but Harry did and said nothing, merely watched and listened with interest. He didn't particularly care who'd been with Katie first, though it was interesting to hear that her first truly sexual experience had been with a witch.

"It was the night of the Yule Ball," she explained, at least a little unnecessarily, though it seemed to matter to her for some reason Harry could not understand, "the twins had... well, you know Fred took Angelina, and I went with George. Alicia had some Beuxbatons bloke on her arm, but she didn't stay with him long once the dancing started. Frederic, I think his name was. Doesn't matter. As the ball wound down, the twins, um... they sort of had been feeding us some mulled mead in our drinks. We knew of course, but all three of the girls had agreed to go along with it as long as... we didn't go too far.

"Turns out too far was them taking us to their secret potions lab and having their way with us- all three of us. I was just drunk enough to let it happen, since both of the older girls were encouraging it. George and I did it first, or... well, Alicia and I had already been fooling around a bit in the locker rooms after most practices. Sometimes when Angelina was there, sometimes not. But this was different."

Harry nodded, he could see why.

Katie continued on faster, more confidently as he continued to not react overmuch, but still kept her voice quiet. "When Alicia started feeling me up over my dress robes, the twins got really into it, and Lee showed up a bit later, with some Fire Whiskey he'd smuggled in from somewhere. Not long after, he was fucking Angelina, who was sucking on Fred's dick- the first one I'd seen since I didn't see Lee start off. And I couldn't look away. Then Alicia took off my clothes, and George... well, she sucked him a bit, then went down on me while he watched, and... then we shagged."

Harry nodded again, "Okay. I mean, you don't have to tell me this, but I'm happy to listen if you feel you need to get it off your chest or... whatever."

Katie shook her head quickly, "It's... it's not like that. I'm, er... trying to build a bit of context here, Harry. Just... listen, okay? I'm almost done."

"Alright, sorry. Go ahead."

"After he was done, letting his load out on my chest, Alicia gave me some of it with her fingers. It wasn't bad. But then I... I wanted more. Not of that, not really, but more fun. The others weren't done. Alicia and Angelina both started, er, cleaning George's dick with their mouths, and Lee moved over to Alicia without stopping. I was a bit surprised at how... easily they swapped. No one really even said anything, they just... changed partners when they wanted to. And I figured, well... I was still randy, and Fred wasn't getting more than a hand-job from Angelina while she sucked off his brother... so I started sucking him off, instead. Then we shagged again, and... well, to make a long story short, that night I was with all of them. Lee even finished in my mouth, and Fred in my cunny. And ever since, we'd been... well, whenever we could get together. Or wanted to, if it was a smaller group, even just two."

"Okay," Harry nodded, "I'm assuming you knew about... how Alicia earned her side-money, then?"

Katie nodded, "Y- Yeah. I did too, a little, but only a few times. Angelina did it a bunch too. I... we never charged each other. Late last year, after you'd already been kicked off the team by Umbridge, we talked it out. Lee's idea was to go to Africa and do that group marriage thing, but by then we'd gotten so used to the idea of just... all being together, none of us questioned it. And you know the rest."

"I s'pose," Harry agreed, "but I'm still not really seeing a point to the story. Sorry. I mean, I know it's important to you, but..."

Katie swallowed, looked out the window where the last homes of London's northern suburbs were beginning to grow more sparse between Enfield and Barnet, and the last station of the Picadilly Line ended what the muggles thought of the train line.

Wizard-kind knew it kept on, moving underneath the Trent Park Cemetery in the suburb of Cockfoster, and further north into a great many fields, eventually meeting up with another main rail-line sixty miles south of Hogsmeade Valley.

Katie swallowed again, then looked Harry in the eyes and told him, "I haven't enjoyed having sex except for with you since... Alicia died. I've tried with the others, it's not... not the same. I don't want to never... enjoy it again."

Harry looked at her seriously, then asked a question he thought he never would, "Even Fred, George, and Lee together can't...?"

The unfinished question seemed to make perfect sense to Katie, for she shook her head, "Not once."

He didn't really want to explain what he was about to, but it wouldn't be fair to her not to. So he told her everything. About Lilith, the powers it granted along with the Runes. How Daphne, then Tracey, and even Pansy in her own way had decided to be with him, and how Fleur Delacour had now been added to the mix as well. Finally, he asked one question, which would change his decision about what he thought she was trying to tell him. "If... if you do this, if you join us... are you okay being with the others, too? It'd include... well, Ginny and Ron. I don't want it to be weird with the twins, but... we're not really a group package, they'd never force you. You can just be with me. But you'd have to be aware that, if you go all in, and get Runes... no one else has been able to stop from just being with everyone. The need is... strong. Not just to have a lot of sex, but to be with more people. And the longer the Runes are on, the stronger it gets, at least so far."

Katie swallowed once more, and looked back down at the ground for a few seconds. Then she looked up, her expression determined, "I used to love sex, Harry. I'd... after that first night with the whole group, I don't know if I would want to be with just one person, even if only one can really get me off. It still feels good. I... I still like to watch, and... well, sharing is caring."

Harry grinned, and she smiled, too. "Alright. Well, we have a few Rune rituals we need to do when the term starts back up, including yours it seems. I know Ginny and Ron will be excited to have you with us."

Katie blushed.

His grin widened. "Ah... so you've been checking one of them out, huh? Both, maybe?"

This time, Katie nodded, "B- Both... I mean, I do have a thing for red-heads... given the twins."

"Ah... so I'm going to be third-fiddle then, huh? Don't worry," he chuckled as she looked more embarrassed than before, "It's fine... there's plenty to go around. Er... not to sound too forward, but... did you want to...?"

"Shag?"

He nodded.

"Not just now," Katie said with a little giggle, "You've got a queue, you know. But I'm patient. You'll have to let me know when... when you want to do that ritual."

"I will," he promised, standing after her, "I'll be in the Common Room more often this term, I think. Got some semi-permanent guests in the quarters I was given for Lilith."

"I see... well, not to worry, Harry. Whenever. I mean, I'm not desperate and needy... yet."

"Alright," he laughed, and started to rise, a hand extended to help her up.

Katie shook her head, though, and whispered quietly, "There's... there's something else."

Harry sat back down casually. He trusted Katie, and she was clearly hesitant to tell him... whatever it was. He could give her time.

"I'm just going to say it," she finally said after staring at the worn carpeting between them for several seconds. Then Katie looked up at Harry, "I think Ron and Ginny are shagging... each other."

Harry's nonchalant, "They aren't," made Katie blink.

She protested, "They are, though. I... I know, it's super weird, and... I don't want them to know I told you, but if Ginny is cheating on you, with her own brother, I... I figured you had the right to know."

Harry held up a finger and opened his mouth to speak, but Katie kept going, "I heard- and I saw, well, them. It was while we were at the Burrow, after... after the Station, you know? I was helping Mrs. Weasley with breakfast, and she sent me out to check on them because they were taking too long to gather eggs, and... and I heard them, in Mr. Weasley's muggle shed. She was, uh... you know, using her mouth on him. At least, that's what it sounded like, and he kept telling her to, you know, suck more. And stuff."

"Is that all?"

"W- what? Is that all? Harry, I'm almost certain Ginny was- was giving Ron a blow-job. I s'pose I don't know for sure if they've done more, but..."

"Hold on," Harry interrupted, holding up a hand, "I already knew that. They've been doing it for months. I told them it was okay."

"But... but they're siblings."

"And? None of us, including Ron or Ginny, can either conceive a child without both parties wanting to. We can't catch, carry, or pass on diseases. So what's the harm? It's not so different, for us, than having George and Fred both shagging the same girl. Just one less layer of separation between them. It's just fun."

"F... Fun. Harry..."

"I'm serious," he told her quietly, "there's really no risk. And it's kind of hot. Hotter, knowing that they are that close. I've actually encouraged it. I think Lilith is trying to give me a real incest kink... and I have to say, it's working."

"You... you're really okay with your girlfriend... shagging her brother?"

"Okay with it? I want them to. I want to be there, I want to watch. Besides, she's not my 'girlfriend' so much as she is my Pet. Part of that is girlfriend in public, but Hermione is more my girlfriend than Ginny is. And she shags Ron, too, obviously."

Katie fell quiet, and he let her digest the information he had just dumped on her for more than ten minutes. Eventually, the girl murmured, "So... When you said 'all of us', you mean... like, really all of us? Everyone just... shags each other?"

"Pretty much. Whenever we want. We do have a rule about homework being done first, of course, or we'd all get our grades in the bin, but aside from that, yeah."

The Chaser let out a long, slow breath. Then, "I'm in. It's crazy... but... I'm in. It's just like what... what we were going to do before Alicia. Just... more of you."

"And a Succubus."

"And a Succubus," Katie agreed with a smile, then stood up before Harry could help her again. "I'll... just let me know when you're ready to... to do that ritual, then. Alright?" A moment later, she was out the door.

It hadn't closed when someone else came in. "Er, hi, Hannah. Good morning, or maybe afternoon, Susan."

Without time to recover from the previous conversation, or get his head back into a useful space, the blonde, who was always the more confident of the pair and who was hardly shy around Harry anymore, led her best friend in, shut and locked the door with the latch and her wand, then silenced it as well before joining Susan on the bench opposite Harry.

"Hi, Harry," Hannah greeted cheerfully, seeming much more at-ease now that they were away from the platform where the attack had happened less than a month before. Susan, on the other hand looked just as nervous to Harry's eyes as she had been during the middle of the battle.

The red-head gave him a little half-bow, partially rising from her seat, and flushing as if she were embarrassed she'd forgotten to greet him as she stammered, her voice quiet, "H- Hello. Um, G- Good afternoon, Harry."

Hannah only rolled her eyes when Harry glanced in her direction, and hooked her thumb toward her best friend, "Don't mind her, she's just got some nerves. I don't mind doing the talking, though. She's ready, Harry."

"For...?"

"To shag," Hannah said casually, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "For her Contract, remember? She was already leaning toward it, but after the attack... well, let's just say that it's moved up her priorities."

Harry frowned, then looked to the quieter girl, "Susan, don't take this the wrong way, but that's a terrible reason to jump into things. I'm not saying no. If you still want to after we've talked about this a bit, then I'll agree to what we talked about before. But one terrible, traumatic experience should not make you jump into motherhood before you reach majority."

"That's tomorrow," Susan said quietly.

"Okay," Harry acknowledged, "but I'm not ready to be a father, either. We're still in school. I know things seem terrible, that Voldemort and his flunkies could kill us at any time, but that's just not true. As long as Dumbledore is at the castle, Voldemort himself wouldn't dare attack it. We know they had or have a plan to get Death Eaters into the school, but we've already taken care of that. They're walking into a lethal trap if they try."

"I... that's good to know," Susan replied quietly, "but I don't have a choice."

"Okay. Why? What's taking away your choice and making this all happen so much sooner? We agreed to next year, or over the summer, right?"

"It is next year," Hannah pointed out reasonably, then reached over to take her best friend's hand, "But that's not the important bit. Her Auntie was killed last week."

Harry suddenly felt almost dizzy, as if the air had suddenly gone out of the room. "What?"

It seemed fantastic, inconceivable, a total impossibility that the stern, powerful witch who had so easily commanded the arriving Aurors and civilians at the Station had suddenly gone, and he hadn't even heard about it.

"It's top-secret," Susan whispered, "The new Minister's keeping it quiet. Doesn't want to cause a panic."

Harry frowned. That was the exact sort of mentality that had gotten so many killed over the last year!

Still, at least this time, he had to agree the Minister, whoever they were, had a point. Bones being who she was, she'd been a symbol of hope and strength. Without her, their side suddenly seemed a fair bit less secure. "Fuck. I'm so sorry, Susan... I hadn't heard."

She only shook her head a few times, "It's... it's fine. I don't want everyone making a big deal... it's just... there's no one else. My parents, my brother, my uncle and aunt... I'm the last one."

"Like I'm the last Potter," Harry said evenly.

She nodded once, but didn't say anything.

"Alright," he agreed, "When do you want to start?"

She blushed at once, but again Hannah took pity on her friend, and gave her hand a visible squeeze. "She, uh... lacks an education, you might say. Didn't attend more than the first, mandatory class, and is unsure how it all works. I've tried to say, but..."

"Showing helps?"

This time, it was the blonde who nodded.

But he doubted that Susan Bones, as shy as she naturally was, would want to watch someone else just yet. Maybe after she had a bit of experience under her belt. Still, there were options. "Alright. Well... let me ask a few questions, if you don't mind, Susan. Hannah, I need her to answer, not you. In fact, at any point from now on, Susan can kick you out, at least for now. This is between us, not you, but I don't want to be rude about it if she prefers you to be here."

"That's fine," Hannah agreed, giving her friend a significant look. It was entirely possible, as experienced as she was, that Hannah already suspected what he was going to be asking her. "What about it, Susan?"

"Stay," she replied.

"Alright," Harry nodded, then leaned back and stretched his arms over the back of the bench, "Would you prefer to be taught by a boy or a girl? Or both, together?"

She swallowed. Glanced at Hannah as if she was embarrassed to even be thinking about it. Then whispered, "B- Boys."

Harry had expected as much, but then again... you never knew. "Would you be interested to be with another girl? Because they are different, after all. Both are great, from what I understand, just in different ways."

Susan only shrugged, glancing at Hannah nervously again, who didn't seem to react much. After a few seconds though, the blonde patted her friend's hand, then pulled her own back as she moved away to sit diagonally against the wall next to the door. "I've been with both, yeah, Suze. Not that big a deal. Both made me cum, I've made both cum."

"R- Right," Susan replied softly, her face suddenly darker than her hair. "I... I've just never..."

"That's alright," Harry reassured her, "It's not for everyone, and there's no pressure. Everything we talk about in this compartment is just between us, and I don't judge. If you want to try it, go for it. If you don't, then don't worry about it. But I'll tell you right now, if you get a set of Runes, you'll be as randy as Hannah before too long. It happens to everyone that gets them."

"I... I don't think I'd ever... lately, it's all she can talk about," Susan said. She was trying to keep her voice even and neutral, but it was obvious to both of those listening that the red-head was confused by it, but didn't really object.

Almost like she enjoys the talk, but doesn't know how to respond to it. That makes sense, I guess.

"Alright," he continued, "next question. Are you comfortable with me being the one to, as Hannah said, 'educate you'? I can, and I'll probably be okay at it at least. I'm comfortable with the idea. If not... if you'd prefer being taught by another bloke, we can arrange that. I'm sure neither Hannah or Neville will mind. Ron would be up for it. Or there's... Lilith. She can be a bloke, too."

Susan's mouth had fallen open while he talked, and she was still gaping back and forth between he and Hannah when he finished.

Eventually, he took pity on her and clarified, "And to be clear, just because a boy is 'educating you' doesn't mean you have to shag... but you might want to. It's fine with me if you do. Who you have sex with is ultimately up to you, Susan, and it always will be as far as I'm concerned. I'm honored you want me to be your... partner, in having children. But sex and having kids are not necessarily the same thing."

"Nope," Hannah said with a chuckle, "I can tell you I've had sex loads now, and I'm still not ready for brats, yet."

"I... I think I'd prefer... you," Susan whispered, quieter than before.

"Done," Harry told her at once, "Let's... damn, I need to start making a schedule. Uh... let's shoot for... next weekend, during the day. Like, this Saturday. If we can't do that, we can try again Sunday during the day, or the weekend after that. Does that sound okay?"

The girls shared a look, then Susan nodded again, "That... that sounds fine."

"Okay, that's settled. Now, let's go over what's going to happen, so you now what to expect. Alright?"

"S- sure."

"First, you know you're going into this with the understanding that we will be having sex, and at some point, I'll need to conceive a few children with you. We've already verbally agreed that I'll be in their lives, be their father. But you won't probably be my wife. Instead, you'll be in a Concubine Contract to continue your family line. We're all on the same page there, right?"

This time, Susan's nod was more sure.

"Excellent. Point two: You do not need to be a perfect lover, and especially not from the start, for me to be interested in you. Don't let my experience and knowledge intimidate you. The whole point of this is for you to learn about sex in a way that lets you enjoy it. Alright? Being intimidated is not enjoyable, I'd know. I don't expect you to know everything, or be brave enough to do the more... unusual things, right off the start. If you want to stick with plain vanilla, we can do that, but you need to know that if that's all we're doing, I will be coming to you less after the... goal is reached. Some, yes, because you're quite attractive, but less. I like to be adventurous, too."

"D- Do you mean... like... in the bum?"

Harry almost choked at the shy question. Hannah giggled, and threw a fist into her mouth to try to stifle them. She failed spectacularly. "Er, no," he eventually got out, shooting a glare at the blonde, "I take it Hannah's mentioned that?"

Susan nodded shyly, if anything more embarrassed at their knee-jerk reactions than before.

Harry sighed, shaking his head, "No. Well, if you're interested, then yes, but not by default. Or at least, that's not what I meant by 'adventurous'. Hannah happens to love it there, but she's just one of those people. Some do, some don't. Hermione doesn't, Ginny is indifferent. It happens. Everyone has their own preferences."

"O- Oh..."

"We'll help you find out yours during these lessons," Harry told her, "That was actually going to be point four, but it's valid here. There's nothing at all wrong with not knowing just yet.

"So, new point four, old point three: you will see nudity. Often. Sometimes you'll see people having sex around you. It doesn't mean you can join in necessarily, but if you ask I'm sure most won't say no. ... Not sure any of us would object to you just watching, or getting yourself off."

"M- m-myself?"

Again, Harry found himself shocked. "Yes... and it seems like we're going to have at least an extra 'lesson' before the main course. That's fine, no judgment, just an interesting point. But my... friends, like Hannah, are randy all the time. You don't have to be like that. I'm sure she's mentioned the Runes."

The blonde nodded quickly, her face smiling, "That was a fun night, getting them."

Harry had to agree, but thought that Susan might not be ready for more details, just yet. If Hannah hadn't already told her everything, anyway. "Well, you don't have to get them. But it does make it more fun, and is... helpful, in breaking down some of the inhibitions we have. So yeah, you'll want it more, and be more willing to try new things. It'll also feel better anyway, if you do that. But again, you don't need to, and there's no pressure. Just know that if you do, you'll end up like Hannah and the rest of us that way."

"Okay," Susan replied quietly.

"Last thing. No one outside our circle knows any details. The only reason I'm not mad at Hannah for mentioning the Runes is because I know you'd have noticed the change and I'm sure you asked her about it. More importantly, we kind of expected this to happen sooner or later, so I told her ahead of time it'd be alright if she told you some things."

"Alright," Susan agreed. "I won't tell anyone. I know how to keep secrets."

"Good. I won't ask for a vow or anything, just... keep an open mind about what you will be seeing, and don't talk about it outside of that group. It's not anyone else's business what we get up to, just like it isn't theirs what you get up to. Right?"

"R-Right."

"Perfect. Um... did you have anything else to talk about?"

"Well, there is one little thing," Hannah murmured, looking at Susan nervously. The other girl looked suddenly not quite nervous, but more terrified.

"Hannah, no," she whispered, almost whimpered.

"Hannah yes," the blonde said determinedly, "I've already talked to Neville about it. He said it was fine. Believe me, we've done far more than this."

She didn't protest again as the blonde stood up and pulled the flowered blouse she was wearing over her head, then reached back for the snap of her plain bra. Both were set on the bench where she'd been a moment before, then Hannah crossed the compartment to sit next to Harry. "Pants down, please."

"Er... what? Not that I'm complaining..."

He was already moving, but stealing glances at Susan's expression when he could tear his eyes off her best friend's heavy, swaying breasts. The red-head wasn't watching Hannah, though. Instead, she was covering her eyes, but still very obviously peeking through her fingers at his crotch as the cloth, both layers at once, slid down to his ankles and he sat back down.

"Not an erect penis," Hannah said, gesturing at him, "Moderate pubic hair. This is what they look like, okay? Geez, get over it already. It's not that big of a deal."

Harry suddenly caught on to what Hannah was doing. Mostly getting a jump-start on their lessons, but also teasing her friend... and him. Not that he'd let her get away with it. He spread his legs then, and turned just a little so Susan could look at him straight-on, as he put a hand around Hannah's shoulders and reached down to fondle her tit.

She sighed and leaned against him, reaching her own left hand down to take hold of his soft penis, and ran her thumb along the end. Even flaccid, she could barely reach from base to tip with her thumb out. But as he started growing thanks to the breasts, the digital stimulation, and the girl clearly watching her best friend grope him, it grew beyond that quickly. In just a few seconds, he was fully hard, and Hannah's hand covered less than a third of him at the base. "And that's a hard one. Don't freak out, most blokes aren't this large. In fact, never seen one quite this big. And before you think 'it'll never fit', remember it's still not as big as a baby. It fits, it just takes some adjustment. And it feels great. Also, if you ask, Harry'll shrink down for you. He can do that, you know."

Susan dropped her hands to her neck level in surprise as she stared at him.

He shrugged, leaning a bit more into the bench as Hannah started stroking him, and kneaded her chest a bit more roughly, like he knew she enjoyed. "Succubus powers. She's stronger because of our Bond, and I get some of her powers. That's one I got fairly early, besides just... being better at everything sex-related. Still not great with it, but I can do some bits. That's kind of easy."

To demonstrate, he got even bigger, forcing Hannah to add another hand just to circle him as she languidly pumped, then went back to his original size, and then a bit more, something 'average'. "This is an average size I think," he told her, "See how Hannah's hand covers it all with the thumb up, but it still takes it all?"

Susan nodded, her mouth still dropped open. Her hands hadn't come back up, but stayed where they were, frozen in mid-air as she kept staring at her best friend's hands, which went back to sliding over him together as he returned to his new normal.

"Alright, Suze," the more confident girl said after a few more seconds, "You've seen it. Out."

"Wh- what?"

"You said you only wanted to know what it looked like," Hannah reasoned, "Now you have. Unless you want to see me shagging him... you should probably clear out."

"I'm fine with you staying," Harry reminded her seriously, "but now that she's gotten me worked up, it'd be unfair not to help out with getting some release. Right?"

Without stopping to think about it, the girl nodded. "I... I'll go, then."

Hannah grinned, and kept pumping him while she unlocked the door both times, and hurried out, slamming it shut.

Likely, given the angle, Cassius might've gotten a view of him, but he hardly cared. What mattered was Hannah's mouth sinking onto him, further warming him up. Not even a minute later, she was sheathing his whole cock in her arse, without lube or anything, while holding up one tit for him to suckle. "Gods, I missed this," she moaned, "you're so much deeper than Nev can get, Harry..."

There was no need to change positions. The way Hannah was riding him, Harry knew she wouldn't last long. So he focused on enjoying it while it lasted, and making sure his own climax was close enough that she could enjoy it together with him. All told, their coupling lasted about five minutes, and Hannah's anus was still mostly dry when he filled it up with six strong, large shots that made her moan with each one.

Then, surprising him yet again, Hannah hastened off him, and got on her knees, sucking him deeply into her mouth. She cleaned him quite thoroughly, then stood up, showing him the residual cum still there, and swallowed. Then she wiped her mouth with a hand, and sat down across from him again to pull on her knickers. "Gods... It's still weird, tasting my own ass," she admitted, "but with yours or Nev's cum I love it. So filthy."

"You are a dirty girl," Harry chuckled, fastening himself back up as she finished dressing, then left to rejoin her friend.

He'd just barely composed himself when Millicent came in, alone. She didn't sit down, only held out a rolled-up scroll of parchment paper. "Two things," she said brusquely, "The current wards on our house. I've had them updated. We're almost broke now, it took all me and Cass had, along with the Greengrass' allowance. Pansy's got nothing anymore, just so you know. Her parents cut her out of the will, and her trust vault is empty. I doubt she'd say anything."

Harry nodded, a bit confused, but took the rolled parchment anyway, setting it beside him for now.

Millicent glanced out the door, which was still open, and then shut it before facing him again with one hand still on the latch. "Cass is probably leaving school early. He can sit his N.E.W.T.s in a month, now he's got the credits. He wants to go work for the Order for now. Dumbledore's Order."

"O- Oh," Harry replied, genuinely surprised. He'd known the older boy, who had been held back two years, was a skilled fighter, and more than willing, but this was a change, and quite unexpected.

The bulky girl nodded, "I'm leaving school when he does, we're going to get married. I don't need any N.E.W.T.s to pursue my Masters in Wards. My family's name is good enough for that, even without... their approval."

"Er, okay," Harry acknowledged, "Not sure why...?"

"Because I'm going to need to close up the house," she told him, "once we start living there full-time again. Over the summer it wasn't bad having everyone there, but the girls will need another place to stay. Not because we don't have the room, it's-"

"Not safe?"

Millicent nodded firmly, "Yeah. It's got the best we could buy, and when I get there I can start adding custom wards I'm going to be doing some research on when we get to school, but there's only so much I can do over a month or two, and we don't want to risk the others. Most of their things are still there, what isn't in their trunks, but I need a place to send them to."

Harry debated for only a moment. "The Floo isn't connected yet," he told her seriously, "but I'm going to get it hooked up soon. I've got a place that should be safe enough. It'll have Order's protection, I'm sure, and at least one member is staying there now. I'm going to talk to the Headmaster and see if we can get a Fidelius Charm on it, too. Can't get much more secure."

Millicent whistled, "That's tough stuff. I asked Flitwick about that last term, and he said he can barely pull the Charm off. Takes a few tries for a house."

Harry snorted, "He's also being humble. But Dumbledore can do it. Maybe not at this place, though, it's pretty large. Bigger than the Order's safe-house that I know of. If he can't do it, we'll find something else. Uh... can I ask you a question about the other matter?"

Millicent cocked her head, "Uh... sure, I guess. You don't seem slow, though, so... I'm not sure what help I can be."

"In this? A lot, I think," he told her. "You grew up in this world, I didn't, half-blood or not. It's either a pure-blood or a wizarding customs question. Not sure which."

"Alright. Cast, then."

He blinked for a moment at the idiom, which if anything proved his point, then asked, "If I were to set up an... allowance, for children- or students, they could be of age- to live on for a while. Like a stipend or something. Is that... acceptable? Like, socially?"

The girl's eyebrows rose as she processed what he was asking, then she smirked, "You want to give the girls you're shagging an allowance? That'll go over well."

"I would do it anonymously," he pointed out, "but yes. Not because we're shagging, though, and not only them. The orphans of the attack at the platform. I can do the same for you and Cassius, and I'm happy to. Look, I have money, more than I knew before. I'm not talking a lot. Ten galleons a month or something, each."

Millicent's eyebrows went back up, "That's a hundred Galleons."

"I make in the tens of thousands a year in interest."

"Ah. Well... it's not by any means the most wealthy I've heard of, but you can afford it, I suppose. Well... talk to Pansy about it. Couch it as a... anything but charity. She'd hate that, and Daphne would never accept it either. Astoria is a bit more practical from what I've seen, but wouldn't like it still. Tracey... who knows. She never talks to me really."

Harry nodded, considering the information she'd just handed him for a moment. "I mostly just need to know if it's something possible, and how to do it if it is, and if the girls- or students- would accept it if the money came in, no strings attached."

"But why? If it's no strings, then you aren't expecting sex for it, and you don't seem like the type."

"No," Harry chuckled, "I'm not the type to pay for it. No... look, doesn't every girl- every student, since I'll be giving it to the blokes, too- like to have some spending money, and to eat? At school it isn't a big deal, but if I do it soon they can save up a little, and have something to work or play with when they get out of school. More, if it goes into next year."

"That's true," Milly said thoughtfully, then nodded. "Alright, yes, it's possible. Not sure how. Ask Pansy, she knows the bank system pretty well. It's probably through them."

"I'd... rather keep it a secret. I know who else I can ask, though. The girls wouldn't recognize it. And it's not just Slytherins, either."

"Ooh, you slut," Milly laughed.

He grinned, "A bit, yeah. Anyway, I know who I can ask, like I said. It's... acceptable? Just like, as an anonymous donation, nonrefundable?"

"Sure is. And if everyone gets one on the same day, it doesn't make anyone feel left out."

"Might make it easier to figure out, but all they'll know is that it's someone or someones who have the money, and who cares about orphans and those without family to care for them."

"Which means it'll take all of five minutes for them to figure it out."

Harry frowned. "Maybe. But come on, at least the group you're more concerned about are Slytherins. They won't be obvious or call me out if they do. Right?"

"That's true," she said with a nod. "Anyway, that's all I had to say. I think Pansy wanted to talk to you next."

"Alright, thanks, Milly. Hey... seriously. You're amazing. Thank you."

She blushed, the first time he'd seen her go so scarlet, then left without a word.

Glossary: