I'm actually surprised at the mixed, but mostly positive reaction to Cambion. I'm going to address a few points that were made in some of the reviews, as well as possible other objections, first before the next chapter. Also, I should reiterate that, as author, it is ultimately my decision where to take the story and what to do with it. If you don't like it, then don't read it.

1. Sadly, Harry as a Phenex and Hermione as a nekomata has actually been done before, in separate, recent fanfics (and ones that haven't been as good as they can be, either). I only really discovered this shortly after conceiving of Cambion, but I decided my take on things was original enough.

2. I had my heart set on Harry having a Sacred Gear right from the start, ever since Hermione Bael. Keeping him at least half-human was part and parcel of that. And I like Ddraig.

3. Doing this as a WBWL story was actually not a decision undertaken lightly. I did it partly because I wanted to get Harry a little bit older, partly because I wanted to do a Year 4 story, but WITHOUT Harry getting involved in the TWT, and partly because my original idea had Dumbledore-bashing, and I had done enough of that in Fall to Zenith. I wanted to do another story without bashing Dumbledore. There were many reasons, but doing it as a WBWL story suited the story.

4. This story is going to be something of a slow burn. While Harry will be accepting of Rias' situation, the pair of them aren't going to get hitched straight away, preferring to get to know each other first.

5. Most of the story will be from Rias' or Harry's POV, with very little switches to the likes of James Potter or Riser, etc.

EDIT: I forgot to mention 6. Lily WILL be Harry's Queen, not just because of her magical ability (quite frankly, was Akeno good for anything but her magic before the need to train set in?), but because she will be a speedy combatant, so a Queen won't be wasted.

On an unrelated note, I'm currently watching my way through the first season of Westworld. How many people want me to do that as a fic? There aren't enough fanfics, let alone crossovers, for that series, IMO...

Okay, with that crap out of the way, on we go!


CAMBION

CHAPTER 2:

RIAS AND PEERAGE

Harry stared at Hermione, unable to believe what he just heard. He hadn't even considered such a thing as marriage yet, not because he was a prude or didn't swing that way, but rather, because he was concentrating on school. The nearest thing he had to a girlfriend was Hermione, and he wasn't sure whether she felt the same way.

She seemed to read his thoughts, because she smiled, taking the parchment back as she did so. "If you're worried about her coming between us, Harry, Devils are more open to polyamory and polygamy than humans. Rias and I have discussed this, because…I know you feel something for me. I was afraid to try to get closer, though, because…I thought you might be secretly as bad as Riser, or at least that's what I thought, at first. But by the time I realised otherwise, I felt I couldn't tell you without it blowing up in my face."

"…Really?"

She nodded. "Rias has agreed to come here to meet you. If that's okay with you. While under normal circumstances, one can't Apparate within Hogwarts' grounds, what they use is not Apparition. Harry…is it okay? I'm not expecting you to say yes and marry her. I just want you two to meet."

"…Okay. But…is she nice?"

Hermione's smile widened. "She may act a little aristocratic, but she's very nice and friendly. She'll also be bringing her Peerage."

"Her what?"

"Peerage. Remember what I said about those wars decimating us? Well, to replenish our numbers, we instituted a system by which we can convert other beings, usually humans, into Devils, based on chess. My mother is not just the wife of my father, but also his Queen. We use enchanted chess pieces to convert other beings into Devils, to act as our servants, though in truth, how we treat them varies from Devil to Devil. Rias and I, along with another of our friends, Sona Sitri, treat our Peerages as extended family rather than servants. But on the other end of the spectrum, Riser treats his as his own personal harem."

"Charming. So, is she coming here?"

Hermione nodded, channelling magic into a piece of paper she pulled from her robes, which had an elaborate magic circle on it. "She'll be here soon, now."

Eventually, the floor nearby flared with crimson light, with a magic circle appearing. A quartet of people appeared within the circles, all dressed in a school uniform and, in the case of the three girls, a rather scandalous-looking one at that.

Two of the girls were ridiculously buxom for their age, and inhumanly beautiful. One had blood red hair and aqua eyes, and a vaguely regal, though still friendly, air, though something about her face strongly reminded him of Hermione. The other had dark hair and violet eyes, her expression gentle and demure in her Asian features. The third girl was a couple of years their junior at least, petite, with pale silver hair cut in a short bob, and golden eyes peering at him appraisingly from an otherwise stoic face. The sole boy was blonde-haired, handsome, even a little effeminate.

The redhead was the first to talk, looking at Hermione. "Hello, Hermione. So, what's the verdict?"

Hermione handed over the parchment with Harry's pedigree on it, and the redhead peered at it, before nodding. "I see. Have you told him…?"

"Pretty much all the important stuff," Hermione said. She then turned back to Harry. "Introductions are in order. Harry Tonks, or rather, Harry Phenex, this is my cousin, Rias Gremory."

Harry shook the buxom redhead's hand. "Hi. I'm a bit at sea about this."

"I can imagine," Rias said, smiling in a reassuring manner. "Already, I can tell you're better than your father. Hermione, may I introduce the rest of my Peerage?"

"Go ahead."

"This is Akeno Himejima, my Queen," Rias said, indicating the Asiatic girl. Harry shook her hand, and Akeno gave him a demure smile. "My Knight, Yuuto Kiba." The blonde boy put his hand forward, and Harry shook it. "And finally, Shirone, my Rook, though she goes in public by Koneko Toujou." The petite girl accepted Harry's handshake, but her flat expression didn't change.

"Sorry, Queen? Knight? Rook?" Harry asked.

"Oh, right, I forgot the tutorial," Hermione said. "Each chess piece used to convert someone into a Devil corresponds to certain attributes. Knights emphasize speed and attack power, while Rooks emphasize sheer strength and durability. Rias has a Bishop, but for various reasons, he's not here. Bishops have enhanced magical power. And Queens combine all of that into one. Pawns are footsoldiers, but in enemy territory or with the permission of the King, can 'Promote' themselves to have the abilities of other pieces."

Harry frowned as he looked at the others. He wasn't sure how Akeno qualified as a Queen, though he could see Kiba as a fast Knight. But Shirone?

As he peered incredulously at Shirone, Hermione said, "Don't let appearances fool you, Harry. Shirone is a nekoshou, like me. She's stronger than a human, even before she became a Rook."

"Oh?" Harry asked. "How strong are you then, Shirone?"

"Strong enough," the petite girl said in a quiet voice.

"So…where's your ears?" Harry asked, probably tactlessly.

"Shirone is a little shy when it comes to her heritage," Rias said.

"Remember what I told you of the pogrom against nekomatas, Harry," Hermione said. "Shirone doesn't like advertising that she's a nekomata."

"A shame. She'd look really cute with cat ears," Harry said with a smile. Shirone returned it, eventually.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Well, let's have some tea, right? I had Dobby bring this up. And yes, Shirone, he did bring your favourite sweets."

They all sat down, and Akeno began serving the tea. "In Britain, I believe this is called 'playing mother'," Akeno said.

"So, where do you guys go to school? Japan?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Rias said. "We go to school at Kuoh High School for a number of reasons. The first is that that is the territory I have been assigned to supervise, alongside our friend, Sona Sitri. That may sound boring, but in truth, it's a spiritually rich town that attracts the supernatural. The second, admittedly, is personal. I'm very much a Japanophile, what some people call an otaku, though I'd like to think I'm more attractive than the average otaku." She gave Harry a wink and a smile. "The third is that Akeno's mother used to run a shrine there, and the place has sentimental value for her."

Akeno nodded, her smile becoming rueful. "Like you, Harry, I lost my mother, and have…problems with my father. Unlike you, I don't have a chance to save my mother."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Akeno." And he meant that. It was ironic he felt more at ease amongst these Devils than he did amongst most normal people.

"Each of my Peerage have rather painful tales in their pasts," Rias said. "I grew up in considerable privilege and luxury, but I also make it a point to help others. Admittedly, they joined my Peerage because they lacked other options, but I do not think of them as servants. Each and every one of my Peerage are my friends."

"Including your Bishop?" Harry asked.

"Yes, though Gasper, which is his name, is very skittish. There's a number of reasons why, including the fact that he lacks control over his very powerful Sacred Gear," Rias said. She then took a sip of her tea, before remarking, "You're handling this very well."

"Give me time, I'll start screaming," Harry said in a deadpan tone.

The others present, save for Shirone, who was currently eating sweets at an astonishing rate, chuckled. Eventually, Harry asked, "Hermione, you said I could bring my mother out of her coma if you thought I was a Devil. Why is that?"

"If you're a Devil, you can potentially get a set of Evil Pieces, the enchanted chess pieces we use to build our Peerage. We'll have to see Ajuka Beelzebub to make sure," Hermione pointed out. "Evil Pieces don't just convert other beings into Devils. They can heal them to a degree as well, bring them back from the dead, as long as it's done shortly after death. They can certainly bring someone out of a coma. It's a bit like a supernatural version of Regeneration from Doctor Who."

"And you'll need them, and a Peerage, as soon as possible," Rias said. "If you do agree to marry me, then Riser will most definitely target you."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"The man is no gentleman," Kiba said, his voice betraying a mixture of accents, including Italian. Harry supposed that made sense: he looked European rather than the Japanese his name suggested. "He is possessive and spiteful. I have had the displeasure of meeting him a few times before. We all have. His sole good point that I know of is his devotion to his sister, Ravel. Though this is the first I've heard of him having offspring."

"We probably have the low fertility rate of Devils to thank for such an attitude," Hermione said. "Then again, he wouldn't use protection anyway, or even use contraceptive charms."

Harry grimaced, thinking to James Potter's numerous affairs that occasionally hit the front page of The Daily Prophet, though Sirius Black's affairs were generally more frequent. "So I need a Peerage to protect me from Riser?"

"Sort of," Rias said. "You'd need them to fight alongside you in a Rating Game. Rating Games are battles fought between Peerages as a means of settling disputes. Rating Games are also fought as a means of increasing standing. Rating Games aren't fought to the death: after enough damage is done to the participants, they are transported out of the pocket dimension they fight in for treatment."

"It's not just Riser who may be an issue," Hermione said. "As I said, the Biblical factions are in a standoff, a ceasefire more than a true peace. The other two factions are the Holy Church, affiliated with God and the Angels, and the Fallen Angels, most of whom are affiliated with the Grigori organisation. I assume the reason you haven't gained any attention from either of them is because your powers were sealed by your mother. Once I unseal them, though, you'll have them to worry about."

"Consecrated ground is a toxic environment to Devils, so it's best if you stay away from churches," Rias said. "Entering one will certainly get attention from Heaven anyway. That being said, while some Angels are of the 'shoot first, ask questions later' mindset, most will listen to you if you have an explanation. The ones you really have to look out for are Exorcists, elite warriors trained by the Christian Church. The Vatican actually shares its training facilities with other churches, including the Church of England. Exorcists use weapons of holy light, which is toxic to Devils. They can even erase Devils from existence entirely, so be careful."

"And then, you come to the Fallen Angels," Akeno said, her habitual smile going away. "While some are reasonable, many are desperate to get back into God's good graces, and believe they can do so by killing Devils, regardless of whether they are Strays or not. Angels, Fallen or not, can create Light Spears that are effective against Devils. And the Fallen frequently retain the services of Stray Exorcists, Exorcists who, for one reason or another, were expelled from the Christian Church."

"And Stray Devils?" Harry asked.

"Devils who have left their Peerage," Kiba said. "Because they're normally dependent on the power they gain from their King to a degree, as well as those with pacts they make with humans, they begin to lose control. Most mutate into savage monsters that prey on humans. One of the jobs of a Devil living in the human realm like Rias is to hunt down Strays and either have them go back to their master…or kill them."

"Okay…I think that's enough of an info-dump for the moment," Harry said, before he began drinking his own tea. Thank Merlin for cups enchanted to keep the tea warm.

As he drank his tea, he thought back over his life. Certainly a few things made better sense now. He'd always knew he was a bastard child. How could he not, without James Potter reminding him every day before he finally disowned him and cast him out, thankfully with the Tonks family taking him in. And there were these odd feelings.

As the outcast of the Potter family, a bastard child who was a mark of Lily's shame, Harry had felt like an outsider, even here at Hogwarts. Even as his brother ended up going on adventures (Harry had ended up petrified while helping Hermione out with that Basilisk issue), Harry stayed on the sidelines. He wanted to fight against evil, he wanted adventures, he wanted to be known as something other than Charles Potter's bastard half-brother…but admittedly, on his own terms. He actually liked staying out of the limelight.

Learning that his father, according to these people, was a more figurative bastard didn't actually affect Harry that much. He'd spent years of putting up with James Potter's bullshit, not to mention that of Sirius Black. Not that he lacked for good father figures: Ted Tonks was a good one, as was Remus Lupin once he worked up the courage to come see him. And once he had gotten over his anger at Dumbledore being partially responsible for his plight (even if Dumbledore hadn't intended for James Potter to disown him, he was the one who filled James and Charles with that 'Boy Who Lived' bullshit), Harry had considered the old man a grandfather figure.

Plus, he realised that, if they were telling the truth, and his father was a nasty sort, then he had a chivalric streak that demanded that he help Rias, even if he didn't go so far as to marry her. True, she was very beautiful and sexy, and a loud, vocal part of his psyche tied to his libido wanted him to tap that hard. However, he knew better than to base a relationship on looks alone, and while she seemed compassionate enough and intelligent enough to tick his boxes, he'd prefer to get to know her better before he committed fully to this.

And to come to grips with his true nature.

So, he was a Devil? Or at least half. He chuckled inwardly at the irony, at how so many students called him 'dark' and suspected him to be Voldemort's second advent when he revealed he was a Parselmouth a couple of years back. Charlie enjoyed spreading those rumours, and he didn't bother apologising when the true culprit was found, even though they were both in Gryffindor.

McGonagall had asked whether he wanted to be a Prefect, but he told her he didn't want to be. Between Quidditch practise and his OWLs, he'd have enough on his plate. And now, with this new revelation, he had even more. Besides, he doubted he could resist the temptation to remove a ridiculous amount of points from his brother and Draco Malfoy for their bullshit. It would be good revenge, but unfortunately, Snape wouldn't take it lying down.

Eventually, he said, "So, what now?"

"I have permission from Dumbledore to take you to the Underworld, to try and remove the bindings on your power while it's the weekend," Hermione said. "The Underworld, by the way, is distinct from Hell. I checked the bindings before, and brute force can't be used to open them. Ajuka Beelzebub is our best bet, and you can get your Evil Pieces from him as well. Plus, Sirzechs Lucifer and Serafall Leviathan want to meet you."

"Why is that?"

"I think my brother wants to know his potential brother-in-law. As for Serafall…she does whatever she wants," Rias said. "She's…a bit eccentric."

"And in other breaking news, the ocean is wet," Shirone snarked.

"Have I missed something?" Harry asked.

"Don't worry, you'll understand soon, Harry," Hermione said. Unfortunately, her tone didn't bode well for his sanity afterwards…

CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Harry's met Rias and her Peerage, and has learned more things. If you're wondering why Harry is being, well, so accepting, it's partly the shock of the situation, and partly because he trusts Hermione. Plus, he's gotten the answer to a question he's been asking his whole life.

No numbered annotations this time.