As a reminder, you can find MORE of this on my SubStar (dot adult slash KajaWilder), it's posted up past chapter 110 there... And if you guys haven't seen an update in at least a week, please let me know! I have a busy life, and I get distracted and forget things. This story(as well as ZpoW and PTaL) are supposed to be updated WEEKLY!

And if you're just interested in discussing things with other readers, of course, you can go to my DISCORD here: h- t_ t_ p-s -: -/ -/ -discord . g-g / N9yDA8t6Cw (taking out hyphens, underscores, and spaces of course).

Finally, you can also read my ORIGINAL FICTION on Kindle. If you've got Kindle Unlimited, they're all free. Here's my author page, h-t_t_p-s -:- /-/ tinyurl _._ com /- 4ffb7wph with links to everything published. (Remove all Hyphens, Spaces, and Underscores, of course... 'cause Ffnet.)

A note: I'm breaking from tradition a bit. This chapter marks the last of the main denoument scenes for the SCHOOL YEAR, but this fic- Harry Potter and the Friend With Benefits- ends at Ch. 111. The story DOES continue, however, in FwB2: Family With Benefits. That begins on like, day 3 of the summer vacation, but also literally the morning where Ch. 111 ends. There's no time-skip at all. It's just a busy (several) chapters. But the summer will be covered in great detail, too. It might end up being the majority of FwB2 in fact, with FwB 3 (loosely planned as "Future With Benefits") picking up after that. But nothing that far out is definite yet as it might be years away irl. Also, this chapter's smutty but more's coming in the next: a long awaited scene, too.

Finally again, you can always remind me if I'm late... though last night I wouldn't have updated anyway as I was finally playing Hogwarts: Legacy for the first time. Yes it's great. No, I don't want spoilers. Yes, things will probably make some sort of reference or note of some events, etc, eventually, maybe. That's all. Enjoy!

Chap. 92: Auspicious End's Beginning

The gathered group, all of his closest friends and a couple that Harry was only just starting to really consider friends at all, looked up at him expectantly. The Leaving Feast for this year had ended exactly one hour earlier, which meant almost all of the younger students were in bed. Millicent and Cassius had asked to spend the last night in Harry's quarters, just in case, as they suspected an attack. He knew it was a valid concern, because by now a good portion of at least Slytherin House knew the two were not planning to return next year.

Cassius was graduating, and Millicent, who needed only her O.W.L.s and her family's name, even if they disowned her (though she told Harry she doubted it would go that far). to secure employment if she wished to in her chosen profession, was going with him. Thankfully, they had volunteered to keep an eye on Astoria Greengrass, the vivacious fourteen year old was enjoying the privacy of not having to share Harry's massive bed with Pansy, and was snoring cutely in the suite's master bedroom.

The group would never have fit in the common room of the suite, so they were meeting in the Room of Requirement. The Slytherin contingent, plus Susan Bones, Hannah Abbot, Padma Patil, and Luna Lovegood, looked around in interest as they entered the room. Most of them now knew it already, since a good portion had taken D.A. lessons with Harry here the previous year, but none of the group had seen it set up like this. Well, except Hermione.

The decor was somewhere between the Gryffindor Common Room, and a classroom much like the one Harry had used for the D.A. meetings. Red and gold tapestries hung the walls, while the furniture was warm woods accented with darker colors, and just hints of green, silver, blue, bronze, yellow, and black served as trim to represent the other Houses, long couches circled the small central podium in two alternating rows so everyone had both room to sit, and could easily see Harry and Lyra as they stood on it. This area was, he knew, just a third of the room. Separated by curtains, another third contained a circle of soft, wide beds like the one that had, until this night, been in the dungeon of the quarters. Nine in all, in fact, and Harry was sure each one would be getting some use. The last third was even more unusual, in that it held a miniature version of the Prefect's Bath, with a row of smaller showers on one the furthest side, and a few sectioned-off toilets beyond that, and a kitchenette that was stocked, thanks to Dobby, with several snacks and drinks from the kitchens, but after the Feast Harry suspected no one would be in the mood to eat for a bit.

The room's precise makeup was something Harry had spent most of the day puzzling over. With no classes to attend, or even exams, he and most of his friends had spent the last couple of days healing. In Lilith's, Ron's, and his own case, that meant literally. And in Luna's, it meant being surrounded by people she cared for and trusted, and yes, some sex. For Ginny, Lavender, Pansy, and others, it involved more fun than just a little.

But the strange, shell-like armor Ron had manifested with the Hellhide Succubus power he had been granted with the second-tier Rune-set had been easy enough to remove once it was healed, demonstrating another ability that had come along with it. Despite his own being the newest, he had been the first to gain a secondary power, likely due to the manner in which the Hellhide had arrived: a desperate attempt to save Harry from grievous injury or death.

Lilith, her blood drained by a vampire, had taken days and a very potent mix of emotional support and sex to even regain consciousness. Now, she was a bit weak relatively, but back in her normal disguise as Lyra Sendai the transfer-student, and determined to carry through the Ritual Harry had planned as a last-minute thing. She had just enough energy, she said, and hoped that the others participating even indirectly would help her regain what she was about to spend. Maybe, if they were lucky, she could even wind up with more energy tomorrow than she had today.

Dumbledore... well, he was dead. There was no healing from that. Harry knew it, and knew full well that the Headmaster he had so admired had gone out the way he wanted to: Saving his school, and the students therein.

While he would miss the old man's kind smile, kinder words, understanding, and of course his vast wisdom and knowledge, Harry did not mourn his passing as such. He thought it wiser, perhaps, to celebrate the life he had lived, and be grateful for the time they had as student and teacher, and dare he say it, friends. And though it hurt, he knew Dumbledore had been ready to move on.

But this night was not about mourning what they had lost this year. From the devastating attack on King's Cross, to the most recent one on the school itself, this gathering was not about loss. This was about protecting what they still had... and about each other. He cared about these people. He hoped, he knew, they cared about him. Even those that Harry felt like he barely knew.

And they were looking up at him expectantly, ready for him to start talking, to take the lead.

The lead he knew he would take, because no one else could. True, Hermione could start talking, help guide the discussion. Lilith certainly could, too, and now there was even less reason for her to even hide who or what she was. All of Hogwarts, and indeed all of Wizarding Britain now he was sure, knew that Harry Potter was a randy wizard who had summoned a Succubus.

Why bother hiding it now? There was no reason to, not with his friends. She would show what she was soon enough, and he was sure everyone here had put it together anyway. The timing could be nothing else, especially with how quickly 'Lyra' had ingratiated herself to Harry's circle of friends. If nothing else, everyone present, unless they left part-way through, would know for sure, because Lilith, no matter her form, would be the one putting the Succubus Runes on... whoever they were giving them to.

And that was the problem.

On the front row of couches, Katie Bell, Luna Lovegood, Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, Parvati and Padma Patil hadn't had any Runes applied, but Susan sat with Hannah in the last of the front row seats, the blonde already rubbing Neville's crotch through his trousers while Susan, probably the least experienced person in the room, tried to ignore them. Even if she knew what she was coming for.

... That that conversation would have to take place now, before she could participate, was a bit awkward, but it was better than never.

In the back, by unspoken decree as far as Harry knew, the rest of his friends who'd already gotten Runes were lounging too, Ginny's robes and blouse already open to display her bright red bra. Of those, Pansy and Lavender could have their second Rune-sets applied this night, too. Neville could, but had declined for now, since he was a bit weirded out by the necessity of having Iris participate. He seemed to have a hard time separating Harry from his alter ego, or whatever the girl was, and the wizard in question couldn't blame him.

Every time Iris showed up, it seemed they were more and more distinct, but she had also been asking to come out less often since she had been named.

So who would it be? He could rule out Susan. She was still a virgin because of her apparent need for a Concubine Contract similar to the one he had with Daphne Greengrass. That might well change this night, but for now he did not think it would be right to apply Runes to someone who'd only just had sex for the first time during that very ritual. Better they had some normal experience, first. Thinking about it, he now understood much better why Lilith and her people refused to accept virgin contractors, or indeed take the virginity of lesser races.

The girl he'd first had sex with was willing and able now... but she was still nervous. Tracey, her girlfriend, seemed more eager in her own taciturn way, but Harry had always been a little enamored of the idea of doing the two's Runes as close to each other as possible. He didn't want to overwhelm whichever of the two didn't get their Runes first, as well. The increase in general lust and arousal was nothing to sneeze at, especially in the first few days.

Pansy... Harry grinned as he looked down at the former cow turned genuinely sweet young woman. She could be a good fit for tonight's focus. There wasn't anything in particular for or against her being chosen, and that alone might be enough.

Lavender Brown was in much the same boat, except she seemed to need the Runes less. Her status as Harry's "Pet", his slave, seemed to give her a lesser version of the same kinds of protection, even if it was unintentional. She would still get the Runes at some point, but he was less worried about her safety and the need to get a second set.

But there were still others who'd not any Runes at all to consider.

Luna was eager, and had expressed her desire to get 'into things' as much as possible.

Katie was a little more hesitant, but he could see the subtle clues that she was excited just being in the room with this many people with a clear intention of something naughty going on. She seemed to like the idea of a group-sex ritual quite a lot, which wasn't surprising given what Harry knew of her sexual history. But she had also, so far as he was aware, never been with anyone in the room but him... and she had history with the Weasley twins. Would it be weird for her? She'd said it wouldn't once before, when agreeing to get the Runes in the first place on the night Katie had told him she wanted to join his family instead of the one she had been in before with the Weasley twins, Angelina Johnson, and her now deceased girlfriend, Alicia Spinnet, but he still wondered.

The Patils were in a similar boat to Daphne and Tracey. Harry wanted to shag them both, that was not even in question. Doing it at the same time would be amazing, too. But he was relatively sure that Padma was a virgin like Susan, and Parvati's status was up in the air a little more than he was comfortable with. Short of flat-out asking, he wasn't sure how he could best find out on short notice, either. He thought they wanted te be more involved, but could they handle going so far, so fast? Jumping in, not just the deep end, but the open sea? Parvati, he thought, might think she was ready... but was she?

Katie's hesitance made him pause again, and he sighed. Really, it just came down to three. The ones most willing.

Luna, and Pansy, and Lavender.

Harry sighed. Nothing would really change, no one would be angry at him whatever he picked, but... "Luna, we're giving you your first set. But before we start, I need to speak with Padma, Parvati, and Susan. No one else. If you three could please, uh, go through the left curtain. Don't need to strip or anything, I just want to talk for now."

Parvati cursed under her breath, but Susan stood up, her face as red as her hair, first. Hannah hissed a quiet, "You'll be fine, good luck!" to her, and the Hufflepuff led the way into the bed section of the room a moment later.

Once those three were gone, Harry turned his attention back to the rest, "Katie, Daphne, Tracey... you don't have Runes yet, and that's alright. I'll- we'll- get them applied as soon as possible in Summer. Daphne, your father's letter arrived a couple hours ago. When you get on the train, you and Astoria should come find me. Together, if possible. We've got to talk. Oh, for all three of you again... I know you're nervous, Daphne and Tracey. Well, all three of you, yeah, but..."

"Get on with it, Potter," Katie herself chuckled, "we aren't gonna bite your heads off. Just spit it out."

He swallowed nervously, then nodded, "R-Right. Sorry. I'll just come out with it then."

"Finally," Ron exhaled, getting a few titters and a slap from Hermione that only made him smile more.

"You don't have to participate. No one is making you do this. We have plenty of people tonight. But if you want... If you want to use the Ritual as an excuse to 'join in full,' as in, to have sex with other people in the room besides me or each other... that's fine. No one will think less of you. They won't think less of you if you bow out, either."

"I'll be here," Katie replied quietly, "I may not... participate much, but I don't want to go a couple of months without being able to... you know. At least, not without getting some tonight."

"Didn't think about that," Harry admitted, "I honestly kind of expected you to come stay with me after... well, the Hols."

Katie shrugged, "My parents' house is... still there."

Harry nodded, "Alright. Well, I'll get you the Floo address as soon as I can, and you're welcome to come, to live or just visit, whenever you want. Say the word, I mean it. I don't want you in that house alone and moping, okay? Do what you need to. Stay there if you want. But if it's too painful..."

With a somewhat watery smile, Katie looked up at him then nodded once, "I'll do that, Harry. Thank you."

Daphne's hand tightened in her tiny girlfriend's grip for a moment, then she swallowed and cast an eye about the room, "I still prefer women only. But... but there is no one here I would not... be... with... if it helps the whole."

"My pussy is only for you," Tracey added, looking pointedly at Harry, "But that is not all I have."

Neville, Ron, and the other girls, far less used to the strange way Tracey sometimes pronounced things like that, exchanged a series of confused glances, but Harry nodded, "Alright. Well, again, participate as much or as little as you want. I sectioned things off to start so we- or you, rather- could get warmed up if you want to, while I talk to those three. It shouldn't be long for the twins, but Susan's could take a bit."

"Why?" Ron asked.

Ginny elbowed her brother a moment before Hermione did, but it seemed to be the brunette's that stung more, for he rubbed that side of his rubs with a glare in her direction, "Just a question, sheesh."

It was Hannah who answered, "Because she's never been with anyone, Ron, and she wants Harry to teach her about it before they enter into their Contract. Er... I hope that wasn't a secret."

Harry shook his head and gestured to Daphne, "The only other Contract I have is with Daphne, and it won't compete. The one with Susan I've started writing up is based on that one, so it shouldn't anyway. As long as she doesn't mind... well, sharing I suppose, it won't be an issue. And yeah, we all kind of know by now."

Hannah smiled, "Good. Now, you can keep talking if you want, but I missed the last Ritual, and my parents are taking us to Germany for a few weeks, so I'm going to get what I can, while I can."

Harry grinned at the blush Daphne and Katie sported while they tried not to watch the buxom blonde go down on her boyfriend there on the couch. Tracey was more successful, by simply not watching as if she had little interest but wasn't offended or bothered by it, either.

"Well... I guess you lot can have fun, then. Uh, try to stay out of the bed area until you see or hear Padma, Parvati, or even better, Susan. I don't want to scare her off before we finish the, uh, more structured lesson."

"Give her something practical to think about," Ginny teased, "that's a good way to break... the ice."

"Break her in, more like," Katie shot back at her fellow Chaser, who giggled.

"Girls," Hermione, Daphne, and Pansy all sighed as one, making the laughter increase.

Harry smiled as he started walking around the couches toward the curtains the other girls had gone through a minute earlier. If they were able to laugh and joke about sex, sex with him, and other partners, this openly in front of each other, even knowing what was coming, they would be alright.

"Do you want me to accompany you, Master?"

Harry missed a quarter step, not quite enough to stumble, but sent back quickly, "I think yes, actually. Having you there could help make her less nervous, and you'll be a good one to demonstrate on if she's nervous or doesn't want me to touch her directly for that part."

"Right behind you, then. I'm going to give these three Rune-less girls a quick kiss, and a dose of Fog to help them get into the mood a bit, lose some inhibitions. Nothing fancy."

Harry didn't bother responding with actual thoughts, but sent a wave of pleased acknowledgement back through their bond, and got another in return.

He found Parvati, Padma, and Susan nervously exchanging glances with each other and the beds, though all six eyes moved to Harry as he stepped through the small gap in the curtains and pulled it closed, re-activating the Silencing Charm he had put on it for this very occasion. He chuckled, then said, "You don't need to be nervous, you know. I'm not gonna just rip your clothes off and go at it."

"Aww," Parvati teased.

Harry grinned, shaking his head, "Unless that's what you want, I suppose. But no, I asked you three to have a word because you're in a different position than the rest. Daphne and Tracey have seen... what we're doing. They haven't participated, but they know fully what they're getting into. I wanted you three to know before you decide to actually go through with it tonight, or later, or not at all. You can't make an informed decision without the information, after all."

"Does this have to do with Lyra? Your Succubus?"

Harry nodded at Padma's question, though he waved his hand back and forth in a so-so gesture, "Sort of. Have the others told you about the Runes?"

"Briefly," Susan nodded, gesturing at the other girls, "I overheard Hermione tell them a little before you came out of the other area, and Hannah's told me a bit."

"That'll save time, then. Runes- Succubus Runes- are letters in Lilith's native language, imbued with sex magic. They're written in sexual fluids. Semen, Cowper's fluid, saliva, and so on. The more emotionally charged the experience that produced them, the stronger it is. By writing certain Rune-sequences, repeating them until it sinks in, and combining and mixing them, she can give a variety of benefits."

"Like...?"

Harry answered Padma's question as efficiently as he could, beginning with the increased strength and stamina, including a demonstration by picking up one of the beds quite easily, through to the inability to become pregnant or catch a disease 'accidentally', along with the 'benefit' of increased general arousal at all times. He continued, "Then there are the second-tier benefits. Pansy and Lavender could get these today, but I picked Luna for several reasons. They do... more. More of the same, yes, but other things, too. Ginny can turn invisible. You all saw Ron's armor- it looks like Lilith's true form, yeah? Same thing. Hermione has their version of Mage Sight. Neville hasn't gotten one. Oh, I just realized, damn... Hannah could've gotten a second Rune-set, too. I didn't even consider her. Damn. Too late this year, but maybe... Whatever, it's not important right now."

"What do you get? What can you do?" Parvati asked, "That fire-ball thing?"

"Passionfire? No," Harry shook his head, a brief flicker of the violet-purple flame appearing around his fist, "No, that's something I can do because of Lilith, but I don't get powers from Rune-sets. I actually only have one basic rune-set she applied the first night. I get stronger because of our Bond and our Contract, apparently. I'll, uh, have to go into my powers another time, but yes, I can do the fire and what she calls Body Morphology. It's like a Metamorphmagus... only different. Stronger in some ways, weaker in others. Maybe a little more, uh, complete. In how it changes, I mean. Still not important.

"What is important is that... if you get Runes, if you go all the way? You're in. You'll... well, you'll want to shag us all. A lot. Daily, several times a day. If not us, anyone will do, but you'll go through partners like crazy. Normal people just can't keep up, that's why I want to do Daphne and Tracey as a pair."

"Us, too?"

Harry shrugged at Padma's question, confused as to why she would ask, then continued on, "We won't and can't force you to stay with our group, but you're better off if you do. I trust you, so you can have the first set without- without joining like, permanently. I don't need an Oath or anything. But you need to know, before you get any, you'll most likely be shagging everyone in that room within a year, not just me. You won't see anything wrong with it, either. There might well be more."

The twins exchanged a significant glance, and Susan blushed, but she said nothing, only watched Harry quietly.

"So... I guess, what I'm saying is, if you want to back out, now's a good time. I'm not expecting anything from any of you tonight. But, uh, I know Padma, and Parvati, you both said you wanted to- to join us, so... you should know what that means before you make up your mind. Susan, same thing with you. If you would prefer, I'm happy to honor your request for a Contract, and supply whatever you need. It won't be a problem for me, no matter how many partners I have. But if it's a problem for you..."

"It isn't," she assured him, still crimson but with a faint, strange smile, "I... it's kind of hot, actually... thinking... thinking about you with all those women, all with dopey, satisfied smiles..."

Harry smiled himself. Was Susan a secret voyeur? Interesting, he might have to check that. The twins looked at each other again, then Padma said, "I... I'm a lesbian, Harry. But for you, I'll... I'll be with another man. I don't want to be with Weasley. No offense, but after the Yule Ball, that ship kind of sailed. Longbottom's alright, but... I prefer women."

His sharp eyes caught the slight tightening of the girl's hand in her twin's, but he only nodded at her faintly nervous question, "That's fine, so are Daphne and Tracey. The... the whole situation's weird, but we're making it work, at least so far. If you prefer, I don't have to participate in anything with you aside from any Runes... and with Body Morphology, I can be a woman, too."

Watching Padma's eyes light up to match her sister's already excited ones was inspiring, and Harry felt Iris wake up just a little from her long slumber at the thought of coming out to play with the gorgeous, brown-skinned twins, "I see that's appealing. Well, either way. You can, in this case, have it whichever way you want."

"Don't get my sister wrong," Parvati said, shaking her head with a teasing smile at her twin, "She's totally gonna get that Boy-Who-Lived dick, same as the rest of us. She's just nervous about it. We've talked about it a lot, Harry. Lavender convinced me... and Hermione convinced Padma. We're in, like you said, all the way. But, uh... in the interests of expediency, we probably shouldn't stick around tonight. I want to... but I'm not at all packed, and Pads said she'd help."

"I need to pack a little more too, if I'm being honest," the quieter girl replied, "But perhaps... perhaps early in the summer? We are going to India to visit family for a couple weeks in the middle, but..."

"If not that, then the end," Harry agreed, "I'd be happy to have you both. Uh... Sorry. I'm probably going to make a prat of myself, but I don't know a polite way to ask this. There's not like... a Rajah or Shah or anything waiting for you at home, is there? Or some other arranged... thing?"

Padma blushed, but Parvati full-on belly-laughed, even clutched her stomach for a minute, "No, Harry," she finally gasped between heaving breaths that did wondrous things for her cleavage, "No. Our grandparents are traditional, and they've discussed it, but Daddy put his foot down. We get to choose our spouses, thank you. And, uh, our Mum might have secretly been trying to encourage me to get to know you better for, oh, five years."

"R- Really? You've never said," Harry asked, quite surprised.

Parvati shrugged, "Wouldn't have been genuine, would it? If I was trying to seduce you at twelve, or whatever? This way, I can at least say I really know you."

"That's true," he acknowledged, "Though in my defense, at twelve I wouldn't have known how to put the Quaffle in the goal, so to speak. At fourteen, maybe..."

"And that's why I didn't then," Parvati chuckled, "I figured if... if you were really that good, you'd ask me out. And when you did, I was disappointed, but I knew even then who you really loved. Everyone- and I mean everyone- saw how you looked at Hermione. Ginny was so envious... at least, until last year, but even then... well, things worked out in the end."

"Have they, though?" Harry asked quietly, "That still leaves you unhappy, at least, if things are there. Maybe I'm being, I don't know, presumptuous or something, but..."

Parvati laughed again, and shared a long, meaningful glance with her sister. After several seconds, Padma, who had been growing more tense and ramrod-straight during the silent conversation, suddenly deflated, "Fine," she murmured.

Parvati actually let go of her sister's hand to skip up to Harry as Padma walked more sedately toward him, "The thing is," she whispered, pausing only when Harry yelped after having his buttocks slapped, and hard, by the Ravenclaw in a sneak attack he would never have expected, "I can't exactly marry the girl I'm in love with... but I do fancy you a bit, and have for a while. There's worse ways. Especially since, by being with you, we can be together, too."

"You're a lesbian too?" he asked quietly, mindful of Parvati's quiet tone and Susan's continued presence. At least the moans that suddenly came through the gap as the Silencing Charm was stalled until they closed once more helped mask some of it.

Parvati nibbled his ear and made Harry shudder as she grabbed the same rear cheek her sister had slapped, kneading it a bit, "No... I'm a lot of things, but I'm not only into girls. I'm a freaky girl, I imagine, actually..."

"Don't call yourself a freak," Harry murmured back, and found his hands snaking around her slender waist regardless of Susan looking on. He knew exactly why the phrase triggered him, and didn't want to discuss it, thanks, but would protest any use of it for the rest of his life.

"I didn't say I was a freak, I said I was a freaky girl," Parvati laughed, then bit his ear harder, "I'll do anything once... maybe twice if it hurts. Three times... if it hurts and makes me cum. I bet you can. But no... most people would say the freaky thing is that I'm in love with my sister. Catch you later, Potter. Hopefully we'll be balls-deep- or you will- by summer's end."

Then she was gone, leaving his skin tingling with the feel of her soft, smooth flesh against his even as his arse still stung with the force of her twin's blow.

"S- So... that was flirting," he chuckled weakly, completely off-centered."

Susan, still red-faced, shook her head in wry amusement, "I know what flirting is, Harry. I've... I don't know a lot about shagging, beyond the basics, but I've had a boyfriend or two."

He blinked, "Oh. I didn't know that."

Susan shrugged and looked away, apparently quite conscious that they were now the only people in at least a dozen feet, and floor-to-ceiling curtains with Silencing Charms applied now separated them rather well from the larger group outside, "I... No offense, Harry, but there's probably a lot you don't know about me. Or even Hannah. We... We haven't talked a lot over the last six years."

"No, I suppose not," he agreed, "which brings me to a really important question. Before I ask it, though, you should know: I'll stand by our agreement. Both of them, really. You want to learn, I'll teach you all I can even if I don't think I'm the best teacher."

"You did alright in the D.A.. Pretty good, actually. I learned loads, and- and Auntie taught me for years, before that."

It was, apparently, Harry's turn to blush from the unexpected praise, "Er... Thanks. I mean, I'm glad it helped. I hope it helped. But more than the grades, I hope it helps people stay alive."

Susan nodded. Harry swallowed, unsure how to continue the conversation from there. Normally, when he talked, others responded. Even if it was with something useless. Susan seemed content to simply agree wordlessly. How did he follow that?

Maybe it was time to change the subject. He hadn't mentioned the second thing, anyway, "Er, and the Contract is, as far as I'm concerned, already signed even if it's not written yet. If you want it to be, anyway."

"I do," she replied, "There's no one else I'd... trust."

The word was simple. Five letters, two of them even duplicates. But the meaning, spoken from a girl he really didn't know that well, hit Harry like a hammer. She chose him to father her children because she trusted him. Why? Why him? "You..." Something about it just rubbed him the wrong way. But not badly? Almost like... "You do know I'm..." Like she was seeing something in him that Harry didn't see himself, but he knew the kind of person he was, didn't he? Hermione, Ginny, and especially Lilith had been drilling it into him with varying degrees of intent for over a year, "I'm not... the Boy-Who-Lived. I mean, I am, but I'm not..."

"I know who you are," Susan answered, "I knew it was you during the D.A. I... Well, I didn't dislike you, but I didn't, um... didn't really know..."

"The real me?"

She nodded again, but this time continued with words as well, "But in the D.A. I feel like your true self, the real you, started to show. That man is funny, smart, nice, helps people, protects people... the kind of person I imagine my father would have been, or my brothers, or my uncles..."

"Oh." Suddenly he felt bad for thinking it would've been much easier if she had used more than brief answers or gestures. But what could he say to that without sounding either arrogant or overly humble? Every response seemed too extreme.

"But," Susan continued and stepped back, turning to look around the bed-filled space a bit, "Then when I learned about Lilith... and I remembered my Uncle's wife..."

"Your Uncle's wife was a Succubus?"

Susan grinned, almost playfully at some memory, but shook her head, "No, but Auntie's brother, Uncle Caleb, did have a Succubus. She was my Aunt Yrida. I thought for years she was just one of my Uncle and Aunt Denise's friends who happened to live with them, but as I got older... Well, some things make more sense now. Aunt Denise always said she was Bi-something. Muggleborn, so I wasn't familiar with the word, and I got told not to ask about it too many times as a kid."

"They kept you from asking questions?" Harry almost growled. He'd had far too much of aunts and uncles doing that, too, especially after the recent emotional strike of Parvati calling herself freaky.

"Not usually," Susan answered, "Just about that. It was always, 'Stop asking, we'll explain that when you're older.' Of course, now I don't need it explained. Aunt Yrida was probably ecstatic to be with both all the time. They were always happy, hugging each other... I think Auntie was a little jealous, since she never... well, you know, never married. Can't have kids anyway, an old curse got her when she was a Junior Auror, but... Well, couldn't have kids."

"We'll have to do it for her, then," Harry told her, "I mean, that's why the Contract, right? To continue the Bones line?"

Susan smiled, not just a little sadly. But she wasn't teary, which Harry appreciated. He might have more than a whole tablespoon of emotional range now, but he would still always rather not have to deal with crying girls, "Anyway, I... I'm not changing my mind. I know your life is..."

"Weird? Crazy?"

"Weird works," Susan giggled softly, "It works well, actually. But I don't... mind it. I loved Auntie Amelia. I do love her, still. But she was always so lonely. And Uncle Caleb, Aunt Denise, and Aunt Yrida were always so happy... and it was just the three of them and my cousins. They died the same day, you know."

It suddenly occurred to Harry that Susan Bones' shyness was entirely likely to be the result of trauma such as even he hadn't endured. Yes, he had grown up parentless... but so had she. But while Susan Bones might have been raised by her aunt, Amelia Bones was a good woman, and Harry was proud to have known her, if only briefly. But she had lost more than just her parents. Siblings, unborn siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins... A generation ago, the Bones family had been pretty large. Now it was just her.

"Susan, I... I can't promise I'll love you like... some of the others. But I do promise you I'll do my best to act as I do, if that's what you want. At the very least, I'll be kind and understanding as much as I can, and I'll do my best to be a good father."

"That's all I want, really," she shrugged, "If years down the line we realize we're in love, then that's great, but... It isn't needed. I just don't want to be alone. And if I can be happy, then even better."

"Alright. It's a deal, then."

"So... When should we start?"

"Er... What?"

Susan turned scarlet to match her hair again, which flopped as she started stroking one thick, waved strand of it in her hands, "Er... the- the lessons."

"The les- oh. Oh. Well... First, let's..."

What followed was, at least, enlightening. Even if Harry was overjoyed that Susan's embarrassed blush, which lasted the entire next hour and a half, did absolutely nothing to stop her from paying rapt attention and even asking several relevant questions.