Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Epilog are already on Pa tr eon
If you would like to read the next chapters faster, see exclusive content, or support my work, please visit
Pat re on. c om(slash)belleveela(delete spaces)
"Where are the girls?" Harry asked, feeling a tinge of sadness that they weren't waiting to celebrate with him. Seeing Gabrielle and Fleur in their tiny nightshirts was always the highlight of his day, even if it made him feel a bit awkward.
"They were called to Hogwarts last night," his mom said, furrowing her brow and shaking her head. "A dignitary is visiting, and they need to be on the welcoming committee. I told them it was rude not to come to your birthday breakfast, but they had to go." She made a disgusted noise and pushed the jar of blackberry syrup away.
"Not much," Harry said as he filled his plate.
"Any special plans for today now that you're a man?" his mom inquired, leaning against the counter with her coffee.
"I'm going to a game on Friday with Gabrielle," he shrugged. "Other than that, I don't have any plans. I'll probably catch the new Dune movie in the afternoon."
"Hot date?" she asked, raising an eyebrow playfully.
"I wish," Harry chuckled. "Girls never seem interested in me."
"I think now that you're a man, things have changed," she remarked.
"I keep hearing that, but I don't feel any different than yesterday." It wasn't entirely true, but he didn't want to tell his mom that his skin was crawling, and he was aching with desire.
"It's not something you'd notice," she said, her voice a breathy whisper. "But those of us who truly know how to savor a man's essence, well, we recognize you for what you are."
Harry tilted his head in confusion, the fork hovering before his lips. "And what's that?"
His mom's eyes darted around the room as if searching for help, and her hands gripped her coffee cup like a shield. Her plump lips moved, but it was clear she wasn't going to say anything. Intrigued and frustrated, Harry got up from his chair and walked over to her. She backed away, her eyes widening, but her butt hit the counter, and she couldn't retreat any further.
"You've been hinting at something for the past few days, and I'm getting tired of it," he said. "Is this about Beauxbatons?"
"Beauxbatons?" Her face scrunched up in confusion, and then she burst into laughter, leaving him even more puzzled. "I'd wish it were something that mundane... No, Harry, I need to tell you that... It will change how you see me and your sisters. Her face twisted with emotion, and Harry's heart clenched. "And when I do, you'll hate us."
"I could never hate you," he said.
He wanted to reach out and pull her into a hug, but the old taboo was strong. Overcoming it, he extended his hand to wipe a tear from her cheek. She watched his approaching finger, her breath deepening, causing her inner curves to press together. But at that moment, the doorbell rang.
His mom's eyes snapped open, and her face showed relief and irritation. "Who could that be?"
Harry opened his eyes wide and tried to clear his head. He didn't know what had prompted him, but he was on the verge of doing something scandalous. Something that would have seemed crazy a week ago, but now, with an abundance of desire coursing through his veins, it felt rational.
As the front door swung open, he leaned over the sink and turned on the cold water. Splashing some on his face, he tried to cool down the boiling fire within him.
"Sister? What are you doing here?!"
His mom's shocked voice reached him over the splashing water, and he stood up, peering through the kitchen window. It led to the front of the house, and through the door, he could make out his mom's silhouette and another petite figure standing in front of her. There was something about that figure that tickled at the back of his brain until he heard a voice with a distinctive accent.
"I imagine the same thing as you, Apolline. I came to check if the rumors are true. Bellatrix claims they are after her meeting with him yesterday, but I had to see for myself. Let him go with Bellatrix and me... she has already made an impression."
"After all these years, is that all you have to say? Aren't you worried about the girls or how I managed through these centuries?"
Centuries? Harry thought.
"I see you're still as sharp as ever," the slender woman said, shrugging her shoulders. Then she raised her head, wrinkling her nose as if trying to detect a scent. Turning towards him, her eyes locked onto his, and he took a sharp breath.
The beautiful blonde looked identical to the woman he had spoken to the day before at the mansion. The world spun around his mind as he tried to make sense of everything he had heard and seen over the past two days. Without a clear picture, fear seeped into the cracks of his understanding and tripped him up.
The older woman noticed his reaction and stiffened, extending her hand as if to beg him not to move away. His mother caught this exchange, spying on him through the window, and he could hear what she was saying but couldn't decipher the words. He caught another fragment as he moved through the kitchen.
"The sensation was always there, but today, it became unbearable... If we don't do this tonight, I'll go mad. You may be right about your help... I've tried to explain it and can't find the courage."
He walked to the door, but their conversation had ended, and he heard the sound of the older woman's heels. When he entered the hallway, he found her leaning against the door. The floorboards creaked under his feet as she stood and futilely attempted to smooth her features.
"It looks like our conversation will have to wait a while, Harry. I need to leave."
Not looking him in the eyes, she passed him. "The woman I met yesterday, was she your sister?"
"Not in the literal sense, but yes... Bellatrix and Narcissa are my sisters. I didn't know they would arrive so soon. I thought there would be more time."
Harry followed her into the kitchen, where she grabbed the remnants of yesterday's dinner and then turned to leave. When her hand touched his, she let out a muffled cry as if he had burned her. He could only watch in confusion as she swung open the front door and made her way across the lawn to her car, her movements looking unsteady.
"Mom, what the hell is going on?!"
"Wait here, Harry," she said, her voice distant and far away. "I... Narcissa was right. I don't know what I was thinking. I can't be the one to tell you this... Please, forgive me, my love. I love you so much."
Harry wanted to scream in frustration when she talked about it again, but her pain was too raw and real. He watched her drive away, realizing that these would be the worst birthday of his life. Breakfast still waited for him, and he had the house to himself, so it wasn't a complete loss.
"Screw it," he said, reaching for a bottle of champagne his mom kept for special occasions.
It took him a moment to figure out how to uncork it, and he made a mess on the countertop when the bubbles spilled over, but he was so annoyed with his family that he didn't care. He filled a plastic cup halfway with the frothy bubbles, took a big sip, and then spat it out a second later.
It's gone bad, he thought, as his lips twisted from the sweet-bitter taste of alcohol.
He finished a large cup of champagne, but he didn't feel drunk or even tipsy, despite eating without taste. His stomach rumbled, but he still felt empty, so he returned to bed and curled up under the covers, intending to sleep through the rest of his birthday.
But that didn't happen, and he was awakened from his peaceful nap by the sound of the phone ringing.
"Hello?"
"Happy birthday, Harry!"
"Thanks," he felt his lips curl into a grimace as he heard the rare joy in Fleur's voice.
"Listen, I need a big favor. We're hosting a gathering of my sister's friends from outside England, and one of them is running late. She's at the whistle-click terminal, but we've been drinking. Could you pick her up and give her a ride home?"
"Fleur, that's like a 40-minute round trip..."
"I'll make it worth your while, thanks!"
The phone disconnected before he could say anything else, and he muttered in frustration, getting out of bed. His head was foggy, and his balls hurt even more than a few hours ago. As he got dressed, the drowsiness didn't subside, and he drove through the city, not remembering the way. He received a text from Fleur with the girl's name and information that she'd be waiting with a pink suitcase in front of the terminal.
Perfect, he thought, passing by the terminal. He'd be able to give his sister's friend a ride.
A crowd of people moved in from the arrivals side, but Harry noticed the pink suitcase as she pushed her way through. When his eyes landed on the girl gripping a plastic handle, his heart started pounding hard, and goosebumps ran down his neck. Strangely, the fog in his head cleared, and his pants became uncomfortably tight.
The girl was tall and slender, with the grace of a model. Her outfit accentuated her stunning beauty, and crowds parted before her. Her hair was thick and dark, with large curls that cascaded loosely onto her shoulders. Intricate loops framed a face straight out of every man's fantasy. With her darker sun-kissed complexion, white teeth, and full, sensuous lips shaped like a bow, Harry found it difficult to find a single flaw. Even the mole on her cheek accentuated the perfect symmetry of her features.
People around the girl were staring at her, and Harry noticed a few men gathering the courage to approach the angel, but she ignored them all with an icy composure while her eyes scanned the approaching cars. It wasn't until he got closer that he noticed her tense expression, the corners of her mouth turned down in a restless grimace, and her nose wrinkled as she took a deep breath. Her nose seemed to lead the rest of her body as she turned towards where Harry had parked, tilting her head around a group of travelers. Then her eyes met his, and her expression blossomed like a flower in the sun. Her eyes brightened, and her sensuous lips curved into a smile as she waved to him excitedly.
And he didn't want to leave the house, Harry thought, a smile forming on his face.
As she hurried over, he had to shift in his seat because his pants were even tighter. The shawl slipped from her torso and gathered at the bend of her elbow, revealing tall, firm breasts that bounced delightfully as she moved.
"Harry?" she asked with a deep Italian accent, leaning low to look through the passenger window. "Blaise? Are you headed to the club meeting?"
"Yes," he bit his lower lip, resting his hands on the door and bringing his elbows together, squeezing his firm chest into a dark line. "You're prettier than the Fleur 3 Highlighters I was warned about... I don't know if I can wait before I feast."
Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Epilog are already on Pa tr eon
If you would like to read the next chapters faster, see exclusive content, or support my work, please visit
Pat re on. c om(slash)belleveela(delete spaces)