Shout at the Devil

by MalcolmTent6730

Magic wasn't real. That's what Ryan Black was told for most of his life. It was a truth he believed until about a week after his eighteenth birthday, when he was contacted by his dead dad's estate about his own. Being born a squib he had no reason to be informed, except for a small gift his old man left him. Evil pieces in Harry Potter. AU Hogwarts University. Eventual OC-Multi,

37. Chapter 37

October 30th, 2012, Hogwarts, Scotland, 7:00 AM BST

"I can't believe we're going to see Gabi!" Fleur squealed excitedly. "I've been missing her so much." Her face fell. "Not that I haven't been having fun spending time with all of you, but I really miss my sister."

Putting an arm around her, I pulled her into my side with a warm smile. "No one is offended you want to see her. In fact, I don't think you're alone in that desire." I shot Harry some side eye as we stood out on the Hogwarts grounds.

Stori snickered as the boy-who-lived went red. He cleared his throat. "Of course. Gabrielle is a friend. I look forward to seeing her again."

"I know she is excited to see you as well." She grimaced. "Though she has undergone…some changes. I'm afraid her allure has awakened. It was so late that I almost dared to dream she wouldn't be subjected to such an indignity."

Sighing, I squeezed her tightly. Fleur was conflicted about her Veela nature. She was proud of her family and heritage, but the girls and I (thanks to the Spells of Astaroth) were among the only people in the world who could interact with her casually. She was still super hot, obviously, but the allure didn't bother us anymore.

It was sad to hear Gabi would be going through something similar. Fleur was mostly protected here because I'd made it violently clear that she was mine and that I'd fuck up anyone who looked at her sideways, and that barely worked.

Harry just shook it off. "I'll still be Gabi's friend, even with an allure. She's a special person."

"Of course she is." Said Stori firmly. "Does anyone know anything about Durmstrang? I tried looking into the school, but the only thing I found was what Dumbledore told us about Grindelwald."

Hermione perked up. "I found a few bits of information." She said enthusiastically. "It's supposed to be somewhere in Siberia, though I couldn't find direct confirmation of that. I still have no idea how they'll be arriving, but I'm excited to talk to witches and wizards from other cultures. Imagine the new kinds of magic they might be able to teach me!"

I was about to respond to her when there was a rumble of disturbance through the crowd. Dumbledore had collected everyone at breakfast, telling us that the delegations would be arriving today, and escorted us outside to greet them. Now though, everyone was reacting to a shift in the lake, the water bubbling in the center like a hot tub.

There was a slight pause, and then the bow of a ship erupted from the surface of the water, exploding up out of the lake like a floaty someone pushed underwater and then released.
The ship itself was…old looking. Lots of wear and tear, cracks and even a bit of water damage. Still, it was a fucking pirate ship complete with sails that had just burst out of a lake, so it was definitely of interest. Despite the rough entry, it glided smoothly over the surface of the lake, beaching quickly, and the people on the deck hoisted up and tossed down a long plank to be used as a bridge to disembark.

Dumbledore strolled cheerfully up to the ship, waiting for the students to disembark. When he was the first person down, he gave a warm smile. "Deputy Headmistress Romanoff." He said brightly. "I must admit, I was expecting Headmaster Karkaroff, but I vastly prefer your company to his. Welcome to Hogwarts."

The woman who alighted from the plank smiled regally at the old man. "I thank you for your hospitality." She said in lightly accented english. "And please, there is no need for formality. Call me Natasha."

Deputy Headmistress Romanoff, or Natasha, was absolutely gorgeous. Smooth, pale skin, a generous cupids bow mouth, red silky hair, bright green eyes, and, despite her heavy robes, an obviously voluptuous figure. She kind of reminded me of Suzie and her Aunt, except where Suzie was beautiful in a sweet way, and Amelia had an austere sexuality, Natasha was pure bombshell on the level of Fleur, minus the allure.

"Yum." Muttered Daphne hungrily, and I nodded my emphatic agreement. That was pretty much the only thought in my head too. Plus Suzie was Daphne's favorite fuck buddy besides me, seeing an older sexier version of her was bound to get her motor running.

Ron, of all people, jerked our attention away from the older woman with a gasp of surprise. "Is that…nah, couldn't be, right? Bloody hell I think it is! That's Victor bleeding Krum!"

Tracey's head snapped up, eyes scanning the crowd. "Wait, what? No way. Merlin, it really is. What is he doing here? I knew he was in school, but I guess I hadn't put everything together." She cursed loudly. "Can't believe quidditch is canceled the year we have an international quidditch star here."

Shaggy put an arm around her. "Like, I'm sure we could get a friendly game going, babe. You know Scoob loves to play, and I bet this Krum guy has never played Quidditch with a dog." He chuckled at Scooby's usual confused exclamation about not seeing a dog, but Tracey was lighting up at the comment already.

"That's a GREAT idea!" She said excitedly. "I bet he would love to play a game without too many stakes." She leaned up and yanked her boyfriend into a raunchy kiss. "Fantastic plan, hon."

The two of them worked surprisingly well as a couple, and it was nice to see. Tracey was a force of nature, and Shaggy was so laid back it was almost an illness. His training with Tanith had been grinding away some of the rough edges. His first instinct when in danger was still to run, but it wasn't in the opposite direction anymore. He tended to circle around and attack from behind. Scooby had been working with Seras and Fleur on his nerves and was doing much better too.

It was good to see them coming into their own more. "Ok, so that's the russians. What about the French Deligation?" I turned to Fleur. "You guys going to take a ship in too?"

She grinned widely. "Not at all. They'll be taking the horses. Well, the sky coach, but it's pulled by winged horses. That was one of the reasons I decided to go to Beauxbatons aside from it being IN France." She scanned the sky, finally lighting up as she pointed off into the distance. "There!" She cheered. "I see them now!"

I turned, and off in the distance I could see a small speck. It only took a second for the distant form to resolve into a blue coach pulled by giant winged horses. "Pegasi are a thing?" I asked in surprise. "I didn't know there were winged horses at Beauxbatons, how did I miss that?"

Fleur chuckled. "It takes years of experience and time with the subjects to ride Abraxans, and they aren't really sized for it in any case. Also Pegasi are a greek breed. Those are Abraxans, much like the United Kingdom is host to Aethonans and the Scandinavian region has the Granian. There are many breeds of winged horse. Even the Thestrals at hogwarts technically count, they're considered more an offshoot than a breed."

Theo nodded. "She's right. There's actually a competitive racing circle for them. Their hair is also used in wandmaking fairly often, though which breed varies from region to region. I have a cousin who uses an Aethonan hair wand."

As we talked, the coach was dragged down out of the sky, smoothly transitioning from descent to a straight shot along the grounds as I pulled up right in front of the group. The coach opened after it came to a stop, and the massive form of Madame Maxime emerged, with Amelie following close behind.

"Olympe!" Called Dumbledore with a wave as he approached. "Welcome to Hogwarts. Your timing is excellent."

Once they had moved, a blonde blur emerged from the coach, sprinting toward us and leaping at her sister, who caught her with a laugh and spun her around to bleed off some of the force. Gabi squeezed Fleur, muttering something under her breath about missing her.

"Oh, I see how it is." I drawled. "She's the favorite. You don't care about any of your friends when big sister is around."

Giggling, she pulled back from Fleur, sticking out her tongue at me. "Yup, that's how it is. You caught me. I'm a total sis-con." Stepping away from Fleur, she opened her arms for a hug, and I pulled her in for a tight hug.
"Good to see you Gabs." I said with a grin. "I was expecting the whole allure thing to change you. Why don't you have…" I gestured lamely, not wanting to ask out loud.

Gabi snorted. "How you say…tits the size of my head?" She said in accented English. "That's just Fleur. Not all Veela are so voluptuous, though our Maman is, of course. I am the runt of the litter."

"Somehow I think you'll be ok in terms of appeal." I said dryly. "Harry certainly thinks you're gorgeous." Her face turned red and I heard a yelp of shocked dismay from behind us. I winked at her. "He's shy, and now that your allure is going he's going to have a lot of competition, so I thought I'd give you two a nudge."

Gabi cleared her throat. "That is…most kind of you, but I believe my relationship with Harry is none of your business."

"If I didn't do it Stori would have." I said with a smirk. "And she's much less subtle than I am. I just saved you from waking up naked and locked in a room wearing nothing but a whipped cream bikini."

"Hey!" Spat Daphne's sister. "I would never do that to someone against their will. Or at all. I had enough trouble applying the whipped cream to myself when I did it to Blaise. Getting a level line across the back for the bra is shockingly difficult."

Gabi was staring at the other girl in terror, and Blaise had a pleased smirk on his face as the other guys in our group (not me obviously) shot him jealous looks.

"If I might have your attention." Called Dumbledore in a blessed distraction. "We will be retiring to the castle. Classes are cancelled for the day so you might meet our guests. Anyone who wishes to submit their name to the goblet may do so, and we will be having a welcome feast later tonight. Tomorrow we will have a Halloween Ball and drawing the winners so we may decide who can compete."

I took the opportunity to grab Gabi, dragging her into the castle and away from Stori. "Now, I want to hear all about your trip." I said with a laugh as Fleur followed excitedly. "That coach is obviously enchanted and I'm interested to know how it works. How big is the inside? Are there any comfort enchantments on it?"

She rolled her eyes. "You are such a…how do you English say? Nerd?"

"I'll have you know that people consider me very cool!" I complained. "Fleur, tell your sister how cool I am."

"Of course darling." She said airily. "You are the coolest." From the corner of my eye I saw her lock eyes with Gabi and shake her head, mouthing no in an exaggerated fashion. I rolled my eyes, trying not to chuckle at her teasing. She knew I could see her, and I liked that she felt comfortable busting my balls.

"So, are you going to enter the tournament?" Stori asked Gabi eagerly. "I'm not allowed because I was sick for so many years, but you're totally healthy. Somebody needs to represent us gorgeous Sophomore girls."

Fleur glared at her. "She will NOT enter. I'll be representing Beauxbatons personally. There is no need." Gabi bristled and they started arguing, and I settled in with a smile. It was nice to have the family back together again.

October 30th, 2012, Slytherin Dorms, Hogwarts, Scotland, 7:00 PM BST (nsfw warning. smut tags: breast play, creampie, breeding play)

We spent the rest of the day hanging out as a group. Tomorrow was Halloween as well as the ball where the champions would be chosen, so everyone was working on their costumes at least part time. Formal stuff, since the ball was leaning that way, but still fun and interesting.

Despite the crowded nature of the school though, after our early dinner, I noticed Daphne, Seras, and Fleur trying to herd me toward my room, making excuses about a long day and pushing me to sleep early. They weren't subtle about it, but they clearly had something they wanted me to see or do in my room, and I wasn't in the habit of disappointing my girls.

So I wasn't sure what I was going to see when I walked into my chambers after the meal, other than that it would probably be something very pleasant, and I definitely wasn't disappointed.

Suzie was waiting for me, sitting on my bed alone, hands in her lap as she fiddled with her skirt. I stopped in my tracks, staring at her as my vision narrowed to a tunnel, taking in the gorgeous image and searing it into my brain as thoroughly as possible.

My cinnamon roll had dressed up. Delicate makeup framing her bright blue eyes and pouty pink lips, hair combed back and held that way by a red hedbeand that matched her outfit, two tiny horns poking up on either side. Her angelic face was a sharp contrast to the rest of her body, making the dress stand out even more.

My Suzie had enormous breasts. I knew that academically, I'd seen how much they'd grown, both clothed and naked, but tonight she had them on delicious display. Her dress was half ankle length red drop skirt and half shiny red leather corset the leather laced up the front of the bodice, her colossal cans forcing the lacing apart enough that I could see the inner curves of her breasts and say for sure that she wasn't wearing any sort of bra.

Along the top an ocean of pale perfect cleavage was displayed proudly, a shelf of flawless ivory flesh that played an enchanting contrast to her nervous, innocent expression.

"You." I said firmly. "Are NOT wearing that to the ball." My mouth was dry as my eyes barely managed to tear away from her chest, enjoying the pink of her cheeks.

She licked her equally pink lips, swallowing hard as she met my eyes from under smoky, red painted lids. "Yes, my lord. This is only for you." Her voice has hoarse, breathing heavy (which did pleasant things to her sinful body.

"What's this about?" I said as I sat down next to her, pulling her into my lap. "You went through so much trouble to get me alone. You must need something."

She whined, wriggling in my lap. "I need you inside." She whispered in embarrassment. So much fucking and my sweet girl still got shy before I fucked her. She'd get into it once we started, but her shyness was always so cute, especially with her frankly deviant body perched in my lap.

"What brought this on?" I asked casually as I gripped her hips, pinning her in place. "Not that I mind some alone time with my best girl, but my Suzie usually plays so well with others. Is Daphne not taking care of you?"

Her face went red and she looked away, pouting. "I love Daphne, and I love the things she does to me. But I needed to be alone with you." I raised an eyebrow, waiting, until she admitted sulkily. "I was jealous."

"You?" I said incredulously. "You're the least jealous girl I know. You're always happy to share. What brought on this little fit of neediness."

My hand slid down to squeeze her thigh, and then, as she wriggled in place, I pulled up her skirt and slid my hand under it. I expected lace or maybe cotton, but my hand only met soaking cunt under the skirt, and I leaned down to kiss the pulse on her throat as my fingers slid into her dripping pussy to the knuckle.

Suzie let out a keening whine. "That russian." She moaned. "You were staring at her b-breasts. I got these for you and you decided to look at hers. She's so pretty and her hair is red like mine and you kept staring at her body. You should stare at my body."

I curled my fingers, scraping gently over the patch of nerves right over her entrance as my thumb ground on her clit. "Oh, I am." I said against her ivory skin. "I'm staring plenty. But it seems like you want something. Something you think I'm going to give Deputy Headmistress Romanoff. What do you need, love?"

"C-cock." She whispered in embarrassment between moans. "I need your cock. I know you love it when I talk like this. I want you to take all that frustration out on my n-naughty p-pussy. You should fuck me."

I was pretty sure some of the stuttering was more pleasure than nerves, but it was still fucking adorable. "You gonna earn it?" I whispered to her. "This little tantrum is bad manners. I'm not sure I want to reward it." Which was bullshit, obviously, but judging by the clench of her volcanic twat around my fingers, it was exactly what she wanted.

Pouting, she pulled away from me, her soft hands gripping my wrist as she pried my fingers from her snatch. Standing, she turned and knelt down. Reaching through a circle, she pulled out a bottle identical to Daphnes, and upended it over her chest.

Reaching down, she pulled first one breast, then the other over the top of her corset, letting them hang free, her strawberry milk nipples proud and erect as she slowly rubbed the oil over both of her pal, perfect tits, moaning and whimpering as her fingers twisted her pretty pink nipples. When she finally completed her once over, she pressed her gigantic jugs together and looked up at me wantonly.

"My body is yours." She cooed sweetly. "I'd be anything for you Ryan. I would never deprive you of a woman you wanted, but I can be just as good for you as she could. If you want to enjoy the large breasts of a willing redheaded toy, you can use mine. Please use them. They were always meant for you. Please put them to use, my love."

I fumbled to unbutton my pants, pulling out my cock slowly with a low groan as it hit the air, then reached down to grope her oily tits myself, enjoying the sensation of her soft skin as I played with them for a minute. Finally, I leaned forward to angle myself between them and slid my cock in with a groan of exultation.

They were so soft and warm and slick from the oil, and I used them for minutes, glorying in the sight and sound and feel of them until I felt my balls tighten and realized I was getting close. I pulled back then, leaning down to pick Suzie up and turn to toss her onto the bed, earning a squeak from my redhead as her huge tits bounced freely.

When I turned to take her in, she was balanced on her elbows, staring down the line of her body at me, chest heaving magnificently. I reached down and tore the skirt off her dress, baring her thick thighs and well trimmed pussy.

Grabbing her knees, I spread and lifted, leaning down between them and locking my mouth around her soaked cunt, sucking her clit even as one hand slid two fingers back into her to work her pussy as I ate. She whined and wriggled and pleaded and I tuned out anything but the moans and the feel of her until she came screaming on my tongue.

She fell back on the bed, panting and twitching, and I climbed up, setting the head of my cock at her entrance. I used one hand to hold myself up and the other to tilt her chin up and make her look at me as I slid inside her.

Her wail of shock and her big dopey smile told me how much she loved it even if her dripping twat hadn't been so hot and inviting. "Fuck I missed this." I spat through gritted teeth. "I've been keeping you waiting haven't I, love?" I slid out and shoved back in roughly, and her shining tits bounced fetchingly.

"Here now." She gasped with a giggle. "Right where you belong. And I don't mind sharing as long as I get some alone time."

I kissed her softly, withdrawing as I did before slowly sliding myself home. Swallowing her whining moan was as sexy as ever, and I adjusted my position to get a better rhythm before I started fucking in and out a bit faster. She keened happily, legs coming up so her heels locked behind my hips as I sped up.

The joy of pounding into her like that, tits bouncing as she welcomed me into her cunt with sloppy wanton enthusiasm was probably one of the hottest things that had ever happened to me. I could feel myself getting close, and I held it at bay, willing myself to wait so I could enjoy the paradise I was stuffing myself into for even longer.

Time flew by, minute after minute or agonizing bliss, hard fucking and soft flesh and noise and motion all mixed together into a swirl of ecstasy until finally I couldn't hold it anymore.

"I'm gonna cum." I grunted through the motion and the screams of bedsprings that were almost definitely not made for this kind of pressure. "Where do you want it love?" I was pretty sure I knew the answer, given her ankles behind my back, but I had to ask just in case.

She grabbed my face, giving me a hard kiss. "Inside." She panted manically. "Fill me please, Ryan?"

I nodded absently, almost unable to form the gesture, and picked up the pace, fucking into her molten snatch harder and faster, getting as deep into her pussy as possible. I knew where she wanted my cum, and I was gonna give her every fucking drop.

I felt the head of my dick tapping out a staccato against the depths of her pussy, knowing she loved it. Bottoming out wasn't for everyone, and a lot of girls found it uncomfortable, but none of mine seemed to mind. I wondered if devil shapeshifting had adapted them to my admittedly larger than average cock, but lost the thought as my balls clenched in their final, vain struggle to hold back the tide of white.

Burying my head in her greased up cleavage, I pounded myself all the way to base and then let the orgasm tear out of me, pump after pump of hot cum battering her cervix as I let my whole fucking world narrow to the load I was emptying into that velvety demonic pussy. Suzie tightened around me, screaming for me to keep going. "Put a baby in me, love!" She squealed. "Breed me and make these fat tits nice and heavy!"

It felt to good to object, though I knew it was just games. My redhead wasn't ready to be a mom yet, though she'd make a great one when it was time.

The sensation of creampie'ing Susan was fucking transcendant, and when I finished, I slumped down onto the bed next to her and pulled her against my body. She made soft, sleepy sounds and snuggled up as I pulled us full onto the bed and dragged her up to where the pillows were.

"Ok." I said with a quiet laugh. "We need to carve out more one on one time going forward. Also I need to ogle more busty redheads. I like what it brings out in you." Her answering pout was so cute I ended up kissing her senseless. It was a good night.

October 31st, 2012, Slytherin Dorms, Hogwarts, Scotland, 6:00 AM BST (brief nsfw at the beginning. Tags: shower sex)

Waking up on Halloween naked with a soft body against mine wasn't a surprise, but it was certainly pleasant. What WAS a surprise was that there was just ONE body pressed against me. I'd grown so used to sleeping in a big sexy pile of gorgeous women it was almost nostalgic for it to be just me and Suzie in my bed.

"Hey." I said with a smile, poking at my cutely drooling girlfriend. "Wake up, we have to head to breakfast soon."

Whining sleepily, she buried her face in my chest, and I chuckled as I slipped out of bed, hooking an arm under her knees as I shifted her seamlessly into a princess carry, drawing a much louder whine as the cold air hit her naked body.

"Ryaaan!" She wailed. "It's cooold." I walked us through a circle and into an empty bathroom at the manor back home, then set her on the marble bench seat out of the range of the sprayed and turned on the water, letting it heat up. Once there was a bit of steam going from the heat, I picked her up and spun her around, letting the water blast her in the face.

She sputtered, laughing as the warm water woke her up and burying her face in my chest to keep from inhaling it. My hands ran down her body, gliding over lick skin as I stroked and rubbed at her cute little ass. Her wings popped out, and I let her hold herself up as I stepped back, exposing her body.

My hands came away, leaving her midair as I grabbed some soap and lathered up both of them before reaching down to palm her enormous breasts, her nipples scraping over my palms as I soaped and sudded her fat tits.

She was panting, eyes heavy and languid as she stared up at me, and her legs locked around me, grinding her wet snatch against my body, my cock pinned between us. I angled my hips, shoving my cock up into her and she keened happily, shimmying her shoulders as I lathered and groped her breasts.

We enjoyed ourselves like that for about an hour. Fucking and washing and fucking more so we needed to rewash. By the time we got out there was much less soap than there had been. I wrapped us in a towel as Suzie snuggled tightly against me under it, her soft naked form mashed up against my muscles in the most pleasant way.

"So. I take it you had a nice time last night?" I said with a laugh as I carried us through another circle back into my room.

She beamed at me. "I always have a nice time with you. But I admit having some alone time was nice. Daphne was telling me about all the wonderful things you did to her butt the other day, and I admit I was already feeling a bit jealous when that…russian woman, arrived."

I sat down on the bed, letting the towel drop so I could prop her naked body across my lap. "Hey. You have nothing to worry about, you know that right? Where is this even coming from?"

She chuckled guiltily. "Sorry. It's just…my Auntie was a big part of my life growing up, and she's gorgeous. I didn't have too many friends, as you know, but everyone that I DID spend time around would always compare us. Filling out was nice, but I'm still sensitive about it I guess. That teacher was even prettier, and I guess I just felt…plain, in comparison."

"That's stupid." I said bluntly. "You're gorgeous. Body aside, your face is angelic, and even if you WERE less pretty than Romanoff, which you aren't, I love you for so many more reasons than the way you look." She looked away, and I reached up to turn her chin so she was looking at me directly. "I love you, Susan Bones. Don't doubt it."

Her smile was a shy, soft thing, and it almost broke my heart. She leaned against me and we say like that for a while, just enjoying the feel of each other. Then I set her down on the bed and went to get dressed, letting her collect herself and pick her own clothes.

When I cam back, I grinned at her. "So, today's the day. Halloween and they're picking the champions. You excited?"

She chuckled. "I'm sure you'll get picked. I won't say I'm not a little worried, but given they're letting normal wizards and witches participate, any of you should be more than up to the task. Though I've been avoiding any research on past tasks."

"Probably smart." I laughed. "I checked into it, and some of them are…exciting. But yeah, nothing we can't handle. Now, shall we go? We'll be late for breakfast at this rate." I held an arm out regally and she hopped to her feet, giggling as she hooked her elbow in mine.

We took the circle to the secret room behind the great hall and emerged from behind the pillar, dropping down next to where the others were all grouped up at the Slytherin table.

"Finally." Said Tracey with a snicker. "{I was afraid you'd accidentally shagged her to death. How do you feel, darling? Does your spine connect properly? If anything is broken we can take you to see the nurse."

Suzie's face turned red. "I feel lovely. We had a morning shower and cuddled for a while. Ryan is never too rough with me."

Seras grinned at her. "It's true. Our Suzie is a fan of the rough stuff. She can take a surprising amount for such a delicate little flower. I wouldn't be surprised if Ryan was the one injured, maybe threw out a hip or something."

I flipped her off, rolling my eyes as I started loading up my plate.

"So, is everyone excited about the ball tonight?" Asked Gabi shyly. "I've never been to an event this big. Three entire magical schools. And I still haven't found a date." She flicked her eyes at Harry quickly, then looked back down at her plate.

Harry was nervously trying not to look at her, so he didn't notice. I waited about thirty seconds to see if he'd respond, then I kicked him under the table. He jumped, turning to glare at me, and I shot him a meaningful look as I nodded to the little Veela. His eyes widened and he got this incredibly terrified look on his face, so I kicked him again.

"Ouch." He hissed under his breath, and when everyone looked at him, he cleared his throat. "I mean, sorry. I was just going to ask. Gabrielle, I thought you might like to…that is, if you're not busy, I mean to say-"

Stori slammed her hands down on the table. "Oh for the love of Merlin. You're such a wuss. Oi, Frenchie, you want to go to the ball with him?"

Gabi's face turned bright red and Harry looked like he was hoping to be swallowed into the ground by a portal to hell. "Er. Yes." He said lamely. "That. But perhaps less…forcefully. I'd love to take you. If you're interested."

"I'd like that." She said with a small smile, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Fleur beamed. "Wonderful! Do you need a dress? Maman would be happy to reimburse me if I have to buy you one. We could take a trip to Hogsmeade to find a tailor, I've been wanting to see that village."

Daphne perked up. "That sounds like fun. D.B, would you like to join us?"

The redhead seemed surprised to be invited. Our sole Ravenclaw spent time with Shaggy and Scooby when she could, and ate with us at meals, but despite being a member of the peerage she had her own life outside the group. Not that she seemed sad or lonely, just busy, and we all understood.

"It does sound fun." She said with a smile. "But I'm sure Gabrielle has a dress already. We were warned about the ball ahead of time."

Fleur waved her concerns away. "One can never have too many dresses. Gabi would love to go shopping with us." The younger blonde rolled her eyes at the rest of us, but didn't actually complain so I guess she was right.

"How about we make it a group trip." I said with a laugh. "I don't really have any dress robes on hand. I could wear some old ones but if people are shopping I might as well snag some for myself. Blaise, Theo, Shaggy, you all in the market for some new duds?"

Our resident hippy chuckled guiltily. "I was like…just thinking about that." He shot Tracey a sheepish smile. "I totally didn't even consider party clothes. I could definitely use a new outfit. Don't want to embarrass my lady."

Tracey smiled softly at him. "Babe, I don't care what you wear to some stuffy ball. If people want to judge they can suck it. If you're looking for something though I won't complain. You want me to come with and help?"

"Get the behind us woman!" I said in a booming voice. "This is a men only trip. We'll have none of your feminine sorcery forcing us to try on a bunch of clothes and buy too much."

I was mostly joking, but Hannah laughed. "Son't worry Tracey, Theo is surprisingly fashionable. He'll make sure they don't show up in burlap sacks or something." She paused. "I wonder if anyone has ever tried to wear a burlap sack to a ball. I mean, I wouldn't do it, but it might be kind of funny if you didn't care what people thought." She shot me an appraising look.

Daphne glared at her. "Don't you DARE, Abbot. This is one of his first big international events, and I want him to take it seriously. If he humiliates me because you thought it would be funny I'll throw you off the astronomy tower."

We could all fly, but it emphasized how serious she was about it. Hannah's smirk told me she'd been joking anyway. Suzie shot her a reproachful look. "Hannah was kidding, Daphne." She explained. "She knows this is a big event for Auntie. Ryan and I are representing her, so we obviously have to put our best foot forward."

My slytherin princess blew out a breath. "Right. Jokes. Sorry. I might be a bit stressed about this. Political maneuvering on the international stage is unrecognizable from the basic nonsense we engage in with the societies or at ministry events. The French are masters of the political game, and the Russians INVENTED statecraft."

"If it helps." Fleur said in amusement. "My family are well know in French politics and they're very well disposed to Ryan and through him to Madame Bones. As one of his lady loves, I'm sure you'll get the same benefit of the doubt."

"And the Russians are lying low." Said Tracey helpfully. "Krum has been keeping quiet since he arrived." She paused. "Well, he's Bulgarian, but their Deputy Headmistress is Russian."
I glanced at Suzie, who blushed a bit and looked guilty. "I'll reach out to her." My cinnamon roll said confidently. "I was hoping to get to know her."

Translation, she felt guilty for even the mild jealousy she'd felt and wanted to try to be friendly. I certainly wouldn't argue with her. Honestly, if she was the one to suggest it, I wasn't against Romanoff becoming my last piece, provided I could get to a point where I trusted her.

Lily had been tentatively marked for that spot, but Romanoff seemed like an INTERNATIONALLY recognized mistress of magic, and that would undoubtedly be a more effective use of my limited resources. It would all depend on Susan though. With that decided, we finished up our food and split up, heading for Hogsmeade. We only had twelve hours or so before the ball. Something told me we'd be cutting it close.

October 31st, 2012, Slytherin Dorms, Hogwarts, Scotland, 6:00 PM BST

"You look so handsome!" Squealed Daphne as I emerged into the common room in my new robes. "I have to commend Theo on his taste if he helped pick that out." She strode up to me, adjusting my collar habitually and smoothing down the front of my robes. My green and silver tie was the only real concession to color, the rest of my outfit being a sharp monochrome.

The green and silver went perfectly with Daphne's gorgeous off the shoulder dress, and the silver shimmering shawl she wore over it. Suzie was dressed in black and gold, though more the former than the latter, and Fleur was wearing just pure silver that made her look like a gorgeous porcelain statue.

Seras, meanwhile, wore a dark burgundy ball gown that clung perfectly to her figure, clearly tailored to fit. I think out of all my girls she was the one who drew my attention the most. Because she looked…vampiric.

Her hair had grown out, a curly shoulder length do that made her look elegant and refined, strong features and understated makeup set off by snow pale skin and blood red lips painted to match her dress. All of them looked stunning, but she was the one who seemed most changed from how she'd been when I'd met her as a friendly police girl a few years ago.

She caught me staring and averted her eyes. "I know." She pouted. "I look ridiculous next to all of these knockouts."

I stepped up to her, wrapping my arms around her waist. "You look like a vampire queen. I'm jealous I won't have you on my arm. Fleur is lucky she gets to strut around with such a gorgeous girl." I shot a faux panicked look at Daphne and Suzie. "Not that I don't have two gorgeous dates of my own."

Fleur puffed up. "Mon Chauve-Souris will be the talk of the ball. As a future champion of Beauxbatons I must have the most gorgeous partner on my arm. I am afraid Ryan is not up to our standard." She said in her snootiest french accent, but her smirk made it clear she was teasing.

Daphne looked amused. "Just make sure to save a dance for Ryan, the both of you. We need to show a united front, even if we had to split up to make things more convenient. Honestly, it might be better to have Suzie go as Fleur's date."

"We talked about this." I said with a sigh. "I need to show everyone I'm in Amelia's corner. Which means Suzie and I need to be representing Britain. We can't give anyone reason to poke holes in our loyalties to Queen and Country. Or whatever wizards have that's the equivalent of the sentiment. Minister and Ministry? That just sounds dumb, plus he's dead now." I waved a hand. "You know what I mean."

She grimaced. "I know. That Skeeter beast is going to be there. I wish someone would just put her down already."

I shared her disdain. I'd met Rita Skeeter once, and once had been more than enough. Reading her work as she bashed people I knew and liked was always an exercise in frustration. I'd stopped getting the Prophet partly because of her, because it was hard to resist the urge to drop a bowling ball on her skull through a magic circle.

"If she prints anything nasty about anyone I know, I'm going to let snakes loose in her bed." I said bluntly. "But provided she doesn't actively insult any of you, I can try not to knock her crooked yellow teeth out. How likely is she to be overtly hostile in front of so many people?"

Suzie winced. "I'm afraid it's pretty likely. Rita and my Auntie knew each other in school, and did NOT get along. Auntie was always a more charismatic and likable person. The two of them were both transfiguration majors and Rita resented how popular Auntie was, feeling that she was the better witch."

"Really?" I asked with a scoff. "Why does that shit matter? Magic is magic, who cares who gets to be homecoming queen?"

"It's more political than that." Said Daphne with a head shake. "Perception influences reality. I'm sure Amelia was in one of the secret societies, and she was undoubtedly positioned for more promising opportunities. Internships, recommendations, private tutoring. There's a reason Amelia went into Ministry work and Rita became a reporter, a job which has almost no practical transfiguration requirement."

I grimaced. "Politics suck. We're wizards. Being able to blow stuff up harder should be the big requirement to get further. Although admittedly, I DO hate Rita's guts, so I guess I can sympathize with finding her so obnoxious you blackballed her from the job market."

"Is it weird to anyone else that the government employs like…two thirds of the population?" Asked Seras. "Like it seems unsustainable."

"It's a holdover from older systems of governance." Said Daphne with a shrug. "Our Ministry is sort of a mix of parliamentary democracy and feudal society. The existence of noble houses doesn't really conflict as much as you would think with the Minister's office. As such, some parts of the political landscape are more kingdom than government, and the preponderance of people in Ministry service is one of those aspects."

We all stared at her, and she shrugged. "I'm your political advisor, remember? I've been reading up."

Suzie beamed at her. "That's wonderful, Daph! You've found something you're passionate about. Maybe after Auntie you can be the next Minister! I'm sure Ryan has no interest in holding office."

"Check and check." I affirmed. "I'd rath gnaw off my own arm with cracked teeth. People are stupid, and they get stupider in bulk. Having to be in charge of ALL the people means having to deal with ultimate stupidity. Though I do have some ideas for improving the statute of secrecy. Tiered overlapping fidelius based on region, with the Minister as the ultimate secret keeper. Think about it."

Now it was my turn to get stared at. "What? I think about things too. I thought it was pretty clever."

"It's brilliant." Said Daphne with a nod. "But not feasible. The magical toll for casting that charm is staggering. We'd need about a hundred wizards capable of performing it and there are probably only about ten in the country. That's just raw power, too. The overlap between people with the power and people with the experience to use it for a charm that complex lowers it down to more like four or five."

"Well, twenty." I said, gesturing to us. "We could all learn it. But that's fair, I don't know if I'd want to tie us all up in a massive magipolitical secrecy network. There would also be a ton of fault points, and the massive network of enemy operatives that seem to be wrapped up in the faceless and Voldemort conspiracies make that an unacceptable risk right now anyway."

"Boooo!" Hissed a voice off to one side. Tracey came sashaying into the common room in an emerald dress, spinning and showing off her willowy figure. "No business talk on the night of the ball. Can't you just be blown away by us?"

Seras wolf whistled. "Very nice. Your boy is going to drool a river."

"Sadly not out of character for him." She snickered. "Given all the time he spends in the kitchens, but I think he'll like what I've got for him tonight. Did you know zonkos has edible underwear?"

"I know I wouldn't put anything from zonkos in the vicinity of my junk." I said bluntly. "But more power to you for pandering to your demographic."

She winked at me playfully and I laughed. It was nice to see how perfect Tracey and Shaggy were for each other. She was a strong willed girl, and his laid back demeanor was just the right match for her forceful personality.

"Did someone say, pandering to my demographic?" Val said as she strode in, twirling to show off her black silk dress. She was wearing knee high boots with buckles on them, a black cocktail dress with a corset bodice, and a shawl of lacy black fabric with a spiderweb pattern that was translucent enough to show off her toned arms and shoulders. "I managed to wrangle an invite for my boyfriend, and I want to look hot. How did I do?"

"Bit bold for the wizard crowd." I laughed. "But I'm sure Sirius will love it. Wasn't he pretending to be your dad?"

"Nah, we gave up on that a while ago." She said with a wave. "Though I still call him daddy every night." Her salacious wink was accompanied by laughter from everyone else in the room. "Besides, the Black's are notorious for inbreeding. It might honestly be less scandalous in pureblood society if he WAS my dad."

I grimaced. "What a charming and not at all alarming commentary on my bloodline. I'm sure Theo is picking up Hannah, but where is Blaise? Stori should be ready by now, right?"

"Must you spoil my entrance?" Sighed the voice of Astoria Greengrass as she walked into the room. Her steps were absent the strut of the other girls, mostly looking sulky at being called out." Blaise followed behind her, dressed in formal robes.

"I told her waiting for an entrance line was going to backfire." He said smugly. "But nobody listens to me."

"If only that were true." Said Daphne bluntly. "Sadly I'm forced to listen to you all the time. I sometimes wish my sister ended up with someone quieter and more attentive. Like Potter. You sure you can't switch him out for the war hero?" She asked Stori.

Blaise let out an affronted scoff. "Excuse me, I am a CATCH. She's lucky to have me. Not to mention she wouldn't be the one doing the switching. I wear the pants in our relationship-"

"Blaise, darling." Said Stori sweetly. "If you'd ever like to see me WITHOUT pants again, you won't finish that little show of bravado, joking or not. We're respectful equals who do everything as a team. Now shut up and look pretty."

I burst out laughing as he muttered "yes dear" and pretended to look meek. I knew he didn't actually feel slighted by his smirk. They just liked to play.

"Well, with you two here, I think we're just about ready to go." I said, counting everyone. "We need to meet up with the others." I paused. "Suzie, how are you here, by the way. I'd have figured someone would complain."

She shrugged. "Everyone expects you, me, and Daphne to be together. Plus my Auntie is on the shortlist for Minister, and Slytherins all like to hedge their bets. None of them are going to bother me about seeing my loves get dressed up. Speaking of which, I want a photo. We can take another when we join up with the rest, but we all look so amazing."

I laughed, heading back to my room and opening a portal just inside the door to grab the wizard camera my mom kept at home. It was a big clunky thing that looked like a box with a jewelers loop glued to the side, since wizard cameras tended toward ancient.

We all lined up and asked a passing Slytherin to take our picture, and I had to admit that the result looked pretty damned good.

When we were done, we headed out to meet up with our other friends. Theo and Hannah and Scooby and Shaggy (we'd insisted Scooby be invited to the ball) were waiting for us on the landing above the steps down to the great hall, and we all made our way down together to be the first ones there.

It was nice, just having some alone time with my girls and my friends. Politics or not, this was relaxing. Of course, that didn't mean I wasn't psyched for the tournament. I couldn't wait to get to some good old fashioned violent fun.

October 31st, 2012, Great Hall, Hogwarts, Scotland, 7:00 PM BST

The Great Hall had been transformed. I was pretty shocked, because it was such a staple of the castle, but aside from the celestial ceiling I could barely recognize the place we usually ate our meals. The floors had been transformed into beautiful black and gold marble, the walls scoured clean and hung with batting that made the room feel like some sort of jewel box.

A stage had been erected where the teacher's table normally was, butting up against a wall, and a quadret of black clad guys of indeterminate age and very determinate gothness crooned along to the music of an accompaniment of self playing instruments that were doing most of the heavy lifting.

Above the dance floor, a thousand crystal votives with merrily flickering candles swept to and fro in a cheerful mirror of the dancing couples below them. Pumpkin vines wound around the columns, and tables set off to each side had punch and dip and any number of snacks and canapes.

"Well damn." I said in an impressed tone. "They really went all out for this one. The party at the ministry was nicer, but this IS Hogwarts. I've seen this hall a dozen times and it was never close to this nice."

"What a hurtful observation." Said an airy voice. I turned to find Dumbledore smiling down at me, dressed in a vibrant red outfit, robes and hat both, and covered with glittering silver stars. Not like the ceiling. Like five pointed silver patches made with actual glitter.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You look like the ceiling of my childhood bedroom." I informed him cheerfully.

"I shall take that as a compliment." He said loftily.

"No idea why you would do that." I said with a shrug. "But whatever floats your boat." I winced as Daphne elbowed me in the side and glared at her. "What? He knows I'm joking. We're at a place in our very close friendship where we can tease each other like that."

Dumbledore smiled mischievously. "I am pleased to hear you think of my so fondly. Last time we spoke, you intimated that I was, what was your phrasing? Ah, yes, 'kind of a dick'."

"I said MAGICIANS are dicks." I corrected him. "And that quoting them was annoying. Don't put words in my mouth. I have nothing but the utmost reverence and respect for your august personage. Now go away, you're ruining my night."

Suzie was the elbow-er this time. "Ryan!" She scolded. "Professor Dumbledore, you're welcome to talk to us for as long as you like. Ryan doesn't mean any harm, he just forgets his manners at times."
The old man laughed. "I find Young Master Black's insouciance refreshing, truth be told. And having trained him personally, I do know that he holds me in some esteem. I won't take up your time on this festive evening, I need to 'make the rounds' as it were, in any case."

I gave him a solemn nod as he left, and both girls whirled on me, glaring. I shrugged. "It's justy our dynamic. Memento Mori and all that?" They looked confused. "When Roman generals returned from a victory, they would parade through the streets with a crown held over their head. To prevent them from getting ideas above their station, a slave would stand behind them and whisper 'Memento Mori' in their ear. It means 'remember you are mortal'."

Daphne softened a bit. "So it's just you reminding him that even though he's so powerful he's still human?"

"Partly. Partly I think, it's that nobody really challenges him anymore. His friends worship him and his enemies cower." I shrugged. "I definitely respect him, even if I don't fully trust him. But we also mess with each other."

"We can worry about this later." Reminded Hannah. "You're supposed to be schmoozing the bigwigs for Madame Bones, remember?"

The blond was wearing an almost opposite dress to Suzie, mostly gold with black trimming, and I shot Theo a small congratulatory nod, because she looked great in it. He smiled smugly, though we were both smart enough not to let any of the girls catch us. Not like they didn't ogle us, but it was bad form.

"Good point." Said Daphne. "Scooby is with you guys?"

The pup had been dressed in formal wizard robes tailored to his four legged forms, and his eyes were locked on the nearest canape table. "Racks." He said excitedly. "There are racks, Raggy."

Shaggy chuckled at him. "Good call, Scoob. We got him Daphne." He chuckled. "That still feels weird to say to someone else. Where is Daph anyway? Our Daph, I mean. We didn't pick her up at Ravenclaw Tower."

I nodded over to the door, where our bodacious redhead was emerging with another much less busty ginger. She spotted us and waved, dragging George over by the arm.

We said out goodbyes as we passed, telling her she looked great and all that. But we needed to go out and mingle. Suzie, Daph, and I were left alone as everyone else peeled off to do their own thing.

Daphne guided us to important people, and our first approach was actually someone I knew. Or rather, he was standing next to her.

"Samantha!" Daphne greeted cheerfully. "And this must be your father." She bowed her head to the somber looking wizard with close cropped dark hair and a mustache. "Lord Selwyn, it is an honor. My father speaks highly of you."

He scanned over us as I took in Samantha's tight black dress. She wasn't as curvy as my girls but she clearly worked out. She looked good. She smiled, though it didn't really reach her eyes. "Daphne, so good to see you. And Ryan and Susan, you all look lovely. Father, Daphne is a friend of mine from the Maidens."

That got a respectful nod from the older man. "A fine organization. My late wife was a member."

"Ryan is one of the most talented wizards of our time." Said Samantha diplomatically. "He ever got offered a charms apprenticeship with Amelie Lacroix during the exchange last year." Her father seemed intrigued, plying me with questions about my trip and my interest in enchanting.

The next hour or so was a consistent repeat of that. Faces, names, fancy titles. I was introduced to a dozen powerful wizards, expected to know their names and what they gave a shit about, and asked to greet their kids or grandkids. The Carrow twins were nice enough, but their parents were dicks. Theo's dad was a nice guy, and his mom spent most of the time fussing over Hannah.

Once that was out of the way, I was asked to dance. I danced with Suzie, then Daphne, then Fleur, but eventually I was made clear I'd need to hit the dance floor with other women. Blaise's mother came out of nowhere to snatch me up, and pulled me out to sway among the crowd.

She looked amazing, obviously, dark green dress and silver lipstick. "So, Ryan." She purred as she pressed herself against me. "I haven't seen you since that fortuitous meeting at the tailor. You've been such good friends with my boy. I expected a visit at some point. I'm beginning to feel like you're avoiding me."

I was, or rather, Blaise had been avoiding us meeting. Not because the thought of something happening bothered him, more that he knew his mother and was worried she would try something and then try to get rid of me after.

"My mother taught me that beautiful, dangerous things are to be admired at a distance." I said lightly. Though I had to admit, Isabell Zabini revved my engine still. The devil in my liked bad girls.

She bit her lip. "Oh, darling. I can take as much admiration as you can give. Admire me all night if you like. I'm not fragile. I like a nice…rough, admiring." She winked at me. "Have you considered admiring me from behind? I'm told it's a flattering angle."

I had enough control over my lust not to grab a handful of her very cushy ass. Barely. My sexcapades with Fleur had weakened my resolve, and Isabella was making it clear she was available. But even my dick knew there were lines not to cross. I started looking around for a way out, when a cool voice cut through the attempt at seduction.

"Might I steal our handsome young man?" Said a sultry but steady purr. I turned to see the new redhead in the castle, Deputy Headmistress Romanoff. "I'm afraid the only eligible gentlemen with my contingent are all my students. Some of us have to have standards."

Isabelle sneered at her, but didn't respond. She looked…kind of scared. Which was interesting. She let go and stepped back, blowing me a kiss. "Think about it darling. I'll be sure to add you to the wards…so you can visit Blaise." She sashayed past me, leaning up to whisper. "I sleep in the nude, and I love to be woken up to big surprises."

The redhead stared after her, frowning slightly. "What an odious woman." She commented. "Would you like to dance, Mr. Black? I was giving you an out, but I'd never dream of forcing myself on an unwilling partner."

Her phrasing made me finally take a glance at her dress…and drool. Suzie MAY have been right to worry I'd want to fuck Natasha. The mountain of pale cleavage packed into that dress was the only nod to feminine excess on her body. The rest of her was toned and sculpted, muscular thighs, sculpted abs, and a tight ass that still managed to be sizable despite not being plush at all.

"I'd love to dance." I said, forcing the horniness down. "Especially with my savior." I gave her a charming smile and placed a hand on her hip, the other twining with her fingers. "I appreciate the save. Miss Zabini can be…"

"An obvious whore?" She said with a small smile. "I admit, I stayed back for a moment. You seemed to be enjoying it, and Isabella Zabini's attentions are ones that many handsome young wizards would enjoy. But it became clear you were uncomfortable, if tempted."

I grimaced. "She's very attractive. But I know her son, and despite her dumpster fire of a personality he really loves her. He doesn't want her to hurt me, and I doubt he wants to imagine the things I would almost definitely do to her." I paused. "Sorry, was that crass?"

"Crudeness is an acceptable hallmark of youth." She said with a warm, albeit tiny, smile. "I find powerful young men are want to indulge in excess. You've certainly been availing yourself of the sight of me in my dress."

I smirked at her. "Somehow I don't think I'm the first man to enjoy the sight of you."

Her smile turned sultry. "Sczczenok, I assure you, sight is the least enjoyable way to experience me." She flushed, clearing her throat. "Now I am the one being crass. Apologies, I have a weakness for powerful wizards. I've heard quite a bit about your exploits. I've been hoping to meet you. I didn't mean to be quite so forward."
"It's a beautiful night." I said with a warm smile. "And I have a beautiful woman in my arms. I can't think of a better time for forwardness."

She bit her lip. "I think perhaps I ought to go." She flicked her eyes to the side, and I saw Suzie waiting to cut in at the edge of the dance floor. "Your Zayatz looks put out at our proximity. She's adorable, by the way. Perhaps I might meet her in person, put her at ease about our…growing friendship. Assuming you wish to engage in such a relationship?"

I was suspicious. Obviously. She wanted something from me, clearly. But she was SO HOT. And the idea of the two busty redheads on either side of me was too good to pass up. I nodded briefly, and she drifted us to the side, passing me off to Suzie. She leaned down to peck my redhead on the cheek, and my devilish senses heard her whisper. "Next time I'll dance with you." Then she was gone, and Suzie was in my arms. Note to self: political mingling is way harder with an erection.

As usual pat-reon has the advance chapters at that site /malcolmtent