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Hi all,

Here is the next chapter. This chapter has an explicit scene. Skip it if you don't want to read it.

Chapter 77

Jacob wanted to show Harry something outside, and his curiosity about the cursed vaults easily convinced him to follow. Harry quickly donned warm clothes and his enchanted shoes, being careful to be quiet so he didn't wake his dormmates.

His animal companions, however, were awakened from their slumber and wanted to follow him. He persuaded Fawkes and Nagini to stay, but Hedwig was stubborn and flew out of the window before he could argue further. Before he opened the window, he checked to see if Professor Lockhart was still present on the grounds.

Lockhart had finished his business and was making his way back up to the castle. Harry opened the window after he had gone and stepped out into the brisk evening air. He followed Jacob across the dimly lit grounds to the edge of the Black Lake, where shimmering moonlight danced on the water's surface. Harry shivered, his breath visible as he exhaled cold puffs of air. He summoned his wand and cast a warming charm that embraced him in comforting heat, offering immediate relief.

"Before I died," Jacob said, "I uncovered clues that hint at the Water Vault's whereabouts. I later confirmed the location, but since I was already dead, there was nothing I could do about it."

"In the Black Lake?" Harry asked. "Initially, I thought the same, but it seemed too obvious. If it were there, surely someone would have discovered it by now."

"You're correct," Jacob acknowledged. "The vault isn't situated in the Black Lake. Were you aware that a channel links this lake to a larger one several miles to the west?"

Harry cocked his head. "I remember Gabrielle or Hermione mentioning it at some point."

"It's known as Serpent's Lake, and it houses several aggressive magical creatures. Among them, one creature stands out prominently."

"What creature is that?"

Jacob's ghostly face lit up with a mischievous grin. "The Loch Ness Monster."

Harry's eyes widened. "You mean they're real?"

"In the wizarding world, it is referred to as Nathair Uisce, which is Gaelic for sea serpent. They are elusive, territorial and known for their ferocity. When the Muggles first saw it in 1933, they named it the Loch Ness Monster after the location where it was discovered. However, the Ministry relocated it here to be with its kind because it was a danger to them."

"How dangerous are they?"

"If they catch you intruding in their territory, they won't hesitate to tear you apart," Jacob replied. "Not a nice way to go."

"The Serpent's Lake is connected to the Black Lake!" Harry exclaimed, horrified. "I know some students who swim in Black Lake. Oliver Wood is one of them, believing that it will toughen him up. He tried to persuade the rest of the team to join him but was quickly rejected."

Before Jacob could respond, a massive tentacle broke through the lake's surface and waved at them. Harry waved back, having previously encountered the giant squid and found the creature to be friendly.

"The giant squid and the Nathair Uisce are natural enemies," Jacob explained, "so it was placed here to prevent them from invading the Black Lake. The merpeople also help out if needed, but the Nathair Uisce usually stay away."

"Why doesn't the school just close the channel?"

"It's not possible," Jacob replied. "The channel contains an underwater rift that feeds magic into both lakes. If it disappeared, both ecosystems would suffer. Many of the plants in the lake have evolved as a result of the influence of magic, and the magical creatures rely on them for survival. Did you know that this area of Scotland is considered a reserve for magical creatures?"

"Like the Forbidden Forest?"

"That's only part of the entire reserve. Because this area has many rifts, it is rich in magic, and magical creatures are naturally drawn to it. The reserve's territory includes the Forbidden Forest, lakes, the highlands and troll-infested mountains. Hogwarts is located in the heart of the reserve, but only sixth and seventh-year students who take Care of Magical Creatures class get to see any of it."

"I see," Harry murmured. He returned to the original topic, not wanting to spend more time here. "So, the Water Vault is situated in Serpent's Lake."

Jacob nodded. "A ghost I met when I was still alive first made me aware of the possibility. He once explored Serpent Lake and discovered an underwater structure that he was unable to enter."

"That doesn't mean it is the Water Vault," Harry countered. "It's a significant risk for me to enter the lake full of aggressive creatures with no guarantee of finding it."

"No, it's real," Jacob assured him. "I entered the lake to confirm it for myself, and I'm ninety-five per cent sure that's it, the vault."

"Well, there's no way I'm going to enter the lake without any protection." Harry paused, a plan forming in his mind. "But if I were to have a submersible vehicle, then it might just be doable."

"What are you talking about?"

"My enchanted car," Harry said. "I'm building it to make it traversable on land, in the water and in the sky. It still needs quite a bit of work, but it should be just the thing to get me to the vault unscathed."

Jacob smiled. "Then, I'll stick around until you are ready. I want to see the inside of the vault with my own eyes."

Harry's brows furrowed. "I can't forget that the vault is supposed to have deadly traps inside. I need to learn a method to breathe underwater as a precaution."

Hedwig barked, and he turned to see her perched on a nearby tree, her eyes appearing to tell him that his time was up.

"You should return to your dormitory," Jacob advised, "before a professor catches you out here. They've been extra vigilant with all the incidents at the school, and they patrol the grounds frequently at night."

"Before I leave, may I ask you something? It might come off as impolite."

"It takes a lot to offend me."

"How did you die?"

"I wish I had an answer," Jacob confessed. "One moment, I was walking down a corridor; the next, I came to awareness as I was phasing through a wall. It was a jarring experience. While I can't recall how I died, I have a theory as to why it happened."

Harry waited for him to elaborate.

"I believe the room that holds the deathday party is cursed," Jacob said. "No living person is meant to ever step inside it, and it could be why ghosts are drawn to it. Whoever invited you to that party was incredibly reckless."

"My friends and I got out all right," Harry reminded him.

"True, but an incident happened, didn't it? If it had just been your friend's present, the outcome might have been grim. Your presence possibly averted the curse."

Harry believed his friends were in danger because he was present, but he didn't say anything. "What are you getting at?"

"I'm merely suggesting that the castle seems to show you favour," Jacob remarked with a sly grin. "Warden!"

Harry groaned.

17th December

Harry put down his pen and leaned back to examine his work. Before him were rune schematics for three pairs of enchanted boots. After consulting with Remus, Harry decided to divide his enchanted boots into three. Not only would this address the issue of magical requirements by focusing on a single function, but it also made good business sense, allowing him to market them separately.

The first design, Windwalkers, would allow the wearer to fly effortlessly through the air.

The boots equipped with the bouncing function would be aptly named Bunny Hops.

The boots with frictionless gliding function would be called Gliders.

There were some adjustments he had to make. Now that he didn't have to switch between three different functions, he could streamline the array schematic, creating more room for magical storage. But then he ran into a new headache.

After controlling the boots with voice-activated commands, he realised it wasn't the most intuitive method and could be potentially dangerous. If he was going to sell them to people, he needed to make them safer. Instead, he would make them controllable by using a series of movements and deft boot touches. This required him to design an entirely new array for the controls alone, and it was much more complicated than simple voice activation. They would still have a simple voice-activation command to allow people to safely deactivate them, but it was only a precaution.

Another problem presented itself. How were people supposed to recharge the boots? According to his estimates, the Bunny Hops and Gliders could last up to fourteen hours, while the Wind Walkers could last between eight and ten hours, depending on how they are used. While enchanted items can be recharged with a wand, he wasn't sure how useful that would be. According to some tests he performed, he wouldn't be able to replenish even one-half of a pair of enchanted shoes with his current magical reserves, which now totalled over five thousand units. For an average witch or wizard, he assumed their reserves would be between ten and fifteen thousand.

There was equipment for recharging enchantments, but it was typically large and expensive, making it difficult to purchase. They worked similarly to ward stones in homes and manors, forming small artificial rifts to power their enchantments. However, due to a scarcity of the required materials, it was difficult to make one.

Was it possible for him to create his own magic charger that was more portable and easier to make? The only other option was to offer a service to recharge the boots himself, but this seemed like an expensive and impractical endeavour.

He made a mental note to continue studying the subject. The enchanted Hummer he was building was powered by a massive magical battery that needed recharging only every few months, depending on how much he used it. But he had no idea how they were recharged because the manual didn't include that information.

Harry retrieved an array schematic buried beneath the others. It was an iteration of his design for his enchanted boots, which would retain all three functions. He planned to add several gems to it, increasing its magical storage capacity by at least tenfold. There were still some issues to work out because he had never tried anything like this before, but he was confident that it was doable. It wasn't something that could be sold commercially because the added gems would significantly increase the price, but it was fine for his personal use.

A soft sound from the doorway drew his attention, and he smiled as Gabrielle peeked into his room.

"Are you busy?" Gabrielle asked as she walked into the room.

"Not really," Harry replied, pulling her into his lap. "I needed a break, and you are a delightful distraction."

Gabrielle smirked and planted a kiss on his lips. "I can tell where your thoughts are already wandering."

"How could they not, with such a captivating witch in my lap?" Harry bantered before turning serious. "How is your father doing?"

She had been spending a lot of time with her father after classes since he was released from the hospital following his poisoning. Her grandmother was still looking for leads on the assailant, but she was not sharing any information with Gabrielle. Harry had tried to get information from his grandfather because the Order was involved, but he also refused to say anything.

"Much better," Gabrielle replied. "Papa has some minor health issues as a result of the poisoning, but he should be completely fine in a few weeks. He fired his previous security team and hired a new one that has been thoroughly vetted. He couldn't assure himself of the old team's loyalty. They should have been fired anyway due to their incompetence."

Harry nodded. "I hope your grandmother catches those responsible. If it was Obsidian, I do not see them lasting much longer when she unleashes her wrath on them."

"You forgot about your grandfather," Gabrielle gently chided. "He has been on his own personal crusade since the incident at Gringotts."

Harry grimaced. "Do not remind me. My grandparents are furious at themselves for agreeing to let me participate in the fight."

The aftermath of the Gringotts incident lasted for several days. Because a faction within Gringotts collaborated with outsiders, Ragnok unleashed a bloodbath to purge all the traitors from the goblin nation. The disruption to normal bank services ruffled some feathers within the Ministry. When Minister Fudge came to visit the bank, he was startled to see goblin warriors wielding axes greeting him at the entrance, and he quickly fled. Thankfully, he was saved from having to solve the issue when the bank resumed its normal operations.

When the goblins attempted to interrogate the Obsidian wizards they had captured in the arena, they died unexpectedly. Their insides melted in the most gruesome manner, causing his grandfather to speculate that they had a spell cast on them specifically designed to eliminate someone to prevent them from divulging secrets under interrogation.

His grandfather was following another lead, however. That was what he deduced anyway, judging from what he could pry out of his grandmother.

His thoughts were interrupted when Gabrielle slid off his lap and onto the floor. Grinning impishly up at him, she spread his legs apart before sliding her hands up his thighs and cupping his bulge in his jeans.

"What is the special occasion?" Harry gasped.

"Do I need to have one?" Gabrielle asked, undoing the button on his jeans and unzipping his fly.

Harry groaned, anticipation rising within him. No matter how many times his girlfriends pleasured him, he could never tire of it. He raised his hips as she pulled off his jeans and boxers.

Gabrielle grabbed his shaft and pressed it against her eager lips, kissing the tip. Another kiss followed, before her tongue emerged and swirled around his head as if she were savouring an ice cream. His shaft had reached full mast, and he was making incoherent noises as pleasure flooded his body.

"You have a magnificent cock," Gabrielle purred, rubbing his shaft against her cheek. "If only the witches in the castle knew what lay beneath your robes, they would be green with envy."

Harry grunted. "Less talking, witch. My wand needs polishing."

She giggled as she planted another kiss on his shaft. Gabrielle enjoyed talking dirty during sex, more so than Daphne and Susan, but she was gradually corrupting them.

She reached out and began massaging his testicles with a delicate touch, all the while teasing him with her tongue. She grabbed his shaft and pulled it back, allowing her to slurp it from base to tip, leaving a glistening trail of saliva behind. This tantalising act repeated several times, her tongue skillfully exploring every inch.

Next, her focus shifted to his testicles, drawing them into her mouth, playfully flicking them with her tongue. By this point, Harry's forehead glistened with sweat, his eyes glazed over in a haze of pleasure.

Craving more, Harry took control, guiding her head with a silent plea to take him completely into her mouth.

Gabrielle compiled, engulfing him in her warm, wet mouth, sending electric pulses of pleasure through Harry's body. She began to bob her head up and down his shaft in a rhythmic manner, with each descent drawing him deeper into her mouth. Glancing up at him, she locked eyes as his shaft disappeared and reappeared from her mouth, the visual connection nearly pushing him over the edge in a wave of intense arousal.

She hummed in triumph as she drew him all the way, holding her position. Her throat swelled from his sheer size, and her nose was tickled by his pubic hair. She gradually pulled back, swirling her tongue around him as she retreated, finally pushing him over the edge.

Harry held her head in place as he thrust into her mouth, each movement accompanied by obscene sounds as her throat was abused. As his climax approached, he felt his testicles tighten, the anticipation reaching its peak. With a cry, he convulsed as the first wave of pleasure erupted, his essence filling her mouth, followed quickly by another surge. Her throat worked overtime to swallow every last drop, and he eventually softened and collapsed back into his chair.

Gabrielle wiped her mouth on her arm and smiled up at him. "I believe I have thoroughly cleaned your wand, my Lord."

Harry took a few deep breaths as he came down from his pleasurable high. "I was a little rough towards the end. Are you okay?"

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "I told you that I like it when you are rough. If I thought otherwise, I would tell you."

Their heads turned at the sound from the doorway, finding Hermione standing there, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief.

"Hi, Hermione," Gabrielle greeted cheerfully. "Is there something you need?"

Hermione quickly averted her gaze and hurried away, her footsteps echoing loudly on the stairs.

"So, that just happened," Gabrielle said. "How long do you think she was standing there for?"

"I'm not sure," Harry pondered, surprised at his lack of embarrassment for being discovered by his friend in such a compromising position. "Why didn't she say anything sooner?"

Gabrielle smirked. "I believe we've found the secret to leaving Hermione speechless."

Harry chuckled, pulling on his clothes before helping Gabrielle up from the floor. Instead of leading her to the door, he guided her to the bed.

"What are you doing?" Gabrielle inquired. "Aren't we going after Hermione?"

"I doubt she'll stick around," Harry replied, gently pushing her onto the bed. "And after the incredible pleasure you gave me, it's only fair I return the favour."

Gabrielle giggled as Harry reached for her dress.

Harry and Gabrielle were surprised to find Hermione downstairs ten minutes later, pacing up and down in agitation. When she noticed them, she blushed and turned away.

"Did you get a nice eyeful?" Gabrielle asked mischievously.

"Gabrielle," Harry warned.

Gabrielle shrugged, unapologetic.

"I am so embarrassed!" Hermione exclaimed, still not looking at them. "Why did you have to... burst your load in the middle of the day?"

Hermione gasped as she realised what she had just said, and Harry suppressed his laughter. Gabrielle lacked such restraint and held her middle whilst laughing uncontrollably.

"That will teach you a lesson for walking into my bedroom without knocking," Harry observed. "And you were not so embarrassed that you left the workshop and instead waited for us to finish."

Hermione let out a squeak before spinning around. "Why are you not more embarrassed?"

"When you have three girlfriends who know more about your body than you do," Harry explained, "you quickly lose your inhibitions and just go with it. Besides, you are my friend. You are not going to tell anyone what you saw, are you?"

Hermione frantically shook her head, her bushy hair concealing her expression.

"Then let us forget it ever happened," Harry said. "What do you want to talk to me about?"

Hermione did not immediately respond, staring at the ground in silence.

"Hermione?"

"I had to tell you something important that I discovered," Hermione finally said.

"Could it not have waited until later?"

"You know how excited she gets when she has something to tell us," Gabrielle told Harry, coming to Hermione's defence. "But it looked as though she was excited for another reason. How long did you stand there watching us?"

Hermione marched over to her and poked her in the stomach. "I did not know how to react; I was so shocked. Why could you not save it until later?"

"Harry's wand needed polishing," Gabrielle explained, touching her lip with an exaggerated innocent expression. "Harry's wand does not perform well unless it is cleaned regularly."

Harry snorted.

Hermione appeared on the verge of bursting a blood vessel, prompting Harry to intervene quickly. "What did you need to tell me?"

"It is about the symbol we found in the charms book," Hermione said eagerly, her embarrassment now overshadowed by her enthusiasm.

"The one in the library, where Lewis left a message?" Harry asked. "The golden dragon's symbol?"

Hermione nodded. "I didn't mention it at the time, but I remembered reading about it somewhere before, though I struggled to recall where."

"Hermione not remembering something?" Gabrielle exclaimed. "Are you feeling alright?"

Hermione ignored her. "There was a small reference to it in a history book about the last war. A small resistance group was aiding Muggle-borns and Muggles being hunted by Death Eaters. They always left a symbol of a golden dragon behind, but their identities remained a mystery."

"Interesting," Harry said. "So Lewis had something to do with them? Perhaps he was a member of the group. This means they have a connection with Galahad. If we could find them..."

"Then you may find Lewis or even Galahad himself," Gabrielle concluded. "It might help you find the remaining cursed vaults as well."

His friends were already aware of the cursed vaults and assisted him in researching them. He had even told them about his encounter with Jacob, but he hadn't mentioned his plan to use his enchanted car to reach the water vault so he could explore it. Most, if not all of them, would be opposed to him taking such a risk.

"I have been trying to gather more information about this group," Hermione said. "But I haven't found anything thus far. If we can get our hands on old Daily Prophet newspapers, then we might be able to find more."

"Do not forget the Quibbler," Gabrielle suggested. "I know Luna's father publishes some articles that the Daily Prophet is not interested in, which appears strange on the surface but reveals some startling truths if you dig deep enough. I have heard he wrote many human-interest stories during the war."

"Really?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "We can ask Luna about it later."

"Are you going to the Great Hall for lunch?" Hermione asked.

"No, I shall grab something here," Harry replied. "I want to continue working on my car. Thank you for finding the information about Lewis, Hermione."

Hermione smiled and watched as he made his way to the garage before she turned to Gabrielle. "You set me up!"

"What do you mean?" Gabrielle asked, feigning innocence.

"I asked you earlier if you knew where he was, and you said he would be here," Hermione hissed. "But you arrived before me and left the trunk open. Harry overlooked that minor detail."

Gabrielle held up her hands. "You caught me. I wanted to give you a little show, given how much you have been pining after Harry."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Stop talking nonsense."

"There is no need for you to pretend with me. You two have been spending a lot of time together working on your Muggle schoolwork. I do not blame you if you fell for him."

"It doesn't mean anything," Hermione said, biting her lip. "It is just that my hormones have finally awakened, and the boy I spend the majority of my time with happens to be Harry. The attraction will fade in time."

"Yes, I believe you," Gabrielle replied, winking. "So, did you enjoy the show? I bet you imagined yourself in the same position. Maybe it gave you a good memory for your Patronus."

Hermione scowled. It still bothered her that she had made so little progress with the Patronus Charm. "You keep calling Daphne a bitch, but I think that name fits you better."

Gabrielle grinned. Hermione hadn't denied her accusation. She didn't know what to think about another girl having feelings for Harry, but it wasn't so bad that it was Hermione, because she knew she could trust her. Hermione would never try something with Harry without first consulting her, Daphne, and Sausan.

"Let's grab some lunch and let Harry tinker with his car," Gabrielle suggested as she headed towards the exit.

"Does Harry know that I have feelings for him?" Hermione asked as she trailed behind her.

Gabrielle paused. "I'm sure he suspects something, as you aren't the best at hiding your emotions. But he hasn't said anything."

Hermione groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I can't look him in the face anymore without picturing him with his pants around his ankles and his thing…"

Hermione trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

Gabrielle grabbed her arm. "Come on, let's go and grab Daphne and Susan so we can have a chat."

"A chat about what?" Hermione asked.

"About whether we should allow you to become Harry's fourth girlfriend. I think I can come around to the idea, but I don't know about the other two."

"What? I don't want anything of the sort. Besides, Harry isn't going to want another girlfriend. Didn't he say that three was enough?"

"He says a lot of things," Gabrielle smirked. "But outside of his girlfriends, he trusts and likes you the most. And you have grown a lot over the summer, and Harry has definitely noticed."

"But I'm plain compared to the three of you," Hermione protested.

"If you put in a little effort, you could have plenty of boys eating out of your hand," Gabrielle countered, glancing at her hair. "Have you ever considered getting a haircut? There are some hair products that I can recommend as well. Even if you don't get with Harry, it's going to give you a lot of confidence if you give yourself a makeover."

20th December

The dimly lit warehouse was located in a quiet neighbourhood of Paris, France. Two doormen stood guard at the entrance, their commanding presence serving as a warning to anyone who dared to approach. Their boss was having an important meeting, and allowing anyone to disrupt it would result in severe consequences.

"Who is the boss meeting with?" The first doorman asked, a man with a rugged appearance and a scar tracing his cheek.

The second doorman stood beside him, taller and leaner, with a shaved head and piercing gaze. "It's none of our business. Keep your curiosity to yourself, Phillipe, lest the boss get angry and use you in one of his poison experiments."

Phillipe shuddered. "Why am I even in this line of business, Julien?"

Before Julieen could respond, their attention was drawn to footsteps echoing on the concrete floor. A lone figure approached, and as the dim streetlight illuminated his features, recognition helped to relieve the tension.

"What brings you here, Louis?" Julien inquired cautiously.

"I need to speak with Godin," Louis replied.

"He is busy. Come back tomorrow."

"He's inside, right? Can't I wait until he's done with his business?"

Julien shook his head. "He has important business, so I imagine he will be occupied for a while."

"You can't let me in?"

"No exceptions."

Louis sighed and turned back around. "I will come back tomorrow. Have a good evening gentleman."

Unbeknownst to the doormen, Louis's true identity transformed into that of a pink-haired young woman named Tonks, who swiftly made her way to meet Moody waiting in the shadows of the alley.

"Godin is inside," Tonks said.

"Good work," Moody replied, his harsh features obscured by the dim lighting. "What did your brief stint in undercover work feel like?"

Tonks made a face. "It was a fun experience, but I'm not sure I am cut out for this type of work."

"A pity," Moody remarked. "You would have made an excellent Auror. Thank you for your assistance. Your job is finished for the night."

Tonks nodded. "Do you intend to recommend my artifact to Madam Bones? You promised."

"Aye, girl, I don't break promises easily. Get out of here."

Moody waited until she had left before he raised a two-way mirror to his lips. "The target is confirmed to be inside. How should we play this?"

"We will go through the front door and burn everything down. I owe that man for poisoning my son-in-law," Seraphine hissed, her features beginning to transform into her avian form. "I'm going to make sure that it's a night he remembers forever."

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Seraphine unleashes her fury on one of the Obsidian members.

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