FicWad

Chapter 15 - Love in a Time of Change

Severus Snape meditated in his study. The relaxing mixture of sandalwood, sweet-grass and marjoram curled up from the incense burning in the hearth. He concentrated on the soothing fragrance and the mental image of a deep, still pool to clear his mind.

In less than twenty-four hours everything had changed. The Dark Lord had been effectively hamstrung, not by the combined magical might of Britain - no, by a handful of bookkeepers. In one series of raids Voldemort had had his financial legs cut out from under him.

Snape thought back to his student days, the choices he'd made, and wondered how his life could have been different. He could have - should have - said no to Lucius, now the late scion of the house of Malfoy. He would have been an outcast, true, but when had his "mates" ever stood up for him against the Marauders?

And perhaps Lily would have remained his best friend.

He thought of Potter and Black and began to see red.

"No!" he said, aloud, to the empty room, "No more! Potter was a swine, but he's gone now. I will not allow him to have this, this /satisfaction/. I chose to let the dead stay dead. Irefuse to dwell on those ancient memories any longer."

Flipping open the small silver picture case he gazed longingly at the enchanted photograph of a very young and smiling Lily Evans. They had been first years when she gave him the tiny photo for Christmas. He remembered every detail of that day - remembered sharing a car with her on the Hogwarts express, her cheerful "Happy Christmas" as they'd left King's Cross that bright December afternoon. They'd remained friends all through that first year, in spite of the bitter house rivalry that had threatened to drive a wedge between them.

"I promise, I can be the man you wanted me to be - I just hope I live long enough to make some small bit of difference."

He may or may not have felt the feathery touch of lips on his cheek, concentrating as he was on the task before him. But he felt . . . energized somehow.

This would be his finest hour as a pedagogue.

He straightened his robes, dragged a comb through his hair and stepped out of the DDA office into his classroom.

)O(

Harry sat in the front row for Defense against the Dark Arts, surrounded by his friends, Hermione, Ron and Neville who were, in turn ringed by members of the coven from Gryffindor and Slytherin.

The professor entered the classroom, bat-like and imposing. Flinty dark eyes seemed to assess the students, his students. He smiled thinly and, in a conversational tone, devoid of any trace of a sneer began the lesson.

Professor Snape was, perhaps for the first time in his life, fully in his element. He was animated, yet authoritative, engaging, contagiously enthusiastic, in short - brilliant - much to Harry's shock and dismay. Many of the things Harry wanted to share with his coven, the fact that the dark arts were never static, always adapting, always changing transported him. He found himself, albeit reluctantly at first, hanging on Professor Snape's every word.

Midway through the class the professor stopped and appeared to evaluate the students.

"Mister Potter."

"Sir?"

"A demonstration, if you please?"

Harry stood, many months of defense studies at the front of his mind.

Snape stood with his head slightly bowed, fingers interlaced around his wand. He slowly looked at Harry through acurtain of black hair and whispered, "Defend yourself!"

"/Protego/!" Harry hissed, in parseltongue.

Snape didn't utter a word, he simply pointed his wand and a spell ricocheted from Harry's shield onto the floor in front of the professor. An angry black line, smelling of brimstone, smoldered on the stone tiles.

"Adequate shield work, five points to Gryffindor - you whispered something, what was it?"

"It was a /protego/, sir."

"And did you intend for the spell to be rebounded to me?"

"Yes sir, but as I didn't know the nature of the spell I directed the hex to the floor."

Snape's eyebrows disappeared beneath his curtain of dark hair, "Very well, you may be seated."

Harry nodded and went back to his bench - having taken the measure of Professor Snape in a subject they both loved. As he sat Harry made an intuitive leap - he realized that, in astraight up duel, he could probably beat Severus Snape. But not in battle. Not yet. A duel had rules, the only rule that mattered when fighting for your life was to stay alive. He realized that he needed Snape, and was shocked to realize that maybe, just maybe, Snape needed him more.

"In this class we will learn to cast spells without incantations. Why?"

To no one's surprise, Hermione's hand went up.

"Miss Granger?"

"To cast without speaking gives the advantage of speed and stealth, an opponent may not have time to mount an effective defense."

"Miss Granger, that is word for word from the newly adopted defense text. And while I applaud the fact that you've read it - imagine my surprise - there is much more to surviving an attack by Dark forces than the ability to recite from the pages of a book."

Talk about damning with faint praise. Snape continued, "Miss Granger, how would you protect yourself from, say, a cutting curse?"

"Cast a /protego/, sir, or conjure a solid object to absorb the spell."

"Mister Potter, same question."

"Hermione's answer was good."

"I didn't say it wasn't, Potter. I asked what you would do."

"I'd move out of the way."

"Class, one foot of parchment on why Mister Potter's answer is, by far, the better solution, due Thursday; now choose a partner. No, not you Potter, you're with me."

Harry felt bad on Hermione behalf; she had, after all answered the question asked.

"What do you require of me, sir?"he said very stiffly.

Snape just watched the class and said, "You think I was too harsh on Granger just now."

"Yes."

"You will find that you will have to be even more so."

"Sir?"

"Oh come on/, Potter. Iread the papers. /You are the one who will defeat the Dark Lord. To do that you're going to need allies. While you're facing him what do you think the rest of the Death Eater's are going to be doing - placing wagers on the outcome?"

Harry's shoulders slumped, "I know."

"What do you know, Potter?"

Harry looked into Snape's black eyes and said, "I know I have to prepare them, to help them learn to fight, to protect themselves and each other from what is to come."

"And?" Snape prompted.

"And I - we are going to need all the help we can get." His green eyes challenged Snape, blazing with passion, "Will you help us . . . /sir/?"

Severus took a moment to compose himself - he'd hated this boy; young Potter's very existence meant that the one thing that he'd ever wanted in life had gone to someone else, someone less deserving, less worthy. But his eyes; his eyes were Lily's.

If for no other reason than to be able to face Lily Evans in the afterlife and know he'd done all he could to protect her precious son.

He still hated James Potter's brat - that would never change. But for the chance and hope of one word of heartfelt appreciation from Lily Evans he'd endured much. He could endure more. He would - not for the boy's sake, but for /Lily's/.

Snape, his voice thick with emotion, whispered, "I'll do what I can."

)O(

"Blimey, who was that?"Ron asked.

"Who?"

"Someone polyjuiced to look like Snape I reckon."

Neville added, "He's nothing like what he is in potions - he actually helped me with a silent stunner, /me/!"

Hermione grumbled, "He seemed the same old Snape to me."

Harry joined his friends looking bewildered. He was mumbling something about alternate universes while clutching a parchment.

Hermione snapped him out of his reverie, "What is it, Harry?"

"They've gone completely nutter."He said, handing her the parchment.

Hermione's jaw dropped as she read the contract.

"No . . . way!"

"What?"

"What?" Neville and Ron asked in unison.

Hermione explained, trembling,"This is a contract for a teaching assistant. You're a TA?"

"I will be once I've taken my NEWT exams."

"Harry, you can't take your NEWTs, you haven't taken your OWLs yet!"

"I take those next week, blimey, I've got a ton of studying to do! C'mon, Hermione!"

The two ran back to the apartment.

)O(

They burst into Helga's living room and were nearly floored by the "Cheers!" and "Congratulations!" coming from the rest of the coven.

Minerva smiled broadly as she vamped over to a gob-smacked Harry.

She drew him into a tonsil probing kiss, to hoots and catcalls from the rest of the witches. Breaking the kiss she purred, "TA Potter, a pleasure to see you, as always!"

"You're just happy that you won't get the sack for sleeping with your student!" someone yelled, to shrieks of approval and applause.

Minerva smiled and snarked, "And you're all eager to shag the dreamiest TA that ever lived at Hogwarts!"

More shrieks and laughter.

A hauntingly familiar girl handed Harry a crystal goblet filled with a fragrant golden beverage. She stood only as tall as Harry's shoulders with tight ringlets of straw-colored hair. She wore a crisp starched blouse and Hogwarts uniform skirt, a Slytherin tie, but aRavenclaw house crest.

"It's mead, milord, mixed with the juices of fruits from faraway lands."

Her voice did it. Harry had only ever seen her before in period costume; her hair tucked beneath an elaborate wig and headdress.

"Helena? Helena! You're up so soon?"

Helena laughed, "Don't tell Poppy, milord. She'll have me tied to the bedposts if she finds out."

Harry's eyes glazed over at the mental picture.

"Oh, someone likes that idea!"

Harry grinned lopsidedly and nodded.

The score of hormonal teens shifted to full party mode, getting more raucous by the minute. Someone produced awizard's wireless and found some dance tunes. Minerva cleared her throat twice, to little effect, and then placed two fingers in her mouth to produce ashrill "/Fweeeeeeeet/!"

Harry was impressed, "I've /always/wanted to learn how to do that!"

Minnie continued, "As much as we would all like this to devolve into a drunken bacchanal, we have work to do. Milord, ladies, please attend."

Several girls "Awwwwwwwed"disappointedly, but complied, turning off the wireless and giving Minerva their undivided attention.

The professor moved the tapestry back from the great room wall opposite the fireplace to reveal a three month calendar. The first week of each month was labeled "OWL studies." The remaining weeks were dedicated to NEWTS.

Minerva, in full teaching mode, pointed out how each day was scheduled, "Four hours in the morning, two hour break, three in the afternoon, then three hours of study hall followed by dinner and three hours of practical applications in the evenings.

Most of the girls in the room looked perplexed, how could Harry take his OWLs next week when there were three months of study, and only three weeks allotted for the OWLs. . .

"Time-turner!"

Everyone looked at Padma, who had blurted out the obvious solution, well, obvious to the pretty Ravenclaw.

"Ten points to Ravenclaw! And Padma, you will be first in the rotation."

"Rotation?" Harry asked.

"For each time-turned day you will have three companions, they will see to your needs and you will see to theirs. We don't want anymore "happy accidents" until Riddle is safely in his grave so I've had Poppy prepare a long term contraceptive for all of us, save one."

Myrtle had the good sense to blush at this.

"I believe I'm of an age to decide if I want to carry my lord's baby." Helena smirked.

"And some of us are of age!" said Glynda Newton, the seventh-year Slytherin Prefect.

McGonagall sighed, "Oh very well, those who are not yet of age will be given the potion."

"If I get preggers now the baby won't be born until after I turn seventeen!" Alicia Spinnet shouted.

"/Ach/, Merlin's Blue Balls! Fine! We'll just turn the whole third floor into a bloody nursery!"

This brought general laughter to the whole coven.

Harry stood up.

"Right now, I am the happiest man who ever lived. I don't really understand why any of you would want to have anything to do with me, but I can tell you that I would be proud and happy for the rest of my life if any one of you would consent to share it with me. Ilove you - all of you - I'll love you until I die, and even that won't stop me loving you."

Luna Lovegood began to dance and weave in and out between witches, taking each by the wrist to direct them, one by one, to hold each other's hands. As she danced to a melody that only she could hear Harry was enthralled by her childish innocence, her pubescent sensuality.

Amelia bones stepped into the center of the room wearing her official robes of office.

"Witches of the Coven of the Four Houses, the circle is formed, your hands and hearts are joined. Lord Harry, please stand with me."

The High Mugwump, Chief Witch of the Wizen, and Wiccangamot, Amelia Bones said, "Witches of the Coven of the Four Houses, I call this sorority to order. Will you support your Lord and Warlock, and your sister witches, with all your hearts, souls, minds and majiks for as long as you walk on this Earth?"

Nineteen voices echoed through the chamber "Aye! So say we all, so mote it be!"

"And you, Lord Harry James Potter Slytherin, do you promise to love your witches, to protect and defend them; their lives and honor with all your heart, all your mind, all your majiks - all that you are and ever shall be?"

"Aye, I so swear, with all my heart, soul and magic. So mote it be!"

A deep emerald torus of force radiated away from Harry, slowly, until it engulfed the nineteen witches who made up the circle.

The inner voice, the same one that had been guiding Harry of late, coaching him in the ways of his lordship urged him to bind the witches of the coven to him. The familiar voice said, "A hand-fasting will be mutual and quite irreversible."

Harry's inner voice argued, "What if that is not their choice?"

"Then, for them, the fast will not hold. Bind them, Harry, I will give you the words to say."

"I trust you will - Mum."

Astarte fluttered to his shoulder.

"How long have you known?"

"That you were my mum or rather, my mum was you? Since I first saw you. It's the eyes, the eyes that you and Lily Evans and I all share. The mark of the goddess.

The diminutive deity sighed, "It had been too long since I'd felt the sun on my skin and wind in my hair. Determined to live a mortal life, I followed the matriarchal line to my seventy-fifth generation descendant, Iris Evans. It was the work of a moment to enter her as a self-fertilized egg and become a flesh and blood human girl."

"Professor Lupin said you were an"exceptionally gifted" witch. You would have to be, you were, after all, agoddess."

"He couldn't have known - /I/didn't know. I intentionally suppressed all knowledge of my true nature until the day I died."

"Of course! That's the reason the killing curse rebounded on him. I've always wondered. If a willing sacrifice was all that was necessary to survive a killing curse then I never would have been the only one. Surely you weren't the first mother to willingly die to protect her child, but Riddle couldn't have known what you really were, um, /are/."

The warmth and love - Goddess power - that was Lily Evans Potter's legacy burst like a ray of pure light, adding strength and substance to her son's magical torus.

With Astarte prompting, he intoned, "Witches of the Coven of the Four Houses, will you consent to take my name, share my future, my fortune and my follies for as long as we - all or any of us - walk upon this Earth?"

Nineteen voices were stunned into silence. Their warlock, their lord and life would bind his majiks to theirs, for all time - a union more powerfully intimate and more significant than any mere marriage vows.

The Chief Witch of the Wiccan and Wizengamot prompted the girls, "The phrase you're trying to remember is "I will"!"

One-score less one witch cried "I Will!" in unison.

Amelia, her voice thick with emotion, shouted "It is a rare and beautiful thing to see even two people hand-fasted, to see so many gathered in such amazing trust and perfect love is a privilege usually limited to the gods themselves.

"I actually pity any who would try to split your union."

"By the power vested in me as the Ministry of Magic, by appointment of Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, Ipronounce you . . . Warlock and Witches! Those Whom Majik hath joined together, let no one split asunder!"

As she said this the violet torus coalesced around each bride so that, when the light finally faded each girl was left with a simple gold band on the traditional finger.

Amelia smirked at her nephew in law and said, "Well don't just stand there; you may kiss your witches!"

Harry was staggered, just the thought of one life-mate was intimidating, but nineteen?

"Twenty-one, actually," said the little voice in his head.

"But there are nineteen here."

"Be patient, baby."

A familiar brown-haired missile nearly tackled him with her fierce embrace. Astarte leapt away as Hermione sobbed, "Oh Harry, I love you sooo much!"

"No more than I love you, Hermione- /Potter/!"

"Squeeeeeeee!"

Over the next few hours Harry did his best to make each of the newly inducted witches of the coven feel loved and appreciated on their special day. Some would have to wait for a week in real time to consummate their hand-fastings, but all were in accord. Later, Harry found Astarte sitting on a high windowsill looking pensive.

"Aren't you happy, Goddess? Isn't this what you and Mum had planned all along?"

The tiny winged figure rolled her eyes, "Astarte, please call me Astarte."

"I could just call you Mum."

"Oh that is so wrong on so many levels I won't even begin to touch it. Y'know, precious, when a /goddess/begins to envy a mortal entrusted to her care it's usually time to return to the Between Lands. I find myself wishing I could be anyone or everyone here."

"I would consider it a personal favor if you would stay until Moldyshorts is just a memory."

The diminutive goddess fluttered over to Harry's shoulder to kiss him on the cheek and said, "Of course, darling. Meanwhile, I'll see you in your dreams."

"Milord Warlock."

Harry turned to see Helena, looking better than ever, "Milady, how may I serve you?"

"Have you read that thrice-damned book?"

"Majiks Moste Darke?" he asked then shuddered.

"The very same. Specifically, have you read the section on soul binding?"

"We were just getting to that part, when we were interrupted. Is it important?"

"Yes, Harry, most important. It is the key to destroying Tom Riddle."

"Then I'll incorporate it into my Dark Arts studies this week, thank you my lady."

"You're very welcome, milord. Now, about that kiss, I think I'm sufficiently recovered to be able to endure it . . ."

)O(

Day 1 real-time.

Harry woke to the sensation of a delightfully animated - and naked - young witch playing "bareback rider" on his left thigh. He opened his eyes and saw Luna smiling down at him as she slid her slick, bare sex up and down his upper leg. The warm, fragrant heat of her increasingly wet cleft painted a "snail trail" on his thigh.

"Luna, sweetheart, are you enjoying yourself?"

"Oh yes, Harry! Ungh! Very! Uh, uh, uh, ungh! Much!"

"Whatever turns you on, Luv."

Padma entered the bedroom with abreakfast tray to see Glynda smirking at Luna who was rubbing herself off on Harry's leg.

Padma chuckled and put the tray down to watch.

Harry pulled Luna down for asweet "good morning" kiss and budged over so that her nearly hairless vulva rested on his "morning wood".

"Try that now."

The pretty blonde did and exclaimed "Oh! That's muuuuch better!" as the girth of Harry's cock put just the right amount of pressure against Luna's clit.

The little blonde Ravenclaw embraced her warlock with her whole being. Her small breasts rubbed Harry's chest, her nipples pebbling from the close heat of their bodies. Soft, fragrant straw-colored hair swirled over his neck and chest.

"Much better, much, much, /muuuuuuuch/better!"

Harry got her to slow down a bit, by pulling her into a long, sensuous kiss. Of course this didn't stop her from moving forward and back on his rampant erection, and on one of the "back" moves she accidentally speared herself on his shaft forcing his erection half-way into her very tight virginal opening.

Her head snapped up and she whimpered,"Um, oops?"

Harry lay very still and, in an anxious voice, asked, "Are you okay, Luna - does it hurt?"

She looked uncertain, "Well, it, um, pains a bit, you know, like the dull ache after a bee stings you?"

He gently rolled her off him so that she was lying on her back, then propped himself up on his elbows.

There was a lot of blood.

"Oh Luna, that was much too rough, it couldn't have been good for you."

"Miss Etiquette told me the first time always hurts, but it gets better after that."

"And Miss Etiquette is?"

"She writes the "Hearts and Flowers" column for the Quibbler."

"Ah, and you've met Miss Etiquette?"

"Well, no, Daddy always answers the mail so I guess he sends it on to Miss Etiquette."

"I'm sure. Listen, Luna, I'm going to do a little magic here, just lie still for a moment."

He placed his hand on her abused maidenhood - well, womanhood now - and intoned, "/Vagina curatia sum/,"pouring forth all the love he felt for his youngest witch.

"Oh! That tingles, in a /goooood/way!"

"Now just lie back and let your warlock take care of you."

Harry kissed her tenderly then attended to her erogenous zones. She evidently had quite a lot of them: the spot behind her ear, the nape of her neck, her left nipple, her right nipple that little dip at the small of her back, the inside of her knees, the web of skin between her big toe and the next. In all Harry catalogued forty-two distinct locations on Luna's body that he could use to give her pleasure. He brought her to her first full-blown, non-auto erotic orgasm when he deep French kissed her over stimulated sex. The resultant accidental magic temporarily levitated everything in the room that hadn't been nailed down, including the bed upon which they lay and the chairs in which Glynda and Padma were sitting.

Padma, her eyes dark with passion from what she'd seen looked at Glynda and said "On three."

They shook their right fists in synch once, twice and on the third time Padma extended her index and middle fingers. Glynda extended her hand with all five fingers splayed.

Padma was thrilled, "Scissors cut paper - I get him next!"

A small bell dinged.

Padma announced "Time for breakfast milord, you have just enough time to take a quick shower, /alone/!"she added seeing Luna heading in that direction.

"Oh Poo!" she pouted.

Glynda pulled her into a hug and said "We can all have a nice long soak after dinner, okay sweetie?"

She nodded her head sullenly.

Glynda continued, "And by then you'll feel much better and maybe you can sit in Harry's lap?"

Luna perked up at that.

Harry did a quick shower then sat to breakfast with his three witches. 'I'm going to need a program just to keep up!' he thought.

They enjoyed porridge, eggs and sausage and coffee when another bell chimed. Minerva McGonagall entered.

"Transfiguration, a review."

It turned out that the review was not a complete waste of time, but since Harry had near perfect recall - when had that happened? - They could go directly into the NEWT basics.

Before they knew it the lunch bell rang. Padma brought in wonderfully aromatic rice with curry and placed it on the dining table with a warming charm.

"Let me show you what my mother taught all the Patil daughters."

She had Harry recline on the bed propped up by pillows, then stood at the foot of the bed and began unwrapping her royal blue sari as sitar music played in the background. Beneath the sari she wore an aqua choli - a thin cotton bodice - and amatching pavada or wrap-around skirt. She placed the carefully folded outer garment on a chair then turned around to look at him over her right shoulder. She hooked her long fingernails under the hem of her choli/and slowly, enticingly pulled it over her head. Harry was sure he'd never seen a more perfectly formed back in his life. Padma's skin was the color of milk chocolate, smooth and without blemish. Still watching her warlock over her shoulder Padma began to un-wrap the /pavada - it only took one and a half turns and Padma stood before Harry with her skirt held behind her as one might hold a beach towel. She winked and whipped the skirt into a quick fold before placing it along with her other clothing on the chair. She stood nude except for a trio of thin gold chains slung low on her magnificent arse. Similar chains adorned each ankle.

Padma turned slowly and Harry was astonished to see the rest of her body jewelry. Multiple strands of long, thin gold chains threaded through several intimate piercings - one through each nipple, another through her navel, and one just above her distended clitoris.

Harry gulped and asked the inevitable question, "Didn't that hurt?"

Padma, prepared for the question, asked, "If I say "yes", will you kiss it and make it better?"

"Padma, thank you for this. Ihave never seen anything so exotic, so beautiful in my life!"

He began to rise when Padma said,"Not yet, my warlock, mother taught us a few more things."

Harry laid back as his Indian bride crawled on all fours from the foot of the bed to where he lay, propped against the headboard. She unbuttoned, and then unzipped his trousers to let his"snake" out while crawling sensuously up his body. She stopped just short of kissing him.

"Harry, do you have any idea how long I've wanted to kiss you?"

He shook his head.

"Since you helped my sister and me into a tiny boat at the start of our first year - I was always sure you'd be drawn to my more outgoing twin."

"I like Parvati well enough, Luv- how could I not? She's your twin. But it's the brainy ones that make me weak in the knees." Harry kissed Padma gently on the lips, and whispered, "Mae tumko pyar kia!"

The beautiful dark witch placed a hand on each side of Harry's face, touched her forehead to his and, in a voice thick with emotion, said, "I love you, too. Let me begin to show you just how much."

Padma proceeded to kiss him completely; tongue wrestling in a way that made him believe that, if kissing became an Olympic sport, Padma was going for the gold. She then trailed gentle, teasing kisses down his body until she reached his throbbing erection.

The dark haired, dark eyed beauty swirled her tongue around his cock-head, letting copious amounts of saliva dribble down the shaft. She used the saliva to stroke him as she sucked hard on the bulbous head. In seconds Harry was close to spurting.

"Padma, /Pari/! I'm gonna .. ."

The Indian girl grabbed the base of his cock in a strangle-hold grip that kept Harry from finishing too quickly. She smirked, blessed her Mum for the lessons, and began to work Harry into a lather, again, and again, and once more before finally letting him release rope after sticky rope of white hot cum into her eager mouth.

She opened her mouth wide to show she had his love offering in her oral cavity. Then swallowed - hard - before opening her mouth again to show she'd gulped it all down, save for the little dribble that coursed down the side of her chin, but even that was intentional as she scooped up the last dribble and sucked it off her finger.

She batted her long eyelashes and purred, "Is my lord ready for dinner now? I've already eaten."

"I will eat now, /pari/, but later today I will have you screaming my name if there is any justice."

Padma smiled, "Then let justice be served, milord."

)O(

A/N: Al Capone was the most feared gangster in 1920s and 1930s Chicago, he wasn't brought to justice for murder or bootlegging or prostitution or racketeering, but for Income Tax evasion. Brought down by a bunch of bookkeepers. The quill is mightier than the wand. Gotta love it!

Pari is "angel" in Hindi