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Chapter 23: Preparations for Meetings can be fun

Planning is one of the most important things there is; however, no plan comes out perfectly. It is affected by allies and adversaries in unexpected ways; therefore, one must adapt to these changes. It is thus little wonder that most planning is actually creating the contingency plans. Such as this one…- Hermione Granger had confided in the slowly yet fatally bleeding to death sacrifice.

*******

Harry was sitting down on a couch he had conjured in the Room of Requirement. He could have asked the room to do so, but conjuring was a useful skill in and of itself let alone its utility in dueling and fighting in general. As it was, he had things on his mind. They had sent a letter to the Flamel’s to see about things or at least feel out any future interactions in that direction. It was not as if he needed the stone to live after all, and he suspected that they had alternatives if the stone was ever stolen or destroyed. It was some of the other aspects of it that would be more difficult to replace. Making money and extending life was merely the most known aspects of the stone, but there was little chance of creating one in the present.

‘The stone while useful for most is quite dangerous if one really understands it,’ Harry thought as he relaxed on the couch while Su was busy soothing him with Hermione and Dora entertaining in front of him. ‘Sure I could make something similar, and all I would need to do is go to say a mass grave or the like. Thankfully, similar items were destroyed in the past even if some survive in fiction. Egypt did have a massive amount of necromantic knowledge and so do some concerns in the East. I suppose I should worry about meeting Su’s family. From what she said her mother Mei-Li is quite interesting although her cousin would be also interesting to meet.’

That he was putting off meeting the Li Family for summer was a telling sign as he planned to meet the Flamel’s before the end of the year. It was just finding somewhere to meet that they could get to easily enough was a concern. That Night was beginning to develop a greater ability to carry compared to his size might be helpful. There was an indication that Night would be able to transport him similar to how Fawkes, Dumbledore’s phoenix, transported that man. There were a few other options as well to get places, but a secure route from Hogwarts to Gringott's would be useful even if it did bring risks as well.

His mind was getting better at divorcing sensation and thought. Oh, he was well aware of the wonderful sensations that Su’s actions were providing for him, but he was able to have part of his mind working separately. It was a bit like those complicated computers that he was tempted to indulge in. With Vernon having complained about all of the changeover to electronic processing, and that was almost a good enough of a reason just there if it wasn’t that magic tended to fry electronics. The potential there seemed to be great and it would allow for more diversity in their business ventures and give his scarily growing pool of minions more varied work to do.

‘The more I get things dealt with the more things come about to deal with,’ Harry thought as he let his hand roam Su’s head similar to petting affectionately any other pet. ‘The Flamel's can be met at Gringott's before getting them into the school as we could also meet the Li’s there for more discussions. So far, Susan and Hannah will have convinced me before the mini-vacation of Spring Break; therefore, they will want to finally completely consummate our relationship. I wonder how the other girls deal with those urges or if what Dora says a number of girls will pair up or at least experiment before doing so with boys. Dora also seems to be indicating that a meeting with her luv will be likely at the same time. That this girl is concerned about things is a good measure, and I am grateful that we didn’t need to bring up the secrecy aspect. Still there are possibilities, but I will abide by my pet’s need for secrecy even if the number of female prefects makes things narrow to resolve. It was interesting that Dora was having dreams like that and at first, I thought it would be with Hermione as a prefect punishing the head girl Dora, but it is likely that it was also Dora as a Prefect and punishing her current lover who will be a Head girl by then. Now that I think about it that narrows things down even more…’

It was lucky that Harry shoved those thoughts aside for two reasons: the first being that he did understand Dora’s friend’s need for secrecy, and the second being that Su was about to be swallowing quickly. Even if he could think through it, he tended to not be as multitasking mentally during his orgasms. He still had a small part of his mental faculties processing things, but with the realization that confidentiality was key in both directions there was little reason for his mind not to intentionally block his own deductions from reaching the fairly straightforward conclusion.

It was with fluttering eyes and a sigh of contentment that Harry unwound into Su’s eager mouth as his attention was on her and not his other lovers cavorting in front of him. He didn’t notice that they had started to slow their own pace from passionate to friendly and would soon be relaxed enough for a conversation between the four of them.

If he had met Su’s eyes, his more than rudimentary skills at Legilimency would have seen things clearly. Su’s mind was a very ordered thing, and he didn’t even need to look at the mental manifestation to see her beyond fanatical devotion that put his apprentices and pet to shame. Su was of the Li family and their house turned out intelligent and dedicated minions.

Once upon a time, they had aided the greatest among the magical masters of the world. They were thankfully the most secretive of families or any rising power would have abducted them and raised them to be their personal minions. They were known for their fighters, scholars, and merchants. Despite the changes of the past century, Magical China was like the rest of Asia still ruled by the same families and not even the threat of the mundane armies would pry them from their homes. The Party never bothered them and they never sent a unified wave against them. That was without the necessary service they had to keep the magical problems at bay.

“You are very good at that Su,” Harry said with naked approval in his voice. “Is there anyone I should pay attention to when we meet your family?”

“Mmmmh,” Su sighed out as she rocked back and visibly appreciated his attention before saying, “My mother as you know is someone quite prominent in the family and the running of the house internally. As for my father, Li Wei-Shan, he is as is traditional the one to deal with matters outside the house.”

“That is good to know,” Harry said as he let his head to rest on the couch. “Have the Li’s had any dealings with the Flamel's?”

“Not directly as such,” Su said as she stayed in the supplication position. “We do trade indirectly with them. They are very good with being reliable business associates and they also have a very good relationship with the Goblins.”

“So a meeting mediated with the goblins would work,” Harry said as he contemplated that, as Su remained waiting. “Do you have any advice on how to handle the other matters that are vying for my time besides studying and playing?”

“Ah, sir, you keep us not just for our bodies, but for our minds as well,” Su said with a slight look that seemed like a pout. “It is a shame that sometimes it feels we have to neglect utilizing one to use the other. I will admit that having both stimulated is quite pleasing for both sides, but I have been trying to catch up on the physical side of things. So you wish for me to advice my most wonderful and benevolent master on how to alleviate the complications that have come into play; it shall be as you say, sir. Now which should I likewise contemplate, my honored lord?”

“Oh, it does seem that you have more wit to show,” Harry said with a slight smile. “Considering your advice on the Flamel's was quite useful and there was your family as well, I was wondering what thoughts you have on the girls?”

“From what I have seen of Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot, sir,” Su said with a leer. “I wouldn’t mind a go at them myself, but it is likely not time to introduce more of your vassals. Oh, there are many names for those in similar positions, and the mistresses are your apprentices, but the easiest way is to be your vassals. It does allow for more leeway in doing what we need to do. If you called us minions in public, it is likely to cause some annoyances from the Gryffindor factions. Oh, it would be far less than if we officially proclaimed ourselves your willing slaves, but that would cause issues for most as they would see issues with what they believe to be a half blood owning anything more than a muggleborn.

“Back to the matter at hand, sir,” Su continued as she felt a sense of pride in serving her master this way. “There is a strong indication that Susan and Hannah both would be inclined to be accepting of the more grey aspects of your business matters. As for the more shady ones, you would need to frame the responses in an appropriately acceptable to a Hufflepuff mindset way. It may be prudent to get a more thorough evaluation of the psychologies of both Amelia Bones and her associates. As from the briefings so far that Sarah has sent, you are legally in the clear for most things you have done and what ones you are do not have any connecting concerns. I would advice, sir, that you do consummate your physical and sexual relations with both of them before the end of the year. They would be very cooperative after a few rounds of being fucked to submission.”

“I see,” Harry said as he thought on it some as he felt his own desires try to cloud his judgment. “I must admit that I have been sorely tempted while in the heat of the moment to simply claim them and proceed to drive them to such heights of sexual satisfaction that they would be as loyal as puppies. This was so much easier a few months or more ago as my own hormones were less wound up. Considering that the break will provide ample time to entice both parties that will likely be the easiest time to go forward on things.”

“Yes, sir,” Su agreed as she felt her submissive instincts war with her horniness. “They are less likely to regret anything by this point in time and are old enough to make their own decisions in such matters. As they have not blabbed on what information you have entrusted them with, it is likely that the will be expecting your next lengthy encounter to be spent resolving the sexual matters. As for Miss Dora’s lover, there is the fact that she is persuasive enough to convince the girl by then as well. Whoever she is, she is likely addicted to you or at least your cum by this point and as Miss Dora has indicated that there is no relief from her current supposed boyfriend there is a high chance that if Dora only blindfolded the girl and brought the two of you to a room that she would gladly accept some real cock.”

“So you think that if Dora invited me to her room and the girl as well as myself were properly prevented from seeing each other’s identity that she would spread her legs and welcome me to stretch her cunt with a nice warm cock before leaving a copious amount of cum for Dora to suck out from her,” Harry said as he noticed the no longer subtle clues that Su was really worked up. “I take it that you think she will likely also practically swallow me as soon as I am in the air since you are also in a similar state?”

“Yes, sir,” Su agreed as she shuffled in lustful need. “I think you might also get both girls to agree to even being not just double teamed but stuffed as well. Miss Dora’s lover has been described as rather wishful in desiring to see Dora being fucked dominantly and the desire to see her face as she is driven to orgasm from something other than fingers or tongue even if she didn’t know that Miss Dora was able to hear her say so. Miss Dora will likely love to be sandwiched by the both of you and it is possible that Miss Dora will quite enjoy offering her lover’s sole remaining cherry to you.”

“I swear that all of you girls like seeing me dominate other girls,” Harry said with a smirk as he barely motioned to Su before she had skipped up and seemed to suddenly sheath herself on his ready arousal. “Now no moving until I tell you otherwise. Thinking on what you said, it is likely true about Dora and her possible own pet. I don’t think she has gotten into any of the overly disturbing to outsiders play, but it is possible that Dora’s normal desires will possibly scare this girl off at least somewhat.”

“Yes, sir, I can see that,” Su said as she struggled not to slam herself until collapsing spent and still impaled with him inside her. “Miss Dora can be somewhat extreme in her play, but it does sound like she takes a more dominant role with her lover as she ravishes and controls the situation. The only downside for her has been that she puts more effort in ensuring her lover is quite sated that sometimes she passes out before Miss Dora is done. Oddly, this seems to be the problem the girl complains to Miss Dora about. Although, that may be more to Miss Dora having had her threshold for pleasure and pain expanded greatly.”

“Yes, Dora has become quite extreme in what she can take and wishes for,” Harry said as he teasingly caressed Su’s spine as the girl twitched and seemed to struggle also to not simply wring herself around him as that would still be moving. “It wouldn’t do to scare any of the newbies off now would it? I suppose that means that neither Susan nor Hannah would be ready to see Dora’s preferred sessions. It is also likely that her girl is used to the little things, but not yet ready to see her dominant being tied up and whipped and fucked to satisfied submission let alone the more intense things.”

“Her body as a Metamorph is quite flexible and it is not just shape and muscles that can be affected, sir,” Su said with a pleading look in her eyes. “Although it may be that House Black women like pain and House Black men can be quite physically dominating. There is no way to tell outside searching the more personal records in the familial library...”

“That is something that both you and Hermione would enjoy doing,” Harry proposed before deciding to take some mercy for the almost vibrating girl. “Now you may move internally only…”

“Yes, sir,” Su groaned out as she began to try to milk him with her muscles to mutual satisfaction. “When will we get to see the Black Library?”

“Some time over the summer,” Harry replied as he settled back to enjoy Su’s actions. “I think it would be safer to fulfill my bibliophiles fantasies there than in the Hogwart’s Main library. We will also have to balance time hopefully with the Flamel’s as well as your family. The twins seem quite insistent on getting some input on their pranks over the summer as well. There is a downside to that though…”

“Ronald,” Su growled in irritation. “Sir, he is too much like Malfoy and yet they can't see their similarities since they despise each other so much. I don’t think it would be good to leave any of your family in close proximity to that boy for any length of time. It would be rude to harm any of the host’s family, but that boy is very difficult to avoid cursing. There is also that other concern you have as well…”

“Yes, dear Su,” Harry said with a sigh as his eyes closed to let him savor the way Su was twisting around and pulling him inside her. “The Twins were rather blunt that their younger sister is beyond even crushing on me. Since they are friends at least somewhat, it would be bad form to be found with their sister jumping me. Thankfully, it seems that while she is normally quite forward, she seems the sort to be actually shy in my presence so that should alleviate that concern. I do suspect that if she did try something she would have to go through you girls first. Yes, I think that poor lonely Ginevra will likely get on either Hermione’s or Alice’s nerves soon after they meet.”

“You are most likely correct, sir,” Su said as she felt her body respond to the exercise she was doing. “Although I suspect that as Miss Alice will be in her year that it will be likely Miss Alice who will come into conflict with the young naïve girl. From what you have said, Miss Alice will break the girl of any supposed issues that she has, but there is a possibility that she will not be sorted into Ravenclaw. Until we know that it is mostly conjecture…”

Su trailed off as she put more effort into satisfying each other. The submissive minion girl found herself purring as she felt her master fill her up before having her satisfy him again by slamming herself back against him. By that point, the two writhing girls were no longer being thankful and kind in their attentions and had resumed their passionate play. Su crawled to them with Harry still inside her. The four soon were a tangled mess with Harry and Su using the two writhing girls and their free hole.

‘I suspect that this will be even more complicated in the coming years,’ Harry thought as he stilled inside Hermione and the three girls lay there also recovering. ‘I suspect that if I had managed to completely suppress these impulses that on some Halloween there would have been a spontaneous orgy and the inhibited and repressed urges would have been quite intense. This is easier to deal with and I have to accept that being driven has a price after all.’

He didn’t really feel too bad about the consequences so far and it had been far more profitable than he had thought. He still had a ways to go before he could attempt to resurrect or at least communicate with his parents. The real origins of the killing curse made things difficult, but it was nothing that he would not be determined enough to see through. He did have to remind himself to spend more time with the Longbottom boy. Neville if he recalled. Something was amiss with his situation as much as his own had been.



*******

“You think that will be enough?” Hannah asked Susan as she lay in her friend’s bed. “I really wish that he would take more about us on faith.”

“You know that they are very private people,” Susan said as she lay there and daydreamed about things. “They don’t talk a lot about their past, but from what some digging I managed to get from my aunt there were issues there. It seems that Harry was placed with his maternal aunt and her husband. They are definitely not people that you would want to meet. I can see why he would be a private person with that kind of a past…”

“I see, but he shows no signs of ever having been physically harmed or the mental issues that cause some to drift to be sorted into our house where they can have friends to support them,” Hannah said as she moved to rest her head on her friend’s stomach where she began to trace patterns causing shivers from Susan. “Do you think his accidental magic served to protect him? That would go a ways to explain how he is so far in his skills magically. With that given, there does seem to be only two choices that those abused take to as they develop. Either they will become a protector or an abuser being the obvious ones, but Professor Sprout did say that some boys, but more often girls become very needy and seek out a protector or at least a person to alleviate the need to make decisions.”

“Auntie did say that occurred more often than not unless the victim was obliviated,” Susan said with a sigh, as her friend seemed to wish to wind her up today to press their mutual pleasures. “It would make sense if Harry did appoint himself as a protector that those under his protection were not necessarily stemmed in rewarding him. That would explain where he could get such a defined skill in pleasuring girls. I suspect that with Hermione being as forward and outspoken as she is that Hermione has at the least been his follower and he has become her protector as well as her main authority figure. You do recall some of what the older girls and the professor said…”

“Some girls will discover that certain things that seem counterintuitive to feeling good will do so,” Hannah said as she recalled the meeting the female prefects in Hufflepuff arranged when the girls had settled and they had all shown signs of either being interested to learn or physically able to explore their bodies. “We should not judge our friends on what brings them happiness unless it truly is detrimental to another friend. While it may seem that something is unfriendly does not mean it is not taken in a friendly way.”

“Hermione seems the sort to need someone to rein her in and there are those rumors about some of the girls in Ravenclaw although each house seems to have different rumors,” Susan said with a thoughtful look almost causing Hannah to stop teasing and utterly distract her friend from her thoughts. “You can tell when they are together that they deeply care for each other, and yet they seemed to hold something back when we were watching. I suspect that they don’t want to scare us off…”

“No chance of that,” Hannah said as she moved and began to kiss her way down her friends eager body. “Most of our year mates have already started to explore and it is almost a given that there is no virgin Puffs by the end of their first year. The rest of our housemates do tend to seem to be quite free in physically helping each other, but your decision on who your and thus my first male lover will be might make that complicated.”

“I don’t think it will,” Susan said as Hannah gently and friendly kissed her way from between her beginning breasts to her bellybutton. “While I think Harry will be rather selective in who he is with, he likely does not force pure monogamy on his lovers since there are at least two here and however many back in Surrey. It is likely that the ones who would be permanent would have little to no interest in other men, but Hermione shows that his lovers are as equal opportunity in seeking his and a ladies attention. I don’t even think that potion set up is anything to worry about after having thought over it. Nothing was illegal and as the future Head of a Noble and Ancient House as well as being the current scion, there are enough loopholes that could be exploited. It is a good thing that the louder in proclaiming their status is actually those with the least standing.”

“Malfoy could do something if he could be declared the Black though couldn’t he?” Hannah asked in somewhat concern as she rested her head while she traced Susan’s ticklish spots. “Professor Snape seems likely to conceal anything his students do and the Gryffindors responding as much as they do is not helping things any.”

“Thankfully those rivals overlook the other houses for the most part although the Slytherins would make deals with a Claw far before they would a Puff,” Susan said with a sigh as Hannah tried her best to both arouse and alleviate the stress her friend was under. “As for the worry about Draco Malfoy, it could be dangerous if he could claim those rights, but with Sirius Black still alive I don’t think that will be a problem. He also isn’t the most aware, intelligent or cunning boy there is. You did overhear that spoiled brats words don’t you about our house right?”

“Slytherin and Gryffindor seem to think we are meaningless in the scheme of things,” Hannah said with a frown ever as her finger traced her friend’s waiting slit. “That we don’t blatantly go forth and cause problems they overlook us. We are loyal and hard working, but they think that we are addle-minded idiots, but Malfoy is an even bigger idiot than most. He knows that his father talks of your aunt with grudging respect, but Draco constantly spews out that Hufflepuffs are duffers. I suppose it is good that he hasn’t begun bothering Hufflepuffs again…”

“He was too protected to deal with and short of traveling in very large groups with older students as protectors there was not much we could do at the time,” Susan said as she bucked and tried to convince her friend to stop teasing her and leave her a puddle of well-sated witch. “With his father on the board and his influence in the Ministry there was not much we could do without tipping the house’s hand. We are badgers and while slow to anger will fight ferociously when provoked or to protect ourselves.”

“You do have your aunt as a card to play if he tried anything,” Hannah said with a sad look before deciding to distract her by doing so to Susan. “Given the way things have been going, both of us would have had to be someones plaything before we graduated and this way we get a looker who cares and is great at sexing a witch up!”

“And here I was thinking you should be the friend that was supposed to talk me out of this,” Susan said with a giggle even as Hannah played her well practiced spots to mellow her friend out. “I think Hermione will likely close ranks soon in regards to her man even if she does share him…”

“So the two of us, Hermione and whichever unspecified others already involved,” Hannah said before stopping to taste her friend’s sweet slippery folds and see if her friend was ready for her own actions and the preparations for her friend’s hero and his hopefully soon deflowering of her. “I doubt that other girls won't try to get at least a go once his reputation is not completely held to his chest as it is now. You are likely right that Hermione and any other girl in her ranking will see about maximizing their own time. Even we would feel some competition to get more of his time, but we also like to spend time with each other and I definitely like being with Hermione as well…”

“We are friends and can find a way to make this work,” Susan said firmly before her resolved face shifted to one of sudden shock as Hannah worked her to a quick and unexpected release. “Damn Han, that was intense. So is Hermione any better at that or is that just something we both should practice like any other physical skill.”

“How about both,” Hannah said while smiling at her friend. “Although I do think that Hermione does have more experience and if we practice we will just get better at things… Still I have the feeling that they will be quite an influence not just on us but also on everyone. We may end up having to work rather hard to balance things and their being so far ahead in their studies does allow them more time for things…”

“You think that one of their influences is that they will drive us to do better so as to not disappoint them both as lovers and as students,” Susan said as her head had been cleared and it felt easier to think after Hannah’s actions. “I suppose that given his reputation and the likelihood that upcoming dark wizards and the next possible dark lord will target him for that reputation that I should talk to my aunt about getting some training in over the summers… I will of course make sure that you are invited.”

“Your aunt was a Puff like us so there should be no problem with any of that,” Hannah said before frowning a bit. “Harry lives around muggles and even if they are in the know they would have underage monitors. That much at least is common knowledge while the particulars are better kept in regards to where and explicitly who than some of the secrets in the Ministry, but how will he practice or do you think he has found one of the loopholes and they haven’t mentioned that they have to us?”

“That is possible,” Susan commented as she ran her fingers through her friend’s hair where it rested on her flushed thighs. “I do not put it past either of them to have found any number of loopholes. There is the possibility that he could have even gotten the goblins to be quite and become emancipated, but that is not something that I see people allowing even if he is the scion and next Potter of House Potter.”

“Don’t be too sure of that Suz,” Hannah said with a laugh after she thought about it. “Think of how he has acted here and pulled off already, and it does make it likely that he has something up his sleeves and hidden in his pockets.”

“That does make sense even if we seem to be overly interested in checking something in his pockets,” Susan said with a sigh as she felt her body slowly becoming calm enough not to be hypersensitive. “So we have the fact that he is cute, well hung and with plenty of prospect for the future, and the only downside is sharing which I don’t think either of us consider being one. The fact that he would be well compensated for all he has done for us so far. You know I almost wonder what would have happened if our positions had been reversed.”

“I suppose things wouldn’t be that different,” Hannah said as she realized that it could have been either of them that had gotten into that position even if it had been odd to be Susan instead of herself. “Only way all of this would have been better would be if they had been in our house. I will admit that the inability to meet closer is irritating at times…”

“I suppose the fact that we could have had Hermione here as well if that was the case didn’t really enter your mind,” Susan said with no hint of jealousy with pure understanding to her tone. “Considering that you took advantage of our being roommates, I might as well do the same. Who knows when things might require or even facilitate such things in the future…?”

Susan moved so that she could reach her friends own responsive lips. She was a Hufflepuff and her friend needed some attention right now. It didn’t matter that her friend had put her needs ahead of her own, but Susan did feel grateful that Hannah was very willing to clear her head. As it was, Susan knew that regardless of where things were going that she loved how things were and how they appeared to be progressing. It may be un-Hufflepuff, but while most of her fellow Puffs would be likely to start physically being close with each other and consider that part of normal friendship, Susan knew that Hannah and she would be more often with Harry and his group than their housemates. It felt kind of wrong to let a divide from between them and their fellow Puffs, but they were pretty sure that Harry did nowhere near trust anyone enough to let their entire house in to his personal space.

That they already had discovered that their older housemates tended to have rather free flowing orgies wasn’t really a concern. Sharing Harry more than necessary was a disinclination for them as it was a case of quality versus quantity. They were Hufflepuff enough that they suspected that Harry would be with them at one of the parties at least a few times before they graduated. They were well aware enough to not be possessive like the rest of their house, and that things never went as planned. Luckily, Harry had shown no inclination to political rule even if he was more than aware it seemed to them of at least some of his future power and prospects.

Susan did have the feeling that if things had been different that Harry would have been either a Gryffindor martyr or a Slytherin tyrant. His original fame as The-Boy-Who-Lived could have easily been grown and he could have had most of the younger generation as devoted fanatics as well as some of their parents and other relatives. The exception of the Death Eater children and even they might have been able to be swayed with sufficient power.

As the two drifted off in their conjoined embrace, Susan still had a very good feeling in how things were progressing. While Harry had not taken the immediate offering and simply took her and left her recovering, she found his well thought out nature intriguing even if at the cost of romantic spontaneity.



*******

Li Mei-Li was overseeing the normal daily running of the House of Li. Her husband Li Wei-Shan was going over the various business proposals as well as checking which family members had entered into contracts with who and for what reasons they had done so. They both had received word about their daughter in Scotland. Her attending Hogwarts had not been entirely unexpected, but that did not mean that they hadn’t turned it to their advantage.

Li Su had sent back word before and it had sent the family and the elders especially into a fevered state. So far, this one seemed to show the signs of being like their glorious lord and master all those centuries ago. They were well aware that their daughter had told her master about things and that she had to inform them of some things as well. That the boy was already advancing into his art was astounding.

While her daughter had yet to witness any of the greater rituals, Mei-Li was aware that Su had seen enough evidence of the power growing to the west. The state of his companions was a very good sign. Having three students already was not unexpected. The state of their development was another good sign. That the young master had brought a metamorphmagus as they were called there into service was very telling. The young lord was interested not just in their bodies, but he already showed signs of making sure that the servants were well supported.

A little investigation by Wei-Shan had led to the discovery of a very rapid power base for the young master. He had practically wrestled potions supplies and production for the more profitable ventures. That he had convinced a number of muggle girls as well as boys to serve him even in the manner that they were was impressive. It was a very profitable solution to increasing his funds. Her husband had discovered that the Goblins were quite impressed.

The most recent communications from them as well as the information from Su had definitely led to hope that this was the master they had been waiting for all these centuries since the betrayal in that distant land. Turning her attention to the state of the various disciplines and specializations had left her with a sense of pride. Su was well suited as a researcher and lab minion even if she was not as suited for fieldwork compared to some of her kin. The girl’s master could likely improve on that. Mei-Li was filled with pride at how suitable her daughter was.

“Hmm,” Mei-Li had murmured when she saw an unfamiliar bird completely ignore the wards around their home. “This bears investigating; of this I am certain…”

Padding her way from the garden towards the bird, she took a closer look at it. There was something different about the bird that nagged at a memory she had from the histories. The bird was just too black as if the light was being sucked in instead of just being absorbed. It moved with a bit of strangeness. When it went still on a perch, it was too still as if it did not need to move. The eyes however caused her eyes to widen and have to cut off a gasp of shock.

“Now you are something I have not seen in a very long time,” Mei-Li said as she stood near and circled the bird on the perch. “Now who could it be that would have one such as you to deliver a missive. I suppose you would be the young Night that my daughter has referred in passing.”

The raven shaped bird turned its head and cocked it before looking into the ladies eyes. Letting out a caw of agreement, Night continued his study of the young servant’s mother. Night had no doubt that the girl whom this lady resembled was one of the master’s servants. Oh, the companions had benefitted from the relationship of that they were all certain. Night for instance loved the improved freedom as well as the opportunities for the juiciest meals one could want for.

“Well that answers that,” Mei-Li said with an inclination of her head. “I take it my daughter asked you to bring us this or was it her master?”

Night looked at her for a moment. Unlike with the others, the former raven was unsure how to communicate more exactly. The bonded were able to receive emotional projections as well as understand their audible and non-audible communications. Settling for a double bob would have to do until the messenger could determine a better way to answer. Oh, while the rituals made them smart none of them were aware of if the Li’s had gained any abilities to understand any of them.

“Thank you,” She said as Night held out the messages. “I see one for me and one for my husband. I take it that you are waiting on a reply?”

Night gave a bob and caw of agreement. Watching as the lady took the messages; the raven came to a complete stillness to wait. At most, there might be a snack while waiting and that wouldn’t be so bad.

Despite the security of a being like that acting as a messenger, Mei-Li was as paranoid as all members of their house had become. When they could be possibly tricked into servitude to someone unworthy, it was not really paranoia as merely a very necessarily developed sense of self-preservation. The past few centuries had the family as individuals enter into service unlike the glorious days when the whole of House Li was at the call and benefit of a true master.

Therefore, as even the youngest children were trained, she scanned the messages over for harmful content. Normally some of that was dealt with by the wards and the setup in the message tower. This messenger had bypassed that and that said a lot. She didn’t doubt that this particular bird could have pierced or avoided their protections. That it entered unnoticed spoke of that, but there was the slight feel to it now that she had let her senses extend to search for such things.

The bird had drunk of her daughter’s blood, but it had been offered willingly. That would have allowed even an ordinary postal bird to reach them. It would not have kept them un-alerted to the bird’s arrival however. That was something that she would have to talk to her husband about especially if it took outsider to correct.

The outermost package was sealed with her daughter’s personal sigil. The wax making it up had been soaked with her blood and charged with her magic as a first stage of security. Something had been added since her last missive and it had made her feel a rush of pride at what her daughter had done. It took a certain level of skill to improve and add a new security feature to the tried and true enchanted wax.

Removing the outermost seal, Mei-Li turned to the letters inside. Her senses were well tuned and her eyes showed none of her reaction to the interesting things guarding the letters. Her daughter would at most at private cock an eyebrow and even that would have been pressing. Their family was known for their stoicism and logic in public. They rarely let any know that in the privacy of their bedrooms and pleasure rooms that they were as passionate as they were controlled at other times.

Seeing a letter addressed to herself and one for her husband, she opened her letter and started to read as she walked to his office. This was important and they had things to discuss already. She had absentmindedly logged the protections on each with a bit of approval at her daughter’s actions. She would serve her master well. It was perhaps a childish dream to hope for a true master to be found for their house. They had benefitted so much in the past under a proper lord.

They were servants and found that role to be what they found their solace in doing. Even those running the family and the house in the absence of their master or any of his descendents served in some ways. The elders and heads served the good of the family with as much loyalty and dedication as any member served their masters. It was just something intrinsic to their blood by this point in time.

“Honored Husband,” Mei-Li called out as she approached Wei-Shan. “Our daughter sends word as does her master. He has a missive for you to read.”

“I take it that our honorable daughter has sent you a letter for you as well,” he said as he finished filling out one of the tedium of his station. “It is good to see that even in that land that she remembers the traditions. I take it that this is important to read immediately?”

“Yes,” she said with a nod. “The messenger bird is waiting and it is quite impressive.”

“And what could our daughter’s young master and relatively new to his art have sent?” he asked in interest. “I take it that he has gotten some improvements to his messenger?”

“I suppose as it was more of a daughter gushing to her mother about how good she had things that it didn’t come across to you,” she said with a sigh of irritation. “This master of hers has already several bonded companions, and from what I have seen that they are well on their way to becoming powerful. The bird used to be a raven and already it has to my discerning eyes begun to develop its elemental abilities.”

“I see,” he said with only the slightest widening to his eyes to convey his impressed state. “That would be interesting in one so new to things. I take it that you wish for me to read what was sent before you let me know more?”

“Of course,” she said with the slightest hints of amusement showing. “I will state that from what I have already read before that this one is most impressive. If the hints I have read are accurate, I might get to see something that would have the children laugh before almost fainting in shock…”

“I wonder what that could be,” he said with a hint of teasing directed to his wife of so many years and yet still they both felt at time the newness of youth. “I do hope that the financial state of her young master isn’t the only thing. I must admit that the discrete inquiry into Gringott's and other such ventures was most illuminating. I must say that the businessman in me is impressed that he has managed to acquire enough gold as well as platinum to impress the goblin nation.”

“Well if you have found that impressive wait until you read what this last letter contains,” she said with a bit of teasing to her voice and body language. “It seems that besides making at least a bar of platinum over a month in profits alone that the expansion might make it more so. It seems that a core of potion brewers at the least is in the process of being created. His willingness to do some things that the younger generations find squeamish is a positive. You recall that even the ungifted and crippled can be enhanced or altered with rituals especially those done by those like the first master…”

“I do recall that,” he said as he thought back to how even the ungifted among the peasants had been gifted with something in exchange for their service by the one they called their first master. “I also recall how those similar to the master had been betrayed by some of their creations. Still some things are only accessible by those gifted in the master’s art to that degree. I wonder if we will ever find one as unto he who was gifted with the Silver Flames and who understood the balance in creation, destruction, and change.”

“I wish the honored first master had left us with an explanation of how he did that,” she said with a glance to the locked library. “This young master seems to have acquired some tomes already and Su has sent for some she is authorized to read. I do wonder what was not said to me as they are not necessarily my concern.”

He looked at the seal adorning the back of the letter. He was well aware of the fame already flocking to that particular emblem. He noticed the way that his daughter’s personal stamp was placed subordinate and seemed visibly dominated by her master’s seal. Tracing his fingertips over the letter had left him with a very good feel for the magics safeguarding it. That spoke well of the young one to him. He had secured both the means of transportation as well as any means to safeguard the message itself.

Wei-Shan opened the letter with a quick motion of his wrist. He felt the subtle hints of magic having caressed him and searching for his identity. He had the distinct impression that if he had been someone else opening it that he would be dead or wished he were. Something had been added that his first cursory glance had missed. It wouldn’t do to say anything about that at this time. It was likely that his wife was testing him still as she had likely noticed her own had such a protective measure.

‘Yes’, he surmised after letting the feel of the enchantment pass through his awareness, ‘that was like her. He wouldn’t have it any other way. Life would be boring otherwise.’

It seemed that the young master had gotten himself a Nundu as the enchantment had been set to release a dose of Nundu’s breath into his lungs, skin and possibly into his blood itself. Now that was a worthy method of security. The only flaw was that if the enchantment had let it loose in an uncontained manner then it might accidentally devastate more than just the intended recipient and that might cause issues.

Something had been added to it as well a poison of some sort he realized as he felt the poison not entering his body, but there as if part of a secondary protection. It likely was set to be released if he disclosed the contents to certain people or to ensure he signed in blood an oath of the same. Despite all of this while impressive would take more to make him visibly show it.

“I suppose the gossip on Su getting an appropriate master has been out for some time among the house,” he said before he dropped the letter in complete shock. “I take it that your letter didn’t contain this information or you would be likewise in your actions?”

“I did wonder what it was that she hinted at,” Mei-Li said with an interested look. “We taught her well enough to make it subtle to the point that I suspect something major to be happening soon. The goblins were quite impressed when I asked if he would be good for Su. That they managed to acquire the Philosopher’s Stone under guard was very impressive. So what was it that caused such a shock, my beloved husband?”

“How did Su describe her master,” Wei-Shan said with the shock still evident in his voice, “physically as well as personally?”

“He was taller and more physically fit than the wizards there for his age and appeared to be well on the way to full maturity,” Mei-Li said as she thought about it. “She did mention that he was very well equipped, but that is probably not the detail you are looking for. He was protective of his servants and she said his eyes seemed to burn with a fire of his will and resolve. They were green at one point the color of the Killing Curse, but she said that they had grown darker to a jade shade.”

“It would appear that the prophecy is in play,” he said with reverence in his voice. “It seems that her master has eyes of Jade Fire and has discovered the Sliver Flame. You know what that means. As it is, he is not demanding much of us. He wishes a meeting at a point of time with us and one with the Flamel Family. That he wishes for that to be at Gringott's is no real shock. I would say the most shocking thing is the complete list of the companions and the new additions. Her master has drunk freely given unicorn blood and entered into a compact with a thousand year old basilisk. It is the name that catches me with something of significance. The basilisk’s name is Lady Silver…”

“You don’t mean that prophecy, and that basilisk has returned,” she said with a similar reverent voice. “If this means what I think it means, we will be able to serve under a true and proper Lord and Master again. After all these centuries of service under those who were trying to claim the masters’ title, we can finally serve one like him again. We will have the world once more brought to task!”

“Yes,” he said with still a bit of fanaticism to his almost vibrating with excitement form. “We will soon see where things will be headed. In the mean time, we must compose letters to our daughter and I have a missive to send to the Flamel’s. We should have realized when they started on things that we were headed for such interesting time again.”

“I thought that our ancestors were rather fair with Perenelle considering what those two had done,” Mei-Li commented as she contemplated what those two might be able to add to things. “Still I suppose they may be useful for the young master…”

“Once we are completely sure of that, then we can act, in the mean time we will have to see what will happen,” Wei-Shan said with a nod of his head. “So we will have to make some arrangements with both. I wonder if it is past time to have one of the younger members to train with the Flamel’s. That was a very useful thing and one we have not done in quite some time. Perenelle was quite accommodating from what we heard.”

“In both senses of the word, you mean,” Mei-Li said as she let a bit of humor show, as they were well and truly alone at the moment. “Yes, that is something that those two have had plenty of time to become skilled in. I believe that the last request Perenelle made was for one of our hunters to go there. We walked away with quite a bit of lore, gold, and good will from that. That house does tend to the hedonistic and perhaps even in excess, but they have kept their agreements on time so I think none here would find fault with that. Perhaps send one for when the young master goes with our daughter; I think that they will all find it entertaining…”

“Yes, by outsiders standards the Flamel’s are quite the sexual connoisseurs,” he said as he recalled what he had read about them. “Then again we do have a very extensive library in regards to magic related to such and we do practice a good amount of such magics. Therefore, who are we to look at them differently for their actions; I think the former heads would have preferred if they had utilized the life extending methods from sexual magics than creating that stone. Unfortunately, they did create it and thus we had a bit of contention in the past.”

“That Nicolas never realized that his wife spent of her own free will a century entertaining our house is of some interest,” Mei-Li said with a bit of indifference of that fact. “There is still plenty told of the things she did at that time. It was quite an interesting time to have been here from what some of the elders say as well. It would do the sexual combat specialists some good to be humbled by being sent there. Demons do differ in their methods than mortals in such things. She surely would not mind and from what is known she showed and outlasted quite a few of those that had been summoned.”

“Yes, that was rather perpetually recorded among the male head’s records as well,” Wei-Shan had then said with a firm nod. “As it is, that should work out quite well. So we prepare our letters before turning in for the evening?”

“I think you would prefer to see if this desk is still as sturdy as it ever was,” Mei-Li said with a teasing look as she sat on the edge of the desk and his hand caressed her thigh. “Later my love, first business, and then pleasure. A shame we are not like them as I hear that Nicolas as well as Perenelle tends to dictate things while being satisfied…”

“A pity,” Wei-Shan said with a sigh before he contemplated the use of a self-editing dictation quill as well as how useful it would be right now, as while his daughter wouldn’t mind the interspersed dialogue, it would be unprofessional to send to the Flamel’s even with their reputation and behavior. “The last one finished has to hold out?”

“Reading my mind again are you,” Mei-Li said as a parchment and quill appeared in her hand. “It is good to see you acting your age again…”

His answering smirk told her all she needed to know. The letters were practically flung onto the parchment at breakneck speeds and yet were as legible as any slowly drawn characters. The letters done and Mei-Li smiling while she called for Night and Wei-Shan acting disappointed while he called for his personal postal bird, the pair concluded all the relevant business before putting his desk to severe and repeated stress testing. Things would run smoother while Mei-Li was in a good mood, and Wei-Shan was making sure that she would be in such a good mood.



*******

‘Hmm wonder what this letter is,’ Nicolas thought as he reclined for his morning absolutions. ‘What could the Li Family send their personal seal for? We normally don’t converse directly lately…’

He was sitting in his opulent bath as some of the women about bathed him. He had little worry that the letter would be smeared and thus tended to read news and correspondence that is more interesting. That he could enjoy the hands that were washing him, was a simple matter. He didn’t really glance over to where his wife of so many centuries was likewise being pampered. It was something they both had taken great pride in having risen from mediocrity and near peasantry to the opulent comfort they had spent most of the proceeding centuries enjoying.

He recalled the time they clawed their way up and forged their connections. That had allowed them to make a number of realizations as well as remove themselves from the squalor that even the common wizards of the time had suffered under; with all that, it was little to wonder why he was considering this a deviation from the norm. That family was one that they had begun a long and profitable association so long ago. They had been connected and he had originally wondered why they hadn’t become more visibly prominent to the masses.

‘The Li Family was truly ahead of their time,’ Nicolas thought with adoration. ‘All those centuries ago and they had managed to become the power behind the scenes. If it had not been for them, we would not have been able to get a few of the ingredients for the stone. Their relations to the ancient necromancers and other such had allowed them to amass a library beyond compare. So why would they be writing us now?’

Opening the letter, Nicolas is met with a sudden shock. His face goes slack and he begins to reevaluate a number of things that he knows. He was aware that the Li’s tended to be fanatically loyal as individuals. That was something that he had repeatedly tried to get from some of their dealings. A truly loyal aid was worth more than a number of wishes even a large amount of gold.

“Perenelle,” Nicolas said in shock as he contemplated how this would affect them. “It would appear that the Li’s have found someone of interest. They have a line on the Silver.”

“Really,” She said from where she was deliciously sandwiched to her pleasure. “Is there some specifics in there?”

“Yes, it would appear that he has found our stone and gotten it out from under that meddlesome fools clutches,” Nicolas said as he moved to rest with his head on a girls chest while his lap was quickly occupied. “They are asking about arranging a meeting and with a Li pledged to them have utilized that family as an intermediary. They are asking on where we wish to arrange this meeting. There are heavy hints that the Goblins will be most accommodating.”

“That is not entirely unexpected if you think about it,” She said with a grunt. “The goblins are most impressed by them in the past and would still be now. You recall what kind of favors it took to create the stone in the first place. I don’t think that this will cause us any problems. Now you can waste your attention worrying about it, but I am going to enjoy things…”

“Fine,” Nicolas said before turning back to his own games.

He would have plenty of time to formulate a reply later. This new girl was quite the find and if he were a century less experienced, he would have already gone off like a kid. He supposed that they had become rather hedonistic in their time, but considering how miserable life had been for them in the past they saw no reason not to indulge now.

Meeting at Gringott's meant they would be in the neutral territory of the goblin nation. They would have little worry about being attacked there. It was not that there was much reason for this necromancer to do so anyways. He would have little interest in the life extending aspects of the stone, as even Nicolas knew that even the trained necromancers tended to be ageless after enough study.

At worst, they would be considered as possible test subjects to see what long-term usage of the stone had done. As it was, that would not be a worry in the coming meeting. They did also have some connections to the goblins and it was little wonder why some of the sheep thought so as well. The belief that they could make unlimited gold was ridiculous, as that would render it as valuable as any common ore. No, they were able to generate enough funds to be without a care. The wards around their palatial home were a testament to how useful money was at times.

‘Now how to formulate a reply,’ Nicolas wondered after he spent his rest inside the vigorously milking girl. ‘The most useful thing for them would be to offer some knowledge in exchange. Unlike the common wizards, he would have little need for money if he were at the point where he has gained this unknown power. To gather the ingredients for the kinds of rituals they favored would be financially profitable. Whoever it is also has killed and thus they could have acquired funds that way. What little direct information we gathered when they were more commonplace does indicate that several kinds of familiars would be altered with long-term exposure. Almost all of which are considered legends in the wild, and thus they would have readily resupplied components that would be worth a very exorbantly high price.’

He shuddered at some of the myths that he had learned were real. Nundu being made from other cats, Griffins that were able to travel in shadows, the true nature of the Grim, and many more things that he wished he didn’t know. They were masters of rituals of life and death, with knowledge of bloodlines, and knew how to do things that were unimaginable to Wizarding kind. They who had created vampires, Wither servants or as some believed a way to distill the power in the blood, Nicolas was unsure on.

There were some things he would rather not know about. He especially didn’t want to know if the ancient rumor was true that there was a method to protect a basilisk from the rooster’s crow. Bad enough he had seen what happened when a pissed off individual set a pack of Nundu loose across Europe. Still, he would have to get that letter written.

Making his way from the bath, Nicolas sat in his opulent chair where he was promptly served and serviced. So inclined on his chair with a girl serving food and a girl or two between his legs, Nicolas began to dictate a letter to be delivered to the Ancient and Honorable House of Li. It would be delivered through Gringott's and he was more than interested in finding out what they knew about the boy.

Nicolas had not forgotten the letter that had pierced their protections so easily. The letter from the Li’s had been delivered to the proper place, checked and then brought to him while in time for his morning absolutions. That bird had been something he had found frightening as even Fawkes could be reasoned with at times. How that bungler snagged a phoenix, Nicolas did wonder at times.

Still Nicolas turned to have some of the libraries books brought to him. That he had a girl pleasuring him throughout was merely because he both enjoyed it and he found it easier to recall things in those moments. With the Li’s involved, he was aware that things could be either smoother or fall apart in the meeting. They would have to prepare and perhaps see what little they could get from the goblins. Normally they were quite secretive of any clients’ dealings, but some small facts could be obtained as long as they would not cause the neutrality to be called into question.

He had a lot of things to do now. He would still make sure to enjoy his life. They had no reason to put aside their lifestyle in the past nor would they in the future. Dark lords had come and gone, and they were still here. He just suspected that the upstart had some contingency yet to be unleashed. It seemed the style of the times after all.

He did have to wonder what the Li’s were doing at this moment. It had been the one thing he had always wished to so. The Li’s had in the course of their lives become very hard to faze and he hadn’t seen one over the age of ten to have any moments of shock. He had seen one of them at a muggle amusement park show a slight smirk. In his younger years, he had seen a full smile, but that had been a teenage girl riding a dragon-back.

‘What I wish I could see is one of them completely flustered,’ Nicolas thought as he caressed the girl currently swallowing him. ‘It is not that they are emotionless although I have seen them ruled by cold logic at times. They are quite passionate and maybe we could see about having one stay here for a time again. Now that girl was passionate enough to out sex a Veela…’

Perenelle was reclining a bit a ways. She was drawing her own conclusions on these things. She had recalled what had happened the last time they had in anyway been at a cross-purpose to that family. It had taken a good deal of effort over the centuries to never get in that shape again. If it had not been for a number of concessions she had never told Nicolas about they both would have been killed centuries ago or worse.

It had been during one of their times apart to explore different things. She knew that she had lucked out in not being their slave. She never told Nicolas about that either or of her suspicions that the family had been the decedents of minions who had likely been enhanced by the legendary and mythical ancients. There had been a time when the wizards and their precursors had been knowledgeable to alter people and animals in new unimaginable ways.

The masters of rituals as the shamans, druids and the specialists of the necromancers had been for a time capable of things that modern wizards would consider god like. There had been a time when magic was wild and that age had spawned so many things still wondrous to this age. What had been spawned by magic itself and what those using it created were difficult to separate at times and thus few were left to debate such things.

Perenelle did make sure that Nicolas never created another stone. It had been part of the price and there were some matters to consider. She had heard about what they had done if they were confronted with certain sorts. Some who sought other methods to cheat death were hunted down. That was in part why that House was famed as hunters.

She reclined as she watched Nicolas move to enjoying his post work play. It was not that she didn’t do similar. Her life since she had met Nicolas had been worth it. Even the time indentured to the Li’s had been far better than the misery of her early years. She had learned a few things in that time that she hadn’t shared and it had taken her time to remember.

She really didn’t think that it would be best to inform Nicolas that the Li’s had been looking for a born necromancer especially the mythical Silver. The fact that she suspected the families progenitor had been in the service of such was something that was now causing her to think in different ways now.

‘I take it that their creator might have instilled safe guards,’ Perenelle thought as she moved to allow a few of the males to ravish her. ‘Perhaps even a blood oath to bind them. More things that I don’t think Nicolas should know yet… Some pleasure to drive such painful thoughts away is much appreciated…’



*******

After the loss of a rather prominent clan of goblins, even if the nation as a whole didn’t care about them there was much to be done. The death of Griphook and his clan had been most beneficial to the nation as a whole. It had brought to them a new necromancer and they had seen the ancient weapons of that art created before them. The warrior blood within them had sung at the combat in the coliseum, but it was their more mercenary ways that were singing in joy recently.

The Potter Estate had become a very lucrative and expansive holding. The inclusion of the Black estate had been beneficial. The funds available as well as assets did create a good deal of prestige for those administrating it or entering into alliances and other arrangements.

Grimtooth had been sitting down to his new larger office and even Swiftknife had been promoted as well. The quick reactions had led to much glory for them. It was the current letters that were a concern. It seemed that certain parties were interested in meeting at the bank for several reasons. One of the most important was that it was under the neutrality of the Goblin Nation. Second was that it was in part a business deal and being here would allow for things to be immediately carried out.

Grimtooth had received communications about the young Necromancer gaining a servant from the House of Li. That had been impressive in its own right. That the house proper wished to arrange a sit down with the Lord Potter to discuss some house matters was something that was not too much of a shock. It was the current correspondence that was disconcerting.

The Flamel’s were wishing to meet the boy. The Li’s were to act as intermediaries and that was the least of the troubles. The fact that someone had dared to try to break into their security was offensive. That it had been successful even if nothing had been stolen was immaterial. It was the principle of the matter that someone had tried to do so. Reputations were important; however, it was something that the Flamel’s wished to address.

‘Of course Dumbledore would do something like this,’ Grimtooth thought in irritation. ‘It seems that not only has that meddlesome fool managed to create a level of headaches in our own house, but he seeks to spread his future misery early. Oh, when the time is right his actions will cause his little house of cards to fall. His misuse of one of our clients possessions illegally removed from the client’s vault is something that will be dealt with. No, not just the Potter and Black holdings were enough for him he had to poke his nose in the Flamel’s business! We like them since they like money and appreciate it as well as enjoying their existence. Not much of a shock since they clawed their way to their positions in life like any respectable goblin would have done…’

Thinking of Swiftknife, he seemed to appear before Grimtooth with a missive with the Flamel’s seal and one with the House of Li.

“Message for you,” Swiftknife said with a smirk. “It seems that things are moving sooner than expected…”

“If by that you mean our young necromancer seems to be gaining more allies, then yes it is,” Grimtooth agreed with a bit of amusement. “I do wonder what they both are doing directing letters here and to me.”

“Ah it seems that they were sent here with a particular attention to recipient,” Swiftknife said with a bob of his head. “It seems that both are seeking to address the goblin manager for a particular alias of the young necromancer. As a betting goblin, I would think that he has managed to extract the Stone from whatever safeguards that human came up with.”

“That is a distinct possibility and would likely be why we are being used as a neutral intermediary between the two as that warrior is likely to have sent something well protected to seek confirmation about if he had stumbled across the stone that it was not a fake,” Grimtooth said with a goblin smile. “It did seem foolish to move it here when they had it under their own layered wards and the other assorted protections. Still we are considered to be the safest place to guard things.”

“The humans especially the British think that Hogwarts is even more secured than here,” Swiftknife said with a tone and shake of his head of disbelief. “I personally find that hard to believe. While we respect each of the founders, I doubt anything that Albus Dumbledore has interfered with to be untarnished. Look at how ignorant they are of their own past and calling our revolutions to restore our rights as rebellions are just another case of his meddling!”

“Yes, we are all aware of that; however, I would prefer to know what these three parties are getting up to!” Grimtooth said as he growled and Swiftknife handed him the letters. “Now let me read this in peace. When I am done I suspect we will have much to discuss…”

Swiftknife waited while Grimtooth read the letters. His silence was telling as even his schooled face did reveal some things about what he read in the letter. Swiftknife was well aware that three prominent accounts were corresponding with them as intermediaries. The Flamel’s, the Li’s, and the Potter’s were very prominent clients.

The Flamel’s had become prominent over the years. At about six hundred years ago, Nicolas had managed to carve out enough money to never be as poor as he had been. It was a drive that they understood, and thus in part why there was little enmity between the two. He took his knowledge and delved into several arts that were often restricted to family grimories and secretive associations. Alchemy had existed in several forms since before even the Greeks. His creation of a Philosopher’s Stone had let the nation to be very interested in things. The most known aspects were a danger to their solvency as well as that of the wizards.

The House of Li was older than the bank and they had created enough contracts over the years that for the east as they moved so did nations. Several of the clans had business dealings with them from before the rise of the chief of chiefs. The Goblin Nation knew that the House of Li had records and lore that were rare and some even legendary. So it was not just in business that they held sway. The house also had a legion of warriors of which a number were hunters who kept the peace with extreme culling of magical creatures.

The Potters and the Blacks had carved themselves niches in each of their own specialties. Unfortunately, the Blacks had not generated a necromancer until recently. Without one, the family had lost some of their standing with the goblins. The rest had seemed through stupidity and belief that purebloods had to act in a certain way. That it was mostly those who barely met these requirements that were so outspoken was little surprise to the goblins.

The Potters had some ups and downs, but even with the outright theft by the so-called greatest light wizard of the age there had been too much for him to destroy. Harry’s actions had reversed any of that and were rapidly raising the reputation and that was before any other changes had happened. His business ventures were more than most of the affluent purebloods made since they were often too foolish than to live on the resources they had without expanding things. His potions and ingredients had been very profitable, but the new ventures that had been created by his servants were very impressive.

“It would appear that this will be resulting in a very interesting meeting,” Grimtooth said with a vicious smirk. “It seems that the Flamel’s have been informed that their disappointment of a student has lost their prized possession. Lord Potter-Black has found it, but he hasn’t told them who he is preferring to meet here. The Li’s have been informed about both their daughter entering into service as well as something very important for us.”

“What would that be?” Swiftknife asked in interest. “The House of Li has not given sole and absolute loyalty since their creator died…”

“Yes and it would seem that they have a prophecy of their own that they have kept secret all these years and it pertains to our young necromancer,” Grimtooth said with a shudder as he thought over the meaning of this. “It seems that young Lord Potter-Black may have another name added to the list. He is a Parseltongue and while that is not enough to claim it, there is still the fact that the debacle as an infant very vaguely could be considered a magical duel. Besides that there was a stipulation on who could gain access to the complete vaults. One had to be a Parseltongue, as well as familiar with the Necromantic Arts. As the House of Black was likewise founded by a necromancer and as any of Black blood could claim Heir status if not Head if they were a necromancer or more specifically born with the gift there was another house with such an addendum.”

“Is it that house?” Swiftknife asked as he pondered what could happen. “Monetarily they are not that well off anymore since the foolish members seemed to have no desire to bring in funds and had wasted their legacy… do you think he could turn that houses fortune around as well?”

“No, those miserable wretches were never able to claim Lord Status,” Grimtooth said with a savage grin. “While they were direct descendants, they were a bastard line that let their pride stand in the way of things. They killed the last official lord in an attempt to claim the house. Cursed they were on his death to a slow death of madness and that their magic would wither and die for their betrayal. If a child so cursed did spite their heritage, they would regain some of the family’s magic…”

“That would explain the activity within the Gaunt Estate recently,” Swiftknife said as he pondered on what it meant. “It is still active even though there is no heir named, will filed, nor even a death notification. So not quite dead and yet at some point in the past fifty years while meeting that requirement, this descendent did do something that preserved them from death as well as forever bar them from a chance to claim that lordship.”

“Yes, the Gaunt family seems to have been quite cursed with madness, death and misery,” Grimtooth said with a vicious look. “They lost their money, their looks, their respectability, and lastly their magic started to fade leaving the last official descendent as barely more than a squib. That someone tried to claim those vaults was not unexpected as people try to do that often enough over the centuries, but it was that they were barely able to claim to be an heir even if they claimed to be the Heir Apparent. I think the so-called purebloods would be quite disgusted to know that they bowed to the son of a near squib and a potion induced muggle of some standing. I do believe that he did manage to commit fratricide and thus as paranoid heads made it so that their heirs did not kill them to claim their position had likewise lost all opportunity at legitimate in the Wizengamot’s eyes at respectable authority…”

“So the young Lord Potter-Black may gain control of the Slytherin Estate due to these things and his distant relative attempted to kill him,” Swiftknife said as he realized something. “The young Gaunt likely had the spell rebound, not out of prophecy like we suppose the White Bumblebee thinks, but that it rebounded do to protections in the family magics. I suppose that we should offer the young lord an opportunity to search out all his familial connections for a suitable fee…”

“Yes, he is a businessman first and foremost as he has put aside his desires for vengeance to ensure things,” Grimtooth said as he recalled what they had compiled in their clients profile. “Unfortunately, he is driven to a goal, an ambition as it were. He has used that admirably, but even the well-developed patience he has is not unlimited. At some point in time, he will act when it is most to his benefit. It will be interesting to see how that goes.”

“Yes, we will profit from it as well,” Swiftknife said as he saw that Grimtooth was writing the replies as he multitasked. “Unfortunately, we will barely have time enough before then to make the best of the situation for ourselves and our clans. I suspect that things will become quite violent before all is said and done. The Wizarding populous of at least this country if not most of Europe will be distracted enough that we might reclaim more than we have in a long time.”

“I have to admit that with this development as well, we are looking at something different,” Grimtooth said as he sealed the first letter. “He will have to be tested, but I see these three factions working together as well as more interesting things from this. I wonder if this last dark lord worded his oaths from his followers a bit too sloppily…”

“Oh, that would be a rout,” Swiftknife said as a goblin giggle slipped from his teeth. “Imagine finding out that you were sworn to obey your enemy or lose your magic and as that is their only thing precious to them would react badly. I still suppose that as he is a necromancer he will find something useful for his other enemies. I must think that if these things bear out that you might soon find yourself even higher in your clan and the nation.”

“Yes, it will be that, but we have to wait until he arrives here to be sure,” Grimtooth said with a thought suddenly hitting him. “There may be more to it than that do to other factors, but we will see when he shows up for this business. It is a shame that he has to be here personally to do this, but the waiting will allow us to savor the changes more…”

Swiftknife just nodded in agreement before he took the two very important responses and left with a salute. Things had already started to change and it looked as if more would in the future. Three very important clients were soon to be allied in some sort of way. Prestige, money, and personnel were moving to be at purpose with each other. Both of the goblins were looking forward to their own personal gain, but there was more going on than even they or their clan leaders knew.

Neither of them suspected that the House of Li had left out very important details in the letter. They did not hint that the young necromancer could be the heir of their one true first master. The whole of that house would soon be at the command of someone that had a rather large grudge and ambition to settle. If the Nicolas chose to spite the boy, he would be in some serious trouble with not just Harry and his Houses of Potter and Black, but Nicolas would be at the mercies of the House of Li. Perenelle would likely keep him from such a moment of idiocy, but even she would not be able to hide the complications that he had brought upon them this time.

Harry was hoping for a meeting with the Li’s before that, but timing was not a certainty for him at this point. Su’s messages had likely gotten things smoothed over, and his own missives likely would be returned with an appropriate response. He had only the vaguest ideas of what things were already coming to a head. Dora had asked to schedule a meeting with her lover to negotiate what would be allowed. It was not quite certain of what had caused the change from the way things had been, but he would likely consider it a nice diversion from the more serious business that he was involved in at the current time.

Kiki had been exploring more and he was certain that Lady Silver was helping his rather vicious and cruel servant to better hewn her own talents. He suspected the overly cleaned areas were places were Kiki had brought her own sacrifices from the forest. He was aware that their companions were growing restless and hungrier than in the past. Things were changing and the reply from Gringott's was something that he was in part waiting on receiving.

They had a lot to get in order before Alice and Anne arrived at Hogwarts in September. Some of which required that he get things here into order. The companions and Hermione as well as his own hunts in the forest were likely not to overly tax the population. He was aware the Hermione had acknowledged that her path was set and that she did not and would not back out now. Still Alice was somewhat reluctant to allow her cousin any footing in their competition. Even if Harry had determined that Hermione was the more stable and thus better choice for his second that did not mean that the competition between the two was over for attention.

Everyone was plotting even if they would not call it that. The goblins plotted how to gain glory and wealth from these coming changes. The Flamel’s were plotting on how to best negotiate the return of their stone. The Li’s were plotting on how this would improve their house’s standing. The House of Li was not alone in having debates among themselves on how best to do so even Harry’s followers were plotting things even if they shared the same dedication to furthering their master’s goal and ambition.

Hermione was plotting how to make herself better as well as how to get Harry better advanced to his goal. Dora was plotting to get Penny laid among other things. Alice was potting how to outcompete her cousin. Anne was even plotting on how to make sure that things remained the way they were with the bonus of more Harry time. Sarah was plotting how to make sure the family was safe from outside observation or interference.

Even Hermione’s parents were plotting something. Vincent wanted to know more about this boy around his daughter. June wished to know the same thing. Both worried that their daughter would object to their night job. God help anyone that they found going after their daughter or even their niece as these two would do their best to ensure a very memorable death for someone that had. Still it was unlikely that either of her parents would notice anything, as all of them were quite busy with things.

As for Harry, he was working his way forward and adapting as the situation called for it. He sought time enough to work on his studies as well as fulfill his various duties. He had begun to systematically search out and learn any relevant information from all of the libraries he had access to. He spent hours after Hermione and Dora were passed out conversing with Lady Silver to learn the lore that had been lost from written word over the past millennium. He sent orders out to vastly increase the production of potions and ingredients out of Surrey. He knew that there was more he needed to know to accomplish his goal. Unlike most muggles, there was not much towards mass production of the particulars he needed to know. Knowledge was not given for nothing unless it had no value. Among the magical, knowledge was jealously guarded and it would take vast amounts of gold to loose many a tongue.

He had the combined libraries of the House of Potter and of Black to go through. He had to visit the ancestral House of Black as well as their other home to access those tomes, and the same went for his own father’s library. He suspected that he would have to look among the vaults at Gringott's to see where his mother had hid her won lore. He had been most eager to have Su send for what information she was permitted to request. His own bargaining with the Flame’s would be over what of their knowledge he could learn. There was more to it than that though.

With each thing he learned elsewhere, he could further delve into the knowledge enchanted into the book. It was he was realizing a library condensed into one tome of lore. It was however not without its flaws in what had been added to it. Sometimes there were things that were completely outside of conventional thought that had yet to be tried. The book also seemed quite protected from allowing him to learn things that would be his own undoing. He would need a firm grasp of a wide range and depth of knowledge, skill, and understanding to accomplish his ambition.

Still he had to settle the somewhat pleasant but distracting occurrences in his life. He would settle things with Susan and Hannah before he departed for the train home. He would at least have an understanding with Dora’s lover by then as well. He was unsure if he should reveal his identity at this time, but it was possible to trust enough with an oath in place. Giving the girl the summer to make her decisions was a possibility. The Weasley twins had already offered houseroom for the summer for them. How big of an entourage that would go with him he was uncertain of yet. So many things to prepare and yet so many things that were fluctuating in what they could result in having happen.



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