Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Harry Potter and the Dark Lady
Chapter 4
Sequel to Harry Potter and the Witches' Secret. Harry thought it was all over. His desire to settle in with his wives will not get fulfilled. Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rotaryfile
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Harry Potter and the Dark Lady
Chapter 4
The Royal Academy
Sports grounds
Saturday
14 Sept 1995
16:30
Whistles blew and five Quidditch matches (one at Hogwarts), four soccer games, a dressage competition, an equestrian jumping event, a swim meet, an archery contest, a fencing meet, two wizard duels (restricted), and a cross-country track meet—all junior varsity level—got underway.
The grounds of both schools appeared to be the center of the wizarding world. Sunday would be the same way or worse as the older teams of athletes competed and one day cricket was added.
The crowd was bigger than the crowd of mostly parents that showed up for juniors on Wednesday and included professional athletes, scouts, press, and just plain spectators. The one-Sickle admission fee for any non-students went for uniforms and equipment.
Booths run by elves did a booming business selling all kinds and manner of food and drink to any without student ID; food and drinks up to butterbeer was free for students. Those profits went to the sports programs too.
Cheering, commentators’ spiels, and judges’ voices and whistles filled the air.
Imelda Talley closed in on her prey; he was, after all, still a teenager and therefore still property of Teen Witch Weekly. Just as Harry leaned in and kissed a new dusky-skinned girl, Imelda snapped her picture. Almost before the shutter fully closed again she found herself in the vise-like grip of two of the vampire mates, Vanessa and Kristina, with Kimiko’s staff Anie lodged under her chin.
“Imelda, I’ve told you not to do that. You ask and then take the picture. I don’t have much patience left.”
“Kimiko, you know that doesn’t work—he’s never ‘him’ if he knows we’re here. Let a girl earn a living, luv.”
“Imelda, he always knows you’re there. He lets you see what he wants you to see. If you keep making us nervous, though, Nym will kill you.”
“She’d never! I think she likes me.”
Imelda winked saucily and then cringed at the voice behind her. “Not that much, Imelda. What have I told you?”
Imelda recited like a petulant preteen, “Ask Rita first, let the mates know I’m here, clear all stories and pictures with Rita.”
“Imelda, it’s for your own safety. One of these days you’re going to run into a mate in a bad humor and she’ll give you to the vampire mates or change and drain you herself.”
Imelda smiled at Nym. “They wouldn’t, Nym, they like me too. So who’s the new girl, Nym? She’s gorgeous.”
Nym grinned slyly. “Let me introduce you to Frieda, Imelda.”
Nym led Imelda to the copse of trees into which Frieda had faded when she read the plan in Nym’s mind.
Harry grinned as a scream from the copse of trees followed the puff of fire that rolled up over it. Marcia frowned as she responded to Nym’s call.
“Nym, you have to stop doing these things to Imelda. This is the second week in a row—first Harry’s Nundu and now Frieda. She wet herself again. Both of you stop laughing; you’re going to scare her into a heart attack. Nym, Frieda, it’s not funny.”
“If she’d follow the rules I wouldn’t do it to her, Marcia. Besides, what silly cow would follow us into the same copse of trees again?”
“Nym, that’s not funny. I thought that was a real Dragon.”
“Errrh—don’t look behind you.”
Harry chuckled at the shriek and fireball.
“NYM, FRIEDA—REALLY!”
Harry went back to watching the Wargs’ junior varsity demolish Slytherin as his Alpha and mates played with Imelda in the background.
Harry trained the Seeker, Charlotte Chaudri, himself, and Katie and Ginny worked with the rest of the team. It also helped that the Holyhead Harpies had a vested interest (where else would their children by Harry go but the Ducal House?) and spent their mornings at Warg practices before using the pitch for practice themselves. The Harpies drifted between Juniors, JV, and Varsity teams, giving hints and tips. They drew the line at the Uni teams; after all, they would have to play against them.
It wasn’t all one-sided. Cho helped her ’Claws using her knowledge from the bond, as did Susan with the Badgers and Pansy with the Slytherin. Victoria spread the wealth to the Lions.
The technical level of play at all levels was very high and the British Quidditch press and fans were in a state of near orgasmic bliss. They were sure the World Cup would be theirs.
“Harry, you have to tell Charlotte to be more careful. That last dive looked unrecoverable.”
“It’s supposed to, ma’am. It’s called a Wronski feint.”
“You taught that child that on purpose? How could you?”
“Oh Liz, ease up; the field’s cushioned.”
“Phillip! I told you not to call me Liz!”
Andrew grimaced. “Errrh, Mother, not to take Dad’s side, but we do have a one-way silencing charm up.”
“Thank Morgana!”
The Ducal box, full of mates, babies and parents, and grandparents, froze a moment and then burst into laughter.
“What?”
Minerva grinned. “Elizabeth, you may be spending too much time with us. You’re the head of the Anglican Church and here you are praising a witch.”
“Got to let the hair down somewhere, eh, Liz?”
“Phillip!”
“HAHAHAHA! Ouch! Damnation, woman, watch where you shoot that Stinging Hex.” Phillip was rubbing his hip.
Harry looked at the Queen, gobsmacked. “That was wandless—and silent.”
Elizabeth smiled regally. “I find tuition under our vassal Alice to be most helpful, Harry.”
Alice was beaming. “Do it again, ma’am.”
“Ouch—damnation! Ouch! Elizabeth, stop—that hurts.”
“Don’t curse in front of the grandchildren, Phillip.”
Phillip rolled his eyes and, muttering, moved to the other side of Harry, putting Harry in the line of fire.
Harry cringed. “Hey, don’t sit there. She might hit me!”
“That’s the point, son: she won’t shoot you with that thing.”
Harry beamed at Phillip calling him son after the Queen’s grandchildren comment and distinctly heard, “Oh, Phillip, that was very nice.”
“What?”
“You do think of Harry as a son, don’t you?”
“Of course, don’t you?”
Elizabeth suddenly gained a tiny little blush and the Mates absolutely glowed with pleasure.
Nym swooped back into the box with Frieda, Marcia, and a dazed Imelda and plopped into Harry’s bemused lap and kissed Phillip on the cheek. He did his alternating colors thing again, much to the amusement of all.
The roaring crowd drew everyone’s attention to the pitch just in time to see Terrance Higgs, the seventh form (twelfth grade) Slytherin Seeker bounce off the cushioned pitch after being unable to pull out of the dive into which he had chased Charlotte. A beaming Charlotte came away with the Snitch and the Wargs were up 210 to 60, first game of the season. The Slytherin mates and students cheered as loudly as everyone else. Harry smiled a contented, broken smile above brimming, glowing green eyes, and Imelda’s camera captured what would be the Witches Weekly best smile for a record-annihilating 258 weeks. At that point the magazine just added it to every issue as a matter of course.
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Potter Castle
Justice Hall
Saturday
14 Sept 1995
22:06
“Morgana, Harry, stop grumbling. I can hardly hear them.”
“Fuck ’em.”
Nym blinked and the Queen intervened. “Should we continue later, Your Grace?”
The Mates, vassals, Royals, and courtiers had returned after a full evening of sports and, after putting the children down, moved to the justice hall and begun the interrogations. It had only been five minutes since the first interrogations had started.
A petulant Harry replied to the Queen, “No.”
Nym rolled her eyes. “Harry, can we have a little more than three syllables?”
“I…I…bollocks. I’m just tired of this, Nym. I thought when I fried Riddle we’d be done with most of this, but oh no. Fuck, we have more of these unmarked idiot animals than ever, and there’s no way they have any excuse. No one forced them to be raping, murdering, child abusing, thieving scum. Merlin’s flaming penis!”
Nym hugged Harry; she had no idea what to say. Harry wanted to be sixteen and she wanted him to also. He wanted the world to be just and fair and to just live. The bond was roiling with a building rage.
Elizabeth turned her head from Harry and Nym; only Emma and Fortune saw the single tear roll down her cheek. She knew there was nothing she could do as her boy’s paltry childhood was finally killed. Phillip gave her hand that he was holding in her lap a gentle squeeze and offered what comfort he could in their bond.
Harry sat for a moment and then gathered himself, and behind his steel will the mates settled and finished their five hundred interrogations for the day.
As soon as they finished and the prisoners were back in cells, the entire Regiment faded away.
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Potter Castle
Roof Garden
Sunday
15 Sept 1995
00:16
Harry lay in the water of the pond, nude and troubled. The mates sat or lay watching and waiting. Nym slowly moved to Harry and folded him in her arms, and for the next three hours she and various mates eased the path into complete adulthood for their troubled mate.
In the end, Hermione perhaps said the thing that swung the moment their way.
“It wasn’t supposed to be this way, was it, Harry? You were supposed to have a family that loved you. I was supposed to have admiring and supportive female friends in primary school. Nym was supposed to find that males loved her for her, not for who she could represent. People were supposed to generally strive to be the best they could be and help each other.”
Harry nodded.
“You know what, though, Harry?”
A head shake.
“I would kill anyone who changed it. It made us the bonded, and I wouldn’t want to live outside the bond.”
Harry nodded and felt the complete agreement from the bonded.
They lay on their clothes and slept, all touching one another.
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Potter Castle
Roof Garden
Sunday
15 Sept 1995
05:00
Harry opened his eyes and looked down his body into Frieda’s smiling black orbs.
“Gnd mrnng, lvfr.”
He smiled and levitated Frieda’s body to him. “Gnd mrnng t nu t mmmmm.”
The mates laughed as they watched.
Nym threw a Transfigured sheet over them as the nanny elves began popping in with babies to be fed. And the mates were soon hypnotized with the feelings of Harry and Frieda making love and the mums feeding their babies. The sight of Nym and the other mothers looking like madonnas feeding their twins completed the picture. They shuddered as Frieda and Harry achieved a spectacular release.
No matter what happened today it would be okay as long as those feelings and images could be repeated in their minds.
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Potter Castle
Justice Hall
Sunday
15 Sept 1995
07:30
The mates got started on the remaining prisoners as the crowds began to arrive for today’s matches. It had been decided that the rendering of justice would occur on the central Quidditch pitch after the last match. Harry didn’t want to ruin a good day.
It did turn out to be a great day, too. At 09:00 the varsity teams and competitors went at it hammer and tongs. Then the Uni teams and competitors took over the venues as the varsity-level competitions finished.
The crowds were huge and exuberant. The Hollow was full to bursting. A thief could have emptied Diagon Alley and perhaps Gringotts if they could have gotten past the wardstones; both were empty of customers as well as the beings who made their livings there, as were the other magical districts of the Realm.
Finally at 20:30 the last game finished; the center field cleared and the mates finished the last interrogation. Nym stood in the Ducal box casting a wandless Sonorus charm. She announced, “The Court of the Duke of Magic of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Defender of Magic and Magical Champion of the Crown and Realm, is now in session.”
A circle of Veela and Goblin troops appeared from under their species-specific Disillusionment charms in full kit.
The crowd gasped, and those that had stood to go sat immediately.
Harry waved and 246 males appeared, frozen, accompanied by the weapons with which they had been captured. Harry cast the Sonorus and a shield around the pitch; then he faded onto the opposite end and drew both wand and staff. “Having been questioned under Veritaserum and admitted acts of pedophilia, rape, or murder, and bearing the marks of various Dark lords or ladies, you have been judged to be supporters of the Dark. Defend yourselves.”
Harry released the freeze on them.
The prisoners immediately attacked him.
Harry fired simultaneous, massive flame whips from his staff and wand and lashed them into the crowd of Death Eaters and Black Dragons (Xi Shi’s marked servants, as they had found out in the interrogation; Frieda had rolled on the floor laughing). The whips literally cut through the crowd at waist level as Harry was peppered with curses which he simply absorbed and used to further power the whips.
Many in the crowd retched as semi-cauterized halves of the prisoners tumbled to the pitch, spewing smoking entrails and gore with flames licking at the pieces. Fortunately the flame whips met in the middle of the crowd and the resulting explosion of flame incinerated everything inside the shield at that end of the pitch.
Harry was surprised but he never showed it. He immediately cast, “Praedia Bellica!” Almost fifty women in the crowd glowed momentarily. A mate descended on each of them and faded them away. Geoffrey dispatched elves to recover the chattel who were not present.
Harry rested a moment as the crowd settled and the elves quickly Vanished the results both of the combat and of the weaker stomachs in the crowd.
Harry raised his head and motioned again, and an even larger crowd appeared in the burned bare end of the pitch.
The 740 prisoners tried desperately to escape, and some screams were heard from the crowd. Many who were missing sons, brothers, husbands, and fathers were right there. They had mostly been missing since the end of the war. Their relatives and loved ones had thought them dead.
“You have been questioned under Veritaserum and found to be supporters of the Dark.”
A great cry arose from the crowd. They feared what was coming.
“Your actions, however, have not directly resulted in capital offenses. It is my judgment that you be bound to my House and work at what you are best suited to until a ransom of one million Galleons per victim harmed in each raid or attack in which you participated is paid or paid off by your labor.”
Harry released the binding on them.
A great cry of both joy and horror rose from the crowd. Eric Chambers asked, “And our other choice, Your Grace?”
Harry smiled; he liked Eric more and more. “Single combat against me. If you can win, you’re free to go.”
Eric’s mother was having none of that and yelled, “We’ll pay for Eric Chambers, Your Grace.”
The crowd chuckled and then gasped as Charles Lombard stepped forward. “I will fight.”
A howling wail arose from the crowd and a beautiful young woman flung herself against the shield.
Harry remembered Margaret and Gabrielle’s interrogation of this young man. The choice Voldemort had offered him had been to join or watch his wife be raped and murdered, and then die. “Why would you fight when you have so much to live for, Mr Lombard?”
“I would live with Angelic or free her to find someone who can be with her—someone she deserves, not some weakling.”
To the crowd’s horror, their benevolent (well, unless you were an evil git) Duke nodded and a wand appeared in Charles’ hand. Harry said, “Defend yourself.”
Charles began hurling curses.
“Harry, what are you doing?”
“He loves her, Nym. I’ll let him have some dignity.”
“Those are pretty strong, Harry. What are you going to do if he AK’s you?”
“Oops, hadn’t thought of that. Hey, maybe I could get him to—we could finish the test.”
“Not tonight, Harry. You’ve terrified these people enough; besides, he is at least nominally dark look at the curses.”
“Grrrrr.”
“Harry! Stop fighting Nym and go back to your playing. She’s right.”
“It’s no fair when you gang up on me, Sarah.”
“Harry!”
“Yes, Nym.”
Harry turned most of his attention back to the duel and the mates chuckled at his grumbling about how it was unfair for the Alphas to gang up on him; after all, he was the Alpha male.
Charles was winding down; his spells were weaker and weaker as he reached magical exhaustion. Angelic was begging Harry not to hurt him, Harry looked at her and smiled and then winked. He fired a bright red beam out of his wand that hit Charles dead in the chest and blew him backward about five meters. Angelic drew her breath to scream and Harry transported her to her husband. She collapsed on him, weeping; and then, finding him unhurt but unconscious, she began slapping him hysterically with both hands. Marcia appeared beside her and took her in a hug.
“Before I wake Charles up—anybody else?”
You could almost feel the breeze from 739 heads shaking rapidly.
Harry woke Charles with the broad, bright butter-yellow stream of an Ennervate.
“Okay, all of you will now be bound to the House. After your ransom is paid we’ll discuss the terms of your release. Ready?”
741 heads nodded.
Harry reddened slightly. “Errrh—not you, Angelic. As a matter of fact—Marcia, if you would, please?”
Marcia whispered to the stubbornly resisting Angelic who suddenly blushed bright red and released Charles. Marcia faded them to Nym, who wrapped an arm around Angelic and began whispering to her.
“All right. Here we go then.” Harry spread his hands and a white light enveloped the 740 men standing within the shield. As it passed over each of them Harry removed the Dark Marks from them, replacing them with the Potter Crest. The men felt the change and sighed in relief; the Duke’s Mark was warm and oddly comforting. This could work out after all.
Harry smiled at them. “Well, that was fun. Please see Duchess Chu after you talk to your families, gentlemen. She will administer the placement test in the auditorium tomorrow. After your placement test, Duchess Narcissa and Geoffrey will find you appropriate work.”
Geoffrey led the slightly stunned men from the shielded areas into the stands, where their families joined them. Harry watched the happy reunions for a moment while he gathered his strength.
The families beamed at him and the people in the stands cheered.
Harry smiled shyly and waved. He then turned back to the pitch and waved again. Two hundred forty-three males landed on the scorched earth. The crowd stilled; there were familiar faces amongst them. Some women and children stiffened.
Harry looked at them sadly. “After your questioning under Veritaserum and your admission of capital crimes, you have been judged. Defend yourselves.”
The men’s wands or weapons appeared in their hands and Harry took their first volley of curses and then cast the fire whips. There was less retching from the crowd this time, but it was still sickening.
Harry cast the Praedia Bellica and the mates picked up the women and children who glowed.
Harry growing tired of this, immediately waved, and 331 males appeared. The crowd braced for another massacre.
“Having been found guilty of no capital offenses after questioning under Veritaserum, you will be bound as servants to the House until reparations for your petty crimes are paid.”
Harry didn’t wait. The white light flashed and the men were branded. Geoffrey led them away. The Mark forced them to follow. Their grateful families stood and bowed to Harry before going to meet them.
With one last wave, 220 women and girls appeared on the scorched earth.
“Having been judged guilty of a variety of crimes and in some case of being supporters of the Dark—”
The crowd held its breath.
“—you will be enslaved or bonded permanently to my House.”
“I will not bourrck—”
“Your choice is slavery or death. Your Death Eater husband has preceeded you into hell, Miranda Carlisle. And while you may choose death, I choose not to kill you.”
Harry held his hand out and the white glow washed over the women and girls, but this time it was different. While the Mark appeared, it was the Warg, not the Potter Crest.
The women followed Agnes away.
Harry faded to the Ducal box but left the Sonorus on. “Questions?”
The crowd shifted and murmured a moment, but no questions came.
“Well, it’s been a long day. These beings that you have seen judged and sentenced were questioned under Veritaserum and transcripts of their interrogation will be available should you wish to see them.
“These Prisoners had built up since I eliminated Riddle. It was an oversight on my part that led to so many of them having to be dealt with today. It will not happen again. From now on the Duke’s Court will be held every Sunday following the last sporting event.
“Anyone who is apprehended and admits their crimes under Veritaserum, or whose crimes can be proven beyond my doubt by the Aurors, will be offered the choice of accepting their sentence or trying single combat. Rape, murder, and pedophilia are capital crimes and will automatically incur the death penalty. Causing a death may incur the death penalty, based on intent. All other crimes will be judged on their level of harm, and reparations will be paid to the victims in addition to sentences. If you cannot pay the reparations you will be bound at least as a servant to my House until you pay off the reparations I had to make for your crimes.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s been a long day and evening.”
Harry Finited the Sonorus silently, rose with Nym, and led the bonded away. The crowd stood respectfully silent.
Chapter 4
The Royal Academy
Sports grounds
Saturday
14 Sept 1995
16:30
Whistles blew and five Quidditch matches (one at Hogwarts), four soccer games, a dressage competition, an equestrian jumping event, a swim meet, an archery contest, a fencing meet, two wizard duels (restricted), and a cross-country track meet—all junior varsity level—got underway.
The grounds of both schools appeared to be the center of the wizarding world. Sunday would be the same way or worse as the older teams of athletes competed and one day cricket was added.
The crowd was bigger than the crowd of mostly parents that showed up for juniors on Wednesday and included professional athletes, scouts, press, and just plain spectators. The one-Sickle admission fee for any non-students went for uniforms and equipment.
Booths run by elves did a booming business selling all kinds and manner of food and drink to any without student ID; food and drinks up to butterbeer was free for students. Those profits went to the sports programs too.
Cheering, commentators’ spiels, and judges’ voices and whistles filled the air.
Imelda Talley closed in on her prey; he was, after all, still a teenager and therefore still property of Teen Witch Weekly. Just as Harry leaned in and kissed a new dusky-skinned girl, Imelda snapped her picture. Almost before the shutter fully closed again she found herself in the vise-like grip of two of the vampire mates, Vanessa and Kristina, with Kimiko’s staff Anie lodged under her chin.
“Imelda, I’ve told you not to do that. You ask and then take the picture. I don’t have much patience left.”
“Kimiko, you know that doesn’t work—he’s never ‘him’ if he knows we’re here. Let a girl earn a living, luv.”
“Imelda, he always knows you’re there. He lets you see what he wants you to see. If you keep making us nervous, though, Nym will kill you.”
“She’d never! I think she likes me.”
Imelda winked saucily and then cringed at the voice behind her. “Not that much, Imelda. What have I told you?”
Imelda recited like a petulant preteen, “Ask Rita first, let the mates know I’m here, clear all stories and pictures with Rita.”
“Imelda, it’s for your own safety. One of these days you’re going to run into a mate in a bad humor and she’ll give you to the vampire mates or change and drain you herself.”
Imelda smiled at Nym. “They wouldn’t, Nym, they like me too. So who’s the new girl, Nym? She’s gorgeous.”
Nym grinned slyly. “Let me introduce you to Frieda, Imelda.”
Nym led Imelda to the copse of trees into which Frieda had faded when she read the plan in Nym’s mind.
Harry grinned as a scream from the copse of trees followed the puff of fire that rolled up over it. Marcia frowned as she responded to Nym’s call.
“Nym, you have to stop doing these things to Imelda. This is the second week in a row—first Harry’s Nundu and now Frieda. She wet herself again. Both of you stop laughing; you’re going to scare her into a heart attack. Nym, Frieda, it’s not funny.”
“If she’d follow the rules I wouldn’t do it to her, Marcia. Besides, what silly cow would follow us into the same copse of trees again?”
“Nym, that’s not funny. I thought that was a real Dragon.”
“Errrh—don’t look behind you.”
Harry chuckled at the shriek and fireball.
“NYM, FRIEDA—REALLY!”
Harry went back to watching the Wargs’ junior varsity demolish Slytherin as his Alpha and mates played with Imelda in the background.
Harry trained the Seeker, Charlotte Chaudri, himself, and Katie and Ginny worked with the rest of the team. It also helped that the Holyhead Harpies had a vested interest (where else would their children by Harry go but the Ducal House?) and spent their mornings at Warg practices before using the pitch for practice themselves. The Harpies drifted between Juniors, JV, and Varsity teams, giving hints and tips. They drew the line at the Uni teams; after all, they would have to play against them.
It wasn’t all one-sided. Cho helped her ’Claws using her knowledge from the bond, as did Susan with the Badgers and Pansy with the Slytherin. Victoria spread the wealth to the Lions.
The technical level of play at all levels was very high and the British Quidditch press and fans were in a state of near orgasmic bliss. They were sure the World Cup would be theirs.
“Harry, you have to tell Charlotte to be more careful. That last dive looked unrecoverable.”
“It’s supposed to, ma’am. It’s called a Wronski feint.”
“You taught that child that on purpose? How could you?”
“Oh Liz, ease up; the field’s cushioned.”
“Phillip! I told you not to call me Liz!”
Andrew grimaced. “Errrh, Mother, not to take Dad’s side, but we do have a one-way silencing charm up.”
“Thank Morgana!”
The Ducal box, full of mates, babies and parents, and grandparents, froze a moment and then burst into laughter.
“What?”
Minerva grinned. “Elizabeth, you may be spending too much time with us. You’re the head of the Anglican Church and here you are praising a witch.”
“Got to let the hair down somewhere, eh, Liz?”
“Phillip!”
“HAHAHAHA! Ouch! Damnation, woman, watch where you shoot that Stinging Hex.” Phillip was rubbing his hip.
Harry looked at the Queen, gobsmacked. “That was wandless—and silent.”
Elizabeth smiled regally. “I find tuition under our vassal Alice to be most helpful, Harry.”
Alice was beaming. “Do it again, ma’am.”
“Ouch—damnation! Ouch! Elizabeth, stop—that hurts.”
“Don’t curse in front of the grandchildren, Phillip.”
Phillip rolled his eyes and, muttering, moved to the other side of Harry, putting Harry in the line of fire.
Harry cringed. “Hey, don’t sit there. She might hit me!”
“That’s the point, son: she won’t shoot you with that thing.”
Harry beamed at Phillip calling him son after the Queen’s grandchildren comment and distinctly heard, “Oh, Phillip, that was very nice.”
“What?”
“You do think of Harry as a son, don’t you?”
“Of course, don’t you?”
Elizabeth suddenly gained a tiny little blush and the Mates absolutely glowed with pleasure.
Nym swooped back into the box with Frieda, Marcia, and a dazed Imelda and plopped into Harry’s bemused lap and kissed Phillip on the cheek. He did his alternating colors thing again, much to the amusement of all.
The roaring crowd drew everyone’s attention to the pitch just in time to see Terrance Higgs, the seventh form (twelfth grade) Slytherin Seeker bounce off the cushioned pitch after being unable to pull out of the dive into which he had chased Charlotte. A beaming Charlotte came away with the Snitch and the Wargs were up 210 to 60, first game of the season. The Slytherin mates and students cheered as loudly as everyone else. Harry smiled a contented, broken smile above brimming, glowing green eyes, and Imelda’s camera captured what would be the Witches Weekly best smile for a record-annihilating 258 weeks. At that point the magazine just added it to every issue as a matter of course.
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Potter Castle
Justice Hall
Saturday
14 Sept 1995
22:06
“Morgana, Harry, stop grumbling. I can hardly hear them.”
“Fuck ’em.”
Nym blinked and the Queen intervened. “Should we continue later, Your Grace?”
The Mates, vassals, Royals, and courtiers had returned after a full evening of sports and, after putting the children down, moved to the justice hall and begun the interrogations. It had only been five minutes since the first interrogations had started.
A petulant Harry replied to the Queen, “No.”
Nym rolled her eyes. “Harry, can we have a little more than three syllables?”
“I…I…bollocks. I’m just tired of this, Nym. I thought when I fried Riddle we’d be done with most of this, but oh no. Fuck, we have more of these unmarked idiot animals than ever, and there’s no way they have any excuse. No one forced them to be raping, murdering, child abusing, thieving scum. Merlin’s flaming penis!”
Nym hugged Harry; she had no idea what to say. Harry wanted to be sixteen and she wanted him to also. He wanted the world to be just and fair and to just live. The bond was roiling with a building rage.
Elizabeth turned her head from Harry and Nym; only Emma and Fortune saw the single tear roll down her cheek. She knew there was nothing she could do as her boy’s paltry childhood was finally killed. Phillip gave her hand that he was holding in her lap a gentle squeeze and offered what comfort he could in their bond.
Harry sat for a moment and then gathered himself, and behind his steel will the mates settled and finished their five hundred interrogations for the day.
As soon as they finished and the prisoners were back in cells, the entire Regiment faded away.
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Potter Castle
Roof Garden
Sunday
15 Sept 1995
00:16
Harry lay in the water of the pond, nude and troubled. The mates sat or lay watching and waiting. Nym slowly moved to Harry and folded him in her arms, and for the next three hours she and various mates eased the path into complete adulthood for their troubled mate.
In the end, Hermione perhaps said the thing that swung the moment their way.
“It wasn’t supposed to be this way, was it, Harry? You were supposed to have a family that loved you. I was supposed to have admiring and supportive female friends in primary school. Nym was supposed to find that males loved her for her, not for who she could represent. People were supposed to generally strive to be the best they could be and help each other.”
Harry nodded.
“You know what, though, Harry?”
A head shake.
“I would kill anyone who changed it. It made us the bonded, and I wouldn’t want to live outside the bond.”
Harry nodded and felt the complete agreement from the bonded.
They lay on their clothes and slept, all touching one another.
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Potter Castle
Roof Garden
Sunday
15 Sept 1995
05:00
Harry opened his eyes and looked down his body into Frieda’s smiling black orbs.
“Gnd mrnng, lvfr.”
He smiled and levitated Frieda’s body to him. “Gnd mrnng t nu t mmmmm.”
The mates laughed as they watched.
Nym threw a Transfigured sheet over them as the nanny elves began popping in with babies to be fed. And the mates were soon hypnotized with the feelings of Harry and Frieda making love and the mums feeding their babies. The sight of Nym and the other mothers looking like madonnas feeding their twins completed the picture. They shuddered as Frieda and Harry achieved a spectacular release.
No matter what happened today it would be okay as long as those feelings and images could be repeated in their minds.
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Potter Castle
Justice Hall
Sunday
15 Sept 1995
07:30
The mates got started on the remaining prisoners as the crowds began to arrive for today’s matches. It had been decided that the rendering of justice would occur on the central Quidditch pitch after the last match. Harry didn’t want to ruin a good day.
It did turn out to be a great day, too. At 09:00 the varsity teams and competitors went at it hammer and tongs. Then the Uni teams and competitors took over the venues as the varsity-level competitions finished.
The crowds were huge and exuberant. The Hollow was full to bursting. A thief could have emptied Diagon Alley and perhaps Gringotts if they could have gotten past the wardstones; both were empty of customers as well as the beings who made their livings there, as were the other magical districts of the Realm.
Finally at 20:30 the last game finished; the center field cleared and the mates finished the last interrogation. Nym stood in the Ducal box casting a wandless Sonorus charm. She announced, “The Court of the Duke of Magic of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Defender of Magic and Magical Champion of the Crown and Realm, is now in session.”
A circle of Veela and Goblin troops appeared from under their species-specific Disillusionment charms in full kit.
The crowd gasped, and those that had stood to go sat immediately.
Harry waved and 246 males appeared, frozen, accompanied by the weapons with which they had been captured. Harry cast the Sonorus and a shield around the pitch; then he faded onto the opposite end and drew both wand and staff. “Having been questioned under Veritaserum and admitted acts of pedophilia, rape, or murder, and bearing the marks of various Dark lords or ladies, you have been judged to be supporters of the Dark. Defend yourselves.”
Harry released the freeze on them.
The prisoners immediately attacked him.
Harry fired simultaneous, massive flame whips from his staff and wand and lashed them into the crowd of Death Eaters and Black Dragons (Xi Shi’s marked servants, as they had found out in the interrogation; Frieda had rolled on the floor laughing). The whips literally cut through the crowd at waist level as Harry was peppered with curses which he simply absorbed and used to further power the whips.
Many in the crowd retched as semi-cauterized halves of the prisoners tumbled to the pitch, spewing smoking entrails and gore with flames licking at the pieces. Fortunately the flame whips met in the middle of the crowd and the resulting explosion of flame incinerated everything inside the shield at that end of the pitch.
Harry was surprised but he never showed it. He immediately cast, “Praedia Bellica!” Almost fifty women in the crowd glowed momentarily. A mate descended on each of them and faded them away. Geoffrey dispatched elves to recover the chattel who were not present.
Harry rested a moment as the crowd settled and the elves quickly Vanished the results both of the combat and of the weaker stomachs in the crowd.
Harry raised his head and motioned again, and an even larger crowd appeared in the burned bare end of the pitch.
The 740 prisoners tried desperately to escape, and some screams were heard from the crowd. Many who were missing sons, brothers, husbands, and fathers were right there. They had mostly been missing since the end of the war. Their relatives and loved ones had thought them dead.
“You have been questioned under Veritaserum and found to be supporters of the Dark.”
A great cry arose from the crowd. They feared what was coming.
“Your actions, however, have not directly resulted in capital offenses. It is my judgment that you be bound to my House and work at what you are best suited to until a ransom of one million Galleons per victim harmed in each raid or attack in which you participated is paid or paid off by your labor.”
Harry released the binding on them.
A great cry of both joy and horror rose from the crowd. Eric Chambers asked, “And our other choice, Your Grace?”
Harry smiled; he liked Eric more and more. “Single combat against me. If you can win, you’re free to go.”
Eric’s mother was having none of that and yelled, “We’ll pay for Eric Chambers, Your Grace.”
The crowd chuckled and then gasped as Charles Lombard stepped forward. “I will fight.”
A howling wail arose from the crowd and a beautiful young woman flung herself against the shield.
Harry remembered Margaret and Gabrielle’s interrogation of this young man. The choice Voldemort had offered him had been to join or watch his wife be raped and murdered, and then die. “Why would you fight when you have so much to live for, Mr Lombard?”
“I would live with Angelic or free her to find someone who can be with her—someone she deserves, not some weakling.”
To the crowd’s horror, their benevolent (well, unless you were an evil git) Duke nodded and a wand appeared in Charles’ hand. Harry said, “Defend yourself.”
Charles began hurling curses.
“Harry, what are you doing?”
“He loves her, Nym. I’ll let him have some dignity.”
“Those are pretty strong, Harry. What are you going to do if he AK’s you?”
“Oops, hadn’t thought of that. Hey, maybe I could get him to—we could finish the test.”
“Not tonight, Harry. You’ve terrified these people enough; besides, he is at least nominally dark look at the curses.”
“Grrrrr.”
“Harry! Stop fighting Nym and go back to your playing. She’s right.”
“It’s no fair when you gang up on me, Sarah.”
“Harry!”
“Yes, Nym.”
Harry turned most of his attention back to the duel and the mates chuckled at his grumbling about how it was unfair for the Alphas to gang up on him; after all, he was the Alpha male.
Charles was winding down; his spells were weaker and weaker as he reached magical exhaustion. Angelic was begging Harry not to hurt him, Harry looked at her and smiled and then winked. He fired a bright red beam out of his wand that hit Charles dead in the chest and blew him backward about five meters. Angelic drew her breath to scream and Harry transported her to her husband. She collapsed on him, weeping; and then, finding him unhurt but unconscious, she began slapping him hysterically with both hands. Marcia appeared beside her and took her in a hug.
“Before I wake Charles up—anybody else?”
You could almost feel the breeze from 739 heads shaking rapidly.
Harry woke Charles with the broad, bright butter-yellow stream of an Ennervate.
“Okay, all of you will now be bound to the House. After your ransom is paid we’ll discuss the terms of your release. Ready?”
741 heads nodded.
Harry reddened slightly. “Errrh—not you, Angelic. As a matter of fact—Marcia, if you would, please?”
Marcia whispered to the stubbornly resisting Angelic who suddenly blushed bright red and released Charles. Marcia faded them to Nym, who wrapped an arm around Angelic and began whispering to her.
“All right. Here we go then.” Harry spread his hands and a white light enveloped the 740 men standing within the shield. As it passed over each of them Harry removed the Dark Marks from them, replacing them with the Potter Crest. The men felt the change and sighed in relief; the Duke’s Mark was warm and oddly comforting. This could work out after all.
Harry smiled at them. “Well, that was fun. Please see Duchess Chu after you talk to your families, gentlemen. She will administer the placement test in the auditorium tomorrow. After your placement test, Duchess Narcissa and Geoffrey will find you appropriate work.”
Geoffrey led the slightly stunned men from the shielded areas into the stands, where their families joined them. Harry watched the happy reunions for a moment while he gathered his strength.
The families beamed at him and the people in the stands cheered.
Harry smiled shyly and waved. He then turned back to the pitch and waved again. Two hundred forty-three males landed on the scorched earth. The crowd stilled; there were familiar faces amongst them. Some women and children stiffened.
Harry looked at them sadly. “After your questioning under Veritaserum and your admission of capital crimes, you have been judged. Defend yourselves.”
The men’s wands or weapons appeared in their hands and Harry took their first volley of curses and then cast the fire whips. There was less retching from the crowd this time, but it was still sickening.
Harry cast the Praedia Bellica and the mates picked up the women and children who glowed.
Harry growing tired of this, immediately waved, and 331 males appeared. The crowd braced for another massacre.
“Having been found guilty of no capital offenses after questioning under Veritaserum, you will be bound as servants to the House until reparations for your petty crimes are paid.”
Harry didn’t wait. The white light flashed and the men were branded. Geoffrey led them away. The Mark forced them to follow. Their grateful families stood and bowed to Harry before going to meet them.
With one last wave, 220 women and girls appeared on the scorched earth.
“Having been judged guilty of a variety of crimes and in some case of being supporters of the Dark—”
The crowd held its breath.
“—you will be enslaved or bonded permanently to my House.”
“I will not bourrck—”
“Your choice is slavery or death. Your Death Eater husband has preceeded you into hell, Miranda Carlisle. And while you may choose death, I choose not to kill you.”
Harry held his hand out and the white glow washed over the women and girls, but this time it was different. While the Mark appeared, it was the Warg, not the Potter Crest.
The women followed Agnes away.
Harry faded to the Ducal box but left the Sonorus on. “Questions?”
The crowd shifted and murmured a moment, but no questions came.
“Well, it’s been a long day. These beings that you have seen judged and sentenced were questioned under Veritaserum and transcripts of their interrogation will be available should you wish to see them.
“These Prisoners had built up since I eliminated Riddle. It was an oversight on my part that led to so many of them having to be dealt with today. It will not happen again. From now on the Duke’s Court will be held every Sunday following the last sporting event.
“Anyone who is apprehended and admits their crimes under Veritaserum, or whose crimes can be proven beyond my doubt by the Aurors, will be offered the choice of accepting their sentence or trying single combat. Rape, murder, and pedophilia are capital crimes and will automatically incur the death penalty. Causing a death may incur the death penalty, based on intent. All other crimes will be judged on their level of harm, and reparations will be paid to the victims in addition to sentences. If you cannot pay the reparations you will be bound at least as a servant to my House until you pay off the reparations I had to make for your crimes.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s been a long day and evening.”
Harry Finited the Sonorus silently, rose with Nym, and led the bonded away. The crowd stood respectfully silent.
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