CHAPTER SEVEN: OF WILLS AND LIES
SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 1996. Potter Manor.
"Okay, I guess we know why Harry is here," Hermione said, "but what about me? Not that I mind as this afternoon was wonderful. But I don't think keeping Little Harry happy justifies this."
"Oh that's just a fringe benefit, for both of you from what I saw," Tonks said. "No, you are as much a part and victim of the Old Man as Harry is, but your part did not begin until sometime after the two of you first met. To explain how you got dragged in, I need to cover why Harry lived with the Dursleys all those years. Here Harry," Tonks said handing Harry a document, "we'll begin with this."
Harry looked at the document.
THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
of
JAMES CHARLES POTTER
HEIR TO THE HEAD OF THE ANCIENT
AND NOBLE HOUSE OF POTTER
20 September 1980
I, JAMES CHARLES POTTER, being of sound mind, hereby make this my Will, to provide from my wife and consort Lily Marie Potter for her life, to provide for the care and education of my Son, Harry James Potter and to pass on to my Son upon his attaining his majority.
Harry was told to skip down a bit as the first sections dealt with assets and the provisions that would only have applied had Lily lived.
SECTION III:
I hereby appoint Sirius Orion Black, Godfather of my Son and Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Black to serve as Magical Guardian for my Son during his minority. In the event that Lord Black should be unable or unwilling to serve as Magical Guardian, I appoint such duties to Albus, Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore to serve in such capacity or such other Wizard as Albus Dumbledore should designate.
Said Guardian shall administer the Trust as he should desire, provided that my Son shall have his educational expenses paid for and provided that 1,000 Galleons per annum be available for his use. Said Trust shall consist of 10% of the monies now in my vault and shall be supplemented with 60% of the annual income from my principal estate until such time as my son attains his majority.
Said Guardian shall have all powers over the person of my son as the Law shall allow to include, without limitation, designating who shall have custody and care for my Son and acting in my stead to approve or reject any contracts for marriage.
"This was the will filed with the Wizangamot and Ministry," Tonks said. "As you can see, it grants the Old Man significant authority regarding your life in the event Sirius was not able to serve as your guardian."
"Still doesn't explain the Dursleys," Harry said, "especially since his so called blood wards set for my protection either never existed or fell ages ago."
"No it doesn't," Tonks said. "I'll get to that but first," she slid another document over to Harry. "This is your father's real Will, the one recorded with Gringotts. The will you just saw is a forgery."
"Why am I not surprised," Harry said as he and Hermione began to read the new will.
THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
of
JAMES CHARLES POTTER
HEIR TO THE HEAD OF THE ANCIENT
AND NOBLE HOUSE OF POTTER
20 September 1981
I, JAMES CHARLES POTTER, being of sound mind, hereby make this my Will, to provide from my wife and consort Lily Marie Potter for her life, to provide for the care and education of my Son, Harry James Potter and my daughter Clarice Anne Potter until they complete their education and to pass on to my Son upon his attaining his majority.
"Daughter?" Harry asked.
"Your mother gave birth to a daughter, your younger sister on September 5th, 1981," Tonks said.
Tears fell from Harry's eyes. "W-what happened to her?"
"We believe she's still alive. There were only two bodies in the house, those of your parents. We believe the Old Man did something with her, placed her for adoption or some such. But aside from that, we have no idea. Remus is checking into that as we speak."
"Hate to say this Tonks, but the more you tell me, the more my life sucked."
"You used the past tense," Hermione said with a giggle.
"The bastard screwed up everything else," Harry said. "He screws with what we have, I kill him myself."
"You'll have to jump the queue ahead of me," Hermione nodded.
"Just don't get upset if I do. I can't lose you, My Love.
"Nor I you."
Harry and Hermione continued to read.
SECTION III:
I hereby appoint Sirius Orion Black, Godfather of my Son and Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Black to serve as Magical Guardian for my children during their minority. In the event that Lord Black should be unable or unwilling to serve as Magical Guardian, I appoint such duties to the following in order of succession:
My Father, Charles David Potter,
Frank Sisternal Longbottom
Theodore Michael Tonks
Angus Devon Longbottom
Horace Silus Bones
Percival C. Cutter
Devon Rafael Stubbins
Alfred Alan Carter
Florean Fortescue
Simon J. McMillian, III
Edward Marks, Jr., Director of St. George's Magical Orphanage
If none of the above named individuals are able or willing to serve as Magical Guardian for my children, the Wizengamot shall appoint the successor, provided, however, that under no circumstances should such successor be Albus Dumbledore or any member of the Order of the Phoenix not named above.
"Dumbledore was not supposed to be my guardian ever?" Harry asked.
"No Harry, he was not," Tonks replied. "Your mother trusted the Old Man. Your father was a Potter. The Potters have never trusted him."
"Until me. Until recently I trusted him."
"You weren't raised a Potter."
Harry could only nod as he continued to read the real Will.
SECTION IV:
Said Guardian shall administer the Trust set up for the benefit of my children. Said Trust shall consist of 1% of the monies now in my vault and shall be supplemented with 5% of the annual income from my principal estate until such time as my children attain their majority. The trust shall be used soley for the care, housing, clothing and education of my children and for no other purposes other than the direct benefit of my children. Upon each child attaining the age of Six Years, they shall be allowed an allowance as per the schedule below paid in Galleons or Pounds as appropriate:
Age: Monthly Allowance:
6 50 G
7-8 60 G
9-10 75 G
11 100 G
12 - 13 125 G
14 - 15 175 G
16 250 G
"That's another thing that never happened," Harry observed.
"We think the Old Man has been robbing you blind, Harry," Tonks nodded. "Another thing Remus is looking into."
"What can we do about it?"
Tonks shrugged. "I'm open to suggestions. I have no idea really. Bill Weasley is talking with his goblin contacts at Gringotts to see if there are any legal things we can do without really raising a stink, particularly in the papers."
Harry nodded and continued to read.
SECTION V:
Said Guardian shall have all powers over the person of my son and daughter as the Law shall allow except, however, that said Guardian shall be forbidden to arrange, approve or offer my children for marriage or any other form of bonding or to reject any marriage proposal that my children should desire to accept after they attain their majority.
"And Dumbledore had already accepted the Weasley offer?" Harry asked.
Tonks nodded.
"Did Sirius know?"
"We found out about the marriage contract between you and Ginerva a couple of months ago. It was yet another reason why you were emancipated. You are now, by the Will of your Grandfather, Lord Potter, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, and have legal authority to nullify that contract. Of course, the Weasleys will have to return the Bride's curtsey."
"The what?"
"In arranged marriages, the family of the bride can ask for a curtsey. This is usually done where that family is not nearly as wealthy as the groom's or where the bride is particularly desirable and has many offers. It's a payment. Money. In this case, 25,000 Galleons. Of course, they used that money probably. Arthur had seven children to put through Hogwarts. From Bill we know he does not know that you are the intended groom."
"Why not?"
"Molly handled the whole thing. She never told him. He merely accepted the fact that he could now send his kids to school and not have to mortgage what little property he had."
"Do they have to return the money?"
"You can waive it if you desire. Given Molly's actions, I would recommend that if you do decide to waive it, make them sweat for a while."
"I don't fucking believe this! I really don't want to!"
"Harry, this has been happening for centuries. The Weasley line has not had to deal with this in generations as Ginny is the first Weasley daughter in ages. Molly's family, on the other hand, they have. Molly and Arthur were not arranged, they supposedly chose each other and as neither family was particularly wealthy … as in most such situations, the financial arrangements were not observed. But here? You are the scion of one of the wealthiest Houses in Britain, Harry. They sold her to your House as your wife. If you want my opinion, you were ripped off."
"How so?" Hermione asked this time.
"25,000 is a record curtsey and at the time it was paid by the Old Man, there was no reason to believe Ginny was worth more than 5,000. She was two years old and had yet to even express any magic. 5,000 is a lot for a girl who as not earned a single N.E.W.T. level certification. Even with three, it's pushing it."
"How do I end this nonsense?" Harry asked.
"A letter addressed to Arthur would do. There's a formality to the letter and you must affix your Head of House seal to the letter in lieu of a signature. There is a book in your study with the necessary forms and the Potter Ring and Seal are there as well in a box on the desk."
"Ring?"
"Each head of and Ancient and Noble House has a Ring handed down from his ancestors. Upon the death of your grandfather, the Seal and Ring return to the Master's Jewel Box to await use by the new Lord. Your Grandfather's box is on the desk in your study."
"Should I do it now?"
"Sirius believes you should wait a bit. Once we are finished with this will, I will explain further."
"Okay," Harry said returning to the Will.
SECTION VI:
Care and Custody of my Children shall be with the family of the above designated Guardian or, if said Guardian is unable or unwilling to provide for their day to day nurturing, care and support, with any of the above identified families as said Guardian shall designate. Should none of the above families be able or willing to care for my children, it is my wish they should be placed for adoption with a loving Wizarding family unaffiliated with Slytherin House at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry and preferable residents of Pottersport. If no such adoption is possible, I wish my children be placed in St. George's Orphanage. Under no circumstances are my children to be placed with my Wife's Sister Petunia Dursley and her family.
"I was never supposed to go to the Dursleys," Harry said.
"No Harry," Tonks replied. "No you were not. We think your being sent there and your sister being sent wherever are related and part of the Old Man plan for you. We don't know for certain, but our conclusion fits what evidence we do have. And from that conclusion, we know why the Old Man considers Hermione a bigger threat to his plans than Voldie."
"WHAT?" Harry and Hermione said together.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"The Old Man was told what the Dursleys were like. Your Mum knew what they were like. They had been watched and they were just as vile then as now. The Old Man knew if you went there they would treat you as they did. He may not have known of the extent of the mistreatment, but he knew you would grow up starved of love, friendship, affection, self worth. You would enter his clutches without your own persona. You would be a blank canvass for him and he could mold you into the man he wanted: the selfless martyr. You would never think of not being one because you would grow having never had hopes or dreams for the future.
"Once you turned eleven and came to Hogwarts, your exposure to love, affection, respect and friendship was to be controlled by the Old Man. Your first exposure to our world was Hagrid. He probably has no idea what the Old Man is on about. He is exactly as you have known him. He's too kind to knowingly participate in such a plan. But, he is also too trusting of others.
"Your first train ride was a part of the plan as well. All students are told how to get onto Platform 9 ¾, even Muggle Borns. You were not. Your arrival timed the arrival of the Weasleys who showed you how to get to the train. Molly was in charge of that one."
"She was?"
"She was told to wait for you Harry. She also made sure one young Ron Weasley knew what you looked like so he could sit with you on the train and …"
"Become my friend," Harry finished sadly.
"As you had been starved of love, affection and friendship, the Old Man knew you would soak up anything that even seemed like it. He felt he could control your relationships and thus mold you into what he wanted. Ron was one of the controls. It helped that he has a massive inferiority complex and is a below average wizard. The Old Man wanted you to be a lackluster student. Ron would see to it that you were, not because he was told to, but because he is what he is.
"You were to be surrounded by trustworthy Purebloods or those who the Old Man believed were absolutely loyal to him. It was why Sirius was locked up, because Sirius was not trust worthy in the Old Man opinion - particularly when it came to you. It was why you were allowed to spend summers with the Weasleys. If you think about it, that made no sense. If Privet Drive was so well protected, why allow you out at all?"
Harry nodded for that was one of the questions he had.
"The Weasleys were to be your real family. Ron was to be your best mate. Ginny was to become your romantic mate. Molly was to help guide you towards your ultimate demise as a martyr. In our world, the general view is that good people do not kill and evil people do. You were to be taught to believe that, thus it would be harder for you to actually take another's life."
"And yet I have," Harry said. "Twice. And I would have at the Ministry if I knew how - or if I had a gun."
"Hence, the Hermione situation."
"What?" Hermione complained. "But I never told him to kill or anything!"
"You were the last person the Old Man wanted to become a part of Harry's life. You were smart and studious and would encourage him to learn. The Old Man wanted him weak. You are Muggle raised and with your intelligence would question the status quo in our society. The Old Man wanted Harry to accept it. As a Muggle raised child, you know that good and evil is about motives far more than actions. You know that the good can kill another and not become evil for doing so. This is contrary to the Old Man thinking.
"You were also so unexpected, Hermione. You came into Harry's life at a time when most boys and girls cannot and will not relate to one another, much less become friends. Still, he took no action because while you were his friend and while you clearly had helped Harry succeed where he should have failed, so long as you remained just friends, his ultimate plans were still viable."
"So he had plans to deal with me as well?"
Tonks nodded. "Recent developments have made it clear to the Old Man that it may be years before Harry can be sent against Voldie per his plan. Harry will be of age by then and have come into his inheritance. Thus, the Old Man plan for an heir are now the primary plan. Harry is to marry Ginny per arrangement on August 17th. She's to bear his heir. You are the problem, Hermione."
"Aside from the fact I think this is sick and the fact that I love Harry and he loves me and I am going to be the mother of his children, why am I the problem?"
"You are not a Pureblood. The Old Man cannot tolerate the thought of an heir of Potter born from what he considers a vile coupling. He also knows he cannot control you and cannot kill you without raising suspicion. You are too damn smart, in his opinion. None of this really mattered until recently. He had some plans, but so long has you and Harry remained just friends, there was no reason to implement them."
"Then there was the Battle," Harry said.
Tonks nodded. "Actually, it was after, but yes. It seems to me what happened forced you two to finally admit what had been obvious to many for so long. Sirius and Remus had a bet going. It was when you two would see the truth, not if. Sirius bet it would be this summer, Remus said next summer or later. Sirius won, but cannot collect of course.
"Ron Weasley was told two years ago to become Hermione's boyfriend. He does fancy her a bit, but his Mum's Pureblood prejudices have held him back. That and the fact that he's a wimp when it comes to girls. Still, he's been telling the Old Man and his Mum that Hermione was warming up to him and would be his soon."
"Fat fucking chance," Hermione said. "Even without what you've told us, I'd rather be a spinster than Ron's."
"A point that came to light only recently on the day you woke up following the Battle," Tonks agreed. "You two confessed your love for each other and basically cut Ron and Ginny out of your lives, at least as possible romance is concerned, if not in all things. Molly's plan, which had been discussed, was now given top priority."
"What plan?" Harry and Hermione asked.
"There were two reasons you were sent to live with the Dursleys," Tonks continued. "You were groomed to be vulnerable to affection and thus easily manipulated. But, by living as a Muggle, you also were left ignorant of our world. You know little about the customs and traditions. Had you been raised in this world, you could never have been manipulated by the Old Man. Your magical caretakers would have seen what he was up to and you would have known he was trying to screw you over. You probably would have accepted an offer to attend St. Georges."
"I - I never got an offer…"
"I did," Hermione said.
"I never …"
"The Old Man has been tampering with your mail since the day your parent's were killed, Harry. Your only sure form of post is your own owl."
"Which he discourages me from using."
"Because he cannot mess with it. Now, this ignorance of our world is the key to Molly's scheme. As bright as she is, Hermione entered our world as clueless as you did. She too was not raised in our customs or traditions. The ones at issue here are in books, but the books are banned from Hogwarts."
"Why?" Hermione asked.
"Dumbledore feels the information would be upsetting to Muggle Borns."
"More so than being called a Mudblood?"
"Much more so, I'm afraid. Certainly to a bright witch like Hermione here."
"Why's that?"
"In the Muggle World, while men and women are not truly equal yet, a bright young woman has almost limitless prospects for her future. The law promotes equality as does the society's expectations. This is not true in the Wizarding World - at least here in Britain. We are at least 400 years behind our Muggle neighbors in a lot of things, maybe even further.
"In the Wizarding World, all Wizards are considered socially superior to all witches. Witches are little more than the property of their families."
"WHAT?" Hermione screeched! Harry held her hand to help her regain some composure.
"I don't see you that way, Love," he whispered. "Then again, I was not raised that way. She's telling us about the system that exists. The system is a threat to you, probably a huge threat if you are ignorant about it. But it is a system. If we know enough about it, it can be manipulated."
Hermione nodded. "G-go on."
"For the most part, in our society, a witch gets only what wizards allow her to get. All the outstanding N.E.W.T.s in the world mean nothing if no wizard lifts a finger to help the witch make use of her abilities. To maximize her potential, a witch must have a wizard patron to open doors for her. Without a patron, Hermione's job prospects are bleak. The better the patron, the better her prospects."
"But how would a Muggle Born like me find a patron?"
"Unless born to a Noble House, in which case your Head of House is your patron unless you manage to do better, the easiest way is to marry one. As a witch, and unlike wizards, your Head of House, wizard father or magical guardian retains significant control over your life until you turn twenty-five. The reason is it is his obligation to see to it that you obtain a patron."
"And if he doesn't?"
"A witch would be lucky to get a job cleaning toilets at the Leaky Cauldron. Likewise, if he finds his charge a powerful patron, the witch could become the next Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic despite never having passed a single O.W.L."
"You mean Umbridge," Hermione began.
"Flunked out of Hogwarts.
"As a Muggle Born, because you have no Head of House, there are only three ways you can acquire a partron. As I said earlier, you can marry one. But as I also said earlier, you can only marry with your Guardian's consent. Right now, that means the only partron you can expect with the Old Man consent is Ron Weasley."
"I'd be lucky to get a job stocking shelves at Flourish and Blotts," Hermione moped.
Tonks nodded in agreement, her low opinion of their former friend showing. "The legal marriage is no stronger or weaker than it is for Muggles. In Pureblood and aristocratic society, it is used to create alliances between families for either political or financial gain. The bride and groom do not have to consent. Wizards can be married off at any time before they attain their majority. Witches at anytime before their twenty-fifth birthday. Most such marriages are loveless affairs. The couple has only one thing they are expected to do - reproduce.
"Consequently, it is not uncommon for them to find love elsewhere. For the witch, it is usually in the bed of another witch as there is no stigma associated with that. For the wizard, some take Mistresses, although that can be risky and is illegal if the woman is bound to another wizard. More often, they take a slave."
"A wh-what?"
"A consort or a concubine. These are witches that are bound to a wizard by magic. It enslaves them to varying degrees, the most notable form is that they will remain utterly and totally faithful to the wizard."
"I take it there's a difference?" Hermione asked.
"Indeed. A concubine is sold and bound against her will. She's sold by her father, Head of House or magical guardian for money. Sometimes it's a private sale between wizards, but every year there is a public auction."
"This is unbelievable!"
"But true," Tonks said. Harry noted an odd smile on her face. "The concubine bond suppresses free will in the witch. She's is allowed only as much as her Master desires. Her primary function is to serve her Master. This always involves sex. Young concubines are almost always sex toys. Older ones are purchased to serve in other capacities as well, such as nanny's, wet nurses or breeding stock. Concubines can work outside the home and you would be surprised to learn that there are probably concubines in most jobs. Their pay, however, is the property of their Master. The quality of their lives varies from Master to Master. Some concubines live quite full lives, have challenging occupations and earn a name for themselves. Others are little more than whores or House Elves. Regardless, they have no choice in the matter."
"There's a reason you're telling us this, isn't there," Harry said.
Tonks nodded. She lay what looked like a magazine before them. There was no picture on the cover. All it said was "Calpart's Auction House, 121 Diagon Alley, London. July 15th 1996 Lot Catalog."
"Open this to page 44," Tonks said.
They did as instructed. When they reached the page, both of the teens gasped. Page 44 was a picture of Hermione. On page 45, there was a description:
HERMIONE JANE GRANGER
Born September 19, 1979. MUGGLE BORN. Completed 5th Year Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Stands at top of her year. O.W.L.s pending and posting will be updated July 10. Vitals: 5'7". Brown curly hair, brown eyes, 37-24-36, 122 lbs. Bra size - C cup. Believed to be unspoiled. Wand: Vine w/Dragon Heartstring
Initial asking price: 150G
Seller 1276 (Dumbledore was written beside the number in pen)
Pre-Auction Bidding Interest Expressed:
Buyer 1197 (Malfoys)
Buyer 32113 (The Old Man/Weasleys)
Buyer 32168 (Us)
"They're going to sell me, Harry," Hermione wailed. "They are going to sell me like cattle!" Harry pulled her into a hug.
"The Old Man primary plan for you two was to place you in arranged marriages with the Weasleys. Molly's been bugging him since last summer that something might develop between you two and so she came up with a contingency which the Old Man approved if you two fell in love or got into a relationship.
"For Harry, he will be sent food from Ginny laced with Amorentia," Tonks said.
"What's that?" Harry asked.
"L-love potion," Hermione whimpered. "V-very p-powerful, bloody near impossible to make and illegal."
Tonks nodded. "10 years is Azkaban if caught. Under the influence of that potion, Harry would forget all about Hermione and fall madly in love with Ginny. He would marry the girl without question and be driven to knock her up. The potion becomes nearly permanent if the couple has a child."
"But w-why sell me," Hermione sobbed. "Why not just dose me up as well?"
"Molly wasn't too keen on her boy marrying you. You are, after all, a Muggle Born. If you were his concubine, you would be under his control and he would still be free to take a Pureblood wife."
"This is just sick," Hermione sobbed. Tonks nodded.
"We trusted them," Harry added. "Who's 'us?' How can we stop this?"
"Us is a company Sirius started up about a month ago when we learned this was a possibility. Hermione was not to be bound without reason the Old Man insisted, but it was an option he would use should reason arise.
"The Company is called RPG Entertainment Services, Ltd. It's about as real as Father Christmas. It is set up to look like a concubine brokerage house. Although you won't find it anywhere, Harry is the sole shareholder in the company. Our last resort plan was to buy Hermione for Harry."
"And then I could free her," Harry said.
"No Harry, you could not. Once she is bound as a concubine, it is for life. You could only sell her off."
"And what if I don't bond with her?"
"The sale is voided after six months or so and she would be resold at the next auction."
"So, unless we can stop the first sale altogether, Hermione will become a concubine?"
Tonks nodded.
"Guess I'll just have to buy her then," Harry said clearly not happy with this prospect.
"I - I c-could live with that," Hermione said, "I d-don't like it. But I could live with it."
"And the Old Man?" Harry asked.
"Ron wants his plaything. He got Molly to get a magic oath from the Old Man to outbid the Malfoys."
"That's it?"
Tonks nodded.
"So all we have to do is stay in and outbid Dumbldore?"
Tonks nodded. "350 Galleons should do it. Maybe a little more. The Malfoys have never paid more than 300 for a Muggle Born. Even if Draco wants her, he's not going to go much higher than that."
"You said last resort," Hermione noted. "What else do you have in mind?"
Tonks nodded. "The Old Man can't sell if he lacks the right to sell. If, by July15th, he is no longer your magical guardian, the sale is off."
"And how can we make that happen?"
"Harry is an emancipated minor and Head of House now," Tonks said. "First off, he can break the contract with the Weasleys. As head of an Ancient and Noble House, should Ginny try and use that potion, by law Harry has the right to enslave her as his Concubine if he wishes."
"What if someone does it for her," Hermione asked.
"The object of the potion is what becomes forfeit. The maker and sender of the potion would face severe criminal sanctions."
"And Hermione?"
"I assume you're of bonding age," Tonks said.
"W-what's that?" Hermione asked.
"It's been at least six months since your first period?"
"More like over four years."
"There is one bond that a magical guardian is powerless to stop or interfere with."
"What's that?"
"The Consort Bond."
"That's a kind of slavery," Harry noted.
"True. But it is one that benefits both people. In that bond you become more than the sum of your parts, as it were. You are bonded by consent and by love and the bond enhances love, trust, faithfulness, all the positive aspects of a relationship while suppressing the negatives. The majority of all marriages are Consort Bonds. In fact, under the law, the Consort is a wife and her Master is her husband. True, the man can take a wife for political purposes, but she is second to the Consort in all things except the production of an heir.
"And how does this happen?"
"The witch offers herself to the wizard. She recites an oath, the precise wording is not critical so long as the main components are covered. The wizard then accepts her as his Consort and the Bonding rite is performed, although the order of these events is not critical."
"What's the rite entail," Hermione asked.
"Nudity and sex," Tonks replied. "Specifically, the couple must be naked the whole time, the witch must recite the oath, the wizard must accept, they must orally bring the other to climax and they must have sexual intercourse to conclusion. Although not required, it is said it helps if both lovers climax during intercourse."
"So if she becomes my Consort?"
"The Old Man and the Weasley's plans are ruined. They can't touch you."
"What about the auction?"
"The moment you're bonded, she is off the block as it were. Her name will be removed from the ledger and from the final auction catalogs."
"So she cannot be sold then?"
"No."
"Hermione?"
"I'd like to read a little about it first."
"Of course," Harry smiled.
"But, it sounds like something I would like."
"Great! So how soon can we do this, Tonks?"
"Oddly enough, you two already have."
"WHAT?" the two teens cried out.
"That last time you had sex, and I assume that was not the first, Hermione said an oath offering herself and Lord Potter accepted."
"But that was just a silly thing I read in a dirty romance novel I borrowed from one of my roommates," Hermione complained.
"That was the Consort's Oath, Hermione. And I assume you two also had oral sex during your afternoon play?"
They nodded.
"But, I didn't know," Hermione said.
"You meant what you said, though," Tonks replied. Hermione blushed. She had meant it, she just didn't understand the full implications.
"When the two of you came that last time, you glowed magically as the bond took hold."
"That's what happened?" Hermione asked, "that's why Harry passed out?"
"There were two magical pulses, Hermione. The first enveloped you and Harry. You would not have seen it as you were both part of it. The second one only affected Harry and I have no idea what it was, only that it is not related to the bond."
"Oh."
"As I said, you two had a very interesting afternoon today."
A/N: RELATIONSHIP SCORECARD:
If you didn't read the Intro, you missed that. This is so you can keep up with who's with who and how.
Lord Harry James Potter, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, age 15 (born 7/31/80)
Lady Hermione Jane (Granger) Potter, age 16 (9/19/79). Girlfriend/fiancé as of 6/18/96; CONSORT, HOUSE OF POTTER 6/23/96.
CHAPTER EIGHT: ON BONDING
MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1996. Potter Manor.
Harry awoke in a room filled with sunshine following the best night's sleep he could remember. His sleep was filled with pleasant dreams instead of the nightmares about death. All his dreams centered on one young woman and their life together. He wasn't certain about what happened yesterday. He and his Hermione and not really done that, had they? They were not now magically married, were they?
He opened his eyes. He felt a warm weight pressing against his body. He saw a brown blur of hair and felt the head of its owner against his chest. He could smell her. He felt her soft skin beneath his arms and hands. He was warm. He felt loved, perhaps for the first time in his life, or at least for the first time he could remember. He realized that yesterday, as bizarre as it was, was quite real. His naked wife pressing against him was proof positive of that.
If it were up to him, they would never get out of bed again. However, he realized reality was a problem. Right now, the reality was his feeling an increasingly urgent need that had nothing to do with the beautiful angel in his arms. As much as he wanted to stay right here like this forever, nature was calling and he had to get up.
He squeezed her gently wondering if she was awake, asleep or just dozing. A soft, contented sigh escaped her lips.
"Sleeping?" he whispered.
"Mmmm," she replied.
"It's morning," he continued.
"I know," she whispered back.
"Think we should get up?"
"Don't want to. Too cozy," she purred back.
Harry gently pushed her off of him and onto her back. She gave him a playful pout.
"Well, I have to get up," he said after kissing her lightly.
"Why?" she whimpered playfully.
"Well, it's either that or I stay here with you…"
"That's what I want."
"…and wet the bed."
"Oh," she giggled. "Yes, I don't want that."
After a long kiss, Harry got up and headed to the Master Bath, which itself was probably the size of the ground floor at the Dursleys. There were four toilets, five sinks, a small bath tub as Harry called it. It was small because it could probably only hold three people. The large bath tub was practically a swimming pool. The shower was equally huge and could easily accommodate six people. Harry wondered at why the bathroom was so large and then decided it was simply a wealth thing. It was large because it could be, not because it needed to be.
Harry stepped into the shower and began to wash himself. It wasn't long before he realized he was not alone and another pair of soapy hands was caressing his back. He turned and saw a naked and wet Hermione smiling up at him.
"I wanted to help you," she said with a grin.
"Wish I thought of that," Harry chuckled as he began soaping her up while he washed him. The result of this activity was predictable as Harry's basilisk was wide awake as the couple rinsed off. Hermione was looking at him with an odd pout.
"What?" Harry asked.
"I - I can't."
"Can't what?"
"Let it play in my chamber," she whimpered.
"Why?"
"It's sore."
"Oh. Sorry."
"Don't be. You didn't make me do anything I didn't want. And I promise to make it up to you later today and shag you silly."
"Can't wait."
"In the meantime," she added with a mischievous grin, "maybe I can add another of my fantasies to my I've-Done-That-With-Harry list."
"And what, pray tell, is that, you little slut?"
"Sucking you off in the shower."
"That's only mildly erotic."
"In my real fantasy, it's the girls shower at school."
"Are there other girls there?"
"Most certainly," Hermione said as she knelt before him. Before he could say another word, he watched as he disappeared into her mouth. If anything, he thought as he watched her suck him off, she's even better than before. She did not take long to get him moaning with pleasure. He felt his orgasm rapidly approaching and told her he was going to come. Just like the first time, she did not stop and kept sucking him long after he came in her mouth. She finally stood up. After a long kiss, she told Harry he could do the same to her, if he wanted to. Harry needed no further encouragement and was soon on his own knees, exploring her once again with his tongue. Her knees buckled and she slid down the wall of the shower. Soon she was lying on the floor, her legs spread wide from her lover, moaning with pleasure as he worked his magic on her sex, bringing her to a swift, powerful and load orgasm.
Fully showered, the couple were drying themselves and each other, taking in each other's bodies with interest.
"I was, um, just wondering," he said glancing at Hermione's hairless bits.
"Wondering what?"
"Well, I used to knick nudie magazines from my cousin and all the women had hair down there."
"Yes?"
"And you don't."
"I know."
"Um - why?"
"You know how bushy the hair on my head can get," she said.
Harry nodded.
"Well, it was just as bad down there. It was annoying and it looked gross. Practically from the day I started Hogwarts, I noted there were at least a few older girls who were bald down there. So the summer before Third Year I used a Muggle hair remover. It's not permanent, but it's more comfortable than shaving, and faster. I had already been using it on my legs and underarms. And that's a sensitive area. Fourth year, when we were learning spells and curses for the Tournament, I came across a fairly useless one. It removes hair permanently or at least until the counter-curse is performed. So I cursed the unwanted hair away."
"Do - do you like it?"
"I definitely prefer my bare pussy to the hairy one. Do you?"
"Yeah," Harry said. "I do."
"But," she added, "I do like your hairy bits and prefer them to bald ones, so don't even think about getting rid of your hair."
"Whatever turns you on, Love," Harry said with a smile.
As Tonks had some additional errands to run and Hermione was in the Library reading books Tonks had laid out on Consorts, Concubines and certain kinds of bonds and bonding rites, Harry spent the morning exploring the Manor. The day before he had only seen the ground floor and a small fraction of the private apartments on the first floor. This morning he checked out his study and found that in addition to a personal water closet, just off the study was a large conference room. There were six bedroom suites on the floor in addition to the Master's and Mistresses suites. These suites had their own sitting room, playroom and / or study, the bedchamber and a private bath. There was also a small library on the floor, a large parlor, a second study that Harry presumed was for the Mistress, a kitchen and a room that he thought of as a music room as it had a grand piano and other musical things.
Harry had learned to play at a young age. His relatives had frequently sent him to the home of Mrs. Figg, a widow who lived within a short walk of the Dursleys. Harry had always thought she was a bit batty, but she was nice to him. That was more than he could say about the relatives he lived with or anyone they seemed to know. Mrs. Figg began teaching him when he was about five. His payment was to listen to her as she went on about her multitude of cats, but that was minor. Before learning he was a wizard, Harry had come to learn he had two talents. He could cook extremely well and he could play the piano. He cooked because his Aunt hated to and he was available. She had taught him the basics. He suspected he was well beyond that when he learned he was a wizard. Mrs. Figg encouraged him in many things, but in particular music.
At primary school, when they were allowed electives, he had chosen music in no small part than because his cousin wanted nothing to do with it. His skills at the piano were recognized immediately by the music teacher. Ms. Williams encouraged him and offered him lessons at not cost. He accepted and managed somehow to convince Ms. Williams to tell his relatives he was being tutored in other subjects because he had a learning problem. Anything to make him look less talented than his barely functional cousin was a good thing.
Playing the piano was something that had nothing to do with the Dursleys. In fact, he was certain they didn't even know. He was also quite good and had been encouraged to give recitals, but that would have required the Durlsey's permission, something he was sure they would never give. They would probably put a stop to his playing altogether as he was not allowed to be better than Dudley at anything except chores and cooking. Cooking was another thing he liked doing. Even though it was a chore, when he was cooking his god awful relatives left him alone.
Hogwarts did not have a piano, or if it did he was unaware of it. Consequently, his one "sercret" talent could not be continued. He had replaced music with Quidditch at school. Now he had a piano and no Dursleys to worry about. He spent a couple of hours playing. He hated to admit it, but he was very rusty by his former standards and it might take weeks to get back in form. Still, it was a relaxing way to spend the morning.
He had just finished working his way through a piece by Chopin, surprised with the treasure trove of sheet music he found in this Music Room and was thinking of trying to relearn a piece he had learned the spring of his last year before Hogwarts by Scott Joplin when a voice interrupted him.
"I didn't know you could play," it said. Harry looked up and saw Hermione standing in the door to the room.
"Oh. Well, I used to."
"I'd say you still can," she smiled.
"Haven't really since starting Hogwarts. I was a lot better before, I think."
"Still, you are a man of many surprises."
Harry smiled at her. "I can also cook," he quipped. "But I'm never doing dishes again!"
Hermione laughed. "Turns out, I played too when I was little."
"Piano?"
She shook her head. "Violin. 1st chair in my school orchestra."
"Really? That's great! Maybe we could make music together?"
"We already have," she quipped. "Just not with notes."
Harry chuckled. He never knew she had such a randy mind.
"Now how about some lunch," she said. "After we can go to the Library and I can tell you what I've learned about this bonds."
"What? No sex?"
"Later. Still a little sore. But if you want, I can suck you off for desert. I wouldn't mind a Harry sucker."
The two teens were seated at a table in the library. Somehow, they remained fully clothed. Hermione had three books on bonds and bonding rituals spread out on the table and a fourth on Ancient and Noble Houses which she said was important too.
"Tonks left these books here last night along with a note to me telling me what she thought I should read. These books cover certain kinds of bonding and the oaths a rites that create those bonds. The three bonds I was asked to read about were: the Consort Bond, the Concubine Bond and the Fealty Bond. They are all versions of a category of bonds called Loyalty Bonds."
"Loyalty Bonds?" Harry asked.
"Basically, it is a bond that creates and maintains the loyalty of the bonded to the bonder." Hermione replied.
"How does it do that?"
"To the extent that an act of disloyalty requires the exercise of a person's free will, that free will is suppressed. Even if they want to be disloyal, they cannot be."
"And this is the bond between us?" Harry asked. "I didn't want that."
"It's okay, Harry," Hermione said soothingly. "Remember, I would have to want to betray you for the bond to suppress my will. So long as my true desires, wants and ideas are consistent with the bond, I'm the same person I was before.
"The bonded person is loyal to the bonder. I've always been loyal to you, Harry. The bonded cannot lie to the bonder. I may have not told you the whole truth about some things, but I've never lied to you. The bonded will never betray the bonder or the bonder's secrets to anyone. I never want to betray you, Harry. Those traits are consistent in all three bonds. With the Consort Bond and Concubine Bond, the bonded can never hurt or be made to hurt the bonder or any of his family. You know I've never wanted that, Harry."
"Does the bonded have to do what the bonder tells them too?"
"It depends both upon the type of bond and what they are being told to do, but in general, yes."
"Even if they don't want to?"
Hermione nodded. "It varies from bond to bond, but yes."
"So I took advantage of you?" Harry began.
"No Harry! You did not! Our bond did not form until after we had been making love for hours. Everything that happened yesterday, and this morning, I wanted to do! I suppose you could have ordered me to fuck you this morning when I was sore and I would have probably had to comply, even if I didn't really want to, but you didn't."
"I'll try not to."
"Thanks Harry."
"Now suck my cock."
"Okay," Hermione said with a smile as she began to slide off of her chair.
"Stop!" Harry commanded. "I was kidding." Hermione got back into her chair. "You were going to do it?"
Hermione nodded.
"Is that because I told you to or you wanted to."
"If you want a blow job, I want to give it to you, Milord."
"And that has nothing to do with the bond?"
"Not that I can tell. Although I did want to complain that you're insatiable and kept my mouth shut. That might have something to do with the bond, but I don't know. I really do like sex with you, Harry. I really want as much sex with you as I can stand. I wanted that from the moment you first made me cum. And that was before we bonded."
"Okay. So what else do I need to know?"
"Remember that I said the bonded cannot betray the bonder or the bonder's secrets?"
Harry nodded.
"Well, one of the things this means is that I am at least somewhat immune to the imperious curse."
"What? How's that possible?"
"The imperious curse is a form of compulsion magic. So are loyalty bonds. The bonds, however, are much more powerful and longer lasting. If the enemy were to use that curse on me in any manner that would lead to betraying you, betraying your secrets, going against your orders or wishes, or causing harm to you, me or any member of your house, the spell simply won't work at all."
"That could be useful."
"Very. One of the Death Eater's tactics in a large scale engagement is to imperious some to the other side into attaching their own side. That won't work if they are under a powerful loyalty bond."
"But they can still affect me?"
"No Harry. You cannot betray me either, which means you cannot be forced to. As with me, you cannot be imperioused to hurt me unless you wanted to in the first place. Basically, you cannot be forced to do something regarding me against your will by any magic known."
"I'm glad to know that, Hermione. I don't think I could live with myself if I did. Any other benefits?"
"As I said, I cannot betray you. The Consort Bond and Fealty Bond also would prevent you from betraying me. This means two things. First, we will have no secrets from each other. I can't lie to you and you can't lie to me."
"Oh no!"
"What?"
"Promise me you'll go easy on the 'girl' questions."
"Girl questions?"
"Does this dress make me look fat?"
Hermione giggled. "I can see how that might be a problem. I promise to try and avoid that, okay?"
"Thanks."
"Any way, I will eventually know everything about you and you everything about me. This means we may one day be able to passively legillimize each other."
"What?"
"We will be able to access each other's thoughts, memories and feelings. There are accounts of Consorts and their Husbands who stopped talking. Not because they stopped communicating, rather because they no longer had to speak to each other out loud. They were communicating with their minds. There are also accounts of where they came to feel everything the other felt. It was said to make their sex lives amazing as each could feel the other's pleasure. Then again, the poor guy could also feel the pain of child birth and his Consort's discomfort when she was menstruating."
"Um, first bits sounds cool. The last bit not so much."
"It doesn't happen all the time, Milord. There are only a handful of cases where the couple could truly feel what their partner felt and even then it was not all the time. They had to focus on it, it says."
"Oh. That's a relief, I guess."
"On the other side, I can never reveal your secrets to anyone not bonded to you. That means, I cannot be legillimized for information and veritaserum will not work on me to make me talk about what I know about you or your plans. I can only say what others not bonded already know. The protection also prevents anyone from forcing any information from you against your will."
"Now that's useful!"
"Indeed it is, Milord."
"So I don't have to learn Occlumency?"
"Arguably not. It's still a useful skill to learn. But so long as I or another bonded to you knows that which you wish to hide, no. Not even Voldemort or Dumbledore can access those thoughts."
"Anything else?"
"With a Consort or a Concubine, you can summon or be called."
"What's that mean?"
"If we are apart, say I was at Hogwarts and you were here, you could summon me to you and I would come. Likewise, I could call you to me if I was in trouble and you could find me."
"What about the wards? Surely you can't pass through the wards here or me at Hogwarts. You said so. You said it's written in Hogwarts: A History."
"Actually, this form of travel can pass through any wards known. The only limiting factor is unless you or I are there, we would have to first know where there was. For example, I can in theory go home to my parents place and then come back here no problem. You can leave here and go anywhere you know of no problem. And even if I've never been there before, you can summon and I would follow."
"And how do we do that?"
"We need things keyed into each other," Hermione said. "Consorts and Concubines wear special collars around their necks. This is the device that allows them to call their Master to them and to jump when they need to. To be summoned, their Master needs his family ring or Master's ring."
"But we don't have these things?" Harry complained.
"I'm pretty sure the Potter ring Tonks told you about is the ring that will call me to you."
"And your collar?"
"Apparently, once you put on the ring, my collar should appear."
"And anyone can see it?"
"No Milord. The collar of a Consort or Concubine can only be seen by those who are bound to their Master and those the Master allows to know about their status. While Consorts are generally not secrets, Concubines usually are."
"Why?"
"Well, if you ask me it's really silly, but…"
"But what?"
"Concubines are a part of British Wizarding culture and society for that matter. They have been throughout history. It is estimated that as many as one third of all witches over the age of sixteen are concubines. Apparently, for Muggle Borns such as myself, the majority are. So you would figure that being a concubine shouldn't such a big deal, and yet it can best be described as a dirty little secret of our world, you see."
"Dirty little secret?" Harry had to admit that the notion on Concubines was just that. Still, from what Tonks had said last night and Hermione so far today, he was surprised that what was common place was also such a secret.
"Even though perhaps a third of all witches of age are concubines," Hermione said, "their status in society is … well … they are at the bottom. They are viewed by all other witches as little more than whores and by most wizards as little more than property to be bought, played with and sold. Yet, at the same time, many of them are in exclusive relationships with their masters or at least are not shared with others. They attend school. Many have jobs, even quite respectable ones. Many bear their masters' children and in some cases the sons become heirs. Still, even the ones who are well treated and have careers, family and a rather nice life, they fear being exposed as what they are because they are viewed as being at best marginally better than a Muggle."
"It's fair to say, from what I've read, that they may be suspected as what they are by those around them: family, co-workers, friends. Above a certain age single witch without a known boyfriend, be he muggle or wizard, is generally believed as either being a concubine or a lesbian, the latter being even lower on the social scale. What really makes it worse is that in all likelihood not one concubine is bonded as such by their choice.
"What makes the thing so hypocritical is that there's little difference between a Consort like me and a Concubine in so far as their bond is concerned. The only real difference is I chose to be bonded with you and I did so out of love. Yet I am considered equal to a wife and the concubine is not."
Harry did not. "Perhaps you should explain the difference between a Consort and a Concubine."
"For all practical purposes, a Consort is the wife of the wizard she is bonded to."
"So we're married?"
Hermione nodded. "According to law and custom, as you have no wife, I am your wife and have been for about a day."
"Hermione? Do you mind? I mean we've been boyfriend and girlfriend for less than a week and now we're married?"
"It's a bit quicker than I had hoped, Milord. And I must admit at least a part of me wanted the whole wedding thing…"
"We can still have one"
"Thanks, Harry," Hermione said softly. "I would like that one day."
"So you don't mind?"
"I love you, Harry. It's sooner than I expected, but I've wanted to be your wife for some time. Actually, being your Consort is better than simply being your wife."
"H-how so?"
"The magical bond that made me your consort," Hermione replied. "In addition to the other goodies we've discussed, the Consort Bond reinforces and strengthens the relationship we already had before we bonded. Of course, the bond itself does urge me to call you either Milord or Master when we are alone like this instead of Harry."
"Really?"
Hermione nodded.
"And I thought you were just being cheeky."
Hermione shrugged. "We will become even closer than before and even now. Our love will only strengthen as time goes on. I will be yours, only yours and always yours for the rest of my life."
"And me?"
"I will always be first in your heart. We will never break up."
"I mean, will you always be my only?"
"I'd like to be. But you are the Head of an Ancient and Noble House and based upon what we learned last night, it's fair to believe you're the head of two such houses." When Harry's eyebrows rose, Hermione continued. "Sirius was the last Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, Harry. He died without issue, without a son or daughter. Had he died without a Will, his title and property will pass to his closets living male relative in the next generation. As that is Draco Malfoy, I doubt Sirius would allow that to happen.
"As the Head of his House, having no son to inherit the title, Sirius could by his Will designate the new Lord Black and cut Malfoy out altogether. The only requirement is the new Lord Black must be a male descendant of a former Head of the House of Black. You are. Sirius and your common ancestor was Phineus Nigelus Black, his Great-great Grandfather and your Great-great-great Grandfather. His granddaughter Dorea married your Great-grandfather. So, you are eligible to be the next Lord Black.
"Great," Harry moaned. Deep down the only thing he wanted in life was Hermione. The fame, earned or otherwise, the money, the titles all meant nothing to him. Trying to lighten himself up he said: "So that means you're Lady Black as well?"
"No, Harry it does not. You would not be the first man to become the Head of two Ancient and Noble Houses. It's happened on occasion, the last time about three hundred years ago. The law is that a wife or consort can only bear the heir of one house even if the husband is head of two."
"So the Black line ends with me?"
"No. If you produce no male heir to the line, it will pass to the nearest Black male relation."
"Again, that would be Malfoy?"
"Or his son if he has one by then."
"Great! Last thing I'd want is letting that git have anything!"
"There is a way around it, love."
"And what's that?"
"Obviously, you need to have a son to carry on the Black line."
"But you said you can't do that! You're the Consort of the Potter line!"
"That's true. I cannot."
"But that means … you must be joking!"
"As Head of an Ancient and Noble House, you are allowed by law to take a wife and a Consort. The one you take first generally will bear the heir to the line, unless of course she does not. As the Head of two such houses, you are allowed the same right for each House."
"So I can have two wives?"
"Up to four actually: A Potter Consort - me, a Black Consort, a Potter wife and a Black wife. You don't need all four, though."
"Are you suggesting what I think you are?"
"If you are indeed Lord Black as well, yes Milord. I am suggesting you either take a wife or a Consort at the very least. If possible, although a wife might be easier to get I would say because of the bond, a Consort would be the preferable option."
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"No. He's the one who left this to you. I'm Hermione."
"Channeling now?"
"No. Just trying to lighten you up a little."
"And why would a wife be easier to get?"
"First off, we know there are offers out there because Dumbledore accepted one on your behalf for Ginny Weasley. Now that offer was probably made for my position and not Sirius's."
"Besides, I don't want to marry her. Kill her? Maybe. But…"
"It's her Mum who's the real problem."
"And Dumbledore," Harry added.
"The problem with a wife is that she is not bonded to you magically and marrying her necessarily places you in an alliance with her family. There are no political strings associated with a Consort."
"Bloody hell!"
"You don't have to do anything yet. Even if Sirius did what I suspect and name you as the next Lord Black, until the reading of his will, you cannot take a wife as Lord Black."
"How 'bout a Consort?"
"That you can. But what are the odds that there's another girl who's truly in love with you who will offer herself to you of her own free will between now and the middle of July?"
"Ginny probably would."
"And would you want that?"
"I would practically be handing the Black property over to the Old Man, wouldn't I?"
"To the extent she could exercise free will to do so, yes. But that would be limited. What you would be doing is giving the Weasley family access to your property, which would include this Manor. While the bond might keep Ginny in control, her mother and Ronald are another matter altogether."
"That and I suppose I have to have some feelings for her? I have to at least trust her somewhat for the bond to form, right?"
"Correct. Thus she is out of the question. So, unless you get lucky and have the right woman fall out of the sky, you're probably out of luck in the Consort finding department for the foreseeable future. We're sort of in hiding. Not many dating opportunities in hiding."
"There's always Tonks," Harry suggested.
"I'm sure she would have asked already, Harry."
"Oh."
"Of course, you could always buy some concubines."
"What? Why?"
"First, because if the Black Head of House has no wife or consort, he can designate the son of a concubine of his as heir. Second, unlike legal marriage or the Consort Bond, you don't need anyone's permission to take a woman as a concubine, not even her own. You just buy her."
"Are you sure you're Hermione Granger?"
"Technically, Milord, I'm Lady Hermione Potter as of yesterday."
"And as of yesterday, you would have had nothing to do with a harem or me buying women! As of yesterday, you still thought binding elves to a family was evil!"
"And you told me yesterday that even if we disagree with the social order as it exists in our world, we should learn to take advantage of it."
"Still…"
"Preservation of the Potter and Black lines is important in the long term. It is also important to keep those estates out of Dumbledore's or Voldemort's hands. As heads of those two houses, you probably have votes in the Wizengamot. A House with an heir has more political pull than one without."
"Where did you learn all this?"
"The books Tonks left for me."
"Fine! I guess I'll consider this."
"Just trying to be practical."
"So you think I should get a concubine?"
"For the Black line, you should consider it."
"You read about those too?"
Hermione nodded.
"What do I need to know?"
"Where do you want be to begin, Milord? The nature of the Bond, the economics of the trade or how you bond with one?"
"Nature of the bond first, I guess."
"Well, as I said, it is a loyalty bond and all loyalty bonds are similar. The Concubine Bond differs from the Consort Bond in degree of free will retained by the bonded. As your Consort, I do retain a fair amount of free will. I can speak my mind in your presence. I can offer you my opinion on things. The bond prevents me from really getting into a row with you, but otherwise I can be my own woman in that regards. What it prevents is my ever being with another man, not that I mind at all. I will not want to and you can't make me," she added sticking her tongue out at him.
"I wouldn't want to," he replied. "What about another woman?"
"Only if I want to, you let me and the other woman is bonded to you as well. I can also refuse certain sex acts if I feel they may cause pain."
"Like now 'cause I made you sore?"
She nodded. "Course, if you ask for a blow job, I really have no excuses."
"I'll keep that in mind. Anything else?"
"No anal sex. That's an exit, not an entrance as far as I'm concerned."
"Anal sex?"
"Fucking me in the bum and not the pussy."
"Guys do that to girls?"
"Some do. But I don't want you doing that to me."
"I hadn't even thought about that."
Hermione nodded and continued. "Anyway, the concubine lacks a significant amount of free will when in her Master's presence. She will call you either Milord or Master unless you're in public. She will not speak unless spoken to first. She will not speak her mind or give you her opinion's or advice unless you tell her to. Even if you do, that permission only lasts until you withdraw it or she leaves your presence.
"In regards to sex, you can order her to do just about anything unless it would cause either of you serious harm. If you want her to have sex with another man or woman, whether she wants to or not, she will do it. You can even give another man what's called 'General Permission' to her. The other man is effectively her second Master and can have her do just about anything, unless she's with you. The other man cannot, however, whore her out as its called. Only you can do that. About the only thing you cannot order her to do is kill herself, a member of your family or to harm herself, a member of your family or you."
"So basically she's a slave."
"If you treat her that way, yes. But close relationships between the Master and his concubine are not unheard of. Many treat them more like a wife, just that the concubine won't complain, bicker or argue with him."
"Anything else?"
"As your Consort, I am free to bear your children. In fact that is a nature of the bond and I will be compelled to get pregnant soon and probably often. Once I've born an heir, you can tell me to stop getting knocked up, but not before. In all probability, I'll have our first child within the year.
"Birth Control?"
"Doesn't work now. Not until I've had a child. The only way we can avoid that is if we are apart."
"I can always refuse."
"Can you? If I asked you to fuck me right now, could you refuse?"
Harry thought about it. "I'm a teenage boy."
"Girls have been all but throwing themselves at you for a couple of years, Harry. How many have you shagged?"
"Aside from you? None. I - I never told you this, but that time Cho kissed me?"
Hermione nodded.
"Well, the reason I ran away was not because of the kiss, it was because of what happened after."
"What happened?"
"I didn't even touch her and when we broke apart she was naked. She begged me to…so I ran."
Hermione giggled. "Didn't run away yesterday."
"Yeah, well … I wanted you to be with me that way. I - I was certain it would be special and … and forever."
"Was it?"
Harry nodded.
"Thanks, Harry. It was special and forever for me too, and that was before we bonded."
"So I can refuse then?"
"You can no more refuse me than I can refuse you," Hermione said. "The Bond will see to it we have a child sooner rather than later. Oh, under certain circumstances we might be able to resist…"
"Such as?"
"Such as if we could not afford a child yet."
"Don't see that as a problem," Harry moped.
"Or if we were going back to Hogwarts."
"If what Tonks said about Dumbledore is true, don't see that as an option."
"Or if we are not safe…"
"If what she said about the wards here are true, that's not the case."
"Since all reasonable arguments against are not issues…"
"We are too young, don't you think?"
"The nature of the bond does not see youth as an issue. If we are old enough to bond, we are old enough. And if there is not outside pressure that would discourage a child, the bond affects both of us. I am going to bear your child, Harry. Unless I am barren, I am going to be pregnant within the year. Our bond will bring us to that point and we will want to get there."
"So this Consort Bond affects both of us?"
Hermione nodded. "I'd like to think we'd have been the perfect couple anyway. But soon we will be if we are not yet there already."
"Fine," Harry said. He hoped she was wrong, but knew he could not refuse Hermione her happiness. She had told him before she wanted to be his wife and have his babies and he had even told her father that was what he wanted from her, and that was before they had bonded. It was, however, a lot sooner than expected.
"And a concubine," Harry asked? "Is there a difference?"
"The Concubine can only get pregnant with her Master's permission. Even then, such permission is limited to his progeny. Even if she's having sex with other men in her bed at his command, only her Master can get her preggers."
"Interesting form of birth control," Harry observed. Hermione nodded in agreement. "Okay," Harry continued, "Tonks said Concubines are sold into slavery by their magical guardians. How does that market work?"
"A girl or woman can be sold into bondage at any time, even before they are born, even before they're even conceived."
"Really?"
"For example, I'm not pregnant - yet. But if you wanted to, you could sell an interest in a future daughter. That's usually a desperate act as there's no guarantee I'll ever have one. Those sales don't generate a lot of money. You could also sell the hypothetical daughter while I'm pregnant. Again, the contract would be worth more if you knew it was a girl.
"After the girl is born, they are worth more. There are then several categories of merchandise. Before the child reaches bonding age, when the woman has reached bonding age and can breed, and older woman who can no longer bear children. Young girls fall into two categories: the less valuable ones are girls who have not yet expressed accidental magic. The reason is because it is illegal to sell a Squib. After they have proven to be witches, they're worth more.
"Girls who are of breeding age vary in price as well. A variety of factors effect the price. For example, girls who have not taken their O.W.L.s or whose results are unknown are worth less than those who have, generally. O.W.L.s are worth less than N.E.W.T.s. First time girls, those who are not already Concubines are worth more than used girls. Virgins are worth more than those who are not. It seems a fair few buyers will pay a premium to deflower their purchase. Later in life, girls who have proven to bear children are worth more than those who have not. Also, price varies on blood status. Muggle Borns are worth the least, Purebloods the most and everyone else is in between."
"So, if I buy a girl whose too young, for example, how does that work?"
"You get a magical contract called a 'Title of Interest.' It's keyed into her, but the magic lies dormant until she attains bonding age."
"Then what? I go pick her up? Someone delivers her?"
"Once she's of age, you can summon her to you using the contract," Hermione replied. "Same's true of all purchases. Once you've paid the price, it is the contract you initially receive, not the woman. You then can to summon her at your leisure."
"So once I buy her she's sort of like property?"
"Yes, Milord. You can sell her whenever you like, give her away as a present either for a short while or permanently. If you keep her and she out lives you, she will pass to your heir or as you spell out in your will."
"What about freeing her?"
"Not an option, Harry. Once a Concubine, always a Concubine. You can no more free them than you can free me from the bond. Moreover, most Masters keep their Concubines even if they don't like or want them anymore."
"Why?"
"The loyalty bond. Once she's transferred to another master, she is no longer bound to you. She can betray you, hurt you or your family, betray your secrets to your enemies, as far as you're concerned, she's just another woman and to her you're just another man."
"Once I buy one, saying that I do so, what happens? Do they come here to live?"
"That's up to you. You can do that. Most Muggle Born witches wind up never seeing their families again. That's more by contempt and custom than anything else. But they can also live outside either with their parents or not. They will not be able to tell anyone what they are as that's considered your secret. Even if their parents know about the sale, and at least the father will, the status is a taboo topic in their homes. This can be useful has they effectively become your spies. If bought at auction, their parents would never know who bought them, only that they were sold."
"So, when does the bond attach? When I first summon them?"
"No. Like the Consort Bond, the final bond itself is the result of a sex ritual. You start by telling your new Concubine you own them. You're their Master, they're your Concubine. You tell them how you came to own them and then tell them you own them in mind, body, heart, soul and magic from this point until their death or sale. You then command them to take off their clothes and perform two sex acts with you: they must suck you off and they must have intercourse with you."
"Even if they don't want to?"
Hermione nodded. "The forming bond will compel compliance, even though their mind does not wish it."
"Sounds like rape," Harry grumbled.
"Under any other circumstances it would be."
"And you're saying I should do this to a woman?"
Hermione nodded. "The Black line needs and heir, Milord. I'd prefer it from a Consort, but…"
"Whomever she will be will hate me," Harry moaned. "I don't think…"
"Regardless of what you do to them, the Concubine Bond helps them get over it. They may not fall in love with their Masters, but they come to at least respect them and maybe like them. They almost always come to like the sex with their Masters."
"One then," Harry resigned. "For the Black line."
"Actually," Hermione said quietly, "you may want to consider more than one."
"What?" Harry said in shock.
Hermione pushed the auction catalog over to Harry. It was the one that told them Dumbledore was going to sell her into slavery, a plan they foiled somewhat buy accident and certainly not by design when they performed the Consort Bonding Rite. "Open it to the first Lot Number, Milord. You'll see what I mean."
Harry did as he asked. The entry shocked him.
HANNAH SUZANNE ABBOTT
Born May 16, 1980. MUGGLE BORN (Magical background seven generations back). Completed 5th Year Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. O.W.L.s pending and posting will be updated July 10. Vitals: 5'10". Blonde hair, brown eyes, 38-25-36, 132 lbs. Bra size - D cup. Believed to be unspoiled.
Initial asking price: 200G
Seller 1276 (Dumbledore was written beside the number in pen)
Pre-Auction Bidding Interest Expressed:
Buyer 2132
Buyer 3690
Buyer 11710
In addition to her, there were several other Hogwarts students both Muggle Borns and not up for sale whose lives were about to take a drastic change for the worst in most cases: Katie Anna Bell, a teammate of Harry's on the Gryffindor Quidditch team; Cho Chang, whom Harry had dated briefly that year; arguably the two best looking girls in his year Parvati and Pamda Patil; and a former Gryffindor classmate who had not returned to Hogwarts following her Fourth Year named Sally Anne Perks. There were several other Hogwarts students for sale as well. Most were younger and were being sold probably to pay off a debt. The whole thing made Harry sick inside.
"You know you won't let this happen to them, Milord," Hermione whispered. "It's who you are! You can't save them from becoming Concubines, but you can save them from becoming slags or an old git's toy. You know you will try."
"Bloody 'People Saving Thing'," Harry agreed. "And you're okay with this?"
"Harry," she said quietly, "I know you would beat yourself up if you didn't try to help them. You would be miserable and that's not the Harry I want."
"Fine," Harry grumbled. "I'll consider it! Knowing my bloody luck, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find out that I also inherited a Concubine or two from Sirius."
"It's possible," Hermione agreed. "He was a pureblood. He had no girlfriend that we know of and he most definitely is not gay."
"How do you know?"
"He'd always sneak a peak at boobs, cleavage or girl's bums."
"Oh. I was worried maybe he tried something."
"He may have been a bit of a rouge, but he was a gentleman. As Snuffles, however .. That dog was a perv!"
Harry actually laughed remembering an incident the previous summer when the dog Suffles entered a bathroom just as Ginny was toweling off.
A/N: RELATIONSHIP SCORECARD:
If you didn't read the Intro, you missed that. This is so you can keep up with who's with who and how.
Lord Harry James Potter, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, age 15 (born 7/31/80)
Lady Hermione Jane (Granger) Potter, age 16 (9/19/79). Girlfriend/fiancé as of 6/18/96; CONSORT, HOUSE OF POTTER 6/23/96.