CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:
OF WHORES AND HORCRUXES
MONDAY, JULY 1, 1996 - Potter Manor
"Harry?" a female voice whispered softly. "You awake?"
Harry was. "Daphne?" he asked.
"Sorry," she said. "I kind of woke up."
"What time is it?"
"A little after six."
"Urg! Can we go back to sleep?"
"Sure Darling."
"Thanks."
"I love you Harry."
"What?"
"You deaf," another voice said. "She said she loves you."
"Dora?"
"You think I'll sleep through pillow talk, guess again Baby."
"You love me?" he asked Daphne. She nodded into his chest.
"If it makes any difference," Dora said, "she's not the only one in this bed who loves you."
"Really?"
"Really. Love bond, you know. It tends to make that happen. Not that I mind. You're a keeper, Harry Potter."
"Most definitely," Daphne said and she squeezed into Harry as tight as she could. "Never slept better."
"I had a wonderful time yesterday," Dora whispered. "You dance so well."
"Thanks?"
"She's right, Harry," Daphne added. "Sissy and I had the best time. She told me it was almost like a real date. I disagree."
"You do?"
"It was more like my wedding day than a date."
"Really?"
"We got pictures coming and everything!"
"She has a point," Dora added. "I thought it was brilliant."
"All I wanted to do was take you shopping."
"And by accident, you showed us a wonderful time," Dora laughed.
"You made us all feel so special, Harry," Daphne giggled.
"I should hope so," Harry said. "Now can we sleep?"
"Hope so?" Daphne asked.
"You and Dora and the others are special, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise, Daphne," Harry said.
"Oh you're so getting shagged senseless for that one," Daphne giggled.
"Sleep?" Harry begged.
"Little Harry is telling us otherwise," Dora giggled.
"Sleep?"
"Baby making first," Daphne said.
"Baby making?"
"I've decided, Harry. I want to have your babies," Daphne said.
"Now?"
She nodded into his chest.
"That makes two of us," Dora said. "I want you to knock me up!"
Harry laughed. "That's so you, Dora!"
"What is?"
"That knock me up bit."
"I'm serious!"
Harry fought back the obvious pun about his deceased godfather. "Okay, I give in."
"Why surrender so easily?" Dora asked.
"Cause I have two sexy women in my bed begging for it and I know one of them can easily hex me into next week and the other will suggest just how to do so."
"We wouldn't do that," Daphne protested. "Tickle you into next week, maybe."
"Fine!" Harry said. "Give me my wand so I can give you two horny babes permission to get fat, achy and irritable!"
"Such a romantic," Dora giggled handing Harry his wand.
"Look what the cat dragged in," Minerva giggled as Harry entered the Private Dining room. He looked exhausted.
"Harry," Hermione scolded, "I told you not too much wine!"
"Not wine," Harry grumbled as he poured himself a cup of coffee, "witches!"
"Witches?"
"Daphne and Dora woke up early this morning and decided today was the day they wanted to start making babies," he grumbled.
Astoria giggled. "Oh and my dear sister wouldn't leave you alone?" she cooed.
"Understatement," Harry said. "Neither of them would! Six times! Didn't even give me a chance to shower! Six times!"
"Never thought I'd hear a teenage boy complain about too much sex," Minerva chuckled.
"Not complaining," Harry said with a smirk, "just knackered."
Daphne and Dora practically bounced into the room.
"Had a good night, Sissy?" Astoria asked.
"Wonderful," Daphne sighed. "Danced with a handsome prince and all of that."
"Well, I did too, so do tell? What made your night better than mine?"
"Harry agreed to let me have babies."
"So, Sissy, knocked up yet?"
"Story! Language! And I don't know yet, okay?"
"Was it at least fun?"
"Oh yes."
"Goodie, 'cause I get quality Harry time tonight!"
"I'm not going to give you permission yet, Astoria,' Harry growled.
"I know. We agreed. O.W.L.s first. But it doesn't mean I don't want my Harry time!"
Harry looked at Hermione for help. "This is with six witches! You honestly think I should have twenty?"
"Our friends are in that book, Harry," Hermione said. "You know you can't leave them to that fate."
Harry shrugged and sat down to breakfast. "Fine! What's on today's agenda?"
"Remus recommends a meeting of the Order," Minerva began.
"There's no way I am allowing Dumbledore and his friends to meet here!" Harry exclaimed.
"Not that Order," Minerva said calmly, "the Order that has sought to restore you to your rightful place all these years. The Order that cannot trust Dumbledore or any who are loyal to him any more than they could trust a Death Eater, which is not at all."
"Oh."
"You'll need to grant a few permissions to cross the wards," Minerva added.
"How? I mean Hermione and the others cross without permission."
"Not true," Dora said. "Hermione's permission came from your love for her. Mallory and I have permissions because our Master Sirius had them. Minerva by her bond to the last two Lord Potters. Remus had it from Lord Charlus. Daphne and Astoria have it by virtue of the contract with their father and now by virtue of your bond with them. But the rest of the Order needs expressed permission to floo in. They know how, but lack the permissions."
"Who?" Harry asked.
"Bill Weasley, Fleur Delacour, Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt," Dora listed.
"How?"
"Write their names in this ledger," Minerva said handing Harry a bound book. "It will grant them access through your wards."
Harry opened the book and read several entries before he found the blank space for new ones. He then took a quill and wrote:
Bill Weasley & Fleur Delacour, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody.
Harry then added some more names.
Neville Longbottom and House Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and House Lovegood, George Weasley, Fred Weasley.
"Now they can enter," Minerva said. "The meeting will be at two, after lunch."
Harry nodded and returned to eating his breakfast.
"I've missed you," Harry said to the bushy brown haired girl cuddling him in his lap.
"Harry, I've been with you…" Hermione started.
"I've missed you in my arms when I went to sleep and when I woke up."
"Harry, I still feel icky!"
"I'm just saying. I sleep better with you in my arms."
"Oh Harry," Hermione sighed and drew her love into a kiss.
When the kiss broke Hermione continued. "Harry, I miss you too. I love the all night snuggle with my Harry. I'm sorry I feel so icky. Can you forgive me?"
"Love, I'd only be upset if you ignored me during you 'icky time.' We did have a good day yesterday, didn't we?"
"It was perfect, Harry."
"So what are your plans post Icky Time," Harry asked.
"To make love to you as often as I can," Hermione giggled, "and hopefully not have another Icky Time for at least nine months."
"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, "are you telling me…"
"Babies, Harry," Hermione replied. "I want babies! Sirius said you should have a life. That mean you should be a daddy."
Harry chuckled. "You realize I have four other witches with similar intentions?"
"But they're not me," Hermione pouted.
"No," Harry said as he kissed her protruding bottom lip, "they're not. You want a baby, who am I to deny you that?"
"Th-thank you Harry."
"Should we start now?"
"Icky Time, Harry! Hopefully tomorrow it will be over. When it is, you're going to be shagged senseless often," Hermione giggled.
"Looking forward to it," Harry replied with a smirk.
"Good morning Milord Harry and Milady Hermione," a voice said. Harry and Hermione were now looking at a well dressed elf they had not met before, although something about him struck Harry as familiar in a way.
"Dobby?" he asked.
The elf bowed low. "You remember me, Milord," he said.
"Wow! You look great," he said. Dobby now was at least a foot taller than before, had the features of an Eldar and brown hair. For an elf, he looked regal. Only his eyes gave away his past.
"So you're better?" Harry asked.
"I am. I am returned to service as your Valet, Milord."
"Please, just Harry is fine Dobby."
The Elf blushed.
"How's Winky?" Hermione asked.
"She's doing well, Milady. She should be in service in a week or two."
"That's wonderful."
"She so enjoyed watching yesterday. I did too. You two looked magnificent."
"She saw?" Hermione asked in confusion.
"It was on the telly," Dobby said. "The Charenwell Channel. We saw the Investiture and the Ball later on. Winky loved it all. She said Lord Harry is quite the dancer."
"He is indeed," Hermione agreed.
"She also said you looked like and angel, although there were things she said she would have done different."
Hermione chuckled, "I'm sure she did."
"I take it this is not purely a social call, Dobby?" Harry asked.
Dobby nodded. "A Mr. Bill Weasley and Miss Fleur have arrived and are waiting in the conservatory. They both arrived with their trunks."
"But the meeting isn't until two," Harry observed.
"They know. They wish to speak to the Great Harry Potter on a personal matter."
"Really? They say what?"
"No Sir. They said they need to talk to you and will wait until you are available, Sir. They are most insistent on that point."
Harry looked at Hermione. He sighed. "Guess we have to make ourselves presentable."
Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Dobby, as soon as Hermione and I retire to our bed chambers to change into more sociable attire, you may escort Mr. Weasley and Miss Delacour to the Conference Room."
"Sir!"
Harry and Hermione entered the Conference Room from Harry's Study. He was now dressed in slacks and an open collared shirt while she wore a flattering, light blue sun dress. They both saw Bill and Fleur. Both were wearing wizard robes. Bill looked angry, but about something other than them and Fleur looked like she had been crying.
"Lord Potter," Bill began, "I really would prefer to have this conversation in private. It's very personal." Bill was looking at Hermione nervously as he spoke.
"Please, it's still just Harry, Bill," Harry began, "and I don't keep secrets from my wife and Consort."
"Wife?" Fleur asked. "Oh, poor Gabrielle will be so heartbroken. Her hero as married another. Congratulation, Harry."
"Thanks. We bonded a little over a week ago," Harry said. "May I introduce Lady Hermione Potter, Duchess of Charenwell? And do tell your sister, Fleur, that as charming as she is, she is still a tad young?"
"Charming as always, Harry. I shall try and break it to her gently."
"Thanks."
"Um, hi," Bill said. "Congratulations? Duchess?"
"Long story. So, are you willing to tell me what brings you here?"
"My Mum," Bill began. "And no, this is not about her plots regarding you and Hermione. I assume you've been told of them?"
Harry nodded. "It is one of the matters I wish to discuss this afternoon," he growled.
"This is something different, although related in a way," Bill went on. "You see, Fleur is my Consort…"
"Really? Congratulations. When did this happen?"
"Just after Christmas," Bill said. "I transferred back to England last fall and took a job as an accounts manager at Gringotts in order to work against Voldemort. Fleur had started up at Gringotts as well. That's where we met and, well, we got together and…"
"Been there," Harry said. "Over the course of the Tournament, she went from being the very good looking opposition to a friend in my view. She is quite the impressive young woman. You and yours shall be blessed.
"Merci, Harry," Fleur said. "Such a gentlemen yes?" she added towards Hermione.
"And more," Hermione said almost sighing.
"So what does this have to do with your Mum?" Harry asked.
"When I moved back, I lived at the Burrow. When Fleur and I married, I insisted that my wife live with me. My Mum was less than thrilled with the idea…"
Fleur snorted.
"…and insisted we maintain separate rooms and such. She does not believe the Consort Bond is an appropriate marriage for the Scion of a Pureblood House. She seems to think that it is a bond that can be broken and, while she did not do much at first aside from being cold with Fleur, things have reached a point where I no longer feel its safe to remain at the Burrow."
"In what way?"
"You mean aside from the insults?" Fleur said with a hitch in her voice. "The woman has no shame! Called me horrid names when Bill was not around: French Tart, Whore, Half Breed, Gold-digger, Social Climber. Other names that are less polite. She now has that brat girl doing it too!"
"Surely it's not just the name calling?" Hermione said.
Bill shook his head. "Caught my Mum making another love potion yesterday. She's trying to get me to fall in love with someone else - not that it would work given the Bond."
"Who?"
"Nymphadora Tonks," Bill said. To his surprise, Harry and Hermione laughed.
"What is so funny?" Fleur asked in confusion.
"Stupid bint might know how to make a love potion, but she sure does not know how they work," Hermione said. "They cannot work for or against any person who is magically bonded to a member of the opposite sex. Molly could feed the both of you love potions all day and they'd never work. Moreover, using Dora as a base for the potion won't work either as she is magically bonded to another wizard."
"She is?" Bill asked. "Who?"
"Me," Harry replied. "She's a Concubine. I inherited her from her former Master, Sirius Black."
"You have a Concubine?" Bill asked in shock.
"Five actually."
"Five?" both Bill and Fleur were gob smacked.
"I inherited two from Sirius, one from my Grandfather and agreed to purchase two from their father."
"Why would you agree to that?" Fleur asked.
"Because their father is an ally and was forced to sell his daughters to Lord Black by Death Eaters or watch his entire family get raped and murdered."
"Why would Death Eaters want you to buy Concubines?" Bill asked with suspicion.
"Because they think Draco Malfoy is the next Lord Black," Hermione answered. "Draco is, of course, the male in the Black Line who would succeed to Head of House had Sirius not disinherited him."
"And the Malfoy's don't know this?"
Harry shook his head. "The Will made me Lord Black upon Sirius's death. The Will will not be made public until the official reading next Wednesday."
"Guess Draco is in for a rude shock," Bill observed.
"Indeed," Harry agreed. "So, aside from useless love potions, what brings you here early?"
"We seek your protection, Harry," Fleur said. "We fear not her potions - at least the love ones. Bill is immune due to our bond and I am due to my grandmother's blood, she being Veela. But that does not make us immune from poison…"
"Or murder, which if you have not been told is what Mum intended for you, Hermione and Ginny in the end," Bill said.
"We know," Harry said with great disappointment. "That she would sink so low for a chance at a few Galleons…"
"It was a shock to us as well, Harry," Bill said, "if that's any comfort. When we learned of it…"
"Dumbledore is as bad as Voldemort," Fleur added. "Less open, but at least as vile!"
Harry nodded sadly.
"Harry," Bill said with concern and more than a bit of trepidation, "obviously Fleur and I cannot stay at the Burrow."
"And you're hoping that I might be able to help with alternate living arrangements?"
Bill nodded.
"Well, the Manor is - er - not appropriate," Harry said watching Bill and Fleur's faces fall a little. "But I do have seventeen guest houses that are currently unoccupied and not reserved for others. You're welcome to one of them."
"Harry, that's," Bill began.
"Thank you," Fleur finished.
"Um, how do we get there and to work?" Bill asked.
"One of my elves with drive you around. Pick the house you want. Personally I recommend any of them on the coast. I like looking at the sea. But it's up to you. The floo network here can take you to the Gringotts Branch in Pottersport - that's the main town here and from there you can use their secure network to get to the London Branch - or any other branch I'm told."
"There's a local Gringotts Branch?" Bill asked in shock. "But that means…"
"Welcome to the Duchy of Charenwell. Arguably it's the only real magical country in Europe if not the world," Harry said.
"And if Hermione's a Duchess?" Fleur began.
"It turns out the Potters are the Dukes," Harry said. "I'm the twenty-seventh Duke of Charenwell. Although everyone here calls me Harry."
"So you're like a king?" Bill asked.
"Constitutional monarch actually," Harry said. "I am Head of State but lack any power to govern and am forbidden by Charter from seeking elected office - at least within the Duchy. Same's true for Hermione, but not for anyone else in my family should they choose that path."
"So should we bow and curtsey and kiss your ring?" Bill asked.
"No. Except on occasional State occasions, I'm just Harry."
"I recall you said that."
"Darda?" Harry called and Darda appeared.
"Yes Milord?"
"Have Tinker or one of the others drive the Weasleys to the guest homes on the coast."
"They'll bring the car around directly," Darda said before disappearing.
"Pick one, move your stuff in, but floo back here for the meeting," Harry said.
"Thank you Harry," Fleur said, "you are a true friend."
Harry sat in the center of the dining room table in the private apartments. Minerva, Mallory and Dora sat to his left and Hermione, Daphne and Astoria to his right as they waited for the others to arrive for the first meeting of the New Order. Bill and Fleur were the first to arrive and thanked Harry profusely for the cottage by the sea, although Fleur did complain it was too much. Why would they need six bedrooms? When Harry made a comment about children, she blushed. Harry made it clear they could live there as long as they wanted, after all it was just sitting empty.
Remus arrived next followed soon thereafter by Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad Eye Moody, soon to be the newest member of the New Order. Moody eyed everyone suspiciously before speaking.
"I take it you're no longer under that old bastard's thumb Mr. Potter?" he growled.
Harry nodded.
"Bout bloody time! An' who are the others?"
"We'll get to that," Harry said. "Remus, what loyalty oaths were taken?"
"Moody here hasn't taken one yet. The rest of us swore fealty to House Potter and Lord Black."
"Think we should add the Duke of Charenwell?"
"Duke of what?" Moody asked.
"Oaths first, explanations later," Harry said.
"The Duke would be a good idea," Remus agreed.
Remus, Moody, Kingsley, Bill and Fleur then swore fealty to the House of Potter, Lord Black and the Duke of Charenwell, whoever he was.
"Why didn't any of you have to take the oath?" Moody growled looking at Harry and his ladies.
"The bond I have with each of these women precludes the need for any further fealty oaths," Harry replied.
Moody's jaw dropped at the implications.
"When Sirius died, his last act as my Magical Guardian was to emancipate me allowing me to acquire my inheritances. Sirius named me his heir and heir of the House of Black which became effective the moment his death was confirmed at Gringotts. As a result of my investiture yesterday, I am now Lord Sir Harry James Potter, Twenty-Seventh Duke of Charenwell, Fifty-First Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, Forty-Seventh Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, Knight of the Order of the Round Table. This here," he indicated to Hermione, "is my wife and Consort, Lady Dame Hermione, Duchess of Charenwell, Knight of the Order of the Round table. Next to her are my wives in all but law, Daphne Greengrass Black and Astoria Greengrass Potter. To my left are my wives in all but law that I inherited from the Black and Potter Estates: Minerva McGonagall Potter, Mallory Grant Black and Dame Dora Tonks Black, Knight of the Order of the Round Table."
"So you're saying you're emancipated, Head of not one but two Ancient and Noble Houses and Hermione Granger is now your Consort?" Moody asked.
Harry nodded.
"You definitely screwed the Old Man's pooch!"
"His primary plans for me are now worthless," Harry agreed.
"What's this Duke thing?" Moody asked.
"We are now in the Duchy of Charenwell, an independent magical country," Harry said. "The Ministry of Magic has no authority here whatsoever."
"And how long has it been independent?"
"Since 1217."
"And I guess that makes you a prince or something?"
"Technically, Head of State. But I do not govern here really. I own all the land, about 250,000 acres all told, but the head of the government is Lord Mayor Remus Lupin."
"Bloody Hell," Moody thought. "Still, that don't make this safe from Voldemort or his minions or free of the Old Man or the damn Ministry."
"Alone, no," Harry agreed. "The wards, however, do. There are only two ways to travel to and from here magically. One is that either I or one of my ladies brings you here or your are bonded to one of my rings. The other is the International Floo Exchange in Pottersport. Even then, unless you were born here, have my permission or are bonded to me, that connection will not work. Any wizard who attempts to enter these lands without my permission or leave and with intent to harm me, my House or my people will be killed at the Ward Line."
"Those kinds of Ward are illegal," Moody shot out.
"In Britain," Harry nodded. "But we aren't in Britain, are we?"
Moody nodded realizing Harry was correct in that assessment. "And Dumbledore thought you'd be safer under a Fidelius Charm or Blood Ward? Wanker!"
"I've come to believe he wanted me Outside so that I would be anything but safe. He's as much a threat as Voldemort, just not as obvious."
"Hence why I'm here," Moody said. "Wanker left me for dead for a whole year for that Crouch brat. There's no way the Old Man did not know it was not me."
Harry nodded in agreement.
"There are a few things I want to discuss before we get down to business," Harry said. "First of all, my sister Clarice."
"What about her?" Kingsley said. "Have there been any new leads?"
"Sister?" Moody asked.
"I have a younger sister," Harry said. "While she survived the attack on Godric's Hollow as well, she's been missing ever since. Until very recently, all that was known about her was that she was adopted by a Jameson family a few days later."
"And now?"
"Ran into her adoptive father down at a Pub in Pottersport on Saturday. She's now under House Protection."
Remus confirmed this.
"How'd you know it was her Old Man?" Moody asked.
"I didn't. We got to talking. He showed me pictures of his wife and kids and there she was. He told me her birth date, that she was adopted from Outside and she has an uncanny if feminine resemblance to yours truly. We confirmed it yesterday."
"Ever think of being an Auror, Milord?" Kingsley asked.
"Just Harry, please. Yes. But this Duke thing makes that a bit of a problem. The Ministry might not appreciate a foreign potentate on their payroll."
"But what about your seats on the Wizengamot?" Bill asked.
"My seats as both Lord Black and Lord Potter predate the Duchy. Different rules. As I have lands in Britain, I keep my seats."
"How many votes?"
"Including the Black votes, 212. Not a majority, but that does not include allied votes."
"Houses Longbottom and Bones have 73 votes," Moody noted. "They almost always followed the Potter lead. 16 more and you hold a majority. You'd control that government for all intents and purposes."
"I have no intention of doing so unless and until it becomes necessary and even then only when necessary. If the Old Man moves against me in the Wizengamot…"
"He has enemies. They'd side with you just to spite him."
"My thoughts exactly. As I understand it, I have enough votes to deadlock the assembly. Again, it will only be used when necessary to thwart the Pureblood agenda.
"Another of my contingency plans is economic. Seems I can break both the Old Man and the Death Eaters. The Old Man embezzled over three million from me over the years. With penalties and interest, well my letters from Gringotts suggest his careful financial plans are not unassailable. He would be broke.
"Thirty-four Death Eaters or their supporters are living in Black properties and have not paid rent since before I was born. The least amount owed is close to three million. Again, interest and penalties and I have the ability to freeze and confiscate most of their accounts. For now, I am planning to do just that, but probably only against those who were arrested recently following the Department of Mysteries."
"Why just them," Bill asked.
"They attacked the Head of one Ancient and Noble House and the Scion of another," Daphne said understanding Harry's idea. "Under law and Custom, Harry is allowed to retaliate without fear of repercussions."
Harry nodded. "It would appear as retaliation for an attack on the Houses," he said, "not a direct attack on Death Eaters and Voldemort. It might make him think twice about trying something similar."
"I wouldn't count on that," Moody said. "That thing is unstable."
Harry sighed in agreement. "Still, to the Ministry and people, it would not be seen as part of the ongoing war."
"That much is true," Moody agreed. "Collateral damage at most."
"Third item," Harry said. "The Concubine Auction."
"But Hermione and Clarice are safe from that now," Fleur said.
"Yet a lot of our friends are not," Hermione added.
"I don't have a final list yet, but I intend to buy all of our friends - at least all the ones who are still up for sale."
"Why?" Moody asked.
"Because I don't want them to become little more than whores," Harry snapped. "Here, they have a chance at a life. As a Concubine in Britain?"
Moody shrugged.
"Moreover," Harry continued, "it is my plan to overbid on my targets purchases - massively."
"Why?"
"The first on the lot is Hannah Abbot. She's a friend of ours. Asking bid is 200. I intend to open the bidding at ten times that."
"And what will this achieve?"
"Aside from guaranteeing that I get her, hopefully I can cause a gross inflation in bidding, thus making it very hard for any other bidder to buy any of the ladies not on my list, at least the ones who are not already Concubines."
"You intend to effectively corner the market on new women?" Bill asked.
"That is my intention."
"And what purpose will that serve?"
"It should inflate prices across the board," Harry said. "This will hurt of not cripple the slave market. I find the whole thing repugnant."
"Not so much as not to have some for your own," Moody pointed out.
"My ladies are no more slaves than you are," Harry shot back. "The only part of the bond they are still under is a permanent fealty bond! That's not the same as being a slave!"
"Fine."
"Is it possible to warn the girls?" Fleur asked.
"How do you mean?" Harry replied.
"We know who they are, yes? Could we not send them a letter telling them what would happen? They could leave the country or find a bond mate or both?"
"Makes sense," Harry nodded. "I really don't need twenty women like that."
"There are problems with that idea," Minerva said. "Most notably, there is the time factor. We have two weeks before the Auction."
"And you can add to that complication the little problem that the Auction list we have today might not be the one on Auction Day," Dora said. "They don't close out the book, as it were, until the Thursday before the Auction. Until then, women can be added. Should one bond out before she's paid for in full, she's safe regardless. But if's she's added the Thursday before?"
"How do you…" Hermione began.
"When we learned of Dumbledore's plans for you, Hermione, my job was to find out all I could about the Auction. I'll admit being a concubine myself I was curious. But my curiosity alone is of little use. But being an Auror supposedly investigating illegal activities? I was able to get some rather interesting information.
"If we sent out letters today, it might help one or two girls," Dora continued, "but that's just speculation. She'd have two weeks to find a bond mate and complete the bond as payment is due up front."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Each buyer must provide what they are willing to spend before they bid. Usually this is done by authorizing their Agent access to their accounts up to a certain amount. If you don't have the gold to make the bid and have not authorized your Agent to bid that gold, you cannot bid at all. Basically, the transaction is completed the second the auctioneer says the girl is sold."
"But it's still a chance," Hermione said.
"A very, very slim one at best," Dora replied. "Ask yourself this, Hermione – and understand you seem to be more emotionally mature than most girls your age: if this was a few weeks ago, would you have offered yourself to Harry?"
"If I knew the alternative? Yes, of course."
"Why did you wait as long as you did?"
"You know I didn't know what the oath did!"
"That aside, why did you wait until this summer? Why didn't you and Harry get together sooner? What changed?"
"He told me he loved me," Hermione replied in a soft voice. "He really loved me."
"And before he told you that, would you have thrown yourself at him?"
Hermione shook her head.
"And why not?"
"It was not about the sex," Hermione said. "I had those feelings for him as well, but I wanted more than just sex from him."
"And?"
"And, I was not about to give into that if sex was all I could expect from him. It had to be love!"
"Exactly!" Dora replied. "Most likely you waited because you feared either rejection or that the deeper feelings were not reciprocated. Just about any girl could get good and shagged by almost any boy Harry's age if they let him know they were ready, willing and able. But the bond is not about the sex. The sex is the ritual that finalizes the bond, but without the love, you can make the oath and all you would have accomplished is to lose your virginity. In two weeks, you would still become a concubine.
"And if you had received a letter let's say a couple of months ago saying you had a couple of weeks, or even a couple of days to become a Consort or be sold into slavery against your will, what would you have done? Be honest."
"I don't know," Hermione said honestly. "More than likely, I would have thought it was a sick joke or the worst pick up line in history and …"
"Ignored it. But let's say you believed it. What then?"
Hermione shrugged. "Maybe tried."
"With whom?"
"Harry, of course."
"What if he refused? What if he said he respected you too much or didn't see you that way?"
"He doesn't," Hermione protested.
"Obviously," Dora said with a smile. "This is a hypothetical. What if you believed you had to bond or become a slave and Harry chose not to bond with you? What would you have done then?"
"I don't know. Ron I guess?"
"Who doesn't love you at all," Dora said, "so it would have failed. And what if there was no Harry in your life at all? What if you never had a boyfriend or even a boy who was your friend? Most girls your age do not have the relationship you have with Harry. They either are in a teenage romance, which will not create the bond, or they have no relationship at all. What if they're younger? They can be bound at any time after their sixth menstrual cycle. Usually, if they are Muggle Borns they are older. Still, I was not yet thirteen when I was first bound. How would those girls react, assuming they did at all? They would either throw themselves at a boy – any boy – in the vain hope to avoid being sold, or they might have considered the only other effective way of avoiding becoming a concubine by their own means."
"What's that?"
"Suicide," Dora said. "A dead girl is safe from being bound."
"That's not an option!" Harry shot out. "I will not be a party to that! What about Fleur's idea of fleeing the country?"
"That might give the girl peace of mind for a time," Dora said, "but the sale would happen anyway and the nature of the bond is such that the girl could be summoned from anywhere. The only hope for any of the girls is becoming a Consort, which is not something you can just run out and do. And, if the girl is a Muggle Born or any other young witch who has no wizard family member acting as her magical guardian, while she is off the market, the probability is another girl would take her place. If it is Dumbledore's intent to sell let's say ten girls this summer, ten will be sold; or at least ten will be offered in the final days before the Auction. As I understand it, Dumbledore submits the list of primary sales and another list of secondary ones and he always offers a couple more girls than he needs just to make sure his sales don't suffer because a girl is lucky enough to become a Consort. Hermione's bond with Harry saved her, but some other girl is going on the block in her place most likely."
"So we're back to the original plan," Harry said with disappointment. "We buy the lot of them."
"Basically," Dora nodded.
"Any other schemes?" Moody asked after a long pause.
"As a matter of fact yes, but this one is for later."
"And?"
"Charenwell is the largest supplier of meat, fish, grain, fruits and vegetables to Wizarding Britain. In some cases, we supply over eighty percent of the market. Should the Purebloods seize control of that government and move - as I suspect they will at one point - against the Muggle Borns, I will consider a blockade and cut off their food supply."
"And what will that do? They'll just buy from elsewhere."
"At greatly inflated prices, it would result in runaway inflation which would probably bring down the government."
"Interesting," Moody said.
"And what about your people, Harry?" Remus asked.
"That plan probably won't be put into effect for some time, Lord Mayor. In the mean time, we expand our trade with the Continent. Hopefully, when we pull out of Britain, there will be ample markets abroad."
"And if not?"
"We set up a dummy company on the Continent to sell our food to Britain - at greatly inflated prices, of course."
"You sure you're not a Slytherin?"
"The hat did want to sort me there."
"Why didn't it," Daphne asked.
"Cause I told it not to. There was no way I wanted to be in the same House as Malfoy."
"Wish I had thought of that," Daphne sighed.
"What about direct action?" Moody asked.
"You're looking at all we have, Mad Eye," Harry said. "We are in no position to engage in combat operations except on the smallest of scales. We need to train and recruit and train some more before we could hope to make a dent without suffering unacceptable losses. Remus told me that it may be months or longer before Voldemort moves on the Ministry. That gives us time."
"My guess is he'll off the Old Man before making any such move," Moody said.
"How?"
"No idea."
Harry nodded.
"Well, that's all that I have," Harry finished.
"Hermione?" Remus asked.
"Um," she began, "Remus had me doing a bit of research this week about Horcruxes."
Without waiting for questions, Hermione was in full lecture more. She told everyone what a horcrux was - a powerful magical object used to store a piece of a Dark Wizard's soul. So long as the horcrux survived, the soul fragment contained within it acted as an anchor. The Dark Wizard's soul remained anchored to the world even if his body was destroyed.
"That's what Dumbledore thinks happened that night in Godric's Hollow?" Kingsley asked.
Hermione nodded and continued. Dumbledore and told Dora and McGonagall, in different contexts, that he believed that Voldemort had made six of those objects. He knew the diary Harry had destroyed Second Year was one. He believed most, if not all of the others were related to a Hogwarts founder. The Old Man believed that one was a ring that belonged to Voldemort's Pureblood grandfather. Another was a locket that had belonged to Slytherin. A third was a cup that had belonged to Hufflepuff. The Old Man knew that because he had been searching for them since the end of Harry's Second Year and had obtained memories from various places that showed that Tom Riddle a/k/a Voldemort had stolen these items from their rightful owners then murdered them framing another for his crimes. The last two were speculative at best, Hermione reasoned. One might be something that had belonged to Ravenclaw and the other the Old Man believed was his snake. Not that any of this mattered as the Old Man still had no clue where any of them were aside from the snake, which was usually with its master. Until all the Horcruxes were destroyed, Voldemort remained immortal. Once they were all destroyed, he was as mortal as anyone.
That brought up the second problem. Even if you could find them, and avoid any traps placed upon them to keep them safe, there were only three ways known to destroy them. None of them were easy. First, you could destroy the magic. There were only two known ways to do this. The First was with Basilisk venom, which while there was a great ruddy one moldering beneath Hogwarts, those beasts were hardly common. Or, you could use a rare type of magical sword which was impractical because they were so rare. The only known one was the Sword of Gryffindor which was locked in the Old Man's office at Hogwarts. The second way to destroy a horcrux was to destroy the soul fragment itself. The only way to do that was with a Killing Curse cast by a witch or wizard more powerful than the one who made the horcrux in the first place.
"Which poses a problem for the moment," Hermione said.
"Why's that?" Moody asked.
"What is your Ganter Scale Score?"
"460, well above average," Moody said with a hint of pride.
"490 myself," Hermione said with a smirk. "Voldie's a 505."
"Bloody hell! Anyone more powerful?"
"Right now only the Old Man. He's a 535."
"And Harry?" Daphne asked.
"478, before Mallory began unbinding his magic."
"His magic was bound?" Minerva asked. Apparently, she was not in on this information. "It should not have been bound! Even if it was, it should have been released his First Year. Poppy checks for that sort of thing."
"Aye, she does," Moody agreed. "The Old Man probably obliviated her."
"What?"
"The Old Man bound the lad when he was seven."
"Why?"
"What was the lads Ganter score?"
"478," Harry said.
"That's a 478 bound. You can nearly double that with the bindings released if it's done safely."
"Dora said it should be around 930."
"Merlin's Beard," Bill said.
"More like Merlin himself," Moody laughed. "The kid was bound because by age seven it would have been hard to send him to Hogwarts and into the Old Man's care."
"Why's that?"
"You were quite the accomplished young wizard without a wand, Harry," Moody said. "We only learned it when we finally caught you."
"What are you talking about?"
"The boy taught himself more magic than most adults know by that age. All of it learned from his own imagination. At seven, he learned to apparate. Now, we cannot detect wandless magic, but apparition? Kid was jumping all over Britain that summer for the fun of it. Took us two weeks to catch him. That's when the Old Man bound him."
"But I have no memory of that!" Harry protested. "I apparated once!"
"That was the first time. The Old Man let you remember your first bouts of magic, but not how you learned to control it. He obliterated most of your childhood."
"Bastard!" Harry growled.
"Dumbledore," Moody sighed. "Tell you what. I'll prepare some pensieve memories of the Great Harry Hunt of 1988 for your amusement."
"I guess."
"Of course, a 930 explains why you survived the Killing Curse in '81."
"How?"
"Old Barty didn't teach you everything I know, I see," Moody chuckled. "The Killing Curse is pure hate based magic. In addition to the emotion, it works by overpowering the opponent's magic. Killing Muggles and Squibs that way is easy, but witches and wizards? The spell cannot kill a witch or wizard who is measurably more powerful than the caster. The Inner Circle Death Eaters are all over 400 but barely. The average witch or wizard is around a 275 to 300. Thus it appears the spell is instant death. Now this is Top Secret and treason for me to reveal but bollocks the Ministry. Frank and Alice Longbottom were both close to 500. Not one of their assailants was anywhere near enough power to kill them. True, taking the curse can still mess you about. Throw in the Cutiatus and that's why we think they're in St. Mungo's. Most any other witch or wizard would be pushing up daisies.
"Now Harry here? If he really is a 930, the whole lot of Death Eaters and Voldie himself can cast Killing Curses at him while he throws them raspberries and buff his nails and he might feel a tickle."
"So Harry's invulnerable?" Bill asked.
"To that curse yes," Moody said. "But a near squib with a well aim blasting curse can still blow his head off. Physical effect magic does not rely on overpowering the raw magical core. Still, I'd love to see his shield charm as a 930! That is core based. Where were we?"
"Ways to destroy a horcrux," Hermione said.
"Sorry 'bout going off point."
"It's okay, Moody, it would have come up anyway."
"Why?"
"You'll see," she smiled. "So, we covered two ways. Destroy the magic or the soul. The third is to destroy the object. Only one way to do that and that's Fiendfyre."
"Right nasty stuff that is," Moody said.
"And please note it is also hate based."
Hermione then described what her books told her happened when a Horcrux was destroyed. There was at the very least a flash of magic as the magical container broke, a wisp of a black smoky substance as the soul was released, followed by a scream of pain as it died. She then described that something exactly like that happened when she and Harry climaxed at the end of their Consort Bonding ritual.
"It's true," Dora added. "I was there."
"Mon Deu," Fleur said, "you had a witness to the rite?"
"She walked in," Harry shrugged. "I was a bit preoccupied at the time."
"Good thing too Buster," Hermione growled.
"Yes Dear," Harry said getting a laugh from the others.
"So Harry was a Horcrux?" Bill asked.
"The Old Man suspected as much," Moody replied. "Told me that when Sirius and I insisted we train him in combat. Said he had to die to destroy Voldemort."
"Bastard," several voices said. Harry heard two sniffs and quiet sobs to his right and saw the sisters were looking at him and crying. He felt a lump in his throat.
"So what you're saying is the Horcrux that was Harry is gone?" Kingsley asked.
"There was the flash of magic, the smoke and scream and when it was over Harry's scar had disappeared," Hermione replied.
"From a Consort Bond?"
"Well," Hermione blushed, "there was a bit more. I combined the final phase of the bond with a druid based purification ritual - that's what the Runes were about Remus."
"Why didn't you say that," Remus asked.
"'Cause you were watching Dora's memory of the moment and commenting on what a cute ass I had!"
"Hey!" Harry complained. "No perving on my wives!"
"Sorry," Remus said contritely.
"Why did you do that?" Fleur asked. "Did you know Harry was a horcrux?"
"No. I did it because it is supposed to exorcise demons. Harry has had a lot of pain in his life and I felt combining the rituals might help him find some happiness."
"So was it the Purification Ritual that drove out the Horcrux?" Fleur asked.
"It certainly helped. The two rites were love based magic performed and completed at the height of a mutual expression of love by a very powerful witch and wizard. Horcruxes are hate based. The Arithmancy I've gone over in the last few days regarding those magics suggests the combination of rites, love and our magic drove Voldie's soul fragment out because the container had become hostile to it and once out, it was destroyed."
"I take it that's not all?" Moody asked.
"Okay," Hermione slumped, "now we're dealing with supposition. Until Voldie, no one had ever attempted to make more than one of those vile things. But, there was a book we acquired from the Black library that explained the Arithmancy of a horcrux in detail. Most of my research this past week has been into that. The numbers suggest that if you create more than one, they are interconnected in a way.
"Now, if you destroy one by the normal means I told you, the others will survive. But, that's not how Harry's was destroyed. The numbers suggest that a powerful love based attack - it being the opposite of the hate that's needed to create the things in the first place - might set off a chain reaction."
"A what?" Moody asked.
"As the horcruxes are interconnected by hate," Hermione replied, "destroying one with overpowering love magic might lead to the immediate destruction of all the others!"
"Any way to prove this theory?" Minerva asked.
"Not without verifying destruction," Hermione admitted. "It's a pity we didn't have one in our possession before."
"Bugger!" Moody exclaimed. When the others looked at him he continued. "When did this happen?"
"Last Sunday afternoon," Hermione replied. "Why?"
"Meeting of my part in the Old Man Order last week," Moody replied. "Snape reported Voldie's fell into a coma that day. Our Ministry spy says the same thing. Snake Face is still out cold, but regrettably he should live. Throw in the fact that Voldie's pet disintegrated in front of a few Death Eater that day and …"
"Then it's probable his horcruxes are gone," Hermione said.
"So we attack?" Dora asked.
"He's still got a shit load of Death Eaters," Harry shot back. "No. Now we train and recruit. We take out the lone targets. When we go for Voldie, ideally he'll be the last of his kind left!"
"Last?" Bill asked.
"My force will not stun and arrest," Harry said. "A Death Eater raises a wand, they are to be killed. Blasting curse should do the job. From what I've read guns will too. I learned the hard way. You put a Death Eater down, he should stay down forever!"
"But that means we're as bad as they are!" Bill protested.
"Are we?" Harry replied. "Rape and murder any Muggles lately? That's what they do! Death Eaters deserve their name! They deserve death without mercy or quarter. If they are marked, open season and they die! Their supporters deserve no less! This is a war. In war you kill the enemy!
"We are not bad, Bill. We don't rape and murder the innocent. That's what you have to do to earn the Dark Mark of a Death Eater! Every philosophy in every culture recognizes that killing in a just war is not immoral. It is a moral imperative! My plan is this: Voldie wins for a time. The people see for once that hiding their heads in the sand is suicide and we then offer an alternative. In that process we exterminate Death Eaters. When the final battle comes, Voldie will stand alone and I will shoot him with a gun like the rabid dog that he is!"
"I still can't…"
"Bill? If I learned one lesson from the Department of Mysteries it is this: you put a Death Eater down PERMANENTLY!"
"And Dumbledore?"
"For now, it's between him and Voldie. We're in no position to engage yet. But, come across the random Death Eater; feel free to kill them for the cause."
"I'm not sure I can."
"Bill, you do remember my talk of economic warfare?"
Bill nodded.
"If you cannot serve on the front lines, you have the skills to serve in that arena."
"Sir!" Bill replied.
A buzzing sound went off in the room from three locations: Dora, Kingsley and Moody.
"Bugger!" Moody exclaimed.
"What?" Harry asked.
"All hands on deck recall," Dora said. "All qualified Aurors are to report for duty."
"Why?"
"Fair bet," Moody said, "Voldie's minions have done something major. Sorry, but we have to leave."
Harry nodded in understanding.
"I promise to try and off a few Death Eaters for you," Moody added with a feral grin.
"Every bit helps," Harry smiled in reply.
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.
Harry James Potter, age 15.
1. Hermione Jane (Granger) Potter, age 16 (Gr-5); CONSORT (POTTER).
2. Dora (Tonks) Black-Potter, age 21 (Hu); CONCUBINE (BLACK).
3. Minerva Grace (McGonagall) Potter-Black, age 68 (Gr); CONCUBINE (POTTER).
4. Mallory Michelle (Grant) Black Potter, age 39 (Hu); CONCUBINE (BLACK).
5. Daphne Renee (Greengrass) Black-Potter, age 16 (Sl-5); CONCUBINE (BLACK).
6. Astoria Lynn (Greengrass) Potter-Black, age 14 (Sl-3); CONCUBINE (POTTER).
William (Bill) Weasley, age 25 (born 6/15/71)
Fleur Patrice (Delacour) Weasley, age 19 (11/4/76); CONSORT OF WILLIAM WEASLEY (12/27/95).