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Chapter 46: The Obligation of Gryffindor

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Before leaving Grimmauld Place to take the Horcruxes back to Godric’s Hollow, Harry checked that all was well there. He looked in on Winky and her little Dinky. Dinky sort of looked like a shaved bush baby with its huge eyes and pointy ears. Dinky was already able to totter around a bit. To his parent’s immense joy, the little tyke waddled over to Harry on unsteady legs and bowed.

Winky burst into tears at the sight and lay her head on Dobby’s shoulder in a way suggesting she wasn’t as upset with him as she had previously been. “Our little Dinky’s first bow to Master. We is so proud of him, Sir.”

“Sir, our little Dinky wishes to place himself in your service. We would be most honored if you would accept him, Sir,” said Dobby.

Harry knew he really had no choice at this point, and what was one more house elf with all he already had running around bowing to him. Harry took out his wand and touched the tip to the little elf’s forehead, “Dinky, I accept you into my service.”

Both Dobby and Winky set up a loud joyful wailing of “praise the Master” as they collected their baby and hugged him. “Thank you, Sir, for your generosity,” said Winky.

“You are most welcome,” said Harry. “Now is there anything you need while I am here?”

Harry saw Dobby’s cheeks turn a darker red color as he turned his face away. Winky looked at Dobby and turned back to Harry. “Master…,” she said hesitantly. “Dobby has been a good father to Dinky, and is good to Winky. He is telling Winky he is sorry that he made fucking with her when he shouldn’t have. Winky forgives him, Sir, and don’t want to bust his nuts no more.”

“Master is glad to hear that, Winky,” said Harry with a sly grin, he sort of had an idea where he thought this was going. “Master has punished Dobby for having sex with you by forbidding him to have relief. I imagine by now his balls are swollen and hurting, isn’t that right, Dobby?”

“Yes, Master,” whimpered Dobby. “They’s hurting badly again now.”

“When they are that full they are extra tender, I had thought that since you went through all the pain of having a baby that you might want to be allowed to kick Dobby in the balls again, perhaps several times, while they are so very tender to punish him properly.”

Dobby gave a frightened yelp at the idea and gave Winky a horrified glance. Winky came over to Dobby and gently embraced him. “Winky doesn’t want Dobby to hurt. She wishes good Master will let Dobby make fucking again with Winky … when she is wanting it too.”

“All right then, Winky,” said Harry with a smile. His suspicions had been right, she was taken with him now and wanted to bed old Dobby down a bit. “Dobby, you may have sex with Winky when she is agreeable to it, you may not force her to though.”

Dobby ran over to Harry crying, fell to his knees and hugged Harry’s legs. “Thank you, Master, thank you,” he cried repeatedly. It seemed he really was quite horny. Harry saw the look in Kreacher’s eyes as he stared lustfully at Winky. It got Harry to wondering about Kreacher’s sex life.

“Kreacher, how old are you?”

“Kreacher is not sure, Master, but believes he is nearly one hundred and ten years old.”

“When was the last time you had sex?”

“Kreacher has never been permitted sex by any of his Masters.”

“When was the last time you pulled yourself, or had any relief?”

“Kreacher has never had relief, Sir; he was ringed as a baby.”

“What do you mean ringed? What is that?”

“Kreacher was fixed so that he could never satisfy his needs Sir, even thinking of the need causes him pain down there,” said the elf pointing to his crotch.

“Kreacher, lift your covering and show me your genitals.”

Kreacher gingerly obeyed. Harry was aghast at what he saw; Kreacher’s penis was less than two inches long, but it was fitted with a studded brass cock ring inserted into the foreskin surrounding the opening of the urethra. Kreacher could urinate freely, and the ring would give no pain as long as the penis remained flaccid, but that was all he could do with it. The ring would not only prevent Kreacher from having an orgasm, but would make an uncontrolled erection extremely painful as the expanding glans would attempt to tear the ring through the foreskin, and the metal studs would dig into the tender flesh of the glans. This not only made sex, but also masturbation, impossible.

Hanging several inches below the penis, on what appeared to be painfully stretched flesh, was Kreacher’s distended scrotum. Clearly visible were two large orbs the size of tennis balls. Harry quickly calculated that on a wizard these would be the equivalent of a couple of cantaloupes banging around in his pants. To Harry’s amazement he saw they were both sky blue. Harry had always heard of blue balls, but here was the genuine article.

“So you’ve never had any sex, and you haven’t wanked in 110 years!” No wonder the poor little son-of-a-bitch was always cranky, thought Harry. Harry called Fleur in to look at Kreacher’s predicament.

“This was common, Harry,” said Hermione. “It was form of intimidation to help elves remember their place and remain subservient.”

“Why not just tell them not to have sex?” asked Harry.

“It was intended to be demeaning as well as painful, Harry. When you order them not to do something, they have the satisfaction that they are obeying Master. It helps them deal with the desire, here Master has not forbidden him to have release, just made it impossible. It boils down to screwy Elvish psychology, it’s humiliating to them, so the ring gives more than just physical torment, it adds mental and emotional trauma as well.

Harry stared down at Kreacher and saw a thin tear roll down his cheek as he stood there with his pillow case covering raised up. For the first time since he’d met Kreacher, Harry felt sorry for the poor little bastard, but then he considered that it was Kreacher’s disloyalty that had resulted in Sirius’ death. Despite the torment his purblood masters had inflicted upon him, he still glorified in the thought of serving them. The first opportunity he had been allowed, he had gone to Bellatrix and told her of the goings on of the Order of the Phoenix. Kreacher had provided the information to his Master’s enemies that told them how to lure Harry to his death using his love for Sirius as the bait, and then participated in the scheme by lying to Harry to help draw him into the trap set up in the Ministry of Magic building.

Dumbledore had said that Kreacher should be pitied, but then he had said that Snape could be trusted too. So much for taking Dumbledore’s advice. Plus there was the insubordination and treachery Kreacher had performed against him on numerous occasions. Plus Kreacher had known that Harry was searching for the Horcruxes, and had not told his Master about the items he had been keeping hidden. Harry remembered what Tonks had told him about elves, and the last vestiges of his sympathy for Kreacher vanished. The little shitbag deserved his suffering, and Harry knew just how to make it happen. Kreacher still had his pride in that he considered himself the “Boss House Elf” at Grimmauld Place, but that was a privilege that could easily be removed and given to someone else. Someone who despised Kreacher even more than Harry

“Dobby, I am appointing you to be the Head House Elf in Charge of Grimmauld Place, the other elves will report to you. Now why don’t you and Winky put little Dinky to bed and go get in the spare bedroom and have some sex. It’ll make you both feel better. Kreacher, I want to go along with them and watch; that way you can see how Master rewards his loyal elves.”

Dobby and Winky both seemed delighted with the idea and gave the hapless looking Kreacher a baleful grin. “You bad elf,” said Winky. “Winky is going to make you lick her cunt when Dobby is done making fucking in it.”

“Master says Dobby is head house elf,” spat out Kreacher. “Kreacher is not taking orders from stupid bitch elf named—“

Kreacher’s rant ended in a high pitched scream of agony as Winky stepped up to him and nailed him in the balls just as she had once done Dobby. Kreacher was lifted several inches into the air, then fell to the floor in a heap and lay there in the fetal position clutching himself and crying. Harry and Fleur both laughed at Kreacher’s discomfort.

“Winky,” said Harry, “whenever you think Kreacher should have a good kick in the nuts you just go right ahead and give it to him.”

Winky seemed to thoroughly enjoy the idea of being free to make Kreacher’s life a living hell. Dobby ordered Kreacher to stand up, as soon as he did so Winky kicked him in the balls again.

“Why did you kick him again?” asked Fleur as she and Harry watched Kreacher squirming on the floor again.

“No reason,” she replied. “Master says Winky can kick his balls if she thinks he needs one, Winky thinks he needs lots of kicks in his balls for nasty things he has done.”

As the three elves left the room, Harry felt Fleur step up behind him and put her arms around his shoulders. “You know, Winky isn’t the only female around that could use some attention,” she whispered in his ear. “James Albus and I haven’t had much intimate time with you lately. We’re here all alone, and there are plenty of unused bedrooms.”

“What about Ginny?”

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” she said as she took Harry’s hand and led him towards the large downstairs bedroom where Harry had lost his virginity to Tonks the summer before.

About an hour later, Harry stepped out of the bedroom naked to cross the hall to the bathroom and urinate. As he stood there draining his bladder he could hear Dobby and Winky still going at it down the hall. Walking into the bedroom, Harry could see Dobby furiously pumping between Winky’s wide spread legs, then he leaned back and ejaculated a long spurt of elf jizzm across Winky’s very hairy pubic mound.

“It took you long enough to come,” said Harry with a grin as he walked over to the pair.

“Oh, no, Sir,” said Dobby with a large grin across his face. “This is Dobby’s fifth time to make fucking with Winky.” Winky just smiled up at Harry and nodded her confirmation.

“Head house elf orders you to clean up his mess,” Dobby said harshly to Kreacher while pointing at the globules of white semen clinging to the mat of hair between Winky’s thighs.

Kreacher gave a look of despairing hope towards Harry and saw that no reprieve would be forthcoming. Quickly crawling over on his knees to Winky, Harry could see the grimace of pain on his face as he moved. His swollen testicles were now colored a mixture of deep purple and black. Apparently Winky had been using, or abusing depending upon your viewpoint, her new power over Kreacher as well. Kreacher put his face over her mound and his long elf tongue darted out to lick the strands of semen off her and swallow them.

Behind him, Harry heard the soft patter of bare feet on the floor boards and felt a warm body press next to his. At his waist he could feel the bulge pressing against him where his first born son lay growing inside his mother’s womb. Fleur rested her chin on Harry’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around him.

“What’s going on,” she asked quietly.

“Kreacher is just cleaning up Dobby’s mess,” answered Harry as he turned around in her arms to kiss her. He eased his hand between her thighs and softly stroked her pussy, feeling the warm wet juices still lingering on the inner folds of the labia. “When he’s done with Winky I just might have him clean up Master’s mess, if you want him to.”

Fleur casually looked over at the long thin tongue working its way through Winky’s bush, and nodded her head from side to side. “Thanks, but no thanks, I think I’ll just go in the bathroom and get a cum rag, and use that to clean up with. I also think we better be getting back, before someone gets too worried and starts searching for us.”

Harry kissed her again and gave her a playful slap on her naked ass as she walked away. She turned to give him a baleful look of disapproval for the slap, but said nothing, then walked out of the room.

“Dobby, I think five times is enough for today, Winky has to have some rest, and I’m sure that Kreacher has plenty of other work that needs doing.”

“Yes, Master,” said Dobby. “I will finds many jobs that Kreacher needs doing.”

Fleur was already nearly dressed by the time Harry returned to gather up his own clothes from the chair where they had been tossed. She told him she would meet him in the den when he was ready to return to Godric’s Hollow. As Harry entered the den, he saw Fleur staring at an object sitting on the mantle over the fireplace. It was the Triwizarding cup that Harry had won his fourth year. He had forgotten that Sirius had proudly placed it there for all to see that following fall after Harry had won it. It had never left the mantle since then. Fleur was staring at the cup longingly and gently rubbing the small bulge in her lower abdomen that held James Albus. As he walked slowly up behind her, Harry saw her quickly wipe away a tear as she heard him approach.

“I know he really wanted you to win, Fleur, I’m sorry things went bugger all because of Barty Crouch,” said Harry. “I didn’t even want to win the damned thing, and I’ve never taken a moment’s joy in it.”

“I know that, Harry, it wasn’t your fault,” she replied sadly.

“May I ask you a personal question?” Harry asked, thinking back to the tear he had seen her shed in front of the Mirror of Erised.

“You can always ask, Harry,” she said flashing her mischievous teasing grin.

“What did you see when you looked in the Mirror of Erised?”

Fleur hesitated, her tongue touching her upper lip as she was prone to do when contemplating what to do next. Harry knew she was wondering whether to tell him or not. “I saw four people,” she said at last. “I saw Voldemort dead at my feet with the Sword of Gryffindor run through his heart, I saw myself holding a healthy James Albus in my arms, and I saw my father standing behind me with his hands on my shoulders. He was proud of me and was thanking me for killing Voldemort; and for freeing us from our family obligation.”

“What family obligation?” asked Harry.

“The one daddy’s portrait has already indirectly mentioned to you. A thousand years or so ago, my ancestor, Godric Gryffindor, bonded not only his life, but also that of his descendents to the service of your ancestor, Merlin, and his descendents. That obligation has been forgotten at times through the passage of history, but it’s still there. Gabrielle and I freely bonded ourselves to you as part of your coven to fight Voldemort, but even if we hadn’t, we were still your witches to call due to the obligation.”

“So how does killing Voldemort remove the obligation?” asked a puzzled Harry.

“It doesn’t, it just means that we have to protect you at any cost, even our lives. Remember when you told us the events leading up to how daddy had died that final night at our villa last summer? You said daddy had required you to take an oath to him to obey his orders to run and save yourself if he told you to, otherwise you couldn’t go. He did that for your protection, he couldn’t endanger you, but he needed you. That was his compromise with the obligation. The night Hogwarts was attacked I tried my best to stop you from returning, you wouldn’t listen, so I had to go and help you, the obligation wouldn’t let me not do it. Of course even without that damned obligation I would have stood at your side in the fight, I want revenge for what they did to my father.”

“So he froze me in place rather than save himself because he had no choice in the matter?” asked Harry. “He died because I was with him.”

“Not entirely, Harry, daddy protected you on that roof top at Hogwarts out of the genuine love he had come to feel for you; but, yes, even if he had hated your guts he would have still had to have protected you first. He died saving you, in part, because that was the family obligation of Gryffindor to Merlin. He didn’t want to fail again.”

“When did he fail the first time?”

“He failed to save your parents, Harry. He didn’t realize who your dad was at first. As I said, the knowledge of the bloodlines has become quite confused over the past millennium. Daddy made sure that he got control of you as a baby even though the Ministry wanted to make you its ward and raise you up like a sideshow act. Daddy kissed arse, made promises, paid bribes, and even made a few threats while Hagrid kept you hid at Hogwarts the day after your parents were killed. You were not brought out until he had officially been made your new guardian. Then daddy exhausted himself placing the protective charms on the Dursley home to keep you safe there. Officially the charms kept away any stray Death Eaters, but it also ran off any prying Ministry people.”

“Dumbledore wanted me isolated from the world of magic. He knew the Dursleys would treat me like they did, and I’d never know the truth about my parents.”

“Well, let’s just say he suspected it would happen, but remember that everybody was a bit frightened of you back then. Voldemort had seemingly just disappeared. Daddy was afraid of what might have happened to you when you were given that scar. When you came to Hogwarts he did come to truly love you, especially by the end of your second year when you proved yourself as the heir of Merlin down in the Chamber by drawing the sword, but it was too late to undo the past then. He had always tried to make up for leaving you with the Dursleys; he always favored you no matter what you did. He tried to keep you out of harm’s way when he could; he gave you the invisibility cloak because he knew it would protect you from those who might want to harm you. There was no way you would ever have been expelled once daddy had you back under his care and his gaze. Think about the car you stole and drove into a tree on campus your second year, anybody, but Harry Potter, would have had his arse kicked out in the street then.”

“Why did he never tell me this, I had to practically drag everything out of him that I did learn. Life would have been a whole lot easier these past seven years if I had known some of this.”

“Yes, he did purposefully keep the details of your past from you, partly for your sake, partly for his own agenda. How could you have handled knowledge of the Unicorn when you were eleven, or even fifteen? Fartzmellar said you nearly freaked out on him when he finally told you after you had reached adulthood last summer.”

“I guess you are right about me not handling this too well, but what was your dad’s agenda, and how is all this tied to that obligation thing?”

“Daddy watched over you, he used the Sorting Hat to be invisible while he did it. He knew that you had reached sexual awareness your third year, he watched in your dorm room as you wanked. He knew that you were straight because you were eying girls you liked. That started the plans to free us from the obligation. Daddy arranged for the Triwizard tournament to be held at Hogwarts your fourth year. The convention that made the decision, like most conventions, met in Godric’s Hollow. The members got free passes to all the parties they could handle in the Unicorn, dad used his and mum’s own money to make bribes out the arse to ensure the tournament happened as planned.”

“But he made sure that you had to be seventeen or older so I’d be excluded,” said Harry.

“Exactly, the Goblet of Fire is an artifact going back to the ancient ones, just like Excalibur and the Mirror of Erised; they all have intense magical power. The Goblet would have known in a second that you were the descendent and heir of Merlin, there is no way it wouldn’t have selected you. If you entered the tournament then I would be bound to protect you even if it cost me the championship, or even my own life. The Sorting Hat told dad that of the seventh year students that Cedric Diggory was a descendent of Helga Hufflepuff, the Hat had recognized it in him. So dad knew that Cedric would be the Hogwarts champion if only seventh years were allowed to compete, and that I could easily best him. Durmstang was chosen to serve as the third school because it was really only ever a second rate school.”

“What do you mean second rate? It had Victor Krum didn’t it?”

“Oh, Harry, it’s in Bulgaria for fuck’s sake, how advanced a school could it really be? It’s mostly a wizard’s party school, of course, Krum goes there. Daddy knew whomever they sent in would be all muscles and athletic prowess, low on intelligence and magical skill. I was a sure win.”

“That brings up one question that I’ve been dying to ask you since last summer, what happened to your dodgy French accent you had then?”

Fleur blushed a bit and laughed, “Oh, that bullshit! Daddy thought I needed to seem more exotic. He brewed up a Franco-Babble potion to make everything Gabrielle and I said sound like cartoon French English. ‘So I haf to talk lik dis.’ He had me act like a stuckup bitch too. It wasn’t one of his better ideas, and he admitted it later, but once we used it, we had to keep up the charade. It was supposed to make Cedric and Krum underestimate me.”

“So it was all rigged for you to win,” said Harry with an astonished smile. “The whole damned competition was a setup by Dumbledore so his little girl could win eternal glory.”

“Only in part, Harry, you haven’t heard the truly devious part of daddy’s plan yet, that includes the part you were intended to play in the tournament. Madame Maxime knew who Gabrielle and I really were. We didn’t stay in the enchanted carriage that year; we were mostly staying at home, and in the castle in daddy’s quarters. He trained us a lot that year. Nobody ever seemed to wonder why little Gabrielle, the Veela sweetheart, had come with the Beaubatons contingent, but it was so she could be with daddy too. Our secondary mission was to meet Harry Potter, and for one of us to become very, very good friends with you. Gabrielle and I sort of settled on her having the best chance with you.”

“Very good friends as in intimate?” asked Harry in amazement.

“Eventually, yes, daddy purposefully did away with Quidditch that year, even though there is no way it would have interfered with the Tournament events. It pissed off a lot of people, but it would have left you with a lot of free time to kill. You were sexually aware, but still shy of girls your own age, and you hadn’t formed any attachments that might lead to a choice of mates yet. Enter Gabrielle who, as a Veela, can disguise her appearance to some degree. She made herself look younger than she really was to seem more nonthreatening to you. Just a harmless little girl. Once you two kind of hooked up, and you felt comfortable around her, she would have had a rapid growth spurt occur by your next year. She would become your new girlfriend.”

“So that’s why I thought she was just a kid back then,” mused Harry. “She was going to get me in bed? For what reason?”

“The reason most women take a man to bed, to make a little baby?” said Fleur as she patted the slight bulge in her abdomen.

Harry stared at Fleur for a minute as he thought things through. “Freedom from the obligation has nothing to do with Voldemort’s death, it comes from James Albus’ birth —,” said Harry as a moment of revelation hit him. “Making a spare ‘chosen one’ isn’t the main reason you’re pregnant with my first born is it?”

“Well — partially,” said Fleur. “The line of Gryffindor is bonded to serve the line of Merlin. You are the last of Merlin’s line; we are the last of Gryffindor’s. The bloodlines have never been this concentrated in a thousand years. You willingly made this child your chosen heir for Merlin’s line, and I made him the chosen heir of Godric’s, at his birth the heirs of both bloodlines will be joined into one soul.”

“The birth of our son ends the obligation to serve another bloodline, the two become one, and Gryffindor’s line will be free.”

“Yes, we intended for Gabrielle to eventually be the one to do it. Daddy would have loved having you as a proper son-in-law, Harry. He truly loved you like a son by the end. Gabrielle would have become a friend who was on the surface sexually non-threatening, and gradually, using her charm, and her Veela powers, would have worked her way into your heart.”

“And into my trousers too?” asked Harry somewhat amused at the thought.

“Oh, yes, trust me, Harry, if Crouch hadn’t ruined everything by getting you occupied with the tournament, by the end of your fifth year she’d have wrapped something around your pecker that feels a whole better than a pair of cotton gloves. You would have lost your cherry a lot sooner than you did.”

“And, of course, she can perform the charm of life on herself I bet,” asked Harry.

“A young boy … a young girl … puppy love …she gives herself willingly to her handsome young lover who needs her desperately … he can’t resist his burning lust any longer … they share an intimate night of love and passion … then he finds the seed he planted has borne fruit. The young girl is pregnant with his child, they marry in secret and the young lovers come to live in the summer in Godric’s Hollow, where the young boy learns the great secret of the Golden Unicorn.”

“Considering what I went through my fifth year at Hogwarts I’d have said ‘yes’ if you had told me all this back then and let me join in,” said Harry. “Especially if the unnatural male enhancement were thrown in as a bonus.”

“It would have been lovingly given as a wedding present by mum,” said Fleur with a laugh, “but I don’t know if it would have been your present, or Gabrielle’s. Are you mad at us for wanting to be free of this spell, Harry?”

“I’m a little mad that I wasn’t trusted more than I was. It sure made things hard on me. One thing I would like to know though, do you blame me in any way for your father’s death?”

“No, Harry,” Fleur replied softly, “neither does Mum, or Gabrielle. We blame three individuals for it: Voldemort for starting all of this, Snape for doing it, and Godric Gryffindor for making promises that others had to keep for him.”

“But your father died to save me? He had no choice but to sacrifice himself?”

“And he would have done so willingly, even without the obligation in your case. Understand this, Harry; the obligation is to your bloodline, not to you. If Voldemort were the heir of Merlin then our father would have obliged to support him; Gabrielle and I would have been required to be his bitches. You are a good man, Harry, you’re fighting in a just cause, but what if your great-grandson isn’t a good man, what if a hundred years from now he decides to be the next Grindalwald, or Voldemort? My descendents would be forced to act against their own values and support him. James Albus is the designated double heir; he ends it once and for all.”

“It just kind of hurts a bit that you didn’t trust me, and that you really only want the baby for its bloodline … not its daddy.”

“I’ve already told you that I wouldn’t have agreed to do this if I didn’t like you as a man, Harry. I do care for you. In fact I’ll tell you something I had forgotten until Mum reminded me the other day; I was the first girl you slept with.”

“You were my first?”

“Yes, Mum used to watch you when your parents were out, you and I shared a crib, and she said we would sleep together in each others arms with big smiles on our faces. I just barely remember you from back then; I know you’ve forgotten it.”

“I have no memories before I went to the Durs— what the hell!” said Harry as a popping sound of an incoming apparition cut him off in midsentence. He and Fleur both reacted by reaching for their wands, but the interloper was only Gabrielle.

“I should have known you two would slip off somewhere and start fucking,” she muttered as she stepped up to the couple. Harry opened his mouth as if to deny the act but she wouldn’t have it. “Oh, never try to deny having sex to a Veela, Harry. I can smell the sex on both of you, you two reek of mindblowing orgasm. It’s positively disgusting, we could have a fantastic three way, if not for my greedy slut sister.”

Fleur simply grinned condescendingly at her younger sibling and stuck out her tongue at her. “You’re just jealous you didn’t think of it first. Anyway, why are you here?”

“Harry, your fiancé, remember her, the one you are supposed to get married to? Well she is worried about you, and wants to know where you are?”

“It is time to be getting back,” said Harry, “and I have some good news for everyone.”

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

“You have had some very good luck here, Harry,” said Nimue. “You’ve gotten three pieces of his soul here. I would suggest you keep them intact for now, but separate them, their power combines when close together, also, if you expose the Horcrux within them, then Voldemort can access it psychically to gain information on you as he did your scar. Put them somewhere safe, separate, dark, and silent.”

“When and how should I destroy them?” asked Harry.

“The sword is capable of destroying the objects and the Horcrux within; just chop them as with an ax. As to when, Voldemort may not have felt the loss of the ring or the diary, but destroy three parts of his soul at the same time and it’ll twinge him, he’ll feel it like you just thumped his nuts hard. When you are preparing to face him, destroy the three as closely together as possible. It will hurt him physically, and, more importantly, frighten him. He thinks he is invulnerable, he can’t be killed. Hurting his confidence just before a duel will weaken him more than hurting his body.”

Harry decided to carry the Horcruxes into the void and deposit them in the Mirror of Erised. It would be easier to retrieve them all in a hurry that way. For the next week Nimue stayed at the villa and worked with Harry inside the void on how to best use the sword. Harry was an apt and avid student. Fleur would often bring the sword of Gryffindor into the void and practice with Harry.

As the holidays were close upon them, Nimue announced at breakfast that she was leaving that morning to travel abroad a bit. It had been some time since she had lived on the land, the time spent with Harry had whetted her appetite to see more of the modern world. She told Harry that she would definitely return at some point and see how things worked out between him and Voldemort.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

The week of Christmas came and there was a parting of ways for Harry’s group. Hooch and Balzhoff went on a two week skiing trip to an Austria resort just for Lesbian witches. Remus and Pomfrey couldn’t take off quite as long due to the moon cycle, but they preferred the sun anyway and went to Majorca. Hermione, Neville and Luna each planned to stay with their respective families for the holidays. The Delacours were used to working through the busy Christmas holiday rush as passes to the Golden Unicorn were frequently given as gifts. Traditionally, the Unicorn closed for a week after the New Year started to let the elves take a rest, and Dumbledore, Desiree and their girls always took a week’s leave to go skiing in Switzerland at a chalet the family had a time share on. Albus Dumbledore had used the same idea that Harry had hit upon, of using the elves to double for him while he was absent Hogwarts. This year would be their first family holiday without their father along.

The afternoon before Christmas Eve, Ginny went to visit with Hermione before she left the next day to return to her parent’s home. As she was about to knock on Hermione’s bedroom door she heard crying inside. Looking inside the room she saw Hermione sitting on the bed with all her cloths and other items pulled out of the closet. It didn’t look as though Hermione was preparing to leave for a week or so, it looked more as if she was leaving for good.

As Hermione sat there crying on the bed, it broke Ginny’s heart to see her best friend in such a state of anguish and despair. Ginny walked over to comfort her friend, but seeing Ginny standing there only seemed to make it worse.

“I’m leaving,” Hermione said softly, “I won’t be back unless Harry needs me against Voldemort, but I can’t stay here like this.” That said, Hermione simply knelt there at Ginny’s feet crying, her eyes puffed from previous tears. Her chest heaved as she drew ragged sobbing breaths and let them out unevenly.

“Hermione, what is it?” asked Ginny as she knelt down beside her friend and caressed her in her arms. “What is the matter?”

“I want to be you,” said Hermione between sobs.

“Me?”

“I want to be you because you have him. Harry loves you, he wants you. You’re going to be his wife, you’re going to sleep with him, you’re going to have babies for him. You get to share his life. I want to be you because I love him too, I want him, and now I know I can never have him. I hurt so bad I wish I were dead.”

“But Hermione, you are our friend, we both love you. You are always welcome to visit us; we want you as a part of our lives always.”

“Oh, really? What if you were in my place and I in yours? Always consigned to be Harry’s and my friend. You watch as Harry marries me. Of course you are welcome to visit us in our home and have after dinner drinks and conversation while you watched us cuddle on the couch. You could pick up your coat and make your way out the door while Harry took me by the hand and led me into our bedroom. You could go back to your modest flat and lay in your bed alone at night knowing that Harry was here making love to me. You could drop by in the afternoon for girltalk and keep me company while you watched my belly swell up with Harry’s child inside me. You could drop by and babysit our children while Harry took me out for a romantic evening. Our children would grow up just knowing you as dear Aunt Ginny, the family friend. It wouldn’t make a bit difference to you would it?”

“Of course it would, but it was Harry’s choice, he chose me.”

“I’m not disputing that, you gave me a fair chance when you dumped him and I failed. I had sex with Harry while we were at Hogwarts after you stopped seeing him because I wanted him. I was trying to steal him from you. But it was no good, you are the one he wants not me. I keep thinking I should hate you for it, but I don’t, I can’t. I love you too. I love you both. It’s so damned unfair, the two people I love most in the world are in love with each other, and now I’m losing both of you.”

“We love you too!” said Ginny. “But you’re not losing us; it’s just a change in our relationship.”

“I’ve got to go, I can’t stay. I want you two to have a chance of being happy without me being another Moaning Myrtle hanging around.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way,” said Ginny after a bit.

“I have to leave, I can’t stand the loneliness, it hurts more than I can bear,” sobbed Hermione. “I’ll be all right. I’m in the Inquisition, I plan to go to London and stay there. If you need my help against Voldemort then I’ll come back and do what I can.”

“That’s not good enough,” said Ginny. “I’ll miss my best friend that way.” Ginny kissed Hermione passionately on the lips and then slowly stood and extended her hand to Hermione. “Come with me,” she said softly.

“Where?”

Ginny smiled and slyly cast her eyes towards the master bedroom door at the end of the hall. “We always bitched that those beds at Hogwarts were way too narrow for a proper tutorial in amateur gynecology. I have a huge bed in there where we can stretch it out proper.”

“But you’re going to be Harry’s wife, what if he finds out about us, what we’ve been doing all these years?”

“Darling, Harry has known about it all along, so did Ron. They didn’t mind.”

“What if Harry walks in on us now though?’

Ginny leaned over and kissed Hermione on the lips again, “We’ll see what happens then, won’t we.”

“You would do this for me?” asked an amazed Hermione as she got to her feet.

“For your love, hell yes!” came the hard reply from Ginny who took Hermione’s hand and led her towards the master bedroom.

It was about 45 minutes later that Harry apparated into his bedroom at the villa from his office at the Unicorn. He was quite surprised to find Ginny and Hermione lying naked in his bed. They were in a tight embrace with each one fingering the other’s crotch while they kissed passionately. As Harry stood by the bed the two of them pulled apart and lay on their backs exposing themselves to Harry’s view.

“Welcome home, darling, a dear old friend came by to visit,” said a smiling Ginny while running her hand lightly over Hermione’s breasts.

Harry felt a now familiar tightening in his groin as he surveyed the two women he cared for most lying there naked before him. He knew that this was a dangerous moment when he could lose husbandly privileges with Ginny, but Hermione was there invitingly before him.

“Our dear friend is welcome any time she wants to come by,” said Harry somewhat hesitantly. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation; I’ll go take a shower if you don’t mind.”

“I have a better idea,” said Ginny. “Why don’t you slip out of those clothes, get in bed and join the conversation.”

“I don’t know that I have that much control, Ginny. Even a warlock is still human.”

“Nobody said you have to keep it under control. It’s just us, do what you need to do. A warlock does have a duty to his coven to keep them all satisfied doesn’t he?” asked Ginny as she shifted her hand down and began to stroke Hermione’s pussy, while Hermione gave a short sigh and spread her legs to allow Ginny better access to the area.

“Ginny, you’re sure this is all right?” asked Harry as he crossed to Ginny’s side of the bed and took her hand in his. “I don’t want to lose you, baby.”

“And I don’t want to lose Hermione,” said Ginny. “She’s leaving us, Harry; she’s going away because she doesn’t have either of us to love anymore.”

“I don’t want her to go either, I love her too,” said Harry. “I love all of the girls in my coven, but it’s you I want you for my wife, I love you and I need you there at my side.”

“I love you, Harry, you’re my man, my one and only man. However, there are things I get from Hermione too, things I don’t want to lose. It appears that the only way I can keep her love is to share mine with you, then so be it.”

“Are you telling me that it all right to have sex with others?”

Ginny reached out and gently stroked Harry’s trouser bulge. “Who did you say this belonged to, baby?”

“You!”

“Since I’m the legal owner of the property I can determine who has the use of it can’t I?”

“I would think so,” replied Harry.

“As long as I know about it, and I approve, it’s all right with me to be the lover of my coven sisters too,” said Ginny. Ginny then used her thumb and forefinger to circle Harry’s cock through the fabric of the trousers. “Please note however, that I specifically said this applies to the coven. If I catch anyone trespassing on my playground I’ll cut it off and put it in that box the wand came in. Pomfrey can sew it back on whenever I want to play.”

Hermione got out of bed and walked over to Harry. “I love you, Harry,” she whispered as she helped him get undressed. Then she knelt before him, took his semi-erect cock in her mouth, and began to fellate him. Ginny soon came over to Harry and started kissing him and rubbing her nipples all over his chest to bring him to full arousal.

This went on for several minutes until Harry began to feel the familiar tightening in his testicles signaling that ejaculation was nearing. Harry stopped them and told them to get back in the bed. He stood there for a moment or two trying to work out how to do this.

“Ginny, on your back, Hermione knees and elbows on top of her,” said Harry as he went to the foot of the bed and began stroking himself to keep the erection up while they maneuvered into position.

“Harry, maybe Hermione should take my place,” said Ginny. “I don’t mind being on top.”

“Shhhh,” whispered Hermione softly as she gave Ginny a little kiss. “Harry already knows my preferences in these matters. This will do just fine.”

Harry took his position behind the two, this was an oddity for him, but he figured he was up to the task. Since Hermione was technically ‘company’ it was only polite to service her first. Harry positioned himself and slid his cock into Hermione. He heard a satisfying sigh come from her as he started getting into his rhythm. Harry knew that this would definitely be a job that would require proper pacing so he got into a steady stroke he knew he could maintain. Below him, Ginny and Hermione rubbed nipples and kissed as they cuddled.

Because of the positioning Harry needed one hand to maintain his balance, but one hand was free and he used it to gently massage over both girls sides and breasts. Harry focused his mind just on Ginny and Hermione and willed them to feel pleasure. He knew something was happening as he was drawing little moans and sighs from them. Harry also used his free hand to stimulate Ginny’s clitoris. Harry was a bit surprised to find that even though he was shagging Hermione that Ginny was nearly as wet. Surprisingly, she seemed very turned on that her soon-to-be-husband was fucking another woman in her presence.

After a bit Harry felt Hermione’s passion begin to flare, her face flushed and her vaginal muscles tighten on his cock. Hermione buried her face into Ginny’s breasts as she came with loud moans. Hermione’s vaginal juices flowed out of her past Harry’s cock, flowed over Harry’s balls and dripped onto Ginny’s pubic mound, the sensation seemed to drive Ginny wild with desire. Hermione’s body trembled in spasms of orgasmic pleasure while Ginny kissed and caressed her friend. His job now half done, Harry slid his cock out of Hermione’s sopping wet pussy and began working it into Ginny’s own well lubricated twat. It was now Ginny’s turn to sigh and moan as Harry stroked his cock in and out of her.

“Oh, Harry!” said a startled Ginny. “You’re doing us both at one sitting?”

“You did say that you were sharing me with our guest, I took that to mean equal portions all around,” said a grinning Harry without missing a stroke, his confidence now peaked. “Did I mistake your instructions, my love?”

“Just keep doing what you’re doing, baby,” Ginny cooed as she looked past Hermione at Harry. She knew he was just showing off, but she loved it as much as he did.

Harry had done his best to stay in shape, but after a bit even he began to tire. Fortunately for him Ginny was already nearing her own peak, and, to Harry’s surprise, it looked like Hermione was about to have seconds.

“Oh Harry!” shouted Hermione, “It isn’t even in me and I’m getting off on this.” She and Ginny started up a chant of oh’s and ah’s as the two ran their hands furiously over each other’s breasts, squeezing their nipples. To help Hermione along Harry slipped a couple of fingers inside her twat and started diddling her.

“Oh god YES!” screamed Hermione as she began thrusting backwards to force her pussy back onto Harry’s fingers. What had started out as a quick piece of arse with Ginny before supper was really getting complicated, thought Harry. But he was enjoying it.

Harry picked up his pace to help them come before he gave out. Just to keep himself in practice Harry focused his mind on his two coven members and willed them to have an intense orgasm. Moments later he was rewarded with hearing both girls come together. It was quite a memorable experience; Harry smiled as he heard Ginny actually make a high-pitched squeal like a little girl as she came. Hermione howled loudly, reminding Harry of the time she had imitated a werewolf howl to draw off Professor Lupin in werewolf form into the Forbidden Forest.

The knowledge that he had just had two beautiful women together, and brought both of them to screaming orgasm was an incredible rush, but the task was not yet complete, Harry had not yet spent himself. It was then that Nimue’s words came to him, he was a warlock, these girls were voluntarily bonded to him, they were his, body and soul. Why waste such an opportunity. He knew what Hermione really wanted, and he had to admit that he wanted to give it to her just as badly.

As Harry looked down at the pair he saw that they had both just collapsed into a bundle of moaning quivering flesh. Hermione was actually still sobbing in pleasure while Ginny just kept licking her lips and running her hands over her breasts. Harry gently reached in between them and separated them, picking up Hermione he rolled her over on her back and placed her heels upon his shoulder. Harry took his fully erect cock and softly rubbed it over her pubic mound.

“Did little Miss Granger get what she needed?” asked Harry mimicking their first time together in the room of requirement. “Is it time for her Lord and Master to get what he wants now?”

“My Lord may have whatever he desires of me,” she said in a trembling voice as Harry’s hands stroked her breasts sending waves of pleasure through her.

Harry slowly slipped his cock into Hermione’s swollen wet twat to the root. Leaning over to encase her body in her arms Harry brought himself eye to eye with Hermione. “Your Lord desires that you accept his seed into your body and bear him a child, that you will love our child as you love him. Will you do this to show your love for me?”

“I will be honored to bear you a child, Harry…, eh, my Lord.”

“Harry is fine, let’s make a baby.” Harry was getting tired, but he didn’t have to make any impressions on anyone anymore, he only had to bring himself to ejaculation, and the testosterone raging through his body would never let him stop short of that now. Ginny rolled over on her side next to them. With one hand she softly stroked Hermione’s hair, with the other she cupped Harry’s testicles and gently massaged them. Given the intense stimulation it took Harry only a few seconds to ejaculate, and he was surprised he had lasted that long. The pleasure of finally being able to release himself was intense and all feeling was blotted out except the spurts of hot fluid passing through his urethra deep into Hermione’s twat.

Harry knew that Desiree and Fleur had gone shopping for the day on the continent, but Gabrielle was nearby. A mental call out to her had her arrive at the door shortly. She was quite visibly worked up. Harry had let the energy he was sharing with Ginny and Hermione leak out again.

“I’m going to have to make up some kind of shielding spell, Harry, or damn it I’m going to go insane around you.”

It only took her a moment to take in the situation. “Fleur, then Ginny, now Hermione,” she said. “You are going to be owed a shit load of Father’s day cards next year, I hope you know that.”

“Can you do the Charm of Life for us?”

“Yes,” said Gabrielle. Joining the others in the bed she performed the ritual, and, while perhaps not as practiced as her mother, Harry felt the flow of energy from his body to Hermione. For her part Hermione desired the child to be another little girl. Harry brought up the question of the child’s name.

“I think she should be named after her grandmothers,” said Hermione. “My mum’s name is Anne, and yours was Lily, how about Lily Anne Potter?”

“So let’s see, there's James Albus, Molly, and now Lily Anne on the way. I wanted a big family, looks like I should have been more careful what I asked for.”

“And that’s just finishing the first round of knockups,” laughed Gabrielle.

“Who says I’m finished with the first round of knockups?” asked Harry. “If you’re not real careful I’ll have your pretty little lace knickers on the floor and your sweet little bum tilted up towards the ceiling, with me steady knocking on it — as soon as I recharge my batteries a bit. I’ve got permission now.”

Gabrielle looked from Harry to Ginny and saw her nod. “We are all his coven …you love him too, and … I always desperately wanted sisters. I don’t see why we can’t share.”

In front of where he now knelt on the bed, the sheets were now a mess of wet body fluids that Harry knew he didn’t want them to lie in. That posed no great problem for the Master to handle. A quick call to Bustanut led to clean dry sheets appearing beneath them. Ginny and Hermione performed a few cleaning spells upon themselves, then collapsed in each others arms and went to sleep almost immediately. Harry still wanted his hot shower.

Taking Gabrielle by the hand, he led her into the bathroom and had her slip off her sandals, cutoff jeans and top. Turning on the hot water, he took Gabrielle inside with him to assist him in washing his back. Even though he had just shot a massive load only minutes before Harry started feeling twinges as his beautiful Veela coven member washed his privates. When he was clean, Harry returned the favor. Holding Gabrielle next to his body, Harry massaged her breasts while inserting two fingers into her vagina. With soft kisses, and the right motion, Gabrielle was soon moaning softly and calling out Harry’s name as she ground her body into his. Harry began to will her to feel pleasure and her rise in excitement was immediate. He continued until he made Gabrielle come with a series of loud moans.

Harry smiled to himself as he heard complimentary moans start coming from the bedroom where Ginny and Hermione had joined in on the fun. When Harry released Gabrielle she almost collapsed in the shower. A little more support from Harry and she was soon back to herself, some communal drying off had them ready to return to the others. Harry didn’t know about the girls, but this warlock business was exhausting when you had five sexy witches to keep serviced.

Harry lay down between the three girls, Ginny lay her head on his right breast, Hermione on his left breast, and Gabrielle lay between his legs with her head on Harry’s lower tummy. Bustanut brought out several coverlets and gently laid it over the exhausted group. Harry lay there in sheer ecstasy as Ginny gently licked his nipples, Hermione nuzzled his cheek, and Gabrielle massaged his sated testicles. In no time at all they were all asleep.

Hermione left as scheduled the next morning, but with only a small suitcase, promising that she would be back soon after the holidays. Ginny sadly returned to the Burrow to be with her parents for a week over the Christmas holidays, she confided in Harry that he was now her family, and the Unicorn was her home. She knew that she needed to keep up the façade to prevent problems with her parents just now; she was still technically a minor. Fred and George said they would be home, as would Percy and Charlie. Harry was also invited to the family dinner there on Christmas. Sadness would be there also, as it was the Weasley’s first Christmas without Bill or Ron.

Despite the fact that Percy had acted oddly deferential towards him, Harry thought the holidays came off quite well. Mrs. Weasley acted quite calmly, despite everyone knowing the sadness in her heart. The only problems had been remembering that Ginny was supposed to be dead as well and that she had to be hidden from neighbors and well wishers who popped by.

Harry spent most of the holidays in the flat over the Unicorn, and let the villa be leased out over the holiday season for the extravagant holiday parties that were held there. The villa was a significant source of income that had been missed. When he needed to stretch out a bit, Harry went to the Delacour villa. It wasn’t as big as his, but definitely roomier than the apartment. He had a gym setup in Sirius’ old office in the basement of the Golden Unicorn where he could work out; he soon found that Fleur and Gabrielle both were joining him to strengthen up. The Delacours spent loads of time with Harry helping him shop for presents for everyone on his list, which was now quite lengthy.

Harry and Fleur now trained with each other in the void, she had grown stronger in using the sword of Gryffindor as a more powerful magical foci and Harry had learned to open and navigate the void better, but still not as well as Fleur. They would duel ferociously in the void, becoming sweaty and tired. Harry was always afraid of hurting the baby whose bulge was now obvious in his mum’s tummy, but Fleur told him not to worry. After one particularly fierce duel, where the two were equally matched though most of the fight, Fleur was at her most dangerous and most beautiful as she moved gracefully despite the life she carried inside her. Harry’s testosterone levels soared from the excitement of watching her, and he felt a massive erection form inside the light t-shirt trousers. It was at moments like that, as he gently pulled Fleur to him, that he was happy to have received permission to service the coven. He made use of every possible opportunity to do so with Fleur and Gabrielle that week of the holidays.

When the holidays ended, Ginny returned to the Unicorn to stay with Harry. The lower areas of the Unicorn was converted to serve as a base of operations. The rest of Harry’s group stayed at Grimmauld House as it was still secure from attack by Death Eaters. With little do in the grip of winter’s cold, Harry and Ginny spent January, February, and March waiting for word of movement by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. But no word came, it was as if he had just disappeared. Some of the more optimistic started thinking that it was all over, that Voldemort had skipped the country, maybe even gone back to Albania, and now was somebody else’s problem. Harry knew better, Voldemort was lying low and planning his next attack carefully. It was just a matter of when and where it would come.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Mid April brought warmer temperatures that signaled that Spring was indeed returning to the land. For over five months, there had been relative calm across the magical communities of Britain as the Death Eaters had gone to ground and stayed there. The optimistic hope among some that Voldemort had fled the country increased with the passage of time and no sightings of Death Eaters. Some were now openly saying that the crisis was past. Harry remained adamantly among those who believed otherwise.

Inside the Ministry, it was impossible to remain at a state of constant high alert. As the months passed the security services relaxed their guard and attempted to rebuild their numbers and facilities. Work was begun in late January on the construction of a new and better Azkaban. The Ministry building was becoming way too cramped to house everything, even with the help of magic. There were some among the magical population who disagreed with the security services doing their ‘dirty work’ there anyway. They wanted the Ministry to only house the civilian services.

Surprisingly to some, the security services agreed. Both Bartleby and Shacklebolt liked the idea of being on an island and not under the thumb of the Minister and the Wizengamot. The new Azkaban prison would house all the security facilities and offices, there could even be courtrooms there. Muggle construction crews were brought in under a Confundus charm that made them think they were building a top-secret missile base for the RAF.

Security was still incomplete but apparition shields had already been fully erected around the island. Currently, the only way onto the island for Ministry officials was to use a port key directly from the Ministry building. The keys were very secure overall, but could be hijacked by powerful magic if the interloper knew when the transference was taking place. Therefore, all travel was unannounced, but there usually was a bi-weekly tour by senior officials to insure progress was being made on the project.

On one particular morning when just such an inspection was scheduled, Kingsley Shacklebolt didn’t feel up to the trip and designated Moody to accompany Bartleby at the last minute. As Moody arrived at the portal room a little before 9:00, he met with Erinyes Bartleby and the rest of today’s party. Frederica Marleybone was a middleaged, slightly plump witch from the Ministry Financial Department who oversaw the expenditures; Georgette Grosvenor was an older witch and a licensed sorceress who was charged with testing that the spells in place were of appropriate quality; and, lastly, Jessamus Elcot was a jovial middle aged, balding wizard who served as deputy chair for the Wizengamot’s construction committee. Together they would take a port key to Azkaban.

While waiting for clearance to proceed the group chatted amiably about the day’s tour. Finally, the portal controller gave the countdown and the group placed their fingers on a standard Ministry chalice port key. There was the disconcerting pull as the port key engaged and pulled them North towards the island, but then in mid-flight the cup changed direction and headed west. Moody was the first to realize that something was wrong, that the cup was being hijacked. He tried to release his finger from the cup but it was impossible, he was held fast. The others now realized that something was dreadfully wrong and began to panic.

With a hard thump, the party hit the ground, before they could stir to try and defend themselves they were hit with stunning curses. Minutes later, when a team of Aurors arrived following the chalice’s internal tracking spell, all that was there was the chalice. The inspection party had disappeared, a quick examination of the cup showed that it had been tampered with; a beacon had been attached to the bottom that would allow a powerful spell to override its original destination with this one. It was an inside job.

The moment she was informed of the kidnapping Roe Hooch knew who had to be behind it, she sent Inquisitors immediately to find Cornelius Fudge and Delores Umbridge. The agents returned empty handed a while later. Fudge and Umbridge had left the Ministry building along with a young clerk named Percy Weasley only minutes after the kidnapping had occurred, no one knew where they were, or could find them.

Hooch called Hermione to her office. “Get to Harry and make sure he knows about this,” she said to her. “It’s him they’re really after.”

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

“CRUCIO!” shouted Bellatrix with a sadistic grin as Erinyes Bartleby squirmed naked on the floor at her feet. Her screams of torment echoed off the stone walls of the old dungeon. Nearby lay Alastor Moody in a similar state of agony as he was attended to by the Carrow’s. The bodies of the other three remaining members of the inspection party lay piled in the corner. They had no information of use to the Dark Lord, and had been disposed of immediately.

Voldemort had anticipated that his little caper would net him Bartleby and Shacklebolt, but no matter. Moody would work as well. He was among Potter’s circle of friends, and he might know more than Shacklebolt anyway. But it was Bartleby who was the real prize. With the assistance of Umbridge and Fudge, he had snatched them mid-portal after a month of waiting for the right moment. Once Bartleby and Moody were broken and revealed their secrets then the final plans could be put into motion.

When Bellatrix had reduced Erinyes Bartleby to a quivering ball of flesh, Severus Snape was called in. With a baleful look of pure hatred towards Bellatrix, Snape descended on Bartleby, forcing himself into her mind, gathering all useful data he saw there, and brutally ripping away at any mental defenses she attempted to throw up. It was more difficult that Snape had anticipated as Bartleby and Moody had spent a lifetime in the security service, and had prepared their minds to hold secrets, even under torture. They knew all the defenses of how to hide important thoughts under trivia ones, how to build a network of lies that even the victim believes is true when under torture. Even how to partially self-Obliviate information from the mind when captured and scanned.

However, all defenses could be defeated; all that was necessary was to apply unbearable pain in controlled doses over time. Everyone has their breaking point; it’s just a matter of finding it. Therefore, whenever Snape reached a strong point he would back off and let Bellatrix apply more torment till Bartleby and Moody reached a saturation point, then the probing would begin again.

Despite their best efforts to resist, the two were worn down sufficiently for the secret of the Golden Unicorn to leak out to Snape. Even he thought it a cover fiction at first and pressed harder, but it was true. The damned Potter brat owned the Golden Unicorn, and had already sired an heir in the womb of Albus Dumbledore’s daughter! Snape knew there were deeper secrets to be had, especially in Bartleby’s mind; there was something she was desperately hiding. There was a danger to the Dark Lord lurking inside there, but exactly what it was he hadn’t determined yet. His suspicion was that there was an informer in their midst. He had to know who it was, but it would take more work. The couple had experienced physical agony to the point of collapse, they needed rest or they would die. Fortunately, emotional trauma could be applied during rest time to weaken mental resistance further, a perfect job for the Dementors.

The Dementors were called for and assigned to their task of feeding on the minds of the two prisoners. Among those who were there was Baalgrog. He knew he risked destruction to betray the Dark Lord, but he had no choice if he wished to save Beershebhat. As soon as he was able to slip away, he sent a call to her to have the witch meet with him.

Moody lay on the cold stone floor in more pain than he had ever known. His body quivered uncontrollably, his mind barely functioned. He knew that he had already given up information to Snape that he shouldn’t have, and that they would be coming back soon for more. Moody had tried his entire career to prepare himself for the day when he would fall into the enemy’s hands, but just as soldiers discover when actually in combat, no training truly prepares you for the worst. A few feet away lay Erinyes Bartleby, her body shaking violently from the effects of her treatment. Her hands were cuffed behind her back, as were Moody’s. She had shackles on her feet. Moody had been stripped of his prosthetic leg and eye.

“How are you holding up, old girl?” Moody asked as he used his one leg to crawl over next to her.

“I can’t take much more,” she whimpered. “I’ve already revealed too much as is; I can’t find the strength to hold back my thoughts much longer.”

“I don’t think help is coming, Erinyes,” said Moody sadly with a grim resignation to their fate. “We’re on our own in this I’m afraid. They are sure to kill us anyway, whether we talk or not. I only see one way out of more torture.”

“And just how are we supposed to take the final option, we’ve been stripped and cavity searched, there’s nothing here to do it with.”

“I’ve got the balls to die rather than talk,” said Moody with a grin.

“Being willing isn’t enough, you moron,” said Erinyes. She was truly frightened now; she had stood by impassionedly while a number of witches and wizards were treated similar to what she was now receiving. She had listened with casual disinterest to their pleas for only a few minutes of relief from their bonds, for a mouthful of water, even for the mercy of death; all the time wondering only how much longer before the prisoner’s mind broke. So this was what it had felt like. She wondered if her face reflected fear the way theirs had when she had broken their will.

“Being properly prepared is enough, my dear. Do you still keep your claws sharpened like in the old days?” asked Moody.

“Yes,” said Erinyes testily, she had always prided herself on her fingernails being as sharp as a knife blade back in the days when she still worked the interrogation cells. It terrified the wizards to have such sharp living blades surrounding their tender little orbs. “Do you want me to cut your throat with them? What good does that do me?”

Moody then slid into position where he was spooning Erinyes, placing his groin beside her manacled hands. “Watch it, Moody, you’ve already enjoyed your last piece of arse, try that with me and I’ll rip your nuts out.”

“That’s what I want you to do, use your nails to slit the pouch and take out my two balls.”

“Are you out of your mind, you crazy old fart?” shouted Erinyes.

“SHHHhhhh,” hissed Moody. “Quiet or they’ll hear us. You remember that duel I had with Evan Rosier all those years ago? Well he took off more than my leg with his curse; he took my balls off too. I had cosmetic work done to repair the pouch, and I had two special nuts made up to go in it. The balls in my pouch contain an extremely lethal combination of poisons, bite down on them and the poison is released, you’ll be dead in less than ten seconds, guaranteed. But I can’t get to them. Slice me open and take them out, there’s one for each of us.”

“You have got to be shitting me!” said an amazed Erinyes. She thought she had seen it all by now, and here at the point of death she learns something new. Just the sheer break in tension was enough, she lay there on the floor laughing till she cried at the thought of crazy old Moody hauling around a set of poisoned knackers in his sack for seventeen years, just in case the silly bugger needed them, and then actually needing them. It was just too fucking hilarious not to laugh.

Despite the situation, even Moody finally realized to absuridity of the situation and he too began to chuckle. “Come on, old girl, let’s do this right.”

After a bit of positioning, Moody felt the sting of a sharpened fingernail cutting through his scrotum and the two orbs sliding out to the floor. Erinyes then painfully turned over and slid around to grasp the orb with her mouth. Moody had already retrieved his.

“Now tell old Moody the truth, bet you never thought you’d be happy to have one of my nuts in your mouth, did you?”

“You have me there,” she said. “Do you want to do it now, or shall we wait till we hear them returning, just in the off chance that a rescue actually occurs.”

“Nothing wrong with hoping for a miracle I guess, as long as we keep them where we can do it in a moment.”

“Moody,” said Erinyes, “did you ever really think you’d go out this way.”

“Yes,” came the quiet reply, “why else would I carry two poisoned nuts in my sack for seventeen years. The death goes with the lifestyle, the only difference is I figured I’d die all alone, cause that’s how I lived. For what it's worth, I’m sorry you are here, Erinyes; you have a family who’ll miss you. In that way I’m lucky, there’s nobody who’ll miss me, or really give a shit that crazy old Madeye Moody finally bought it.”

“I will miss my family,” said Bartleby with a sad tear in her eye. “I won’t miss the bloody job though; I had intended to retire once Voldemort was destroyed. Spend time being a better wife to Charles, play more with my grandchildren. I had a lot of plans that it looks like are just bugger all now.”

“There’s still a slim hope,” said Moody, but only seconds later the hope evaporated as the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching, along with voices. It was Bellatrix talking to the Carrows. Time was up, they were returning to pick up where they had left off.

“But I could be wrong,” added Moody wistfully. “Ready, old girl?”

“Yes,” said Erinyes with a tremble in her voice, she didn’t want to die, especially like this, but the only other option open now was worse.

“On the count of three then, bite down hard till you feel it burst, then take a deep breath,” said Moody. “One … two … THREE!

“There are things worse than dying,” thought Erinyes Bartleby as her teeth closed and she felt the bitter jellied liquid inside the capsule splatter into her mouth. She took as deep a breath as she could and the searing vapors went into her lungs, the room began to spin dizzily and darken immediately. “Not a whole lot of things, but some.”

Beside her she heard Moody make a final gasp as his poison took effect; she rolled onto her back, at least there was no pain now, and it really didn’t feel all that bad. Thoughts of those she loved swirled through her mind, she saw her husband, her children, she saw Peter. She wondered if she would see Peter again beyond the veil, then the shadows crept in and all became dark and silent. It was almost like going to sleep.