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Chapter 43: Guess who’s coming to Dinner?

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The morning breeze from the sea was quite chilly across the beaches of Ravenglass. The mist was still on the water as the gray dawn awaited the arrival of the Sun on the Eastern horizon. The morning’s near silence was then broken by a strange slurping-like sound that competed with the sounds of the waves lapping gently up on the sand. A hole appeared from nowhere and a tight knot of people came out of it and quickly made their way to the water’s edge.

Harry wore Wellingtons as he stepped into the cold water and knelt down with the seashell horn in his hand. He placed the shell in the water and blew on the horn as hard as he could. To his ears all that came from the horn was an unimpressive note like that of an old automobile horn. Turning to the line of women forming a protective picket line behind him, Harry shrugged his shoulders in wonder if anything would happen now.

After a few minutes of waiting, Harry blew on the horn again, but nothing happened. Harry could see Balzhoff and Lupin standing guard on the dunes behind him, while the others stood in the entryway back into the void to keep it open. Above them, just barely visible in the mist, Fred and George were providing air cover.

“This is stupid,” thought Harry. “First, even if this Nimue exists, and if she can hear the horn, she might be in the middle of the Pacific now, it could take her several months to get here. She has no reason to expect me to call her today after a thousand years.”

Harry went back onto the beach and waited for about an hour. He felt discouraged about staying there any longer, but Fleur convinced him to give the process time to work. Over the next hour, Harry went back into the water for a third and a fourth time to blow the horn. After about three hours of waiting Harry was almost ready to pack it in for the day and try again the next morning, but again, at Fleur’s insistence, he went in to give the horn one last try. This time as he blew the horn he thought he heard a faint echo of the horn return to him from the water. Not sure if what he heard was real, Harry blew the horn one more time, after a few moments he heard an echo return. Something was happening.

Returning to the beach, Harry talked with the girls for another five minutes, until he heard the echo come back across the water much stronger than before. There were several echoes, and it seemed to Harry as if someone was searching for the source of the horn they had heard. Wading back in to the rising surf Harry blew on the horn about ever thirty seconds now, and was answered by a return echo that steady grew stronger as it approached him.

The party had stood exposed on the beach for another hour when they noticed a shimmer of light among the tide that was approaching them. Harry stood apprehensively at the water’s edge, he didn’t really know what to say to a sea nymph, or what it would look like, or what it would do. She might try to attack him for all he knew. Then he finally caught sight of her in the water.

Nimue began to rise from the sea about 15 feet away from where Harry stood knee deep in the water. She had the upper body of a woman, with powerful arms. Her hands were webbed, and her claws were long and sharp. She appeared quite capable of ripping a Great White Shark to shreds if it annoyed her. She had dark gray skin, almost shark-like in texture; her eyes were wide, deep set, and very white in contrast to her body. They almost shone compared with their dark background. She was naked except for a small pouch that she carried on a cord around her neck.

Harry could see that the lower trunk of her body resembled that of a fish, but as she moved to touch the sandy bottom her body changed to form very powerfully muscled legs. Her feet retained its webbing and claws as well. Thus transformed, she walked up to Harry until she was within arms reach of him. Instinctively, Ginny, Hermione, and Fleur drew their wands and moved forward to protect Harry.

“Not much of a welcome after a wait of a thousand years,” Nimue said slowly as Harry noticed that her body was still morphing more into that of a land creature than a sea creature. “Do your pretty little air breathers intend to attack me now that I’ve answered your call?”

“No,” said Harry, “they are just worried about my safety; there are enemies that seek my death to end the line of Merlin.”

Nimue walked back to the beach with Harry, she was a bit unsteady but seemed to quickly be gaining her land legs. She took a deep sniff of Harry, and of the coven.

“You are of the bloodline of Merlin, but your death will not end his line because you have been busy among your coven,” she said with a short laugh. Indicating Fleur and Ginny she said, “These two have the scent of Merlin on them also, but not as strong, because he is not in their blood, but in the blood of the one within, a child made by your seed.”

“That is true,” said Harry. “If my enemies knew of this they would seek the deaths of my children in the womb. I seek your help to defeat them.”

“I know what you want, Harry Potter, no one ever calls me to pass the time of day or invite me round for tea and cakes,” Nimue said slowly and evenly. “You called me because you want something from me, that’s how it always is.”

“I did not know of your existence until a few weeks ago when Merlin told me,” said Harry as he watched Nimue walk up to Fleur and sniff the air around her again.

“Interesting,” she said absentmindedly. “It took a moment to remember where I had smelled your blood before. You are of Godric and of Dumbledore as well. The power of Gryffindor and Merlin all in one body. The world will be an interesting place in 30 or 40 years if he survives.”

“He will,” said Fleur. Nimue just smiled and nodded.

On the dunes behind him, Harry saw Fred swoop down low and say something to Remus and Balzhoff that made them snap to attention. Remus began to quickly make his way towards the water’s edge.

“Harry, we must move somewhere else,” he said a bit hurriedly. “The Weasley’s have spotted several dark robed figures on broomstick headed this way. They could be Death Eaters.”

Harry thought quickly and turned to Nimue, “Would you like to be my guest at my home for some tea and cakes? We could pass the time of day getting acquainted.”

For the first time since rising from the water, Nimue lost her sardonic smile and appeared to be truly surprised. “You, a wizard, would invite me into your home? You’d extend hospitality to a nymph?”

Harry saw the look of concern on the faces of Ginny and Fleur, and to some degree Hermione, that Harry would take her back with them. Harry had found over the years that wizards and witches were usually very wary of other magical beings, such as werewolves, giants, and centaurs. Harry’s own experiences over the years had been positive when he treated those beings well.

“Yes, so long as you conduct yourself as a guest should.”

Nimue had now changed to the point where she could pass on the streets of London as a very attractive dark skinned human woman. She ran her dark eyes over Harry and nodded as she laughed. “I accept your invitation, Mr. Potter.”

“We need to hurry back into the void, Harry,” said Lupin, who also appeared a bit apprehensive over carrying Nimue back with them, even though he was a werewolf and subject to wizard’s prejudices as well. With a quick wave the Weasley twins were sent off to continue flying as though just out for recreation. Everyone else hurried into the void, while Balzhoff hung back to erase their tracks in the sand. With everyone inside it closed behind them leaving no trace of their presence.

As they moved through the void with the naked sea nymph, Harry saw that Nimue was quite comfortable there. Most first timers to the void were unsettled by its lack of direction and tactile sense.

“You don’t seem to be disturbed by the vastness of the darkness in here,” commented Harry. “Doesn’t it bother you a bit to be in such a different environment?”

“Other than breathing air I am completely at home,” she said. “I live in the vast black depths of the ocean for the most part. This is no different.”

“Do you have to live in water?” asked Harry.

“No, I choose to be a sea nymph, just as some of my cousins choose to be wood nymphs, or mountain nymphs. There are even storm nymphs who ride the winds and reside in the thunderheads. We can change form to suite our tastes and environments. Sometimes I just like a bit of a holiday from the water and come on land. I just adapt my body to it.”

Fleur seemed to reluctantly open the void into the patio area of the villa, outside the structure proper. Nimue seemed impressed by the villa as she walked around the outside.

“You have done well for yourself, Mr. Potter, Merlin would have been pleased.”

“Thank you, would you please call me Harry, all my friends do.”

“Ah, but are you sure I’m a friend?” asked Nimue slyly.

The air around Harry was rent with multiple popping as elves began to appear in a circle around Harry, all facing out towards Nimue with their hands raised as if to ward off a magic spell. Most surprising was the reaction of Nimue, faced with a host of elves she had only a look of mild amusement on her face. She was in no way afraid of anything she saw arrayed before her, if anything, she seemed contemptuous.

“W...we...we have come…to protect….master,” said a badly trembling Bustanut. Harry then saw that all the elves now in place on the patio were now terrified. It was as if they knew they were all about to die horribly. Harry saw that his coven members and the rest of his companions were also frightened.

“Your elves and your companions seem a bit worried. Maybe they know something about me that you don’t. Maybe you should talk with them about it first,” she said as she wandered off around the grounds stark naked.

“Good Master,” said Bustanut. “That is not human there. It is nymph, very powerful magic it has, it goes back to the days of the old ones and their fairy servants. If it attacks we do not know that we could save you from it.”

“Harry, he’s right about Nymphs,” said Hermione. “They are considered ancient dark creatures of immense magical power. If you invite her inside your home you will have no boundary magic to shield you from her, and you’ll have a host’s obligation to her from the olden times.”

“So she can attack me and destroy me if I let her in?”

“No, Harry, but if you, or anyone of your household, break the ancient rules of hospitality she may demand satisfaction. That would usually entail a severe punishment, or a death. If you fail to provide satisfaction, then she is entitled to take offense against you as master of the household. Then not only can she attack you, but would be obligated to punish you.”

“You are also obligated to provide a gift, I think,” said Ginny.

“Yes he is,” confirmed Fleur. “But she is obligated to provide a gift back. You wondered how we might convince Nimue to give us the sword, this might be it. She’s playing with you Harry, she knows what you want and that you need it badly.”

“The rules of hospitality limit her as well,” added Hermione. “If she accepts your hospitality she has obligations as well. You and everyone within the home are safe; she cannot attack anyone as long as she is treated properly. She must follow the rules too; you just have to be careful.”

Harry knew that he was playing a dangerous game that could lead to disaster, but he had no choice now, there was no real way to back off gracefully and have a hope of retrieving the sword from Nimue. If he played by the rules, she had to play by them too, he hoped. The only thing was, he didn’t know all the rules, and she probably knew them by heart.

“Bustanut, fetch me a silk ladies dressing robe, of the highest quality, it must be absolutely white and spotless. Also, bring me a pair of ladies thong sandals, flip-flops, in gold. Be quick.” Turning to the others Harry said, “I know this is a risk, but we have to try something. Let’s just be on our best manners; Hermione, research on this hospitality code thing. Try to get me some guidelines to go on.”

“All right, Harry,” she said. “But a lot of it is subjective. It depends upon how closely she holds you to her version of the rules.”

“So I need to get her to cut me some slack?”

“Something like that,” Hermione answered as Bustanut returned with the items Harry had wanted. As Nimue turned to wander back to the group Harry took the robe and shoes and went to meet her in the garden.

“Well, Harry,” she said with a smile that showed her perfectly white teeth that contrasted with her well-tanned skin, which had taken on a light brown coloration. “Am I still to be your guest, or shall I take my leave?”

“I desire that you be my guest,” said Harry as he held out the robe for her to put it on.

“I would be delighted, thank you,” she replied as she gracefully slipped into the robe and tied it around her slim waist. She smiled pleasantly as Harry knelt before her with the shoes and allowed her to slip her feet into them. She walked around the patio in them. “These shoes are quite comfortable, I like them. May I have them?”

“Of course,” said Harry. “The robe too if you wish it.”

“Thank you for your consideration of my comfort, Harry.”

“You are most welcome…, my lady,” said Harry. “I am not sure how I should properly address you.”

“You may call me Nimue, it is my name.”

“Thank you, Nimue, I hate to start out this way, but I wish to ask a favor of you.”

“And what favor would you ask of Nimue?”

“I would ask your forbearance, I am not skilled in the old ways of displaying the proper courtesies of a host to an honored guest. I fear that I, or one of my household, may by ignorance, or accident, offend you. The favor I ask is that if any act or word appears to violate my obligations as host, then I would have you consider it an innocent act of ignorance rather than insult. Allow me the opportunity to correct the slight without seeking redress.”

“And if I grant such a favor,” asked Nimue with a smile that made Harry’s insides roll with worry that he just might be making things worse, “you realize that you must grant me a favor in turn when asked?”

“Within reason, yes,” replied Harry, “just as I would expect your forbearance to be within reason. I fully understand that your favor does not permit a clear and deliberate insult to pass without notice, or response.”

“Well put, Harry. I choose to grant your favor.”

“May I escort you inside and show you the house?” asked Harry as he extended his arm.

“By all means,” Nimue answered with her sly smile that always made Harry feel as if he had just made some fatal faux pas only worse. They entered the veranda and Harry called Bustanut to him. The elf appeared immediately and stood there still shaking a bit, with his eyes averted downward. “Yes, Master?”

“Bustanut, this is Mistress Nimue, she is Master’s honored guest within the villa. She is to be treated with all due respect, and afforded all comforts and amenities of a guest that she desires. I place you in charge of her satisfaction with our hospitality. Is this clear?”

“Yes, Master,” replied the elf with a solemnity of one who had just had a death sentence pronounced upon him.

“I want the master bedroom cleaned immediately; remove Master and Mistress’ personal items to the first guestroom. Mistress Nimue shall have our bedroom for her stay as it is the best in the house. I shall escort her to tour the house, have tea and cakes prepared for everyone on the veranda in twenty minutes.”

“Yes, Master.”

“I do not know your preferences in food or drink, my lady,” said Harry. “Whatever you desire if it is within my power to provide it you need only ask for it.”

As he said this Harry heard Bustanut and the other elves nearby begin to sob and shake violently. Some of the female elves began to cry outright. Harry looked around in total confusion, he knew he had done something wrong, but he wasn’t sure what.

“I may have any dish I want?” said Nimue slowly. “Bustanut, tell your Master what food is the traditional favorite delicacy of a nymph.”

“Elfling, good Master,” said Bustanut solemnly. “Nymphs catch, and eat our babies for their flesh and their magic. It is why we fear them so.”

Harry felt as though someone had hit him in the stomach with a sledgehammer. The elf nursery was now filled with newborns. How many had he just condemned to death by a thoughtless word. He turned to Nimue with a sick look upon his face.

“Let me guess,” she quickly said, “you wish another favor of me.”

“I know that many wizards hold the lives of their elves in contempt, I do not. They are like part of my family. Please do not harm them.”

“So you are willingly placing yourself further in my debt just to protect these elves?”

“Yes.”

“You are a most unusual wizard, Harry Potter,” said Nimue. “You have a werewolf in your retinue, you invite nymphs into your home, and you care if a baby elf becomes my afternoon repast or not. Do you know that many times in the past, wizards have ordered their elves to offer their newborn elflings as gifts to nymphs to seek our favor? Sometimes it is the only reason they allowed them to mate in the first place.”

“I am not such a wizard.”

“I can see that, Harry, you are sincere in your affections for them,” Nimue said. “I will not bring harm to any of your servants. Even though they are quite delicious when roasted. As to my diet, I am perfectly able to eat that which you would normally serve to the others.”

The only ones who looked more relieved than Harry at her pronouncement were the elves. After a tour of the house, featuring the master bedroom as Nimue’s sleeping quarters they returned to the veranda where a mid-morning tea had been set up. Desiree had left to attend to the business of the Unicorn, but Harry’s coven were there along with Remus, Neville, Pomfrey, and Balzhoff. The mood was quite subdued with everyone fearful of offering some offense to Nimue.

“So, Harry,” began Nimue as she had a sweet biscuit, “tell me the story of your life. Merlin was a bit vague about you and your particular problems with this Lord Voldemort fellow.”

“You talked with Merlin, you know about Voldemort?”

“Of course, he communicated with me the way he did with you and your Veela friend here,” she said indicating Fleur. “And if I may say so, she must be fantastic in bed, Merlin just kept babbling on about how good the time he spent with her was. Shame you didn’t get to know him back in the old days. Talk about not being able to keep a good man down.”

“May I ask a question of you, Nimue?” asked Hermione, to which Nimue nodded her assent. “I know that a nymph is a being of great magical power, but what exactly is a nymph? The books in our libraries are uncertain, or misleading, in what they say. I’m sure much of what’s in our books is wrong.”

“Harry and others here know the truth about the power of magic first arising in the ancient magicians known as the gods, who eventually destroyed themselves out of their sheer boredom from their immortality. They had two great amusements: war and sex. Both of these activities were shared among the other creatures they inhabited the world with. You, Hermione, are a witch. You are descended from a hybrid mix of the magical gods and a sexual liaison with a human. I am the direct offspring from the sexual liaison of a god and a fairy. We are more powerful because we have two lineages of magic in our genes, you have only one line.”

“I read that fairies were supposed to have served the ancients much as wizards have elves serve them now,” said Hermione.

“That’s true, and when a god became bored, or horny, he simply raped a convenient fairy servant. The offspring was an immortal nymph. However, unlike you, we were created sterile, we cannot have children. So we usually spend our time alone, rarely do we meet anymore. Not that there are all that many of us left these days. We cannot be easily killed, but like the gods, we sometimes simply will ourselves to cease to exist out of sheer damned boredom. Merlin was an old friend with whom I frequently conversed in our dreams; I miss him now that he’s gone. So enough delay, Harry, tell me your story.”

Just as he had done with Merlin, Harry related the story of his life. Lunch was served about the time Harry got to the second event of the Triwizarding Tournament. When the time came for the table to be cleared everyone but Ginny, Hermione, and Fleur made polite excuses and left. When Harry had completed his story it was nearly time for afternoon tea to be set. Throughout it all Nimue had sat with a look of interest on her face, glancing to the faces of the three witches from time to time, and asking questions when she wanted something explained more fully.

“The sword was the property of Merlin, as his heir you are the proper one to have it, I suppose. But I am the sword’s steward. The sword is very powerful, even Merlin feared it. That why he entrusted its safety to a nymph, you see we have always been naturally suspicious of wizards. We look to what serves our best interests and not necessarily yours. For that reason we are considered dark creatures because we won’t lick your arses as some creatures choose to do.” Nimue made a side glance at the nearby house elves cleaning the table as she said the last.

“If you obtain the sword and then lose it to Voldemort he will be far more dangerous than he is now. He could even challenge one of us and have a chance at winning. I won’t give you the sword unless I know you won’t abuse it, or allow others to abuse it.”

“And how do I do that?” asked Harry.

“By building trust between us. Trust that you realize the power of the sword in the wrong hands, trust that you can wield the sword, and that you will not use it to the detriment of other magical creatures that choose not to be at the beck and call of the wizards.”

“All right, how do I do build trust?” asked Harry.

“Oh you are doing that right now, dear boy. You have treated me with respect even when you didn’t know what I could do to you if I wanted to. You’ve shown respect, and even caring, to creatures that are willing to subordinate themselves to you. You have made friends with a werewolf, a centaur, a half giant, and others who are continually on the wizard’s shit list as untrustworthy creatures. You’ve opposed those who would use magic to harm others. I can detect lies far better than Voldemort. If the story you had told me of your life was false I would have known it instantly. If I thought you were attempting to deceive me to get the sword then I would have killed you and your friends where you sat.”

“But that would violate the rules of hospitality…,” injected Hermione.

“HA!” yelled Nimue in a sound that shook the room. “First of all they are more like — guidelines, not rules. Second, I don’t have to follow any rules I don’t want to follow; it’s one of the prerogatives of being a creature that can disintegrate this whole town in a ball of fire so hot that only she can walk out of it unscathed.”

Hermione promptly shut her open mouth and looked down at the floor, Ginny and Fleur nervously looked elsewhere about the room. Only Harry maintained eye contact with Nimue. She returned his gaze with her ever present whimsical smile.

“I’m a bit fatigued at the moment, Harry, I think I’ll retire to my quarters until dinner,” she said to Harry as she rose from her chair with her hand extended. “Will you escort me?”

“My pleasure, Nimue,” answered Harry as he took her hand and led her towards the master bedroom. There he turned down the bed for her as she unabashedly slipped out of the robe and sandals and slid gracefully into the bed.

“I would have you stay a while and entertain me,” she said softly as Harry turned to go.

“What amusement would you prefer of me?” asked Harry, afraid now of the answer he would receive. With a wave of her hand, Harry’s clothes were neatly folded on the bedside dresser, and he stood naked beside Nimue. Nimue looked admiringly at Harry’s firm body for a few moments, and then she lay back against the pillows grinning with her legs wide spread.

“Let’s see if you can think of something appropriate to the moment,” she said as her hand gently stroked her pubic mound.

Harry had to admit that compared to what had come out of the sea that morning, Nimue looked very fine right now. Her long black hair was indeed natural as an equally black strip of fur lining the outside of her labia confirmed. Harry pulled his wand from his belt and produced a glass of tepid water on the bed stand. From the top drawer he retrieved a Tickle Twat Mint. Harry knew it was cheating but he figured he would need all the help he could get.

“I’m getting bored with waiting for you, Harry,” said Nimue almost playfully as her finger began to stroke her clitoris. Seeing Harry’s hesitancy at going down on her she laughed a bit. “Don’t worry, darling, when I’m in this form I’m human. There’s nothing down there you haven’t seen, or tasted, before.”

Taking the mint and a drink of water Harry went to work on Nimue. Her conversion to human was now complete; she was a tan skinned beauty and could have passed as a native on a beach in the Bahamas. Nimue wrapped her legs around Harry’s shoulders and draped them down his back as he worked to please her. Harry watched Nimue’s face to see if he was getting anywhere but she just maintained her cryptic smile that gave nothing away. After a few minutes of effort Harry felt her begin to move with him and moan pleasurably. Harry felt himself becoming excited as she started getting wet from his stimulation of her.

Nimue’s hands gently cradled Harry’s face away from her vulva and turned it towards her smiling face. “All right, Harry, preliminaries are over, time for the main effort,” she said. “Let’s see if you know how to use that nice piece of meat you have hanging down there. I want you to please me.”

Harry knew that what he was doing was dangerous; he was in bed with an extremely powerful creature. Not that it mattered all that much, he wanted her, he wanted to make her come, he wanted to feel his load release inside her. There was no stopping him. Harry got into position facing Nimue and penetrated her, hearing her gasp softly as his cock slid in its full length. As Harry bottomed out, she pulled him down on her and he felt her two hard nipples dig into his chest like sharp rocks.

Staring into her eyes, Harry felt himself being pulled in by her power; he was like water soaking into a sponge. Her lips begged him to kiss them, and he did, repeatedly. Almost of its own volition, Harry’s body began to pump in and out of Nimue in a slow steady grinding motion. Nimue responded immediately, her body just seemed to flow with his like they were one being. The sensation was incredibly stimulating, whatever motion Harry made, Nimue matched it perfectly as if she knew exactly what he was going to do.

Harry didn’t know how long they had intercourse as time just became a blur to him, he just knew that what he was doing felt incredibly pleasurable and he didn’t want it to stop. He was gradually shaken from the almost dream state he had slipped into by the pace of his thrusts increasing. Nimue was still staring into his eyes but now he felt as if he were receding from her eyes rather than falling in. The tempo of her moaning made it apparent to Harry that Nimue was about to come, Harry instinctively reacted by going to rapid short strokes penetrating as deeply inside her as he could manage.

In only a few moments Harry felt the vaginal walls tighten around his cock and Nimue’s eyes widen. She had started to orgasm, Harry relaxed and felt his own blissful release begin. For several seconds they clutched each other tightly as their lustful needs were pleasurably sated. As the last wave of pleasure receded, Harry collapsed into the bed beside Nimue.

“That was wonderful, Harry,” she said as she kissed him passionately. Looking down at the sheets she saw that the wet spot looked more like a swamp. “I think I ruined your nice sheets though.”

“They’ve been in that condition before,” said Harry with a knowing grin. Calling Bustanut, he had the elf place clean sheets on the bed, bring him a pan of warm water and towels, and told him to not tell anyone outside what had gone on in the bedroom.

“Shall I call on Master and his guest when dinner is ready?”

“Yes, please do, you are dismissed now.”

Taking a hand towel and wetting it in the warm water, Harry gently cleaned any remaining fluids from Nimue’s pubic mound area, and then wiped his own privates clean. A dry towel to remove the dampness completed the task.

“You could have used your wand to do all that you know,” teased Nimue.

“Of course,” replied Harry, “but it was much more fun this way.”

Nimue laughed in a merry sort of way for the first time. She lay back in the pillows and gently drew Harry’s head to her breasts. She held him there softly stroking his head as the both basked in the warm afterglow of their sexual pleasure.

“You wish it were all over don’t you, Harry?” she asked. “Voldemort destroyed, the Death Eaters defeated. Able for the first time to not have to look over your shoulder in fear, not having to worry about someone else dying on your account. Free to openly enjoy your inheritance.”

“Yes, it would be such a relief, to just be at peace,” muttered Harry as he suddenly felt so sleepy that it was impossible to remain awake. He drifted off to sleep lying there with his head between her ample tanned breasts.

“Maybe there is something we can do about that, dear boy, maybe we can.”

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

Harry awoke as he heard a small popping sound occur in the darkened bedroom. “Good evening, Master,” he heard Bustanut say in a plaintive voice. “Dinner will be ready for serving in fifteen minutes.”

“Very well,” replied Harry. “I will escort our guest to the veranda dining room at that time. Send Sugartits to me.”

“Yes, Master,” said Bustanut, “I have other news, the others are worried for you, may I tell them that you are safe and will be coming soon.”

“You may.” A moment later another pop occurred and Sugartits appeared. “Sugartits, assist Mistress Nimue with preparing herself for dinner; provide her with proper attire and toiletries.”

“There is no need for that, Harry,” said Nimue. “I think I can provide my own garments, but I would like to use the shower.”

“Please do,” said Harry. Harry then left the bedroom to take the portal to the Golden Unicorn Master’s flat. He had an idea. First, he took a quick shower himself, and then he had Bustanut dress him in formal attire. Lastly, he went to the closet and took the bottle of perfume that had been his mothers, and the case containing the pearl necklace.

Returning to the villa he found that Nimue had indeed dressed herself, she was garbed in a formal black dress with silver trim, and exquisite silver sandals. Her long jet-black hair was tied back and held by a beautiful silver hair clasp of elegant workmanship. She wore a braided silver chain around her waist as a belt. Harry noted that the pouch that had formerly adorned her neck now hung from the belt. She was beautiful, thought Harry.

“I have brought you two items, gifts, if you will receive them,” said Harry. “The first is a perfume that was created by my mother. If it pleases you, I would have you wear it tonight.”

“How thoughtful,” said Nimue as she sampled the perfume. “The fragrance is quite exotic, strong but not overpowering. Yes, I think it will do.”

As she dabbed on a portion of the perfume the scent of his mother filled the room, then changed to accommodate Nimue. The fragrance was almost like a fresh sea breeze now, noted Harry.

“The second is a gift to thank you for honoring us with your presence, it belonged to my mother as well,” said Harry as he handed her the case with the pearl necklace. To Harry’s surprise Nimue just held the necklace in her hands for a while, looking at the pearls, especially the large center pearl, in silence.

“Harry,” she said finally, “as a sea nymph I can be considered a bit of a connoisseur of pearls. May I say that it is not often that have I seen this many pearls of this quality together in one place. They are beautiful, thank you. I accept them gratefully.”

Harry helped her fasten them in place around her neck, then, with her hand on his arm, he led her into the dining area where everyone was now waiting for them. Outside the sun had already disappeared below the horizon and the mid-December evening chill was setting in. Inside, the diner guests were warm and comfortable. Ginny had now been placed at the opposite end of the table from the head where Harry sat; Nimue was placed at his right hand. There were a more than a few eyebrows lifted as they saw the pearl necklace. Harry could also see the eyes of his coven, especially Ginny were extremely suspicious. They undoubtedly suspected what activities Harry had been up to in the bedroom with Nimue.

The dinner went perfectly with Nimue loving the main course of swordfish steaks served with scallops in a delightful sweet wine sauce. As the meal closed following the serving of raspberry sherbet for dessert, Nimue asked to meet the chef and cooking staff. The chef and the six elves of the cooking staff were summoned, and, despite their native fear of the nymph, quickly reveled in her praise of their culinary achievement.

“Harry, may I reward your elves for the delicious meal they have prepared for us,” she asked, to which Harry acceded. Reaching into her pouch, she withdrew a stack of coins. To each of the staff she gave a silver coin, and to the chef a gold coin.

“I find a lot of lost items on my travels in the seas,” she said, “these doubloons never made it to the King of Spain. Please accept them with my compliments.” The elves bowed and then retired from the room. The party then retired to the veranda where they sat comfortably as the serving elves brought snifters of the finest French Cognac out to them. Normally there would have been lively conversation among the friends, but the fear of Nimue still had a chilling effect on the after dinner chitchat.

“I must say that this has been a most wonderful day,” said Nimue. “To finally meet my old friend Merlin’s descendent and his friends, to learn about your life. To have passionate sex with such a young and vibrant lover, then sleep the afternoon away in his arms, and now this wonderful meal. It is such a change from my usual dreary existence.”

Harry felt the eyes of the girls, especially Ginny, boring in to him accusingly. “Well you don’t have to live that way, do you?” asked Harry, desperate to get some conversation going. “You could probably setup some place of your own.”

“Funny you should mention that, Harry, because I’ve been thinking along those very same lines. The wealth of the ages dropped to the depths of the sea are mine for the taking, power to do as I will is mine by my birthright. I chose the sea because I usually disliked what happened on land. Things up here usually sucked big time back in the old days. No one who ever actually had to stay a night in a castle enjoys the idea of doing so again, or a Dark Age warlord’s great hall either. The bed of honor was a pile of rotten, tick ridden, straw located at the point furthest from the pigsty. I should have come back sooner and checked the situation out. Things have definitely improved topside!”

“So you may choose to stay on land a while?” asked Harry hesitantly.

“Better than that, my dear Harry,” she responded with a smile. “You have caught my eye, you are pretty, and attentive, and you know how to show a girl a good time. There is no need for you to risk your precious mortal existence over this dispute with Lord Voldemort. In fact, there is no need for you to face mortal corruption and death; I can protect you from all harm and decay. You will leave these poor retainers and come with me, I will raise you up beyond your station, make you practically immortal, and this Voldemort will not dare harm you once you are in my care. You will introduce me to this new world I have discovered.”

“Your offer is tempting and many would accept without hesitation, but I have obligations and loyalties here. As to the courtesies, and pleasures, I’ve shown you I was only being a polite host. Please don’t misinterpret my attentions.”

“Poor little, Harry!” laughed Nimue. “You think that I’m in love with you just because I let you lick my pussy and fuck me? You poor deluded boy! I let Alexander the Great do that one night too, and then gave him the unstoppable nosebleed that killed him five minutes after he was finished. But seriously, I do think it’s sweet of you to believe I care that much about you.”

“I choose not to accept your offer, respectfully,” said Harry trying to maintain his calm, and keep the situation under control.

“Perhaps I’m not making myself clear, it wasn’t an offer, Harry, it’s not your choice to accept or refuse me,” said Nimue with a tone of danger entering her voice, the facial smile now having gone quite cold. “I have been too long out of touch with the world; you awakened me with your call. You knew it was a dangerous thing to do. If it helps, I’ll arrange with this Voldemort to spare your friends and their families any misfortune. He will accept readily rather than incur my wrath; he’s not such a fool. Hopefully — neither are you.”

“You are not taking Harry, you bitch!” screamed Ginny. “I will kill you if you touch him!”

Nimue was immediately on her feet; all there felt her power push out against them. Everyone but Harry and the coven members were frozen in place, not even the serving elves could move. They could only watch in horror as Nimue walked deliberately towards Ginny.

“Because you are underage and emotionally tied to Harry I will grant you the extreme privilege of allowing you to apologize to me for your remarks, rather than just kill you now,” Nimue said. Stopping before Ginny, she extended a sandaled foot towards her, “Get on your knees, pitiful little witch, and grovel at my feet; beg for forgiveness, beg for your very life and that of your baby.”

“Fuck you!” was all Ginny said, although everyone was able to hear the quaver in her voice.

“Very well then, I choose to take offense with you; the punishment is death and damnation,” said Nimue. Raising her right hand to the level of her head green fire began to dance from her fingertips and form into a swirling ball of energy. Everyone in the room felt the raw power it contained. “You shall be incinerated in spirit fire, not just your mortal body will be consumed, but your very soul too. You’ll burn in agony in this world and the next.”

The other witches of Harry’s coven stood there shocked, this couldn’t be happening. After a moment’s hesitation, Hermione walked up to stand beside Ginny, followed by Fleur, Gabrielle, and Luna. They began to close ranks around Ginny, all with their wands out and pointed at the nymph. “We won’t allow you to hurt her," said Hermione.

“You four had better hope I don’t punish you with her,” said Nimue through clenched teeth. “Harry, you are supposed to be their warlock, I strongly suggest you exercise your authority over your coven now. You had best make your four remaining little bitches see reason or I’ll kill them all. You can make more babies if you want to, I’ll even find you better mothers than these to knock up.”

Harry slowly walked over to his coven; he saw their eyes on him, especially Ginny. They were waiting for him to make a decision that might save, or kill, them all. Harry was frightened, but a hint of an idea was coming through his fear, but it was a very dangerous idea. If he were wrong, they were doomed. He came and stood before Nimue; he breathed deeply and slowly exhaled. He decided to take the chance and hope for the best.

He slowly turned and walked back to his coven, he gently kissed Ginny, and then the others in turn. Then he turned back to face Nimue, his own wand extended. Around him he saw the faces of the others, unable to move to help them. Most pitiful was the face of Desiree who now stood to lose both her beloved daughters at one blow.

“So that’s the way you desire it then? I offered you immortality, Harry Potter, and you choose to offend me. Very well, you shall all perish in agony,” she said quite matter of factly as the green flames boiled over from the swirling ball, sending out tendrils of power that lashed at Harry and his girls.

“What about you, little one?” Nimue said to Luna. “I can see that you’re frightened, surely you don’t want to die so horribly for their mistakes. Step aside now, child, and I will spare you.”

Harry and the others looked over to Luna; she was so frightened she was shaking uncontrollably. She returned their gaze for a few seconds then looked at Nimue. With a slow deliberate motion, she shook her to head to indicate she wouldn’t leave her friends.

“Everyone focus on me,” said Harry hurriedly, now was the moment of truth to see if his gambit would work. “I’m going to try a shield charm to block her.”

“HA! You think way too highly of your poor abilities junior warlock,” said Nimue with a sneer. She smiled for a moment then slammed her hand forward throwing the swirling ball of blazing spirit fire towards them. “Now DIE!” she screamed shrilly.

“PROTEGO!” answered Harry as he willed all his energy into a shield wall to absorb the oncoming ball of deadly green spirit fire. There was always a surge of energy through the body of a witch or wizard when a spell was cast, but the surge from this spell nearly lifted Harry off his feet. He felt the wall materialize in front of him; he felt a fleeting moment of confidence as he realized he had actually drawn on his coven’s energy and produced a powerful shield in front of them.

The euphoria of the spell’s success was immediately shattered as the spirit flame ripped the shield to shreds as though it were tissue paper and proceeded into their midst. With his last second of life, Harry turned to try and cover Ginny’s body with his own in a vain attempt to save her.