This is a long one…

  Chapter 31: (~18k words)

  – Harry –

  I walked into the cozy, warmly lit atmosphere of the Three Broomsticks with Fleur and Gabrielle clinging firmly to my arms, their soft, feminine bodies pressing intimately against either side of me. Fleur rested her head gently against my shoulder, and Gabrielle’s delicate fingers tightened around my bicep, both clearly content to stay as close as possible. They always insisted on hanging onto me this way, closer and more possessive than any of the other women I was involved with. They once expined it was a Vee instinct to openly show everyone around that they’d been thoroughly cimed and chosen by their mate. Honestly, I found it pretty adorable, if perhaps slightly distracting at times.

  Usually, when I entered a public pce with the two of them, every single head turned our way instantly. Their incredible Vee beauty practically guaranteed attention wherever they went. But this time, strangely, nobody in the pub seemed to even notice us at all. Students and patrons alike were all turned in their seats, openly staring at something—or someone—in the center of the room.

  Curiously, I followed their line of sight, and quickly realized exactly why Fleur and Gabrielle had gone momentarily ignored. Sitting alone at a small, polished wooden table was easily one of the most breathtaking women I had ever seen. She wore an elegant, tight-fitting dress in a deep blue shade, perfectly hugging her generous curves. Her fwlessly smooth skin seemed to practically glow in the soft ntern-light of the pub, and her long silvery-blonde hair was done up neatly in a style that highlighted the graceful lines of her delicate neck and shoulders. I recognized her immediately—this had to be Apolline Decour, Fleur and Gabrielle’s mother.

  I knew instantly where the sisters had gotten their stunning looks from. Apolline looked barely into her thirties, youthful yet somehow radiating an elegant maturity that was captivating. And right now, she seemed to be the unwilling center of attention for two clearly intoxicated wizards who hovered awkwardly at her table, both attempting—and miserably failing—to flirt with her. They’d invaded her personal space, leaning over her table, slurring their words, and stumbling slightly as they grinned foolishly at her.

  They were wobbling slightly, clearly having trouble keeping their bance, and their words came out slurred and uneven as they spoke.

  "Come on now, beautiful," one of the wizards slurred, pcing his hand heavily on the edge of Apolline's table as he leaned closer. "Why're you sittin' all alone, love? A gorgeous witch like you shouldn't be without company."

  His friend chuckled drunkenly next to him, nodding enthusiastically. "Tha's right, love. Why not let us join you? We'll show you a good time," he drawled, barely able to keep his eyes open as he spoke.

  Apolline kept her composure impressively, calmly meeting their gazes without showing discomfort or annoyance, though I could tell from her subtly narrowed eyes that she was not pleased by their presence. She maintained her perfect posture, sitting elegantly in her chair as she politely but firmly shook her head.

  "Thank you, gentlemen, but as I've already expined, I'm not interested. I prefer to enjoy my drink alone until my daughters arrive," she replied clearly, her voice polite but carrying a firm edge of warning.

  The first wizard ignored her clear dismissal, waving a hand dismissively in her direction. "Oh, come now. Don't be like that, love. We both can see you’re far too young to have children! Just one little drink with us won't hurt, will it?" He reached out, his cmmy fingers extending clumsily toward Apolline's slender wrist in an attempt to grab hold of her hand. “Our table is much more spacious!”

  I could feel Fleur and Gabrielle tense instantly beside me, both sisters releasing soft, angry hisses at the disrespectful intrusion on their mother.

  I felt a brief fsh of irritation myself, though honestly, I doubted Apolline truly needed rescuing. If she was even half as talented and powerful as Fleur and Gabrielle had proven themselves to be, she could probably handle herself just fine.

  Still, it felt wrong to just stand by and let those fools bother her. I strode forward confidently with Fleur and Gabrielle pressed firmly to my sides, clearing my throat loudly as we approached Apolline’s table.

  “Excuse me,” I spoke clearly, my voice steady and firm as I fixed a pointed stare at both men. “But I think it’s painfully obvious the lovely dy here isn’t interested in your drunken attentions. It’d be best if you left her alone and let her enjoy her drink in peace.”

  Both wizards turned toward me slowly, confusion flickering briefly across their faces, before one of them sneered drunkenly in my direction. “What’s it to you, pretty-boy? Mind your own business. We’re just trying to have a conversation here.”

  I sighed deeply, giving the drunken wizard a bored look. Fleur and Gabrielle noticeably stiffened beside me, the delicate muscles of their bodies tense as they eyed the men like predators sizing up prey.

  “I’m making it my business,” I replied calmly, giving Apolline a small, reassuring nod. She’d turned her head toward me, her expression remaining calm but clearly intrigued. Her vibrant blue eyes studied me curiously, a faintly amused smile tugging gently at her lips. “This beautiful woman is clearly not interested, and I strongly suggest you find someone else to bother—or better yet, just leave entirely.”

  Before the man could respond again, Fleur stepped forward smoothly, releasing my arm briefly as she pced a slender hand delicately on my chest, gazing up at me affectionately before turning a cold stare toward the two drunks. “Mon amour is far too polite, messieurs. Allow me to make things perfectly clear—if you persist in troubling our dear maman, my sister and I will not hesitate to personally ensure you regret it.”

  Gabrielle immediately nodded firmly from my other side, her sweet, melodic voice dripping with disdain as she added, “Oui, Fleur speaks the truth. Leave our mother alone immediately!”

  The two drunk men’s eyes slowly shifted away from Apolline, nding on Fleur and Gabrielle instead. They both paused, blinking dumbly for a second, before their expressions twisted into leering, drunken grins. Their bloodshot eyes raked hungrily over Fleur and Gabrielle's slender bodies, lingering rudely on the generous curves beneath their snug dresses. One of them licked his cracked lips slowly, making a disgustingly exaggerated show of it.

  “Bloody hell,” he slurred loudly, nudging his companion clumsily with his elbow. “Would you look at that? Looks like we got ourselves three gorgeous sisters here!”

  The other wizard let out a crude, approving chuckle, his gaze greedily fixed on Fleur’s chest. “Merlin’s balls, you’re right!” he drawled, stumbling slightly as he leaned closer. “Now these two look even more fun than their lovely sister over here! Come on, darlings, ditch the limp-dick pretty boy and come join us instead. We’ll show you a far better time!”

  A surge of anger shot through my chest at their disgusting words. I could feel my demonic instincts fre dangerously close to the surface, my magic thrumming heatedly beneath my skin. They could insult me all they liked—I honestly didn’t give a damn—but the moment they started talking that way to Fleur and Gabrielle was when they crossed a very clear line. My jaw clenched involuntarily, my fists tightening slightly at my sides as I prepared to step forward and teach these idiots a lesson.

  But before I could even move, the two drunken morons decided to make things infinitely worse. Without any hesitation, each of them reached out greedily, attempting to roughly grab hold of Fleur and Gabrielle’s delicate wrists. Their motions were awkward and clumsy, their eyes unfocused and blurry from alcohol.

  Oh, these idiots had no idea what kind of colossal mistake they'd just made.

  Both Fleur and Gabrielle jerked sharply backward, instantly pulling their arms out of reach of the men’s grubby, sweaty fingers. I felt Fleur’s petite body stiffen dramatically beside me, her vivid blue eyes narrowing dangerously into icy slits. Gabrielle’s normally sweet and cheerful expression morphed quickly into pure fury, her pale cheeks flushed deeply pink in anger.

  Vee were extremely protective of themselves and those they loved, and both Fleur and Gabrielle clearly considered themselves mine. Someone attempting to touch them without consent was the absolute worst possible trigger. When Vee women got mad, things around them had a bad habit of bursting into fmes. Literally.

  I felt the sudden spike of magical heat radiating off both sisters at the same moment. Instantly, the drunk men’s long wizard robes ignited, bright orange fmes licking up rapidly along their sleeves and chests. Even their tall, half-empty gsses of firewhiskey fred up violently, the strong alcohol igniting dramatically into twin bursts of fme. Both men shrieked instantly in pain and terror, staggering wildly as they spped ineffectually at their burning clothing. The intense heat startled them, and within seconds both idiots lost their bance and crashed heavily onto the wooden floor, shouting and thrashing awkwardly.

  “Huh,” I muttered dryly, watching them roll around helplessly. “And here I thought wizards wouldn’t know a muggle thing like stop, drop, and roll.”

  Laughter erupted loudly from the rest of the pub, patrons cpping and cheering as the two drunk morons continued flopping about pathetically on the ground. I gnced over at Madam Rosmerta behind the bar, meeting her gaze directly. She looked completely unsurprised, merely letting out a weary sigh and nodding knowingly at me, as if silently thanking me for at least attempting to keep things from escating too much.

  A soft rustling noise beside me drew my attention back to the table. Apolline slowly rose from her seat with effortless grace, pointedly ignoring the two fools rolling around on the pub floor and howling miserably.

  My eyes helplessly followed her movements, watching the impressive bounce of her rge breasts beneath her tightly fitted dress. I couldn’t help briefly comparing them mentally—I’d spent enough intimate time with Rias to have a very accurate frame of reference—and honestly, I was fairly certain Apolline was just as well-endowed as my fiance.

  And that was certainly saying something.

  Apolline stepped around her table and approached us with an amused smile on her full, perfectly formed lips, her hips swaying enticingly as she moved. Her vibrant blue eyes sparkled with pyful humor, clearly entertained by the spectacle her daughters had just created in her defense.

  “My heroes,” she said teasingly, pcing one delicate hand lightly over her generous chest and giving an exaggerated sigh of relief as she regarded the three of us. “Truly, what would I have done without such galnt rescuers?”

  I chuckled quietly, unable to hide my amused grin at her pyful theatrics. Fleur rolled her eyes affectionately at her mother’s teasing, and Gabrielle giggled softly from my other side, leaning comfortably against me once more now that the immediate threat had been handled.

  “Honestly, maman,” Fleur replied smoothly, though a hint of fond exasperation tinted her elegant voice. “You could easily have handled those drunken idiots yourself. But we simply couldn't allow such disrespect toward our family to go unanswered.”

  Apolline tilted her head slightly, her beautiful features softening as she gave both of her daughters a warm, affectionate smile. "I know, my darlings. And I do appreciate your help, truly—even if it was slightly... dramatic." Her gaze slid toward me, her eyes gleaming with open curiosity as she studied my face carefully for a moment. "And this handsome young man must be the famous Harry Sitri I've heard so very much about?"

  I nodded politely, offering her a respectful and genuine smile. "That's me. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Decour. Fleur and Gabrielle have spoken so highly of you."

  …After nearly an hour of some of the most shameless and explicit questioning I'd ever experienced, I finally stepped out of the Three Broomsticks and into the cool evening air of Hogsmeade, feeling warmth still lingering stubbornly in my cheeks.

  Honestly, I'd always thought myself pretty open and difficult to embarrass—after all, with a mother like Serafall, I was used to blunt, inappropriate humor—but even I hadn't expected a conversation quite like that with Fleur and Gabrielle's mother.

  Apolline Decour certainly didn't hold back. When she'd said she wanted to get to know the young man who had captured her daughters' hearts, she apparently meant it in every possible way. Her initial questions started innocently enough, standard parental concerns. Where had I grown up? What was my favorite subject at school? What were my pns for the future?

  Yet somehow, the conversation had escated quickly and dramatically.

  "So, Harry," she began smoothly, her brilliant blue eyes never leaving mine, "my daughters seem exceedingly happy with you, and I'm very gd to see it. However—" a mischievous smile tugged at the corners of her full lips, "there is something important I'm rather curious about."

  "Of course, Mrs. Decour," I replied politely, completely unaware of the trap I was about to step right into. "Ask me anything you'd like."

  Her smile widened slightly, her eyes sparkling with pyful amusement. "Well then, in that case—tell me, are you keeping Fleur and Gabrielle fully satisfied in the bedroom?"

  I nearly choked on the butterbeer I'd been sipping, coughing slightly as my eyes widened in surprise at her sudden boldness. Fleur and Gabrielle giggled softly on either side of me, obviously quite enjoying my rare moment of flustered embarrassment.

  "M-Maman!" Gabrielle scolded teasingly, though her tone indicated she wasn't truly bothered by her mother's invasive questions. "You can't simply ask Harry something like that so suddenly!"

  Apolline merely ughed gently, leaning back in her seat and giving her younger daughter a calm, amused look. "And why not? If the three of you intend to be together permanently—and given your recent revetions, I certainly believe you do—then surely I have the right to know if my beautiful daughters are being properly cared for in every way."

  I took a steadying breath, clearing my throat awkwardly and deciding honesty was probably the best approach here. "Well...I like to think they're satisfied," I answered, attempting a confident smile, though I was sure my cheeks were now bright red. "I certainly haven't heard any compints from them."

  Fleur immediately leaned in closer, her elegant features lit up by a warm, enthusiastic smile. "Non, Maman, he is being far too modest!" she said insistently. Her hand came to rest affectionately on my thigh beneath the table. "Harry is incroyable. More than we ever dreamed of."

  Gabrielle eagerly nodded her head, her silver-blonde hair bouncing softly against her shoulders. She leaned forward slightly, smiling happily at her mother as she added without any hint of embarrassment, "Oui, Fleur is right! Harry takes care of us wonderfully. And the sex—"

  I could tell half the pub was listening at this point… I was used to all the stares at this point with all the beautiful women in my life.

  Gabrielle continued as grinned shamelessly at me, she gnced briefly at Fleur, "Well, to put it simply, Harry is incredible in bed, Maman. His cock is huge—bigger than anything Fleur or I have ever even seen in adult videos."

  "Oui," Fleur immediately agreed, completely unfazed by discussing such private details with her own mother. She smiled warmly at Apolline, a faint blush coloring her lovely cheeks as she added softly, "And Harry's stamina is equally amazing. He can go all night long without tiring. He leaves us completely satisfied every single time."

  I stared at both Fleur and Gabrielle, astonished they were so comfortable saying such outrageously explicit things in front of their mother. They were both smiling brightly at Apolline, their eyes shining with genuine pride and affection as they openly praised my performance.

  "Oh my," Apolline murmured quietly, lifting one elegant eyebrow as her eyes flicked toward me again, appraising me openly. The amusement and curiosity in her expression had suddenly shifted, repced now by a subtle but unmistakable glint of interest—lustful interest, even. Her gaze slid slowly down my body, openly assessing me in a way that sent a heated shiver down my spine. "How very intriguing…"

  Apolline seemed to consider carefully for a few seconds, her eyes lingering thoughtfully on my lips, before she finally smiled again—though this time, her smile was more flirtatious than merely pyful. "You know, it's so reassuring to hear my girls have found someone who can fulfill them in every way," she continued smoothly, her voice taking on a silkier, more sensual edge. "After all, a Vee woman's passions are strong—and few men have the ability to truly satisfy her fully. It is wonderful to hear you've proven yourself more than capable of that, Harry."

  I shifted awkwardly beneath her intense gaze, struggling to maintain my composure even as Fleur and Gabrielle each pressed themselves proudly against my sides, clearly enjoying their mother's reaction.

  Yet even as Apolline openly flirted with me, my mind automatically shifted toward what I knew about her personal situation. She was definitely married, yes—but from what Fleur and Gabrielle had privately shared with me, things hadn't exactly been smooth sailing between their parents tely. Their father had been furious about Fleur and Gabrielle's decision to become devils and join my peerage, going so far as to refuse to speak to them altogether. His harsh reaction had clearly wounded both sisters deeply, creating a painful rift in the Decour family.

  It left me wondering exactly how strong—or weak—Apolline's marriage truly was right now?

  Given the openly appreciative looks she continued sending my way throughout the rest of our conversation, I think I knew that answer.

  I had left Fleur and Gabrielle behind with their mother. Today was definitely turning into one of the more eventful afternoons of my life—and that was really saying something, considering how unusual my life was already.

  Meeting Apolline Decour had been a unique experience, to put it mildly. But the next meeting I had scheduled promised to make things even more uncomfortable, and that was something I was not exactly thrilled about.

  My destination was a smaller, more private café tucked away from the main street in Hogsmeade, a pce known for quiet conversations and discreet privacy—the perfect setting for a very awkward family revetion.

  I was meeting Nymphadora Tonks' parents, Andromeda and Ted, for the first time today.

  Honestly, it was long overdue. Ever since Tonks quit her job as an Auror without warning, her parents had apparently been flooding her inbox with shocked and increasingly concerned messages, demanding to know exactly what was going on with their daughter. I couldn’t exactly bme them for being worried. After all, Tonks had abruptly gone from a promising Ministry career to suddenly becoming Narcissa Malfoy's personal teaching assistant at Hogwarts—a complete one-eighty in her life path that probably had them baffled.

  Of course, Narcissa and Andromeda’s retionship as sisters was complicated, to say the least. Calling it rocky was putting it mildly. They had barely spoken in years, and even though Narcissa had made a couple of cautious attempts to reconnect recently, I knew that bridging the gulf of resentment and hurt feelings between them was not something easily done overnight.

  And now we were going to have to tell Andromeda and Ted the truth about their daughter wasn’t human anymore, but a reincarnated devil, and a member of my peerage.

  More awkwardly still, Tonks had insisted she didn’t want to hide her romantic retionship with me from her parents. So yeah, there was also the small issue of them finding out that their daughter was now dating me—someone who was also notorious for his harem at this point and also involved romantically with her Aunt Narcissa.

  At least, the newspapers didn’t yet know I was dating a professor. Yet, it was probably only a matter of time because students had seen us together and even yesterday I’d heard some gossiping about me and Narcissa.

  I had to spend at least an hour a day with every member of my peerage after all.

  As I rounded the corner and approached the café, I let out a steadying breath, feeling the familiar aura of Tonks inside. My devil instincts and peerage bond allowed me to sense her clearly, almost like a gentle warmth waiting just beyond the door.

  I pushed open the door, stepping quietly into the café. The interior was small and inviting, filled with comfortable booths and softly glowing mps hanging low from the ceiling. Tonks spotted me immediately from her seat in the far corner, her face breaking into a relieved, slightly nervous smile. She waved cheerfully, though I could see the tension in her posture and the slight crease of worry in her forehead. I approached her table calmly, giving her a reassuring grin as I slid into the seat next to her.

  "Wotcher, Harry," Tonks said quietly, giving my hand a brief, tight squeeze beneath the table. Her fingers felt slightly cmmy, betraying how nervous she was about this meeting.

  "You alright?" I asked softly, noticing how she chewed slightly on her lower lip, something she did whenever she was anxious.

  Tonks blew out a breath, puffing a lock of bright pink hair from her face. "Honestly? I'm bloody terrified," she admitted with a small, sheepish chuckle. "I know Mum and Dad. They're great people, Harry—really wonderful—but they're going to absolutely freak out when we tell them everything. It's not just the devil stuff, or me quitting the Ministry. They're going to hear about you and Aunt Cissy... Merlin, they're gonna lose their minds."

  I squeezed her hand gently, rubbing slow circles on the back of it with my thumb, trying to calm her down. "It'll be okay, Tonks. At least we're finally being upfront with them, right?"

  She nodded slowly, visibly rexing just a little at my words. "Yeah, you're right. Better to be honest about everything upfront. But—just promise me you won't be too shocked if Mum loses it and starts hexing us both…."

  The cafe doors swung open and an older couple walked inside.

  …

  We stood near Hagrid's hut, right at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. I'd just left Hogsmeade after that disastrous meeting with Tonks' parents, and it was still several hours until dinner. Fortunately, Hermione had been waiting nearby, expecting I'd likely require a bit of patching up after that second meeting I was going to have today.

  Clearly, she and the other girls had accurately predicted how Tonks' parents—particurly Andromeda—would react to the news we'd delivered.

  Hermione was now kneeling on the soft grass directly in front of me, her gentle hands glowing softly with the distinct violet energy of her demonic magic as she carefully healed the blisters and bruises left on my arms. I winced slightly as she ran her fingertips gently over one particurly nasty burn, feeling the soothing coolness of her magic gradually ease the pain away.

  Hermione was meticulous in everything she did, especially magic. She took her time examining each injury, her brow furrowed slightly in careful concentration. Occasionally she'd brush her thick curls away from her face, tucking them behind her ear so they wouldn't distract her from the delicate healing process.

  Demonic magic wasn't traditionally known for healing, at least not compared to specialized human-witch spells or even Phoenix tears. Still, Hermione had obsessively studied healing techniques and human anatomy, poring over countless medical tomes and anatomical charts, determined to become proficient in something most others with demonic power just gave up on learning.

  And clearly, her hard work had paid off. She could now perform healing magic with just as much skill and precision as someone like Madam Pomfrey.

  As Hermione moved her fingers to my other arm, gently running her magic over a particurly vivid red welt left by one of Andromeda's hexes, I couldn't help but feel a grudging admiration for Tonks' mother. She was clearly powerful, a formidable witch who could easily leave sting damage even on a near High-Css Devil like me. I shook my head slightly, remembering just how fiercely Andromeda had reacted upon learning about my retionship with her daughter—and her estranged sister Narcissa.

  Hermione gnced up at my face, a small sympathetic smile on her lips as she examined a painful-looking bruise just under my left eye.

  "Hold still, Harry," she said softly, bringing her fingertips carefully toward my cheekbone. Her voice was gentle and reassuring, clearly trying to ease some of my lingering tension. "This one looks especially bad. It's going to take just a moment longer."

  I nodded carefully, keeping my head still and feeling the comforting warmth of her magic seeping gently into my skin. Within seconds, the dull throbbing beneath my eye began to fade, repced by a soothing relief. I let out a grateful sigh, rexing slightly as she moved her hands back down toward a stubborn blister on my wrist.

  Hermione shook her head lightly as she continued to concentrate, gncing up at me through her shes with a slight smirk pying across her lips. "Well, Harry," she said, sounding both amused and slightly exasperated, "I have to say, your meeting with Tonks' parents went just about as well as we all thought it would."

  I raised an eyebrow slightly, giving her an exaggerated expression of mock offense.

  "Really?" I replied, letting sarcasm color my tone as I watched her finish healing the st bruises on my forearm. "I had no idea you and the other girls were so certain I'd get hexed. Exactly how predictable do you all think I am?"

  Hermione looked up at me again, her brown eyes sparkling pyfully, clearly holding back ughter.

  "Oh, come now, Harry," she said, her voice dripping with teasing warmth, "it wasn't necessarily you who was predictable—it was Andromeda's reaction to the news. Honestly, what exactly did you think she'd do when she found out her daughter had become a devil’s servant, quit the Ministry, and was now romantically involved with you—oh, and let's not forget, you're also dating her estranged sister Narcissa?"

  I chuckled ruefully, letting out a heavy sigh as Hermione finally stood up, brushing stray grass from her skirt. Her hands lingered for a moment on my healed arms, carefully inspecting them one final time to ensure she hadn't missed anything. She seemed satisfied, giving me a reassuring nod as she stepped back slightly.

  I stretched lightly, testing my healed limbs. All pain and soreness had completely disappeared, thanks to Hermione's magic. I smiled warmly down at her, pcing a grateful hand on her shoulder. "Thanks, Hermione," I said sincerely. "You really do incredible work. You're definitely at Madam Pomfrey's level, no question."

  She blushed lightly at the compliment, her cheeks turning a faint pink as she averted her gaze briefly, clearly pleased by the praise. "You're welcome, Harry," she said softly, smiling shyly at me. Then her expression turned mischievous again, her eyes twinkling as she quickly added, "Anyway, if you must know—we might have even taken bets on exactly how Tonks' parents would react."

  I stared at her for a second, momentarily surprised, then burst into ughter, shaking my head in disbelief. "Seriously?" I asked incredulously, grinning openly at her amused expression. "You all made bets on how badly I'd get hexed?"

  Hermione giggled softly, her eyes brightening further as she tilted her head pyfully. "Well, I suppose I should tell you that Lyna won the bet."

  "Lyna?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow curiously. "Exactly how bad did she predict things would get?"

  Hermione's smile widened into an outright grin, clearly enjoying my reaction. "Lyna guessed you'd return looking exactly like this—covered in bruises and blisters, in need of healing, and very unhappy. Though, admittedly, she underestimated just how much magical force Andromeda could put behind those hexes."

  I ughed again, shaking my head and crossing my arms lightly over my chest, feigning an offended expression. It looked like I’d have to punish my naughty maid ter for having so little faith in her amazing master…

  Hermione gave me one st pyful smirk and began turning away, clearly assuming we were finished here. However, before she could take more than a single step, I quickly reached out and gently grasped her slender wrist, stopping her.

  She paused, her eyes widening slightly in surprise as she turned back toward me, confusion evident on her pretty face.

  “Harry? Was there something else?” she asked softly, tilting her head slightly in curious question.

  “Actually,” I said slowly, stepping toward her with deliberate intent, a confident smile spreading over my lips. “I realize I haven’t properly thanked you yet, Hermione. That’s pretty rude of me, considering how much you just helped.”

  Her cheeks flushed gently pink, her soft lips curling up into a shy yet pleased smile. She lowered her gaze slightly, looking up at me through her thick shes as she spoke quietly.

  “You don’t really have to thank me, Harry. You know I’m always happy to help you,” she said softly, her tone warm and genuine. Still, I could easily see how much she enjoyed being appreciated.

  “No,” I replied calmly, taking another step closer until there were barely inches between us. “I insist. It’s important to me that I show you how grateful I am, Hermione.”

  I pced a finger gently under her chin, lifting her head slightly so she was forced to meet my eyes directly. Her cheeks darkened further at the contact, her breathing growing a bit more rapid. I could feel her pulse quicken beneath my fingertips.

  Her eyes widened slightly as I moved forward again, smoothly backing her up until her slender body was pressed firmly against the rough bark of the rge oak tree directly behind her. Hermione gasped softly at the sudden contact, her chest rising and falling rapidly beneath her blouse. Her brown eyes stared into mine, full of anticipation and excitement.

  “Harry—” she began breathlessly, but her words faded into a soft sigh as I pressed my lips passionately against hers, silencing her gently.

  Hermione’s lips were incredibly soft, warm and inviting against mine. I felt her initial tension melt away rapidly as she responded eagerly to my kiss, pressing herself closer and looping her arms around my neck. She sighed softly into my mouth, parting her lips slightly to allow my tongue entrance.

  I kissed her deeply, hungrily, tasting the sweetness of her mouth as our tongues slowly intertwined. I carefully shifted my position, moving my right leg forward to gently press my knee between her thighs, applying just enough pressure to make her shiver.

  Hermione moaned softly against my mouth, her hips rocking slightly in response to the intimate contact. She tightened her grip around my neck, her body trembling gently as I deepened our kiss further.

  Slowly, I brought my right hand up along her side, feeling the smooth curves of her waist beneath the thin fabric of her blouse. I carefully traced small circles with my fingertips against her side, feeling her shiver at my touch.

  Breaking the kiss gently, I leaned back slightly to meet her gaze. Hermione’s face was flushed deeply pink, her breathing rapid and uneven. Her eyes were half-lidded, clearly clouded with desire as she stared at me.

  “You know,” she murmured softly, her voice slightly hoarse as she gave me a shy, heated smile, “I wasn’t such a dirty woman before I met you, Mr. Sitri.”

  I chuckled warmly at her words, thoroughly amused by her blunt honesty. Reaching up with my free hand, I gently brushed aside a stray curl from her flushed face, tucking it tenderly behind her ear.

  “Maybe not,” I admitted lightly, leaning in closer again until our lips were mere inches apart, feeling her soft breath mingling with mine. “But I’m certainly not compining.”

  Before she could reply, I captured her lips in another deep, heated kiss. Hermione responded immediately, gripping my shoulders tightly as she eagerly pressed herself closer. I felt her hips rock gently against my thigh, clearly seeking more of the pleasurable friction.

  I pressed my knee forward again, feeling her tremble deliciously against me. She moaned softly into my lips, her delicate fingers digging slightly into my shoulders as our kiss grew even more passionate beneath the shade of the old oak tree.

  Someone suddenly cleared their throat behind us, and Hermione and I broke our heated kiss, pulling back slowly. A thin strand of saliva momentarily lingered between our lips, stretching gently until Hermione gnced at me with a soft smile and deliberately licked it away. I swallowed, feeling my cheeks flush slightly at the btantly intimate gesture, before both of us turned our heads to look at whoever had interrupted us.

  Standing there with obvious discomfort was Lilja Nornas, the gorgeous new red-headed Slytherin transfer student. Her long crimson hair fell over her shoulders, framing her flushed, pale cheeks. Her vibrant green eyes gnced away nervously as she shifted her weight awkwardly from one foot to the other. Her slender fingers fidgeted anxiously with the strap of her bookbag as she cleared her throat again.

  "I—um, sorry for interrupting," Lilja said softly, a hint of embarrassment coloring her voice. "I really didn’t mean to disturb anything."

  She gnced briefly at Hermione, then quickly looked away, her gaze darting down to her feet. It seemed she didn't quite know how to handle this unexpected encounter, which was entirely understandable given what she'd just walked in on.

  "No worries," Hermione said easily, breaking the brief silence first. She stepped away from the tree trunk behind her and straightened her Hogwarts uniform and skirt neatly, smoothing out a few minor creases in the fabric with calm confidence.

  Hermione looked completely composed and unbothered, as though being caught passionately kissing beneath a tree was a perfectly normal occurrence for her. Well, at least this time we weren’t caught half naked in a broom closet by Serafall…

  Lilja blinked in surprise, clearly caught off-guard by Hermione's rexed, welcoming response. She hesitantly looked up again, meeting Hermione's warm brown eyes with a cautious, uncertain expression.

  "Hi, I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione continued with genuine friendliness, taking another small step toward Lilja. "You must be Lilja, right? Harry's talked about you a bit already—it's lovely to finally meet you."

  Lilja opened her mouth, seeming momentarily unsure of what to say. Her delicate eyebrows knitted together slightly, confusion mingled with surprise. Finally, she spoke again, her voice soft and hesitant, but clearly relieved at Hermione's welcoming demeanor. "Oh, um—thank you," Lilja said quietly, her cheeks still lightly flushed. Her gaze shifted quickly between Hermione and myself, as if trying to assess whether Hermione's calm attitude was completely sincere. "That's very kind of you to say. And yes, I'm Lilja Nornas. It's nice to meet you too."

  Hermione's smile widened, and she tilted her head slightly, regarding Lilja with open appreciation. "Harry told me you were beautiful, but honestly, he undersold it. You're absolutely gorgeous. Welcome to Hogwarts—I hope you're adjusting alright so far?"

  I watched Lilja closely, noting the slight widening of her eyes and the gentle reddening of her already flushed cheeks. Clearly, she hadn't been expecting Hermione's genuine kindness, especially considering the awkwardness of her timing.

  "Oh! Um, thank you again," Lilja replied softly, now visibly flustered by Hermione’s sincere compliment. She tucked a stray lock of vibrant red hair nervously behind her ear, her eyes darting downward shyly as she added, "And Hogwarts has been very welcoming, thank you. I'm really gd to be here."

  She gnced toward me once more, an uncertain look flickering in her green eyes. Lilja hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure of what to say next before she finally gathered the courage to continue.

  "Actually, Harry," she said quietly, her voice gentle and uncertain, "I was looking for you because, well... I thought we were going to hang out today? But if you're busy—" Lilja paused again, gncing quickly at Hermione, her gaze lingering a moment too long. A faint trace of something flickered across her features—maybe embarrassment, or perhaps even a touch of envy, I honestly wasn't sure.

  Hermione chuckled softly, clearly sensing Lilja's discomfort, and she reached out warmly, gently touching Lilja’s shoulder to reassure her. Lilja jumped very slightly, startled, but Hermione just smiled even more warmly in response.

  "Oh, please don’t worry about interrupting us," Hermione said reassuringly. "Harry and I were just... taking a break between some other rather intense meetings he had today." Hermione gave me an affectionate, teasing look. "He's all yours for the afternoon,” she finished with a wink.

  Damn, Hermione was so amazing, wasn’t she?

  – Lilja –

  Get it together, Lily! she chastised herself sternly, shaking her head ever so slightly, silky strands of vibrant crimson hair slipping from behind her ear and falling gently along her flushed cheeks. You're a reincarnated grown woman twice over! Quit acting like such a shy, blushing virgin schoolgirl—even if that's your current cover role here at Hogwarts.

  Lilja’s vivid emerald eyes tracked Hermione as the pretty brunette walked back toward the castle. Hermione paused just once, looking back briefly over her shoulder to wave warmly at Harry and Lilja before disappearing behind a stone archway.

  Lilja shifted her gaze slowly toward Harry, who was watching Hermione with an affectionate smile lingering on his handsome face.

  "Your girlfriend isn't angry or jealous you're spending private time with another woman?" Lilja asked quietly, attempting—and failing—to sound entirely casual. Her heart fluttered slightly as Harry turned to her, his piercing blue eyes locking directly onto hers with startling intensity.

  Harry chuckled softly, a warm, reassuring smile spreading across his lips as he regarded Lilja thoughtfully. "Hermione? No, she wouldn’t be angry at all," he expined calmly, stepping closer and stuffing his hands comfortably into his pockets. "If anything, she probably thinks you're doing her a favor."

  Lilja tilted her head slightly, brows knitting in confusion. "A favor? What do you mean by that?"

  Harry’s expression softened further, his gaze sliding off briefly toward the distant towers of Hogwarts as he expined gently, "Hermione has an incredibly busy schedule. Between her advanced csses, studying magic, tutoring other students—she rarely gets any downtime. I know she feels guilty sometimes about how little we get to see each other, especially considering she was my first girlfriend and the very first member of my harem."

  Lilja blinked slowly at that revetion, absorbing his candid words with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. Right, she thought inwardly, barely holding back a bemused chuckle, the son of my past self, Lily Evans, really does have a harem, doesn’t he? What a surreal turn of events…

  Instead of voicing that ironic thought aloud, Lilja composed herself and gave Harry a teasing little smile, gently nudging his side pyfully with her elbow. "You certainly lead an interesting life, Harry," she remarked lightly, careful to keep any jealousy she was feeling entirely hidden beneath a pyful veneer.

  Harry gave a rueful chuckle in response, nodding slightly. "Interesting would be putting it mildly."

  Lilja paused for a moment, considering her next move. Her eyes drifted toward the sprawling, shadowy expanse of the Forbidden Forest stretching ominously beyond Hagrid's hut.

  "I have an idea," she suggested with a touch more enthusiasm than she intended, pointing toward the thick forest. "Would you like to go into the Forbidden Forest with me and practice our sword skills again? Last time was quite enjoyable, and besides—it's such a lovely day."

  And I'm definitely not suggesting this just to have an excuse to get close and grope—no, feel!—his muscles again. Absolutely not. She nearly sighed at her own weak attempt at self-deception.

  Harry, however, did not answer her right away. Instead, his expression grew thoughtful, his blue eyes darkening subtly with something like cautious concern. "That might not be the best idea at the moment, Lilja," he said slowly, the edges of his mouth tightening faintly with tension. "There's a… situation in the forest right now. It might not be safe for training."

  "A situation? What sort of situation?"

  Harry hesitated briefly, clearly weighing how much information to share. When he finally spoke, his tone was carefully neutral. "There's been a monster sighted recently in the forest..."

  A monster, here? She wondered briefly if he meant a stray devil—rare though they were in Scotnd, it wasn't impossible.

  "Oh, come now," she scoffed lightly, pcing her hands confidently upon her slender hips and fixing Harry with a challenging smirk. "I'm hardly frightened of some monster lurking in the shadows. I can handle myself just fine. Or—" she tilted her chin up defiantly—"perhaps you're the one who's scared, Harry?"

  As expected, Harry immediately reacted to her teasing exactly how she'd hoped. Like all men, with his chest subtly puffing up as he told her nothing in the forest frightened him.

  Lilja once again found herself blushing as Harry reached out casually and grasped her smaller hand gently in his own rger one, their fingers naturally sliding together and intertwining with an ease that surprised her. Her heartbeat quickened noticeably, and her breath momentarily caught in her throat at the unexpected intimacy of the gesture.

  Wow, he certainly is forward with girls, isn't he? she mused silently, an amused and slightly nervous chuckle slipping quietly past her lips as they moved slowly toward the shadowed edges of the Forbidden Forest.

  Lilja couldn't recall a single man from her previous life ever making her feel this flustered or excited. Men had approached her often before, of course—they'd showered her with fttery, tried charming smiles, clever wit, and romantic gestures—but none of those experiences had stirred her heart into such an embarrassing frenzy of butterflies and warmth. None had made her cheeks flush this deeply, or left her pulse racing in her chest quite so strongly. Harry was unquestionably unique, and as confusing as it was, Lilja found herself secretly enjoying every moment of his attention.

  As they walked deeper into the forest, sunlight filtered down gently through the tall, whispering canopy above, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow upon their path. After about an hour of lively sparring and practice, Lilja's skin began to glisten softly with a thin sheen of sweat, her Hogwarts uniform clinging damply and uncomfortably against her slender curves, accentuating the soft swell of her breasts beneath the white blouse. Her breath came more quickly now, each inhale and exhale noticeably deeper, her heart pumping strongly from their exertion.

  But when her emerald eyes darted curiously toward Harry, she noticed immediately that he seemed even more heated and sweaty than herself. Harry's breath was coming in deeper, steady inhales, his broad chest rising and falling rhythmically beneath his now-dampened shirt. Without hesitation, he casually reached up, grasping the hem of his school shirt, tugging it smoothly upward over his muscur torso and head, and then tossing it carelessly aside.

  Lilja's gaze was instantly and helplessly drawn to his naked upper body. Her mouth opened slightly in silent astonishment at the sight, her cheeks flooding hotly with warmth once more. Harry's chest and abs were sculpted with lean, well-defined muscles, his lightly-tanned skin stretched taut over each powerful curve and ripple of his physique. Tiny droplets of sweat glistened attractively upon his chest and shoulders, slowly trickling down along his abdomen. Lilja swallowed nervously, her throat suddenly dry, her heart pounding even more rapidly than before.

  Gods, those muscles… Yum! she thought immediately, biting gently at her bottom lip to restrain herself from staring too openly. She quickly realized, with embarrassed shock, that she was finding it increasingly difficult to pull her gaze away from him the longer they spent together. How did Harry Sitri manage to unsettle her so effortlessly?

  With calm, practiced ease, Harry withdrew his wand from the pocket of his discarded shirt—a wand Lilja strongly suspected was fake, a mere prop designed to disguise his true nature as a half-devil. Harry flicked the wand over his muscur frame in a casual motion, murmuring a simple drying spell under his breath, causing the sweat coating his body to instantly vanish, leaving his skin once again perfectly smooth and dry.

  Lilja quickly followed suit, pulling her own fake wand discreetly from her pocket. Unlike Harry, however, she chose instead to mutter softly beneath her breath the Norse drying charm that her sister Rossweisse had taught her long ago, specifically intended to help after their long, intense training sessions. Lilja's body instantly felt refreshed, the sweat evaporating from her skin and clothes, leaving her feeling clean and comfortable again.

  She gnced up to find Harry looking at her pointedly, an exaggerated pout forming pyfully on his lips as his gaze flicked meaningfully toward her still-clothed body. He raised one expectant eyebrow, his blue eyes glittering teasingly.

  Lilja pced her hands firmly upon her hips, an amused yet slightly exasperated expression crossing her flushed features. "And just what exactly is that look supposed to mean, Harry?" she asked dryly, though the faint blush still tinting her pale cheeks clearly betrayed her embarrassment.

  Harry's pout only deepened dramatically, his lips pressing together childishly in exaggerated disappointment. "Well," he began innocently, though the pyful gleam in his eyes betrayed his true intentions, "I was sort of hoping you'd decide to follow my lead. It seems only fair, doesn't it?"

  Lilja felt her blush deepen even further at his shameless suggestion, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. Gathering her composure, she lifted her chin confidently, her tone shifting into pyful defiance. "If you really want to see me shirtless, Harry Sitri, you'll need to nd a hit on me with your sword first," she decred boldly—only to immediately feel her blush intensify as she realized exactly what she'd just suggested.

  Harry instantly straightened, his eyes practically shining with sudden enthusiasm, his muscur body tense with new energy and determination. "Is that all it will take?" he asked eagerly, reaching quickly to retrieve his sword from where he'd pced it aside earlier. "Well, let's get back to training immediately, then! No more resting!"

  Lilja watched with open astonishment and mild embarrassment as Harry practically bounced with newfound excitement, clearly determined to meet her challenge as quickly as possible. She folded her arms beneath her breasts and gave him a small pout, though inside she felt strangely fttered by how openly excited he was at the idea of seeing her body. A small, shy smile began creeping onto her lips despite herself, and she gave a quiet, resigned sigh.

  "You are impossible, Harry," she murmured softly, shaking her head slightly in fond exasperation.

  Harry paused, giving her a pyful wink, clearly unfazed by her words. "Maybe so," he agreed lightly, shifting his stance and raising his sword confidently, eyes bright and focused upon her. "But admit it—you secretly like it."

  Lilja rolled her eyes, unable to prevent the small giggle that escaped her lips. "Perhaps," she conceded softly, raising her own sword smoothly into position, her emerald eyes locking directly onto Harry's challenging gaze. "Now let's see if you actually have the skill to back up that confidence of yours after only two short lessons."

  “My aunt tells me I’m a fast learner,” Harry replied with a smirk as he once again summoned his bde of water in his hands, while Lilja used conjuration to summon her own rapier.

  – Harry –

  Lilja’s conjured rapier had a dulled edge for safety, but despite its harmless edge, she wielded it with incredible strength—far greater than her slender arms seemed capable of. Each strike that connected with my bare chest sent a jarring vibration through my body, leaving fresh bruises behind with every hit.

  She'd honestly make an amazing Rook in my peerage with her raw physical power and exceptional swordsmanship skills.

  Or perhaps she’d be a perfect Queen, she was versatile and incredibly strong. It was impossible not to think about adding her to my peerage the more I watched her fight.

  Her speed was equally astounding—far beyond ordinary human limits, verging into clearly supernatural territory. I was beginning to strongly suspect there was something unique about this gorgeous red-haired woman. Her stunning beauty and strength dominated my thoughts more with every passing second.

  I deliberately rushed closer to Lilja. I allowed her bde to strike my stomach intentionally, grunting as pain blossomed through my abdomen from the impact. Immediately afterward, I swung my water-bde in a swift horizontal arc, making gentle contact with her upper thigh. Rather than cutting or bruising, I intentionally maniputed my bde’s water to harmlessly spsh against her skin, soaking her robes.

  Lilja yelped in surprise as the cold water drenched her clothing, her green eyes widening briefly before narrowing into an adorable pout.

  "You really wanted to see my tits so badly that you let me hit you dozens of times, and even took that st hit intentionally just to nd your ‘winning’ blow?" she asked pointedly, arching one delicate eyebrow at me.

  "Yep," I answered immediately, meeting her gaze shamelessly.

  Lilja shook her head lightly. "Well, you certainly live up to your infamous reputation, Harem King," she teased dryly.

  We both immediately shivered at hearing the term "Harem King," as though the phrase itself was somehow cursed.

  “Er—forget I said that st part,” she added.

  I gnced down at my bare torso, sighing as I examined the purple bruises now decorating my chest and stomach. "Second time today I've ended up covered in bruises," I muttered ruefully.

  Lilja’s pyful expression instantly shifted into genuine concern, her green eyes widening slightly as she stepped closer. "Second time today? What happened earlier?" she asked worriedly, her tone was surprisingly protective.

  Her immediate instinct to defend me made me chuckle warmly despite my lingering discomfort. "Well," I began sheepishly, "earlier today I was meeting the parents of another girl in my harem. Let’s just say, the meeting didn’t go quite as smoothly as my first one today."

  Lilja’s eyes softened sympathetically, clearly sensing there was more to the story. "Bad reaction from her parents, huh?"

  I nodded slowly, wincing slightly at the memory. "Her mother, specifically." I sighed lightly, thinking of Andromeda's furious reaction over finding out her daughter had “died” and was now my eternal servant. "I really hope she eventually comes around. Tonks stayed behind to help calm things down. Honestly, she was pretty furious with her mother as well for hexing me like that too..."

  Lilja regarded me with quiet sympathy for another moment before she saw my expression shift. I smirked slightly, allowing my gaze to drift suggestively downward from her pretty face, slowly gncing down at her chest. Lilja noticed immediately, her cheeks flushing prettily as she gave another exaggerated pout, clearly aware of exactly what I was silently reminding her of.

  "A deal is a deal," I prompted gently. “I managed to hit you, sword mistress.”

  Lilja hesitated slightly, nervously biting her bottom lip as her cheeks reddened further. "Fine," she finally conceded softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I suppose a promise is a promise." Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she carefully began unbuttoning the csps down the front of her Hogwarts robes, gradually slipping the garment off her shoulders and letting it fall gently to the forest floor at her feet.

  Next, her fingers moved slowly down the buttons of her white blouse, revealing more and more of her smooth, creamy skin.

  I watched carefully, my eyes fixed intently on the gradually exposed parts of her upper body. Beneath her blouse, Lilja wore a vividly bright red bra that contrasted sharply against her pale, fwless skin. The bra strained slightly, struggling to contain the full curves of her ample breasts, which I immediately guessed were easily a perfect pair of D-cups.

  Lilja paused briefly, meeting my appreciative gaze directly. She took another steadying breath. Her cheeks now deeply flushed, Lilja reached shyly behind her back, unclipping her bra with one motion. The delicate lingerie slipped away effortlessly, revealing her bare, perfectly shaped breasts to my appreciative stare. They were round and full, the creamy softness of her pale skin accentuated by two enticingly pink nipples already visibly hardened from the cool breeze brushing across her skin.

  Lilja stood quietly before me, allowing me to openly admire her naked upper body for several seconds. Her arms folded bashfully beneath her ample chest, subtly pushing her breasts upward and together in a way that only heightened their incredible appeal. Despite her obvious embarrassment, her expression was warm and affectionate as she met my gaze bravely, clearly enjoying the effect her body was having on me.

  "There," she finally said softly, her voice just above a whisper as her blush intensified. "You got what you wanted. I hope you’re happy."

  I felt my lips slowly stretch into a satisfied grin as I openly admired Lilja's gorgeous, completely bare chest. Her pale, fwless skin was flushed deeply with an adorable shade of pink, her embarrassment obvious even as she stood bravely before me, making no real attempt to hide herself despite her obvious nerves. Her arms crossed hesitantly beneath her breasts, pressing them together enticingly in a subtle attempt to provide herself some small measure of modesty.

  "Very happy, actually," I said calmly, my voice quiet and reassuring, my eyes firmly fixed on hers as I stepped carefully closer.

  Lilja visibly swallowed, her eyes flicking briefly downward to take in my own exposed upper body once again. I noticed her emerald-green gaze linger appreciatively over my chest, her lips parting slightly as her breathing grew noticeably quicker.

  She really was beautiful—and clearly attracted to me. I found that realization incredibly satisfying.

  As I took another step forward, bringing myself just inches away from her trembling form, I gently raised one hand, reaching carefully toward her exposed breasts. I paused, silently meeting her gaze and giving her a questioning look, ensuring she felt entirely comfortable with my intentions. Lilja hesitated only briefly, biting her lower lip nervously, but then gave me a shy, almost imperceptible nod of permission, clearly eager despite her embarrassment.

  Slowly and carefully, my fingertips brushed lightly against the silky softness of her bare skin, delicately caressing the smooth curve of her breast. Lilja immediately sucked in a sharp breath at my touch, her eyes widening briefly in surprise at the sensation before fluttering half-closed again, a quiet moan slipping softly past her parted lips.

  "Oh, Harry," she breathed softly, her voice trembling slightly, full of uncertainty and excitement. Her gaze met mine again, those gorgeous green eyes bright with desire and vulnerability. "Your hands feel… really good."

  I smiled gently in response, continuing to caress her tenderly, slowly tracing small, zy circles around her sensitive pink nipple. Under my touch, I felt the tiny bud harden even further, reacting eagerly to my teasing fingers.

  Lilja moaned softly once more, her voice growing steadily more breathless as her body subtly arched toward my touch, silently begging for more attention.

  "You are incredibly beautiful, Lilja," I murmured honestly, keeping my voice quiet yet deeply appreciative, maintaining eye contact to show her how sincere my words were. "I’m truly gd we decided to spend some time together today."

  Her blush deepened further at my praise, her breathing now clearly ragged as she leaned into my touch more openly. Slowly, her arms fell away from their protective position beneath her chest, allowing me full access to her beautiful breasts.

  "So am I, Harry," Lilja whispered breathlessly.

  – Lilja –

  Lilja knew she should put a stop to this—her rational mind knew that clearly and logically—but the words simply refused to come out of her mouth. No matter how strongly her common sense screamed at her to pull away, she just couldn't bring herself to voice any objections aloud. Because in truth, she didn't want to stop. Not really.

  Harry leaned forward slowly, eyes locked on hers, gauging her reaction carefully. Lilja’s breath hitched sharply in her throat as his warm lips gently brushed against the bare skin of her left breast, the light touch sending immediate shivers cascading down her spine. She gasped softly, arching instinctively toward him as the tingling sensation flooded her senses.

  His movements were patient, deliberately slow, teasing in their gentleness. He pnted careful, tender kisses along the soft, creamy skin of her breast, his mouth slowly tracing the natural curve of her sensitive flesh. Lilja’s heart thundered wildly in her chest, her pulse quickening with each press of his lips. She could feel heat rapidly spreading through her body, a delicious ache beginning to build deep within her.

  Harry’s tongue flicked out carefully, swirling over her erect pink nipple in slow, purposeful circles. Lilja’s entire body trembled beneath his intimate touch, and she moaned softly—embarrassed but unable to stop herself—as sharp waves of pleasure surged through her. Without thinking, her hand reached out reflexively, tangling into Harry's messy dark hair, holding him firmly yet tenderly against her chest, silently encouraging his attentions.

  “Oh gods, Harry...” Lilja murmured breathlessly, her voice shaking with a mixture of nervousness and intense excitement. “This feels so good—I can't think straight.”

  Harry responded by gently taking her nipple fully into his mouth, softly sucking and swirling his tongue around the sensitive peak with practiced ease. Lilja gasped aloud, a sharp sound of surprise and ecstasy escaping her lips, her grip tightening on the back of his head. She leaned into him, instinctively pressing her breast more firmly into the warmth of his mouth, savoring the heated sensations rippling throughout her entire body. Her knees felt suddenly weak, as though the pleasurable sensations flooding her senses might overpower her entirely.

  Harry eventually moved his attentions carefully across to her other breast, treating it with the same tender, loving care. His tongue flicked skillfully over her nipple, teasing and gently biting with just enough pressure to heighten her arousal even further. Lilja sighed deeply, eyes fluttering shut, her entire focus narrowing down to the exquisite sensations that Harry was delivering to her trembling body.

  “Harry,” she whispered breathlessly again, her voice ragged and openly needy now, “please, don’t stop.”

  Harry raised his head slowly, releasing her breast from his warm mouth. He met her gaze directly, his intense eyes filled with genuine affection and undisguised desire. His hand rose carefully, fingers tracing softly along her flushed cheek as he gave her a reassuring smile. Lilja shivered slightly beneath his gentle caress, breathing heavily as she waited expectantly for whatever Harry would say next.

  “I won’t stop,” he said quietly, his voice firm yet comforting. “Not unless you want me to.”

  Lilja shook her head slowly, swallowing hard and managing a shaky, sincere smile. She pulled him closer again, her fingers still tangled softly into his hair. “I don’t want you to stop, Harry,” she said honestly, her voice clear despite the way her cheeks flushed with shyness. “I want you to keep going.”

  Harry smiled warmly in return, leaning in once again, continuing exactly as she'd asked.

  Lilja gasped softly, a quiet, helpless sound slipping free from her parted lips as Harry's warm, eager mouth continued exploring her bare breasts. She felt the heat of his breath tickling against her sensitive skin, sending shivers cascading down her spine and leaving goosebumps along her arms. Her heart pounded rapidly, hammering in her chest like a drum, each heavy beat echoing with anticipation and excitement.

  She looked down through half-lidded emerald eyes, watching intently as Harry’s lips slowly parted to gently take one hardened, pink nipple fully into his mouth again. The sight sent a surge of raw pleasure washing through her entire body, forcing another breathy moan to escape her trembling lips.

  "Oh gods, Harry," she whispered hoarsely, barely recognizing her own voice in its breathless, needy tone. "That feels incredible."

  Her hands seemed to move on their own accord, instinctively sliding along the muscur pnes of Harry’s bare chest. She marveled at the feel of his warm skin beneath her fingertips, tracing the outlines of each defined muscle. Her fingers moved downward, exploring his impressive abs, feeling the powerful lines of his body flex and tense beneath her touch.

  Her breath quickened further when her delicate fingers finally reached the waistband of his trousers. She hesitated for only a split second before her hand moved lower, carefully brushing over the prominent bulge that strained insistently against the fabric. Her eyes widened immediately, surprised at just how rge and incredibly rigid he felt beneath her hand.

  "Oh my," she murmured shakily, swallowing nervously as her cheeks flushed even deeper. "Harry, you're absolutely huge…"

  She experimentally squeezed the thick shape of him through the fabric of his pants, marveling at the sensation of his cock twitching beneath her touch. Her heart raced faster, a warm, liquid heat pooling rapidly between her thighs at the feel of his evident arousal for her. Lilja gently rubbed her palm along the rigid length beneath the fabric, fascinated by his reaction as his hips involuntarily pressed forward into her hand, silently begging her for more.

  Harry released a muffled groan against her breast, his lips vibrating lightly on her nipple. His hands tightened possessively around her slender waist, pulling her even closer against him, pressing her nearly naked upper body firmly against his muscur chest.

  Lilja felt overwhelmed by her own heated reactions, her breaths growing shorter and shallower as she continued exploring the shape and hardness of him. Her body trembled with barely restrained desire, a tiny voice in her mind frantically insisting she slow down—but that voice quickly faded beneath the overwhelming tidal wave of lust and affection flooding her senses.

  Harry finally lifted his head from her breast, his lips swollen and reddened slightly from their passionate ministrations. His striking blue eyes locked onto hers, the intensity of his gaze making her heart skip painfully in her chest. He slowly lifted one hand to cup her cheek, stroking gently with his thumb as he leaned forward and captured her lips in a deep, demanding kiss.

  Lilja immediately surrendered into the embrace, her lips parting to allow his tongue entrance, tasting and exploring each other passionately. Her hands never stopped their movements, eagerly rubbing and gently squeezing his length through his trousers, feeling the heated firmness of his cock respond eagerly to every delicate touch.

  She reluctantly broke their heated kiss with a shaky breath, softly murmuring against his lips, "Harry…is this really happening? I never expected things to move so quickly between us."

  He smiled gently, his eyes warm with sincerity as he replied quietly, "Only if you want it to, Lilja. We can slow down if you're uncomfortable."

  Lilja shook her head firmly, leaning forward and pressing another heated kiss against his lips, making her desires abundantly clear. "No. I want this. I want you, Harry. Right here, right now."

  Lilja’s instincts suddenly snapped to full alertness!

  Years upon years of disciplined training as a Valkyrie surged instantly through her veins, honing her senses and sharpening every reflex. In her current life, she'd spent countless grueling months enduring relentless drills meant specifically to prepare her for exactly this sort of surprise ambush. Those lessons were now paying off in a heartbeat.

  Without hesitation, Lilja lunged forward, grabbing Harry firmly by the shoulders and yanking him forcefully downward.

  "Harry—down now!" she shouted, her voice urgent and commanding.

  They both hit the ground hard, just as several arrows zipped over their heads, slicing audibly through the empty space where they'd been standing moments before. Harry cursed loudly, scrambling quickly to regain his footing, irritation evident on his handsome features.

  "You fucking centaurs are attacking me again!?" he shouted furiously, eyes fshing dangerously as he gnced toward the source of the arrows.

  Lilja blinked in confusion, processing Harry’s surprising decration. Centaurs? They're really being attacked by centaurs right now? She shook her head slightly, regaining her focus as her Valkyrie training reasserted itself. Questions could wait—survival first.

  In the next instant, the dense brush surrounding their clearing began violently rustling, twigs snapping and leaves shaking aggressively. The distinct, heavy pounding of hooves rapidly approached, growing louder with each passing second, until a group of at least eight rge, powerfully built centaurs burst forth from the surrounding trees, spreading out aggressively around Lilja and Harry.

  They wielded rge, sturdy longbows, each arrow already nocked and aimed menacingly. Their upper bodies were heavily muscled, skin tanned and roughened from constant exposure to the elements. Their stern faces were twisted into expressions of fierce anger and distrust, their dark eyes locked onto Harry with unmistakable hostility.

  Lilja gnced quickly at Harry, feeling the urgency of the moment and swiftly making a critical decision. Modesty no longer mattered—her cover was clearly blown.

  Focusing her internal magical energy with practiced ease, Lilja allowed her nudity to vanish instantly, repced in the blink of an eye by her shimmering, intricately crafted silver Valkyrie armor.

  The armor hugged her slender curves like a second skin, providing full protection while still clearly emphasizing her lithe yet powerfully toned form. Silvery metal ptes curved gracefully around her ample breasts, molded perfectly to accommodate her figure without restricting her movements. Her toned stomach remained partially bare beneath a section of protective mail, and her armor continued downward, with intricately engraved metal pting encasing her hips and thighs.

  A long, elegant crimson cloak, trimmed in fine silver thread, appeared instantly from her shoulders, fluttering dramatically behind her as it flowed gently in the breeze. A delicate silver circlet settled onto her brow, completing her appearance and clearly signifying her status among the Valkyries.

  Her trusted magical Norse staff materialized instantly into her waiting left hand, runic symbols shimmering with power along its smooth, ancient length. Simultaneously, her true combat weapon—a genuine Viking-forged steel rapier she'd wielded for years—appeared firmly in her right hand, the razor-sharp bde glinting dangerously in the sunlight filtering through the dense forest canopy.

  Harry stared openly at her transformation, clearly impressed by both her sudden change and her strikingly regal appearance. "Wow," he murmured appreciatively, momentarily distracted despite the urgent danger around them. "Lilja, you look like an actual warrior goddess right now."

  Lilja felt a faint blush warm her cheeks despite the imminent danger surrounding them, momentarily fttered by his sincere praise. Her lips curved softly into a small, affectionate smile as she admitted, "Technically speaking, I'm a Valkyrie, Harry." She sighed softly, shaking her head in resignation. "And I’ve just completely blown my cover as a normal transfer student."

  Harry chuckled softly beside her, clearly amused despite their perilous circumstances. He smiled warmly, reassuringly meeting her emerald gaze as the powerful blue Sitri crest fred to life on the back of his hand, glowing brilliantly with demonic magic. With a swift gesture, he effortlessly conjured a sleek bck shirt over his bare, muscled chest, instantly resuming a more dignified appearance. "Well, Valkyrie or not," he said warmly, sincerity clear in his tone, "I still think you're absolutely gorgeous."

  Lilja’s heart fluttered unexpectedly at his words, even as the centaurs moved menacingly closer. She shook her head lightly, unable to hide the gentle, affectionate warmth shining openly in her eyes as she softly teased, "Harry, is now really the best moment for flirting?"

  Harry ughed again, giving her a confident grin, though his eyes were sharp and focused on the approaching centaurs. "With you? Every moment is perfect."

  Before Lilja could respond, one of the centaurs—taller and noticeably older than the others, his bck hair streaked with silver—stepped forward, his massive hooves striking the ground loudly with a commanding presence. The centaur leader narrowed his piercing, dark eyes at Harry, his voice deep and harshly accusatory.

  "You've finally returned, devil! First your foul serpent desecrates our sacred grounds and sughters my people, and now you dare return personally to finish us off!?"

  Harry blinked rapidly in shock, clearly taken aback by the accusations. "My serpent?" he asked incredulously, eyes wide with surprise. "Are you talking about the basilisk? We killed that thing weeks ago!"

  The centaur leader snorted derisively, his rge nostrils fring with obvious distrust. "You think we're fools, devil? We are talking of your evil demon serpent! We saw clearly enough your beast’s brutality. Do not deny it—your cursed creature attacked our vilge, murdered our kin, and defiled our nds once again with your presence!"

  Lilja gnced briefly toward Harry, noting genuine confusion and shock fshing openly across his face. Yeah, she doubted Harry would ever commit whatever insane atrocity they were bming him for. It must have been the stray devil he was warning her about earlier and now they were bming him!

  "Wait!" Lilja shouted firmly, stepping forward with her sword lowered in a cautious gesture of peace, her voice ringing clear and powerful above the rising noise of angry hooves and tense breathing. "Listen to me carefully! You've made a grave mistake. Harry isn't the devil responsible for your vilge’s destruction. He would never commit such an atrocity! What you encountered was a stray devil—"

  "Silence!" The centaur leader’s booming voice roared furiously, cutting her off mid-sentence as he pointed a rge finger accusingly toward Lilja. His dark eyes bzed fiercely, filled with bitter hatred and unshakable prejudice. "You know nothing of our suffering, whore servant of a foreign god! You side openly with these demons, whose very existence defiles the purity of our sacred forests! All demons are colluding, evil creatures who seek nothing but destruction and chaos!"

  Lilja clenched her jaw tightly. She had once fought tirelessly against genuine evil when she was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. She knew intimately what true cruelty and evil looked like.

  Harry was none of those things, and these centaurs' refusal to even listen was infuriating beyond words.

  "You're mistaken," Lilja replied, her voice hardening into a steely tone of warning. "If you refuse to listen to reason, then you leave us no choice but to—"

  "Don’t bother," Harry sighed heavily from beside her, interrupting her sharply with evident irritation and weariness in his voice. His posture remained alert, eyes fixed calmly but firmly on the centaur leader and his warriors.

  Lilja gnced toward Harry.

  "They won’t listen. I've already had the displeasure of dealing with these creatures once before. They stubbornly insist this forest belongs to them, despite the fact that Hogwarts castle—and its grounds—predate their cims by centuries. If anything, they're the ones trespassing here, not us."

  "You dare speak such lies, demon!?" another centaur snapped bitterly, his face twisting viciously with rage as he raised his bow and aimed a deadly arrow straight toward Harry’s chest. "You will die first!"

  Lilja tensed instinctively, preparing herself to leap forward and shield Harry from harm—but before she could even move, a sudden explosion of movement erupted beside her.

  She gasped quietly, momentarily stunned by Harry’s massive barrier of crystalline-clear water that appeared instantly before Lilja and himself. The thick, shimmering shield absorbed the incoming volley of arrows effortlessly, the sharp projectiles losing all momentum and dropping harmlessly to the ground at their feet.

  Lilja stared at Harry in astonishment, marveling at his powerful defensive magic. She'd seen glimpses of his talent before during their sparring sessions, but witnessing him act so decisively in genuine combat amazed her even more deeply. Yet there was no time for further contemption—the battle was fully upon them.

  Despite this being her first real “battle” in this life, she was not going to hesitate. Not when these creatures were going after the man she had such complex feelings towards!

  In a swift, agile leap, she closed the distance between herself and one startled centaur, nding firmly upon his broad back. Before he could react, Lilja swung her rapier downward in one fluid stroke, her bde slicing cleanly through skin, muscle, and bone. His head separated instantly from his shoulders, tumbling lifelessly to the ground below.

  Another nearby centaur turned sharply toward Lilja, roaring in anger and raising his bow, quickly drawing back the string with impressive strength. Yet she was already prepared, lifting her Norse staff high in her other hand as ancient words poured fluently from her lips. She channeled her divine magic expertly, directing a powerful Norse war-spell outward from her staff.

  "Teysa!" she commanded sharply, her voice reverberating with raw magical power.

  A pulse of invisible concussive force erupted outward with devastating intensity, striking the charging centaur squarely in his muscled torso. Lilja watched calmly as his entire massive form lifted helplessly from the ground, hurtling backward through the air. His body crashed violently through a dozen thick, towering trees, snapping branches and cracking sturdy trunks like brittle twigs. The centaur’s body fell limp and motionless upon nding far away, clearly killed instantly by the immense impact.

  "KILL HER!" The remaining centaurs screamed furiously, their expressions wild with rage, fear, and desperation.

  Yet before any of them could even begin to charge at her, Harry moved swiftly once again, clearly determined to protect her in turn.

  Lilja turned her head sharply toward Harry, her eyes widening slightly in surprise and awe as she observed him swiftly summon forth the water-bde he'd wielded so casually during their earlier sparring session. This time, however, the bde had changed dramatically—transformed from a mere harmless training implement into a weapon of lethally high-pressure water.

  Harry lunged swiftly forward, thrusting the deadly water-bde expertly toward the charging centaur nearest them. The attacking centaur shouted angrily—but his cry was abruptly cut short as Harry’s bde easily pierced straight through his thick chest, emerging bloodied from the creature’s muscur back. The centaur’s eyes widened in shock, his body spasming weakly before colpsing lifelessly to the forest floor, blood rapidly staining the ground around his fallen form.

  Lilja stood poised confidently. This was her first true battle since reincarnation—and despite the danger, Lilja realized she was genuinely enjoying fighting alongside Harry. Her growing affection and attraction toward him strengthened even further.

  What could she say? She was a Valkyrie and powerful strong warriors like him were a massive turn on!

  She turned swiftly toward the remaining furious centaurs. "You should have listened when you had the chance," she warned them softly, her voice deadly calm and clear with undeniable authority. "Now, you've sealed your fates!"

  – Harry –

  “So… you're really a Valkyrie, huh?” I gnced curiously at Lilja as we carefully navigated our way out of the dense trees of the Forbidden Forest. “I knew there was something unique—something special about you. But… I still get the distinct impression there's more you're not telling me.”

  Lilja’s bright emerald eyes met mine briefly before she averted them nervously toward the ground. She lightly bit at her lower lip, clearly weighing how much to tell me as we continued walking side by side. Finally, she exhaled slowly and quietly said, “There might be something more, Harry—but I’d rather not discuss it just yet if that's alright with you? I promise I'll tell you soon, but for now…” she trailed off, looking shyly up at me through lowered shes. “Can you give me a little more time?”

  I paused a moment, taking in the shy vulnerability radiating from her expression. I certainly couldn't refuse such a gentle request—not after the incredible bravery she’d shown fighting alongside me against the centaurs.

  I smiled reassuringly down at her and nodded easily, wanting her to feel comfortable. “Of course, Lilja. Take as much time as you need. I'll be here whenever you decide you're ready.”

  A grateful, relieved smile slowly formed on her lips, brightening her entire expression beautifully. "Thank you, Harry," she whispered, looking genuinely comforted by my easy acceptance.

  “Besides,” I continued with a teasing grin, lightly nudging her shoulder pyfully with mine, “after today’s battle, you've earned more than enough of my trust and patience. You’re incredible with that sword of yours—I’d definitely love to learn more about your background sometime, but only when you feel ready.”

  Lilja ughed softly, her entire demeanor noticeably rexing beside me. “That sounds good to me,” she replied warmly.

  Those annoying horse-people had seriously crossed the line. This wasn’t the first time they'd attacked me, and this test aggression had almost gotten Lilja involved as well. They were definitely becoming an escating problem, and I knew I'd have to talk with Dumbledore soon about the growing threat these centaurs posed to the students and staff at Hogwarts.

  I was so absorbed in these thoughts that I didn't initially notice the three figures quickly approaching us from the direction of Hogwarts. When I finally did gnce upward, I immediately recognized Fleur, Gabrielle, and Nymphadora moving toward us.

  “Harry!” Tonks called out first, a mixture of worry and cautious curiosity coloring her voice as she closed the distance between us, practically jogging in her haste. She slowed slightly as she reached me, gncing warily at Lilja in her distinctive silver Valkyrie armor for a split second before her eyes shifted immediately back to my face. Her dark eyes carefully scanned me, looking me up and down thoroughly, clearly searching for injuries. “Are you alright? I felt your demonic magic fre up earlier when I was leaving Hogsmeade to head back to Hogwarts. It felt intense enough that I got worried something bad was happening to you.” She paused, taking a calming breath before adding, “Then I stumbled across Fleur and Gabrielle on their way back too, and we all decided to find you immediately.”

  Her protective instincts were clearly evident, and I smiled reassuringly, touched by her evident worry. “I'm completely fine, Tonks,” I quickly reassured her, gently pcing my hand on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. “Just had another run-in with the centaurs. They're becoming increasingly a problem.”

  Fleur and Gabrielle immediately moved forward as well, assessing me swiftly, ensuring I was indeed unharmed.

  “Are you certain you're unharmed, mon amour?” Fleur asked softly.

  “Yeah, I'm okay now. Really,” I assured her gently, before deciding to shift the topic slightly. I smiled warmly down at both Fleur and Gabrielle, affectionately rubbing Gabrielle’s back with one hand and offering Fleur another reassuring gnce. “So, how did things go with your mothers after I left? Everything alright?”

  Fleur visibly rexed at the change in topic, smiling softly and nodding. “Our maman decided she'll be staying a bit longer in Hogsmeade before returning home to France. She enjoyed meeting you very much, Harry, and would love to spend more time together again soon—perhaps all of us together, oui?”

  “...If you think that’s a good idea,” I told her honestly. Because I was pretty sure their mother had been flirting with me pretty heavy at the end there.

  Tonks’ expression became noticeably tense at the mention of mothers, and I quickly turned to her with a questioning gnce, wondering how things had gone after I’d left the café earlier.

  “My mum finally calmed down—eventually,” Tonks began carefully, her voice a bit clipped and frustrated. Her eyes darkened slightly, and she shook her head in mild exasperation. “But it's definitely going to take a long time before she fully accepts my new life, let alone the whole devil-servant and harem situation. And don’t get her started on her younger sister, Narcissa…”

  I winced slightly in sympathy, reaching out and gently pulling Tonks into a comforting hug. She stiffened briefly before rexing into my embrace, letting out a deep sigh against my shoulder as she clung to me tightly for a moment, obviously needing the reassurance.

  “I’m sorry, Tonks,” I murmured quietly into her ear, stroking her back soothingly. “Hopefully, with enough time, she'll come around.”

  Tonks pulled back slightly and nodded, a small, rueful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Yeah, let’s hope so.”

  Her eyes finally shifted back to Lilja, who stood quietly watching our interaction with curiosity and obvious interest. Tonks studied Lilja’s ornate Valkyrie armor before finally asking bluntly, “So, who exactly is the redhead in the armor standing next to you?”

  Gabrielle and Fleur both immediately turned their full attention toward Lilja as well, studying her carefully with obvious curiosity and mild wariness, clearly awaiting my response.

  I smiled easily, stepping slightly back and gesturing between the three girls and Lilja. “This is Lilja Nornas. I’ve mentioned her before to you all. She’s a new transfer student at Hogwarts, sorted into Slytherin. And apparently—” I turned my head toward Lilja and grinned pyfully, “—she's also secretly a Valkyrie warrior, something I only just discovered myself.”

  Lilja blushed lightly at my casual teasing, offering a shy yet warm smile toward the other girls. She raised her hand hesitantly in a small wave of greeting. “Hi. It's nice to meet you all officially,” she said politely. “Harry and I had a bit of a situation together just now, so… I apologize if I startled anyone.”

  Lilja rexed now that the immediate threat had passed, and with a gentle sigh, she allowed her gleaming silver Valkyrie armor to vanish into thin air. My eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by the unexpected sight as her armor faded away. It seemed Lilja had momentarily forgotten exactly what she'd been wearing—or rather, not wearing—before our battle had begun.

  Tonks coughed abruptly beside me, the sudden, harsh sound of her clearing her throat clearly meant to draw attention to the obvious situation unfolding before us. Fleur and Gabrielle reacted even more bluntly—both Vee sisters released soft, displeased hisses from between clenched teeth, their blue eyes narrowing jealously at Lilja's completely exposed chest.

  Lilja gnced around in confusion at first, clearly puzzled by the odd reactions she was suddenly receiving from the other girls. When her emerald gaze finally drifted downward toward her bare chest, she let out a startled gasp, her cheeks flooding instantly with a vivid crimson blush as realization dawned on her.

  "Oh—whoops!" Lilja excimed softly, a shy yet oddly amused giggle slipping past her lips as she quickly raised her hands to cover herself. Her palms weren't quite rge enough to completely hide the ample curves of her breasts, though they did partially obscure the soft, enticing shapes that I'd been openly admiring moments before.

  Tonks spun toward me sharply, her dark eyes wide and accusing. Her normally pyful features twisted into a pronounced, exaggerated pout, and she reached out swiftly, punching me lightly but firmly on my upper arm with a small, irritated huff.

  "Bloody hell, Harry!" Tonks immediately growled beside me, drawing my attention back sharply toward her. Her eyes flickered heatedly between Lilja’s bare chest and my face, clear jealousy and exasperation evident in her frustrated gre. She pursed her lips in an exaggerated pout before firmly punching my arm—hard enough to definitely make her irritation known, though thankfully not enough to genuinely hurt.

  "Oi—what the hell was that for, Tonks?" I asked with an exaggerated wince, rubbing my arm theatrically as I gave her a mock wounded look.

  "What was that for?" Tonks repeated sarcastically, pcing her hands firmly on her hips as she stepped directly in front of me, blocking my view of Lilja. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing into annoyed slits. "You haven't even gone that far with me yet, Harry!” she said jealously.

  "Ah," I murmured awkwardly…

  …

  I sat quietly at the Hufflepuff table beside my beautiful fiancée, Rias. Not that I was actively hiding from the rest of my peerage members or anything—no, of course not. It certainly wasn't because I suspected they'd still be upset with me after my very forward and impulsive actions with Lilja earlier.

  No, definitely not avoiding them.

  Okay, yes—I was absolutely avoiding them. Even Hermione, who usually seemed unfazed by my rather liberal romantic endeavors with other women, had appeared genuinely stunned at just how fast things had escated with Lilja. Honestly, I was surprised too. But there was just something irresistibly magnetic about Lilja Nornas that seemed to draw me toward her without restraint. Everything about her fascinated me—the smooth silkiness of her crimson hair, the startling green shade of her eyes, the mesmerizing way her full lips parted slightly when she gazed up at me shyly…

  Yeah, I clearly had it bad.

  Rias, meanwhile, listened to my recounting of the day's rather crazy events.

  “So let me get this straight, Harry,” she said with a teasing smirk, her voice openly amused. “First, you save Fleur and Gabrielle’s mother from drunk idiots. Then you get hexed by Tonks’ furious mother, thoroughly embarrassed in front of her parents. And immediately afterward, you nearly sleep with the new girl—the secret Valkyrie—in the Forbidden Forest, before fighting off angry centaurs once again?”

  Just then, I felt someone slide gently onto the bench on my other side. Gncing over, I immediately recognized Sona, her pink eyes calm yet clearly intrigued behind her gsses. She was trying, rather unconvincingly, to maintain the pretense of simply checking on her 'nephew,' but the subtle way she leaned into my shoulder and rested one delicate hand lightly on my thigh beneath the table made it obvious to me that she genuinely cared much more than that.

  “I heard about your little escapades today, Harry,” Sona murmured quietly, her voice softly teasing and full of amused exasperation. “Honestly, you're absolutely incorrigible sometimes.”

  I smiled sheepishly, gncing down at her delicate hand gently squeezing my thigh beneath the table. “In my defense, it wasn't exactly my pn to end the day fighting centaurs or getting hexed repeatedly.”

  She hummed skeptically, giving me a pointed look over the rim of her gsses. “Perhaps not. But you do seem remarkably skilled at finding trouble—or having trouble find you.”

  Rias giggled softly on my other side, pressing her chest even more snugly against my arm. “She’s got you there, Harry. You’re practically a magnet for bizarre situations and angry supernatural beings.”

  I sighed heavily. “Thanks for the support, Rias.”

  She grinned pyfully up at me. “Always.”

  Sona shook her head gently, a serious note creeping into her voice. “Harry, I must strongly advise you against letting my sister learn about the incident with Nymphadora’s mother. Serafall can be—” she hesitated briefly, searching for the right word, “—overprotective of you, to put it mildly. And if she finds out someone actually attacked you? Well, let’s just say it won’t end pleasantly.”

  I visibly gulped, suddenly feeling distinctly uneasy at that particur reminder. “Yeah, I was already worried about that myself.” I didn’t need my mom, killing off family members of my peerage. This was something I’d have to work out with Tonk’s family myself.

  Sona rolled her eyes affectionately, though a slight smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. Then she frowned slightly, her eyes growing annoyed. “And those damned centaurs again? Honestly, Harry, I was with you st time they attacked, and we had no choice but to put them down then as well. They never seem to learn. They have to go. Those spiders do as well… Especially since their only natural predator, the basilisk is dead and no longer residing at Hogwarts.”

  Oh shit, I never thought of that! Was that giant snake the only reason those spiders didn’t decide to swarm the castle and num num a whole school full of tasty students?

  Rias sighed dramatically, leaning heavily into my shoulder again. “Honestly, it’s disappointing how awful mythological creatures always turn out to be in reality. They seem so fascinating and romantic in stories and legends. But when you actually meet them? They're always rude, violent, or both. Why are supernatural creatures all assholes in real life?” she huffed in genuine irritation.

  Sona and I immediately turned toward her at the same time, giving Rias matching deadpan stares.

  Rias blinked innocently, clearly confused for a brief second before her blue-green eyes widened in sudden understanding. “Oh!” she whispered quickly, gncing around to make sure no one else heard her loudly broadcasted irritation. She leaned closer, speaking softly but insistently. “Well, I don't mean us devils, obviously! We're entirely different!”

  On Rias’s other side, Akeno burst into soft, barely restrained ughter. Rias pouted at her friend indignantly, her cheeks coloring faintly pink.

  “Oh, hush, Akeno. You know exactly what I meant,” Rias grumbled softly.

  “Yes, yes, of course, President,” Akeno teased gently, her tone exaggeratedly soothing. “None of us would ever dream of calling devils rude or violent.”

  Rias narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Akeno’s carefully innocent expression but wisely decided not to push the point any further.

  Sona shook her head lightly, her expression subtly amused, before turning back toward me, raising an eyebrow in a silent question.

  “You sure you’re alright though, Harry?” she asked quietly, her voice softer now, genuine concern clear in her calm eyes.

  I smiled warmly down at her, appreciating her worry, and pced my hand gently atop hers, squeezing lightly. “I'm honestly fine, Sona. Hermione patched me up earlier, and Lilja handled herself remarkably well in that fight. Honestly, I think she’d make an amazing Queen for my peerage.”

  Those words slipped out before I fully realized what I said. Both Rias and Sona looked at me in surprise.

  Sona, Rias, and even Akeno stared at me, wide-eyed and genuinely startled by what I'd just admitted. Honestly, their shocked reactions were understandable.

  The tense silence stretched out for several seconds.

  "Harry, are you actually being serious right now?" Sona asked. Her eyes were piercingly intense, scanning my expression as though attempting to read every subtle shift of emotion hidden there. "You barely know Lilja Nornas. Decring someone your Queen isn't something to do on a whim."

  Rias leaned forward slightly, pcing one of her soft hands reassuringly on my forearm. "Sona does have a point, Harry," Rias said softly. "This is pretty sudden—even for you."

  I chuckled, rubbing the back of my head awkwardly. "Yeah, look, I know it sounds insane. But honestly...it just feels right. It's hard to expin, but from the first moment we spent time together, it was like some instinct in me decided that Lilja belongs at my side. My devil instincts rarely steer me wrong, and they're practically screaming at me that she's the perfect choice."

  Rias paused thoughtfully at my words, her eyes softening with understanding as she gnced toward Akeno beside her. "I suppose that's exactly how I felt when I first met Akeno," she admitted warmly, an affectionate smile tugging at her lips as she gently squeezed Akeno's hand beneath the table. "The moment we spoke, I just...knew. I could feel it deep in my soul, as if destiny had put us together."

  "Ah, President," Akeno purred lovingly, her violet eyes glittering as she leaned comfortably into Rias, her full chest pressing intimately against Rias's shoulder. "Hearing you say that makes me so happy."

  I smiled at their affectionate exchange, and my gaze shifted back toward Sona. Her normally calm, cool expression had softened noticeably, clearly reflecting on something simir.

  "Yes," Sona quietly agreed, her voice gentle with genuine warmth as her own eyes drifted thoughtfully toward Tsubaki across the Great Hall. "It was precisely the same with Tsubaki. There wasn't any hesitation or doubt. It just...clicked." Her gaze refocused sharply on me, the softness repced once again by her usual stern, analytical expression. "Still, Harry—this decision isn't something to take lightly. Your Queen isn't just another peerage member. She's the most crucial, powerful piece in your entire set. You should really take time to evaluate carefully before committing to anything this major."

  "I know, Sona," I replied seriously, letting her feel my sincerity clearly. "Believe me, I'm taking this seriously. It might sound impulsive, but my instincts have guided me perfectly so far. They tell me that Lilja is someone special—and I trust that feeling."

  Sona sighed, though I saw her expression slowly shifting into one of reluctant acceptance.

  "Well," Rias suddenly chimed in, clearly sensing the continued tension, "as Harry's future wives, perhaps it's our duty to make sure he chooses the proper Queen, then. Wouldn't you agree, Sona?"

  Sona visibly perked up at that idea, her expression becoming more intrigued and calcuting.

  Honestly, seeing those two clever, beautiful women plotting together simultaneously reassured and worried me. It reassured me because I knew they'd always have my best interests in mind, but it worried me because whenever those two teamed up, it usually spelled trouble.

  "Oh?" Sona mused, thoughtfully tapping one slender finger against her chin as she mirrored Rias's pyful smirk. "That's actually an excellent point, Rias. It certainly wouldn't hurt to have some additional assurances regarding Lilja's true intentions—especially given that she's been hiding a pretty major secret since she infiltrated our school."

  I watched as Rias tilted her head slightly toward the far side of the hall, clearly directing our attention to the Slytherin table. There, seated quietly amidst the bustling crowd of students, Lilja Nornas was calmly eating her dinner, appearing completely unaware of our careful observation.

  "You know, Sona," Rias suggested thoughtfully, a slow, confident grin spreading across her lips, "perhaps you and I should personally speak with Lilja ourselves—privately, of course. I'm sure we can learn quite a bit about her real intentions directly from the Valkyrie's mouth. Consider it a friendly interrogation."

  Sona adjusted her gsses thoughtfully, nodding slowly in agreement. "Yes, I completely agree, Rias. If Lilja Nornas truly has been spying on Harry—and by extension, on us—then we absolutely need to find out why. She's clearly here on someone's orders. I doubt she'd infiltrate Hogwarts purely by coincidence, after all."

  Akeno ughed softly from beside Rias, covering her lips demurely with one hand as she gnced pointedly toward me, her eyes dancing mischievously. "Ara ara, Harry. It looks like your future wives have already made their decision. Seems you'll just have to wait patiently while WE thoroughly vet your newest interest."

  I sighed theatrically, leaning back slightly with an exaggerated pout as I gnced at the three gorgeous women surrounding me. "You all are going to scare her off before I even get a chance to properly recruit her," I compined jokingly. “And don’t think I missed the “we” you slipped in there, Akeno…”

  Akeno puffed her cheeks at me.

  Rias immediately reached out, lightly caressing my cheek with her slender fingers, and gave me a reassuring smile. "Oh, come now, Harry. Don't worry so much. We're simply protecting our future husband. If Lilja truly is worthy of becoming your Queen, then she'll easily survive our questioning without issue."

  Sona nodded in firm agreement, a faint smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. "Exactly, Harry. Think of it as a friendly initiation. Any woman deserving to be your Queen must be able to handle some pointed questioning from her future King's closest partners."

  I nodded thoughtfully at Sona's remark, mulling over the unsettling implications. After a quiet pause, I shifted my gaze toward her, deciding it was probably best to switch to a topic that had been weighing on me since Serafall fled our bed.

  “By the way, Sona,” I began, leaning slightly closer so that our conversation would stay retively private amidst the noise of dinner chatter echoing through the Great Hall. “Have you heard anything new from your sister about her investigation into Katerea Leviathan?”

  At my question, Sona immediately straightened her posture slightly, her pink eyes flickering behind her thin, stylish gsses. A small sigh escaped her lips, betraying a hint of frustration. She reached up, pressing her index finger lightly against the bridge of her gsses as she often did when organizing her thoughts. “To be completely honest, Harry,” Sona finally replied, her voice noticeably more serious and quietly cautious now, “I've only received a vague update from Onee-sama regarding Katerea. It appears that once Katerea realized Serafall was directly involved in pursuing her, she immediately fled her mansion, abandoning the small territory she'd been occupying entirely. My sister’s team found her estate completely deserted, with clear signs she'd evacuated swiftly. So far, there hasn't been any solid indication of her current whereabouts. But I doubt she’d be foolish enough to come to Hogwarts again.”

  “That's frustrating,” I muttered under my breath. “Honestly, after the Devil Civil War ended and our side emerged victorious, I'm genuinely shocked that devils from those original Satan bloodlines were even permitted to remain alive at all—let alone retain territories and estates.”

  From beside me, I heard Rias snort quietly, her voice dripping with irritation. “It's all political nonsense, Harry,” Rias expined bitterly, shaking her head sharply in disgust. “There's still stubborn old devils in high-ranking government positions. They don't want to risk the extinction of any of the original Satan bloodlines, even though all those descendants are useless and didn't even inherit their cn traits.”

  – Hermione –

  Hermione watched Tonks out of the corner of her eye with gentle amusement as the older witch fidgeted slightly on the bench beside her. It was clear from the furtive gnces Tonks kept shooting towards Harry’s table that the “cold shoulder” they’d collectively agreed to give him wasn’t something she particurly enjoyed.

  But seeing him squirm uncomfortably now and then had certainly become a bit of pyful entertainment.

  Tonks was technically an assistant professor, a role that unfortunately didn't come with the perk of sitting at the staff table in the Great Hall. Narcissa, being a fully-fledged professor, sat confidently up there with the others, looking calm, graceful, and utterly composed as always. Tonks, on the other hand, was relegated to joining Hermione and Harry at the student tables. Except he wasn’t with them tonight.

  Tonks blew out a sigh and rested her chin grumpily on her palm, propping her elbow on the table. Her eyes flicked again toward Harry, who was now engaged in a clearly animated conversation with Rias, Sona, and even Akeno.

  Hermione smiled sympathetically. She reached over, gently patting Tonks’ shoulder. "Honestly, how long exactly are we supposed to keep pretending to be angry at him again?" she asked quietly, her voice light and teasing.

  Tonks blinked in mild surprise before chuckling softly, the corner of her lips turning up into a pyful smirk. She leaned in closer, her voice dipping into a whisper. "Well, I was thinking—at least until he finally does to my tits what he eagerly did to the new girl’s earlier today."

  Hermione snorted softly, her eyebrows lifting in mock surprise as she gave Tonks a knowing smirk. "Oh, so it'll all be cleared up by the end of tonight then?" she teased gently. "Because, you know, it is entirely your own fault you insisted on taking things slow with Harry in the first pce."

  Tonks flushed immediately, her usually confident expression slipping momentarily as she coughed awkwardly, gncing down at the table. "Well—okay, yes," she admitted sheepishly, fiddling with her fork nervously. "I mean, I didn't expect him to move quite this quickly with anyone new. I figured I had plenty of time to, you know, ease into things at my own pace."

  Hermione ughed lightly, affectionately bumping Tonks’ shoulder with her own. "Honestly, Tonks, you've known Harry for a few weeks now. Surely by now you've learned that with him, things rarely happen at a leisurely pace.."

  Tonks ughed softly in return, nudging Hermione pyfully. "Speaking from experience?"

  "Absolutely," Hermione replied without hesitation, giving Tonks a meaningful look. Then her smile widened, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she leaned even closer to whisper softly, "And you do know he's already slept with Ginny, right?"

  Tonks immediately straightened, eyes widening dramatically in shock as her head snapped sharply toward Hermione. "Wait—what?! He's already slept with Ginny?"

  From across the table, Ginny Weasley looked up sharply from her meal as she shamelessly eavesdropped. Ginny set down her fork deliberately and grinned openly at Tonks, leaning forward across the table with complete confidence. "Damn right he has," she announced boldly, her voice low enough not to attract the attention of others nearby but still clear enough for Tonks and Hermione to hear every word. "Quite thoroughly, I might add. More than once."

  Hermione burst into soft ughter as Tonks stared at Ginny in astonishment. Beside Ginny, Lavender, Pravati, and Jasmine shot Ginny an openly jealous gre, clearly annoyed by Ginny’s boastful cim and even more irritated at being openly reminded of it.

  Ginny merely smirked triumphantly in return, entirely unfazed.

  "Oh, don't look so shocked, Tonks," Ginny teased lightly, leaning back casually and twirling a lock of red hair around her finger with smug satisfaction. "Did you honestly think I'd waste any time once the chance presented itself? He’s Harry Sitri, after all. You’d be crazy not to take advantage."

  Hermione chuckled again, shaking her head gently at Ginny’s brazen openness. She gnced back toward Tonks, who still looked mildly stunned as she absorbed this revetion.

  Tonks finally huffed, puffing her cheeks out indignantly as she folded her arms defensively beneath her chest. "Well, now I feel like I'm falling behind," she muttered petuntly, though the pyful gleam in her eyes betrayed her amusement. "Here I thought going slowly might make me seem mature and dignified or something." Tonks groaned dramatically, letting her head drop theatrically onto Hermione’s shoulder with a loud sigh. "Oh Merlin, I'm so doomed, Hermione. At this rate, he’ll get distracted by another half-dozen beautiful witches before I ever get my turn."

  Hermione smiled softly, gently rubbing comforting circles on Tonks’ back. She let her eyes flicker briefly toward Harry, catching his gaze momentarily from across the Great Hall.

  He looked back at her pleadingly, clearly aware that he was being deliberately ignored as part of their little game. Hermione sent him an exaggerated pout, sticking out her bottom lip pyfully before she turned pointedly back to Tonks.

  "Well, Tonks, perhaps it's about time you remind our dear Harry exactly who holds the true power in his harem. After all, we lovely witches of his peerage are the ones ultimately calling the shots here. Maybe it's time he learned that lesson clearly and repeatedly."

  Tonks lifted her head from Hermione’s shoulder, her eyes brightening visibly as she slowly sat up straighter. A mischievous, pyful grin slowly spread across her lips as her gaze shifted decisively toward Harry once again. She turned back to Hermione with newfound resolve, raising her eyebrows determinedly. "You're absolutely right, Hermione. And I should make it up to him for how my mother treated him earlier. Oh! I know what I’ll do, what if I transform into her appearance and let him have his way with me while we record it!?"

  Hermione sweatdropped at those words. Uh oh, maybe she just unleashed a real freak in the bedroom…

  Eh, Harry would probably appreciate it.

  – Voldemort (Main Body) –

  Everything was spiraling out of control!

  Voldemort knew this with bitter certainty as he y trapped in this pathetic, infantile form. Fate, once seemingly at his command, now mocked him ruthlessly from every direction.

  First, Wormtail had scurried back to his side. This alone had hardly been a reassuring omen. Peter Pettigrew had his uses; he was cowardly but competent in certain tasks, particurly when it came to espionage. But the Dark Lord couldn't deny he felt disgusted every time Wormtail fussed nervously over his tiny, repulsive body. Still, he endured it, because competent servants were in desperately short supply at the moment.

  No, Wormtail wasn't the real source of Voldemort's escating fury and anxiety. The true crisis was far more troubling. Barty Crouch Jr.—one of his most loyal and devoted Death Eaters, his most dependable spy within Hogwarts—had vanished entirely, his communication abruptly cut off. Voldemort could only assume the worst. Dumbledore had undoubtedly discovered Barty’s infiltration, captured him, and extracted everything he knew with contemptible ease.

  "That incompetent fool!" Voldemort hissed venomously, his infantile lips twisting in fury. "Captured—exposed—and now Dumbledore knows far too much!"

  In a state of rising paranoia, Voldemort had hastily abandoned his previous refuge—the old, crumbling Riddle Manor—in fear that his location had been compromised. He had commanded Lucius Malfoy, his once-proud servant now reduced to simpering obedience, to shelter him and Wormtail within the opulent yet gloomy confines of Malfoy Manor.

  And Voldemort's instincts had proven accurate, though he bitterly wished they hadn't. Not one day after leaving Riddle Manor behind, a devil woman—a tall, voluptuous blonde whose appearance would’ve been absurdly attractive if she hadn’t been radiating raw, terrifying power—had utterly destroyed the decrepit mansion!

  The loss had been devastating.

  Voldemort had left Nagini, his precious serpent companion, behind, hoping she would lead Barty back to him if he escaped Hogwarts. The snake had been no ordinary familiar—she was a horcrux, a critical vessel holding a fragment of his own soul, an essential safeguard against death itself. And with the annihition of Nagini, Voldemort had felt a searing agony rip through his essence.

  As if that hadn’t been enough torment, he'd also hidden Marvolo Gaunt's cursed ring—a second horcrux—in a carefully concealed chamber deep within the manor. That too had been vaporized by the blonde devil’s spell.

  Another shard of his carefully fractured soul, gone in an instant.

  He had raged beyond comprehension. Even Lucius and Wormtail—mere bystanders, not responsible for the loss directly—had felt his wrath. Wormtail’s pitiful sobbing had filled the dungeons of Malfoy Manor, and Lucius, who once carried himself with aristocratic dignity, had trembled and begged as Voldemort punished him mercilessly with the Cruciatus Curse.

  Just when Voldemort thought the losses couldn't possibly escate further, the universe decided otherwise.

  Only days ter, in rapid succession, Voldemort felt his connection violently severed with both his diary and his treasured Ravencw diadem within Hogwarts' walls!

  Panic-stricken, his mind raced. Could that bsted fool Dumbledore have joined forces with these devils? How else could his horcruxes—so carefully hidden, so meticulously enchanted—fall so quickly, one after another?

  The so-called "leader of the light" consorting openly with hellish entities was hypocrisy of the worst kind, yet Voldemort knew that righteous old wizard would do anything if he deemed it necessary to eliminate a threat.

  He was down to only a few horcruxes now. His pns were unraveling rapidly, forcing his hand.

  "Wormtail!" Voldemort snarled from within the ornate crib he'd been humiliatingly pced in. "We must accelerate the ritual! We cannot afford to wait until the end of that ridiculous Triwizard Tournament!"

  Peter Pettigrew visibly flinched, cowering pathetically before Voldemort's venomous gre. His pudgy hands twisted nervously together as he mumbled, "But... but my Lord… the ritual—doesn't it require the flesh of your enemy? Young Harry Sitri—"

  "—Would have been ideal, yes!" Voldemort spat impatiently, waving one small hand in fury. "But do you truly think Lord Voldemort cks other enemies? I have plenty, Wormtail! We shall use another's flesh. My resurrection must proceed immediately. I cannot linger in this revolting state any longer!"

  Wormtail whimpered pitifully, trembling at the intensity of Voldemort's hatred. "Of course, my Lord," he squeaked submissively. "I'll begin preparations at once."

  "See that you do," Voldemort snapped icily, red eyes burning malevolently from his babyish features. "I have no patience left for incompetence. And remember—if you fail me, Wormtail, your punishment will make Lucius's suffering look positively merciful."

  Lucious was currently whimpering on the floor in agony. Voldemort got annoyed at the man who kept insisting that the Dark Lord heal his son’s crotch. As if Voldemort would waste his time or magic with such a degrading task! He made sure to punish Lucious again for simply suggesting it!

  But as much as he relished the pain of his dumb servant, he had to focus on his current problems.

  As Wormtail scurried fearfully from the room, Voldemort's mind raced again, his cunning intellect searching desperately for an advantage to turn the situation around. If Dumbledore had aligned himself with such powerfully dangerous beings as those terrifying devils, Voldemort had no choice but to respond in kind.

  He required allies—dangerous ones, powerful enough to challenge even devils.

  But who could he approach? Angels were obviously impossible. They would only see him as an abomination. Vampires and werewolves cked sufficient power to challenge devils of the kind he'd seen.

  Then, slowly, a faint memory rose unbidden to the forefront of his mind—an overheard conversation from years past between two wizards he'd spied upon during his exile as a wraith. They'd spoken in hushed, frightened tones of a fallen angel who'd gained a fierce reputation as a violent, bloodthirsty warmonger. Voldemort concentrated, straining to remember precisely...

  "Koko...Koka...no," he murmured thoughtfully. Finally, the name sprang vividly into crity, and Voldemort’s lipless mouth twisted into a cruel, triumphant smile.

  "Kokabiel," he whispered aloud, savoring the dark promise in the very sound of it. Yes, he'd heard rumors about this creature—a high-ranking fallen angel known for his brutality, recklessness, and utter disdain for peace. Kokabiel thrived in chaos and sought conflict, an ally who wouldn't shy away from helping wage a war even against powerful devils.

  Voldemort allowed himself a bitter ugh, cold and sinister even in this infant body. "How fitting," he mused darkly. "If Albus Dumbledore has forged a pact with devils, then Lord Voldemort shall forge one with a fallen angel. Let us see who shall prevail then!”

  XXX

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