The Hogwarts Secret Society

by red_jacobson

Summary:

In a world where Voldemort died permanently attacking the Potters, the worst of the Pureblood Supremacists found their power broken. But nature abhors a vacuum, so at Hogwarts, a Secret Society arose, where students of all blood statuses were drawn deeper into different rituals until they discovered the cost.

Chapter 1

STORY TITLE: The Hogwarts Secret Society

PART: 01 of??

AUTHOR: Red Jacobson ([email protected])

DISTRIBUTION: FanFiction.net, Archive of Our Own, Hentai-Foundry, Questionable Questing

DISCLAIMER: None of the Characters You Recognize belong to me, they all belong to JK Rowling and her publishers.

SUMMARY: In a world where Voldemort died permanently attacking the Potters, the worst of the Pureblood Supremacists found their power broken. But nature abhors a vacuum, so at Hogwarts, a Secret Society arose, where students of all blood statuses were drawn deeper into different rituals until they discovered the cost.

FEEDBACK: Of course! It Makes Me Write Faster

RELATIONSHIPS: Multi

RATING: NC-17

WORD COUNT: <4,625>

SPOILERS: None, if you don't know how the Harry Potter story goes by now, why are you reading this story?

WARNINGS: If You've ever read any of my stories, you know what to expect, Oral, anal, Femme-slash, Dom/sub, multiple partners, and Femme-cest.

AUTHORS NOTES: Hogwarts at 17 so everybody is legal when they bump uglies

 

Kings Cross Station

London, UK

Sunday, September 1st, 1991

10:30 AM

 

Lavender was almost bouncing in excitement, but a 'look' from her Mother made her calm down. Lavender did understand, she was 17th years old, getting ready for her first trip on the Hogwarts Express to start her advanced Magical Education, and she should show at least a little decorum, especially since other members of the Wizengamot were there, seeing their Heirs and spares off to school.

 

She was well aware, even if she hated it, but her behavior in public reflected on her family. They may be pure-blooded, but if anything happened to damage the Brown family name, it could cause a loss of respect and open them up to moves from some of the other houses who wanted the family's status and influence. It was almost like Dangerous Liaisons, but unfortunately, without all the sex.

 

It was finally time to get on the train, so with an appropriately restrained farewell to her parents, Lavender carried her shrunken trunk with her onto the Express. Walking down the passageway she saw a girl struggling with a full-sized trunk and Lavender shook her head, another muggle-born who didn't get told the important things. 'Oh well, if nobody is going to help her, it's up to me.'

 

Moving closer, Lavender gave the other girl a friendly smile, "Hello, looks like you could use a hand, would you mind if I helped you?"

 

The other girl smiled in return, "Please, the salesman at the trunk shop didn't tell me I could get a trunk that shrunk and got lighter automatically, and I didn't even know to ask for them. I won't make that mistake again! Oh! Sorry, I'm Hermione Granger,"

 

"Hi Hermione, I'm Lavender, and you might actually have the charms on the trunk, but if you weren't told to activate them, they won't do you much good." Looking closely at the latch on the trunk, Lavender nodded, pointing them out, "See those runes etched around the latch? Tap them with your wand and they will key the charms to your magic. Go ahead, tap them from left to right, it will make life a lot easier for you."

 

Hermione looked at the etched runes in fascination before pulling her wand and, with a look of determination, she followed Lavender's instructions and a tiny spark jumped from the runes to her wand and the trunk was less than a quarter of the original size. Lavender had to admit the look of gratitude on Hermione's expression did make her feel good, and she said, "Now, pick the trunk up, as easily as the trunk got smaller, you could be able to pick it up by the handle, using just a finger."

 

The other girl didn't give her a skeptical look this time, just reached down and hooked her pointer finger under the handle, and it came up off the floor easily, making Hermione laugh in delight.

 

"Now that we've got that taken care of, do you want to share a compartment with me? I've got a friend of mine holding one for me, and you'd be welcome too."

 

Sure enough, Parvati stuck her head out of a compartment just ahead, and she and her sister Padma got along with Hermione just fine. The four of them discussed the different houses, well, Lavender and the twins answered Hermione's questions, and then they started talking about the differences between the non-magical world's education, and how it was done in the Wizarding world. It was a good thing they did because Hermione was used to doing things in her schooling that would annoy the professors and irritate the other students. Hermione was used to being the one who answered the questions in class, and always writing more than asked for in the essays, to show she really understood the subject.

 

Padma said, "I understand what you are saying, Hermione, because I used to do the same thing, until our older brother, Aayesh, who graduated last year, gave me his copy of the Guide to Writing Essays. It explains why the Professors don't grade any part of the essay that is over the length they requested, simply because the Professors have seven years of students turning in essays, plus preparing lessons for seven years of classes, plus all the other duties they have. If students turned in 12 inch essays when they were asked for 6 inches, the Professor would never be able to get everything else done. I'll loan you this copy of the book until you can order your own copy from Tomes and Scrolls in Hogsmeade or Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley."

 

Hermione had sat quietly listening to Padma, and shook her head, "Wow! I've got a lot to catch up on, I thought magic lessons didn't start until you were at least 17? Something about your magical core going through it's first maturity?"

 

Lavender spoke up, "That's true, we don't have formal lessons until we get to Hogwarts, so you won't have to struggle to keep up, it's just that, growing up as a witch or wizard, we sort of pick up what the unwritten rules of the school are, either from older siblings, or parents describing their school years. Don't worry, we'll all pitch in and help you learn the ropes, that's what friends are for, right?"

 

Lavender wasn't quite sure what the expression on Hermione's face meant, not for quite a while, but she eventually found out that her simple statement had an immense impact on a girl who went through her school years without friends. But Hermione just relaxed and smiled, "Friends? I like that. And it is what friends do."

 

The rest of the ride went smoothly, except when Draco, the Convict's Son, Malfoy tried to come in and throw the Malfoy name around and Lavender took great pleasure in slapping him down, hard! Just because she didn't like the games of pureblood society doesn't mean she didn't know how to play. Draco left in a hurry, his figurative tail between his legs, made worse by the fact that most of the other students in the surrounding compartments heard the whole thing.

 

Slapping the ponce down so publicly brought several other people to see her, and she ended up introducing Hermione to Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, Neville Longbottom, who just stopped by because he was looking for Trevor his toad, and, Lavender had to fight to keep from squealing like a little girl when Harry Potter stuck his head in and said hello. Lavender thought she would have to cover for Hermione, the girl's eyes lit up at hearing his name, and Lav was afraid her new friend would quote something she'd read at Harry, and he probably wouldn't appreciate it. But Hermione surprised her, she stood up and held out her hand to shake, saying, "It's good to meet you, I'm Hermione Granger, and I wanted to say that I'm sorry you lost your parents."

 

Harry actually seemed surprised at Hermione's words, he gave a small smile, "Thank you Hermione, I appreciate you saying that. A bunch of people were all going crazy about 'the boy who lived,' and they forget the other part, 'the boy who's parents were killed',"

 

Seeing that Harry was relaxing a bit in their company, Lavender took a chance and invited Harry in to take a seat with them. He accepted eagerly, "Thanks again, I ended up sharing a compartment with a red haired kid, and the first thing he says after I introduced myself, he asked to see the scar, and if I remembered how I got it. When I got myself under control, I wanted to toss the arse out the window for such rude questions, I told him I didn't remember it, and I don't like to talk about the night my parents were murdered. That actually shut him up for a minute before he started talking about Quidditch! I was raised in the non-magical world, I didn't know I was a wizard or that magic was real until my 17th birthday, and I'm supposed to know everything about a sport I'd never heard of?"

 

He scowled at the memory, shaking his head, but Hermione spoke up, lightening the mood, "Don't worry, Harry, I don't know anything about Quidditch either, I was more a footy fan, my team is the Crawley Town Football Club, hope that doesn't annoy you?"

 

Harry actually laughed, "Not a problem, and actually, I've only seen one professional game, last Summer and it was Crawley Town and they beat Shrewsbury, it was a tough game though."

 

Hermione grinned, "If it's the game I'm thinking of, I was there too, but since nobody else here has a clue what we're talking about, what classes are you looking forward to the most?"

 

The conversation about classes took up most of the rest of the trip, and they were joined by Neville Longbottom again, toad secured in his box as they asked Neville about the class he was looking forward to, it was Herbology, which Lavender should have realized since Longbottom Nurseries was a huge supplier of plant-based potions ingredients, as well as other things.

 

It was only when the announcement came over the speaker about arriving at Hogsmeade in 15 minutes, that Harry and Neville left, to go change into their uniforms and robes.

 

THSS & THSS & THSS

 

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The Great Hall

Sunday, September 1st, 1991

7:50 PM

 

Lavender watched from her seat at the Gryffindor table as Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin. She was glad that almost all of her new friends were in the same house as she was, although it was disappointing that Padma had ended up in Ravenclaw. Parvati wasn't surprised, and she just shrugged, saying "We were talking about trying to get into different houses, so we can both be our own people, and not just a package deal. And it's not like I won't see her again, we'll see her every day and I'm sure we'll have at least a couple of classes with Ravenclaw."

 

A slightly older girl looked across the table, "We've got DADA and Charms with Ravenclaw, Potions with Slytherin, Hufflepuff for Herbology and Transfiguration. History of Magic is everybody, and Astronomy we're by ourselves because they don't have that many telescopes to double up. And by the way, I'm Katie Bell, sorry about just jumping in like that, it's a bad habit of mine. And you are?

 

Since she was talking to Parvati, that was who responded, introducing Neville and Harry, then Lavender and Hermione, and gestured to Ron, saying "I'm pretty sure he's a Weasley of some sort, but I haven't wanted to talk to him until he finishes eating."

 

Katie looked at Ron, who was shoveling food into his mouth like it was going to disappear, and she grimaced, before saying "Excuse me for a minute, will you?"

 

Getting up, Katie moved down the table, stopping at a pair of redheaded twins, and then the three of them got up and started talking to one of the Prefects, who, from the hair, was probably a brother. She spoke to them for a couple of minutes, and they all looked toward Ron before shaking their heads.

 

The three said something to Katie, making her smile, and then the three of them went to where Ron was sitting with no one around him and sat down next to him and across the table. The Prefect was talking, but Lavender wasn't able to hear, which she was grateful for, because Ron's face got bright red and he was moving his mouth, still with food in it, and gesturing, but not a sound came out from that part of the table.

 

Turning back to her friends, and possible new friend, Katie, she said "Okay Katie, since you've been here for a while, who are the teachers up on the platform?"

 

"Far left, Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff and Herbology Professor, next to her is Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw and Charms Professor, the next four I don't know, other than they teach the electives and we don't choose them until after the Spring break. You already know Professor McGonagall, she's Head of Gryffindor, Deputy Headmistress, and Transfiguration Professor, as you might imagine, with the different jobs she has, she's constantly on the move. Okay, next to McGonagall is Professor Kettleburn, he teaches Care of Magical Creatures, but rumor has that he is retiring while he still has most of his limbs left. Then we have Professor Savage, he's been the Defense Against the Dark Arts Instructor for nine years, he's a retired Master Auror, so he knows what he's talking about, and his class was really interesting last year. The woman next to him is Professor Black, she's the Potions Mistress, has been here for several years, she's an excellent teacher, but don't muck about in her class or the least she will have you doing is scrubbing cauldrons by hand, and then it gets more severe depending on what the student did in the class. Last year, one of the Slytherin Upper Years tossed something into Ollie Wood's Cauldron and caused an explosion. The guy was expelled the same day, and I think they turned him over to the Aurors, the explosion could have kept Ollie from having kids, and he's the Heir to the Wood family, they aren't one of the old money families, but they are are Ancient and a member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, so the Slytherin, unless his family has more juice than Ollie's family, he'll be spending 10 years or more in Azkaban, if he's lucky. The big guy at the end is Hagrid, he's the Keeper of the Keys, and groundskeeper here at the school, don't let his size worry you, he's a sweetie, and always has a cuppa ready if you visit him, just watch out for his rock cakes, you can break a tooth on those."

 

With that, Katie turned back to her meal, and the table was suddenly filled with different types of sweets for the pudding, Lavender noticed that Hermione was taking some fruit and not one of the other things, but she could ask about that later, there was Treacle Tart, and she loved that!

 

THSS & THSS & THSS

 

Gryffindor Tower

First Year Girl's Dorm

9:00 PM

 

Checking the time, it was still an hour before curfew, so Lavender started gathering her shower necessities and a towel from the cabinet in the room, setting things down on her bed, she started stripping out of her uniform to the surprise of Parvati.

 

"Lavender! What do you think you're doing? What if somebody walked in?" Parvati hissed, while Hermione just went about finding her own gear.

 

Lavender just kept removing her kit and said, "Parv, the boys can't get to our doors, and anybody else that opens the door isn't going to be shocked at the sight of a few pair of baps, unless they never looked in the mirror, and we are going to be living together the better part of seven years, you're going to see more of our naked arses than you probably ever wanted to see, so you might as well get used to. Hermione doesn't seem to have any problems, why do you?"

 

Hermione grinned, continuing to strip out of her uniform, "My family is considered a bit strange, mum and dad are practicing nudists, and I just got into the habit of wearing my skin when we were home alone, or at the nude beaches we would visit over the years."

 

Still naked, Hermione grabbed a towel of her own from the supply and Parvati stood staring at the two of them before muttering something that sounded like 'Gryffindor's Forward!" and started taking her clothes off as well. She started relaxing when Lavender and Hermione didn't seem to notice, and she took a deep breath and shoved her knickers down over her hips and to the floor.

 

She went to grab a towel of her own but froze when Hermione let out a soft 'Oh My!' making Lavender turn to look and realized what Hermione was reacting to, Parvati was completely hairless between her legs and had a ring piercing the hood around her nub and Lavender was almost overcome with the desire to play with the ring, but managed to restrain herself.

 

"Nice grooming Parvati, what's the occasion?"

 

The Indian beauty sighed, "My Senior Mother's order, Pad had to do the same thing, Mother Sira said that we are expected to find suitable husbands before we graduate, or they will find someone for us. The shaving was because if we find somebody, we need to be neat and clean for them to see, even if he, whoever he happens to be, is only allowed to look until we are at least hand-fasted. Padma and I have been shaving since our birthday.

 

Lavender nodded, it was old-fashioned but she could understand it, and Hermione didn't seem to be bothered either. In fact, the girl really surprised her, saying "I actually like the look, Parvati, but is there a shaving spell? I don't want to be using a razor around that part of my body, I haven't had a chance to use it yet, so I'm in no hurry to cut myself."

 

Parvati smiled, "Thanks, I guess I was just worried that you'd think it was weird that one of the mothers would want us to display ourselves like that. But there is a spell, you say the word 'Tondeo' while running your wand over the hair, until you are clean, and then Evanesco will vanish the mess. It's easy when you get used to it."

 

Lavender saw that Hermione was using her wand to remove her brown short and curlies, and grabbed her own wand, removing all of her blonde hair, and vanishing the loose hairs.

 

Parvati looked stunned that she and Hermione had gone for the hairless look, just so she wouldn't be self-conscious, but she just gathered her shower supplies and wrapped a towel around her, and joined Hermione and Lavender at the door. Just like Katie told them, there were three symbols by the door, the first showed a drawing of a set of stairs heading down, the next had a water drop for the Shower, and the third was a stack of books, to the library they assumed. Lavender reached out and pressed the water drop and the door glowed softly for a moment before clicking open.

 

Pulling the door open they could feel the steam from the shower and the sound of showers shooting their streams of water toward the floor. Moving further into the room, the steam was clearing and they could see who was using the shower, but the shock was, what they were doing in the shower. There were two girls under the water, one of them was Katie, and Lavender didn't know who the other girl was, but thought she was sitting by Katie.

 

The two girls were fully naked, but that was to be expected, what she wasn't expecting was to find the two girls snogging and fingering each other's pussy! Lavender was so shocked she dropped her shampoo bottle, making a loud enough noise to get Katie's attention. The two older girls turned to look at them, and Lavender tried to stammer an apology, but Katie just laughed and waved it off. "Sorry for the shock, if I'd been thinking clearly I would have told you what's going on. Now, when you got your visit with your letter, did Professor McGonagall say anything about Magical Maturity and the need to keep your magic balanced between the maturities?"

 

Hermione stood silently, trying to remember, but then she nodded, "Yes, she did say something about that, but didn't give any details that I remember."

 

Katie nodded, still smiling, "That's because all the first year students have meetings with a member of staff, the girls see Madame Pomfrey, the nurse, and the guys get Professor Flitwick. You'll find all this out sometime tomorrow, but, to keep our magic steady from our first Maturity which is right around your eleventh birthday, when you first start doing wand magic, the life magic released during an orgasm relieves a certain amount of the imbalance. Now, you don't need to take my word for it, you'll get copies of the documentation at the meeting. But, while we could get the release by setting our wands to vibrate, it's a lot more fun to play with another girl, which you probably will discover before too much time goes by."

 

The other girl laughed, "My name is Demelza Robbins, I'm one of Katie's roommates, and something that Katie-bug didn't mention is, when you get married, if you do, your husband, if he's like most of the other guys, will absolutely love the fact that you get pleasure from having another girl in your bed. It happens all the time, witches, even those who look like they've got a Nimbus 1900 shoved up their arse, get together for 'ladies days' and spend the time naked and smiling."

 

Katie said, "Do you have any other questions we can answer before tomorrow? If not, you can either stay and watch, neither of us are shy, or you can go to the other side of the room to shower." She didn't wait for their answer, just turning back to Demelza and starting the kissing over again.

 

Lavender just stood there, no idea what to do or say, this was not anything she expected to see on her first night at Hogwarts, although she did remember her father being very cheerful when mum would be off for one of her 'ladies days' because she always brought one of the other girls home for dinner with her. Lavender had always gone to bed while the other woman was still visiting, but she was gone by them Lavender had woken up the next morning. If Demelza was right about those visits, no wonder her father was so cheerful! But that meant that her mum was doing things with other women, and Katie and Demelza expected her to be joining in soon. No, don't want to think about that!"

 

Shaking her head to clear it, she stalked across the room, not realizing she was alone. Turning back, she was even more shocked because both Hermione and Parvati had dropped their towels and were fingering themselves as they watched Katie laying Demelza on the floor, and straddled the girl's mouth. Against her will, she was fascinated by what she was seeing, and she dropped the towel as one hand fondled her breasts and the other rubbed her now hairless pussy, working two fingers inside herself and pumping her soft moan echoed by Parvati and Hermione, and all three of them brought one hand to their mouth, licking the fingers as Katie pushed a finger into Demelza's rear while still licking, and drove the girl out of her mind she came so hard.

 

Lavender wasn't even paying attention to what she was doing with her fingers, one hand was still plunging into her pussy and then she was shocked to feel her finger pushing through her bunghole! The shock triggered something inside her, she had been too focused on what she was seeing that she didn't realize how excited she was getting until the finger penetrated her, and shattered her focus on Katie as an avalanche of pleasure crashed down on her, forcing her to her knees as every bit of magic inside her was dancing a tango, and she couldn't stop the laughter bubbling up and out her mouth as she let the climax carry her away.

 

If she had been more aware, she would have noticed that Parvati and Hermione were in the same situation, their orgasms blasting all the way through their bodies, and if their eyes were open they would have been amazed to see sparks of magic racing across each of them before fading away.

 

Katie had been distracted from what she was doing by the sound of the three girls hitting their peaks, and with a smirk down at her playmate, said, "Well, I don't think I can top them tonight, maybe another time we can try it, once they get comfortable with their desires. I don't know if there is anything to the rumor about 'Helga's Gift' but if there was any girl who went through all seven years and didn't have her tongue in at least one other girl's quim, I'd been surprised as hell."

 

Demelza grinned back, "I think it was only Lavender that had trouble believing us, Parvati and Hermione were both very interested in balancing their magic, either with each other, or seducing Lavender into joining them."

 

"Be interesting to see," Katie nodded, before lowering her voice "but, on a more serious subject, did you see the way their magic displayed while they were cumming? I'm going to keep an eye out for their classroom progress, all three of them might be a fit for the Society, and I'll sponsor them myself."

 

"I wouldn't say you were wrong, but what's your feeling about the guys?"

 

"Harry Potter, definitely, and Longbottom is a strong possibility, from what I heard McGonagall saying, Neville is already close to his father's strength, and that's before his maturities. Going to be an interesting year group, I wonder who will be chosen from the other houses?"

 

Demelza yawned widely, "That's tomorrow's problem, let's wake up our future sisters and get some sleep."

 

The three girls were already coming back to themselves, and, as expected, Lavender was the one who wasn't looking the two of them over with interest, but they managed to pick up their shower and soap and get Lavender moving in the direction of the showers and eventually, they were all cleaned.

 

It wasn't a surprise to any of them that all three girls had extremely erotic dreams, and her roommates were playing starring roles. They did wake up the next morning in a good mood, and when they got to breakfast and saw that the first lesson was in the infirmary with Madame Pomfrey, they didn't need to participate in the guesswork of the boys in their year, or Padma and her roommates.

 

They finished eating, and to Lavender's surprise, she saw Hermione winking at Katie, who grinned, as they were leaving the hall.

 

It was already starting to be an interesting day, and it was just starting.

 

End Chapter One

 

 

Chapter 2: Chapter Two

Summary:

First Day of Classes, and the firsties have an important meeting

STORY TITLE: The Hogwarts Secret Society

PART: 02 of ??

AUTHOR: Red Jacobson ([email protected])

DISTRIBUTION: FanFiction.net, Archive of Our Own, Hentai-Foundry, Questionable Questing

DISCLAIMER: None of the Characters You Recognize belong to me; they all belong to JK Rowling and her publishers.

SUMMARY: In a world where Voldemort died permanently attacking the Potters, the worst of the Pureblood Supremacists found their power broken. But nature abhors a vacuum, so at Hogwarts, a Secret Society arose, where students of all blood statuses are drawn deeper into different rituals until they discover the cost.

FEEDBACK: Of course! It Makes Me Write Faster

RELATIONSHIPS: Harry/Multi

RATING: NC-17

WORD COUNT: <6,001>

SPOILERS: None. If you don't know how the Harry Potter story goes by now, why are you reading this story?

WARNINGS: If You've ever read any of my stories, you know what to expect, Oral, anal, Femme-slash, Dom/sub, multiple partners, and Femme-cest.

AUTHORS NOTES: Hogwarts at 17, so everybody is legal when they bump uglies

 

 

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Charms Classroom

Monday, September 2nd, 1991

9:20 AM

 

 

The first-year boys walked quietly behind the Head Boy, some students glancing about in curiosity while others showed nothing but nervous anticipation as they walked into the classroom. Harry wasn't the only one surprised by the lecture hall's size. It was far bigger than it should be, but Neville, noticing the look of confusion, leaned in and said, "It's an expansion charm, the magic expands until there is a place for everyone. It's usually much smaller for normal classes."

 

With a smile of thanks, Harry and Dean took seats on either side of Neville at a table toward the front of the room. To their annoyance, the Weasley berk sat right behind them right next to Seamus. Harry and the others were already sick of the redhead constantly complaining about missing his second breakfast or glaring if they dared to talk about something in the non-magical world. The boy seemed proud of his parochial outlook as if there were nothing he could learn from the non-magical world, and even if there was, he didn't see why he should care about it.

 

Professor Flitwick came out of the back of the hall, stopping Harry from thinking about making Weasley eat his ignorant words, courtesy of a knuckle sandwich. Paying attention to the diminutive figure, he had to admit he was impressed with how easily the Professor captured and held everyone's attention.

 

Starting with taking the roll, Flitwick gestured at the door, which closed with a distinct squelch, a sound Neville immediately identified as a privacy charm. He leaned to whisper to Harry and Dean, "That means no one outside can hear us."

 

Flitwick began his lecture. "Today, gentlemen, we discuss Magical Maturities. I realize that most of you who were raised in magical families are well aware of what we are discussing, so I ask for your patience while I explain things to the Muggleborn and Muggle-Raised young men. Three key periods shape your magical development: just before your seventeenth birthday, your twenty-first, and finally, on your twenty-eighth birthday. These periods are times of significant magical flux, demanding careful management."

 

He paused, his eyes sharp behind spectacles perched on his nose. "An imbalance during these periods can lead to magical instability."

 

He then detailed the signs of magical imbalance – erratic spellcasting, sudden bursts of uncontrolled magic, or persistent lethargy.

 

"Uncorrected imbalance," Flitwick warned, his voice hardening, "can severely damage your magical core, rendering you as powerless as a Squib."

 

His explanation of the remedy – a process involving the balanced exchange of magical energy with another individual – elicited various levels of embarrassment among the students. Harry, caught amid a whirlwind of puberty and social awkwardness, wondered how he would find a girl willing to participate, considering his extremely limited social interactions at the Dursleys. The Professor mention of "Comfort Girls," specifically trained to assist with the process, offered a measure of relief.

 

Draco Malfoy, never one to miss an opportunity for disdain, sneered, "Serves those mudbloods right if they become Squibs. They don't belong here anyway."

 

A wave of resentment washed over several of the Muggle-born and raised students. They were about to remind Malfoy of the upcoming "Ferret Stomping Day" tradition when Professor Flitwick, with lightning-fast reflexes, froze them in place. His slight frame seemed to expand with indignant fury. "Malfoy!" he bellowed, his voice surprisingly powerful. "Your father, who shared your vile prejudices, is going to be dying in Azkaban for acting on those beliefs! I know you admire your father, but do you want to end your life the same way? Your beliefs are an echo of his bigotry, and I assure you, they will lead you down the same destructive path."

 

Flitwick continued his reprimand, his voice sharp and cutting. He announced, "Seventy points from Slytherin – ten for each Muggle-born or raised student insulted by your ignorant comments. And you, Mister Malfoy, will spend every evening for an entire week assisting Professor Burbage, without your wand, in Muggle Studies. And yes, that includes Saturdays and Sundays. You will be tested on your progress."

 

He then unfroze the students, the silence following his outburst hanging heavy in the air. Harry, despite his initial anger, felt a slight sense of satisfaction. The unexpected, brutal efficiency of Flitwick's response seemed almost magical in itself. Though initially on magical maturity, the lesson offered a different kind of maturity – from facing prejudice to fighting back.

 

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Great Hall

Monday, September 2nd, 1991

Noon

 

The Great Hall buzzed with the clatter of cutlery and excited chatter. Students were settling into their seats for the mid-day meal. Ron Weasley had already started piling food on his plate when a decrepit owl swooped low, its wings feebly beating the air, struggling to stay aloft. It dropped on the table directly before Ron Weasley, its leg entangled with a bright crimson envelope.

 

Ron, mid-bite of a roast potato, stared at the owl. From his expression, it was clear to anybody who saw it that he recognized the owl. But then the envelope started vibrating, shaking itself free of the owl's leg. A look of terror crossed his face, and moving faster than anyone would have thought possible, he jumped to his feet, not noticing that he had knocked a goblet of water over. The water spilled across the table as he rushed out of the Great Hall, the vibrating envelope flying after him.

 

Hermione and some other first-year students watched, confusion etched on their faces. Harry Potter glanced between the fleeing Ron and the still-recovering owl. Dean Thomas stared, mouth agape. Internally, Harry felt a surge of morbid curiosity and a twinge of apprehension. Hermione's mind raced, trying to classify the peculiar event; her initial assumption was a prank of some sort, but the urgency of Ron's flight unsettled her. Dean, more simply, felt a profound sense of bewilderment.

 

A distant explosion, sharp and echoing, moments later shook the Great Hall. It was followed by a high-pitched, distinctly feminine voice shrieking obscenities. "What was that?" Dean Thomas asked, his voice barely audible above the sudden hush falling over the hall.

 

Lavender Brown, who had been quietly spooning pumpkin pasties, replied, "That was a Howler. It's a magical letter that... well, it shouts at you. Very loudly." She shuddered, a clear memory causing her discomfort.

 

Fred and George Weasley, twins whose identity was always debatable, leaned over, grinning mischievously. "Mum got a floo call last night from Professor McGonagall about Ron's table manners and the boorish behavior that already had the rest of your year group excluding him. It's the behavior part that concerns Mum and Dad since part of the purpose of attending Hogwarts is to meet and form friendships with students around your age.

 

“After what we heard about the Express, and waiting to be sorted, Ickle Ronniekins has already made such a bad impression he has no hope of improving things this year."

 

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's home-schooled for a year after Mum and Dad find out the rest of how he was acting," George (or Fred) added, a serious expression looking out of place on his face, "Gives Mum and Dad a chance to really hammer some manners into his skull."

 

Harry stifled a chuckle. Even the ordinarily unflappable Hermione let out a small smile. The tension in the Great Hall began to ease, replaced by a shared sense of amusement – though not for Ron, who would undoubtedly face consequences for his actions.

 

The owl, now perched on a nearby table, hooted softly, seemingly relieved its task was complete. The incident served as a cautionary tale, demonstrating the powerful and often embarrassing nature of maternal displeasure, amplified tenfold by the magic of a Howler.

 

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Gryffindor Tower

First Year Girls Dorm

Monday, September 2nd, 1991

After Lunch

 

The midday sun streamed through their dorm room window, showing the dance of the dust motes moving through the air as the three girls entered the room and closed the door behind them.

 

The three girls stripped of their uniforms and hung them neatly for the next lesson without even considering it. They had a double-period break today so that they would get comfortable.

 

Parvati raised the elephant in the room, asking, "What do you think about this 'Comfort Girl' thing?"

 

Lavender grinned internally, feeling a flutter of excitement. Her mother's enthusiastic tales of her time as a 'comfort girl' during her Hogwarts years were legendary. It was, after all, how she'd met Lavender's father.

 

"Oh, I'm going to do it, my mum was one when she was in school, and says it's a right laugh," Lavender continued, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Apparently, the prefects are very attentive." Secretly, Lavender imagined the thrill of a flirtatious encounter and the potential to gain favor with specific individuals.

 

Parvati nodded, "I think it would be good experience," she admitted, "And I'm almost certain Padma with agree, she'd always been a bit more adventurous that I am. And for pretty much the same reason you are, Lav, I want a chance to have some fun, and, if I'm lucky I'll find somebody who interests me, and if I can interest them, it would be a way to avoid having my parents pick a husband for me or for Padma."

 

What she didn't say was that she was excited to have a chance to mingle with her upper years and possibly even find a suitable husband. If he also considers Padma attractive, that would be fine with her and her twin. Hopefully, a born Englishman will alleviate her and Padma's perceived 'flaw' of having brown skin. She was more focused on social gain than Lavender's flirtatious ambitions.

 

Hermione didn't even wait to be asked, "Oh I'm going to sign up for it, not only does it have magical benefits, but I'm dying to find out what puts the smile on my mum's face every morning, and the smile is even wider on those mornings when one of my 'aunts' has spent the night. So I'm going to come right out and say it, I'm looking forward to starting the training, especially learning how to pleasure another witch."

 

Hermione hesitated before deciding that the other girls would have to get used to her interesting way of analyzing each new experience, so she pulled the bandage off and stated, "It sounds like a valuable opportunity to understand the dynamics of social events within the school," her thoughts already calculating the potential sociological study she could create from the experience. Her inner monologue was a whirlwind of meticulous data collection and analysis: *Interesting social strata interplay. Will observe and document behaviors and patterns.*

 

Looking first at Parvati and then at Lavender, Hermione said, "You don't have to answer, but I wasn't the only one to have seriously nasty dreams featuring you two and Katie last night, was I?"

 

Both the girls blushed slightly, but Parvati said, "I've already played with Padma several times since our birthday. At first it was because if our parents chose a partner for my twin and I, they will offer both of us to the same person, and we will be expected to make love to each other. But after the third time, we did it whenever we got a chance because it felt so damn good!"

 

Parvati looked up, almost worried that they would be disgusted with her for having sex with her sister. A glance at Hermione proved that whatever the other girl felt, it wasn't disgust! Hermione's legs were spread, her eyes glazed as they stared into nothing, her fingers pumping into her lotus, drawing sighs of pleasure from her throat.

 

Relieved, Parvati glanced at Lavender, and while she wasn't touching herself, it was close, and the way the blonde's nipples were tight enough to cut glass, she liked the idea as well.

 

Both her roommates were lost to the world, so Parvati shrugged and stretched out on her bed, her fingers stroking the smooth skin where her garden once grew. Closing her eyes, she pictured Padma's lustful expression and the excitement they both felt when Sarita, their youngest mother, returned from a trip to visit family who had moved to the continent. She returned with some toys and couldn't wait to show them off.

 

She and Padma spent hours enjoying the 'living dildos’ and learned to understand why guys like to have their cock sucked so much, not to mention other things that Parvati wasn't sure she wanted to do. Experiencing the actual acts with her twin changed her mind completely; she was looking forward to experiencing an actual buggering, with a wizard plunging into her, to see if the feeling was just as intense.

 

A comfortable silence followed, lasting until Hermione and the other two climaxed. None of them were even slightly embarrassed, even when they lifted their fingers to their mouths and started licking them clean.

 

After a few minutes of silence, Parvati suddenly laughed, "We're all going to do it, aren't we? I was worried at first that you would judge me for wanting to have the experience, but this is a lot better because it will almost certainly bring us closer together. It sure would help a lot for when I'm missing Pad. Last night was the first time I can remember that we slept in separate rooms, and I didn't like it all that much!"

 

"Honestly, I didn't even consider the possibility of not doing it," Hermione added, a hint of amusement in her voice. The social implications were intriguing, and an enjoyable experience was welcome.

 

"Mum would be thrilled!" Lavender declared, already envisioning the stories she would share with her mother. The next few moments were filled with excited chatter about assignments and expectations. Parvati mentioned that she would specifically focus on polite conversations and observing the etiquette of interacting with those in high positions.

 

Lavender was already mentally drafting her list of potential "attentive prefects" to engage with while Hermione meticulously planned her observations and data logs, considering the possibility of charting interpersonal dynamics for future study. As the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the room, they settled down to their respective tasks, a shared understanding of their upcoming "comfort girl" duties forming a quiet but undeniable bond between them.

 

The three girls, each with their own separate motivations and aspirations, were united by the prospect of the social and personal gains they anticipated from the experience.

 

Fortunately, Lavender had remembered to set the alarm to give them time to dress and get to their next class. They were all so interested in their conversation that they ended up talking and laughing well into the night.

 

Hogwarts's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Library

Monday, September 2nd, 1991

Before Dinner

 

Harry double-checked the selected books, ensuring they covered the material Professor McGonagall and Professor Savage wanted for their essays. Satisfied, he took out a loose-leaf binder and with a Biro in hand, started writing down the points he wanted to cover in the essay. At the top of the page, he wrote a small reminder for himself to write 6 precisely 6 inches, no more no less!

 

He smiled to himself; the reminder hopefully wouldn't be needed for much longer, just until he got into the habit of keeping a close eye on how much he was writing. It was easy to get carried away because he could do his best on the assignments since now he didn't have to dumb it down to purposely do worse than Dudders. If brains were a laxative, Dudley couldn't muster a wet fart; it was almost more headache than it was worth to manipulate his test and homework scores so that he didn't outperform Vernon and Petunia's perfect little Duddykins.

 

At least he wouldn't have to see them again, he thought. Thanks to Professor McGonagall and Mrs. Cattermole, who documented everything that was done to him and turned it all over to Law Enforcement, the Dursleys were all arrested with their pictures plastered all over the local and national news, completely ruining their reputation as 'normal' people.

 

The sad thing was, until Professor McGonagall forced Petunia Dursley to back down and let her into the house, he had thought that he deserved what they did to him because nobody ever tried to stop it.

 

The morning of his 17th Birthday is a day that he will always celebrate because that was when he forever broke free of Number 4 and everybody who lived in that awful house!!

 

The Professor started apologizing to Harry as soon as they had left the house, telling him that she had known the Dursleys weren't suitable guardians, but Dumbledore, who was the Hogwarts Headmaster at the time, insisted that Harry would be safe and loved by his mother's sister. With the severe indignation that McGonagall felt, it was probably a good thing that Dumbledore had already died. He had been caught in a massive explosion at the end of the last school term while working on finding an alchemical method to create Unicorn Blood and made a mistake. They only found his eyeglasses and a few teeth in the ashes that were left behind.

 

It wasn't until the old man's brother Aberforth received notice from Gringotts that his brother's will was activated that she was willing to believe Dumbledore was genuinely dead. Harry had the impression that if the old man had survived the explosion, Professor McGonagall would have killed him herself. Harry didn't quite know how to handle an adult being angry for him and not at him; it was such an unusual occurrence. He had gotten accustomed to the Dursleys running off anybody trying to be friendly to him.

 

It was truly a wonder he could converse normally at all with people on the Express or inside castle. Still, thanks again to his rescuer, he finally received medical treatment for all the injuries they had inflicted on him, as well as all the inoculations he should have had since he was a year old, which is when his mum stopped taking him to be seen by a pediatric healer for some reason.

 

The Scottish Professor ensured that he had everything he would need for school except for his uniforms which she said they would get later. She also insisted on giving him books on basic knowledge of Magical Society and a couple of histories of the Potter family. Harry had wondered if he would have time to read all of it. Then, Professor McGonagall told him that he was going to Saint Mungo's to correct a variety of problems from the way his relatives treated him and also speak to a therapist (she had used a different word, but Harry understood 'therapist') for the emotional abuse he was subjected to.

 

It wasn't until he was actually at the hospital that she explained about the time chamber where he would stay as he went through the treatment. He felt overwhelmed by everything that had happened since the Professor forced Aunt Petunia to let her into Number 4 and told him he was a wizard.

 

The only thing that kept him from losing his wig was that she was angry on his behalf and apologized for not having him taken into a better home. While the Healers were correcting all of his physical problems, the rest of the time was spent working through what his relatives had done to him. Toward the end of his time in the Time Chamber, he could speak to anyone, learn to be outgoing, and learn how to relate to other students, the staff of the hospital, and the staff at Hogwarts.

 

Harry had no real idea how long he had been in the chamber, but it seemed like he had spent at least a month learning how to talk to other people and learn mental exercises to relax him when things started to overwhelm him again. He could thank Professor McGonagall for all she had done and meant it when she met him when he came out of the chamber to finish preparing for the Hogwarts Express. He was shocked that it was still July 31st; everything done in the Time Chamber was less than an hour outside the chamber!

 

Seeing it was time for Dinner, Harry packed up his work and signed the books out from the librarian, taking them with him to the Great Hall and eating food.

 

He was surprised but not unhappy to learn that Ron Weasley had been withdrawn by his parents to try and correct his manners and behavior before starting again next September.

 

From what he could see at the table, even Ron's brothers weren't sorry to see him leave. Harry was glad he wouldn't have to see the prat eat with his mouth wide open anymore, not caring how disgusting it was.

 

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Gryffindor First Year Wizards Room

Monday, September 2nd, 1991

After Dinner

 

 

The four remaining 1st Year Gryffindor students--Harry, Neville, Dean, and Seamus--concluded their homework. Harry glanced at the clock, wanting to ensure he had enough time to accomplish what he wanted to do. Seeing that they had 2 hours and 55 minutes before curfew, a smile played on his lips. He subtly signaled his roommates, and the group moved their belongings into their dorm room, closing the door behind them.

 

Harry initiated a conversation, his tone casual yet probing. "In the non-magical world," he began, "it's unusual for a 17-year-old to be...inexperienced." He directed his question to Neville. "Is that different in the magical world?"

 

Neville's response was direct, revealing a cultural practice Harry was unfamiliar with. "Many families arrange for female relatives--aunts or cousins--to educate their sons. If that's not possible, fathers often take their sons to brothels in Horizon Alley. My father did this for me; I'm grateful, given my limited number of female relatives." He shuddered inwardly at the thought of his grandmother's involvement.

 

Harry, relieved to find Dean and Seamus in a similar state of inexperience, proposed, "We have almost three hours. Anyone want to... learn?"

 

The proposition was met with immediate agreement from the others. Harry produced four pieces of parchment and a pile of Galleons, enough for each to tip their girl 10 galleons. Neville just shook his head with a smile, showing his own stack of coins. Each wrote down their preferences before individually approaching a portrait of Aphrodite in the corner of the Common Room. A 'Notice Me Not' charm shielded the area. They slipped their parchments into a slot in the frame.

 

 

Harry felt a thrill of anticipation as he dropped his request into the slot, a mixture of nervousness and excitement about the prospect of finally experiencing something new. He could see that Dean and Seamus were just as excited, but Neville just smiled at them, not showing any evident excitement. But this was old news for Neville, and Harry was sure that after the first couple of visits, he and the others would be just as relaxed.

 

The four of them returned to their dorm, and a house-elf awaited them. The elf reached out to Harry, and when he took the little being's hand, the elf popped the two of them out of the room.

 

As soon as one elf left, another appeared, and soon the room was completely empty. Harry noted that he had appeared in a softly lit chamber furnished with plush velvet seating, the atmosphere more reminiscent of a high-class parlor than a clandestine encounter. The other three boys were placed in similar rooms, all within a short distance of each other. There was a hushed anticipation in the air. The elves, meanwhile, faded into the background, their presence subtly shifting and changing the room's ambiance. The elves remained unseen, yet everyone in the rooms felt their effects. The atmosphere shifted subtly, becoming more conducive to the desires on the parchments, the air thickening with an almost imperceptible scent of arousal. In these few quiet moments, each young man could hear their hearts quicken, and they knew that the experience to come would be far more sophisticated than they had initially anticipated.

 

Somewhere in the Castle

Harry practiced controlling his breathing so he wouldn't be over-excited and lose control too soon. He looked around the comfortable room, wondering where the girl was. Harry was sure that at least one of the Comfort Girls was a busty redhead, although the hair color wasn't a requirement, as long as she had a healthy set of baps. He had spent too many hours doing Petunia's laundry, and he didn't know why the woman even bothered to wear a bra; she didn't have anything to support.

 

The sound of a door opening at the back of the room made him turn to look, but all he could see at first was the girl's outline since the room was dim and the light beyond the door was bright. The girl turned and closed the door, shutting out the light, but then the lights in the room started coming up until he could see the girl, and her face looked familiar; he saw her sitting by Katie at the Gryffindor table at Dinner last night. Her name was... Natalie! That's it, Natalie Fairbourne.

 

She was older than him by a year, with long, auburn hair that cascaded over her shoulders and piercing green eyes that seemed to see right through him. She wore a simple yet alluring robe tied loosely at the waist, revealing just enough to make Harry's mouth go dry.

 

With a smile, he said, "Hello Natalie, I'm very glad to see you," and oh boy, was he. She had all the features he wanted; her hair was a dark red, and, while Harry couldn't see them clearly through the robe she was wearing, from what he could see, it looked like the Boob Fairy had nicely blessed her.

 

Natalie grinned, "I'm sure you are, Harry, and I'm going to take a chance and say this will be your first time, isn't it?"

 

Harry chuckled, "It's that obvious? But yes, this will be my first time."

 

Natalie chuckled softly, stepping closer. Her presence was intoxicating, a mix of confidence and warmth that immediately put him at ease and heightened his nerves. "Relax, Harry," she said, touching his arm.

 

"There's no need to be nervous. Everybody has their first time, and it's almost always the first timers that request one of us the first night after the lecture. So I've helped guide more than a few guys into the wonders of the woman's body, and, even without the title that got hung on you when you lost your parents, I would have been very happy to be with you. I know that I match what you wanted, but girls have preferences too, you know, and your body, nice and firm but not over muscled, and your green eyes, got my attention at dinner last night. So, I'm very happy to be here to help you."

 

He swallowed hard, his newfound confidence fading away, his eyes flicking down to how her robe barely clung to her curves before darting back up to meet her gaze. "I don't even know where to start," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

 

Natalie smiled, her lips curving, making Harry's stomach flip. "That's what I'm here for," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "Let's start with the basics. Tell me what's on your mind. What do you want to learn?"

 

Harry hesitated, his mind racing. He'd never spoken openly about his desires, let alone to someone like Natalie. But something about her- an inner sense of trust and understanding- made him feel like he could be honest. "You know I've never done anything, with anyone, and I really want to learn how to make sure the girl I'm with gets as much pleasure as possible."

Natalie's expression softened, and she brushed a strand of hair from his forehead, showing the faded white line of his famous scar.

 

"That's a good place to start," she said. "It's not about just you--it's about making it good for both of you. Connection, communication, and patience are key. But first..."

 

She paused, her eyes locking onto his. "You need to relax. Let go of all the pressure you're putting on yourself. This isn't a test, Harry. It's supposed to be fun."

 

Harry nodded, though his heart was still racing. Natalie's touch was electric, her fingers lingering on his skin as she stepped back slightly. "Let's start with something simple," she suggested, her voice lowering to a sultry murmur. "Close your eyes."

 

He obeyed, his breath hitching as he felt her hands settle on his shoulders. Her touch was firm yet gentle, grounding him in the moment. "Focus on your breathing," she instructed, her voice calm and steady. "In... and out. Slow and steady."

 

Harry tried to follow her guidance, though his mind was still swirling with anticipation and anxiety. He could feel the warmth of her body so close to his, the faint scent of her perfume wrapping around him like a caress.

 

"Good," Natalie murmured, her lips brushing against his ear as she spoke. "Now, take a step back. Look at me."

 

He opened his eyes, his gaze locking onto hers. There was a spark of something in Natalie's eyes that made his heart skip a beat. "This is about trust," she said softly. "Trusting me, trusting yourself. Can you do that?"

 

Harry nodded, swallowing hard. "Yes."

 

"Good," she said, her lips curving into a smile. "Then let's begin."

 

She took his hand, leading him over to the bed. The softness of the mattress beneath him made him feel like he was sinking into a dream. Natalie stood before him, her fingers working at the tie of her robe. Slowly, she let it slip from her shoulders, pooling at her feet. Harry's breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight of her--her smooth, creamy skin, the curves of her body, the way she seemed to glow in the candlelight.

 

"You're beautiful," he whispered, the words tumbling out before he could stop them.

Natalie smiled a hint of warmth in her eyes. "Thank you," she said, stepping closer. "Now, it's your turn."

 

Harry's brows furrowed in confusion until she began undoing the buttons of his shirt. His heart pounded as she peeled the fabric away, her fingers brushing against his chest. He shivered at the contact, his breath coming in short, uneven gasps.

 

"This is about exploration," Natalie said, her voice low and intimate. "Learning what feels good--for both of us."

 

She leaned in, her lips brushing against his in a soft, tentative kiss. Harry's eyes fluttered shut as he melted into the sensation, his mind going blissfully blank. Her lips were warm, her touch gentle yet insistent. He could feel the heat building between them, a slow, steady burn that made his body thrum with anticipation.

 

When she pulled back, her eyes were dark with desire. "How was that?" she asked, her voice husky.

 

"Good," Harry breathed, his voice barely audible. "Really good."

 

Natalie smiled, her fingers trailing down his chest to the waistband of his trousers. "What about this?" she asked, her tone teasing as she undid the button.

 

Harry's breath hitched, his body trembling as she slid his trousers down his legs. He felt exposed and vulnerable--but also exhilarated. Natalie's gaze lingered on him for a moment before she leaned in again, her lips brushing against his neck.

 

"Relax," she murmured, her breath warm against his skin. "Just let yourself feel."

 

Her touch was intoxicating, her hands exploring his body with a practiced ease that left him gasping. She kissed her way down his chest, her tongue flicking out to tease his skin. When her lips closed around one of his nipples, he let out a strangled moan, his fingers tangling in her hair.

"That's it," Natalie whispered, her voice thick with satisfaction. "Let go, Harry. Just let go."

 

He could feel himself losing control, the sensations overwhelming him. Her hands, mouth, and body were too much, but not enough. He wanted more, needed more. But before he could voice his desire, Natalie was already moving, her fingers trailing lower and lower…

 

"Harry," she breathed, her lips brushing against his ear. "Are you ready?"

 

He nodded, his throat too tight to speak. Natalie's fingers wrapped around him, and she became the only other person besides himself that had handled his member. There was no comparison; her touch was far more pleasant than his own calloused hands. He gasped, his hips jerking involuntarily as she began to move her hand up and down, building up speed while her free hand was fondling his bollocks until his belly tightened, and the pressure building up was almost painful. It felt so good. Harry laid back on the mattress, his breathing ragged as he tried to focus, not to lose control, but then he heard Natalie's voice, soft and urgent in his ear,

 

"Easy," she murmured, her voice low and soothing. "Just feel it."

 

Her movements were slowing down, her grip tightening around his cock until the pressure broke through, and he groaned, his cock swelling in her hand and jets of steaming cum boiled out of the head of his cock, covering her hand l. He managed a small smile as he caught his breath, his firm chest from the exertion. All he could think about was how bloody brilliant her hand wrapped around him was. If just a wank felt that amazing, Harry wasn't sure if he would survive anything more intense.

 

Watching her licking the cum off her fingers, Harry felt himself getting hard all over again, bringing a broad smile to Natalie's face. "You're ready to go again so fast? The girls are going to love you! But they can wait, it's my turn now."

 

End Chapter Two

 

 

Notes:

Check out my profile for links to more of my work.

Chapter 3: Chapter Three

STORY TITLE: The Hogwarts Secret Society

PART: 03 of??

AUTHOR: Red Jacobson ([email protected])

DISTRIBUTION: FanFiction.net, Archive of Our Own, Hentai-Foundry, Questionable Questing

DISCLAIMER: None of the Characters You Recognize belong to me; they all belong to JK Rowling and her publishers.

SUMMARY: In a world where Voldemort died, permanently attacking the Potters, the worst of the Pureblood Supremacists found their power broken. But nature abhors a vacuum, so at Hogwarts, a Secret Society arose, where students of all blood statuses were drawn deeper into different rituals until they discovered the cost.

FEEDBACK: Of course! It Makes Me Write Faster

RELATIONSHIPS: Multi

RATING: NC-17

WORD COUNT: <5,591>

SPOILERS: None, if you don't know how the Harry Potter story goes by now, why are you reading this story?

WARNINGS: If you've ever read any of my stories, you know what to expect: Oral, anal, Femmeslash, Dom/sub, multiple partners, and Femmecest.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hogwarts at 17, so everybody is legal when they bump uglies

 

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Hogwarts Comfort Room

Harry was no fool, at least when it came to books, but here, in this quiet, candlelit annex of the Hogwarts Comfort Room, he found himself adrift in an entirely unfamiliar realm. Natalie stood before him in a simple, open robe that did little to mask the swell of her breasts or the curve of her hips. She glided closer, her eyes alight with gentle humor, and took hold of his hands, positioning them at the belt holding the robe in place. She guided him, bit by bit, until the robe was off and on the floor and Harry was left blinking at the creamy expanse of her skin, her breasts topped with dusky pink nipples that stood pert in the cool air.

"Start slow," Natalie coached, her hands covering his, showing him how to cup her breasts, how to thumb at her nipples until she hummed approval. The more he touched, the more he learned to read her cues--the subtle arch of her back, the hitch in her breath when his lips replaced his thumb and he suckled her gently, the way her fingers threaded through his hair, urging him on. "You're doing brilliantly," she breathed, her voice both educational and breathless. It was not the clinical confidence of Madam Pomfrey's lectures, but the eager encouragement of a peer turned mentor, and Harry found himself eager to please.

She lay herself atop the coverlet, pulling Harry down with her, and guided his nervous fingers to the waistband of her knickers. "Go on," she coaxed, and he did, drawing them down her hips with trembling hands, exposing a dark, neat triangle of hair and the damp, glistening folds beneath. "Touch me--gently, to start," Natalie said, her own hand guiding his, showing him how to stroke, how to circle, how to dip a finger just inside, then back up to the spot that made her shiver and bite her lip. "Now, with your mouth," she whispered, her hands holding his head as he explored, uncertain at first, and then, as her hips began to move, more boldly.

He marveled at the taste of her, the sweet saltiness, the faint musk, the way her thighs tensed and relaxed around his ears. She gasped his name, and soon her body shook with a trembling sigh, her hands fisting in his hair as she rode out the waves of pleasure. When she pulled him up beside her, her smile was lazy and sated. She kissed him, then nipped playfully at his lower lip. "Now, it's your turn, Harry Potter," Natalie declared, and she rolled him onto his back with a surprisingly firm hand.

He was hard and aching, nerves jangling in his belly. Natalie grinned, a wolfish expression, and freed his cock from his trousers. She stroked him, slow and teasing, pausing every so often to glance up and watch his face, adjusting her technique in response to his gasps and the involuntary bucking of his hips. When she finally took him into her mouth, it was all heat and wetness and maddening suction, her tongue swirling, lips tight. Harry groaned aloud, the sensation overwhelming, his hands clutching at the covers. Natalie didn't stop until he was right at the edge, and then she drew back, grinning impishly, her lips shiny.

He gaped at her, chest heaving, unsure how anything could feel so good without breaking him entirely. She clambered up his body, straddling his hips, and guided him with practiced ease to her entrance. The sensation was different than anything he'd imagined--hot and soft and impossibly tight. He barely lasted more than a few thrusts before he was lost, muffling his shout in the crook of her shoulder. Natalie held him through it, rocking gently until his trembling subsided, then rolled off to wrap herself around him.

They lay entangled, breath slowing, the heady scent of sex curling around them like a protective charm. Only when their heartbeats had settled did Natalie speak again, voice low and dreamy. "Not bad for a first try, Potter. In fact, I'd say you're a natural."

Harry laughed, surprised at the relief--and the pride--sweeping through him. He looked down at her, studying the flushed sweep of her cheek, and wondered for the first time what else he might learn here at Hogwarts, what other secrets these walls might teach him.

He didn't have long to ponder because Natalie was already tugging at his arm, her fingers laced through his. "Round two?" she teased, but her voice was soft and inviting.

And Harry realized, with a new and very different excitement, that he absolutely wanted more.

THSS & THSS & THSS

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The Comfort Girl Orientation began with a hush and a shiver, the kind of collective anticipation that vibrated on the skin and made every ordinary detail feel charged with forbidden energy. All the first-year girls who had volunteered to become Comfort Girls found a gold galleon on their pillow when they came back from Dinner. There was a note attached to each coin, saying that if they were still interested in becoming a comfort girl, they should tap the coin with their wand when the clock chimed eight o'clock.

 

Lavender, Parvati, and Hermione were practically trembling in anticipation, and as soon as  the chimes rang, they touched their wand to the coins and felt a hook behind their navels and soon found themselves standing, along with several other girls who looked like 1st years, in a dimly lit hallway. Looking around in confusion, off to the left, light shone around the edges of a doorway slowly opening.

 

None of them knew what to expect, though rumors had been thick as honey back in the dormitories, the second and third year girls would tease them, telling them that there was a special lounge, "training" with seventh-years, magical toys, perhaps even a syllabus. But the rumors had never prepared them for the silent spectacle behind that door.

 

The room inside was dim, its walls lined by deep blue velvet drapes, the air thick with the warm, heady scent of some magical incense that made Hannah's head feel light and dreamy. The girls were ushered in by a senior student with sharp cheekbones and a languid smile--Betty Saxby, Gryffindor prefect and reputed "Queen Bee" of Comfort. She directed them, in a voice so gentle it was almost hypnotic, toward a series of enormous glass panels set into the far wall.

 

It wasn't until the girls crowded up to the glass that they realized what they were seeing. Beyond the transparent barrier stretched a vast gallery of what looked like wizarding bedrooms--each one decked in the colors and house banners of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, each containing a single bed with a boy and a girl entwined upon it. But these were no ordinary snogs. The girls wore the signature Comfort Girl ribbon in their hair,  and nothing else. The boys, somehow, seemed both sheepish and supremely desperate, clinging to the girls' bodies as if they were a cursed man's only hope for survival.

 

"Blimey," muttered Lavender, eyes enormous as she pressed her nose to the glass, not minding the smudge it left.

 

"Is that--?" Padma whispered, pointing toward a bed where a curvy, red-haired witch was currently riding a bespectacled wizard with an expression of sheer delight on his face. As they watched, Harry reached up and wrapped his arms around the witch, pulling her down against his chest, and started kissing her as he rolled the two of them over so he was on top.

 

"Harry Potter," Lavender confirmed, grinning like she'd just won a lifetime supply of Honeydukes fudge. "He's just as impressive with his kit off as he was socializing on the Express, isn't he?"

 

Lavender didn't get a response, other than a soft whistle from Parvati, and when Lavender turned to her roommate, she saw that Parvati was focusing on the spot where Harry was plunging into his partner. When Harry moved again, the shadows shifted, and she saw what caught Parvati's attention.

She had never seen one in person, but had snuck a peek at some of her parents 'special pensieve memories, and Harry was even bigger than any of the different performers she had seen.

 

"No wonder the girl is smiling," Lavender breathed, "That's got to feel brilliant stretching her out, and I'm going to find out for myself!"

 

Lavender didn't realize she was louder than she meant to be, and caught the attention of several of the other girls, and if she could see their expressions, it was clear that the other girls had the same idea.

 

They watched in silence as Harry slipped his hand between their bodies, and while the watchers couldn't see exactly what he did, from the way the girl jerked on the bed, and the stream of ecstatic swearing pouring from her mouth, she must have liked it!

 

Lavender turned to Hannah Abbott, standing next to her, to comment, only to see that Hannah was watching a different room, and, curious, Lavender looked down and saw that it was Neville and, interestingly, Katie Bell that had the Hufflepuffs' attention.

 

Not that Lavender could blame her, not only did Neville look like he was close to Harry's size, but it was obvious at a glance that Neville had already had experience before he got on the Express. He was standing behind Katie, who was kneeling at the side of the bed, one hand spanking the older girl and the other hand holding Katie's wrists together behind her back. While that was interesting enough, it was the way that Neville had his todger sliding into Katie's rear, and the look of bliss on her face as she moved with him that got Lavender's motor purring.

 

Hannah stared, blushing brightly, but unable to look away as the action intensified on the other side of the glass. She tried to focus on anything else--the patterns in the velvet, the shifting lights, the way Betty Saxby's lips curled with satisfaction as she surveyed the first-years' reactions--but her eyes kept straying back to the beds.

 

Hannah and Lavender weren't the only witches paying attention to Neville. Padma, who hadn't really noticed Neville, even when visiting the Longbottom Greenhouses, was regreting the oversight.  The Indian Twin was staring slack-jawed at the display below them. "He's--he's... oh Merlin!," she whispered. "He's enormous. Is that even safe?

"

Lavender snickered and jostled Padma's shoulder. "You'd better hope you don't get him for your first go, Pad. He'll split you in half!"

 

Padma, typically unflappable, only blushed and edged closer for a better look. Meanwhile, Susan Bones and Megan Jones, further down the line, traded nervous glances before Megan leaned in and murmured, "Do you suppose we'll have to do all that? First time out?"

 

Susan, always the voice of reason, said, "It's probably staged. For orientation. They want us to think it's like this all the time, but it's probably dull most days."

 

But watching the writhing, gasping, giggling mess on the other side of the glass, Hannah  doubted it. She had never seen bodies move like that, or faces twist with such fierce longing, or hands grip so desperately. It was like a spell--a spell that worked only on the body, not the mind.

 

As time ticked on, the girls' initial shock gave way to curiosity, then to a kind of hungry speculation. Who would be paired with whom? Would they be expected to...? Did it matter if you'd never done anything before? How did those girls know exactly where to touch, how to move, how to make the boys bend and break like that?

 

Betty Saxby let them watch for a long time, as if she wanted to burn the memory into their minds. Then, with a wave of her wand, she drew the velvet curtains over the glass, enclosing the gallery in a soft, blue gloom.

 

"You're here," said Betty, "because you want to learn, and because you want to help. What you just saw is the beginning of what you'll do for Hogwarts--what you'll do for each other." She smiled, not cruelly but not kindly either, and beckoned the girls to gather closer. "There's a lot to explain, and you'll have plenty of time to ask questions. But for tonight, you'll simply watch, and listen, and learn."

 

She led them to a cluster of cushioned seats arranged in a half-circle. The first-years sat, still jittery with shock and excitement, and the room filled with the susurrus of silk robes and anxious breaths. Betty paced before them like a kindly but intimidating headmistress.

 

Hannah looked left and right, taking in the faces of her new cohort: Padma, lips pressed tight but eyes fever-bright; Parvati, watching eagerly with Hermione right beside her.  Lavender, who could barely sit still, legs bouncing with nervous anticipation; Megan and Susan, leaning together for comfort; and at least two Slytherin girls on the periphery, heads close together, whispering in rapid, hushed tones.

 

"You'll be taught by the best," said Betty, "and you'll be paired with boys--and occasionally girls--based on what works for everyone. There will be rules, and you'll be expected to keep them. But you'll also have fun."

She paused, letting the word settle over them like a challenge. "And now," said Betty, "let's begin."

 

The plush viewing gallery dimmed, and at the front of the room, a silver screen shimmered into being. The first display: a short, instructional memory featuring a seventh-year Comfort Girl guiding a nervous first-year boy through his first session. Betty narrated in a soothing voice, pausing at key moments to explain the anatomical details and magical enhancements at play.

 

Hannah watched as the seventh-year's fingers danced lightly over the boy's chest, her touch gentle, encouraging. The young wizard trembled at first, too frightened to move, but the older girl's patience was a spell in itself. With each slow caress and whispered word, the boy melted, and the tension in his body eased. The film showed every detail--how to sense a partner's needs, how to guide without pushing, how to match your breathing to theirs, how to use magic to amplify pleasure without causing harm.

 

Padma, sitting beside her, took notes in a tiny spiral notebook, though her hand shook so badly she could barely keep the lines straight. Lavender, meanwhile, made no pretense of academic interest. She watched, chin in hands, eyes hooded with desire.

 

After the first presentation ended, Betty asked, "Any questions?"

 

Padma's hand shot up: "What if we, um, don't know what to do at first?"

 

Betty grinned. "No one knows what to do at first. That's why you'll practice. And that's why you'll never be alone if you don't want to be."

 

The second, third, and fourth films followed, each more explicit and more technical than the last. The girls gradually lost their awkward giggles, growing quiet as they tried to absorb all the information.

 

By the end of the orientation, the sense of taboo had been replaced by something like professional curiosity--and, for some, genuine excitement.

 

Betty dismissed them with a promise and a warning: "Tomorrow, you'll meet your mentors. Until then, rest up--and remember, curiosity is your greatest tool."

 

The girls filed out of the room, some chatting animatedly, others in thoughtful silence. Hannah, Padma, and Lavender lingered at the back, where they were joined by Parvati and Hermione, the experience humming in their veins.

 

"Did you see the look on that boy's face?" Lavender asked as they reached the corridor.

 

Hannah nodded. "He wasn't scared at all, in the end."

 

Padma grinned, wide and uncharacteristically wicked. "I think we're going to be very good at this."

 

There was a matching grin on Parvati and Hermione's faces, and all of them chuckled, already anticipating meeting their mentors.

 

The five girls exchanged a look--half challenge, half pact--and set off down the hall, their footsteps echoing back through the secret chamber, already plotting, already hungry for what came next.

 

THSS & THSS & THSS

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The Society Lounge

After curfew, Katie Bell and Demelza Robbins crept together through the sleeping silence of the castle, careful to keep under their Invisibility Cloak as they navigated the sleeping dragons of the Grand Staircase and the living labyrinth of portraits. The badge that pressed against their palms grew warmer the closer they came to the Room of Requirement, thrumming with the peculiar resonance of forbidden magic, a summons and a promise.

They ducked into the familiar tapestry-lined corridor, and Demelza tapped her wand to the badge, watching the sigil of the entwined snakes and lions and eagles and badgers flare brilliant. Katie followed suit, and with a shimmer, the wall melted away, revealing the Society Meeting Room in all its clandestine opulence.

The Room transformed for each gathering. Tonight, it was a many-leveled amphitheater, honeycomb balconies overlooking a sunken pit, everything draped in velvet the color of midnight and candle flames dancing in holders that floated lazily through the air. The air was heavy with expectancy: the scent of polish and parchment warred with the underlying musk of skin and excitement.

Already, witches and wizards of every House gathered in clusters, their uniforms abandoned, some in varying states of undress, some already bare to the skin. As each new member entered, their clothing simply dissolved, vanishing into the ether or pooling at their feet in a shimmer of smoke. Katie felt a thrill as her robes melted away, exposing the goosebumps that prickled along her arms and thighs.

With each arrival, a new detail appeared: the Hogwarts crest, delicate and intricate, inked over the left breast of the girls and the left pectoral of the boys. It glowed softly, a living mark, and when Katie looked at Demelza, she saw her own mark reflected in the other girl's eyes--a mutual acknowledgment, a secret handshake of flesh and magic.

The Society's membership was, as ever, a precise cross-section of the school's hierarchies: second- to seventh-year, a handful from each House, the upper years forming a loose circle of power around the newly invited. Many faces Katie recognized--Angelina Johnson was already laughing with Fred and George; Cho Chang perched regally on the lap of Adrian Pucey, her hair spilling like ink over his chest; the Hufflepuff prefect Susan Puffett whispered with two Ravenclaw boys, their arms looped around her waist.

Overseeing it all, the Head Girl, Eliza Yaxley, Slytherin's answer to Cleopatra, surveyed the assembly from an armchair that looked more like a throne. Once everyone had arrived, the doors closed and locked, and the runic array that was carved all along the walls started glowing, and the tempus spell hanging above the door froze in place between one second and the next. The time dilation was in effect.

Business came first. The circle of seniors called order to the room, and the undercurrent of levity became taut with attention, everyone sliding into place on the tiers to hear the news. Eliza Yaxley's clear, cold voice rang out, inviting reports from each House on the "new crop." For a moment, the Society was just a council meeting, a shadowy model parliament, with each faction listing their candidates in the manner of selecting dueling champions.

"Let's be honest," said Fred Weasley, "the Gryffs this year are head and shoulders above the rest. You've seen Potter's intake? Even the Muggleborns are brilliant."

His brother, George, chimed in, "That Lavender Brown is going to break records, or hearts. Maybe both."

Over on the Ravenclaw side, Justin Ollivander gave a measured report, listing Su Li, Padma Patil, and Terry Boot as the most promising, though he confessed that "Entwhistle has a surprisingly steady hand in the practicals." The Hufflepuff delegation, led by Susan Puffett herself, nodded in agreement and offered up Megan Jones and Wayne Hopkins as dark horses.

Slytherin's turn came. Terrence Higgs, standing just behind Yaxley, delivered his assessment with the dry bite of a professional: "Zabini's yet to uncover his true appetite, but he will. Nott has potential, as long as we can keep him away from the Convict's brat. The blonde idiot already offended Flitwick and the entire cohort of Muggle-born and raised wizards during their session this morning. Parkinson, Greengrass, and Davis--very much themselves already, if you take my meaning. The others, less so.

"As for Crabbe and Goyle, they don't have any power to speak of. I'm frankly surprised that both of them got their letters. And even if they did have potential, they both spend far too much of their time on their knees or bending over for Malfoy, and even if others think he can be developed, I'm black-balling him. Malfoy is too big a risk; he wouldn't be able to stop himself from bragging, and, while the staff ignores us, officially, if he brings attention to the Society, McGonagall and the others, even those who were members during their Hogwarts years, would have to take action. Anybody say different?"

Yaxley herself put it best: "We're after raw material, not raw nerves. He's a liability. And, he needs to be watched, to make sure he doesn't stick his nose where it doesn't belong."

The last statement passed right by the junior members of the society. Still, the eight senior members understood, if Malfoy moved from being a liability to a threat, he would be overcome by despair that no one would follow his lead. After leaving a tear-stained letter, he will fall from the top of the Astronomy tower. A shame, but it does happen.

The meeting shifted to more esoteric matters: plans for upcoming initiations, a review of last term's "Society Projects," and the usual warnings about discretion. Katie listened, her skin alive with anticipation, and glanced at Demelza--who was listening, but only just, distracted by the way the badges pulsed in time with every clever, cutting word.

"Business concluded?" Yaxley asked at last. There was a ripple of assent.

"Then, by the ancient privilege, we play."

Her words were the spark. Like an unseen conductor had flicked her wand, the Society came alive, the conversations dissolving into a low, hungry hum. Katie barely had time to blink before Fred and George descended upon her, one twin on either side, their hands warm and eager.

"Miss Bell, a pleasure," whispered one.

"The greatest of pleasures," said the other.

They steered her toward the center pit, which had changed while no one was watching: now it was strewn with enormous cushions, layered carpets, and low tables laden with carafes of honey-wine and platters of fruit and sweetmeats. The air was denser, laced with something Katie recognized as a subtle aphrodisiac--enough to blur the boundaries of propriety, not enough to erase memory.

Demelza was swept away by a knot of upper-years, her hair glowing in the candlelight as she was passed from hand to hand, kissed first on the cheek, then on the mouth, then on the pale slope of her shoulder. Katie caught her eye for a moment, and Demelza grinned, her tongue flicking over her lip in mischief.

The twins wasted no time. They pressed Katie between them, their bodies lean and eager and warm, and as she felt the weight of George's hands on her hips, she surrendered to the sense of floating--like falling into the Black Lake, but with the promise of air at the surface.

"Have you ever flown without a broom?" Fred murmured, his mouth hot against her ear.

She shivered and let her knees go slack, trusting them to hold her up as she melted against their chests. Their hands mapped her, both casual and reverent, and she found herself laughing as George swept her hair up and kissed the back of her neck.

Other bodies moved around them, a dance of tangled limbs and laughter and moans. Katie's senses blurred at the edges--she saw, at the periphery, Angelina with her head thrown back, pressed up against the wall by a burly sixth-year who grasped her thighs as if she might otherwise fly away.

Alicia Spinnet had found a pair of younger Ravenclaws; they knelt before her, kissing their way up her calves as she watched, one hand between her legs and the other stroking their hair.

The twins maneuvered Katie to the floor, lowering her onto the cushions with care. Fred knelt at her left, George at her right, and she felt the brush of their knees as they closed in. Fred began with her mouth--gentle at first, then fierce, his tongue darting past her lips and curling against hers. George's touch was less refined, more urgent; he found her breast straightaway, pinching and rolling the nipple until she gasped.

Their coordination was uncanny. When one twin broke the kiss, the other was there, kissing her jaw, her collarbone, her shoulder. George bit softly, drawing a gasp, then laughed into her skin. Fred's hand drifted downwards, fingers skimming her ribs, her belly, until he cupped her with a palm and pressed lightly.

Katie arched up, and the twins caught her, one hand sliding under her back, the other buried in her hair. For a moment, it was almost sweet, like a game they'd played as children--sneaking sweets from the kitchen, racing through the orchard, daring each other to jump higher, run faster. But the stakes now were infinitely higher, and the reward was heat.

The twins moved in concert, never once breaking rhythm. Fred's tongue was in her mouth while George's was between her thighs, and Katie found herself giving up the last of her resistance, letting the Society's mark burn her skin and her resolve alike. Every nerve in her body was awake, every sound in the room a harmony to her own cries.

At the edge of her vision, Katie saw Demelza sprawled across the lap of a Hufflepuff seventh-year, her face flushed and open, hair wild. The two girls caught each other's gaze across the shifting sea of bodies, and there was a look--half hilarity, half triumph--that passed between them, a private joke written in sweat and skin.

The Room of Requirement, ever attentive, responded to the needs of its guests: the air stayed just cool enough to avoid fainting, the sounds of the revel muted so that every gasp felt intimate, every moan a secret. The food and drink replenished in silence, and soft towels appeared in heaps for anyone who needed them  

The play continued for an impossible length of time, they had no way of knowing how long they had been in the room, but they swapped partners many times, at one point, Katie, Alicia, and Angelina were playing together, forming a daisy chain, until they were joined by Cho Chang and the other Quidditch Playing Witches, licking each other before switching places.

Eventually, they were sated, and various doors appeared around the room, each one opening into a different dorm room to avoid being caught out after curfew. The members of the junior years made their way back to their beds, until only the 7th years were in the room.

With a gesture of her wand, Eliza sent a pulse of magic toward the runic array, and when the magic hit, the rune clusters changed, and instead of the soft blue glow, they now glowed with the red of a fire.

THSS & THSS & THSS

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The clockwork of the party wound down with a final, orgasmic shudder. By the time the last enchanted towel disappeared and the last sticky-fingered fourth-year was escorted through a convenient door back to their own House, only the core of the Society remained.

The true Inner Circle--eight of them, four wizards and four witches, one witch and one wizard from the Seventh Year of each of the Houses, each one handpicked by the previous generation for their embodiment of their individual house- lingered in the suddenly silent Room of Requirement.

Yaxley gestured, and the walls reshaped, closing off the alcoves and study nooks until nothing remained but a single vast space, the polished stone floor inscribed with a ritual circle that throbbed in time with the castle's own pulse. The House banners overhead shifted to show the ancient, pre-Reformation crests, their colors muted and mean. The room now had the chilly clarity of a laboratory, the stage of a centuries-old experiment.

They went to work with practiced efficiency. The Gryffindors: Alex Everson and Betty Saxby, The Hufflepuffs: Teddy Gallston and Susan Puffett, The Ravenclaws: Justin Ollivander and Felicity Green, and The Slytherins: Avery Greengrass and Eliza Yaxley (the Head Girl).

The wizards all painted each other's bare torsos, arms, and faces with streaks of black and red pigment. The runic sequences started at the sternum, branching across the ribs and winding up the neck like veins. The marks set off a low, resonant vibration that made the air buzz behind the eyes.

The witches performed the same work on each other, dipping their fingers into pots of shimmering blue and gold, painting glyphs across collarbones, around nipples, and down the lines of their hips. Where the pigment touched, it tingled and then burned with a hot-cold clarity, like a tongue of flame, but none of them flinched. They'd done this before. The real danger would come later.

The witches knelt together in the center of the circle, facing outward. The wizards took up positions at the cardinal points, each standing over a squat silver bowl filled with a different sacrifice: a lock of unicorn hair, a sprig of mistletoe, a blackened bezoar, and a feather from a Fawkes-spawned phoenix--contraband, but today, nothing was impossible. The eighth bowl, at the inner circle's nexus, was empty and waiting.

Yaxley began the invocation, her voice spaced and severe: "Mors usque ad sidera, invocamus fortitudinem antiquis." (Death even to the stars, we invoke the fortitude of the ancients."

The wizards replied in chorus, the syllables of their chant slicing the silence like chisels. The witches picked up the counterpoint, their voices rising, weaving a new melody over the old bones of the invocation. Layer upon layer, the sound built until it was no longer possible to hear individual words--only the freighted rhythm that seemed to command the very rocks beneath their knees.

Ribbons of magic snapped free from the runes on the floor and danced up the bodies of the witches. The candles around the circle guttered and then flared, their light bending inwards, warping the faces of the kneeling girls into a bestiary of older, stranger forms. The witches braced themselves as the first jolt of power hit, a cold-hot whipcrack that arched their backs and drove the air from their lungs. The witch's eyes rolled up; each of them bit her tongue to keep from screaming. Yaxley gone rapt and blank-eyed, ridden by the magic like a witch-king of legend.

The wind kicked up in the circle, spinning so fast that it lifted hair and sent the pigment on their skin into a swirling smoke. The wizards never faltered, voices pressed together into a single instrument, their own bodies locked and straining to hold the spell in place. As the ritual reached its spiral, the empty bowl at the center began to fill--not with anything physical, but with a black light, the kind that leaves after-images on the brain, the absence that spells out the truth of power.

That was when the pain went supernova, eating away the boundaries of flesh. This time, all the witches screamed, a fourfold wail that echoed back from the walls--almost, for an instant, more bestial than human. At the same moment, the wind collapsed, snuffing every candle and plunging the room into perfect dark.

When the spell broke, the witches lay gasping on the cold stone, the runes burned into their skin in lines of red and gold. Each witch clawed her way upright, limbs trembling, sweat stinging her eyes. They could see, by the faint afterglow of the ritual circle, that something fundamental had changed: Yaxley's eyes were no longer blue but a searing crimson, and when she grinned, her teeth were sharp as a wolf's. The others were similarly marked, their power ratcheted up to some new, dangerous register.

The wizards looked at them with a peculiar mixture of awe and fear. "It's done," said Avery Greengrass. "You're through the first gate."

Yaxley bared her teeth. "We are. And the rest of this year will belong to us."

End Chapter Three

 

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Notes:

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Notes:

Check out my profile for links to more of my work.