Chapter 43

Chapter 43: A Tale of Two Trains

The Lust of Gryffindors

Chapter 43: A Tale of Two Trains

"Got the mirror?" Sirius asked him.

"Yep."

"Got the Polyjuice?"

"Yep."

"Got a serious case of envy for your godfather?"

"Ye—you wish," Harry said, laughing.

Sirius hugged him. "Have fun this term, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"No danger of that. There's a lot of things in that category."

Sirius turned to Hermione. "Don't forget: it's your job to keep him out of trouble."

"I'll do my best, but you know how he is."

"Bunch of comedians, you are," Harry said. "If anything, I'll be pulling your arses out of the fire."

"Let's hope not. Keep your nose clean and let Dumbledore take out the bad guys. It's his fucking turn."

"We should get going," said Remus. "Moody and Tonks are waiting at the platform."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry sighed as they patrolled through this section of the train for the thirtieth time. He couldn't wait to sit down. Everyone was rowdier this time. The first-years were no longer shy and anxious, and made a ridiculous amount of noise going back and forth between cars. He felt like the administrator of a pre-school.

They'd had to take points from a Ravenclaw boy who simply refused to stop levitating a book into the corridor, where it would smack passersby in the forehead. They'd settled on a warning for a pair of Hufflepuffs who had taken over one of the bathrooms to do more than snog.

The Pride members were mostly behaving themselves, though they had seen Katie and George under a blanket together. They had smirked and claimed they were cold, but neither Harry nor Hermione missed the subtle motions beneath the blanket.

Angelina was informed about their new stash of Polyjuice, and she actually squealed and hugged them. There would no doubt be a Pride-wide genderswap party on the calendar soon, probably on the spring equinox.

The most interesting part of the patrol was Harry's glance into a Slytherin compartment. Tracey, Daphne, Millicent, and Pansy were sitting together, and he dearly wanted to eavesdrop on them. They ignored his passing, but Tracey managed the briefest eye-contact. 'Ten o'clock,' she mouthed, and he nodded in reception of the message.

"Are we done yet?" he muttered.

Hermione checked her watch. "Close enough. Let's go sit down."

They returned to their compartment and found it occupied by a new group of people. Ron, Dean, Lavender, and Parvati had sat with them initially. The first hour of the ride had been filled with chess matches, giggling, and exploding snap.

Now it was occupied by Neville, Ginny, and Demelza.

"Hey, folks," Harry said, collapsing into a seat. "Where'd everybody else go?"

"Ron went to find his Puff girlfriend," Neville said. "The others went to find a spot where they wouldn't get caught fooling around."

Hermione sighed. "The Head Girl is patrolling right now. They'll get in trouble."

"Not our problem," Harry said. "Sandoval looked bored though. I don't think she's on the warpath."

He settled into his seat and closed his eyes, deciding a nap was in order. Energy would be required if there was any sort of celebration in the Pride tonight. He tried to ignore the mundane chatter that started up in the car.

Images from yesterday afternoon rose unbidden in his mind. Narcissa on her back and moaning as he teased her with his tongue. Her riding him while he held her breasts from below. They had managed to squeeze in one final session before his departure.

They hadn't even planned to meet. He'd just gotten tired of the little glares she sent Hermione's way during lunch. When Hermione briefly left to have dinner at the Burrow—he had begged off, citing a fake headache—she had shown up at his door not ten minutes later.

Harry breathed in deeply and could almost smell her scent again. He wouldn't miss her exactly. She was as exasperating as she was alluring. But the illicit nature of what they shared was a thrill that he would definitely miss.

If Narcissa and Draco left Grimmauld in March, it wasn't certain that he'd see her again. She hadn't given him a proper goodbye, just a polite 'thank you,' delivered with a little smirk. Maybe he could have Dobby deliver the occasional filthy, unsigned letter to her. She'd probably enjoy them.

Dobby had been given another mission to perform at Grimmauld. This morning, the drawing of Hermione's nude and writhing body had appeared on Draco's bed. She had asked Dobby, somewhat creepily in his opinion, to discover how he reacted to it, including whether he 'used it' right away.

Harry didn't appreciate the mental images those words provided, and wondered what Hermione would do with the opportunity to fuck Draco. He decided not to ask. It would probably involve contracts and torture.

"She found a dirty letter he was writing to her," Ginny said, catching his attention. "The moron left it right on his desk. Mum had a fit. I wish I could have read it."

He looked up groggily. "Who?"

"Ron. He tried to write Tamsin a dirty letter over break, but he got busted. That's why she wasn't at our New Year's Eve party."

"Oh."

"I would pay handsomely to read Ron's idea of seductive language," said Hermione. "I bet it's full of food metaphors."

Neville laughed. "Probably lots of bacon and syrup."

Harry resisted the urge to make a joke about 'fresh-pickled toads.' He was almost certain that the old Valentine had come from Ginny.

"Do you suppose they're shagging?" Demelza asked. "Ron's nice and all but—"

Ginny shuddered. "I don't want to know. It's bad enough that I've seen Fred and George in action."

They all politely ignored the fact that she'd done quite a bit more than that, even if Polyjuice had been involved. She liked to pretend that the incident had never happened, though Harry didn't let her get away with that in private.

"Has he said anything more about Tamsin?" Hermione asked him.

"Nothing I'll repeat, for her sake. I don't care if they shag in every room in the castle, as long as I'm not the one to catch them."

"If he asks to borrow your cloak, you better say no unless you want some stains on it."

"Dear God, Hermione. Stop that. It's not big enough for two people anymore anyway."

"Still seems a waste not to use it," Ginny mused. "Have you never used it for sex?"

"Nope. Not while in the middle of things, at least."

"I bet he's used it to spy on people though. Probably the girls' showers," Demelza said with a smile.

"I don't need it to spy. I can see naked girls anytime I want. Some of them even invade my shower."

"Can I see it?" she asked. "I've only ever heard about it."

"Sure."

Harry retrieved the cloak from his trunk and returned to his seat. Demelza accepted it and then whipped it around herself, disappearing instantly.

"This is so fucking cool. Everything looks like it's covered by a film. You really can't see me?"

"Not at all," Ginny answered, and thumped her in the arm with her fist.

"Ow!"

"We can still hear you though."

"I want to have some fun with this," she said.

Harry suddenly felt hands grip his thighs. He flinched as his legs disappeared below the knees.

"No sex on the train," Hermione said firmly. "People can still look in and see him missing half his body."

"Dammit," a disembodied voice muttered.

There was a long silence. Demelza seemed to be considering her options. Harry and Hermione looked at each other in amusement, wondering if she would try something anyway.

"I have an idea," she said. "Stand up, Harry."

"Demelza…" Hermione warned.

"Don't worry. We won't get caught by any prefects."

"We are prefects."

"Oh, please. Just keep watch. Come over here, Harry."

A hand led him toward the outside window of the compartment, with his body facing away from the interior of the train.

"What exactly are we—oh." He felt her invisible presence kneel in front of him and pull down his zipper.

"Just pretend you're watching the scenery pass by," she said. "People in the corridor will only see you standing here."

Ginny moved to the edge of her seat, hoping to catch a glimpse of the action.

Hermione sighed. "We are such horrible prefects."

"Yes, you are," Neville agreed. "I can't believe Harry Potter is about to get a blowjob on the Hogwarts Express, while Hermione Granger watches and approves."

"Maybe I'll deduct points from myself," she murmured. Nevertheless, she stood up to partially block the view of anyone passing by, and to give them warning if anyone tried to enter.

Harry just smiled as Demelza successfully wrestled his cock out of his trousers and pulled the whole thing into her mouth, sucking on it until it began to grow.

"Pull back the hood of the cloak," Ginny whispered. "I want to watch."

She did so, and her floating head came into view. Harry could now look down and watch the show too. She teased and slurped on his cock, being very sloppy about it. Her wet tongue left trails of saliva in her wake.

Once he was fully hard, Demelza began stroking him and suctioning his crown. Her lips gripped him so firmly that he pulsed in her mouth. Her big brown eyes looked up at him mischievously.

"Oh, that looks hot," Ginny said. "Stroke him faster. He makes this little panting noise when you go fast."

He was amazed at the pair of them, especially Demelza. She was barely the same girl who had been so hesitant at the start of the year. She picked up her pace, trying to make short work of him. Her head bobbed and she tugged on him without mercy. His orgasm approached rapidly.

"Almost there," he whispered. "Don't get any on the cloak."

Demelza looked at Ginny with eyes full of glee. Just before he came, she withdrew her mouth and pointed his cock at the window behind her. Harry groaned as his balls pulled tighter. It was too late to stop. He spurted copiously onto the window, leaving a dozen white streaks that oozed down it slowly.

Hermione didn't realize what she had done until she heard the laughter. "Demelza!"

"Oh, come on. Live a little!"

She huffed and drew her wand, hoping to scourgify the window before anyone passing by could see. "Five points from Gryffindor."

"What? Why?"

"Officially, for a poorly-aimed aguamenti charm. And for not listening to me."

"You suck."

"Yes, I do, and with better technique than you."

Neville shook his head at all of them, not quite able to believe he was party to such a thing. He stood up to further the block the view from the corridor. A cum-streaked window in the cabin of The-Boy-Who-Lived would probably make the Prophet.

Ginny grabbed the invisibility cloak and grinned at him. "You want a turn, Nev? I'm in the mood to lose some points for Gryffindor too."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry checked the map one last time before opening the door. Tracey was waiting for him alone.

"No Daphne tonight?" he asked. "We don't have long before curfew, you know."

"I know. I need to get back soon."

"What's going on?"

"Did you get more Polyjuice?"

He laughed. "You have a one-track mind. I was worried that something bad had happened."

"Nope. Unless you count Bulstrode eating beans at the feast. Daph's birthday is in February, and she wanted me to remind you that she's expecting a special gift."

"Oh, Merlin."

Tracey sidled up to him and squeezed his crotch. "Bring enough for all three of us, because you're going to get bent over, my favorite Gryffindor."

"Why is everyone so obsessed with turning me into a girl?"

"Because we want to hear you make the noises you force out of us. Daphne intends to leave handprints on your ass."

He winced. "I guess I can oblige you once, and only because it's her birthday. Remind her that turnabout is fair play. And let me know if you hear any rumors in your house."

"What kind of rumors?"

"The Death-Eating kind. Keep your head down and don't support me publicly."

She lifted the edge of her skirt and grabbed his hand, then guided it between her legs. "How stupid do you think we are? Want to go down on me before you go?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry returned to Gryffindor tower just before curfew. Tracey's scent lingered in his nostrils, and he almost wished he could have stayed with her longer. But there would be a party in the Pride tonight, and he didn't want to miss it. He'd been too anxious to fully enjoy the last one, despite the best efforts of the girls. Now that Voldemort was back—at least in secret—he felt strangely at ease. They had taken out all but one of his horcruxes, and there was nothing to do now but find the bastard.

Of course, even if he was no longer a horcrux himself, the Prophecy might still be active. He'd given the matter some thought, and the possibility was less daunting than it once had been. He would never be Voldemort's equal in magical power, so it couldn't possibly mean that they would face off as equals in a duel. He had managed to best the monster in a variety of lucky ways in the last five years, and, for reasons he couldn't articulate, believed that he could do it again.

He descended the stairs to the Pride just in time to hear Hermione announce her intentions to the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention, please! I would like to be fucked by everyone here tonight. Twice. Please and thank you."

He laughed and went to the refreshments table. By the time he had poured himself a drink, Hermione was already on her back being mauled by Gunnar Gustafson. Most people in the room were already occupied. From the looks of things, several were using lust potion. He spied Pippa Pemberton holding a dildo while she watched Katie ravish McLaggen, and decided it had been too long since they'd been together.

Harry walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her body. "Miss Pemberton. How do you feel about getting shagged senseless tonight?"

She reached for his cock. "That sounds brilliant."

He led her to a loveseat near Hermione. She immediately went to her back and pulled her legs behind her ears. Her calves were soon tucked behind her head, showing off her amazing flexibility. Only she could pull off the position. It spread her puffy lips apart and revealed the pink depths of her pussy to him. Harry couldn't resist rubbing his finger between the wet, sticky cleft. Her lips spread further apart, and he teased her warm walls with a finger.

"I love seeing you like that."

She handed him the dildo with a bright smile. "And I love being seen like this. Put this in my bum?"

"I'd be delighted."

Harry gently inserted it. It wasn't very long, but it was thick. Her tight sphincter resisted it at first, flexing and pushing it away, but he was able to slide it home. She moaned in satisfaction. Pippa, like Hermione, was the only new girl who had been willing to dive headfirst into the Pride's deepest waters.

"Oh, that feels good. Want to get us some lust potion?"

"Hell yes."

Harry retrieved the little bottle from a table and dosed both of them with a very modest drop. The effect was immediate. He grew rock hard, and her eyes glazed over with desire.

"Oh, Merlin, stick that big thing in me."

He slid into her slowly, pleased at how hot and slick she was already. Though the position opened her lips wide, it seemed to make her tighter. With the lust potion flowing through his veins, he wanted to fuck her hard and fast. It would be torturous to go slow, but he also wanted to watch her face grow desperate. He pulled out slowly and brought his thumb to her clit.

For the next minute, Harry glided through her wonderfully soft flesh and rubbed her clit gently back and forth. It stood out against his thumb, swollen and needy.

She whimpered as he pulled out again. "For the love of Merlin, go faster!"

Her face contorted into a grimace. That was his cue. She squirmed beneath him, squeezing both his cock and the dildo. He loved watching girls lose their mind with lust, especially when he was in a position to prolong their agony.

"Are you sure you want it?"

"Please! Just pound me! I can't stand it."

"As you wish."

They both moaned in relief as he picked up his pace. She took control of her clit as he hovered over her and drove his hips into her ass. It shoved the dildo deeper within her. She was soon grunting with each hard thrust. Harry couldn't hold off any longer. He pounded her without mercy, slamming his cock into her depths over and over until both were gasping for air.

Pippa let out a moan that sounded inhuman and gushed around his cock. Her pussy squeezed him so tightly that it sent him over the edge. His cock burst inside her. He felt each pulse deep in his belly as he filled her with thick ropes of cum.

When they were finished, she looked up at him. The lust in her gaze hadn't diminished.

"Merlin, I love your cock. Leave it in. I can cum again."

He obeyed, and continued thrusting into her gently. The potion howled for more satisfaction, and it wouldn't take long to get hard again. She rubbed her clit back and forth, her eyes closed in concentration. The pretzel-like position she was in made it hard for her to breathe, but she didn't seem to care.

"Have you ever heard of Madam Clarissa's?" he asked, recalling Sirius' words about a girl there who was able to lick herself.

"What?" she panted.

"Never mind. Just curious."

It was incredibly unlikely that she moonlighted there, but he wouldn't put it past one or two of the girls to do so over the summer. Especially Jo. She was insatiable, and if there was Polyjuice involved, she might be able to acquire quite a bit of pocket money.

"Okay, okay," she said, and began rubbing herself furiously. He grew hard within her again just as she came.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione tried to relax and control her breathing as Dean's giant cock parted her flesh and made her feel so agonizingly full. She was still riding the wave of bliss from George, but couldn't wait for Dean to send another one crashing down on her head. It had been too long since she'd submitted completely to her body's lusts, and returning to Hogwarts was a good enough reason.

It felt as if his girth were splitting her lips apart, but her body was beside itself with pleasure. The lust potion, though she had taken only a tiny amount, was enough to overwhelm her. She whimpered as he slid into her again, the very sound of it making her belly quiver with desire. Her pussy was a mess. The cum of a dozen or more boys oozed out of her, coating her lips and sliding down her ass cheeks and inner thigh. A big dollop rested in her asshole and tickled her.

Her face was a mess too. Harry had stopped by to coat it so thickly that it felt like she was wearing a mask.

Dean groaned as he stretched her. His thumb rubbed up and down her engorged clit. "Baby girl is so tight, Daddy can't stand it."

"Baby girl loves Daddy's big cock so much. Her little pussy is so full."

"Daddy's gonna make it overflow."

Dean picked up his pace, sliding through her wetness faster than he normally could. Hermione held onto his thighs as her body shook.

"Give it to me, Daddy," she whimpered.

He pulled on her hips and buried himself roughly, and neither could stand it anymore. Hermione's fingers went to her clit just as he grunted like an animal and pounded her. She gasped in pleasure and pain, but everything disappeared when she felt his first spurt. That familiar ecstasy rolled through her as he soaked her with spurt after spurt of warm cum. It felt as if he were drenching her insides, and she hoped he never finished.

His thumb pushed into her fingers, shoving her clit into her body, and she followed him into bliss. Hermione moaned as her pussy spasmed around his enormous cock, the twin sensations of his release and hers almost too much to bear. In that moment, she hoped her 'condition' didn't settle down for decades.

She fell back against the seat, panting and delirious. Dean pulled out and wiped the last of his release on her glistening lips. He leaned forward and planted a kiss on one of her nipples.

"Daddy loves filling his baby girl's pussy like that."

"Not as much as she loves getting filled."

He chuckled and moved away. The boys hadn't disappointed her tonight. She'd never gone long without a hard cock inside her. Colin stood before her now. He had been watching her performance with Dean. His cock wasn't hard, but he was tweaking it as he gazed at her pussy with unbridled lust in his eyes.

"I'm not ready yet," he said sheepishly, "but maybe I could clean you?"

She smiled at him with hooded eyes. "Yes, Colin. Lick the cum out of me until your baby dick is ready."

He went to his knees and began eagerly lapping up the mess that so many other boys had left in their wake. He started on her inner thigh and moved to her asshole. His little slurps made her shiver, and she moaned when he reached her pussy. The caresses of his tongue sent aftershocks through her body. It felt like she might cum again.

"That's a good boy," she murmured. "That feels so good."

He attacked her more vigorously and thrust his tongue deep into her pussy, licking and sucking everything he could reach. His nose pressed against her clit and she nearly exploded again.

"Your dick, Colin. Please. Rub your little dick against my clit."

He stood and obeyed her, pressing his soft head into her and rubbing firmly. Her whole abdomen pulled taut, and she came again, so hard that little lights appeared on the edge of her vision. It wasn't often that she had such powerful orgasms in quick succession, but when she did it was to be savored. Her pussy spasmed in rapture, and she squirted a little pulse of liquid onto him.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Parvati was standing next to her with a silly grin on her face. Without any prompting, Colin went back to cleaning her pussy with his tongue. She'd be spotless by the time he was finished with her.

"You whore," Parvati said. "You should see your face."

"Why don't you clean it up for me?"

She giggled and leaned down. A lick across her cheek turned into a lust-fueled, cum-soaked kiss. She had clearly been indulging in lust potion too. Hermione reached between the girl's legs to tease her dark folds. Parvati moaned into her mouth kissed her even more hungrily.

Hermione couldn't have said how long they kissed, but they were still attacking each other when she felt a cock touch her cheek. She looked up to see Latimer Sykes standing next to her, panting and stroking his cock, his eyes locked on the two of them. She didn't much care for him, even though he was a fellow prefect. They rarely slept together outside of the big parties, and she suspected he harbored a secret prejudice against muggleborns. That only made his desire for her all the sweeter.

"You incredible sluts," he whispered.

Hermione broke the kiss and looked into his eyes. "Yes, we are."

He grunted and held his cock against her face. His cum exploded against her nose, splattering onto both her and Parvati. They closed their eyes and held still while he left stripes all over them. She opened her mouth and a thick stream of cum rolled into it. Parvati licked it up and resumed their sensual kiss as Sykes watched in awe.

Hermione sighed as she felt Colin's hard, little cock push into her. She slipped two fingers deep into Parvati's wetness and curled them. Perhaps she could make her roommate cum before Colin did. It would be fun to find out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry smacked Jo Hampson's ass as he pulled out of her. His cum trickled out of her cunt and dripped onto the bed. She didn't even notice. Her head was still buried between Martigan's legs, greedily swallowing as much of his cock as she could. God, the girl was ravenous this year. She wasn't happy unless she was being spit-roasted.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder and he turned to find Neville at the edge of the bed.

"Hey, mate, you've been requested upstairs."

"Upstairs? Who?"

He grinned. "Fay."

"Really?"

"That's what she said."

"Okay, thanks."

He walked curiously toward the stairs. He'd never been with Fay. They were housemates, but had only spoken a few times. Hermione said she would sometimes sleep with people in the alcove, but she'd never been downstairs, as far as he knew. He grabbed his wand and scourgified his cock as he ascended. Fay was nude and waiting for him on the bed, the curtains wide open.

"Er, hi," she said, looking his naked body over from head to toe.

"Hey, Fay. Neville said you asked for me."

"Yeah, if that's alright."

"Of course, it is."

Harry sat down next to her. Despite her own nudity, she blushed.

"Sorry," she said. "I don't know you that well and I'm not used to this place. It's embarrassing to ask someone if they want to have sex."

He smiled. "Don't worry about it. You'll get used to it."

"I still can't imagine going downstairs in front of all those people."

He looked at her body closely for the first time. Hermione had said she was a swimmer, and she looked it. Her frame was solid, and she had broad shoulders. Her breasts were firm and high, supported by obvious muscles. Her legs looked toned too, and though they were closed, he could tell that she had shaven her pussy bare.

"You've got a great body, Fay. You don't have to worry about people judging you here."

She snorted. "Thank you, but it's not that. I would be judging myself."

"Why?"

She waved a hand in the direction of the room. "You're all so depraved. I mean, I like sex, but damn."

"It's fun to be depraved with your friends sometimes. Have you tried lust potion yet?"

"No. That stuff scares me. One guy at a time—in private—is more my tempo."

"Nothing wrong with that. I'll satisfy your needs whenever you want."

She smiled ruefully. "And now I feel like a whore again. I just got finished with Neville, and now I've got a naked Harry Potter in bed. I can't believe myself."

He leaned in close to her. "I'm sure Hermione gave you the lecture, but you're free to let yourself go here."

"I know. I don't need to hear it again."

"What did you want to do?"

She looked down at his soft cock. "Just some good old-fashioned sex, but it looks like your guy is a bit tired."

"I've also got lust potion flowing through my veins. My guy will be good to go with a little help."

Fay reached between his legs to caress his cock. Despite her apparent disgust with what was happening below them, she didn't seem shy about touching him. He leaned back on his hands so she could have better access.

"You've got a really nice one," she said casually, squeezing and tugging on him.

He laughed. "Thanks."

"Everyone else seems to love it so much, I was scared to ask for you. Every time I see you in here, you're getting mauled."

"It's a bit much sometimes, but I'm not complaining."

"I bet you aren't. I'll get you ready."

She lowered her face and took his cock in her mouth. Harry moved her long, brown hair out of the way so he could watch. She teased him quickly and efficiently, kissing his tip and pulling more of him into her mouth as he grew harder.

Fay looked up at him. "Lay back."

Harry did so, resting his weight on his elbows so he could still watch. She knelt beside him and lowered her face again. This time she opened her mouth, closed her lips around him, and slowly swallowed him whole. He wasn't fully hard yet, but he was getting close. His cock grew thicker and longer, extending into her throat, and still she didn't get gag. She rested her nose against his pubic hair and moved her head in little circles. The softness of the sensation as she squeezed him was amazing.

"Wow," he whispered.

He was rock hard now. She teased his balls with her fingertips and suctioned him with her throat. Most of the girls didn't attempt such a thing, let alone with a big cock. She gripped him for another thirty seconds, her slobber running out of her mouth, then slowly withdrew.

Fay coughed and wiped away some saliva. "Merlin. I didn't think that would work. You're the biggest I've tried that on."

"That was impressive."

She smiled a bit sheepishly. "I don't have much of a gag reflex. I did that with a friend this summer. I can't believe I'm doing it to my housemates at Hogwarts."

He smiled. "No one will complain. I promise."

"I'd say you're ready now. You mind if I'm on top?"

"Not at all."

Harry just watched as she climbed atop him and rubbed his cock against her folds. She leaned forward, and he slipped in easily. Fay slid down him with a pleased sigh, wriggling until he was fully sheathed within her. The tightness of her grip, spurred on by the lust potion, made him ache with desire again.

He sighed in relief as she began riding him. "Welcome to the Pride, Fay."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The routine of Hogwarts reestablished itself over the next two weeks. There was homework to do again, and the OWL and NEWT students were getting the worst of it. Harry found himself grateful for Hermione's study schedule. If he forced himself to follow it, there was still time to indulge himself in the Pride. Their preparations so far were going well. Both had become so adept at casting that the Charms and Defense tests would be a joke. Transfiguration, too, would be easy, even if what Harry really needed to master was beyond him. Auror-level battle transfiguration was simply too much to ask of a fifth-year.

The lack of news about Voldemort was frustrating. They still knew nothing about his plans. Or if they did, Dumbledore revealed nothing. The Headmaster believed that the Dark Lord would lay low for now. He was weak in terms of followers, and it was in his best interest to conceal his return from the magical world. The only thing to do was wait, and that wasn't something Harry did well.

He regularly demanded to know what he could do to help, and Dumbledore always counseled patience. Harry knew there were some secrets that he simply couldn't know, but it was galling to know nothing at all. Dumbledore hadn't listened to his suggestion that they destroy the prophecy sphere. It could still be used as bait, he claimed, and was 'illegal' to tamper with anyway. The man's ethics were beyond confusing.

Their information seemed to depend on Snape, and that was a troubling thought. Sirius had told him over the summer that Snape and his mother had once been friends, but he wasn't inclined to ask Snape about it. The head of Slytherin house hardly deigned to look in his direction lately, and Harry preferred to keep it that way.

He dearly hoped the man was on their side. The Headmaster refused to explain the reasons for his trustworthiness, leaving everyone else to take it on faith. If Dumbledore's trust proved misguided, the consequences could be devastating.

Sirius called him regularly on the mirrors, both to exchange banter and to whine about his new Wizengamot duties. He wasn't happy to be surrounded by stuffy old purebloods who were twice his age, all of whom regarded his irreverent attitude with disdain.

The good news was that Sirius had prevailed upon Minister Fudge—after a 'campaign contribution' from the Black family—to heed Amelia Bones and expand the Auror Corps. That amounted only to the addition of five new recruits, but it was a start.

Harry did the only thing he could in the situation, and focused on his training. He rarely fought real duels with Hermione anymore. His instincts were becoming so honed that it was dangerous for them to cast anything more than stunners at each other.

He was careful walking the halls, but the Slytherins seemed subdued. The students who were most closely connected to Death Eaters—if one didn't count Crabbe and Goyle—were gone. Tracey and Daphne hadn't heard of any new plots against him, so he was hopeful that attacks in the corridors were a thing of the past.

After the frenzy of the first night back, the Pride also settled into its usual routine. People returned to their regular partners, and usually just once per night. No one could afford to engage in too much debauchery when there were tests to take, essays to write, and quidditch to practice.

Harry didn't have time to visit the Pride every night anyway. There were too many people outside it demanding his attention.

He'd hooked with Susan Bones again while they were on patrol. She was such a lusty and willing lover that he contemplated inviting her to the Pride. Cedric had told her to approach him, after all, but that didn't mean she was ready for a room full of people. Nor did she have close friends in Gryffindor that he was aware of. It would require some thought. Fay was ample evidence that not everyone who enjoyed sex would be enamored with the Pride.

He met twice with Daphne and Tracey too, though he refused to indulge them with Polyjuice. That could wait until Daphne's 17th birthday. It was in late February, and a special-enough occasion to let them turn him into a girl. The prospect didn't stop him from giving her humiliating commands when they were together, nor did it stop her from secretly enjoying them.

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They walked together in awkward silence for the first hour. Harry had drawn Millicent Bulstrode for tonight's patrol, and he was none too pleased with it. It was four in the morning, and both were tired and grumpy.

She yawned and reached down to pick up a scrap of parchment off the floor. He instinctively stepped away from her and drew his wand.

Millicent blinked at him when she stood up. "Merlin, Potter, there's no need to be so paranoid. I'm not going to attack you."

Harry cautiously sheathed his wand. "Parkinson said the same thing right before she did. Just so you know, we're being watched right now, so don't try anything."

"You've got nothing to fear from me. You've somehow removed the two biggest arseholes in our year, as far as I'm concerned. I should thank you."

"Malfoy and Nott?"

"That would be them. Nobody with sense wants them back, and nobody wants a piece of you."

He nodded, a little surprised at how forthright she was, and at the softness of her voice. He'd barely heard her speak, and based on her body, had assumed she would sound much more masculine.

"No offense if I don't just take your word for it."

She shrugged. "None taken."

Harry glanced at her as they continued their patrol. She towered over him, standing over six feet tall and built more like Crabbe and Goyle than any other girl in the school. He hadn't forgotten that he had seen her on the map with Parkinson. The two had been together since then too. It was hard to imagine how that worked. Parkinson was tiny and waifish. Bulstrode could probably break her in half.

"What about Crabbe and Goyle?" he asked, deciding to see how candid she would be. "If anyone's out for my head, I imagine it would be them."

She snorted. "I don't usually talk shit about other Slytherins, but they're too dumb to do anything but follow someone around. Nobody wants them though. Snape is forcing the upper years to tutor them."

He pondered her answer. Based on everyone's behavior, news of Voldemort's return hadn't made its way to Slytherin. Assuming she was telling the truth. Whatever the case, it was likely true that Crabbe and Goyle knew nothing. If he were a Dark Lord, he would keep important information far away from imbeciles.

They continued peacefully for another half hour. He longed to sit down somewhere and go to sleep, but couldn't let his guard down around her.

"I hear your godfather joined the Wizengamot," Bulstrode said casually.

"Yep."

"Voting for everything on Dumbledore's agenda, I assume?"

"Dunno. I don't pay much attention to the Wizengamot."

"Must be nice. I have a fucking tutor for all that shit."

"Why?" he asked, a bit surprised at her vulgarity.

"My family is part of the Sacred 28, Potter. Did you not know that?"

"Like I said, I don't pay attention to the Wizengamot. Don't really care about blood status either."

"I have to pay attention. I won't be sitting on it, of course, but I'll be expected to bring my future husband in line with my family's positions."

"Who's your husband going to be?"

"No idea. Probably some crusty old codger who doesn't mind an ugly wife as long as she can breed."

Harry blinked at her words. She didn't sound too bitter about it, or like she was seeking reassurance. Millicent definitely wasn't a conventionally attractive girl, but she seemed much smarter and more amiable than a lot of the others in Slytherin. If he were forced into a marriage, he'd probably pick her over Parkinson and many of her peers.

"Interesting rumors out there about Nott," she said into the silence. "Got any light to shed on them?"

He was immediately wary. "What about him?"

"Some people think he's on the run with Draco. Or getting tutored at home. Others think he's dead."

"Why do they think that?"

"Just a rumor. He disappeared after you were attacked. Was he truly part of that mess?"

"No idea. Someone escaped though."

"Hmmm. Wouldn't surprise me if it was him. He's been a wanker all year. Thought I was going to have to pull rank on him."

"I wish you would have."

"Thankfully you saved me the trouble. Everyone seems to think you're dangerous now. Snape told all the prefects to keep the little ones away from you."

"And what do you think?"

"I don't know if you're actually dangerous, but I'm not stupid enough to attack you even if I had a reason. I don't like getting my hands dirty anyway."

"That's good to hear."

"For what it's worth, Potter, I'm not a Death Eater, and neither are my parents. Same goes for Pansy. She got roped into attacking you, and it lost her a lot of respect. She's pretty damn angry about the whole thing, although it's safe to say she hates your guts."

"I don't care what her motives were."

They turned a corner on the fifth floor. Harry was debating whether to ask her if she was willing to sit down somewhere when they heard something up ahead. They glanced at each other and picked up their pace. He drew his wand and let her go first.

Around the next bend, they discovered a blonde-haired girl in a thin night dress. She was barefoot, and humming a little tune to herself. She walked from one painting to another, apparently trying to engage them in conversation. Harry vaguely recalled that she was a Ravenclaw named Luna, but knew nothing else about her.

She turned and looked at them as they approached. "Oh, hello," she said serenely.

"Hello. Luna, is it?" he asked.

"That's right. Luna Lovegood. And you're Harry Potter."

"Er, yes, I am. This is Millicent Bulstrode. Why are you out of bounds at this hour?"

"I seem to have been locked out of my common room again. Nargles hid my shoes somewhere, and now the guardian refuses to offer me a riddle."

Harry frowned. Nargles? He had no idea what a nargle was, but it sounded like someone had played a pretty nasty prank on her. The corridors were cold in January.

"Have you been out here all night, Lovegood?" Millicent asked. "Why didn't you wake up Professor Flitwick? Or find a prefect?"

"I didn't want to trouble anyone, and it's a lovely night for a walk anyway."

He looked at Bulstrode and sighed, then cast a warming charm on Luna. "Alright. We'll walk you back to your common room. We have a prefect password that will get us in."

"Oh, thank you! That's very kind."

Neither he nor Bulstrode were inclined to take points. Both were exhausted, and just wanted to get the girl situated and get some rest.

"Do you get locked outside often?" Harry inquired as they walked toward Ravenclaw tower.

"Not so very often anymore."

He snorted. Someone had definitely been bullying her. Perhaps he needed to have a conversation with Professor Flitwick. Or Cho.

"You're friends with Ginevra, aren't you?" she asked, turning huge, silvery eyes on him.

"Yes, I am."

"Do tell her I said hello. I haven't seen much of her this year. I wonder if she's acquired a new hobby."

"I'll do that."

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