Familiar Summoning 101

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 03: Familiar Summoning 101

- Yennefer - 19/08/1994 -

"You called for me, mum?" Damian asked, making her scowl slightly at him at his casual tone. She didn't mind casual in private, but she knew he'd be just as laid back no matter how serious the situation.

"I did, do close the door, this is serious family business... and straighten up, stop slouching." Yennefer replied, looking at her son seriously.

She loved all her children, but if she had to number them, Damian would be her least favourite. Gray would be her favourite, and Keira and Morrigan swapped places every other day.

Morrigan's anger issues and Keira's general laziness both grated on her nerves, but they were both geniuses... and so was Damian, but while he shared Keira's laziness, he never even bothered trying for tests.

So much potential... wasted as he refused to even try in anything but Defence or Quidditch. His grades were abysmal... and if he tried but failed, she'd understand... but he didn't even try studying.

"Ooh! Serious talk. So, what did I do this time?" Damian asked, tossing himself into the seat in front of her desk, lounging in it with a casual smile. Keira would be sat up straight, her mind running through every skipped lesson and essay she got Gray to do. Morrigan would be stone-faced, unafraid, but respectful.

Gray would be sat properly, listening to her every word as he took them in, thinking everything she said over carefully. His eyes would probably move to her cleavage with his new sins, but he would still be focused.

Damian was thinking about pranks.

He made it so very easy to be annoyed at him at times, but you could be annoyed at someone while still loving them.

"Nothing... well, actually several things. Your grades were horrifically bad, your report from Professor McGonagall mentioned no less than forty detentions in the last year, not to mention reports of your... lascivious behaviour." Yennefer drawled. "Please tell me you used protection?" she asked, making him smirk.

"Of course, I'm not that dumb." Damian said easily.

She had her doubts about that, he was the dumbest genius she'd ever met. Highly Intelligent with the common sense of a rock troll.

That was why she drugged him with a long-lasting contraceptive potion every year since he hit puberty... he took after Geralt in some ways, which meant it was a miracle that he didn't have a dozen bastards already.

"So, if I'm not here to get scolded for not being the perfect son, what is this about?" Damian asked easily.

"I do take it you are at least aware that you are the Heir of the family?" she asked, watching a hint of annoyance cross his face.

"Yeah, yeah... is this politics? I know you set up a betrothal contract for Gray, as ridiculous and controlling as that is, but I swear on Godric's sweaty ballsack if you try and set me up I'll do everything in my power to ruin it." Damian said, sitting up with a scowl.

And there was the wrath, he shared more traits with Morrigan than he would ever admit. Quick to anger, slow to forgive... he even shared some of her sadism, though he used pranks and humiliation instead of Morrigan's fondness for curses.

Unlike Morrigan, he had far less control over his anger, Morrigan got angry... but then she waited for the opportune time to get even. Hers was an icy cold anger, hidden beneath the surface until she decided to strike... and then it was a raging inferno, incinerating her foes.

Damian's was a bomb with a tiny fuse... once triggered he would blow quickly, uncaring if he hurt himself in the explosion.

"I asked Gray's opinion, he accepted and that is the only reason I went through with his betrothal. Do shut up and listen for once." Yennefer said coldly, watching him scowl at her mulishly.

Was it any wonder her well-mannered little genius was her favourite?

"At the moment, you are the Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Black and Raum. I've asked you, repeatedly, to try and take those positions seriously, yet you've skipped almost every event, shrugged off your duties and just generally been disobedient. Clearly, you don't care about them, so I want you to pick one of the Houses to keep, the other I am making Gray the heir of." Yennefer said sternly, watching his eyes narrow in thought.

This was his chance to prove that he could handle at least one house, she was already prepared to put a compulsion on him to make him keep the Black name, so Gray could be Lord Raum.

"I thought it was always the Eldest Male who becomes the Head of House?" Damian asked, making her facepalm.

"Did you not listen to a single part of your political lessons? It is the Eldest by default, but the Lord or Lady of the house, that's me... can change that if I deem one son more worthy." she pointed out.

"Ah, cool. Well, that's an easy choice. Fuck them both, wasn't planning on being a 'Lord' anyway. Gray likes that kind of political stuff, right? He can deal with them instead." Damian said, making her sputter, staring at the smirking seventeen year old in bafflement.

Raum and Black were two of the most respected magical families in the world, and he just wanted to drop them?

"Heh, that look suits you... I don't think I've ever seen you speechless before." Damian taunted with a grin. "I hate all that political shit, it's just a bunch of old men squabbling over who has the biggest dick. You're looking at the worlds next Badass Auror." Damian said proudly as she stared at him coldly, composing herself.

"An Auror? With your grades?" she asked, making his grin fall for a moment before it returned.

"Sixth year grades don't matter in the long run, as long as I pass the required Newts this year. I just made sure to get good enough grades to get into Newt level potions, and I'll smash the exams even with Snivellus Snape scowling down his beak at me. I think I'm gonna get an Outstanding just so I can rub it in the snakes face." Damian bragged as she sighed. "If it doesn't work out, I'll just play Quidditch professionally."

He was right, no-one cared what grade you had in the earlier years if you had a Newt in the Subject... and she could see him actually pulling it off.

"Are you sure about this? You won't be able to take it back." Yennefer asked, making him grin, pulling the Heir Ring off his finger, the Raum and Black Crests on it, tossing it to her.

"Never been surer. So, this means I don't have to go to all those stuffy balls, right?" Damian asked as she picked up the ring with a sigh.

"It does, you may leave." she said with a stare, watching him jump up and walk away with a wave over his shoulder.

Damian was always a strange one. Of all her children, he was the one she could predict the least.

- Damian -

No more balls, none of those tedious meetings with mum looming over him, glaring at every incorrect greeting? Score.

Gray loved shit like that, always so stuffy and serious, he'd do great remembering who was who and what greetings to use for which old man in a dumb hat.

Plus, having two lordships meant he could lord it over his other Slytherins. They had all that status and politics thing going, why they didn't just act like... I don't know, fucking kids, he didn't know.

Of course, he'd have to keep him from getting even more stuffy or worse, getting pompous. It was his brotherly duty to prank the living hell out of Gray, keep him down to earth.

And naturally, he'd have to make sure the Slytherins didn't get any ideas with him leaving this year, his lil bro was pretty weak and he needed to keep any of the older snakes from trying to use that against him...

He'd talk with the twins when he got back to Hogwarts, a long year of humiliation should keep the snakes nice and quiet for a while.

It was going to be a fun year.

- Gray -

"This will do... for now, but we are going to need a better way of hiding it." Keira says, moving her wand over the Mark of Raum on the back of my hand with a proud smile as it vanishes.

...For a make-up charm, that's a lot more useful than I expected.

"I agree... I'll look into ways of hiding it properly." I agree. "Thanks, Keira." I say, making her smile at me.

"It was nothing, and this has got me thinking... you can trust me, but anyone else we recruit would be a possible risk. So, I've been thinking about possible solutions to that... Unbreakable Vows are only as good as the wording after all, and you can't just enslave everyone unless we want to have to keep a very close eye on every single one of them. I remember reading something about the Dark Mark Voldemort used, and if we do some research we might be able to do something similar." Keira says, making my eyebrows raise.

"Make our own 'Loyalty Mark?'" I ask, making her nod. "I can certainly see the appeal... and the Raum Restricted Section should have at least something on the subject." I agree with a smile.

"Exactly. So, now that I've decided to join you... to be your first follower, you are in charge... so give me the order." Keira says with a smirk. "The Grimoire doesn't like me reading it... I could feel its disapproval, so you'll have to be the one to research Demonic Rituals until we can find more books and tomes on the subject, so I should be the one to look into the mark." she explains.

"Keira Raum, willingly doing research? Will wonders never cease." I drawl, getting a slap on the shoulder as she rolls her eyes. "Very well, Keira... learn everything you can on loyalty marks and brands." I order, getting a smirk from her.

"Of course, your malevolence. This obedient slave lives to serve." Keira says mockingly making me chuckle. "I'll get on it, it'll be a lot easier here than at Hogwarts after all. You're going to see Aunt Triss now right?" she asks, making me nod, we need more people than just me and Keira. "Good... she's supposed to help test your control over your lust right? I agree with mother, lose control and then make her feel guilty over it, but don't fuck her. Yeah, I know you're tempted, of course you are." she says making me pause before I smirk.

"You're thinking about all those stories about sacrificing virginity for power?" I ask, getting a nod.

"Exactly, could be a load of nonsense, but let's not throw it away before we know for sure." Keira agreed. See, this is why I am so happy Keira is on my side, I'm smart, brilliant even, and she's almost as smart as I am. It hadn't occurred to me because I was thinking about maidens when it came to sacrificing virginities, and I'm no maiden.

"I'll look into the Grimoire, see what I can find out." I say with a smile.

"Wonderful... well, I'm off to the library, fun, fun fun." Keira says with a roll of her eyes, giving me a tight hug and a kiss on the side of my mouth as she leaves.

Right... now, Aunt Triss.

Aunt Triss has been one of my main tutors growing up, she taught me to control elemental magic, even if I lacked the power to do much with it.

In truth, she's always been the nice one, the kind and affectionate one compared to my stricter mother. I've always known Yen loves me, but she doesn't show it often, and growing up Triss was my main source of constant affection.

So, naturally, I'm fairly attached to her... and then I find out that she's been part of a plan to turn me into a weapon since before I was born. So, naturally, I'm pissed off at her.

But being pissed off doesn't change that she's been a supporting figure in my life for as long as I can remember. Plus, it sounds like she's done the same thing mother did, agreeing with the plan before I was born, then regretting it later even if she agrees with the goals.

She happens to be one of the best elemental magic users in the world, using fire primarily, which means getting her on my side would be a massive advantage to any fighting.

I'm not planning on any fighting, but I'm not going to pretend it isn't a possibility. Death Eaters attacking the Quidditch World Cup? Even if they got their ass kicked, there hasn't been a Death Eater attack in over a decade.

Voldemort might have killed my father, but I can admit there's a reason people are still scared to say his name even a decade after his death.

Plus, I'm a demon... which means both sides are a potential threat. Dumbledore could be just as dangerous to me as Voldemort if I'm not careful.

I know Aunt Triss, and as one of the house-elves tells me that she's downstairs, I don't bother going down to meet her, simply going to my room and starting reading.

Specifically looking up the Demonic Familiar Summoning Ritual. Familiars are powerful creatures, and every one has its own uses... some people call their owl or toad a familiar, but they aren't really.

I don't have an owl or any other pet, I just use the family one or the Hogwarts ones to send letters.

Knowing what I now know, I have to wonder if mother prevented me from getting one so I wouldn't get attached to it and not want to summon a familiar later on.

The ritual itself is fairly simple, simpler than summoning Dantalion at any rate, requiring an animal sacrifice along with the blood of the summoner. The bigger the sacrifice, the better chance you have of getting a stronger familiar... but you can summon multiple familiars with no real limit.

The Grimoire does mention that it is better to spend time with each familiar, taming the bestial demons, before summoning more though. They'll be bound to the summoner, but some of them can be aggressive or unruly.

Honestly, it might be better to summon a weaker one to start with. Firstly, it would attract less attention than any more powerful demonic beast, and secondly, it would be good training to prepare me for controlling more powerful summons.

If I summon something stronger than myself, it's all over for me.

It is worth noting that there's no real guarantee that you'd even summon a demon, merely summoning a creature from another plane of existence. The most common summoned familiar are Abyssal Beasts, regular animals or magical creatures corrupted with Demonic power, usually because they were taken back to the demonic plane by Demons. There are Celestial versions as well, but something tells me I won't be summoning a Celestial creature any time soon.

With my new knowledge, it was easy to realise that mothers Raven is an Abyssal beast. It can be hard to spot Abyssal beasts when they aren't using their powers, they just look like a slightly different colour version of the normal version of the creature, usually dark red or black.

Mothers Raven is jet-black with red eyes, and she's managed to pass it as a normal raven for years, sending letters to me at Hogwarts with it right under Dumbledore's nose.

Another problem... who knows about demons? How wide-spread is the knowledge that demons are real? Something I need to find out.

"Gray!"

Putting down my grimoire, I smirk slightly as a red-headed missile collides into me, Triss launching herself at me and wrapping me in a tight hug. I'm sure it's a coincidence that she happened to pull my head into her cleavage.

"Hey, Triss... did you have any trouble with the ministry?" I ask, returning the hug.

"Of course not, I just had to deal with some complaining family members upset I turned their relative to a smouldering corpse. Even Fudge isn't dumb enough to try defending someone dressed like a Death Eater throwing Crucios around." Triss says with a smile, pulling back as she smiles at me.

Triss prefers practical clothes, her usual choice is a pair of jeans and a shirt... which is why I know for a fact she changed before coming here, already testing me.

The green and gold dress she is wearing is a very... very deep cut, leaving an immense amount of cleavage on display... and her complete lack of a bra. To increase the sultry look, while it goes down to her feet.. on one side, the front of open showing her long legs off, a small white skirt under it reaching her thigh. I'm fairly certain if she wore that to one of the Balls the older witches would have a heart attack. She wouldn't have worn this to the ministry or the World Cup because she gets annoyed at being stared at by old men.

I remember hearing her tell Morrigan about a man whose robe she set on fire for ogling her at a Ministry ball when she was younger.

"Forget about those idiots, are you okay? I almost had a heart attack seeing you laid in bed, thrashing around." Triss says quickly, grabbing my face and tilting it, looking me over carefully.

Triss Merigold

Faction – The Lodge of Sorceresses

Thoughts about you – Love, Guilt, Worry, More Guilt

Lesser Secrets – She's a member of a secret society planning world domination. She takes pleasure in killing Death Eaters to avenge Geralt Raum. Philippa Eilhart has ordered her to arrange for her to meet you.

Major Secrets – Her love and lust for her lost lover, Geralt, has been moved to her Godson, Gray.

Biggest Secret – ???

Interesting...

"I'm fine, really." I say with a fond sigh as she panics over me. I know better than to try and stop her, she's always like this when I get hurt. Honestly, accidentally set your sleeve on fire once and she worries about you forever. I barely even got burned...

It takes her a good few minutes of scanning spells and worried mothering before she realises that I am in fact, fine.

Normally this is fine, but her dress has started to shift slightly, her right breast almost completely hanging out of it (another sign of her testing, magical dresses are held in place without support), a tiny pink pebble-sized nipple exposed as her hands run over me 'checking me for damage'.

To make things worse, she's practically sat in my lap as she does so, every movement sending a jolt of pleasure as she 'accidentally' grinds herself against my hardening length.

"I guess you are..." Triss says, stopping her checks as she looks at me with a fond smile, sitting in my lap completely as her skirt rides up, a hint of red beneath it as she rests of my shaft. "Yen really knew what she was doing, but you need to be more careful, Gray." she scolds.

Like they hadn't arranged for me to find and take the potion.

"Something's are worth the risk." I say calmly, making her sigh before she pauses, adjusting her 'seat', a well-manufactured blush on her face as she deliberately presses down on my erect shaft. "Oh..."

What she doesn't realise is that I'm very good at spotting faked emotions, growing up with Keira helped with that. Keira is very manipulative, not towards me after I worked out her tricks years ago but she gave me plenty of experience dealing with people acting.

Looking away, I avoid looking her in the eyes, carefully adding a bit of shame to my face. Keira and I are more alike than either of us would admit.

"Err... your dress." I point out, making her look down, a faked gasp as she quickly fixes it, covering her breast again.

"Whoops... Sorry, Gray." Triss says quickly moving off me and lay down next to me instead of getting off the bed, a definite bulge in the silk pyjama bottoms.

"I... Sorry." I say quickly, putting guilt and shame into my tone.

"Oh, Gray... it's nothing to be sorry over." Triss reassures me quickly, placing a gentle hand on my chest. "You're a healthy teenage boy, it's just a natural reaction. It's my fault..." she quickly says, guilt covering her face, along with indecision. "Do you want some alone time to... take care of it?" she asks hesitantly.

"I don't... do that." I say quickly, and honestly even, or at least it was before I turned. Puberty arrived late for me.

"Wait, really? No, that makes sense... you've always been a late bloomer." she mutters, more to herself than to me. "There's nothing wrong with it, and it isn't healthy for you to let it build up." she says soothingly.

"It's fine, I don't need to 'take care of it'." I say stubbornly. "I can handle it."

For a normal teenage boy letting it 'build up' would be a bit annoying at most... for a demon of lust, however?

That's a disaster waiting to happen.

I know that, and both mother and Triss know that, but I'm guessing Mother hasn't been truthful with Triss so she isn't aware of my own knowledge. She has no reason to suspect that I already know quite a bit about what I am.

"Gray... it's nothing to be embarrassed about, isn't it uncomfortable?" Triss asks, placing a hand on my upper thigh, her fingers brushing against the straining bulge.

I can sense... something coming from her, a strange feeling that makes my mouth water, I felt the same thing from mother yesterday but it was more muted... and as I look at her flushed cheeks and the way her eyes linger on my bulge, I realise a simple truth.

It's Lust. Her lust.

As I go to speak, she places a finger on my lips, her hand moving closer to my length.

"It's okay, but you need to take care of your needs... j-just this once, I'll help, would you like that?" Triss asks, her hand already moving to undo my bottoms.

"B-but... you're my aunt." I say, my eyes moving back to her exposed cleavage.

"Not by blood... and even if I was, there's nothing wrong with a helping hand. Incest is only a problem if you have children." Triss says with a kind smile, hunger barely hidden beneath the surface as she moves her hand to her dress, pushing it off her shoulders, causing it to pool around her waist, her breasts fully exposed as she smiles. "Do you want me to stop? I'll leave if you want me too..." she says, making me shake my head as she gives me a sultry smile.

...Whose lust are we testing here?

"Take your top off, we don't want to make a mess." Triss says as she undoes my bottoms, her hand moving into them, pulling out my shaft, making me hiss at the sensation of her smooth hands grasping me. "Oh... wow... you really do take after Geralt." she whispers, and I get the feeling I wasn't supposed to hear that.

Taking her advice, I unbutton my top, slowly placing it down on the bed as she runs her eyes over my body. I've seen pictures of my father and he was all muscles, my underdeveloped abs aren't quite a match for his.

Smiling at me, she takes my hand and places it on her bare breast, the first one I've touched without clothing in the way as my fingers caress the delicate flesh, a quiet moan leaving her mouth as she smiles at me.

Wrapping her slender fingers around my admittedly impressive shaft, she gently starts to stroke it, and I decide to take a chance. Leaning forwards slowly, I watch as she freezes before she tilts her head slightly to give me a better angle.

Meeting her lips, it is immediately apparent that she's got far more experience with this than I do, her tongue dancing with mine as our lips part.

This isn't my first kiss, Keira convinced me to practice kissing with her when we were a couple of years younger, and while we stopped a bit ago we practised... a lot.

Even still, Triss is far more talented with her tongue than I am, her tongue mapping out my mouth as she keeps stroking me, speeding up slightly.

Breaking the kiss, she pauses again, her eyes flooded with pleasure before she smiles.

"Here, come sit on the edge of the bed..." Triss says, moving away as she lets go of my dick, climbing off the bed. Moving to the edge, I sit there and watch as she shrugs off her dress, leaving her in a small pair of green panties as she drops to her knees, her hands moving to her perky breasts as she pushes them together, trapping my shaft between them, her hands were good... but her breasts are a whole new sensation, the velvety smooth skin surrounding my shaft on all sides.

Triss Merigold

Thoughts about you – Love, Lust, Adoration, Guilt, More Guilt

Smiling up at me, she starts to move as I groan in pleasure, seeing her smirk as I do.

"That's it... just let go..." Triss says calmly, smiling up at me as she speeds up her bouncing.

The sight of her on her knees, face flushed with arousal as she massages my shaft with her breasts is a bit too much for a virgin like me, and despite my nature it takes her no time at all to bring me to completion, a moan of pleasure escaping me as my thick seed is trapped between her breasts, some escaping her embrace, hitting her chin.

Letting me go, she stands up and wipes her chin, licking it clean with a small moan, her nipples rock hard.

"There... doesn't that feel be-" she started before I shoot up to my feet, grabbing her and tossing her onto the bed with a hungry look in my eyes, my shaft still rock hard. "Gray?!"

Time to 'lose control'.

Moving over her, I look over her body with a lustful smirk, hooking my fingers around her panties and pulling them down as her eyes widen.

"W-wait! Gray, you need to calm down..." Triss says quickly, whimpering at the feeling of the tip of my shaft pressing against her slit.

"Why? There's nothing wrong with it, right?" I ask, watching her freeze. "Besides..." I start, moving my finger down to her pussy, dragging it along with a smile as I pull my hand back, looking at the glistening juices on it, Triss's face blushing with embarrassment and shame as I lick her arousal from my finger. "You want this too..." I say, making her pause.

"I... we can't have sex, you should save your first time for someone special... someone you love." she argues, not denying my point.

"I think you're pretty special, and I do love you." I counter, watching her blush darken.

"But... just... just lay back down, okay? You're right... I do want this, and it isn't healthy to leave you so pent up when it is my fault. We can't have sex, but we can... have some more fun." Triss says, her lust intensifying as I pull away, waiting for her to move before I lay back down on my bed. "This is just between us, okay? Our little secret." Triss says, climbing on top of me.

Sitting on my shaft, she starts to grind her soaked slit against it, rubbing herself along my length as she leans back, moaning in pleasure.

"T-that's it... just lay back... let me do all the work, baby." she moans as I reach up, groping her breasts.

With my recent release, the edge has been taken off, and as wonderful as her grinding feels, I can last longer this time, one hand on her ass and the other groping one of her perfectly perky tits.

Her lust and something else... pleasure I think, is building quickly as she rubs herself against me, moaning and whimpering, her mouth falling open. Circling my thumb around her nipple, she moans louder, placing her hand on top of mine.

"Y-yes... like that..." she moans, her hips speeding up as her panting becomes faster. "O-oh... fuck, fuck, fuck, YES!"

...Allow me to take a moment to be happy my room is warded to be soundproof.

"O-oh, fuck... I needed that." Triss admits as she slows down, climbing off me.

As I go to protest, she cuts me off by leaning down and taking the tip of my shaft between her full lips, staring up at me as she quickly bobs her head, her tongue swirling as I groan, cumming a second time as she easily swallows my load, never breaking eye contact. Pulling back, she smiles at me as she licks her lips, cleaning the cum from her chest with a swish of her wand... which I'm not entirely sure where she was hiding, and dressing again with a second.

"Gray... I enjoyed this, I did... and I do love you..." Triss starts, suddenly shy as her lust fades. "We shouldn't have done this. I'm old enough to be your mother... I am your Godmother." she says, working herself up as I stand up myself, fixing my bottoms. "This was... a complete abuse of power, a betrayal of-" she continues as I close the distance, kissing her firmly.

While her hands come to my chest, she doesn't push me away as she melts into the kiss, returning it as my hands move down to her ass.

Breaking the kiss, I stroke her cheek and smile at how she presses her face into it. I don't know what I think about her moving her feelings for my father onto me, but I can certainly use it.

"I enjoyed it, and I needed it. I think you did as well." I point out, watching her blush. "There's nothing wrong with a helping hand, after all." I say, returning her words back to her.

"We shouldn't do this again..." Triss says weakly, not pulling away.

"But you want to." I say, making her sigh.

"...I do. Damn it, you really are just like Geralt. I never could say no to him either." Triss says with a fond laugh, a hint of sadness beneath it. "Just... give me some time, okay? I need to think about this."

"Of course." I say, giving her another light kiss as she smiles, hugging me before pulling herself out of my grip.

Triss Merigold

Thoughts about you – Deep Love, Adoration, Intense Guilt, Minor Submission

Such a useful skill.

"Thank you, Gray. I should... go. Just for now." she promises, kissing me herself one last time before she leaves, a look of longing back towards the bed as her lust grows again before she forces herself to leave.

Now then... back to reading.

I want to know how useful my virginity really is... and how much demonic essence that got me.

Hmm, nine essences? Not bad I suppose... two orgasms for me and one for her, does each one have a set value? Is it the method that changes the essence gained?

More experiments are required.

- That Night -

"So, I've already made some progress on your loyalty mark." Keira says as we meet up, in her bedroom again.

"Already? Impressive. I've found a section on different forms of sacrifices and you were right by the way... stop looking smug. The virginity of a maiden is a powerful tool in rituals, the virginity of a male less so, but still worth doing a ritual for." I agree.

As a male demon, my virginity is less worthy than Keira's, but I can still lose it during a ritual to get a power-up, small as it might be.

"Wonderful. And yes, already. Work smart, not hard, after all. The Dark Mark is made with a mixture of runes, charms, unknown dark magic and a loyalty oath... which got me thinking, could we use demonic runes to replace what we don't know about the Dark Mark? I'm fairly certain they exist... because I stole a book from mothers study on them, and they should respond better to your power that way." Keira says making me pause.

"I'm sorry... did you just say you stole from mother?" I ask, making her nod with a smirk. "Okay, but how did you get passed the silent alarms and wards she has on her bookcase?" I ask.

Yeah, I tried the same thing. I like books, Sue Me.

"...the what?" Keira asks, paling.

A caw gets our attention as we turn to the window, seeing the baleful red eyes of mothers familiar staring at us from the windowsill.

"Ah. Would apologising help?" Keira asks quickly, getting the birds attention before it merely flies away, out of the open window.

"I think that was a no... it does bring me to a second thing I wanted to talk about though... getting our own familiars." I say, getting her attention from the growing dread, her eyes flickering to the door as she waits for mother to hunt her down.

When I tried, I got frozen in place the moment I took the book off the shelf, if Keira got one of mothers books, there's no way she didn't know immediately.

"A good idea, mothers raven blends in well with the shadows, and I know she uses it to spy on people. Do you know the ritual for summoning them?" she asks, taking her mind off her impending doom.

"I do, but I don't have all the materials. Most of them are normal things you could get in Diagon Alley, but it needs ritual candles made of a special wax... which I don't have and I don't think we can buy from a normal store." I admit.

"Knockturn Alley then? That could be a problem. It's not as dangerous as people say, but there's no way they'll sell to someone our age, even with our family's reputation." Keira says with a sigh. "Ageing potions won't work, most shops have a ward to spot those."

"I can see two ways to get around this... and both need some help. One, we go to mother." I start. "She could walk in without trouble, and she probably already has what we need."

"But you're trying to prove yourself to her, and running to her at the first hurdle wouldn't set a good precedent." Keira agrees. "And the second?"

"Morrigan." I say, watching her eyes widen, her jaw dropping slightly. "No one would stop us if she was with us."

"She's also a bitch, definitely a sadist and possibly a psychopath." Keira says quickly, making me smile.

"Possibly, but she's one who wants power. A familiar would benefit her as well." I counter. "Yes, she's an... abrasive woman, but she's very powerful and possibly the smartest out of all of us. I'd rather have her as an ally of convenience than an enemy."

"I... this is a terrible idea." Keira says before she sighs. "But it doesn't mean you're wrong. Me and Morrigan really don't get along, you'd have a better chance talking to her on your own." Keira admits. "Tonight?"

"Tonight, Damian is out and Morrigan is always more manageable without him nearby." I agree.

"Wonderful." she drawls. "I'll read up on the demonic runes some more... assuming mother doesn't come for me, good luck. You'll need it."

"Good luck yourself, I'd take Morrigan over an angered mother any day of the week." I say with a smirk as I leave her room, dodging the pillow thrown at my head.

Heading through the manor, I come to Morrigan's room quickly, pausing before I knock on the door, feeling something trigger.

A minor alert ward? No, an identification ward.

The door opens on its own, allowing me entry.

Morrigan's room is... dark, black wallpaper and dark purple carpets, her curtains are pulled closed and only a single enchanted flame poorly lights the room up as she stares at me from her desk.

"Well, well, well... this is a surprise. The family squib coming to see his big sister?" she asks mockingly, staring at me with a pair of intense yellow eyes. "And what brings the little fly into the spiders lair?"

Morrigan Raum

Thoughts about you – Love, Concern, Curiosity

"I have an offer for you, for our mutual gain." I say, making her eyebrow rise slowly.

"And how could you possibly help me? What could you possibly have that I would want?" Morrigan asks, getting ready for a tirade of insults.

"Power. You have a lot of it... but you want more, and I want more as well. I've found the ritual mother used to summon her familiar, Keira and I are going to do it soon and summon our own... but I need some supplies from Knockturn Alley." I say quickly, cutting her off as she pauses, her look going from mocking to thoughtful, before she smirks again.

"Little Gray, playing with forbidden magic? Who would have thought." Morrigan asks tauntingly. "I know a little about mothers familiar, enough to know its no normal raven... if you can't do this ritual, I'm going to hurt you." she says calmly, her wand resting in her hand.

Morrigan Raum

Thoughts about you – Love, Concern, Impressed, Pride

"Naturally." I agree, making her lips twitch.

"Excellent. Not tomorrow, I'm busy but the day after, at midday. Keira isn't coming, she irritates me." Morrigan says coldly.

"Fine, but she is taking part in the ritual." I counter, watching her scowl before she nods.

"Very well. Now get out and do not bother me again." Morrigan orders, turning back to her desk.

Not wanting to try her patience, even with her emotions exposed, I quickly bid her farewell and leave, no point outstaying my welcome.

- Two Days Later - 21/08/1994 -

The entire last day was spent convincing Keira that Morrigan wasn't going to betray me... and then we spent the rest of the day studying demonic runes.

We have a base for the loyalty mark, but we have more work to do. We can't be carrying a book on demonic runes in Hogwarts, so we are going to try and finish it before school starts on the first of September.

On the bright side, my Grimoire can be summoned and de-summoned, after some experimentation we realised it heads back to the pedestal I found it on when I send it away.

Standing in Diagon Alley, I sigh.

...Morrigan ditched me.

I've told her what I need, and she told me to... go away and entertain my tiny mind while she did the real work.

She's nice like that.

On the bright side, it means I don't have to go into Knockturn Alley, just being seen in there can damage your reputation, and I can't risk the attention right now, so this works out.

Morrigan has admitted that she already knows where she can find what I need, turns out she's a regular.

Given the extra time to kill, I did my school shopping for next year, both for me and for Keira who gave me her list with the excuse that she was researching for me and didn't have the time.

I'm sure the ice cream written at the bottom of the list is just as essential as the rest of the list.

Nibbling on my pumpkin pasty, I finish it off and head into Flourish and Blotts, we already have our schoolbooks, but I can kill some time here.

Honestly, this place sucks as a book store simply because of the Ministry restrictions on what they see as forbidden, a dozen more books seem to be added to the list every time the Wizengamot meets.

Browsing the runes section, I see if they have any theory books I don't already have. More runic theory could help with our little experiment after all.

Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms? Read that. Rune Dictionary, already got. Spellman's Syllabary? Eh, it's a decent guide book for Egyptian or Hindi, but its Nordic and Aztec runes sections are lacking.

"I would have thought you already had all those?" a familiar voice makes me sigh as I put it back, turning to meet the curious brown eyes staring at me.

"Granger, can't say I'm surprised to see you here." I say with a slight nod. "Heiress Potter, Weasley." I greet.

"Hey Gray, you know you can just call me Rose, right?" The Leader of the Golden Trio says making me sigh slightly.

Gray is what my friends and family call me. I don't have friends and if I did, Potter wouldn't be one of them.

Rose Potter

Faction – Gryffindor House, The Golden Trio

Thoughts about you – Curiosity, Annoyance at you calling her Heiress Potter... again.

Lesser Secrets – She was the one to make Malfoy's robes vanish during the leaving feast, she hates her relatives, she hates her fame.

Major Secrets – ???

Biggest Secret – ???

Huh, I figured that was the twins. It was pretty funny watching the snobby Heiress have a panic attack as her robes disappeared. Kinda cruel though, it basically humiliated her in front of the entire school.

Malfoy looked like she was going to cry, and for a girl who normally only sneers it was a surprising change. Not as surprising as her choice in underwear, I would have expected old fashioned boring underwear or something very sexy... her panties had little snakes on them.

Still, it did remind the boys of Slytherin that the school robes hide a lot, Malfoy is lucky that her family is so powerful, and that we were leaving the same day.

And her relatives? Might be worth looking into.

"Don't you know enough about runes already? Do you want to work in a profession with runes when you graduate?" Granger asks quickly, interrupting. Her question is expected... I beat her at Ancient Runes last year, as well as Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Potions and Astronomy.

Every class that doesn't need spell casting. Funny that.

Hermione Granger

Faction – Gryffindor House, The Golden Trio

Thoughts about you – Competitive, Slight Fondness

Lesser Secrets – How many times she's broken the rules in her adventures with Rose. She's jealous of Rose and Ginny's looks

Major Secrets – ???

Biggest Secret – ???

"Not really, I'm working on a personal runes project with my sister, Keira at home. Something to kill time until we got back to school." I say watching as she visibly forces down her curiosity.

"Ooh! What are you working on?" Hermione quickly asks, her eyes lighting up. "What Rune language are you using? I can help you find a better book."

...She's always like this.

"It's nothing, and I have every book on runes this store has already, then a hundred more." I say with a sigh. "I'm here with my other sister, and she's still shopping so I'm just browsing, seeing if there's anything here I don't already have."

"One day, I'm going to have to see your family library." Granger says with a smile, making me roll my eyes.

"Somehow, I doubt that will happen. Noble families don't usually let outsiders look through their library." I point out making her scowl, a rant about why knowledge should be shared already on her lips.

"Couldn't you ask Damian, he's cool and more laid back." Weasley adds, making them all turn to me.

"I suppose he could, when he is Lord Raum." I admit with a shrug.

"Damian, Lord Raum? That imbecile couldn't lead himself out of a paper bag." Morrigan mocks as she arrives, a moke-skin bag attached to her waist. "And I'll personally burn our library before I let him allow any of you into it." she adds. "Gray, I'm done. We are leaving. You three, get out of his way." she orders.

Honestly, this time I'll take it. I wanted out of this conversation anyway... let Granger look through my library?

Let 'anyone' not in my family look through it?

They can pry my books out of my cold dead hands.

"Well, it seems it's time to leave. Heiress Potter, Granger, Weasley, good day." I say calmly.

Granger goes to say something, but Morrigan demonstrates her usual patience by pushing her out of the way, grabbing my hand and pulling me away.

"What did they do to anger you so much? I can practically feel it rolling off you." I point out as we get out of the store.

Oddly enough, the sight of an angry Morrigan seems to clear the path for us.

"Nothing, I simply hate fools. Now get your ice-cream quickly, I don't want to hear Keira moaning for the next week because it was forgotten." Morrigan says practically tossing me in the direction of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.

Should I mention that she still has some ice cream on her lips?

Nah.

- Midnight -

"I must say, brother... I'm almost impressed. This clearly isn't your first ritual." Morrigan praises, keeping the deer we captured levitating in the air as I place the ritual circle down in the same clearing as last time.

It's quite far from our home, and if I always do it in the same spot it will just be one location that has traces of demonic magic.

"Your security charms are atrocious by the way, Keira." Morrigan continues making Keira scoff. "I'm fairly certain I know which book you got them for, I'll lend you a better one." she says, making Keira's response die in her throat.

Morrigan is abrasive and insulting, but she isn't an enemy. She insults and mocks, and then offers help in her own strange way.

With this, only Damian remains a problem, and he spends most of his time at his friends, sneaking around him shouldn't be a problem as long as we play it smart.

That's why I wanted Morrigan on our side, even if she hasn't joined my group fully.

I'll have to share some power with her, I know her well enough to know a single ritual will only leave her wanting more, but that's no problem. Morrigan is as cunning as mother, more so than me, she won't let our secret out.

"I... thanks?" Keira says, off guard and confused.

"Keira can go first, if it goes wrong she's the least important." Morrigan says as I move away, lowering one of the deers into the circle.

"And the bitch is back. Gray doesn't make mistakes, so I will happily go first." Keira says, taking my offered dagger.

Reciting the demonic chant I had them both practice, the words in a tongue lost to earth, she hesitates for all of a moment before she plunges the dagger into the deer, in the exact spot I told her to stab to pierce the heart.

The ritual circle flares up, a deep purple glow filling the clearing as Morrigan's eyes widen.

The deer's corpse simply... turns to dust, and as the dust reforms in the shape of an avian animal, I can hear Morrigan gasp quietly.

Morrigan Raum

Thoughts about you – Love, Pride, Curiosity, Hunger

As a deep hoot fills the clearly, the newly formed owl, coal-black feathers and purple eyes stare at Keira almost curiosity. Holding out her arm, the Abyssal Creature hops onto her arm, its head swivelling around as it stares at both of us, its eyes lingering on me longer than Morrigan before it hoots again.

"How adorable, I'm going to have to think up a name for you." Keira says, stroking the bestial demons feathers making it almost purr.

"What does it do?" Morrigan asked, staring at it as she lowered the second deer.

"I have no idea, every Abyssal beast has different powers." I admit making her scoff as she picks up the dropped dagger, looking over it.

"I will go next... and sooner or later, I'm going to want answers about all this. I've read almost every book in our library over the years. This wasn't in them." she says, repeating the chant.

It comes as precisely no surprise when she slits the deer's throat, staring at it with almost joyful eyes as it dies.

As it reforms, I have to smirk as a black raven lands on her shoulder, cawing several times.

Interesting...

"You will prove yourself useful before I waste my time giving you a name." Morrigan says, staring into its red eyes. "Until then, you are simple Raven."

The caw back sounds almost approving.

"My turn, my dagger." I prompt, taking the blade as she lowers the final deer into the circle.

I don't even know what the words leaving my mouth mean, but they come so naturally, flowing as smoothly as the English language... as if I've been speaking it all my life.

Slamming the dagger into the creature, to the hilt in one swift thrust, I watch as it dies, feeling a sense of satisfaction at the sight.

I'll need to keep control of this new enjoyment I take in bloodshed.

As it reforms, I frown ever so slightly at the size of the creature. It's smaller enough to fit into the palm of my hand... and as I hold my hand out for it, the tiny lizard happily scurries into my palm, staring up at me with equally black eyes.

I can sense its pride at being summoned, its happiness to be serving a more powerful demon.

"A... lizard?" Keira asks, before she taps her owl on the head, making it look away from my lizard with an almost sheepish look.

As Morrigan's raven stares at it hungrily, my lizard surprises us all... by shrinking to less than a tenth of its size and running into my sleeve.

"I do believe that is a Moke." Morrigan adds in amusement.

"Which means I got a magical abyssal beast, unlike you two." I say with a growing smile as the lizard pops out of my collar, looking around with curious eyes. "So I win."

"I wasn't aware we were having a competition?" Keira scowls, her owl locking onto my Moke before she taps it on the head again.

"Gray, I admit I had my doubts about this..." Morrigan bites out. "I was wrong." she continues, looking like it physically hurt to say those words. "And whatever it is that you and Keira are doing, I want in."

"You don't even know what we are planning." Keira scoffs, making Morrigan laugh.

"And yet I know it is a matter that has already strengthened Gray's magic, I am not blind, your spells seem stronger and faster than before. The Gray from weeks ago would have had to work harder to stun a deer, you took yours down in a single spell. I care not what you two are planning, I simply want to reap the benefits." Morrigan admits with a shrug.

"Well, Gray is in charge of our group. You'd have to follow his orders." Keira counters with a smirk.

"Very well." Morrigan agrees immediately, watching Keira's eyes widen in shock.

"Bullshit, you'd never follow anyone's orders." Keira barks in derision before a smirk grows on her face. "Still... how would you like to prove you're willing to follow orders?" Keira asks, a wide grin on her face as Morrigan looks between us.

"What would I have to do?" Morrigan asks, a raised eyebrow.

- Bonus Scene – The Great Escape –

Some of the lesser demons thought that being the heir of a Demon Lord made for an easy life... well, as easy as life got for a Demon.

"I have given you ample time to prepare yourself for this. My plans have been put on hold for long enough." her father said coldly, staring her down in his 'human' form.

"I... understand, Father." she replied, knowing she didn't have a choice. The runes burnt into her wrist taking that away from her.

"Take her to her room." he ordered, looking back at his reports from his war.

Following the servant demon slowly, she resisted the urge to scream.

"I would suggest you clean yourself and get ready." the servant said calmly, leaving as she walked into her room. She knew that wasn't a suggestion.

Tonight, her father had finally got tired of her excuses and delays. Tonight, she was going to be bred by her own father.

Power was what all demons wanted... but she'd give anything to get rid of hers.

The power of the Elder Blood, the power to travel between worlds and realms at will.

Her father, the Demon Duke Emhyr, a small scale Demon Lord in the grand scheme of things, as much as he would not admit it, wanted to conquer Earth, the realm of mortals... but Demons couldn't just... go to Earth as they pleased, they had to be summoned.

Unless of course, they were her.

Her bloodline gave her the power to travel as she pleased... at least it did before her father had her bound by demonic runes to prevent her from running away.

Emhyr, Father... didn't lust for her, at least she didn't think he did, but he wanted to make sure there were more demons with her bloodline in his little plane of Hell, and he wanted to make sure they had the best lineage... and in his arrogance, he had decided that he was the best choice to father her children.

She'd been putting this off for... she didn't know how long, it was hard to track time in Hell after all.

Unfortunately, another Demon Lord, Duke Eredin, had found out about her powers... and had started a war with her father to capture her and use her power for himself.

Saying Hell was at war with itself was like saying lava was a bit hot, all the Demon Lords were eternally fighting each other, this was just another small war amongst dozens.

But it did mean her father had decided that he couldn't let her put it off any more.

Entering the en suite, she sighed as she undressed, entering the already run bath, cleaning her body slowly.

As a servant came in, taking her normal clothes, leaving something else in its place, she bit down her desire to just summon her sword and cleave it in two, they were just following orders after all.

Getting out of the bath, she dried herself off and looked at the... clothing she had been left, the tiny sheer white nightie, she was starting to think Emhyr was looking forwards to this.

She couldn't beat Emhyr, not in his own plane of hell, where he was almost invincible, and she was weaker than him even without him having the home-plane advantage.

The Elder Blood was powerful, but she barely knew how to control it.

Emhyr might be weak in the hierarchy of Demon Lords, but she wasn't even a Lord level Demon, barely a greater demon. She wouldn't stand a chance, especially not with her Elder Blood bound.

Pulling on the nightie, she tugged at it as it failed to even fully cover her ass, her breasts on full display through the sheer cloth.

She'd spent years trying to find a way out of this, anything... and she had utterly failed.

Returning to her bedroom, she moved onto her bed and laid back with the slightest tears forming in her eyes, showing weakness was not the Demon way after all. She did her best to ignore the fertility potion sitting on her bedside table.

"Well, well... what an unfortunate situation you find yourself in, my dear Cirilla." a smooth voice said, making her shoot up, summoning Zireael, her sword.

Leaping from the bed, she prepared to decapitate whoever was intruding in her bedroom, her sword slicing through the air before it simply... stopped, along with her body as she froze in place.

The man sitting on her drawers simply smiled as he hopped off the piece of furniture, walking towards her with a mocking smile.

He looked like a human, but that was a common form for demons to take, most demons however were very vain... her father made himself look stern and noble, others made themselves unnaturally attractive.

The man standing in front of her looked... plain, regular height with no muscles, a bald head with a dull face. Even his clothes screamed commoner unlike the noble garments or armour so popular amongst demons. The only sign of anything unusual was the slightly elven ears.

"Who... are you?" Ciri bit out, her mouth the only part of her body that was listening to her.

"A mere merchant of mirrors, my dear Cirilla... though you can call me Gaunter, Gaunter O'Dimm." the man introduced with a deep bow, the mocking smile going nowhere.

She knew no demon by that name... but the power he held just screamed Demon Lord, possibly one even stronger than her father... and that was just what she could feel from the smiling beast in front of her.

"What do you want?" she growled out.

"Why, what all merchants want! To make a deal... so tell me, how would you like a one-way ticket to Earth?" he offered, a shark-like smile on his face.

His eyes were filled with... hunger, but not the lustful type despite her state of dress, it was something... different in the eyes of the demon as he stared at her, his eyes never even glancing down at her exposed breasts.

There was no Demon in all of Hell that would give something for nothing... and something told her that making a deal with this being was something she would come to regret...

"I would hurry though, Emhyr has just finished reading his reports... and he is coming." Gaunter said, making her freeze.

"What do you want? My power?" Ciri asked quickly making him laugh loudly.

"Of course not! This is just a trifle... and all I want is a favour, to call in when I deem fit." Gaunter said, releasing his control of her body as she hesitated, glancing at the door.

This was a terrible idea...

"And you can get me out of here? Can you undo these runes?" Ciri asked quickly, making Gaunter smirk.

"Easily... but the moment those runes come off, Eredin and Emhyr will be able to find you. Emhyr's shackles are your best way to hide from him. But I can get you out of here... away from Emhyr's ambitions, and all you have to do is agree to a little favour in the future. Do we have a deal?" Gaunter asked, offering his hand, coated in demonic magic.

If she took it, she'd be bound to their agreement...

And if she didn't, she'd be bred by her own father to produce an army of children able to use her Elder Blood to open portals to earth.

"What is in this for you?" she asked, looking down at his still offered hand.

"A favour, obviously... or maybe I just feel like inconveniencing Emhyr and Eredin? Or maybe I'm tricking you to use you for my own ends later... who knows? Now, you have about seventy seconds before Emhyr arrives, so I would think faster." Gaunter said with a calm shrug.

"Dammit... I accept, get me out of here." Ciri growled, taking his hand and shaking it, wincing in pain as a mark burnt itself onto her wrist, over the runes she already had.

"Wonderful... do have fun, my dear..." Gaunter laughed as she was suddenly falling, landing face first on the ground.

Looking at her wrist, she felt a sense of... dread at the stylised G and D burnt onto her arm as she rose to her feet.

Her father was a monster of ambition, greed and envy... but she had a feeling the thing she just made a deal with was just a Monster in general.

Looking around, she paused at the sight of a small town in the distance, human magic users moving around despite the lateness, a sign perfectly readable to her demonic eyes.

What the hell was a 'Hogsmeade'?

Still... she had things she needed to do... first of all, find some actual clothes and then work out where the hell she was, and then get the hell away from this place... she shouldn't stick arou-

Looking down at her brand, she frowned at the pain as it flared up. All she was thinking was of leaving the area-

...oww.