Safeguards

Chapter 14. Safeguards

Lily was in a conundrum, faced with a problem that didn't have a conventional answer.

Following the deaths of the three Slytherins, Harry had begun acting strange. Doing things to her that he wouldn't have done before. Touching her blatantly, granting himself the freedom to grope her everywhere.

If he were anyone else, she'd have severed his arms. But he wasn't anyone else; he was Harry, her own son. She would've still confronted him and set some boundaries, if not for one major reason. That reason being her own involvement in this sudden change.

His quirky behaviour began exactly after she manipulated his feelings and minimised his guilt, allowing his conscience to resurface from the sea of self-loathing it had submerged itself in.

She had meant to make him a little tough, to give him the ability to rationalise his actions and free himself from his guilt.

It worked.

However, it worked too well.

She rolled to her other side, her eyes fluttering open to see his lazy smile.

The heat radiating from his body was a beacon in the morning chill, tempting her to scoot closer until they were flushed tight, giving the heat no option but to penetrate her skin and warm her thoroughly.

She ignored that urge with some difficulty.

"Good morning, mum," he said, his palm placed over her bare chest.

"Morning." She yawned, not commenting where his hand was, not reacting to the tingle that steadily grew in her belly.

Though she bit back a gasp when his thumb pressed down on her stiff nub.

Yes, her power really worked too well. Enabling Harry to justify touching her, ignoring his guilt to do what he had wanted to do since last year. This single move of hers had opened Pandora's box, in which he had been suppressing his desires.

Now, she could do nothing but face the consequences.

It was probably a well-deserved payback for magically messing with his emotions.

Instead of helping him through his remorse for murdering those three worms, she opted for the easy way out and used Magiscape to repress his guilt.

But she couldn't blame all of it on Magiscape. Harry's desires weren't artificial. They had always been there, barely kept in check by guilt and self-consciousness. It was when that guilt crumbled away that his lustful feelings broke free. And well, she wouldn't put all the blame on him either. Prancing around half-naked in front of a hormonal teenager wasn't exactly a good idea. Though she might be forgiven for her assumption that he was desensitised to her nudity.

She hadn't known that her habits would inspire lust in her son.

All in all, she had a big problem at hand. And she'd rather try to find the solution than obsess over why this happened.

"Your mood has improved," Lily noted, biting her tongue as he rolled her nipple between his fingers, his gaze firmly fixed on her large chest, his touch causing goosebumps all over her skin.

Yes, she was feeling good. It was not a surprise, considering it had been nearly a decade and a half since she last slept with James. So in all fairness, she was just as horny as Harry, if not more. It was taking all of her willpower not to acknowledge what he was doing to her. Because she knew that once she did, she'd tumble down the slippery slope and land on his dick. And would end up fucking her own son. Which would bring an irrevocable change to their relationship.

"Yep, father is an arsehole for not attending Julian's eleventh birthday. But he was always like that, wasn't he? A disappointment. I won't be all gloomy after another disappointment," Harry replied, taking his hand off her tit and sitting up.

She gave him a proud look. "That's very mature of you."

"Of course, I am mature." He grinned, his gaze dropping to the tent pitched in his shorts.

She resisted an eye roll and sat up too. "Any plans for today?" She asked, tying her hair in a loose ponytail, giving him an unobstructed view of her breasts.

As he leered at her swaying mounds, she wished she could push him down and bury his face under her plump chest.

Of course, she didn't do that. He was her son, after all. She couldn't use him to scratch the itch that had been ignored for so many years.

Harry had no such moral restraints, though, as he scooted closer, taking her breasts in his grasp and fondling them, the pads of his thumbs rubbing around her coin-sized areolas. "I'll visit Susan and Julian. Want to spend some time with them. Also, thank you for being kind last night."

She kept her hands raised behind her even when she was done tying her hair, giving him the opportunity to play with her breasts as much as he wanted.

Against her will, a moan escaped her as he gave her mammaries a squeeze, hard enough to leave fingerprints on her pale flesh.

"It's fine. I'm glad I did that. Now I have one more friend." Lily somehow managed to keep her tone even as he leaned closer, his face pressing into the crook of her neck, followed by a rough kiss, making her sigh in bliss.

She wanted to wrap her arms around him as his soft lips attached to the side of her neck like a stubborn leech. She yearned to kiss his hair and murmur sweet nothings in his ear. But all she did was lay unreactive—as unreactive as she could in the face of such an arousing attack.

He pulled back after a minute, leaving a dark pink hickey behind, leaving his mark on her flesh.

"That's good to hear. I hope you and Lena can get along," Harry said with the same wet mouth he left the mark with.

"All we can do is hope," she muttered absentmindedly, trying to hide her blush, trying to calm her pounding heart.

But the way his eyes gleamed and his lips twitched, he was aware of his victory.

She harrumphed and got off the bed. "I'll take a shower."

"Alright. I'll be watching." He laughed, unable to contain it, getting comfortable in the bed after he almost caused her to stumble.

'The little voyeur.' She snorted, ambling towards the bathroom door after taking off the last two layers of clothes.

Feeling his intense stare on her backside, she began to walk with a subtle sway in her hips, unable to resist the impulse.

Unlike her Hogwarts quarters, their flat worked in Harry's favour. In this room, one could get an unimpeded view of the bathroom from the bed if the door remained open. She could close the door behind her, of course, and spoil his fun. But she hadn't done that ever before, and she definitely wouldn't do that now.

Let him watch if he wants to. Just because she couldn't have fun doesn't mean he shouldn't.

The entirety of the ten minutes was spent showering in a way he'd appreciate it: bending with her arse pointing towards him, sliding her hand between her legs, kneading her chest while lathering them, and doing everything to make the normal, boring shower into a sensual event.

Was she enjoying it? Of course. It had been a long while since she humoured a male's lecherous gaze. Knowing that she still had it in her was intoxicating. She knew Harry was a horny teenager, so he wouldn't need much to excite him. But he was lusting after her even though she was his mother; that had to count for something, right?

After she was done, she wrapped a towel around her and stepped out. "You can use the shower."

With a nod, he started for the bathroom.

As she changed, she looked over her shoulder towards the bathroom.

And sure enough, the door was open, and he was masturbating with her white bra snaked around his long, throbbing mast, his bulbous crown poking in and out of the silky fabric.

She quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks reddening.

'Harry is fucking my bra. How long has he been doing that?'

This was getting too out of hand, she realised.

She needed to quickly choose how to tackle his increasing lust and bold actions.

During breakfast, her mind was going through all her options while she picked at the food, unable to fully appreciate its taste.

How quickly he was growing. It seemed just yesterday that she held his little body in her lap and read him stories. And here he was now, already half an adult with sexual needs and urges.

Soon, his hormones would calm down, and he would look back at these instances and cringe in shame. Soon, he would grow up and find a girlfriend. Soon, he would move out and become independent. Soon, she would be barely able to see him. Soon, she wouldn't be the most important person in his life. Soon, he would marry a lovely woman and have children of his own. Soon, she would be left behind after he stopped needing her.

Time was flying mercilessly. And it flew doubly quickly for her, who didn't have the luxury of a witch's long life.

All the humour and playfulness had vanished by now, replaced by a sad smile and watery eyes.

She wished she had more time with him. She wished she had an eternity with him.

Unfortunately, she'd soon get old and grey. She would soon become weak and helpless. And soon, she would die like a muggle. He would cry for her, she was sure. But soon, he would get over his grief, and she'd become merely a bittersweet memory.

Soon.

She was starting to hate that word.

"You okay, mum?" Harry stood beside her, wearing a worried look.

Lily swiftly wiped her eyes and let out an embarrassed chuckle. "It's nothing. I was just reminiscing and thinking about the future."

He gripped her shoulder reassuringly and kissed her on the cheek. "Everything will be fine."

She pulled him closer and hugged him, which was a bit awkward when he was standing and she was seated in the chair. But they made it work, and she didn't even laugh when he patted her head.

"Do you want me to stay with you today? We can watch movies together." He offered, his fingers lost in her soft red tresses, running through her long hair.

"I'm fine. Just feeling a little nostalgic." She smiled, her face still pressed against his chest.

Reluctantly, she parted with him and sent him to the Potter Manor.

A dark whisper grew louder inside her head, contrasted by the silence at the dining table. The whisper talked of a safeguard, of an extreme measure to increase the time she had with her son.

'Harry is obviously attracted to me. He lusts after me. Will it be bad if I use that to safeguard my place in his life? He wants sex; he wants a woman's touch, doesn't he? And I can easily provide that. It will change our normal mother-son bond. But will it really be so bad? I can be more than a mother to him. I can become his lover too. I can fulfil his carnal needs and solidify my place as the most important woman in his life. But should I really do that to him?'

Her head was filled with these tempting thoughts. And she had already chosen her course, even if she wasn't consciously aware of it yet.

~xXxXx~

"You sure he's fine?" Harry questioned.

He was perched on Susan's bed, having just finished playing games with Julian. If it wasn't for Lena, the brothers might have continued gaming for another hour. But she had interrupted their fun and told them that they should give their eyes some rest. Julian had then decided to leaf through his first-year books while Harry followed Susan into her room.

"Don't worry, he's used to it. He doesn't hold any grudges against dad." She shrugged, slumping in the chair near the desk.

Her room was big and spacious. Honestly, it was as big as his mum's quarters at Hogwarts. Though unlike the castle, the ceiling was lower, and the room had a more homely and personal feel to it. And the yellow-white colour scheme only made it warmer and more pleasant to the eyes.

How lucky to be the daughter of the Minister! Oh, wait, he was the son of the Minister too. Then where the fuck was his own room?

Ignoring his jealousy that infrequently reared its ugly head, he focused on the anger that had been accumulated on behalf of his little brother.

"That's pitiful. What was dad's excuse?" He asked, flopping on his back, the mattress infinitely better than the one at the flat. And there was a peculiar fragrance to the bed sheets—something sweet and fruity.

"Work," she answered with a scoff, her ginger eyebrows knitted together in frustration.

"He's a bloody arsehole, isn't he?" He muttered with an angry smile, crossing his arms behind his head as he shifted and propped his back against the soft pillows, forgetting that he shouldn't display the true extent of his hatred in front of his sister.

Susan narrowed her eyes, her mouth opening to admonish him, but then she snapped it shut and chose not to argue. "He wasn't always like that."

"Oh?"

"Before he became the Minister, he spent more than enough time with us. Julian was too young to remember it. That's why he isn't much affected by dad's growing absence," she answered, crossing her leg over her knee and leaning back in the chair.

"You must remember the good ole days, then. Must be happy times," he added sarcastically, and got a stinky eye in return.

"I actually do. He was good then, great even, until he became the leader of this country."

"If you say so," he said in a way that showed he didn't believe her claim one bit.

"Can you be less annoying for one second?"

He frowned at her tone. "Fine. Let's talk about something else then."

That was apparently the right thing to say. Because the next instant, she was sitting in the bed before him. "I need your help."

He was amused by the abrupt change in her mood. A moment ago, she was all disgruntled, but now she was barely able to sit still, her excitement bubbling out of her. "With what?"

"I have something to do in the muggle world. And I need you to be my guide."

Harry blinked, not having expected that. "Alright. I'll come with you if you tell me the reason for this outing."

An odd look flashed over her face, and she twirled her braid before mumbling something indecipherable.

"I didn't hear that."

"I said I want a tattoo."

…

To say that Harry was shocked would be an understatement. "What?"

"I said I want a permanent tattoo!"

"I heard that! But why?"

"Just because."

"Do you even have your mum's permission?"

"Of course not; it will be a secret."

Harry regarded her with a blank stare. "Absolutely not. This is a very bad idea, not that the tattoo artist will even agree due to your age. And Lena will have my head if I help you with this dumb task."

In response, she just smirked. "Are you scared of my mum, Harry? Or maybe you're scared of dad? I thought you were brave. It seems I need to reassess my assessment."

Her tone was disgustingly condescending, which made him violent.

He flicked her on the forehead. "I know what you're trying to do."

"Ow."

"And it won't work," he said, unaffected by her glare.

She crossed her arms with a huff. "What will it take for you to join me?"

"Nothing, actually. I'm not going to let you commit this stupidity."

Susan slid off the bed and turned her back to him. "If you won't help, I'll find a way for myself."

Harry's smile vanished. "Just tell me why you suddenly wish to get a tattoo."

She turned around and stared at him, biting her bottom lip. "You won't laugh?"

"I won't."

"I saw a movie last week. The lead was a beautiful, no-nonsense woman with a cool tattoo. No matter how much I try, I can't let go of this wish. And well, both mum and dad will be quite crossed with me if I do that. And that just makes me want to do it more."

…

Harry rubbed his forehead. "So, you just want to flip off your parents by getting a permanent tattoo. Such a clever girl. You really need an award for your brilliance."

"I detect sarcasm." She pouted.

"You detect correctly, oh no-nonsense lady with a cool tattoo."

"Keep making fun of me. I'm getting a tattoo nonetheless." She muttered stubbornly.

"Susan, come here. Take a seat." He requested, patting the space before him with his leg.

Assuming he was going to give her another lecture, she flopped on the bed, her arms still crossed.

Just as she sat down, Harry kicked her on the arse, sending her squeaking and tumbling sideways. "That's what you'll get if you keep on with this nonsense."

"What the hell, Harry?" She yelled, sitting back up and glowering at the leg he was waving in her direction. The very same one he had kicked her with.

"This is the Snake. It likes biting stupid people. It's proven that with its bites, stupid people can be cured. Do you want to be cured?" He grinned.

"Oh, you started it; I will—" Just as she prepared to jump at him, he stepped on her chest.

"You were saying something?"

…

"Ugh, your feet stink!"

"So does your stupidity. I ca—" He didn't get to continue, because the next moment she had slapped away his leg and was crawling over him, the weight of her body pressing him down.

He promptly rolled them over and pinned her arms over her head. "Tch, the no-nonsense girl with a cool tattoo is actually pants at fighting. You disappoint me, oh no-nonsense girl with a cool tattoo."

"Get off me, moron, you're heavy." She groaned, wiggling under him.

"Promise me you will drop this dumb idea of getting a tattoo." He demanded, resisting the temptation to look at her disproportionately large breasts, which looked bite-worthy in this position. Not to mention her scent that cocooned him—sweet and fruity, just like the bed sheets.

"Fine. Let go of my hands now." She whispered, her blue eyes gleaming with some emotion.

Just as he released her arms, she brought them around his neck and pulled him down.

One moment they were wrestling, and the next they were kissing.

It was an awkward kiss—the first kiss for both of them. They didn't know how to fit their mouths against each other. They didn't know how to use their tongue. Nor did they know how to avoid the teeth.

But they kissed nonetheless. A rough, lustful kiss, which became slightly better with each passing second.

She moaned in his mouth, their tongues slowly matching one another's rhythm, their mouths finally finding a perfect angle. The kiss finally became a kiss, rather than two kids rubbing against each other's lips.

Their eyes remained closed, and they snogged. They snogged in a way only inexperienced teenagers could. Fumbling and yet excited.

When they parted, the corners of their mouths were joined by a strand of saliva.

Susan raised her head, licking his lips before giving him a soft kiss, this one fueled by mutual affection rather than hormones.

"I won't get a tattoo. But you'll have to become my secret boyfriend," she said, her head dropping back on the pillow. Though her hands remained around his neck. She brought them to cup his jaw, her fingers tracing his bruised mouth.

"We are siblings." That was more of a statement than a protest from him.

"That makes it a hundred times better, doesn't it? I'll pay to see dad and mum's horrified faces if they ever find out about us." She giggled.

"Is this just another way to show your parents a middle finger?" He asked, and his eyebrows furrowed together.

"Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know. But I've always wanted to kiss you, Harry. You can be sure of that. So, what say you? Want to become my secret boyfriend?" She replied, rolling them over so she was on top.

"That's a difficult question." He gulped down the excess saliva, placing his palms on her hips.

"Is it? Don't want to brag, but I've heard that I ranked top in some pervy list the boys made."

"You mean the 'Bustiest Girls third-year edition'?" He couldn't help but snicker. He had seen the list being passed around by the Gryffindors. If it wasn't for Neville, he wouldn't even have heard of that.

Susan smiled proudly. "Exactly."

He poked her in the ribs. "You shouldn't be proud of that. You're half a year older than most of us. So it doesn't count anyway."

"Whatever. So do you accept it or not? I'm not asking you to profess your eternal love or anything. I'm just saying I'd like to explore with you. Since we are both inexperienced, we'll both benefit from it. And we have ten days before we return to Hogwarts. Imagine what we can do in all that time." She cajoled, peppering him with sloppy kisses.

"Alright, alright, stop eating my face," he said, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. "So, it's just like a physical exploration thing, right?"

"Exactly. You are the only boy I'm close with. And due to our relationship, you can stay in my room without drawing any suspicion." She nodded, her face split by an eager grin.

Harry mulled over his thoughts, his hands still on her hips. But now that she was sitting on his stomach, he could try something. He ignored her yelp as his fingers sank into her breasts. Hmm, they were... firmer than his mum's. Maybe that was just her bra. He'd need to get her naked to see how different her boobs were compared to his mum's. Obviously, hers were smaller. But compared to her petite frame, her breasts seemed so much bigger.

What about Tracey?

That name brought a little guilt. While he hadn't told her yet, he really liked her. But they weren't together yet, so it was fine. Right? And Tracey was always so up in Daphne's arse that he wouldn't be surprised if she was a carpet muncher.

Fuck Tracey, fuck Daphne. He wouldn't miss this fun for her.

"Okay." He nodded, still fondling her boobs. And the way she was squirming over his stomach was also nice. He would soon convince her to squirm on his crotch; that would be nicer.

"Great. Now, can you take your hands off my chest? I'd like to start with kissing first. We have ten days; we don't need to directly jump into the extreme stuff." She blushed as he gave her tits one last squeeze before dropping his hands to his side.

Laying on top of him, she cupped his face and kissed him again.

Harry reciprocated the gesture, kissing her back while his arms wound around her waist.

~xXxXx~

James was seated in his office with his head resting on the table. There would've been dark circles under his eyes if he wasn't using glamour to look fresh. It had been a long time since he had more than four hours of sleep. And the row he had with Lena last night didn't exactly improve his mood.

Yes, he missed Julian's eleventh birthday, an important milestone for wizarding children. Yes, he was disappointed in himself, of course. Yes, he felt sad for his son, obviously. But there was a valid reason for his absence. A very important work was in progress that needed his full attention. He could've gone without all the hurtful things Lena had said in her rage.

But tonight, all his sacrifices would finally pay off. This work had been in progress for the last three years. He wouldn't be wrong in claiming it as his magnum opus. With this in his hands, he'd add another layer of safety for his people, for Wizarding Britain.

A very strong layer of safety, if he was being honest.

The knock on his door made him sit straight in the chair.

Resting his elbows on the table and acting as if he wasn't sleep deprived, he said, "Come in."

Brenda hurried to him after opening the door, just as tired as him, and she wasn't using any glamour; black crescents were visible under her blue eyes. "Minister, Agent Pink and Madam Bones are here."

James rewarded her with a kind smile. "Let them in and go take a break, love. Have you had dinner yet?"

"No, Minister. But it can wait."

"It cannot, Brenda. Go out and eat something. You look like you're going to pass out any second." He insisted, feeling guilty for working the young woman to the bone.

"If you say so." The blonde mumbled and stumbled out, actually looking on the verge of collapse.

When he heard a crash outside, he wasn't sure if it was Brenda's exhaustion or Agent Pink's clumsiness.

But the tinkling laughter and the exasperated reprimands told him it was Agent Pink and Amelia at the door.

The duo stepped into the office after shutting the door and quickly took the chairs opposite him.

"Wotcher, boss." 'Agent Pink' greeted him with a bubbly smile, her hair inky blue this evening.

"Good to see you're alive, Tonks. Does that mean you were successful in your mission?" James asked.

"Yep. It took months to infiltrate the various secret sites, but I copied what you wanted." Tonks nodded with her game face on, aware that they were dealing with a serious topic.

James couldn't help the triumphant smile. "I knew you could do it. You're one of the best agents we have. I don't think I have ever seen such prodigal talent before. I am proud of you, Nymphadora."

"Thank you, sir." She stood up and saluted, filled with pride at his words. Though she'd have been happier if he hadn't used her annoying name.

"Take a seat, Tonks. And show me the result." James smiled, his eyes glowing, as she pulled out half a dozen thick folders from her pouch and pushed them across the table.

Nuclear weapons.

The most powerful weapons the muggles had. And the geniuses of the wizarding world were divided on it. Some thought it was capable of destroying the most powerful wards, while others believed magic could defeat it.

Now, he didn't have to worry at all. With these files in his hands, he had a guide to build this weapon. And of course, he would improve these lethal weapons further. If the weak primitive nuclear bombs could destroy Hiroshima and Nagasaki, then he could only wonder what these modern nuclear weapons further enhanced by magic could do.

He would give these papers to the smartest and most trusted innovator he had in the ministry and see what he could do with them. He'd need raw materials and absolute secrecy to further his plans. But he was sure it was doable.

With the careful use of magic, anything was possible.

"Good work, Tonks. Take a month off and go on a vacation. You've earned it."

"Thanks, boss." Tonks grinned and got off the chair.

Just as she was about to leave the room, she looked over her shoulder and revealed her concern: "This is just for defence, right?"

"Of course. We'll only give it serious thought if we are in dire times. Don't worry, love, your work is done here." James smiled reassuringly.

Giving him a resolute nod, she walked away and promptly planted her face on the floor.

He chuckled as she blushed and then fled.

The moment Tonks joined the Auror Academy a couple of years ago, he knew she was a diamond in the rough. He had instantly seen the advantage of her Metamorphmagus ability and showered her with the best trainers to make her an elite agent. He didn't think even Moody would be able to defeat her now, and that was without her legendary infiltration skills.

Seriously, if Tonks hadn't joined the Ministry, he wouldn't have been able to reach this point.

With a wave of his wand, he closed the door again and looked at his friend, who had been silent until now. "Are they ready?"

She smiled sharply. "Yes."

"Good. I need thousands of these weapons ready in this decade. How goes the Hidden Island Project?"

"We have already created 400 artificial islands around the world. And with the help of our scientists and innovators, we've been successful in keeping them hidden from everyone, even our magical counterparts."

He gave her a nod. "I think we will be fine when the Statue of Secrecy finally breaks in the coming decades."

"We should be. The only reason there hasn't been another world war is the fear of mutual destruction. That same fear should work in our favour."

He released a sigh and leant back into the chair. 'Rather have nuclear weapons and not need them, then need them and not have them.'

"You should take a day off yourself, James. You must look like shit under that glamour charm," she said knowingly.

He let out a tired laugh. "Maybe the country won't die if I take a rest."

She rolled her eyes and got up. "For the good of all."

"For the good of all." He repeated her parting words.