Dueling Hearts Ch. 31 (Patreon)

When Harry awoke the next morning, he found he had a stiff neck, his arm had fallen asleep, and someone’s foot was right next to his face.

When he finally blinked the sleep away from his eyes, he saw the issue. Even with a magically expanded bed, Lily’s room was just far too cramped for the seven of them.

He was not at all surprised that it was Nymphadora’s foot that was staring him right in the face as the metamorph drooled all over his own feet. Daphne was snuggled up on his back, with Lily and Bella cramped in at odd angles and Angelina’s godly ass taking up what felt like a quarter of the bed just by itself.

And Harry really needed to pee.

He carefully pulled his arm out from under Susan, then he wriggled his foot to lightly kick Tonks’ face off of it. Now he needed to figure out how to swim his way out of the bed without waking anyone up.

He failed. By the time he’d managed to bump his way out through the side, he'd left a trail of groaning and yawning witches in his wake. Harry took one last glance at the beautiful sight before he padded his way over to the bathroom.

He managed to use the toilet and then hop into the shower. He popped the curtain open when he heard someone enter, to find that there was an honest to god line to use the toilet.

It was a bizarre yet kind of endearing situation.

Once each girl had finished using the facilities, they would hop in the shower with him. Harry had long since finished, but he’d be a fool not to stick around as the shower quickly filled up to the point where they were once again squeezed in.

“This is not going to work.” Bellatrix grumbled. “We need to find someplace bigger. Pass me the soap.”

Angelina made to do just that, but the bar slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor. She bent over, bumping Lily up against the wall with her thick ass.

Harry could feel his cock hardening as he took in all the girls showering. Daphne and Tonks were helping soap Susan up, and the way they were rubbing her breasts was making him stand at attention even more.

“As delicious as that would be right now.” Lily said from her place up against the wall. “We really need to get cleaned up and dressed, otherwise we’ll be late.”

While Harry wanted to protest and say that being late didn’t sound like the worst thing in the world, he and the other girls managed to control themselves enough to finish showering as best they could and get dressed up for the day.

“Seriously, we need to find a place to stay while we’re here at Hogwarts. These quarters are way too cramped for all of us.” Angelina said as the seven of them sat around Lily’s office. They were too late to catch breakfast, and so Lily had asked the elves to bring them food.

“I’d offer up the Boudoir, but it's even smaller than this place.” Susan said with a frown.

“I’ll ask the elves, there has to be someplace we can use.” Lily said.

“Especially once we add the last girl. Then it’ll be eight people waiting in line to brush their teeth.” Bella said.

“So it is Harry plus seven.” Daphne said triumphantly.

“Who do you guys think we could approach to be the last girl?” Susan asked.

Angelina shrugged. “Katie’s definitely randy enough to consider it.”

Harry coughed.

Tonks eyed her cousin. “What, already have your sights on someone, stud?”

Harry smiled weakly. “Err… maybe.”

“Its Delacour,” Daphne stated simply. “And he needs to convince me before we ever accept her.”

“I have a final pitch that I'm sure will win you over, Daph.” Harry assured her.

Daphne shrugged. “We'll see.”

“Whose Delacour?” Tonks asked. It sounded French, making her think of her own unrequited femme fatale french crush.

“We really need to get going.” Lily said as she checked her watch, realizing classes began in five minutes.

They all made their way out of Lily’s quarters, and quite a few students spotted the curious sight of the seven of them leaving together, early in the morning.

…

As Bellatrix made her way over to her first period class, she knew something was amiss. Her fifth year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were gathered by the door, and while the sneers and glares that they barely tried to veil as she approached were not new, there was definitely something else going on, they all looked a bit too curious.

“What’s going on here? Why aren’t you getting your asses into the classroom?” Bella barked.

“I believe it would be best if we had a talk in private first, Professor Black.”

Bella’s head snapped over to the toad-like woman that she now saw was standing behind her desk.

“Who the hell are you?” Bella snapped.

The woman gave her a saccharine smile that made Bella want to blast her into the wall.

“My name is Dolores Umbridge, I am your ministry appointed supervisor.” She said in an overly sweet voice that made Bella’s blood boil.

Bellatrix glared at her students. “Wait outside, and you better have finished that homework.” She slammed the door shut behind her as she walked up to the woman.

“Bellatrix, may I call you Bellatrix? We are going to be colleagues, after all.”

Bella gave a noncommittal grunt.

“I came here to your classroom early, searched through your cabinets.”

“You searched through my cabinets?” Bellatrix roared.

Umbridge held up a copy of the key that all Hogwarts professors were given for the cabinets that held all their students’ graded works, along with their own personal files.

“I just wanted to take a look at your lesson plans, just to familiarise myself with your teaching methods.” The woman, who was wearing far too much pink, explained.

“And?”

Umbridge frowned. ‘I didn’t find any. There are no lesson plans in there, no progress reports on students, no notes on previous lessons.”

Bellatrix shrugged. “I like to play it by ear.” She’d never liked paperwork, and she wasn’t about to start now just because she was teaching. “Besides, there's an ink shortage, it would have been wasteful.”

Umbridge gave her a strained smile. “I expect you to be more thorough in your process moving forward, Professor Black.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “Sure, can we get on with the class now?”

“Go right ahead,”

Bella opened the door and allowed the students to filter in. Umbridge relinquished her desk, deciding to stand at a spot directly behind her.

Bellatrix began the class, not bothering to introduce the toad, who cleared her throat and introduced herself once she realised Bellatrix wasn’t about to.

Class progressed for ten minutes before Umbridge interrupted her.

“What in the heavens are you doing?” She asked after Bellatrix had instructed two students to stand up in the middle of the room so they could try their luck at the blasting curse.

“Teaching, it’s what they pay me to do.” Bellatrix said sarcastically.

“Are you going to have these children just… toss blasting curses at each other? In the middle of all their peers?” Umbridged said in a scandalized voice.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. “There’s boundary runes to protect the other brats.” she explained. “And as long as these two aren't dunderheads and know how to cast a shield, they’ll be perfectly fine.”

“Dunderheads, brats.” Umbridge couldn’t believe her ears. “Children, class is dismissed! You may write ten inches on the proper safety equipment needed when casting dangerous spells!”

The students’ faces had brightened up at being let out early, but they fell completely when Umbridge gave them homework.

Bellatrix was seething as the students filtered out of the classroom. “What gives you the right to dismiss my fucking class?” she spat.

Umbridge shook her head. “Professor Black, this is worse than I thought. Recklessly teaching young children dangerous magic, inflicting them with trauma and emotional abuse, not filling out a lesson plan.” her eyes narrowed. “I see that the papers weren’t lying. You’re a dark, evil witch, and you’re trying to corrupt the next generation, seduce them into dark magic!’”

“Seduce? Why would I want to seduce a bunch of little snot-nosed brats?” Bella yelled back.

It seemed that in their haste to hurl insults at each other, neither Bellatrix nor Umbridge had realised that those snot-nosed brats had not left the classroom completely. They were all standing by the door, listening intently.

Roger Davies, who held a grudge against Bellatrix ever since that first dueling tryout, decided he’d had enough of the woman’s derision.

“Oh, we’re snot nosed brats? But your little protege Potter is a stud?”

Both women’s heads snapped over to him.

“What did you say, young man?” Umbridge asked.

Roger looked to his classmates for support, not finding any but powering on anyways. “Everyone’s been talking about it! She came out of Potter’s mum’s office this morning with him and a bunch of other women.”

Bellatrix couldn’t believe her ears. She’d thought nothing of how they’d all left Lily’s quarters together, had paid no mind to the students milling about around them.

“They’re forming some sex cult! I bet they’re going to use it to summon a demon lord.” Another fifth year interjected.

“It’s called a coven, and we’re not summoning a bleeding demon lord!”

Bella’s eyes widened as she realised what she’d just said.

The students were gaping at her in shock, while Umbridge looked like she’d just seen her slaughter a box full of kneazles.

Things were going to get complicated for them.

…

Harry noticed the odd looks during third period. People seemed wary of him, though others were looking at him with what seemed like jealousy or reverence.

It all came to a head during his first class with the Slytherins, when Blaise, Daphne and Tracey came rushing over to him. “You just can’t help but one-up everyone, huh Potter?’ Blaise said in mock indignation.

“What do you mean?”

Daphne sighed. “The school found out about us, all of us. It’s spread like wildfire.”

“All of us?” Harry gulped.

“All of you.” Tracey said, shooting Harry an evil grin. “Your own mother, Potter? Though I’ll admit that if my mum looked like that-”

“What’s the mood, schoolwide anyways?” Harry asked.

Blaise shrugged. “I think people are still mulling it over. Hopefully they fall on your side, Harry, otherwise I feel like me, Hermione and Luna are going to get swept up in this whole thing.”

Speaking of Hermione, the bushy-haired girl stomped over to them with a deep frown. “Megan Jones just called me one of Harry’s Acolytes, whatever the hell that means!”

Tracey whistled. “Things don't ever escalate gradually here, do they?”

“Let's just go to lunch, hopefully things don’t get too kooky.” Harry said with a sigh,

…

Of course things immediately deteriorated.

They had barely sat down at the Gryffindor table when Susan scurried over to them, looking flushed.

“You had a day?” Daphne asked with concern evident in her voice.

Susan nodded shakily. “People keep whispering around me. Hannah asked if Bella had really made me sacrifice a unicorn.”

Angelina joined them, looking equally harried, while Bella, Lily and Nymphadora were together at the staff table, trying their best to act casual as their peers sent them sidelong glances.

Blaise, Luna, Hermione, Ginny, Tracey and the twins all sat down around them, and their nucleus seemed to be the focal point of everyone’s attention. After a few minutes, Harry thought they’d be able to power through it, to just ignore the stares and have a normal meal. People would gossip and murmur about it, but there was an inter school tournament going on, they would drop it at some point.

And then Malfoy stood up on top of the Slytherin table. He’d cut off the sleeves of his robes, and his arms looked like they were riddled with massive, veiny tumours. Malfoy held his DRACO title up as if it were a beacon, and to Harry’s chagrin, everyone instantly turned silent as they looked over to him.

“My fellow students, there is a dark cloud hanging over our school! A den of sin has been brewing at Hogwarts, a den of sin and corruption!” As dramatically as he could manage, Malfoy pointed an accusing finger at Harry, “POTTER! You are corrupting our youth with your incestuous, bigamous depravity! All in a desperate bid to take that which belongs to me!” Draco tapped the DRACO title, “But you will not prevail. No, your brand of debauched evil will NEVER prevail. What will prevail is our traditional values. Heed my words, students, as your CHAMPION, I promise to uphold our true wizarding values, I exhort you to drink your nutrient potions, say your prayers, and remain pure until marriage, just as mother magic intended!”

People cheered, people actually cheered the insane bastard on. And not just other Slytherins either, the great majority of all four houses were cheering for Malfoy. Only a select few, like the rest of the Gryffindor chasers, Dean, Hannah, and a few scattered people from Durmstrang, seemed to take issue with Malfoy’s statement.

The students were working themselves into a frenzy, and inside that maelstrom, Bellatrix decided she’d had enough.

She stood up with force, letting out a loud bang from her wand that rendered everyone silent in an instant.

Bellatrix had made a lot of brash decisions recently. Brash decisions that had put them in their current predicament, But one of Bellatrix’s best qualities was that, no matter how many times her impulses had backfired on her, she would not hesitate to follow them, knowing that over the long-run, they would prove true.

“Listen here, you insipid little brats! The truth is that we are forming a coven! I am fucking my fourteen year old mentee and my other seventeen year old one too. I’m fucking his mum too, and he’s fucking her, and we’re all fucking. And that girl right there.” She pointed at Susan. “Is the Heiress of Hufflepuff, and we’re all fucking her too.”

Everyone gasped, looking at Susan with shock and fear.

“And you know what? We’re going to continue fucking each other, regardless of what you idiots think. And we’re looking for another member too, though none of you little shits really tickles my fancy, so don’t worry about that.”

Bella sat down, and a stunned silence settled into the Great Hall.

Harry looked over at Fleur, who if anything seemed amused by the whole situation.

At least Bella hadn’t torpedoed his chances of inducting the blonde into their little group. And, seeing some of the looks they were getting from their fellow students, they could really use some of Fleur’s rejection powers right about now.

Harry felt a tap behind his back and turned around.

Ron and Pansy were there. Ron was wearing his mask, but he'd changed the colors up, it was now black with small white stripes.

“Ron?” Harry leaned against the table, unsure of what his former (or current?) friend wanted.

Ron placed his hand on Harry's shoulder once more.

“Billy, ever since young Timmy stood up in the great hall and gave that impassioned speech, I've been doing a lot of soul searching, I've been forced to reckon with where my loyalties lie.”

“Ever since? He literally just did it like two minutes ago!” Angelina exclaimed, though the others quickly gestured for her to just let it go.

“Ok?” Harry asked.

Ron grinned, pulling Pansy close to him. “I vowed to dedicate my life to crusading for justice, but is love not the greatest expression of justice there is?”

“Err… sure.”

“If I join you, I can no longer call myself the Masked Weasley, I must leave that name behind. For that reason, I have been reborn, I come to you as your new leader, The Dark Weasley.”

Harry stared at Ron for a solid second before shrugging, “There's room for you guys over there.” He pointed towards the edge of their group, where the others had given them plenty of space.

“You've just made the most consequential decision of your life.” Pansy assured Harry as she and Ron took their seats.

With all the insanity going on around them, Harry wasn't going to dismiss those words outright.

…

Severus Snape missed the commotion in the Great Hall that morning. He'd been called away for a very important meeting.

He was seated at the end of a long, rectangular table. Next to him was a balding, rotund gentleman who was nursing a glass of whiskey. This was his old potions professor, Horace Slughorn.

On the side opposite to them was a stiff-backed witch. She had her hair up in a tight bun and wore big, square glasses along with a muggle lab coat. Next to her was a wizard in a business suit who was resting his chin on his thumbs as he tented his remaining fingers.

At the head of their end of the table was a large jar. Inside the jar, floating in a clear substance that bubbled away like a fish tank, was a brain.

Together, they comprised the board of Big Potion, the mysterious and secret cabal that controlled the world's potion supply and utilized that power to manipulate events from the shadows, hoping to shape the world in their image.

Across from them sat two men, higher ups from the dueling comission.

The wizard in the business suit cleared his throat. “Mr. Bergkamp, why exactly have you called for the entire council?”

“We are here to call in our favor from Big Potion, Mr. Sanders.”

“I thought Severus had already taken care of your situation?” The lady with the glasses said, looking curiously at a sneering Snape.

Bergkamp shook his head. “The situation is much more dire than we expected. Lockhart needs more than some potions with extra pep.”

Snape growled as his glare intensified. “My potions are the best that can be found anywhere, they are not the issue. You can dress up a pig as much as you wish, yet no one will ever mistake it for a human.”

“I wouldn't be so sure about that, Severus, I've seen some very comely pigs in my time.” Slughorn said, swirling his glass before he took a long sip of his drink.

“Regardless, we are here to cash in our marker.” The man next to Bergkamp pulled a small silver coin from his coat pocket and tossed it at the group.

They frowned down at the silver coin with the seal of the cabal on its face.

“What say you, Brain?” Mr. Sanders asked their final member.

None of them knew Brain's past. Even his name had long since been lost to time. He'd been the founder of Big Potion, centuries ago, and at a certain point, he'd removed his own brain and placed it inside of a cocktail of potions to keep the synapses running, believing it was the best path towards immortality.

“Give him a little tap, will you, Severus?” The witch asked.

Snape sighed as he reached over and gave the side of the tank a hard smack. Brain bounced around, crashing against the walls as a frantic voice crackled through a slit at the bottom of the jar.

“Infect the pond water! Turn all the frogs gay!”

“We already did that, my good man, twenty years ago.” Slughorn said kindly.

“He's stuck in the past again.”

Snape grumbled as he gave the jar a few more smacks, each one jostling the brain around in its container. Finally, it seemed to be back in the present.

“Brain, the Dueling Comission has brought in their marker, they want their test subject back.” The lady in the lab coat explained.

“Test subject? What? Sure, take it. Back in my day, test subjects were kept alive and tortured, none of this suspended animation hullabaloo. Why I remember back in seventeen fifty, we captured a young-”

“Thank you grandpa.” the lady said as she slammed her fist down on the top of the jar. When the brain finished bouncing against the walls, it was back in a deep slumber.

“Right, well, I believe you have the key, Severus.” Slughorn said.

They left the conference room, making their way through a long hallway and down multiple sets of stairs until they ended up deep underground. They passed through a heavy steel door and entered a vast laboratory.

There were many tanks with creatures of all kinds floating inside, along with dozens of potions bubbling away. Some carried pleasant smells, others smelled rotten, and quite a few of them screamed as they simmered.

Snape produced a silver key from his robe as they stopped in front what appeared to be an empty tank. There was a keyhole, and once Snape turned the key, the tank split apart, revealing a hidden room within the lab.

The hidden room was basically a walk-in closet, with dozens of items arrayed about inside, each of them in their own pedestal with a description label just below.

They ranged from a mundane, “Robe. Midnight Blue. Size medium. 1965.” to the more personal “Teddy Bear. Left eye missing. Recovered from Orphanage. Manufactured 1929. Found 1963.”

They were an assortment of personal items. Some labels were missing their item, like the one that read “Wand. Yew. Thirteen inches. Phoenix Feather. Gifted 1972.”

At the center of it all was another container with something floating in a light blue liquid. It was a humanoid shape, the size of a newborn baby, and it was curled up in the fetal position, its skin grayed and wrinkly.

“T-That's him?” Asked Bergkamp's companion in an awed voice.

“Who else could it possibly be, you fool.” Snape snapped.

“And he can be brought back to life?”

“It depends on what you define as life.” Slughorn said. “Won't be able to join me for a good brandy, I'm afraid.”

The dueling officials shared a look. “For our purposes, it will be more than fine.”