A Flame Awakened Chapter 7.

Content Warnings: Threesome, Breast Play, Food Play, Teasing, Spanking, Orgasm Denial.

“Good morning! I brought breakfast.”

Harry pushed himself off the bed and grinned at the peppy girl standing in the doorway. He ran a hand through his messy black hair and beckoned her over with a hooked finger.

Padma giggled and shut the door behind her with her foot, knowing it would change back into bare stone. The Room of Requirement was their safe haven, their place to hide away from the troubles of the world.

“How was your sleepover?”

“Fun! Hermione accidentally drank from my sister's secret stash, got really drunk, and was ready to set Umbridge’s office on fire but Lavender stopped her.”

“Sounds like a wild night.” Harry reached out and grabbed Padma’s wrist, pulling her into his lap. The brown beauty squealed and slapped his chest but didn’t make a serious attempt to get away.

“Not really. After Lavender curbed Hermione’s pyromaniac tendencies we just drank firewhiskey and gossiped. Where’s Daphne?”

“Taking a shower,” Harry answered, nodding to the bathroom and the sound of water hitting marble tiles. “I don’t know why she’s up so early today. Normally she doesn’t get up until we’ve both showered and left for breakfast.”

“I bet she had that nightmare where you dumped her after seeing her without makeup again.” Padma rolled her eyes and grinned. “Maybe she’s just excited about our date.”

“Not as excited as me,” Harry growled. He wrapped an arm around Padma’s waist and pulled her closer, ignoring her squirming. He buried his face in her chest and used his teeth to tug on a strap of her gray tank top, trying to pull it down her shoulder.

“Harry, breakfast! I got pancakes from the kitchen, you won’t like them if they’re cold,” Padma said, biting her lip to stifle her moan. She held up the picnic basket in her hand, trying to shift his attention from her body to the heavenly smells coming from it.

Harry reached out and grabbed the basket with his free hand. “Pancakes, hmm?” He pulled away and set the basket on the bed. He flipped the lid and studied the contents of the basket, grinning when he located what he was searching for.

Padma nodded. “You need to eat,” she said, placing a firm hand on his chest to keep him away from her body. While neither she nor Daphne were particularly good cooks, they both agreed that they had to do something about the neglect Harry had faced while living with the Dursleys. While she couldn’t deny that Daphne’s idea of tracking them down and forcing them to eat hippogriff dung for a week had some merit, she had convinced her to agree to the more sensible plan of trying to reverse the damage they had caused. Which meant frequent trips to the kitchens and making sure Harry didn’t miss meals, not that either of them minded.

Especially when the result is this, Padma thought, running her hand over the firm muscles of Harry’s chest. He was finally filling into his tall frame and while she had always considered him handsome, he was now unfairly hot. And she wasn’t the only girl in the castle to notice it.

“I am,” Harry murmured gruffly. Faster than she could react he grabbed the straps of her tank top and pulled them down her arms, freeing her heavy breasts from their gray cage. Padma moaned and instinctively spread her legs, pushing the growing tent in Harry’s pajamas between her thick thighs. Her nipples immediately pebbled in the cold air and she raised her arms in an attempt to cover her chest, only for Harry to stop her by grabbing her wrists and pinning them to her thighs.

“Be a good puppy and don’t move,” Harry growled.

Padma shivered and stared at her boyfriend with big smoky eyes. He was difficult to resist on most days but when he used the voice… she was a goner and she knew it.

Be a good puppy.

Not too difficult, considering that was her natural state of being these days. Hell, it took all of her willpower not to drop down on her knees every time Harry called her a good girl when she did something right in their weekly DA meetings.

“Y-yes, sir,” Padma said hoarsely, finally finding her voice. Her brown eyes nervously tracked his hands, watching as they picked up the small plastic container of maple syrup. He opened the lid and flipped the container over her chest. She squealed as the sticky liquid slowly dripped onto her breasts, glazing her unblemished brown skin. Big dollops hung from her stiff nipples, swaying with the slightest movement. Harry kept the container in place until it was completely empty. By that time some of the syrup had even flowed down her flat stomach in thick trails.

She was in for a very pleasurable and extremely tortuous morning.

“You’re not allowed to cum, Miss Patil,” Harry said, calmly placing the container back in the picnic basket. His movements were slow and deliberate. He was in complete control of both the situation and her, easily slipping into the role of her dominant.

“S-sir?”

“Daphne is being punished. If you’d like to know more, I suggest you take it up with her. The original punishment was that you don’t get to cum for a week, but I thought it was too cruel and so I’ve reduced it to a day. So, no matter what I do today, you will not cum.” Harry dragged a finger across her breasts, his cock twitching against her thigh at her needy whimper. “Suck,” he ordered, holding the finger in front of her lips.

Padma leaned forward and wrapped her plump lips around the digit and obediently began to suck it. She stared at him as she did so, worshiping him with her eyes.

“I thought you’d protest,” Harry whispered, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of black hair behind her ear.

“I’m a good puppy,” Padma mumbled. She pulled away from the finger and poked out her tongue to show him the syrup she had gathered on it before swallowing. “Will you help me with my punishment, sir? Please?” she begged as she began to grind against the massive tent in his pajamas.

“Yes.”

“Thank you, sir! I-” She was interrupted by a loud squeak. She didn’t recognize the voice and froze in place.

“S-Susan?!”

Harry’s stammer immediately pulled her back to reality. Padma slowly twisted on Harry’s lap and looked back at the Hufflepuff standing outside the bathroom. She was frozen in place and had a short towel wrapped around her body.

“I left you for one night and you already found someone to replace me?!” Padma asked with a teasing smile.

“What?! No!” Harry alternated between looking at her and trying (and failing) not to stare at Susan’s bare legs.

Susan wasn’t much better. Her breathing was ragged and she couldn’t bring herself to pull her eyes away from the couple so she did the safe thing and stared at the floor in front of her. Her face and neck were red but she was trying her best not to show how much Harry was affecting her.

“I was in trouble last night,” Susan said hastily. She wasn’t about to repay Harry’s kindness by causing trouble in his relationship. “Harry offered to let me sleep here. I slept on the bed and he took the couch, I swear nothing happened! Daphne was here too, you can ask her!”

“Are you alright now?” Padma asked.

Susan nodded. Other than the strange tightness in her belly and the slickness coating her thighs she was perfectly fine.

“Why don’t you-” Harry paused and cleared his throat. “Why don’t you change in the bathroom? We’ll make sure we’re, uh, presentable by the time you come out again.”

“My clothes…” Susan pointed at the stack of neatly folded clothes Harry was sitting on without looking up.

“Oh.” Harry glanced at the uniform under him. “Then we’ll take the bathroom and you can change here,” Harry offered with a smile.

“O-okay.”

Harry stood with Padma safely secured in his arms. He set her down on her feet and before she could react he wrapped his arm around her waist and threw her over his shoulder.

Susan made the mistake of looking up at the sound of Padma’s loud squeal and her blush deepened at the sight of Harry effortlessly carrying his girlfriend to the bathroom. He was perfect… They were perfect.

“Good morning, Susan!” Harry shouted as he walked into the bathroom and shut the door with his free hand.

“G-good morning, Harry,” Susan mumbled, rubbing her thighs together without even realizing what she was doing.

“Do you think I accidentally flashed her?!” Padma asked as Harry set her down on the sink’s marble countertop.

“I doubt she saw anything more than your bare back.”

“Make sure we’re alone before smearing me with syrup next time, sir,” Padma mumbled. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer, her nimble fingers quickly undressing him.

“I thought it was Daphne,” Harry protested as he rolled his shoulders to drop the unbuttoned shirt to the floor. “And did you just order me to do something?” he asked in a low growl.

“Just a request!” Padma replied hastily.

Harry growled again. The primal sound sent a shiver down Padma’s spine and she instinctively opened her legs. Her breath hitched as Harry grabbed her hands and laced their fingers together before pinning her hands against the mirror on either side of her head.

“Who do you belong to, Miss Patil?”

“Y-you, sir,” Padma whispered. “I didn’t mean to order you, sir. I just wanted to make sure Susan doesn’t feel uncomfortable around us.”

“Good save,” Harry murmured. His fingers pushed into the waistband of her skirt and he waited for her to lift her hips before pulling it down her legs. The garment dangled from her left ankle and Padma groaned as the cold air tickled her sensitive pink folds. Her tank top quickly followed, leaving her completely naked.

Padma shivered as Harry’s hungry gaze roved over her naked body.

“No underwear, Miss Patil?” Harry tutted. “So naughty.”

“Maybe you can punish me tonight, sir,” Padma breathed. While she didn’t enjoy pain to the extent Daphne did, she did love ending the day draped across Harry’s lap while he ‘disciplined’ her with a hairbrush.

“I think I’ll punish you right now.”

Padma was about to protest but Harry’s lips were already on hers for a bruising kiss. His tongue swiped against her lips, demanding entry. His hand wrapped around her neck, the gentle pressure reminding her of his claim on her. Her mind was blank as she floated away on a sea of pleasure and she completely forgot what she was about to say by the time Harry pulled away.

“Let’s get you clean, Miss Patil,” Harry murmured, grabbing Padma’s wrist and pulling her off the countertop.

“Yes, sir.”

                                                                                     ---

Susan had finished making the bed and was in the process of patting herself dry when she heard the first loud SMACK and froze in place. Padma’s loud moan quickly followed.

She knew she should have left. She should have grabbed her clothes and ran out of the room to give the couple their privacy. She even picked up her blouse but the sound of the next smack caused her to freeze again and completely derailed her plans.

“Who’s my good girl?”

“I am, sir!”

SMACK!

“I’m sorry, sir!”

Before Susan’s brain could register what she was doing she was already on the bed, leaning against the headboard and staring at the shut door of the bathroom with wide green eyes.

SMACK!

Padma’s loud moan awakened something deep in her. She could be a good girl. She’d be the perfect wife for Harry and Daphne and Padma. Deep in her heart, she knew her destiny was to take care of them.

“Hi, I’m Susan. Harry Potter’s wife,” Susan whispered. Her legs were parted and her hand pushed between her thighs.

SMACK!

“Please, sir!”

Sir. He liked titles. She could think of so many she wanted to call him. Sir. Husband. Master.

Susan teased her slick folds, tracing the puffy lips guarding her core with her finger as she closed her eyes and tried to picture what was going on in the bathroom. It wasn’t too difficult to imagine herself in Padma’s place and that was exactly what she did.

THUD.

He had pinned her against the wall with his strong arms. His hands traced her curves before settling on her breasts.

Susan tugged on the stiff rosy peaks crowning her creamy mounds, biting her lip to stifle her moan.

“I can’t wait to bind you to me.”

“Do it! Please.” The needy plea fell from Susan’s lips before she could stop herself. She rolled her nipple between her fingers, whimpering as her index finger speared her tight, virgin pussy. She waited a few seconds, then added a second finger and began to pump, timing her thrusts in time with the sound of Harry’s balls smacking against Padma’s firm ass.

The immersion was complete and it felt as if she was in the bathroom, her body pressed against a wall and her ass pushed out for Harry. He was fucking her so hard and fast that even the clatter of water hitting the tiles wasn’t enough to muffle the sound of skin slapping against skin.

His hand was in her hair and on her hips, keeping her pinned in place while he claimed her.

Susan arched her back and moaned as she started to pump her fingers in and out of her tight core, her heavy breasts swaying with every slight movement. Her nipples ached, begging for attention.

“Harry!” Padma’s moan echoed through the shut door. “Y-you’re so big!”

Huge. He’d be huge to her. She could barely take two fingers on a good day and his one finger was longer and thicker than two of hers. She curled her finger to stretch her aching walls. When he was done with her she’d walk with a limp for days.

The thrusting slowed just as she was about to hit her peak and her fingers instinctively followed the same rhythm, denying her the release she craved so badly.

“Are you going to cum?” Harry asked, breathing heavily.

He was balls-deep in her, his throbbing cock stretching her aching walls, ready to explode and fill her belly with his seed. She wanted it. She craved it.

“N-no, sir,” Padma answered with a needy groan.

She was grinding against him. Trying to sneak in some pleasure even when she knew the punishment for being caught would be severe. She couldn’t help it, her body demanded release even as her mind refused to disobey her master.

“Am not allowed to cum,” Padma mumbled, moaning loudly as Harry sped up once more.

Her finger followed the pace set by Harry, speeding up, only to slow down again when she was right at the edge. Again and again, they repeated the same dance, denying orgasm after orgasm.

She was a good girl.

She wasn’t allowed to cum. She wasn’t allowed to cum. She wasn’t allowed to-

Harry’s roar as he erupted inside Padma mingled with Susan’s moans. She screamed as she came, the most powerful orgasm she had ever experienced rocking her body. Her back arched and her eyes remained shut, her fingers continuing to furiously pump in and out of her tight slit as she imagined Harry’s thick, white cum filling her up and spilling out of her gaping pussy. It would stream down her thigh and Harry would send her off to the Great Hall with a reminder of his claim to her.

She belonged to him and no other man would ever dare to threaten her again…

Her trembling, exhausted body slumped back onto the bed. Her breasts quivered and she lazily played with her nipples while she listened to Harry and Padma continue their little game inside the bathroom.

It took a minute, but the moment of clarity as she came down from the high of her orgasm made her realize just what she had done. Her eyes widened and she shot up in the bed, ignoring the ache between her legs.

“Oh no. Uh…” She glanced at the damp spot on the bedsheet and knew it was too late to do anything about it. They’d be out of the bathroom any minute and she wasn’t about to let Harry catch her naked, with gleaming thighs and cum-stained fingers. It was obvious to anyone with eyes what she had done and what she had done was very, very wrong.

She dressed as quickly as possible, doing the buttons of her blouse haphazardly.

Would it be so bad if they caught us?

“Yes!” Susan muttered out loud, shushing the horny, morally bankrupt part of her brain that had been in control until a few minutes ago.

She grabbed her bag and dashed out of the room.

First the ‘situation’ with Daphne early that morning and now this. It seemed like her fake relationship with Harry was going to be much more interesting than she had originally anticipated.

                                                                                ---

Padma wrapped a towel around her body before taking Harry’s hand and letting him lead her out of the bathroom. She dropped the towel once she realized the room was empty and sauntered over to the vanity, sinking into the ottoman in front of it with a sigh. Hot showers with Harry were the perfect mix of relaxing and tiring, even if she often left the bathroom just as sore as she was when she entered it.

“Do you want to tell me what happened between Susan and you?” Padma asked, watching him grab a fresh set of clothes for himself through the mirror. Once they had realized that they spent most of their nights in the Room of Requirement instead of their own dormitories they had asked it to provide them with closets and gotten Dobby to transport their clothes, books, and other essentials from their respective dormitories to the room. She secretly loved how much it now felt like a proper home.

“To be honest I’m relieved. I was sure you wanted a different redhead in your coven and Daph’s head will explode if that happens,” Padma continued, leaning closer to the mirror so she could apply eyeliner.

“I don’t want her in my Coven. Malfoy was threatening her last night.” Harry didn’t see any point in beating around the bush. “That’s why Daphne and I had her spend the night with us. She slept in the bed with Daph and I took the couch. I woke up with a stiff neck and the bed was empty so I thought I’d take a quick nap. I didn’t even notice I was sitting on her clothes,” Harry said in a single breath. “I swear there’s nothing going on between us.”

“Harry, I wouldn’t mind even if there was,” Padma smiled. “I believe in fate. I think your bracelet has seven rings for a reason and that you are destined for seven partners. Daphne and I only ask that you treat all your partners as equals.”

“Daphne and you?” Harry challenged with a raised eyebrow. He peeled off his boxers and tossed them in the laundry basket before pulling on a fresh pair.

“Okay, just me. She’d prefer it if you liked her just a little more than everyone else but that’s part of her charm,” Padma corrected herself with a grin. Her practiced fingers quickly twisted her hair into its customary plait which she then secured with a plain black hair tie.

“I’m glad you don’t have a problem with Susan.” Harry finished buttoning his shirt and pulled a pair of jeans over his legs before walking over to Padma. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Do you want me to grab you a sweater and a pair of jeans?”

Padma nodded. “Yes, please. It’s too cold for anything else. Also, it’s impossible to hate her, Harry. She’s the sweetest girl in the castle. Merlin, even Snape appears to be less miserable than usual when he’s around her.”

“Good. Cause, uh, I have to pretend to date her,” Harry said nervously. He grabbed a green sweater, jeans, and undergarments for Padma and flopped on the bed after he handed the clothes to her. “To cut a long story short, Malfoy's father is threatening her aunt to get her to agree to a marriage proposal. To buy time and to ensure her safety in the castle,  Madame Bones told Malfoy a tiny, mostly harmless lie.”

“That Susan is already dating you.”

“That Susan is already betrothed to me,” Harry corrected Padma with a sigh. “She’s had a month to get used to the idea but I have no idea how I’m going to pretend to be someone’s fiancé.”

“Just be yourself. That’s all you need to do, sir. How did Daphne take the news?”

“Surprisingly well. She has a theory and if she’s right Susan won’t be the last girl Malfoy and his father target.”

“There’s nothing surprising about it, Harry. Daph doesn’t mind sharing you with others either. If she did, our perfect threesome would never have worked. What she hates is girls thinking they can replace her.” Padma pulled the sweater over her head and studied her reflection in the mirror. Satisfied with her appearance, she stood and picked up the jeans Harry had grabbed for her. “You know the best lie is the truth, right?”

Harry snorted. “That’s such a Ravenclaw thing to say. I bet that was a question you were asked for entry into your Common Room. What is the best lie?”

Padma giggled. “Maybe. But I’m not wrong. If you truly want to convince people you’re in a relationship with Susan, the easiest way to do that would be to actually date her.”

“A relationship needs two willing people, my pretty flower.” Harry got up from the bed and walked over to Padma. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, letting her melt into his chest. “I'm happy to help her but I doubt she actually wants to date me.”

“You're in for a surprise,” Padma murmured, kissing his chest right over his heart. He was utterly oblivious to the effect he had on most women and she found his ignorance very adorable.

I bet he still thinks all the girls approaching him on the pitch actually want flying lessons, Padma thought with a smirk.

“What's so funny?”

“Nothing,” Padma said hastily. She buried her face in his chest and placed gentle, feather-light kisses all over his chest. Her fingers itched to unbutton his shirt so she could feel his warm skin with her lips but she knew if she did that they'd be spending the entire day in bed. She wasn't opposed to the notion on most days but even the allure of Harry continuing the delicious torture he had started in the bathroom wasn't enough to overcome her desire to spend the day in Hogsmeade as a couple.

“Do you want to make a bet?” Padma asked in an attempt to distract herself.

“What’s the bet?”

“I bet you that in a week's time, Susan will be standing where I am, facing the same dilemma. I wonder what she'll choose. A romantic date or getting her back blown out by her very handsome, very strong, very real boyfriend.” Padma smiled innocently but her eyes were full of mischief. “I already know what I want when I win the bet. You finally fulfill my fantasy.”

“Daphne is a bad influence on you,” Harry growled. “Suppose I agree to this insane bet, which fantasy are you talking about?”

“That one.”

“And if I win?” Harry asked hoarsely, his throat suddenly dry.

“Won't happen but if it does I'll let you-” Padma paused and leaned up to whisper in Harry's ear. When she pulled away his eyes were wide and his breathing was ragged. In his jeans, his cock stirred back to life.

“Do we have a deal?” Padma asked innocently.

“We have a deal.”

                                                                               ---

Narcissa sat in the chair, her back as straight as a rod. She did not flinch at the cold stare she got from the woman seated across the desk. If looks could kill…

It’s not like I have a great chance of survival anyway, she thought bitterly. The Dark Lord did not take perceived betrayals lightly. She knew what he had done to Karkaroff and was not eager to share that man’s fate.

“Why are you here Mrs. Malfoy?” Madame Bones asked, her voice as cold as ice. “If you’re here to pressure me for a marriage union I’ll give you the same answer I gave your husband. My niece is already betrothed to Harry Potter and I won’t force her to leave a man she likes just because your son thinks he can have whatever and whoever he wants.”

Narcissa stopped fidgeting and took a deep breath. She was a Black. It was time to act like one.

“Miss Black, please,” Narcissa corrected the woman calmly. “I may be a Malfoy legally but I've stopped considering myself as one for quite some time. And I’m not here to talk about marriage. My husband is a power-drunk fool. He truly believes he can threaten you into agreeing to a union between my son and your niece.”

“Trouble in paradise?”

Narcissa smiled bitterly. “I never had a paradise. I was married off to a man I did not know. I tried to love him, I really did. When I was younger I held onto the hope that if I just loved him enough, that if I was the perfect wife for him, he'd love me too. I changed… I killed the old Narcissa and turned into the Narcissa he wanted me to be and it still wasn't enough.”

“That man is incapable of love.”

“That's not true.” Narcissa shook her head. “He loves a lot of things. Just not me. Or any other woman for that matter.” Narcissa chuckled. “He's too self-absorbed to love anyone other than himself.”

Madame Bones raised an eyebrow. “What about your son?”

“He's a trophy.” Narcissa shrugged. “He's certainly proud of Draco…” She furiously dabbed at the corners of her eyes to wipe away the unspilled tears. She could not show weakness. If she wanted to survive for her son, she knew she had to negotiate from a position of strength. “I doubt you want to spend the little time we have discussing my complicated family, Madame Bones. Every minute that I spend in your office increases the risk of me being caught. The Dark Lord is not kind to people who betray him and I do not have an agreement of protection from you yet.”

Madame Bones’ breath hitched and she leaned forward, resting her palms on the desk. Her pale blue eyes searched Narcissa’s face for any signs of deception but she found none. Either the woman was sincere or a very, very good actress. “Is that why you're here? To betray him?”

“I suppose he’ll certainly see it that way.”

“I don’t have time for word games!”

“Words matter, Madame Bones,” Narcissa said calmly, ignoring the redhead’s outburst. “They have power. Why else would we use them to focus our magic?”

“What importance do your words have in this case?” Madame Bones asked through gritted teeth.

“Easy. They convey my intentions. I did not come here to betray anyone. Betrayal implies that my allegiance is for sale. I came here for justice. I have made many, many mistakes in my life and I'm here to atone for them.” Narcissa sighed. “It may be a long shot but I'm hoping once Draco finds out what I've done he'll have the courage to get away from the corrupting influence of his father. Sometimes I worry I'm too late but I refuse to give up on him.”

Madame Bones’ gaze softened. “You-Know-Who once underestimated a mother’s love and paid dearly for it. I see he hasn’t learned from his mistakes.”

“I don’t know how helpful my information will be,” Narcissa warned. “I had to be extremely careful while I was spying on Lucius and the Dark Lord. I only have fragments of information and documents I could safely steal from my husband’s office.”

“I thought you sat in the meetings.” Madame Bones frowned. She glanced at the folder Narcissa had placed on the desk. “I presumed this was an account of what was discussed.”

“It is,” Narcissa said. “You just got the method of collection wrong. Malfoy women are seen and not heard according to my husband. He didn’t think I had anything to offer the Dark Lord and would only be a distraction. My only jobs in that house were to cook, clean, and make sure the Dark Lord didn’t find out about the whores Lucius keeps sneaking into his bed.” Her voice was level, emotionless. She wore her humiliation like a badge of honor. Her body hadn’t been tainted by his touch for many years now. “It left me a lot of time to plan and snoop around.” She patted the file in front of her. “This is what I’ve found.”

“Why now?”

“Because now you have a reason to protect me. I’ve been planning an escape for years but I wasn’t going to run without having a place to run to.” Narcissa pushed the folder toward Madame Bones. “This particular file has details of Lucius’ ledgers. The Dark Lord has him spending money in interesting places. Consider it a freebie. I’m smart enough not to include everything I know in there. My notes, the ones I made while listening in on their meetings… they’re gone. I memorized and burned them.”

Madame Bones’ lips twitched. It was always a joy to deal with a formidable woman. “Let’s talk terms. What do you want in return for your help?”

“I want an immunity agreement in writing.” She flipped her hand and tugged on the sleeve of her blouse to bare her wrist. “As you can see, I never took the Dark Mark and I’ve never harmed or killed anyone. I don’t want an overzealous prosecutor from your department coming after me once I lose my husband’s protection. I want a house in Hogsmeade protected by wards cast by the finest Warders the Ministry has at their disposal and an unbreakable vow from you that I will be guarded until the Dark Lord is defeated. I-”

“Why Hogsmeade?” Madame Bones asked, cutting her off. “I can think of a thousand different places where it’ll be easier to protect you.”

“I need to be as close to Hogwarts as possible to make sure my idiot son doesn’t do anything that’ll land him in Azkaban for the rest of his life,” Narcissa replied bluntly.

Madame Bones leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers together. “You’re asking for a lot in exchange for information of dubious value. My resources are already spread thin. Between the people in your husband’s pocket and the ones blindly loyal to the Minister, I have few men and women I can fully trust.”

“I’m worth it.”

“You just told me you’re not sure how useful your information is to me,” Madame Bones challenged.

“Exactly.” Narcissa’s eyes twinkled with suppressed excitement. As a Black, she had grown up surrounded by politics and intrigue. After years of being nothing more than a glorified maid, it was good to be back in the game again. “It might not be of any use to you. On the other hand… it might give you everything you need to win the war that you know is coming. I suppose you’ll just have to take a leap of faith.”

“Something tells me in a different life we would have been the best of friends.” Madame Bones leaned forward and extended a hand. “You have a deal, Miss Black.”

Notes:

Who do you want to win the bet? Padma or Harry? Either way, Harry is in for some interesting times, that's for sure! If you're curious about the remaining 4 members of Harry's Coven (other than Daphne, Padma, and Susan), I published a post a couple of days ago that lists the possibilities! Remember to vote for your favorite characters! I will be publishing Character Bios of characters like Sofia Flamel, Katarina Karkaroff, and Demelza Robbins on my Discord Server, use the Invite Link in my Pinned Post to join it if you're interested!