His body felt heavy and weaker than ever before when he awoke. Moving his arms made him think they were weighed down by boulders, eyes blurry and head pounding all the while. Yet Harry’s chest felt warm - almost searing with heat - like his ribcage was trying to contain multiple beating hearts that were trying to burst out of his very soul.
Just moving a few inches made sweat pour down his brow, a groan escaping his lips as he fell out of the bed he was resting on and onto the floor below.
Trying to stand on two legs was definitely not an option, so instead he dragged and crawled his way across the tiled floor, eyes blearily looking for an exit. He eventually managed to make out the walls through squinted eyes, seeing they were ornate and made of marble and expensive wood as if he were inside an old manor.
He got to what looked to be the room’s door, finding that it wasn’t so much a door but rather a large window, which he pushed outwards to find an open balcony. That didn’t deter him, as Harry gripped the railing and pulled himself up, finally getting a look outside of his unknown dwellings for the first time.
Am I in hell? Was the first thought to cross his mind, looking down at the lake of molten lava below. It was as if he was inside a mansion sitting within an active volcano, the area decorated with ghastly steel cages, chains, and spiked towers. The place was mindbogglingly terrifying, enough to make even the dementors of Azkaban blush.
His eyes grew wider and wider with hysteria the longer he looked on, not seeing any familiar sights and beginning to truly fear for the worst. But it ended when an arm gripped his collar and proceeded to carry him away from the window, hefting him up like a sack of potatoes.
“H-Hey! W-What-” He stuttered out weakly.
“I do not believe you should be out of bed.” A calm, familiar, feminine voice said.
The woman placed him back in bed, and he realized that it was Malenia who had picked him up and carried him across the room.
“Where are we?” He asked in confusion. “And what’s going on?”
“We are in Volcano Manor.” The demigoddess answered. “When the battle was over, I marched the army here and stormed the Manor. We’ve been annexing the rest of Mount Gelmir and cleaning this place out for weeks.”
“W-Weeks?” Harry nearly choked in disbelief.
The demigoddess didn’t immediately respond, instead giving her prosthetic arm a light twist to detach it and laying it aside. She didn’t stop there, next undoing the clamps and buttons on her dress, before a smooth motion had it falling to the floor beneath her.
His eyes went wide at the sight of what lay beneath it - or rather, the lack of underclothes - with Malenia’s naked body completely exposed for him to see.
The first thing that struck him was how shapely she was for her stature, not awkwardly proportioned or stretched thin to meet her intimidating height. Rather, she looked even more sculpted than a muggle supermodel, body fit and thick akin to those athletes who competed in the Olympics. It told the tale of a woman who had dedicated her life to combat and the blade, evidenced by her thick thighs and defined abs.
Of course, there were the left over scars from combat and the Rot, with the latter being better than before, the growths having flaked off and merely remaining as light marks and scars.
Like any man however, Harry’s eyes were drawn to her more feminine bits. The clear skin around her lush and beautiful bare sex, along with those weighty tits. Her breasts looked perfectly proportioned to her frame, but with Malenia being a large woman, her tits were proportionally so to match. Up close they could probably smother him, likely the biggest pair he had seen by their sheer weight.
Malenia moved, stepping onto his bed with her prosthetic legs before kneeling down on so she was top of him. Her exposed cunt landed right on top of his clothed cock, her body leaning over him as her remaining arm rested against his shoulder.
It didn’t take much imagination to understand the implications of their current position. “Woah, I don’t think-”
“Relax.” She spoke softly, and he looked up to meet her eyes.
Her cheeks were red from how forward she was being, and he could see how soft her golden eyes were as she studied him. For how terrifying the woman was - made worse by her reputation - Harry could see the plain worry in her expression, almost as if she feared rejection.
“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?” The words came out without thinking, and her cheeks only reddened more at his compliment.
“You are much too sweet, Tarnished of mine.”
He snorted. “You are a princess, and way out of my league.”
“Hardly.” Malenia replied. “True, I endured many a suitor within Leyndell’s royal court, but you are a far better match than any. Perhaps others could have challenged this notion before, but not now after you obtained two Great Runes.”
“So I really killed Rykard then?” He thought back to the battle, fighting against that gigantic snake before falling unconscious at the end. “Is that why I’m in my current state?”
He only felt the tiniest bit better since he first awoke, meaning Harry still felt weak as shit. “It shall take you time to acclimate to two Great Runes, not to mention thy injuries...”
A glance down revealed his bandaged chest and abdomen, and he remembered back to the fight where Rykard’s god-devouring serpent bit deep into his body in multiple places. He could tell those wounds had been sufficiently stitched and were healing - likely thanks to his two Great Runes - but would take more time.
His eyes moved from her face down to her exposed breasts then. He desperately wanted to explore and worship her body to the fullest, and to receive pleasure from her in turn. But he was far too injured and weak to expend the energy for sex - which was greatly humiliating on his part. “You know, this isn’t the best time to do this sort of thing. For me, at least.”
“I am aware.” The edge of Malenia’s lip curled upwards. “But it behooves me to take care of my consort in his weakened state. To lift his spirits, as they say.”
“Minx.” He muttered, not resisting the urge to cop a feel. His right hand moved to grope her right breast lightly, grasping its softness and weight, feeling like something that could only be produced by the divine. Now that I think of it, her Mother is supposed to be a god…
“We shall continue this at a later date, and it will be something I look forward to.” She moved away then, turning around and giving him a good view of her bum in the process as she moved to dress.
Harry nearly choked on his spit at the sight, seeing how thick her ass was. A booty built from centuries of combat and exercise, thickened from muscle and fat to create a large spherical shape that he couldn’t pull his gaze from. It was only once she was fully clothed that he managed to get his mind out of the gutter, and that was when Malenia’s tone coincidentally changed.
“I have been informed by Millicent of your predicament, this tournament that you need to attend.”
“Huh? Yeah, I did mention it before the battle.”
“It seems the next part of it takes place tomorrow.”
The third task is tomorrow? His body stiffened in realization at her words. Shit. That’s right, I’ve been unconscious for weeks, and need to get back to Hogwarts.
Seemingly reading his mind, Malenia spoke again before he could get up and begin searching for the nearest Site of Grace. “You require another day of recovery before leaving, and consuming enough flasks should get you prepared enough.”
“Oh.” He settled down, calmer than before.
The first task had been fighting a dragon, and the second had him diving deep underwater. Besides knowing a maze was involved, there was no telling what the third task had in store for him, and he certainly was in no state to participate in it as he was now.
Another day of rest can’t hurt. He could hang out and recover an extra day in this terrifying Manor before heading back to Hogwarts, with Millicent coming with him of course.
As he thought things over, Malenia had moved to the window, seemingly occupied with her own thoughts. “Thy ambition of becoming Elden Lord, will you follow it to the end?”
He blinked at the odd question. “I just fought a battle for the sake of it.”
“But to go beyond combat, to give everything for thy ambition?”
“Everything? No.” He answered. “Where’s this coming from?”
For a brief moment, a flash of pure rage flashed across Malenia’s face, before it was hidden behind a bitter half-smile. “I will inform you of my findings upon thy return. It seems that the path to restoring the Elden Ring is not as straightforward as I had initially hoped. Breaking into Leyndell is the least of our problems now.”
He felt a quiet shiver run up his spine at those words, knowing that whatever she had to tell him wasn’t good.
/////
It was becoming the norm for Susan Bones to not know what her boyfriend was up to.
Typically students of Hogwarts saw each other daily, and if not together in the Great Hall, then in the hallways, various shared classes, or in the library. But not Harry Potter, who disappeared off to that alternate dimension of his through the Chamber of Secrets, staying there for long stretches of time.
The only difference this time around was that it had lasted longer than normal. Combine that with word of him potentially fighting in a war, and it didn’t take long for herself, Fleur, and even Daphne to begin worrying.
The three of them had become something odd this year. Not quite friends in the ordinary sense, as there was too much unspoken competition between them for that. Each of them watched the other two with the particular wariness of girls who wanted the same thing and had decided - out of necessity rather than kindness - to be civil about it.
And while Delacour and Greengrass were definitely more cold and ruthless in that regard, Susan quietly competed as well. No one would expect the bubbly Hufflepuff to win over the two Ice Queens, yet she kept up with them nonetheless.
But their competition over one boy led to a truce when that particular boy didn’t show his face, a fact that became more worrying as the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament drew nearer. As such, a truce was called, as the three girls began to meet regularly and somewhat bond over the matter of their shared love interest.
As part of their friendship, Fleur had worked to place a ward over the Chamber’s entrance in that girl’s bathroom, in hopes that Harry would trip it upon his return, and the ward just so happened to trigger when the three of them were sitting together in the library.
And that led to where they were now, walking together through the school’s hallways on their way to the second floor girl’s bathroom. One could only hope that they could put aside their differences this one time, to focus on Harry rather than trying to one-up the other, yet Delacour and Greengrass didn’t let up in their competition.
Susan felt a light headache coming on as the two argued.
Fleur threw her hair back. “You take so much pride in your name, even when it offers but a mere pittance compared to House Delacour.”
“With my family’s import and export business, wizengamot seats, and connections, I can offer Harry a lot more than getting on my knees for him at the end of the day, unlike you.” Daphne glared.
“Can you two not argue for once-” Susan tried.
“‘Arry needs much more than some cold woman managing his finances.” Fleur sniffed arrogantly, cutting her off.
“He needs someone who will bring him stability, to manage his estate, political allies, and not bring theatrics.” Greengrass replied coldly. “Him being close with a Veela is already enough of a scandal.”
“He needs a witch with personality, not whatever you are offering!”
They didn’t pause at the entrance, barreling into the bathroom occupied by Moaning Myrtle without regard for anything in their path. However, it was the sight of what greeted them inside that bathroom which made them stop.
Their argument ended in an instant, anger forgotten. The three girls simultaneously freezing in the same moment, bodies stiffening. Their hands hovered over their respective wands, ready to move at the slightest sign of attack.
Harry was there, looking weaker than the three of them had seen him before, his arm hung over his companion for support. And as for the feminine form holding him up…
She was cloaked from head to toe, expression mostly hidden beneath her hood, but her face tilted up to eye the three of them. The sight of those golden irises sent a lance of fear through Susan’s spine, and suddenly she felt like she was a mouse in the shadow of an apex predator. This woman had an aura of danger around her, a foreign sense of strength the likes of which neither her Aunt nor Albus Dumbledore came close to possessing.
Herself, Fleur, and Daphne obviously outnumbered whoever this woman was, but Susan had little doubt in her mind who would win if they came to blows.
The second floor girl’s bathroom was deadly silent in those moments as a standoff occurred, at least until the dangerous woman pushed down her hood.
“Hi!” The woman smiled the brightest smile Susan had ever seen, and one could almost picture an imaginary rainbow behind her in that moment. “It’s nice to meet you all!”
In an instant, the tense atmosphere was shattered, as all three witches took quiet breaths of relief.
“Not so loud, Millicent.” Harry muttered from the girl’s side, signaling he obviously knew her.
“…sorry.”
“Um, it’s nice to meet you.” Susan felt a little awkward. “I’m Susan, and these are…”
“Daphne Greengrass.” The blonde said coldly.
“You may call moi Fleur Delacour.” The French witch sniffed.
“I go by Millicent.” The redhead kept her bright smile, not deterred in the least by the unwelcoming attitude of the two.
Susan noted the similar yet different state of dress of the redhead compared to Melina, being their shared medieval style of clothing. Yet Millicent appeared ready for combat from what she could glimpse, a sheathed sword at her hip hiding underneath her cloak, her hair pulled back as to not get in the way, along with leather straps and boots. Beyond that, she couldn’t see much else of the girl’s attire due to her cloak.
“It’s nice to meet you, Millicent.” Susan eyed the girl, noting her unique golden irises. “I-uh, like your hair.”
“Oooh!” Millicent blushed and idly massaged a loose strand of red hair. “How kind of you! Only Harry has said something so nice about my hair...”
Was it really that easy? Susan suddenly felt like an idiot for thinking the redhead was a threat earlier.
To the side, Harry coughed out a laugh in amusement, while Greengrass and Delacour watched on like hawks.
“You look like shit, Potter.” Daphne said at last. “What happened?”
“A big battle, and a big snake.” He replied, before pausing and looking at his redhead companion. “Did we win by the way?”
“Wait, you fought a battle and don’t even know if you won?”
“Malenia ordered everyone to pull back when Rykard tried to run. You beat him and took his Great Rune, and after that we left the Altus plateau and went on to take Mount Gelmir. Of course, you were unconscious for all of it…” Millicent answered.
“Rykard is one of the demigods, and he merged with this gigantic snake to empower himself.” Harry elaborated before any of them could ask. “I slew him and took his Great Rune, but he fucked me up pretty badly.”
“Meaning you must be more powerful than before.” A fervent look appeared on Daphne’s face for a brief moment.
“But how could you get in such a state, ‘Arry?” Fleur asked in concern. “You are one of ze strongest wizards I’ve witnessed, yet to be unconscious for so long?”
“Rykard managed to get some good hits in.” Was all he said, and going by Millicent’s troubled expression, Susan could only imagine how wounded he truly was from the battle. “Combine that with the shock of claiming another Great Rune, and I’ve been bedridden since.”
There was still time till the third task began, as their off group split up to talk. Harry sat down on a conjured chair while drinking potions out of strange flasks, while Delacour and Greengrass competed over his attention. Meanwhile Susan somehow ended up at Millicent’s side, the two redheads being the most unlikely of pairs.
“The task’s in two hours.” Susan voiced quietly. “Is he going to be alright for it?”
“He will be.” Millicent nodded.
“I’d like to learn your story, but I imagine its a long tale that you don’t want to tell in a bathroom of all places.” She partly joked.
Millicent smiled shyly. “It is a boring one if I’m being honest, mostly me sitting in a church and waiting to die until Harry saved my life.”
She had a feeling there was more to the girl’s story than that. If anything, it contrasted to Delacour and Greengrass’s backgrounds, growing up in rich Manors where the only thing that mattered was beauty and political influence. And while their lives were more difficult than that, there was something real about the redhead in front of her.
“You’re from the Lands Between,” Susan began. “What’s it like there? Harry’s never really explained it properly, not the way that makes sense.”
It was an even bigger headache when herself and Daphne - but mostly Susan alone - had to tell Fleur of how Harry traveled to an alternate magical dimension.
“Vast.” Millicent said without hesitation. “Broken up into pieces from the Shattering and the million other wars and tragedies before it. Beautiful in the worst places and ugly in some of the ones you’d expect to be lovely. Bit like nowhere else you’d imagine, honestly. Hard to describe it right without just taking someone there - or seeing the Erdtree for the first time.”
“I’d like to see it.” She said with little hesitation. “But before we can go there, would you like to see our world? Perhaps a tour of the Hogwarts grounds?”
Millicent beamed. “I’d love to.”
“On that subject.” Daphne suddenly interrupted, causing them to turn. The Slytherin Ice Queen only had the slightest bit of hesitation discernible in her expression. “I found a property suitable for Harry to purchase nearby, that way he can have a… Grace Site placed there to access the Lands Between over the summer.”
“That’s right, I had forgotten about that.” He mused. “Obviously Melina will have to see it first.”
“We’ll make it a girl’s outing then.” Susan came up with the sudden idea. “Us girls here and Melina can make the trip over to see it when the Tournament is done with.”
Disclaimer: All Characters are over the Age of 18