The High Priestess

Arriving home, Cho found herself in the kitchen - she had missed the bathing ritual. What a pity.

Her daughter's welcome told her that Cass' highlights of the day had to do with music. This was a small surprise, until Cho became aware that Cass had heard a guitar and a harp. She looked at Harry. "You were in Paris?"

"Yes - I wanted to talk with Bill and Fleur. Only Bill wasn't at home - he's working overtime to get rid of his backlog."

"A-hem ... So you had a nice little chat with Fleur?"

Harry grinned. "Yes. We discussed the social ethics of non-human races."

"Veela, for instance."

"Very good - but only five points out of ten."

Cho examined her husband, who had quite some fun, which was relieving, in a way, because the picture of him and Fleur alone, with the girls busy playing music ... Then she remembered.

"How was Michel?"

"Guess what? We discussed the idea of putting him into bed, decided against it - "

"A wise decision."

"Yes, wasn't it? Maybe it wasn't quite unanimous, but that's nothing particularly new. At any rate, the second half of our conversation was about the topic I came for."

Non-human races? There was just one possibility. "Goblins."

"Yep. I asked them to talk with Wynor - sub rosa - about the idea to call in the Request for help against the High Priestess."

"That's ..."

Harry looked at Cho questioningly, waiting for her to continue. But this word had already been too much - Cho had sworn to herself not to drag Harry's feet, should the topic of the Request arise.

"Nothing," she said. "Go ahead."

"It was Tony who convinced me that it's not simply a private matter, that this is something global. But still, first I want to hear an unofficial comment from Wynor, and of course I can't ask him by myself ... I hope they'll talk soon."

"C'mon, let's eat."

Cho saw the understanding lighten up in Harry's eyes. With a mouth full of food, it would be a bit simpler to suppress remarks. This - request - wasn't - her - business - period ... Only that her daughter was involved.

In the dining room, Harry asked, "And you? How was your day?"

"Ramon had his first day as the new Bio boss. That reminded me of an idea which came up while we were looking for a new CEO. It was a bit early to discuss it with him, in particular since I wanted to hear your comment first." Cho explained what she had in mind, as a vague concept, without a clear picture of the specific details - bringing the twins and their business together with Biochemicals.

Harry smiled. "You're so Chinese."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious? Business in China, so I'm told, is done in families, in clans - you're trying what you can to establish the same. First Ramon, now the twins."

"Sure - I take care of the men, and ..."

For an instant, Cho felt as though she would have done better biting her tongue, rather than hinting at old stories between Harry and some very successful and very female Groucho contractors. Then, to her surprise, she saw him almost rolling over from laughing.

More relieved than embarrassed, she said, "Hey - let me laugh too."

"... And the women take care of themselves, hehehe ..."

Cho felt her cheeks turning red. The only explanation she could think of - Harry had returned her favour with a hint at the affair between herself and Marie-Christine ... Not a Bio employee, but with Ramon as the linking element ...

Seeing her face, Harry stopped and shook his head. "Sorry, my mistake. I wasn't teasing you - forget it."

Which was impossible, of course - only that pride and embarrassment forbade Cho to dig into Harry what he'd been talking about ... and he knew! The colour in her face kept a moment longer, from anger toward herself, for such a clumsy remark, and toward her husband, for such a clever parry.

---

There was no sense in pride at such a cost - she'd swallow the toad and -

"I met some more people today."

Too late. No doubt - Harry had watched her, probably with more than his eyes, had struck exactly at the right moment. Cho glared at him. "Women who take care of themselves?"

"Well, that's only partly accurate. Anyway, I'd like to invite them, so you can make your own judgement."

"You mean, I'm invited too?"

Harry put the sleeping Cass into a chair, the he came over, sat down next to her, and kissed her. "Yes, indeed."

Beaten, disarmed, and bare of any complaint. "Who is it?"

"I had tea with Tony. It was served by a charming young geisha - her name's Ireen."

"Really?"

"I scared him a bit when I asked whether he'd proposed to her already. She had a bit trouble with Sandy, but only for a moment - you know how our daughter welcomes people of her taste. Then they left together, so Tony and I could talk."

Cho beamed. "That's a wonderful idea - but didn't you want to invite the young folks alone?" Then she grinned. "Or is it the common factor you're aiming at?"

"Erm - no. True, an invitation for them's pending, only - I met them today, and I had the feeling we should wait still a few days - inviting them now, that would, er, force a breakthrough that's supposed to - "

"Breakthrough, huh?" Cho grinned.

Harry kissed her again. "You're a bit single-minded today. As before, you're right, but only partially. I'll tell you - in due time."

It told her enough - for now. Had to be something between this Michael and Rage's friend, Vanessa. Or with one of them, which could only mean Vanessa, for all Cho had witnessed.

Suddenly she realized that her husband's report still felt incomplete. "Then who's the other you want to invite?"

"Laila, the sergeant who - "

"I know who you're talking about! Would it be much surprising to hear she'd come alone? Where did you meet her?"

Shit, shit shit - two questions, asked with a voice like a - er, drill sergeant.

"No, it wouldn't. I met her in the Crusader castle."

"You what??"

"I check it every evening - local time. For that time, I leave Sandy with the young people."

Cho had trouble breathing, hearing this confession.

"It's the only way, Cho. I have to meet her again - alone. Whatever happens, she can't break my will, and I need more information. Maybe it's the same with her - anyway, she wasn't there. Only Laila."

He was probably right, except this thought was frightening her a lot. But not her young Potter - not him; she'd known he wouldn't sit there, hadn't she? Hadn't she?

Then another thought struck her. "What she's been doing there?"

"Throwing coins in the water."

Every now and then, Cho wished her husband would be a bit less direct, a bit less truthful, would answer her questions a bit less literally - right now, for example ... But no, not him. After a second, she had her answer ready.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"These were exactly her own words, too."

"So we have that much in common - great. Why don't you just accept this vote from both sides?"

"For several reasons."

Which Harry didn't bother to specify. Which was quite instructive - suddenly, Cho realized that her husband could be less direct quite well, without abandoning truthfulness - right now, for example.

"What do you have in mind, Harry?"

"To ban a demon." He kissed her again. "This way or the other."

* * *

Sirius Black, head of the Law Enforcement Squad - a special branch of the state police since the union between Muggles and Magicals - pressed the button of his desk-o-mate.

"Yes?"

The desk-o-mate represented Groucho's newest development - the must-have for everyone dealing with lots of people, like managers, sales reps, and cops, with the latter only for illustration purposes because normally for them these toys were too expensive. Unless you had connections.

Basically a phony, the desk-o-mate offered pictures in addition, as well as data of the calling person. These weren't real-time pictures - who wanted to know that the guy at the other end was currently poking between his teeth, or whatever? No, a recorded picture at the left and personal data at the right of the display - age, preferred drink, name of the wife, of the children, of the mistress - just what you needed during the small talk to ask for their doing, to appear like someone with an excellent memory and a personal touch although you couldn't care less.

The picture showed Jessica, Sirius' secretary. "It's Walter Godefroy. Are you here?"

The picture changed to the display of an overweight figure with a reddish complexion and pig's eyes. As ugly as he looked, Walter was a good cop in the Muggle branch and not famous for calling unnecessarily.

"Taking over," replied Sirius and pressed a button.

"Hello, Walter, how's your diet?"

"Doing fine, as far as I know - haven't seen it recently. The same goes for my wife." Walter laughed about his own joke, creating the perfect imitation of an unpleasant asshole.

He could act like that. After a rough start, Sirius and Walter Godefroy had found out that they shared some likes and dislikes in their profession, if not personal style.

"What can I do for you, Walter?"

"Come over. You're faster than the normal channels."

Walter's voice had changed completely. The fat cop with suggestive remarks was gone, replaced by a chief inspector bypassing standard procedure for a reason he considered important enough.

Sirius said, "Give me a hint,"

"She's looking great." The fat chuckle was back.

"Damn, Walter - "

"Behaves like a case for the house with the wadded doors, only she was talking about Voldemort."

"Comin'."

Sirius was guided into a room with a table and some chairs, one of them occupied by a woman. On reflex, he examined the walls: no one-side mirrors, so this woman was no suspect, just someone who had caused attention ... or searched for.

Then he saw her face.

Recovering from the first impact, Sirius said, "Good morning, madam. You've been looking for information about Voldemort?"

The woman took her time to examine him, quite so, as it seemed, although it also seemed like just a second before she spoke.

"People said he lived here in this province. So I came to learn about him."

Province? Was she talking about England? The UK?

"Where did you come from?"

"From the south; I came across the water. You know about Voldemort. Tell me."

For an instant, Sirius felt tempted to reply something like, "Say please." Only it was too impolite, too - improper to this woman. And this room was the wrong place anyway.

"Let's go into my office, madam. There we can talk."

The woman followed him without hesitation, not asking, not smiling, not showing any sign of self-consciousness.

---

In his office, Sirius pointed to a chair. "Please sit down. Some drink? Juice?"

A slight bow. Very graciously.

He filled two glasses. "Yes, I know about Voldemort. But then, this is all public knowledge; why didn't you just enter the next library? Or a newspaper office? If you want - "

"I can't read your language. Is it painful for you to tell me?"

By habit, Sirius had started scribbling on his notepad, creating a mix of meaningless lines together with keywords from the conversation. At her words, he finished Illit, then looked up in surprise.

"Painful? What makes you think so?"

"Voldemort was an evil wizard, so I heard. You - suffered. It is not my intention to make you suffer again."

Now wasn't that gentle? But the cynical thought seemed to die in Sirius' mind before he could finish it.

"No, it's okay - and besides, he's dead."

"I know. I need to know more about his origin and his rise. Also his fall. Such evil in a wizard is an unexpected event."

She had to be crazy, only it seemed unthinkable, looking at her. Was this a stunt? A performance, recorded through a hidden microphone? Sirius examined her again. This strange dress - Deborah would have known better if this was the last fashion. She had a remarkable figure - and then her face, most of all her eyes ... He felt a bit unreal.

"Evil, yes, you can say that twice."

"Why? Is this an incantation?"

"Huh? No, just a figure of speech."

Had to be a stunt, only Sirius wasn't ready to believe it. But if it was, he felt a challenge to uncover it, and still more he felt a desire to be of help, and service. He asked, "What do you know about Voldemort?"

"I met a wizard. He said Voldemort is responsible for the opening between the magical and the other world."

"Really? Who was it?"

"I don't know his name. He said he killed him."

"Harry?"

"So his name is Ha-ry? Other people spoke this name when I asked them about Voldemort. But they knew only how it began. You know more."

"Why ... why didn't you ask him personally?"

"He left before I could ask him more. You will tell me more."

Somewhere inside Sirius, deep suspicion tried to win a fight against this overwhelming longing to do whatever she asked. For a moment, suspicion succeeded. "Did he have a reason to leave?"

The woman looked sad. "What he knew made him come to this conclusion. I did what I thought right, but I failed to prepare myself for this time. Life is more precious now than I expected."

Sirius stared at her, cop's instincts losing a hopeless battle.

She rose and made a step toward his desk. "I spent time to learn about this world. It was difficult; much has changed, but some things do not change. I will not punish you, as you did not wrong. You will tell me all you know, about Voldemort, about Ha-ry. I will reward you - this reward will make you forget, and then you will forget the reward."

Sirius' vision and mind filled with a sensual face, over high breasts under a thin fabric, and eyes that stared at him expectantly and promising.

* * *

Almyra registered the change in her adopted daughter almost immediately. So Rahewa had done a memorizable step toward maturity. Hopefully memorizable.

Probably so, by the look of things.

It reminded her of her own method to get rid of this protective burden. She had been less lucky than her daughter, had been forced to find someone to do her the favour because otherwise, so Almyra's calculation then, she would never have managed to seduce her husband, with him being a teacher and herself a student then. At least it had paid off, that summer trip home to Jamaica.

Not that it had been complicated to find someone there. No more than finding a dentist, and the experience had been comparable, mostly due to lack of emotion. Anyway, summer was a good time for that.

The signs in Rahewa were unmistakable, at least if you, like Almyra, had been waiting for them: a bit more calmness, a bit more self-confidence, the soft glow in her eyes even stronger. And meeting Clemens in the hall, seeing him blush at Almyra's smile, but next second straighten and respond with his own smile.

Rahewa stormed into the living room, where Almyra was sitting. "Ma - Clemens and I, we want to visit Clara. In Munich."

In the beginning, Rahewa had called her Almyra - naturally so, since terms like Mum, Mummy, or mother were set in her memory, and the last Almyra had in mind was challenging this memory. When Rahewa addressed Remus, it was you, or sir, and every now and then a self-conscious Remus.

Then, one day, Rahewa had came storming in, very much like a moment before, and called, "Daddy, I - " Next moment, she'd left the room, her face dark red.

Later that day, Almyra had caught her. "Rahewa, it's okay if you call him Daddy. We were both so pleased - "

"No, it's not - you know why."

Almyra had hugged her. "That's gentle of you. Harry calls his step-mother Ma Weasley - and if he's trying to soothe her, just Ma. What do you think? - Almyra for serious talk, and ..."

The hugging in return had put Almyra's ribs at risk. "But not Ma Lupin - you're too young for that. Thanks, Ma."

Rahewa had no trouble asking for permission. She had no trouble either confronting her self-selected parents with a decision, or with the result of one. This announcement from a second ago seemed neither of both; there was a statement in it, a question, and some nervousness.

There was some nervousness in Almyra herself. "A weekend trip?"

"Er, yes. We ... Yes."

Almyra looked at her daughter. "I ... I just don't know what to say - I always thought, when the day comes, I'd look very experienced and say something clever - "

Rahewa reached her and whispered in her ear, "I love him, Ma. And now I love him still more."

"Of course you do, my dear." Almyra hugged her - and gasped next second. "Ouch - you don't know how strong you are."

A giggle. "I heard that - " Rahewa stopped.

Her daughter's embarrassment was enough to overcome Almyra's own. "Let's sit a moment. I - hope you didn't take me for a coward because I left it to Cho - I mean, telling you all about - er, sex and so."

"You are no coward!"

"Thank you. It was just - it's so much simpler for her, and I thought it was simpler for you as well."

"Yes."

---

Listening to the sound of this answer, Almyra looked up. "Was it really?"

"Yes, sure - I could ask her things, and she told me even more ..."

Hearing the same sound in the longer answer, Almyra asked, "Is there a question you didn't dare ask and she didn't want to address?"

After a moment's silence, Rahewa glanced at her. "Ma, how come people - er, fool around with other people? I can't imagine that I'd ever ..."

After a second, Almyra understood. "It's about loving one and desiring another, right?"

"Yes."

"Of course." Almyra shook her head. "Stupid of me, not to think of that ... Although now, that you - Cho would tell you now, or maybe in a while, but I'm glad that you give me the chance to re-establish my self-esteem."

Rahewa listened unsmiling.

"The sexual attraction is the simple side of things - survival of the race is the strongest motivation that's built into us, stronger than survival of the self, that's why parents die saving their children - well, and if you cut all these long words down to one, it's spelled sex."

Rahewa nodded.

"But it's also the deepest, the most complete way to express your affection. We feel affection for more people - only we're bound by ethics and taboos. They hold - "

Rahewa interrupted her. "That's clear; no sex in the family, because incest diminishes the gene pool. But love - "

"I was coming to that - maybe I'm not quite as fluent in this topic as in Transfiguration." Almyra smiled to take the sharpness out of her remark. "Love is - it's the desire to care, never to hurt, to value the other more than anything else. And for our culture, that's equivalent to abandoning sex with someone else."

She inhaled, fully aware that now came the tricky part. "While for other cultures - did you know that a Japanese bride, who's supposed to keep a virgin until the wedding night, can express her love by bringing a geisha to her loved one?"

"No, I didn't." Rahewa's eyes were widening.

Almyra nodded. "Yes, my dear - you're right. We know someone who's taken over quite a lot of Japanese ethics, and he's married with a Chinese, for whom it's not the same but still different from our western ethics."

Rahewa glanced at her, opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Feeling certain about the question that hadn't come, and never would, Almyra swallowed. "Harry and I - we call ourselves siblings in spirit, and we are, but there's some attraction too, from both sides. But it would hurt Remus, and Cho, and I would feel guilty forever, that's why there won't be anything ever."

Silence.

"It's no reason to worry, dear - all of us know, it's nothing to suffer from, I told you to answer an unspoken question and illustrate what I mean. The only time - do you remember the story of this owl patrol, how I got hit by a harpy? Well, and Harry cured me sufficiently so I could move. It created a kind of intimacy - afterwards, I really had trouble for a while, but since then - "

"Oh my God."

Her daughter no longer looked like a young woman, having mastered the task of a delicate conversation with her mother. When Rahewa didn't continue, Almyra asked, "What's wrong, honey?"

"I ... it's so embarrassing - "

For once, Almyra felt capable of going ahead, felt master of the situation, and this was a great feeling. "Tell me, my dear - it can't be that bad that you won't feel better afterwards."

Hesitantly, Rahewa explained what she had done at a campfire, and how her godfather had reacted. Almost inaudibly, she finished, "That's why - er, I pushed a bit, to make sure ..."

"I can't help thinking it wasn't the only reason." Gently, Almyra shook a weak shoulder. "Nobody knows better than Harry how it is to - to grow up. Next time you see him you'll say, I'm sorry, and he'll say, it's okay. And now let's talk about this weekend - is it just for fun or is there something about Clara's plans?"

Rahewa's face lighted up. "Both - Clemens thinks she's basically ready, and he wants to come with a suggestion how to do it. We'd like to do it here, and he thought - if Clara could stay at Hogwarts a bit longer ..."

"Sounds reasonable." Almyra became aware that such a plan implied some logistics. "Did he talk with Hermione?"

"Yes, but ..."

Of course - Clemens was no teacher, no student either, a guest of a somewhat unclear state, and probably very reluctant to ask for resources. After a second's thinking, Almyra said, "What if we invited her as our nominal guest? Remus and I, that is - look for a guest room, and talk with Albus, maybe with some teachers so she can join some classes?"

"That'd be great, Ma."

"Then we'll do that. Please tell her, she's welcome, we look forward to meeting her, and still more to saying hello to the youngest witch around. The cure - when she's going to take it, maybe it'd be a good idea to have help ready, just in case."

Rahewa nodded. "Of course - Harry and Sandy. That's no question." She looked up. "But please don't talk with Harry about that; Clemens wants to ask him personally and he'd be very upset if someone else did before. On the other hand, he didn't want to ask before he knows for sure that Clara is going to do it."

"That's understood." Almyra felt quite satisfied with the prospect of this particular young man as the one at her daughter's side, for a while or for a lifetime. Future would tell.

Then she remembered the last hidden message in Rahewa's announcement. "Do you need money, dear? Munich's quite expensive, I heard."

* * *

Harry had considered the pros and cons for some time. Finally, he had come to his decision - to appear alone, because he alone was the Ambassador, however to have his daughter within reach, as well as his snake.

So one was sitting on the other, in an ante-room, accompanied by Rahewa, who seemed glad doing Harry this favour, glad also to miss some afternoon classes, and certainly full of hope it wouldn't take that long.

Harry shared her hope, sitting here in this room which bore little resemblance with a courtroom, little resemblance also with the large hall he'd seen once when Dumbledore had taken him on a memory journey to the Wizard Council. The Goblins Council consisted of less than a dozen figures, like Harry himself seated around a ring-shaped table. There was no top, no bottom, none of the levels and hierarchies even the most unremarkable district judge could not live without.

Which meant, each member of the round had the same rights, and the same responsibility.

Harry had recognized Wynor instantly, feeling little surprise to see him here. Another known face was that of Modragh Moroney, his old - well, friend would fit best. Altogether, it seemed as though Goblins formed rounds like this one according to actual needs, rather than by assigned ranks.

The others - there were no name tags, Harry didn't know their names, they would have told him nothing anyway. He was here to speak, and they were here to listen - for Goblins, this was all that mattered.

Mr Moroney was apparently designated as their spokesperson, no doubt a gesture of politeness. The Gringotts Goblin gave him a brief smile.

"Ambassador, please speak."

Harry suppressed an impulse to stand up. Moroney had told him in advance, what counted as a respectful gesture in a human meeting was considered pretentious here.

"High Council," he began, "the magical world recently suffered from a mysterious epidemic. It stopped a short while ago, after having caused casualties among wizards and witches, while not Goblins. It stopped - but it is not over yet, as I will explain. I have reason to believe that these events were just the beginning, and that the entire world is at stake, in particular our relationships with the Muggle world."

The reaction so far was zero. Goblins didn't look expectant, and they certainly could listen without wasting useless remarks like, "Hear! Hear!"

"It started in my family, simply by coincidence, for all I know ..." He quickly summarized the events until their trip to the Crusader castle, then said, "At this occasion, I asked Urion the Unflinching for company. So he's a witness. If this Council agrees, I'll call him to report the event by himself."

"Please do so, Ambassador."

What was no court had no ushers either. Harry walked to the door and found his Goblin friend busy exchanging nosebumps with Sandra. "Urion?"

Listening to the colonel's short report, once more Harry was reminded that his knowledge of the Goblin language was embarrassingly limited. Sure - had there been a fairy course for this language, too, he'd booked it long before. But no, hard work was the only method. Well, he still had some years before reaching the age at which Dumbledore had mastered it.

Urion finished. Nobody asked him a question - perhaps because he was Urion, perhaps this would have been grossly impolite to the Ambassador. Harry saw one Goblin give a short sign to Urion, who found an empty seat and sat down.

Had this been the big boss?

Harry continued, "In the course of the subsequent activities to find a cure for the wizard fever, I met the unknown power personally. It is a person who calls herself the High Priestess." He described his encounter, then said, "After considering all facts, I came to the conclusion that this power can affect all of us, that it has great importance for all races, magical or not. Therefore, I am here to claim the following request."

Harry inhaled. "The coexistence of the magical and the non-magical world is facing a situation of unknown consequences. I ask the Goblin community to help evaluating the pending threat, and to do what is possible, or required, to come to terms with this mysterious power."

Harry leaned back and waited.

---

"Ambassador, where do you see the Goblin community directly involved?

Yes, that had to be the big guy, short as he was.

"Nowhere, Honourable. Goblins might be directly involved after the wizards, but I doubt it. The involvement can be seen from a market perspective - assuming that the Goblins are interested in playing the leading role as merchants for, and between, the magical and the non-magical world. This is even more a prospect as it was this approach which has ended bloody wars between the Goblin and the wizarding world."

"What should be our initial strategy, Ambassador, if this approach is suitable?"

Harry wouldn't hear a yes today, not a no either. But this question - there was little doubt about the outcome.

"To find the High Priestess," he answered, "and to talk with her. I'm in search of her myself - without my daughter, that is. We just don't know enough. Gathering information is the only way I can see."

Probably after another sign Harry hadn't registered, Mr Moroney spoke. "Your claim is understood, Ambassador. We thank you for your explanations."

Harry rose and bowed. "High Council, good evening."

Outside, Rahewa looked surprised. "Already done?"

"Yes. They don't make much fuss - and if there's some consultation, then of course without me. But it looks promising."

Rahewa came up. "Super."

"Say, would a Caribbean Crown be something to hold you still a few minutes off Hogwarts?"

"What's that?"

"A cup of ice-cream and more - although, for Sandy, we need something else, she's a bit young for liquor."

Yes, Rahewa had time for that, and a better idea for Sandy's treat. Inspecting the display at the card, she said, "Order the same for her - to the outside, I mean, otherwise you're in trouble."

The waitress' expression made clear what she thought about such a large cup for such a little girl. "We have a children's cup, sir, vanilla and - "

"No thanks." Harry grinned, pointing at Sandra. "There's more to her than meets the eye. And if she really can't manage, the snake will."

The woman snorted and left.

Rahewa giggled. "It's always the same - you say the truth, and people feel mucked around."

"Funny, isn't it?"

Rahewa's giggling stopped. She looked at the table. "Harry, I'm sorry about - "

Before she could come further, Harry said, "You've changed from a cheeky little minx to a woman, and that's no reason to feel sorry. Unless I'm badly mistaken."

Rahewa glanced up, showing a flushed smile. "No, you're not. I ... I know that you're not mad at me, for what I said. But I broke the codex."

Harry nodded. "Do you remember how you broke it the last time? When Kenzo sent you off?"

For an instant, Rahewa looked as though he'd insulted her, assuming she could have forgotten how he'd helped her by taking the same aikido detention. Then she noticed his unsmiling face, and that his question was as formal as the broken codex.

"Yes."

"Now - "

Harry was interrupted by the waitress, who arrived ath their table with three Caribbean Crowns, one of them marked by a tiny parasol.

Without glancing over, Harry knew that the woman had stopped in some distance and now watched in disbelief how Sandra's cup was emptying quickly, although the spoon wasn't moved once. He grinned. "Don't look now, but - the waitress can't trust her eyes."

Of course Rahewa had to peek, and to chuckle.

"Would you agree when I say that the result of your mistake then was the beginning of the real communication between the two of us?"

Rahewa stared at him. "I didn't look at it that way, but - yes, that's true."

"Would you also agree that what happened some days ago is the basis for us discussing things we didn't discuss before?"

"Yes, although the one and the other - " Rahewa stopped. "Yes."

"Well, then. There's no need to hurry with those discussions, and maybe I'm not in a hurry to discuss Laila with you, but the male and the female perspective can't be the same, and someone - er, positively neutral but from the other sex, like Fleur for me, that's sometimes helpful."

"Yes. I had a talk with Almyra, and - some day, I'll come back to your offer."

"Okay."

"And what about my detention?"

Harry laughed. "You won't give it a rest, would you?"

"No - it's like an omen, and it's still a breach of the codex."

Harry thought for a moment. "All right then, here's my verdict: one of the next days, at an evening of your choice, you will tell Clemens that you have something else to do. Then you will grab Vanessa and go with her to a quiet place - talking."

"That's all?"

"Well, listening would be helpful, too."

"You know what - " Rahewa interrupted herself. "Yes I will." Then she bowed. "You've enlightened me, sensei."

Harry bowed in return. "The teacher is a student himself." Less solemn, he added, "And if you don't hurry with your cup, Sandy's going to take care of it - that'd be a bit much."

* * *

She knew from the start that it wouldn't work. Only she didn't know any better, being a sergeant in an army famous for standing their point, and even such a visit offered a way of being close to him ... if nothing else.

The travel was hardly suited to improve Laila's self-esteem. Harry offered a summoning, which finally would tell them whether she'd be as seasick as this Tony afterwards. Alternatively, he offered a summoning with stunning.

"I'm scared enough," said Laila. "I don't need the additional thrill of my own vomit. Please knock - er, stun me."

Awakening in front of the house, she looked around, not feeling much difference. California and Israel - the same merciless sun, only the buildings had obviously consumed a bit more money - like this one, for example.

Then came the hard part - stepping inside.

"Hello, Laila. I was so looking forward to meeting you. Harry didn't tell me much, but Almyra had a lot to say - of course, she saw you only in army dress. Come in."

This woman - breathtaking, that was the only appropriate term, Chinese and breathtaking. And the dress she wore ... Laila had thought about her own dress no more than fifteen hours a day, finally decided for something simple, cream-coloured slacks and a white T-shirt, trying to keep in mind that here in California it would be afternoon when she arrived. While Cho wore one of these Chinese dresses, narrow and long, with slits, not bothering with a bra, which for Laila herself was no good idea.

When Harry was out of earshot, Cho turned and looked her in the eyes. "You're as attractive as Almyra said. This face and this skin - what combination is it?"

"Russian father, and Jemenite mother."

"I'm just Chinese. Let me introduce you to the other guests - we've got quite a few races together."

Other guests?

It came as a pleasant surprise, and a relief. There was Urion, the Goblin with whom she'd performed a wrestling contest about her Uzi. Then there was Tony, with a girlfriend, apparently Japanese, apparently new, and obviously quite in love with each other.

"Lai-la!"

She felt her frustration melt; it was impossible to keep a bad mood when being welcomed by this girl, still more overwhelming than her mother ... her parents, to be precise.

After a while, Laila stopped waiting for harsh remarks from Cho. They didn't come. Yes, Cho examined her, but it was no test, no waiting for the first lapse either. And Sandy was a great help - she could play with her and talk with her, truly relaxed under the eyes of the girl's mother.

Once Laila said, "I met her as Sandy, while you call her Cass - it's a bit, well, not confusing, just - "

"Disquieting because you don't know which party to take." Cho grinned. "Rahewa calls her Little Dragon. Take your own pick, Laila, that's only between you and her."

Laila held the eye-contact for a moment, reading the message - It has nothing to do with me and Harry, and besides, what's the sense in pretending? Then she bent down to the girl.

"In this case, I'll call you Snaky-pie, because that's what you are, a little pie with a snake around."

The girl looked delighted, and her mother's grin turned to a warm smile. "How beautiful. It's a pleasure to watch you ... with the girl."

Laila tried to decipher this message, but gave up.

In a sense, Harry had been right. Laila felt no intention to hurt this woman, who appeared as pleasant as her husband, who was Sandra's mother, who could so admirably fight a campfire with a firestorm. Only ... it didn't help her much.

Then Urion said goodbye. Shortly afterwards, Tony and Ireen left.

Close to a panic, Laila looked around, trying to signal as clearly as she could that she wanted to leave, if only Harry would come to ship her home. Except that said Harry fetched his daughter with the words, "C'mon, my little devil, time for a bathing," and disappeared.

---

"You look like someone who just missed the bus." Cho's hand took Laila's own. "But you aren't. Come, let's talk a bit." The hand, obviously stronger than it looked, pulled her to a sofa.

"Sit down, please."

Cho filled two glasses from a bottle Laila recognized instantly. Passing over a tumbler, Cho said, "Now calm down and take it like a woman. All I have in mind is eating you alive ... Cheers."

With some relief, Laila recognized that Cho didn't mind a large gulp. She followed her example, relaxing under the soft glow in her throat.

"Harry isn't much of a drinker. He had a bad start with alcohol, and since then he can do without." Cho grinned. "Maybe he'll tell you some day."

Pretty unlikely. Laila knew already that this had to be the last time they'd see each other.

"Do you know why Almyra was so impressed with you?"

"Huh?"

"Al's a fighter, only she's scared of her own courage, that's why she always pretends to be a scientist. While you - you're a fighter who isn't scared, and all you have is a gun."

Laila protested, "Who said I'm not scared? Of course I am."

"Do I scare you?"

"Er - no. I thought I was, but it was just the situation."

Not getting a reply, Laila added, "You're ... First I hoped I could dislike you, but I can't. Then I hoped knowing you would stop me from - " Unable to continue, she shook her head and kept her eyes closed.

"Why do you desire him that much?"

Laila opened her eyes again, had to blink before she could see clearly.

"Why? For many reasons. If it was just because he's handsome and gentle, then ... but he's the toughest fighter I know - I never saw him actually fight, only trying to avoid a fight, and clean up the mess after a shooting, but watching that was enough. And he has magic. It's stupid, I know, but if I can't have magic for myself, if being close to a magician is the best that's in store for me ... But the worst, the part I can't handle - when he treated me, first with this mind dope and then with the scar, together with Sandy - it opened a void that's burning to be filled. With Sandy - I can cuddle her, and cuddle her - "

"And with Harry, you can't?"

"Cuddling maybe, but ..." Laila snorted.

"Who said so?"

"Wha - "

"Remember what he said? He's not going to hurt me, and that means not doing something against my will, or without my agreement. That's what he said. And I say, let's give it a try ... together."

---

Laila stared. "Now you've scared me."

"Only scared?"

Cho's fingers touched her forehead, then trailed her eyes, cheeks, and throat.

After the first seconds of staring in disbelief, Laila had closed her eyes again. She felt the soft touch moving further, reaching her breasts, resting for a moment at her nipples, while she had trouble breathing.

"Come with me." A hand grabbed her own.

Drained of all power, Laila followed Cho through the floors into a large bedroom.

Cho stopped and turned. Then she went on tiptoe and kissed her lightly on the mouth. "Harry will need still a few minutes with Cass. We have time enough to use the bathroom and to undress - each other, I'd suggest." Cho pointed to a door. "You'll find a new toothbrush at the left side."

Laila suppressed a trembling. "Does he ... will he ..."

"Know what to expect? All right, let me explain a bit more."

Cho motioned her to sit down at the bedside.

"He didn't come and say, there's someone interesting for a threesome. I wouldn't say it's a habit of ours, but we did it in the past, with someone close to both of us. It may last a night, or a month, or whatever; we don't know in advance. When he invited you, I already had a feeling, and when I saw you, I knew what he meant."

"But ... are we close to each other?"

Cho smiled. "We aren't familiar to each other, that's true, but familiar and close isn't the same. I saw you with Cass, I heard Al talk about you, I know what Harry thinks about you. And the thought of being with you arouses me - Harry knows my taste." Cho smiled. "And you?"

"I never did that before - I'm still ..." Laila had no idea how to finish the sentence without jeopardizing anything.

"I promise you - we'll do nothing fancy, and we'll take our time - if you say stop, the game's over. But for all I can see and feel, it's not disagreeable for you."

"No, it's not. Just ..."

Cho's mouth went to her ear and whispered, "Just for your orientation - first it'll be you and Harry. From then on, we'll do it playing by ear."

Cho rose. "I'm going to use the bathroom across. Please wait for me before undressing."

---

In the bathroom, Laila looked into the mirror and checked her face. Her eyes had an expression as if she was facing a battle. Between her legs, though, it felt differently.

Cho was waiting for her outside. Seeing Laila's face, Cho said, "For me, undressing you is like unwrapping a present from Harry, and still more, it's detecting you - only you look as if I'm the nurse, and this is an OP." She smiled. "Maybe that's a bad example - I heard you have some pleasant memories of an operation. Do you want to do it yourself?"

Laila exhaled. "No, it's just nervousness ... You know, I had sex with a woman - in the army, in ground training."

Cho worked at her shoes. "How was it for you?"

"It was forbidden, it was a kind of sport, it was sex - and we knew how to satisfy each other."

Cho laughed softly. "Sounds like the description of the food in the canteen. I think I'll score better - which doesn't mean I'm competing against Harry ... Now imagine this is China here. I'm a concubine, preparing you for him - that's pretty much what I'm doing."

Laila could imagine that easily, in particular since Cho suddenly seemed to disappear behind this mask, silent, bowing, looking under herself - only her hands weren't quite as obedient, stroking her more than necessary.

Laila had her eyes closed, but opened them quickly, gasping, when she felt a finger probing her exactly where the tingling was growing and growing.

Cho rattled something - apparently Chinese.

"What was that?"

"Elder sister is quite aroused. I feel honoured." Cho's voice changed to normal. "Would you open the zip in my back?"

Laila found it and pulled it down. When Cho didn't move, she started to pull the wonderful garment down. Feeling the soft breasts, smaller than her own, she lost her embarrassment, still more when she felt the nipples stiffening under her fingers.

Then she realized that they were standing in front of a large mirror, and that Cho's eyes were closed. Stroking over breasts, belly, and downward, Laila murmured, "You're the sweetest dessert I ever saw."

Losing the last hesitation, she moved Cho's legs apart, eager to explore her further, finding her ripe and juicy.

Cho gasped, responding with a thrust against her hand.

A thrill went through Laila's spine. Seeing this beautiful puppet twist and moan under her hands sent her pulse up.

There was a knock at the door.

Laila froze, but Cho sensed it at once and reacted instantly. "Come under the cover." A moment later, Cho called, "Come in."

Harry was still fully dressed, only barefoot. He smiled. "Sandy was delighted to hear that Laila will be with us at breakfast." Looking into two faces, he asked, "Do I get a little encouragement for my strip?"

Cho moved the cover downward, enough to expose four breasts, in pairs of different size and colour.

---

Laila watched Harry undress. Seeing his fingers work unhurriedly at buttons, seeing his eyes rest on her, she felt calmness, her body too heavy to move, her mind filled with happy expectation.

He stripped down his pants and released a member that was growing visibly. Then he came around and climbed under the cover, but next moment moved it further downward until her belly was exposed. Resting on an arm, he inspected her body.

"You're magnificent, Laila. Beautiful. Strong. Inside and outside."

He kissed her.

For a while, she felt hands, mouths, eyes exploring her body, without haste, probing here and there, testing her reaction. When she tried to return some caressing, a voice at her ear said, "No - you'll get your turn. Just enjoy it."

She did, feeling her arousal grow, until her body seemed to cry for fulfillment. "Please ... Please come."

Hands took her arms, legs, for a moment holding her spread-eagled. Then Harry moved between her legs and lifting them up while Cho held her arms.

She felt his touch, dipping, pausing, then filling her entirely. Next moment, his weight was on her, pressing her breasts, and her arms were free to embrace him.

Looking up, she saw Cho's face, flushed and full of expectation. Then she concentrated all her senses on him.

With his first hard thrust, she lost all orientation and all control in a single moan. This was what she'd dreamed of, this state of ecstasy and completion.

Seconds later, she arched up, crying out in her orgasm, but was pressed down instantly by his weight again. When her fingers clawed into his back, she felt them pulled off, caught by strong hands.

Helpless, buried under two inflamed bodies, she watched him nail her down again and again, getting faster, her own gasping and groaning accentuating his rhythm.

Then he stopped, his body tense, only the part inside her twitching, Harry's mouth at her ear issuing choked moans. She closed her eyes, savouring this moment forever.

After some time, Laila felt his weight lifted from her. Opening her eyes, she saw his face come down for another kiss. "The afterplay's a bit short in this grouping."

Startled, she came up to look at Cho. "I'm sorry - for a moment, I was completely off."

"Never mind - in particular since I'm going to change that now."

"No - please let me ... I was so egoistic."

"What makes you think it's only your pleasure I have in mind?"

"Nothing, but ..." Laila came up, caught her, fixing Cho's arms at her back, her own free arm between Cho's legs, lifting her. "It's a while since I played with a puppet, and I never had one that was so inviting to let her twist and say ahh."

Cho's protest died, making room for a total abandonment to this new experience.

Playing with this puppet was an incredible game, with Harry partly watching, partly helping.

"And now let me find out how this puppet tastes." Laila knelt between trembling legs, holding them in a tight grip. She saw Harry block Cho's arms, then she bent down to drive Cho into madness.

When she felt the body in front of her go tense, Laila quickly released her grip around the thighs and brought her hands inside. One of them spread the object of her caressing until moments ago, while the other hand kept alternating between a stroke and a gentle slap, until Cho's tortured groan told her to stop.

Laila looked at her puppet, feeling like never before.

Having found some breath, Cho said, "That was ... come here."

Laila bent down. She felt Cho's arms take her shoulders and Cho's legs crossing around her flanks. Next moment, hands gripped her own thighs, spread her own opening, to release as soon as a welcome guest had found its path.

Cho smiled. "Favour for favour." Then she took Laila's head, pressed it toward her beautiful breasts while Harry guided Laila uphill to another peak.

But not himself, obviously. Laila felt him withdraw moments later, caught the idea, and moved up to lay down at Cho's side. Grabbing her, she moved the slender body onto her own and pressed the beautiful face into her own breasts.

"Favour for favour," she whispered, then looked at Harry. "Ready?"

Watching, feeling the rhythm of one body and the response from the other, Laila felt peace in her mind, happiness in her soul while the two were together reaching what they called the clouds and the rain, as she learned afterwards.

Curled under the cover, with Harry in the middle, Laila murmured, "And when I arrived here ..."

Sleep caught her before she could finish the sentence.

* * *

Cho watched the sleeping face. Then she put a finger at this delicately-shaped lips.

Laila came awake, slowly at first. Then her eyes widened, she issued a gasp, and Cho felt her go tense. An instant later, Laila relaxed, although still looking uncertain.

Cho bent forward and placed a light kiss on these lips. "Did I scare you?"

"Er - it took me a second ..."

"Can only be the jet lag; I wouldn't know another reason." Cho laughed. "I should warn you right away, there are people saying I could cut paper with my tongue."

Laila, a bit more awake, said, "I'm a sergeant; I think I can balance out."

Cho smiled. "Of course it's not true what people say - I'm going to prove it to you ..."

Satisfied at seeing the effect of her words in Laila's expression, Cho added, "But not now. I'm supposed to call you for breakfast."

"Er - can I shower first?"

"That might be a good idea, before two people confuse you with the food."

When Laila still hesitated, Cho stood up. "Okay then - maybe I'm pushing you too fast ... We're downstairs."

Sitting at the breakfast table, some minutes later Cho saw Laila enter the room and look around. "Where ..."

"Cass couldn't wait; she wanted to swim. That means Tony's pool - it's up to us whether we follow or have a leisurely Sunday morning, or what's left of it."

From the look in her face, both prospects seemed to Laila like the choice between a rock and a hard place. So Cho said, "Sit down, dug in, and let me explain a few things."

With satisfaction, she watched as simple hunger took command in the woman.

"Okay, then. First of all - as far as we're concerned, this wasn't a one-night stand we'd like to forget quickly. Neither the one, nor the other."

For a second, Laila stopped chewing, then continued, slower than before.

"We don't offer a role in this household either. It's just - we see each other again, occasionally. As a special event - something like that."

"I'm ... Go ahead."

"Each of us can ask, and each of us can say no; that's the basis. We don't keep dark secrets from our friends, and we don't boast around either. Tony's pool, for example - I could understand if that comes a bit early for you."

"Well ..."

"What I'm trying to say - nobody here has reason to feel ashamed, or to pretend. Not that we have a knack for exhibitionism ..."

Laila grinned.

"... by the way, there are two more rules. No solo turns, and no fun while Cass is awake - she's taking part too much."

"Really?"

"Yes, unfortunately so. Sometimes it's a real nuisance ..."

More relaxed than before, Laila chuckled.

"... and I have to admit that I'm the one who worries - Harry thinks it wouldn't hurt, but I feel just too restricted."

"I can imagine."

"But Cass needs her afternoon sleep, if you can follow me."

Laila could, apparently breathless for a moment.

"Well, that's all. Did I mention that I like to chat? Just so - I mean, there's a limit for everything, after all."

"Sounds promising - very much so ... I'm trying to find the snag."

"You mean it's too good to be true?

Laila seemed to select her words carefully. "In the army - and before, too, I've learned that you pay dearly for any short period of happiness. I can live with that - I just want to know what to expect."

"Maybe you paid already."

"With what? With that bullet? You're joking, a short moment of pain and then ... No, certainly not."

---

Cho poured more tea. "How's life in the army?"

What the woman told her made it clear that Laila was close to her limits, on the brink of something drastic. The problem wasn't the army and its regulations, not the unpleasantries of stupid drill, nor the risks of real combat. It was the situation.

"Look at the six-days war," explained Laila. "At that time, we knew what we did, fighting for our life and defending our territory. We - that's good, ha, I wasn't even born then. But today ... They bomb a schoolbus with twenty kids, and all you can think is get them, get them - and then we come with the choppers and kill three kids and an old woman here, five kids and an old man there ... We can only lose this war - when we've shot the last Palestenian, we'll look into a mirror, and then ..."

Cho didn't know what to say.

"I thought about joining some special Squad, to have a chance fighting the real terrorists. But the way they use women - I wanted to kill them, not to ... Maybe I'm not idealistic enough."

"Maybe it's just the opposite."

"Yeah, could be. When I heard about your fights against those dark wizards - I was so envious! What's evil in a Palestenian? They were there before we came. Maybe I should travel back in time and fight the Nazis, or the Romans, or the Egyptians." Laila looked at Cho. "You were involved too, right?"

"What did you hear?"

"Not much" - Laila grinned - "but maybe I just filtered out everything that wasn't related to Harry." She looked expectant.

Cho said, "I fought in the Battle of Hogwarts - I was in the Flying Squad. I killed a man then, you might have called him Voldemort's number two."

"Really? Great." Laila looked admiring. "And in the final battle?"

"I was there, but not as part of the fighting troops."

Laila was waiting for more, then seemed to realize that there wouldn't be more, and maybe also why. After a moment, Cho said, "That's a story for another day - if you want, I'll tell you how the Squad was formed and how Harry spent a fortune to get us better equipped."

"A fortune? I thought - "

"Not his own money." Cho grinned at the memory. "Or maybe yes, in a sense - do you know what a Goblin Request is?"

Cho was about to finish the story of Harry's patrol exam when a hot rush in her mind told her that husband and daughter were back from swimming.

Then she could watch Laila blush again, because first Harry kissed her and then Sandra occupied her full attention.

A while later, Sandra found the time right for some food - not necessarily lunch, since the name didn't matter much as long as it was rice pudding with turkey. This settled, the girl went sleepy, and Harry took her to bed.

Cho said, "Normally that's my job at weekends. Today's an exception - although, at closer inspection, what's the difference?"

"Huh?"

"Rather than taking a little girl to bed ..." Cho walked over. "You're sweet, looking that way. Don't think that's our - er, standard quota, but what's the sense of guests if not for a break in the routine?"

Without the frenzy of the previous evening, this afternoon became a long, leisurely play, heating up only toward the end, with changing teams sticking to the same simple pattern - the one in the middle wasn't supposed to move while the other two were allowed everything, up to some level whose exact specification remained subject to discussions. Invariably, at some point, the one in the middle stopped arguing, maybe for sheer need of breath.

Laila wanted to leave early - for her, the night would be eight hours shorter. She was watching plates and dishes appear for an afternoon meal, her eyes gleaming in pleasure, when Cho heard Harry's phony buzz.

"Hello, Sirius, how are you? ... In the office? What are you ... And Deborah? ... Oh, I see ... Notes? What notes?"

Harry's smile faded - completely.

"I think I have an idea what it means - wait a second, Sirius, I'm comin' over."

Harry looked up. "There's something strange in Sirius' office. I'm going to have a look. Don't wait for me if you want to start eating."

Next instant, his seat was empty.