Intimacy

28th September 1997- Sunday

One week later, Harry was once again sat on his window seat, observing as the clouds drifted by in the greying sky, dulling his once bright garden with a dreary shroud. It was beginning to grow colder outside, now that summer had come to a close and Autumn had begun, signing that he was nowadays less inclined to accept invites for outdoor tea or to socialise at all, leaving him more bored than usual.

As he had his rank elevated recently, in such a short amount of time compared to others, showing that he had the Emperor's interest, the others were less likely to retaliate to his refusals. That is, if they were of a lower rank than him, but as of yet, only one of the higher ranking concubines, Regulus, had invited him for tea. It was slow progress to the next title than he would have liked, but much faster than he had actually expected. Still, he wasn't powerful enough yet. Still, days, when he wasn't included due to his rank, were more common than he would like.

"Is the gift ready to be sent, Anya?"

Anya, who had been preoccupied with fluffing up the pillows on the setee, turned towards him with a shallow bow, a pillow still in her hands. "Yes, Master. It's wrapped as you ordered. Shall I head to the celebration to deliver it now?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, It's best if you drop it off early before the First Prince arrives. I can't be accused of attempting to curry favour with him, then." As if he'd actually try something like that with a seven-year-old. He was much more inclined to get the elder siblings, who were older or around his age, to like him first. Hopefully, the rest of the royal children would follow suit after that. If they didn't, well, it was his majesty's favour that mattered the most anyway.

"I will go promptly, and leave you in the other's care."

Today was the First Prince's 7th birthday, a big deal in the Wizarding world, and for the Empire as a whole. A child's 7th birthday is synonymous with the sudden exponential growth of their magic, whilst their 11th is the stabilisation of that influx of magic. Therefore, it being the Prince's day of magical growth meant it was to be even more celebrated than the usual birthday.

However, Harry, nor those below the rank of Concubine, were invited to his birthday celebration. His mother, the late Noble Consort Evangeline, wished for him to be as far away from his father's harem as possible, and therefore stated that those who weren't legally married to the Emperor couldn't approach him, as he was a Prince. As the vast majority of harem inhabitants were usually in the lower ranks, eighteen out of twenty-five in his Majesties, this kept her only son and the probable heir to the throne safe from most machinations.

Instead, Harry had decided to send along a present to the young Prince, even though it had a high probability of being thrown away by those more suspicious of his escorts.

Harry sighed, turning away from the window to collapse on one of the armchairs instead, picking a book off of the shelf at random to begin reading. 

'The Basics to Healing Magic'

Life was so boring nowadays.

30th September 1997- Tuesday

After lunch on Tuesday, with no prior engagements, Harry decided to take a short walk, if only to alleviate the boredom he was feeling from his monotone routine.

Wake up. Have breakfast. Get ready. Attend the meeting. Possibly have tea. Lunch. Reading. Dinner. Sleep. Repeat.

The weather was perfect for a short stroll, although a little cold, and Anya had assured him that he'd have a hot bath awaiting him on his return to the Palace. Therefore, he was in quite a content mood, happy to close his eyes and hum softly as he walked through the streets. The Court was still rather quiet, the lack of children meaning that quite a few of their maids and Eunuchs were off until they came back (excluding their primary maids, of course, who were either with them at Hogwarts, or taking care of their rooms until they arrived back for Christmas).

It was when he was still humming quietly to himself that Harry turned around the next corner and spotted the Emperor leaving his gardens, a serene expression on his face. There were no guards or even Eunuchs surrounding him, but the Emperor was deadly enough in his own right that the presence of guards was merely for show. Therefore, It was easy for him to spot Harry without the usual traffic, as the only other person in the area, and his lips twitched upwards as he began walking toward him.

As the Emperor approached him, Harry bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty, greetings." Why did he and the Emperor always seem to bump into each other like this?

The man stared down at him and flippantly waved his hand for Harry to straighten himself. "Greetings, my Noble. How are you today?" He looked as handsome as ever, dressed in dark robes with silver and green accents, and small accessories adorning his hair that glinted in the sunlight.

"I am well, and your majesty?"

He smiled impishly, obviously thinking back to a recent situation that had caused him such joy. "Well." They stood in silence for a few moments, Harry beginning to shift uncomfortably underneath the Emperor's direct gaze, who didn't seem to be carrying on with his walk in the meantime. The man cleared his throat, drawing himself up taller, red eyes flashing with emotion. "Say, may I ask a favour of you?"

With a raised eyebrow, Harry, too, squared his shoulders. "Whatever you wish, your Majesty."

"Then, would you give me a kiss?"

"...What?"

A kiss? The Emperor...surely not, he must have misheard him-

"A kiss, my Noble. Surely, you've experienced one before?" There was a lilting tone in that voice now, teasing as well as demanding, and so very smooth.

Harry flushed. "Ah, um..."

The Emperor paused, eyebrows drawing together in mock thought. "You have not?" Harry nodded his head, too embarrassed to speak. The Emperor grinned. "Even better, then this shall be your first."

He leaned down, a smug smile still marring his features, and Harry was drawn to him like he was a magnet. He arched further into his hold, and tilted his head up, waiting-

"Your Majesty!"

The Emperor stopped in his advance, and Harry threw his head back, his neck protesting the sudden movement as he turned towards the person approaching them. "Concubine Felix." The man replied monotonously, his arm still wrapped around Harry's waist like a bar of steel, preventing him from escaping as he wished to.

Harry flushed under the scrutiny of the Concubine, who was merely watching him with a blank expression. "You had promised to come and watch me paint. I have been waiting for you to arrive for a little while now. Are you going to make me wait any longer?" He drawled.

With a sharp laugh, the Emperor responded. "Surely, as the Emperor, I am entitled to some lenience. I am a busy man."

"Yes, very busy, it seems." He hummed, still staring at Harry. "Are you coming, then? Or are you too...preoccupied." 

"Yes, my Concubine, I will come." With a brief brush of his lips to Harry's cheek, the Emperor released him from his hold and began walking away with the Concubine, a metre of distance between them.

Harry stood watching their retreating forms for a minute, his mouth slightly open. With a deep blush marring his features, from a mixture of embarrassment and anger, Harry marched back to his palace with his heart slightly aching and mind spinning with millions of thoughts.

1st October 1997- Wednesday

On the first day of October fell another meeting where the rankings would change. Most, including Harry, were expecting Bellatrix to arrive all smiles due to being able to flaunt the news that she was being promoted to Noble Consort, a title that would afford her even more power than she already had. However, that was not the case.

Bellatrix never arrived in the hall, and instead, Consort Isla sat in her usual seat and read out his majesty's decree. "His Majesty congratulates Consort Bellatrix on the birth of their child, although as she is already the highest ranked Consort, she has no one to rank above. Therefore, he has bestowed upon her the auspicious title of Honoured Mother."

There was tittering from the lines of concubines, emboldened by the absence of the Primary Consort. "Was the birth of her daughter not enough to push her up to the rank of Noble Consort, Sister?" Concubine Patricia asked snidely, gaining a glare from Regulus.

Isla looked heavily smug and amused as she responded, dark eyes twinkling with enjoyment. "No, it was not. However, I'm sure that her next child will surely do that. That is, if she is able to bear his Majesty another, she is the oldest of the harem by now. It was honestly a miracle that her young highness, the twelfth Princess, was born." She coughed into her hand, looking down at the scroll again. "Once again, Noble Potter-Black, his Majesty has seen it fit to raise your rank. My, aren't you beginning to be favoured? You are to once more resume the rank of Fourth Noble. Congratulations are in order for your quick elevations." She looked at him with glimmering eyes, head tilted as she judged him.

Harry was quick to bow his head and avoid her gaze. "I thank his Majesty for this honour."

Again, titters of conversation swept through the hall, this time, all eyes focused on him. He had been raised in rank twice, once from seventh Noble to fourth Noble, and now from fifth to fourth. Despite there being no promotion to the next title yet, most could feel that it wasn't far off.

And he had only been in the Harem for less than three months.

Harry watched as Dahlia's face twisted in displeasure from where he sat, no longer facing each other, but diagonal. Soon, he'd be seated on her row, but there would be a space between them, an even further distance.

Despite his wish to covet his majesty's attention, he hoped that she'd receive a promotion soon, if only to save their relationship from further deteriorating.

2nd October 1997- Thursday

A day later was Consort Isla's birthday, a lavish affair from what he had heard, and yet again an occasion his status did not allow him to attend. Instead, he had to content himself with the gossip that his maids brought with them as they wandered in from fulfilling duties elsewhere.

Two of such were whispering to one another, heads almost touching as they hissed. "...Consort Isla...requested...Emperor agreed...can only hope for another..."

Intrigued, Harry stopped them from advancing further, shooing his other maids towards their stations. "What were you saying a moment ago?" He questioned, head cocked slightly to the side.

The one who had been talking spluttered, flushing red. This was Orla, if he remembered correctly. "Um, nothing-"

"Tell me." He demanded, looking towards the other maid, a mousy woman called June whose warm brown eyes stared up at him with slight fear, but also held a healthy amount of respect that Harry would attempt to capitalise on.

"Uh, the-the Second Consort reportedly requested for his Majesty to spend the... um... night with her since it is her birthday. I heard that the Emperor has accepted." She bowed, eyes widening as she hurriedly tacked on: "This one hopes that a powerful child will be borne out of this union, magic bless his Majesty and the Secondary Consort."

Harry ignored her formalities, more interested in gaining answers to the many questions that were swirling around in his head. "Is that usual? Do my fellow concubines request for his majesty to sleep with them often like that?" If they did, that could pose a further problem. There were many in the harem that were higher ranked than he was, and more favoured too, and their requests would take precedence over his own.

"Only on birthdays or special occasions, master, and his majesty often refuses, Master."

Harry hummed. "Do you know anything else about what occurred at the celebration?"

"No, Master. This one only knows what I have heard from other maids."

"Please report to me if you hear anything else, I am rather curious as to what happened at this celebration, seeing as I wasn't invited."

"Of- Of course, Master!" She looked eager to please him, a metaphorical tail wagging behind her as she said her farewells, bowed and rushed off to complete her duties. He turned to Orla, who was still standing before him. He eyed her, who still had a stubborn clench to her jaw, and tutted.

"Go and kneel outside until I send for someone to call you in. I dislike liars, especially ones who are my own maids, those who are supposed to listen to my every command."

"Yes...Master." She hesitantly made her way towards the garden door.

"No, the Courtyard. Kneeling on grass won't teach you much."

With a grimace, she turned and marched to the other doors, eyes smouldering as they flashed over his face.

5th October 1997- Sunday

Cedric and himself met up a few days later for morning tea, as the weather outside had grown warmer. It was a quiet day, the court seemingly on lockdown, but he knew that wasn't the case. So, he'd invited his fellow Noble to the Courtyard to chat and find out what the occasion was, and why he hadn't been informed. Before that, however, he had heard an interesting piece of gossip from June that morning and was eager to verify it.

With a questioning expression, he leaned forward across the table to whisper conspiratorily at Cedric. "Why is his majesty refusing to meet even Consort Bellatrix today? Is there anything wrong with him?"

Drawing in a deep breath, Cedric eyed him with considering eyes, before deciding to answer. "Ah, you don't know? Today is the seventh anniversary of the late Noble Consort, who his majesty favoured immensely. He asked to be left alone to mourn today, but I suppose some believe they can ignore commands such as that." Cedric snarked, gripping the handle of his teacup a little tighter.

Harry hummed thoughtfully. So that was why the atmosphere was different today. He had been hearing of the late Noble Consort more and more these days. She had been the highest ranking of the Emperor's harem, having reached the rank of Noble Consort even before the birth of her third and final child, the First Prince. To this day, nobody in the harem had ascended higher than a Consort, the rank which both Bellatrix and Isla held.

Bellatrix had been a Consort for many years now, despite her continuous miscarriages being a detriment to her rankings. She had risen and fallen from the rank many times now, but was supposed to be stable in her position nowadays after the birth of her daughter. Harry was sure that, if not for the Black family's inbreeding causing her to be more mentally and physically unstable, she would have long gained the title of Noble Consort.

And Consort Isla gained the title in 1995, after having been in the harem for just over thirteen years. Her only child and son, Silas, the Second Prince who was born in May 1992, greatly helped her on the way to the rank of second highest in the harem.

It was said, and he completely agreed, that with the successful birth of her third child, Penny would be promoted to Consort after more than nine years in the harem. Her two current children, a daughter, Aurelia, born in July 1993 as the Ninth Princess, and a son, Rastus, born in April 1996 as the Fourth Prince, as well as his majesty's favour, were the reasons for such a quick promotion to Consort. 

With those around him rising in ranks, even though he too was doing so, it dropped him further and further away from the ranks of the Emperor's legal spouses, and therefore further away from being able to interact with the Emperor on a more regular basis. Harry was going to have to think of a way to gain a rank, and fast.

He could only hope to gain that rank within five years or less.

"Consort Bellatrix seems to be rather bold with his Majesty's attention. However, she has recently given birth to their child, it is to be expected that she wishes for his company."

Cedric tutted. "I guess so, still, she seems to be getting bolder recently. As the leader of the harem, there is no way we can say anything about her, though. How annoying."

"Hm, quite."

7th October 1997- Tuesday

For the first time since the birth of her daughter, Bellatrix entered the hall with her usual entourage. But, wrapped closely and securely to her chest was a recognisable bundle. Princess Delphina. How bold of her, but Harry supposed that when you were the most powerful person in the harem, you could do as you wished.

It was a very obvious statement on her part. She was showcasing her fertility, and ability to give his majesty children despite her age and previous miscarriages. She was taunting those who had previously made comments about her so-called 'failures', shoving in their face her healthy daughter, and the power that this child gave her.

She sat on her chaise regally, as if it was a throne comparable to the Emperor's- or most likely the matching one that sat emptily next to his own in the throne room- and swept her eyes across them consideringly. She hefted her baby higher up in her arms, and looked down at them with a smug smile, turning to face Consort Isla, who had yet to seat herself and was holding onto the scrolls. "I thank you, Sister, for temporarily taking over my role whilst I was tending to my daughter. However, as I am back now, I believe I will be needing those." She pointedly stared at the scrolls, and smugly preened to herself when they were grudgingly handed over.

"Of course, Sister. It is wonderful for you to be back." Isla looked upon her with cold eyes, unwavering in the face of her superior stare. With an equally frosty smile, she snarked: "We were starting to wonder if there had been any undisclosed problems, seeing as you had her at such a vulnerable age."

Bellatrix's face dropped, first turning white, then a terrible shade of red. "How dare-" She began to shout.

However, always the mediator, Regulus interjected softly. "Cousin, your child is in your arms. Please, think of the Princess." Bellatrix, feathers still obviously ruffled, turned away from her fellow Consort to instead open the scroll, sniffing superiorly.

"His Majesty believes that there is nothing of importance to report, and instead wishes for his concubines to speak amongst themselves and foster stronger relationships." She stared sourly down at them, eyes scanning each row. She frowned, letting the scroll snap shut. "It's been nearly two months since Noble Jasmine showed up for a meeting now, hasn't it?" She tutted. "Very irresponsible on her part. She is supposed to be the figurehead and leader of the Nobles, and being so lax in her duties can only be tolerated by me for so long. I will be informing the Emperor of my opinions on this matter later today."

How cold of her. It wasn't as if the woman was skipping because she felt like it, she was in mourning for her lost child. Bellatrix, of all of them, should know how it felt to lose a child like that.

As the meeting- or more appropriately, gossip session- carried on, Bellatrix and her group devolved into further topics that grew offended looks from many, and approving from others. Near the end, however, a topic was mentioned that left Harry fuming on the inside as he later had to deal with its aftermath.

"To not have provided a child for his majesty, or even to have never fallen pregnant with one, is the utmost disgrace one can have in this harem. All those who have never done so cannot think themselves as on the same level as us who have." She chuckled, the tittering of several others joining in viciously.

The meeting ended soon after, leaving a sour taste on Harry's tongue. Bellatrix, whilst not as mad and frenzied as the rumours, was definitely not a sane woman. He left the hall, maids in tow, but stopped short when Dahlia sidled up beside him and clasped her hand into his own. He looked up.

Seeing Dahlia's scrunched-up face, so obviously on the brink of tears, Harry swiftly invited her into his rooms to talk, the floodgates bursting as soon as they were safely within his front room. She fell into his arms and he wrapped his arms around her. It was during times such as this one that he remembered that Dahlia was a year younger than himself, and had lived an extremely coddled childhood under the care of her two fathers.

"Auntie Bellatrix's comments were uncalled for! She knows that some of us are unable to bear his majesty any children as of yet, and she still taunts us like that!" She wailed, handkerchief dapping at the trails of tears streaming down her face. "Why did she have to bring something like that up, for?"

"Because she is spiteful and proud of the child she has borne his majesty and wishes for us all to know that. Don't take it to heart, Lia, she was most likely aiming such comments towards those in the harem who have made comments like that towards her before."

He shushed her as she began to speak up once more, continuing to sway with her wrapped in his arms. As she could not see his face, she did not see as his eyes began to glow as he stared out of the window, a menacing, Avada Kedavra green.