Intimacy

1st July 2000- Saturday

Leanne twitched violently, leaning backwards out of reflex as a man brushed past her briskly, his fine robes trailing after him as he continued on his way, giggling companions following at his heels with nary a glance in her direction.

Curling closer to the wall, she bit her lip nervously as she observed the crowd with trepidation, eyes roving over their decorated robes, dresses and other formal wear, with insignia embroidered on their backs denoting their important houses and allegiances. She threaded her fingers through her thin, plain dress with a frown, staring at the finery surrounding her. Lea had thought her mother's bracelets and necklace would be enough, it had to be enough as it was all she had, but consequently, it was not.

Leanne felt regret for entering the Selection, having forgotten in her excitement that the environment she wished to enter was one so far removed from normal society that she could barely recognise it. And she stood out like a sore, dirty thumb. Sure, there were others here that she could see who wore less extravagant outfits, but at least they held themselves with enough confidence that some were looking past that and interacting with them. Lea felt like a ghost, stood in the corner of the hall.

She patted at her plaits with self-consciousness, nervously peering at the men and women surrounding her, shying away when spotting any derisive stares sent her way from the Lords, Ladies, Heirs, Heiresses, Princes and Princesses surrounding her. The only title she could claim was that of a Student of Beauxbatons.

The woman used all her might to stay rooted in her spot, knowing that the hardest part hadn't even passed yet, and she couldn't be the only one to go running out of the hall before the Selection even began.

"Leanne Buchanan, daughter of Royce Buchanan." Her name was called by the Eunuch quickly, luckily, as her surname was high on the list. She hurried up the steps, gripping hold of her skirts in an attempt to seem more graceful than she truly was, not looking back as she heard the giggles and whispers begin.

The Eunuch gestured for her to place her hand on the orb, barely glancing from the scroll in his hands, and did so with a slightly shaking hand, pushing her magic into it, uncharacteristically confident.

One of the only reasons as to why Leanne had even attempted the Selection was due to her magical power.

"Leanne Buchanan has scored a total of 85 in the Magic Power Test. She passes into the next round." The examiner announced after reading off the monitor he held in his hand, writing down the score onto the sheet of those who had passed. Leanne breathed out a sigh of relief, turning on her heel to walk back down the steps. She was too relieved to notice the way those who had sneered at her were now gaping, eyes glistening with envy.

A maid grabbed her hand, and Leanne made a noise of surprise, staring at the woman as she tugged her along to another room. She remembered as she entered that the first day of the Selection was not yet over, and there was still the Health section to grit her teeth through, especially when the invasive fertility test began.

Leanne breathed a sigh of relief when it was all over, and she received her results.

"Leanne Buchanan has Above Average Fertility and is in perfect health. She passes into the next round." She accepted the key handed to her by the Eunuch, nodding her head gratefully, before scampering off to seek out her room in the Palace.

On the way, Lea passed many other candidates who had passed onto the second round, who gave her cursorary glances over their shoulders, surrounded by the maids they had brought with them for the Selection. Depending on whether they were selected, and which rank they were given if they were lucky enough to capture the Emperor's attention, most of those maids would be sent home soon enough. They were looking at her because she was lacking any at all.

Leanne held no maids of her own, and neither did her family. They were normal, not Noble or belonging to an order that would allow them the wealth to do so. In fact, as the first Witch of their family, unless they had been royalty or nobility, it was unlikely for her family to obtain a magical maid that was allowed within the Harem. It was one of the reasons for the lack of Muggle-borns that attempted to join, whether the requirement was an intentional dissuasion or not. They would have no allies from the moment they stepped foot within the Court.

She entered her room hastily, the door swinging open with ease she wasn't used to, and her jaw dropped at the sight of the room. It was beautiful, overly so. Too beautiful, especially for a candidate such as her. The castle they were in, however, was built to awe, upon the foundations of the first place the Emperor had made his mark.

Landing heavily on the fine bed in the middle of the opulent, extravagant room, Leanne sighed and flung herself backwards, sinking into the plush covers. She huffed, staring up at the ceiling, blinking her grey eyes that were slowly filling with warm tears.

Was this truly the path she wished to take?

5th July 2000- Wednesday

Thinking back on the contents of her Beauty test, Leanne flushed with pride and happiness, a smile twitching at her lips. The woman had been lovely, cooing at her features and commenting on her dainty hands. Most especially, her braids had gained her many compliments, and she felt proud that her mother was so skilled. Hopefully, if Leanne were to enter the Harem at the end of the Selection, a maid would be assigned to her who could braid her hair just as skillfully.

Having passed the third test of Intelligence with a score of eighty, and the fourth of Beauty just this morning, Leanne and the remaining candidates were allowed the honour of watching the Tournament, which was incredibly difficult to gain tickets for no matter your standing in society, within the Royal Guests' booth, a prime area to watch over both the Tournament and the Emperor surrounded by his Harem and elder children.

The second official day of the tournament would determine the eight contenders of the Quarterfinals, the sixteen battles taking place over many, exhausting hours. They were longer than those held on the first day, the sixteen weakest contestants weeded out, and the spells used by those remaining were far more advanced than previous. Leanne hoped she gained a place in the Harem, if only so that she could watch the remaining days.

Despite the presence of the duels below, however, Leanne found herself distracted more often than not with those within the Royal Box rather than in the arena. The Emperor, most especially, captivated her attention.

The ruler of the Empire was a tall and handsome man, that she had known, but Leanne had thought the rumours exaggerated his features to pander to his vanity and entice more promising wixen to enter the Selection. She was blindsided and grateful that they spoke the truth. He was beyond compare, regal looking in a way that made one wonder how he had not been born a Prince himself. But the man had earned his position by conquest, using his overwhelming power to subjugate the world, so that his children would henceforth retain the titles of Prince's and Princess' of the realm.

The Primary Consort, Penny Haywood, was a stark contrast to the dark, regal palette of the Emperor, her golden visage bright and cheerful as she waved jovially to the crowd's neverending delight when the camera fell on her form. The crown on her head sparkled as the light caught it, her pretty blue eyes gently gazing over the crowds of adoring supporters.

Penny Haywood was the epitome of concubines, reigning supreme over the Emperor's Harem at just twenty-seven years old, two decades short of her predecessor's age, a dazzling, sweet woman who drew the admiration of all who met her.

When Leanne had first heard of her swift rise, the woman was all she wanted to be and more. To call her Sister, to stand by her side as she reigned supreme, was a dream Lea was closer to than ever. If she was chosen, she would treasure the opportunity granted to her.

Then, Leanne's eyes drifted to the man occupying the Emperor's left side, draped in white and gold robes that sparkled in the sunlight, looking royal and powerful. Harry Potter-Black was a sight to witness, her breath leaving her in a silent gasp of awe.

There were many rumours considering the Emperor's newest and most obviously flaunted favourite, and Leanne could see why. The man must make the other concubines burn with jealousy, especially as he was in the early years of his prime.

There were whispers that the man was the most powerful member of the harem, despite only having been a member for three years, already gracing the rank of Consort. As the heir to two Houses, politically powerful ones at that, perhaps they weren't unfounded.

The man had given birth to a Princess only two years after entering the Harem, which was an impressive feat within itself, but the curve of his stomach announced to all those watching the screens that projected a view of the Royal Box around the arena that he was carrying yet again, not even a year on, and obviously close to his due date.

Leanne observed the way he shifted closer to the Emperor, almost seemingly drawn to him like a magnet, and watched as the Emperor turned his gaze away from the arena, staring at his Consort as he wrapped an arm gently around his. The Consort gave His Majesty a smile, saying something whilst brushing a hand over the swell of his stomach, a faint blush on his cheeks that made him appear even more enticing. There was a sound of swooning across the arena as many watched the interaction between the pair, more absorbed in the royal interaction than the duel which was quickly coming to an end. Leanne couldn't blame them, the way the Emperor reached a hand out to similarly feel the bump made her flush, feeling as if she was invading in a private moment. There was more emotion on the Emperor's face than she had witnessed the entire day as he spoke to the Consort, a hand still covering his stomach.

The focus of the camera switched back to the Primary Consort then, and Leanne witnessed the woman's face change quickly back into a smile, an almost unmissable action from how swift it was. But she had caught the scowl the Consort was wearing before, which had marred her pretty features and sent a bolt of confusion running through Leanne's veins.

Harry politely clapped as the Argentinian woman won her second match of the day, showcasing an impressive display of abilities that would surely allow her admission into the Quarterfinals. The man she had beaten, a man from Sweden, had put on a grand show himself, but his defeat spelt the end of his time in the Tournament, as he had lost his previous match that day as well.

As the ninth match of the day began, Harry felt his interest in the festivities wane, there only being so many ways to watch wixen duel an opponent before the same spells were repeated again and again. His attention wavered, Harry's eyes drifting, landing on the Guest box to the left of theirs, filled to the brim.

He observed the remaining candidates of this year's Selection, there being about thirty in total, far less than there had been left at this stage of Harry's own Selection.

It seemed there was an even split of men and women, and a large variety of cultures despite it being widespread knowledge that the Emperor preferred to welcome those who hailed from Britain into his Harem. He couldn't quite make out their features from so far away, but he observed them nonetheless, surprised he felt no stirrings of jealousy as he had staring down at Alixan every time she made an explosive appearance.

Perhaps it was because he knew how those people felt, their every move observed, tallied and totalled. Everything about them was put forward for the Emperor's consideration and judged on their worth for weeks. It was enough to destroy even the most egoistic person's psyche.

Or perhaps it was that he couldn't see them clearly, couldn't judge them as everyone else did. Didn't know if they were pretty beyond compare or so powerful they were better off within the Knights, so smart or so graceful they could catch the attention of the man to his side more than he did.

Harry didn't allow himself to mull on those thoughts, terrified of what getting stuck within them could make him.

9th July 2000- Sunday

"There's this woman, Leia or something similar." Cassius waved a hand flippantly. "She's polite, but I wouldn't say she has much of a chance, despite being the most promising out of my lot. I'll pass her, but I doubt she'll endure past His Majesty's scrutiny. She's timid, not the best trait to have when becoming a concubine. And if she does, it wouldn't surprise me if we finally get a fellow Second-Class Attendant joining us."

Next to him, Adrian hummed. "I believe there's a woman within my group that may have a chance to join the Harem. She's a Chang, I think I can remember her from Hogwarts, she was the year below us or something like that."

"Cho Chang?" Harry breathed, interest sparked.

"That's the one, Cedric's ex-girlfriend. They were dating for a while back in Fifth year. Then, of course, Ced decided to join His Majesty's Harem. I wonder if she decided to finally follow him in here."

"His Majesty won't be pleased." Cassius snickered, but Harry was already lost within his thoughts.

Cho had been a friend of his in past years. They had dated each other briefly before Harry had realised he was attracted to men, and Cho had begun exploring her own sexuality. Last he knew, she had gone off with a friend of hers, Marietta Edgecombe. Evidently, their relationship had tapered off, as the woman was now a contender for the Harem.

If she was to be selected, her presence would bring a degree of awkwardness. She had dated Cedric for a short time before the man had joined the Harem in 1994. Then, after their rather explosive break-up, she had turned to Harry, and the pair had been in a relationship for a year before they had broken things off. To say it would bring up past memories and create a taut atmosphere would be an understatement.

"How about you, Sister?" Cassius turned to Merula, who was quietly observing the view. The woman turned, her violet eyes piercing the man, whose smile faltered momentarily. "Are any of your candidates noteworthy?"

"A couple." She stated. "Although I suppose I will need to choose far more than two for His Majesty's scrutiny. There are far too many candidates for just the three of us to observe, we need more Second-Class Attendants to handle the next Selection, especially as I am no longer one of them."

There were a few moments of awkward silence that stilled the air around them at the mention of her promotion, or more so the two men's lack of one, before it was broken by Adrian's weak smile. "Yes, Sister. I think it would be for the best, hopefully, they will grow close to us just as we have become sharing a rank."

"Yes," Merula smiled, clapping her hands once. "Then we should be careful to only choose the best, and to select them wisely. We need new additions, the better the choice, the more His Majesty is likely to select."

14th July 2000- Friday

The morning of the final Selection dawned on the Court all too quickly. The morning meeting had been a tense one, the atmosphere different to the usually celebratory mood of the concubines celebrating yet another year of the Harem.

Today marked Harry's third year as the Emperor's concubine, and it would mark the beginning of others' first day. How many would be joining them in only a few hours relied on His Majesty's opinion only.

They had already discussed many times over the past few days the likelihood of many being picked. By Cassius, Adrian and Merula's assertion, they placed their hopes on three to four.

Harry hoped for none, selfishly.

He needed no competition, no new beauty to catch his husband's eyes, despite that being the whole point of the Selection, the whole idea of there being a Harem in the first place.

But still, Harry felt possessive for the first time in his life over another human being, and if any were chosen, he doubted he could find it within himself to like them simply for being chosen, despite the boon friends and allies could give him.

Leanne lowered herself in a deep bow before the Emperor and his upper Harem, trying to contain the awe she felt so as to not embarrass herself in front of the beautiful, admirable men and women on the dias.

The Head Eunuch promptly introduced her.

"Leanne Alyssa Buchanan, daughter of Muggle parents. Muggleborn. Aged twenty." 

"Thi-This one bows in respect before His Majesty, the Supreme Emperor, and Your Highnesses, the royal concubines. May blessings and peace be with you." She bit her lip in frustration once she finished, berating herself for stuttering at such a key moment.

Lea didn't dare glance up, and the room descended into silence as she was judged and observed, hearing the man begin to flip through her information, reading and seeing in that moment her whole life bared before him, all her most personal details that even she had been unaware of.

As the silence dragged on, Leanne's eyes began to grow hot, but she refused to let any tears spill. Not here, not now. Even though she had come so far, left all of her dignity behind just to join his Harem, she wouldn't allow him to see her cry at rejection-

"Leanne Alyssa Buchanan is selected by His Majesty to become a member of his Harem. Bestow the Ranking Jewel."

The words took a moment to compute within her mind, and before she registered them, she realised she had already accepted the jewel, cradling the pulsing gem within cupped palms.

She retreated back to the line, her heart beating thunderously within her chest, staring down at the glistening jewel in her hand, glowing a deep, wonderful blue.

She was to be a Second-Class Attendant, but she had been chosen.

Her tears spilled then, despite all the eyes that were upon her.

When Harry saw her, bowing perfectly alongside faces he didn't recognise, he couldn't help but lean towards the Emperor, seeming to others as if he were giving the man his opinion or commenting on one of the contenders.

"It's funny seeing her here." He whispered gently, eyes sparkling when the Emperor's interest was captured immediately.

"Who do you speak of?" The man questioned him, and Harry leaned in closer, his voice dropping further as an amused lilt entered it.

"Cho Chang. She's both mine and Brother Cedric's ex-girlfriend. I was just wondering if things would be awkward if she joined, but perhaps it would also be nice to catch up with an old friend."

The seed planted, Harry leaned back into his seat, patting his stomach with satisfaction.

Thomas' face did a strange thing, before settling back into neutrality. Harry, however, had spent enough time around his husband by this point to spot the way his eyes fixated on Cho, burning a bit brighter.

He wanted the woman in the Harem. Out of all of them, Harry was sure she was the most likely to become one of his allies since they had parted on good terms and contacted one another on and off until he had joined the Harem.

She had grown prettier over the past three years, growing into her features, which had sharpened with age. Cho seemed calmer, more graceful, nothing like the wild girl who had chased him across the Quidditch pitch time and time again, roaring his name and sweeping down with claws bared just like the eagle her Houses' sigil depicted.

He watched as she bowed when her name was called, the last of the current group of contenders to come forward.

She stepped forward, announced by his Head Eunuch in his gravelly, commanding voice. "Cho Aera Chang, daughter to Lord Chang, Lord of the Honourable House of Chang. Goddaughter to Lord Simmons, Lord of the House of Simmons. Halfblood. Aged twenty-one." 

"This one bows in respect before His Majesty, the Supreme Emperor, and Your Highnesses, the royal concubines. May blessings and peace be with you." Cho knelt, her head bowed in reverence, palms clasped. She rose once allowed, keeping her eyes lowered so as not to offend.

Her mother had coached her that men liked women who looked pretty, but carried themselves demurely. Cho thought it was offensive and untrue to refer to the Emperor as a simple man, but did as commanded, as she was unused to the workings of men. Boys at Hogwarts had been easy enough to please, they were just as inexperienced at love and lust as she. And once she had discovered her preferences, Cho had found that it was much easier to respond to and accept the fancies of fellow women. But, needs must, and her fate now found her standing before the world's most powerful man, whom her mother wished for her to marry, connecting their families hopefully through blood. And she was nothing if not a dutiful daughter.

The Emperor observed her, deep red eyes scanning her form from head to toe, dissecting her, almost seeming to read her very thoughts. But Cho felt not a nudge at her Occulumecy wards. Whatever he found, it seemed to please him enough. Waving one slender, bejewelled hand, Cho was welcomed into the ranks of his Harem.

"Congratulations to Second Class Attendant Chang on being bestowed the rank of Second Class Attendant by His Imperial Majesty. Thank him for his benevolence."

Harry had watched the remaining candidates fail to catch the attention of the Emperor over the next few hours, feeling nothing but relief when the final group was ushered out of the hall.

Two had been chosen, just two compared to the six the last Selection had produced. And both were relegated to the rank of Second-Class Attendant, meaning that they hadn't gained Thomas' undivided or even particular attention.

For the first time in weeks, Harry felt he could breathe, feeling lightheaded and foolish that he had even thought that the man would forsake him when they had been growing ever closer recently.

The presence of the man's warm hand upon his own reassured him further, the weight of it making him smile. Harry looked up to meet Thomas' intense gaze, his brows drawing together at the look he was receiving.

"Your Majesty?" Harry uttered unsurely, blinking as the man huffed out a heavy breath.

"I hope I will have nothing to worry about with the presence of Chang?" The Emperor questioned him, expression serious.

Harry couldn't help but let out a peel of bright, relieved laughter, stroking his thumb over the back of his husband's hand. "You do not, Your Majesty. I have long moved past any attraction towards her, we were friends the last time I spoke to her."

"Good," The man spoke, his voice heavy. Harry was unsurprised when he received a gentle kiss on his cheek, growing more and more used to the casual, public displays of affection the man was lavishing upon him.