Intimacy

13th December 2001- Thursday

Penny tapped her fingers against her tea cup, restless energy filling her. Despite the few concubines surrounding her, talking about inane things that didn't interest her but which she would have feigned enthusiasm about in the past, Penny was locked In her own thoughts. They had centred around nothing at first, she had just been too distracted to listen in properly. Penny found herself losing interest in most things nowadays, ever since her isolation. Then, one of the other concubines had mentioned Potter, and his newest pregnancy. There was no stopping her thoughts from focusing upon him, and from spiralling. It led her to one clear thought that pervaded her every waking and unconscious moment.

She had irrevocably failed to retain or regain her position.

That realisation, more than any other, echoed within her mind. Despite how hard she had tried, the sacrifices she had made, the children she had borne, she had not been promoted. In fact, Penny had only faced demotion for a long while now.

She did not wish to give up. She was not the type to abandon a war, even if she had lost the battle. There was always a way to regain what was lost, through pure or twisted means, and she had neer shied away from doing what was needed.

But what was she to do? That man was practically unreachable now. Never had the gap between them been so large. Once, they had been Noble and Concubine, Concubine and Consort, Noble Consort and Consort, but now, Penny was a Concubine, whilst he had soared to the position of Imperial Noble Consort. That was a rank difference of three, a gap too wide to close.

She was scared. Terrified of what the future had in store for her. She doubted that she would be able to gain His Majesty’s favour once more, not whilst he stood in the way. She was growing older now, there was no telling when the Emperor would have the eldest of them sent to the Palace of Tranquility, retaining their ranks but removed from the Harem system and the easy access they had to the man. They would still be married, but nothing more. A separation in all but name. Penny wasn’t as old as Bellatrix or Patricia, of course, but she wasn’t young any more, worn down from four pregnancies. The Emperor's first interest in her had also seemed to wane with every year.

And her children, growing older now, were out of her grasp. Aurelia didn't seem to enjoy her company nowadays, ignoring a few invitations, and Cecilia was as shy as ever. And her sons, her precious boys were lost to her. Rastus wanted nothing but to trail around after his older brothers like a duckling, which more often than not led him to playing with that man's children. And whilst Darius was still a baby, the restrictions that were placed upon Penny meant that she had no time to mould the boy.

Everything had been taken from her. That was the reason she would still fight this war. What more did she have to lose?

She thought of the whispered words that Eunuch had muttered to her when she had been passing by in a hallway. Penny hadn’t recognised the man, and had been about to shout about his approach being inappropriate towards a concubine of His Majesty, until he had spoken.

“ He applauds you for your work. It is regrettable that nothing much came of it, but it has revealed some weaknesses .” The words had been quick, the Eunuch bowing quickly, apologetic for being so close to her. But she had heard them, even if her maids had not.

Those words had made Penny preen with pride. They had also awoken something within her mind. The cogs, which had slowed down after her isolation, had begun to turn once more.

He had approached her a few months ago using one of her new maids as a messenger. He had relayed to her his grievances that she had been ousted from her position, and his anxieties about the growing unrest within the Harem. He had seemed genuinely concerned about her wellbeing. He had acknowledged her when her husband had not, and as he was seen to be the Emperor’s only true competition, Penny didn't see anything wrong in continuing contact. He had been the one to arrange the poisoning of Potter, all Penny had had to do was brew the potion. Somehow, the man had managed to pin the entire affair on Merula, removing yet another competitor from the game.

It proved to Penny that she had made the right choice. Even if the attempt had not succeeded, she had managed to help him in some way. She would use him for now, until Potter was finally out of the picture.

22nd December 2001- Saturday

“You’re sixteen weeks along now, right, Brother?” Jasmine chirped, reaching forward for a slice of tart. “My time surely does go quickly!”

Harry smiled gently at the woman, nodding his head happily. “I am, nearly seventeen now, in fact.” His hand unconsciously travelled down to brush over the minute swell of his belly, which was already growing quite large despite not even being halfway through his pregnancy. His Healer had assured him that this was normal, and meant that perhaps these twins would be larger than Jules and Luce. Harry shivered at the thought, remembering the strenuous birth of his last twins. Alsephina was exhausting on her own, but a second baby right away was draining.

“Oh, this is so exciting! I cannot believe it, you will be giving birth to a second set of twins! How auspicious, you must be incredibly pleased.” The woman giggled into her hand.

“Yes, I’ve never felt more complete, to be honest.” He admitted, grinning fondly.

This pregnancy had progressed wonderfully so far. Harry had rarely experienced any morning sickness, his cravings had been normal, and his energy was high. It was going perfectly, but Harry was on high alert. Being so far along now meant anything could happen, and all Harry wanted was healthy, happy children in the end. He would be twenty weeks sooner than later, and that was a sobering thought.

“Not quite yet.”

“Hm?” Harry turned to Luna, who had been sitting by his side silently the whole tea. His friend hadn't responded to any questions since the beginning, so the others had left her be after a bit of awkward shuffling. Therefore, he was a little spooked at her sudden words. She was staring at him serenely, a slight, mysterious smile on her face. “Luna?”

“You’re not complete.” She said again, her words confusing and concerning him in equal measure.

“Are you saying you believe that Brother Harry is to have even more children after these?” Jasmine’s voice didn’t sound joyous any more. In fact, she sounded terrified, jealous, and sad. “But these will be his fourth and fifth! No, I do not believe so. Five children seems like a perfect number, Brother, and as you said, you feel complete at the moment.”

However, Jasmine didn't know of Luna’s seer abilities. Therefore, whilst she was taking Luna’s words at face value, believing that it was just the woman pressuring or persuading Harry into having more children, Harry knew the truth.

These twins would not be his last.

31st December 2001- Monday

Thomas’ birthday and the end of 2001 came around swiftly. The year had gone far too fast, and so much had occurred. The Harem and the Court were so different from the start, that Harry couldn’t imagine how 2002 was going to unfold.

It was the Emperor’s seventy-fifth, a milestone that demanded much observance. A celebration was held within the largest Hall, with various Lords and Ladies present. The Emperor’s eldest children were also in attendance, although they were rather busy entertaining the many guests and socialities that wished to dominate their time.

Harry didn’t mind, however. He didn’t want their attention. He was fulfilled enough by the sly glances Thomas would send his way whilst he was busy being praised and lauded by the many simpering men and women who crowded him. Many times, it appeared as if the man would approach, but his path to Harry would always be blocked by another guest, and Harry would give him a teasing grin, refusing to rescue him.

Harry bounced on his heels with a smile, watching as Thomas tilted his head curiously, peering around the head of a rather eager Lord. He still refused to approach, however, giving the man a cheeky wink and turning back to the conversation with Luna, still holding the man’s present behind his back.

He had commissioned the man a new robe. It was made of soft but robust silk, and decorated at the hems by small stars, snakes and flowers, the perfect symbolism for their children, which also represented their houses. Harry adored it, and couldn’t wait for the man to lay eyes upon it.

As he continued conversing with Luna, Harry could feel Thomas’ eyes burning into the side of his head, his attention unwavering despite the many powerful figures around him. There were ministers, Lords, Ladies, even a Prince or two, yet he only had eyes for Harry, staring at him as if he could not dare to let him leave his eyesight. Harry could see out of the corner of his eye how this frustrated those around the man, but they did not dare to voice their displeasure.

Thomas was the most powerful of them all, and he didn’t need their approval, only their submission. Therefore, he could keep his intense focus upon Harry no matter how it affected those circling him, begging for a scrap of attention.

17th January 2002- Thursday

The members that attended the Consorts’ meeting had shrunk considerably since Harry had joined. Now, there were only four members in attendance. Himself, Isla, Regulus and Bella. Their positions had been flipped when Harry had joined. Now, he outranked his previous peers by two ranks.

It led to the dynamic within the meeting changing considerably.

Isla was less likely to speak against him. The woman had always maintained a relatively powerful position within the Harem. She hadn’t truly gained the Emperor’s ire in her time, so her position was stable enough that she had often challenged Bellatrix and then Penny. With him, she often simply nodded, or did not speak at all, glancing his way occasionally in that bland, dry way she was known for, her only manifestation of disapproval.

Regulus was related to Bellatrix, so he was treated far more leniently when she had been in power. And then, under the rule of Penny, his position as a ‘true’ Black had allowed him concessions that even Harry, as the Heir, was not afforded. And now, under Harry, Regulus was nigh untouchable, but Harry would not stand for any provocation from the man. They both knew their views on several topics did not align, but he called the man Uncle, so he did not wish to berate him.

Bellatrix had tasted power. She had once been the Head of the Harem, now relegated to the fourth position. Her downfall had clearly taken a toll on her. The woman was quiet, and she looked run down. Harry wouldn’t be surprised if, soon, she found herself in another part of the Court. And perhaps, she would take some of the other unfavourables with her. Thomas had been quite eager to inform Harry of his Council’s wishes regarding the older, less required concubines.

Isla gave him a considering look that caught Harry’s attention. They had been conversing about mundane topics, steering clear of anything that could cause… disagreement. Harry had only been paying the barest attention to the flow of conversation, therefore, he perked up at her stare.

The woman cleared her throat. “Yes, Silas has grown rather… fond of your children, and the First Prince and Eight Princess. I am… proud. He’s always been such a reserved boy, despite his many siblings. I am glad that he has finally bonded with some of them.” The woman drew in a deep breath, steeling herself. “Thank you, Brother Harry. I know the responsibility does not entirely rest upon you, the children attach themselves to whoever they wish, but I know that Prince Alexus wouldn’t have been so accommodating without your coaxing, and Princess Amelia has always followed the First Prince. So, I thank you.”

Harry felt his ears grow hot at the praise from the composed, haughty woman. Isla was proud, therefore, it was truly a surprise to hear such words from her.

“Thank you, Sister, for allowing your son around my Palace so often. I have noticed that my children have begun to speak much more clearly with his influence. He is particularly fond of my Alsephina, she spends so much time around him that she has begun to take on his speech pattern.” Harry chuckled, and after a moment, Isla copied him, resting a hand upon his own.

She gave him a soft, secretive smile, her eyes warm and open.

28th January 2002- Monday

Her son had grown so much.

Four years ago now, when he had joined the Harem, Lily had worried for him. Her little boy was half-grown, far too young to be living permanently away from his parents. He was young, naive, and immature, still a student at Hogwarts. Her little Harry was kind, selfless and forgiving, despite his penchant for outbursts. Those characteristics would not allow for him to survive in such a ruthless place as the Harem. She had been so worried for him, stuck in there on his own with only a few maids to aid him. Despite James’ status as a Lord, and Harry’s own as an heir to two Noble Houses, that did not amount to much protection within the Courts walls. In fact, it perhaps painted an even larger target on his back. Lily had felt helpless.

Despite Lily’s worries, however, her son had proved himself to be quick-witted and adaptable. It hadn’t taken him long at all to begin ascending through the ranks. Harry was a force to be reckoned with, surpassing the little expectations she and James had set for him within their minds. Her boy was strong, bold and fascinating. It was no surprise that he had caught the Emperor’s attention, despite the trepidation Lily felt thinking about the man being so close to her son. He had made him a Concubine, and after that, every time she received a letter denoting the monthly rankings, it seemed as if only her son was moving upwards.

And now, after only four years, accomplishing what all the others had failed to do in four, five, six times as long, Harry was the Empire’s first Imperial Noble Consort. Never in her imagination had Lily thought that her little Gryffindor would soar so high. He had been destined for greatness, yes, he would have been a rarity in the Wizengamot, a Lord twice over which would have given him incredible power, but a Lord was nothing compared to a Consort of the Emperor. And Harry was now only one rank below the spot that only a sole person could occupy. There was now a real possibility that Harry could one day ascend to the rank of Emperor Consort, a role which would place him at the Emperor’s side on a daily basis, seen as his right-hand man.

How had he come so far? Lily could answer that easily now, especially after witnessing them at Alsephina’s birthday celebration.

The Emperor’s obsession with her son was clear. It was obvious in the way the pair interacted, always making eye contact, seeking out one another every so often, their touches gentle and fond. It was not what she had expected the Emperor to act like with his concubines. Sure, they were his spouses, but they were there to give birth to his heirs, nothing more. Lily had expected the Harem to be a difficult place to survive, with a vicious group of concubines and a cold, unforgiving husband. However, the way he treated Harry broke all of Lily’s preconceived notions about the Emperor. The man was far more complex an individual than she had been led to believe.

It was clear that, in some way, the man loved her son.

And that terrified Lily, because she could see how all that love, attention, obsession was changing her son alongside the changes he was instigating within the Emperor.

16th February 2002- Saturday

“Dada?” Alsephina’s little voice spoke questioningly. The girl was hidden mostly behind the arm of the chair, but Harry could just see her distinctive head of red hair. It made him smile. Harry hummed gently, marking the page in his book so that he wouldn’t lose his position. “What is this?” She held up some sort of flower that Harry couldn’t recognise. He had been an alright student in Herbology, but nothing spectacular. His daughter seemed to know more about plants than him nowadays, but she still had the habit of coming to him for information regarding plants. Besides, the plant didn’t look magical at all.

He was so proud of how well she was coming along now. At two and a half, Alsie could tell him what she wished for with relative ease. She was speaking in full sentences, even if they were simple, and usually, she could tell him what objects were what. However, staring down at the peculiar flower, Harry couldn’t find an answer himself.

“Dada is unsure, Alsie. Why don’t we ask Papa?”

Thomas was strolling slowly by the stream, looking calm and collected and as handsome as usual. Jules and Lila had wanted to touch the water, so, refusing any offer of assistance from the maids and Eunuchs surrounding the Pavillion, Thomas had led them to the water’s edge, holding onto their little hands as they jumped about. They were tiny next to him, barely reaching his knees. It was an adorable sight, his two youngest children giggling and splashing about, the bottom of Thomas’ robe growing ever more soaked, as were they. However, Harry did not worry about the cold or the wet. They were wizards, Thomas could dry them off in a moment, and he had surely placed a warming charm on each of them. So, he had settled back to enjoy the sight, smiling fondly as he watched them have fun.

With a groan, Harry slowly stood, holding onto his swollen belly as he did so. His bump was growing ever larger as he quickly approached his due date. At just over twenty-four weeks, Harry appeared to have finally popped. Carrying his children was beginning to need effort. It is why he had found himself a comfortable spot within the Pavillion, otherwise, he would have been right by the side of Thomas and their children. Alsephina had decided to keep him company when she had realised Harry would not be moving. He had patted her head fondly, reassuring her that she could go off whenever she wanted, as long as she brought one of the maids with her.

“We going to Papa?”

“Yes, we’re going to go and see Papa and Jules and Lila, so that you can ask Papa your question. Hold my hand when we go down, however, Alsie.” He took his daughter’s tiny hand in his own, and she eagerly tugged as she skipped ahead of him, Anya rushing swiftly to his side as they descended the stairs, hovering to make sure that none of them toppled down them. When they reached the bottom step, Harry let go to allow his daughter to jump down, and she eagerly rushed off towards her siblings and Father.”

“PAPA! Papa, Papa, what is this?” She yelled, reaching him and jumping up and down, shoving the flower upwards towards Thomas’ face. He tugged the twins out of the water before he turned his attention to their eldest daughter, and Harry ushered the two of them into his arms before they could begin whining about their fun ending.

He ruffled their damp hair fondly, eliciting happy giggles from the pair of them, half-listening to the conversation. 

“That’s a cyclamen, sweetheart.”

“Circle- sickle-”

“Cyclamen. It is a pretty flower, isn’t it?” He could see Alsie nodding her head vigorously out of the corner of his eyes, and Harry smiled widely.

“Dada,” Lila murmured from where she was pressed against his chest, patting his belly. “Baby. I feel.”

Harry blinked, staring in wonderment down at his daughter. It was incredible that Lilaia was able to put together in her head that the babies were inside his belly. Alsie was still attempting to understand that, scrunching her nose in confusion whenever he cupped his belly and talked about her siblings.

“You felt one of the babies kick?”

“Yes, baby… I feeled.” She patted his belly again, giggling softly, looking up at him with happy yellow eyes. “When is baby?”

“Hm?” Harry hummed questioningly, urging her to speak again. He smiled proudly when she spoke clearer.

“When is… baby coming? I want now.”

“Your new siblings will be here when the weather gets warmer, sweetie. Not too far from my birthday.”

Lila frowned, nodding. Jules patted his belly a little harder then, regaining Harry’s attention. His eyes were green like Harry’s, and his hair black. He was mirroring him, as he was oft to do.

“Da, play?” His son whined. He was pointing to the water again.

Harry shook his head gently. “No, sweetie. It’s nearly time to head back home soon. We can play in the garden when we get back though.”

His son's eyes darkened slightly, and he stamped his foot. “No! I… play now!” He was frowning adorably, lips pursed into a pout, but Harry stood firm.

“We can play at home, Jules. Dada will even conjure you a little pool so you can splash about.”

Jules, however, was having none of it. “No! No no, we play now! Now!”

“Julius.” 

Just one, quiet word from Thomas stopped their son’s tantrum in its tracks. Jules froze, head turning to stare wide-eyed up at his Father. They were now a solid blue, and quickly filling with tears.

“NO!” He shouted, and suddenly, Thomas’ hair was a matching blue to Harry’s own.

Both of them blinked at each other after a few moments of silence, watching as the toddler threw himself onto the ground on his back to kick the air in frustration, whining.

It was usual for Jules to change his own hair and eye colour. Once, Harry was sure he had changed Alsephina’s but it was so close to her usual red that he could have been mistaken. He had never affected others however, trained adults who could block such magic. Thomas was blinking rapidly, caught off guard by their toddler son.

Harry couldn’t help but snort, shoving his face into his arm so that Julius could not see that he was amused by the situation. Now that their son was kicking, it would be Thomas who would calm him down, out of precaution due to Harry’s pregnancy. One wrong move and Julius could kick him with dire consequences.

“Julius, stop your tantrum at once. Your Dada has told you that we will be returning to the Palace to play, or do you wish to remain in the Palace whilst your sisters are in the garden? Because we will not be remaining here, young man. You either finish your tantrum now, or you remain inside with me.”

Jules heaved in a great breath, and for a moment, Harry worried that he was going to scream his little lungs out. However, after holding it for a few long seconds, he let it out in a huff, rolling onto his belly to push up off of the floor. “Want to go garden!”

Thomas rolled his eyes, huffling exactly as their son had. They were so alike sometimes. Harry had to stifle another chuckle.