Chapter Text
The idea had come to Maru in a dream- a vision of Harry wearing a shimmering gown and looking like sex incarnate. The dream had been so profound that she’d bolted from bed and immediately set to work drawing up plans for it. She’d spent a fortune and painstaking hours crafting and enchanting it. She hadn’t been able to get the idea out of her mind. She’d had trouble sleeping, just working on the gown for hours into the morning. Sometimes she worked with one hand between her legs, imagining how Harry would look in the final product. Other times she relied on her boytoy, Luca. She’d have him lap away at her sex or thrust into her until his virility was spent. He’d only become more eager to please after learning that another male had impregnated her. He’d spent over a year pumping his balls into her, trying to fulfill his biological imperative. Now, he’d never get the chance to impregnate her. Not that she was averse to letting him try. It was just… Luca could spend a year failing to do what Harry did in a single hour.
All that work had been worth it, more than worth it. The gown was her finest creation, and it was just like her dream. Harry wasn’t merely sexy- he was sex. Every millimeter of him was luscious, lascivious, undeniably erotic. He was walking porn beaming into her brain, from his alabaster skin, to his slender, yet muscular arms and shoulders, to his chest and torso- partly covered by the translucent gown she’d crafted him. Then there was his cock, his gown pooling around the base as it arched into the air. He took it in hand and stroked it, peeling back his foreskin to reveal his flushed cockhead shining with precum. A chorus of moans echoed across the room, their eyes riveted to Harry’s display. A few started openly masturbating, the rest simply stared. Maru was among the latter group, her mind hazing over as she stared, open mouthed. And how couldn’t she? Poets could spend years trying to put his beauty into words, artists could never capture his eroticism. They would try, though, Maru knew.
“You deserve a reward.” He said, with a playful smile. Goddess, even his voice was pornographic. Like a sultry croon whispered right in her ear, it made a shiver run down her body. It had been bad enough when he moaned as he’d fucked Fleur, and then when he came- the ecstasy on his face was made for art. But now his voice was directed at her, and it made Maru want to cum on the spot. He closed the remaining distance between them. His cock twitched at her proximity, and she wished desperately for him to be like all the other males- more cock than brains and begging to thrust it in. He clearly wanted to, but he wouldn’t. Harry wasn’t and would never be like the other boys. He was unique and exquisite, a precious gem- perfect, sparkling, yet fragile. “Do you want to fuck me?” He asked her, teasing.
“Yessss.” She moaned, shuddering. She wanted to so desperately, but something told her she couldn’t. As good as it would feel to wrap her sex around his boyish flower and take it, even imagining it felt wrong somehow. It was like she’d be desecrating something pure and perfect. She needed his permission.
“Beg for it.” He told her.
And she did. “Please.” She begged. “Please, I need your cock.”
“More.” He said.
“I’ll do anything for you, be anything for you. I’ll devote my life to you. Please. Please. Please.” She needed him so badly that it hurt, like a gaping wound in her core. She caught a vision of the future. Harry, fully grown, with a legion of women around him- a harem of Veela. They were matriarchs, priestesses and aristocrats, the very best of the Veela race. All of them were compliant, docile- eager for just a touch from Harry, a glance of appreciation. And wrapped around Harry was Maru’s gown, resplendent and shimmering.
It may as well have been a crown.
-----
She was striking.
Lucius Malfoy spotted her from across the ballroom and was immediately entranced. Had he ever seen a woman so beautiful? His wife and their cold marriage were barely a whisper in his mind as he approached her. It would hardly be his first extramarital dalliance. She glanced at him and smiled. Lucius didn’t bother to suppress a smirk as he approached her. He was wealthy, attractive, pure blooded, and the head of a great and noble house. He deserved more than his frigid wife. In his younger days the imperius had helped him sate his needs with muggle women- but since the Dark Lord fell that was too risky. Of late he’d relied on his wealth- using worthless squib whores. He deserved better, a proper mistress, who would be totally dedicated to fulfilling his needs, who’d act like a dagger in his wife’s pride and make her consider putting out.
“I haven’t seen you around here before.” Lucius told the woman. He would certainly have noticed her if she had been, so he assumed she was new.
“I’m… new here.” The woman said, hesitant and doe eyed. Lucius admired her body, already imagining the things he’d do to it. Her dress wasn’t revealing, but it didn’t need to be, she looked that good. Tits and an ass his hands itched to grope. On both counts she put his wife’s to shame. He was so fucking hard. He had to find a way to keep her, maybe a love potion, or the imperius- damn what the Ministry had to say on the matter, enough gold would make his problems go away.
“What about you?” She asked, and Lucius realized he’d missed everything she’d said. Shit. He’d needed to win her over first.
“Well Miss…” He didn’t even know her name!
“Eva.” She said, and he suppressed a sigh of relief. “Eva Allard.” A French surname, but said in an American accent. She watched him with rapt attention- far more attention than he’d given her words- as he told her who she was speaking to. He bragged about his position in society, with wealth and influence, his impeccable breeding. He found himself getting sucked into her as he talked, those piercing green eyes, the full, fuckable lips, framed by a head of pure blonde hair. Perhaps he inflated his status and achievements. He was not the wealthiest wizard in Britian. Sirius Black, the damnable blood traitor, and a few other families had more to their name. Nor was he universally respected- perhaps by everyone who mattered, but not by everyone. She was impressed, though, and that was what he wanted. All he needed to do was get her in his door and he’d have her- stripped, on her knees with her plump lips wrapped around his cock, on her back, her fat tits bouncing as he fucked her into his bed. Fuck, he was hard. He’d never gotten so inflamed just by talking to a woman. He needed to focus!
“Wow!” She giggled. “I’m lucky that the first man I meet in Britian is so…” She looked him up and down appreciatively. Lucius’ breath hitched, maybe he wouldn’t even need to use the imperius on her. “Impressive. Would you care to dance?”
Lucius grew bolder as his every advance was welcomed, and soon he was openly groping her ass as they swayed to the music. “What do you say we get out of here, find somewhere more… private?” He asked her. He was thrilled when she said yes. He was too far gone to notice that her smile wasn’t sultry or seductive, but downright malicious.
He was already a dead man.
-----
Lucius Malfoy was the easiest mark imaginable. All the things that gave men the ability to resist the allure- he lacked. He was completely selfish. He was spoiled, never having tasted hardship and come out more resilient. He was malleable- a snake who could molt his personality to suit the situation, from sniveling servant to conniving courtier to entitled patriarch. It was all the easier for the allure to mold him, too. And, frankly, he was evil. Without a moral code to hold onto, there was no anchor for his psyche when the allure took hold.
It was an irony to the Veela that evil, selfish men who were most susceptible to the allure made horrible mates. It wasn’t merely about preference- though yes, they made for terrible company. Such a weak constitution impacted their seed. It tasted rancid, of course, but that was only a signal. Such a vile man’s seed could never impregnate a Veela. No one fully understood the source of the Veela fertility problem, but it seemed a man with such a weak moral constitution produced a similarly weak seed, unable to persist inside a Veela.
Most Veela saw men like Lucius as completely worthless, less than worthless- a waste. Eva knew that wasn’t quite true. Men like Lucius could be used as tools- not sexual tools- but tools to do her bidding. There was also wealth. One could string a man like this along, make him make ever greater expenses to woo her over. Of course, Eva’s patron enforced a code of conduct- almost chivalric- that protected most men from such treatment. A man like Lucius did not deserve the same consideration. He deserved the same treatment that he’d happily dish out on others.
However, that wasn’t why she was here. She didn’t come for Malfoy’s wealth, or his influence, or even his magic. No, Lucius Malfoy was worth far more to her patron dead than alive. A new political power was rising- the Delacours and their mate, Harry Potter. The word had gotten out that they wanted all former Death Eaters (with a very limited list of named exceptions) dead. For Eva, Lucius would give her recognition of her skills to the most powerful woman in America. For Madame Monroe, he may be the key to a political alliance.
Eva didn’t have any pity for him. She’d seen his mind. She’d trained her allure into a finely honed weapon, and she’d developed legilimency alongside it. With her allure lowering his mind’s defenses, slipping in and uncovering his every dark secret was easy. She saw the rapes, the murder, the sheer vile cruelty of this… excuse of a man. She saw his wildly unrealistic plans for her. He was planning on keeping her as his sex slave based on… what? A minute of very poor conversation? It was funny how deluded he was. She was happy to let him lead her away. No one noticed them leave. Her clothes were infused with a notice-me-not charm. Her allure, precisely targeted at Lucius, had pierced through the weak enchantment, but she kept it under a tight leash otherwise. It would not be good if it became public knowledge that Veela were ‘invading’ Britain. For the rest of the room, unless they were specifically looking for her or her mark, their eyes glazed over the couple, as if they were not worth noticing.
Lucius apparated them to his home and immediately set upon her. He shoved his tongue into her mouth and groped her breasts. Human women might find this degrading, but this was all just fun to Eva. She was playing with her food. Was she getting turned on? Yes, though Lucius didn’t have a prayer of satisfying her, even if she gave him the chance. Still, it was good foreplay for when she returned to her mate after this.
There was a cough, and Lucius froze. Eva pulled away, sizing up their audience. A woman- no doubt his wife- eyed them with cold eyes. She was hurt, but not surprised. This wasn’t the first time Lucius had brought a woman home, and not the first time he’d discovered him in the act. How pathetic, that she accepted this behavior from him. The other must be his son. The Malfoy scion was a teenager, and as she peered into his mind she could instantly see that he was a chip off the old block. He wanted to be like his father in every way, including how he treated women. Despite that, he’d yet to have any experience. His bark was far worse than his bite. His ego larger than his bile. He was cute but otherwise was an unimpressive boy. Not unsalvageable, though, with the right influence.
Perhaps tonight could be an object lesson for the boy.
“You’ll have to excuse us.” Lucius said, eager to brush his family aside.
“I- I see.” His wife said. Her voice was icy, stinging with shame.
Lucius tugged Eva along, into a guest bedroom. “You didn’t tell me you were married.” She was curious to see him try to wriggle out of this one.
“She’s nothing.” Lucius said quickly.
“And what am I?” What a ridiculous question for her to ask. They’d just met, what could she possibly be to him. But she wanted to push him and see how he responded. “Will I be nothing to you as well?”
“We shall see. You need to prove yourself worthy, of course.” He said. She could see his intention before it left his lips. He wanted to use what he perceived as her insecurity to get her to suck his cock, make her ‘prove’ that she was more worth his time than his wife. His ego was bathing in her allure, and at the moment he was riding high, exalting in his ability to seduce a woman like her. She decided to cut his plan off at the knees by disrobing. Malfoy’s jaw dropped, his eyes going wide as he beheld her.
“Oh, well if I’m not worthy, then perhaps I should go.” She said.
“No!” Lucius shouted, grabbing her wrist. “You’re everything, Eva. You’re perfect. My wife is nothing next to you.” Earlier, he had considered using the imperius curse on her. A stronger willed man might have still tried, but Lucius was weak, and she had him by the balls. The allure was making him want to please her, for now just to validate his ego. It would be easy to make him submit completely, desperate for her approval. She could make him beg, could make him spend hours eating her out, make him degrade himself, and make him admit to every one of his crimes. She played with the idea but ultimately discarded it. She had a much more ironic fate in store for him.
“Well, I’m glad I meet your approval.” She said dryly. “Let’s see if you meet mine. Undress.”
He did so in a flurry. He did look good. It was a shame his beauty was only skin deep. Still, she laid it on thick. “Wow.” She breathed. “Your wife is really missing out.” Lucius preened, his ego was engorged as much as his cock. “How many women have you tamed on that bitch-breaker of a cock, eh?”
“Quite a few.” He boasted, yet he only ever got sex when he paid for it. His level of delusion was astonishing. She grabbed his swollen shaft with her hand, and he wheezed. She stroked him slowly, and he would have cum had she not intervened. The allure could be a versatile tool, with proper training. Eva was one of a few Veela who could use it not just to entice men, but to prevent their orgasm. Any partner of hers would only cum if she wished them to.
“Show me.” She said, her voice sultry. His cock throbbed into her hand with a desperation she was sure Lucius had never felt before in his life. “You want me to be your personal slut. To worship your cock on my knees every morning, and to spread my legs for you whenever it strikes your fancy. Show me what you can do, and you’ll never want for sex again.” None of that was technically a lie.
He was frantic as he kissed her, pushing her into the bed and mounting her. No pretense of foreplay, he just shoved his cock in. “Oooh!” She moaned, loud and fake. “You beast! More! Give me more!” He jackhammered into her, his orgasm building up behind the stopper of her allure. “Yes! Yes! You’re the best!” It wasn’t like this was unpleasant to her- it was sex, after all. But it was terribly underwhelming compared to what she knew sex could be- like eating soggy pizza.
Her words and moans were like cocaine, and his pride distended. He felt like a king, like a god. He was beyond self-obsessed, he practically worshipped himself, and pride go-eth before the fall. Men were most vulnerable to her technique in the moment of orgasm. By honing her allure and striking at just the right moment, she could compel a man to change his personality, develop a fetish, fall in or out of love.
In the right circumstances, she could also kill him. It required the man to be… unstable. A man with a healthy, balanced spirit could not be undone like this. Lucius was not a well-balanced man, and she had egged him on to be less so. As his fever reached a peak, Eva shaped her allure into something resembling a spear. His orgasm surged forward, about to overtake him when she struck, lancing through his testicles and up his spine with her magic. His ego burst apart, exploding like a crushed fruit, and everything else that made him unraveled without the center to tie them together. He really was self-absorbed, everything about him fed back to his ego, and that was his downfall.
He didn’t die instantly. He collapsed, gaping as he metaphorically bled out. She pushed him off her, his wilting cock slipping out. He hadn’t even gotten to cum. His orgasm had been obliterated with the rest of him. His mouth open and closed, as if trying to speak. She smirked. “Lucius. I want you to know something.” She said with deliberate slowness, so he could follow along as the life left his body. “You’re disgusting, repugnant, worthless. No woman you’ve laid with ever wanted you, every single one of them was disgusted by you. There isn’t a person alive who will be worse off with you dying. Goodbye.”
Then she left him. Unhurried as she dressed. She should place a memory charm on the wife, enough so that Eva couldn’t be identified as a Veela. However, she wanted to pay the son a visit first- Draco, wasn’t it?
Her allure told her where the boy’s room was, and she followed her sense of him down a hallway. Waiting there was the woman she saw earlier. She clutched a wand in her hand. Eva grimaced; she couldn’t guarantee she’d win a straight up duel with the woman.
“Please.” The woman begged. “Don’t kill him.”
“Lucius is already dead.” Eva deadpanned, hoping to spook her.
“I don’t care about him.” She spat. “My son. Don’t kill my son.” She had never planned on killing the boy. She meant to merely teach him a lesson. “I won’t tell a soul what you did, Veela. For all the world will know, he died in his sleep. Let them suspect I killed him. I don’t care.”
Eva peered into the woman’s mind, or tried to, and was met by a shield. Then there was a slight, deliberate opening from the woman- Narcissa- enough to reveal her honesty. “I’m tempted to take your deal.” Eva agreed. “But your son saw me too, he will tell.”
“I’ll make sure he won’t.”
“He’s his father’s son.” Eva said sharply. “He will.” Narcissa flinched. “However… I need not kill him. If you allow me in his chambers, I will make sure he doesn’t breathe a word of tonight, and I will ensure he doesn’t become his father.” Narcissa hesitated. “If I duel you, then I will show no mercy to the boy.”
It was a bluff, mostly. Narcissa was experienced in the Dark Arts and had at least some combat experience. Eva wasn’t sure who would win if it came to a duel, and even if she did win, far too much evidence would be left behind. Her advantage was that Narcissa was intimidated. Eva was a mysterious assassin who had just killed her husband, and Narcissa had no idea what she was capable of. Eva expected her to give in, and she was right. “Okay, but I will be there. If you try anything-”
“I won’t even touch him. If I do, curse me on the spot.”
Narcissa entered the boy’s room first. “Mum?” Draco asked. He was in his night clothes but hadn’t fallen asleep. “What’s going on, I heard shouting.” Eva entered behind Narcissa, and Draco stared at her.
“It’s you.” He breathed.
“Your father sent me.” Eva said. “He told me it was time for you to become a man.” Draco’s gaze turned lascivious, then he hesitated, looking at his mother.
“What is she doing here?” He asked. Unsurprisingly, he didn’t want his mother present while he lost his virginity. Still, Eva detected the disdain in the boy’s voice. He was clearly picking up his father’s attitudes toward women.
“I- I insisted.” Narcissa said.
“She did.” Eva chuckled. “What do you say, Draco? Be warned, I have very high standards.”
“Yes. Yes!” He nodded eagerly, tugging off his nightclothes. “I can’t believe this is happening.” He was quite good looking, and Eva contented herself with admiring him as he undressed. Narcissa was scowling, holding her wand with a white-knuckled grip, but she couldn’t look away.
“I suppose it’s my turn.” Eva smiled at him. She dropped her robe, lancing out with her allure simultaneously. Draco instantly came, having not so much as touched himself. The male orgasm was always a spectacular thing, and Eva enjoyed Draco’s, watching his testicles twitch and his shaft pump as he ejaculated all over himself. His hips undulated as if he were actually fucking a woman, which made the scene all the hotter. On his body alone, he’d be fit to serve a Veela. But for him to be of any use he’d need to squash that ego, entitlement, and callousness. Perhaps she could help with that. As the final dribbles of his orgasm abated, Eva pulled back her allure, which had infiltrated Draco like an invading tentacle. She had left something behind in his sexual core, implanted a seed that would grow. Eventually he may be worthwhile to a woman.
Of course, she wasn’t about to let the boy know she was attracted to his display. That defeated the purpose of this exercise. So, she laughed. She laughed cruelly, mockingly. Draco cringed into himself, and Narcissa sprung into action. “Sweetie, its okay.” She tried to soothe, reaching to him. “Lots of boys are hair trigger on their first time, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Of course, having his mother comfort him like that was even more humiliating.
“Shut up!” He snapped at Narcissa, shoving her away from him.
Eva’s laughter petered off. “I’m sorry, Draco. I just didn’t expect- I didn’t even touch you.”
“Sh-shut up!” He said with much less confidence. He was humiliated, beyond humiliated, and trying to salvage some scrap of his pride. “You caught me by surprise, is all. I’ll last a lot longer next time.”
“Next time?” She snorted. “That’s presumptuous.” Draco cringed. “But as a favor to your father, I will give you another chance. Do you think you can handle it?”
“Yes.” Draco said, with less vigor this time around. “I can do it.” He was psyching himself up, telling himself that he’d gotten it out of his system. She almost felt bad for him.
“Alright, I’ll give you a little test, and if you pass, I’ll take your virginity.” She said, reaching for his cock. She spiked her allure before her fingers made contact, and Draco orgasmed again. It was less visually impressive this time, just a few dribbles of semen, but he was moaning like a banshee. She was laughing before he even finished.
“Oh goddess, you’re pathetic.” She mimed wiping a tear from her eye. Her allure coiled back, having implanted something else in the boy- a sense of overwhelming shame. He would never be able to speak of anything that happened tonight.
Narcissa shot her a venomous look. “Are you done?” She spat. The Malfoy boy curled in on himself and began to cry.
Eva felt a little bad, but not really. The boy needed a rude awakening, or else he would have become something monstrous. It was better that rude awakening come at the cost of sexual humiliation rather than, say, killing someone. “Yes, I’m done here.” Eva announced. “Remember our deal.” She said. “If you think I can’t reach him…”
Narcissa gave a single, furious nod. Eva turned and left. “It's okay sweetie, let's get you cleaned up.” Narcissa told Draco, no doubt humiliating the boy further. Eva disappeared into the night. Madame Monroe would be pleased with her.
-----
Irina didn’t know who her father was. Her mother had bedded many men and hadn’t known which of them had finally impregnated her. Still, she kept her harem of men, and one of them, Irina knew, was the male who had sired her. The males were household servants, cooking, cleaning, and of course, acting as her mother’s ‘toys’. Sometimes Irina watched as they did chores- scrubbing the floors, cleaning dishes in scanty clothing. It was with curiosity at first, but as she’d grown older, innocent curiosity was morphing into a less innocent interest.
Her mother had lent one of them to her- Irina’s favorite of them all- to be her caretaker. His name was Andrey. Irina loved bossing him around. He’d make her lunch, played games with her, even carried her around when she asked. He was tall, fit, pale skinned, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and she’d come to appreciate how he looked more and more. She’d read the books her mother had given her, she knew what men were for. She knew what her mother did when she pulled one of her males behind closed doors- why she went in so tense and came back out looking so satisfied. She’d seen illustrations and read smut, but had never seen beneath the parts that their males’ lingerie covered.
That was going to change today.
“Andrey.” She announced, putting on as much authority as she could in her still childlike voice. Andrey looked up from his work- he’d been cleaning dishes from breakfast.
“Yes, Miss Irina?” He said.
“I want you in my room.” She declared.
“Allow me to finish the dishes first-”
Irina stomped her foot petulantly. “Now!” Andrey paused, hesitated for a moment, and put the plate in the sink.
“Very well, Miss Irina.” He said, and Irina smirked. He’d never said no to her. He would do whatever she wanted. The prospect thrilled her- a sexy man completely at her whim.
He followed her into her room, and she spun back to him. “Take off your clothes!” She commanded eagerly. It was finally time to see what lay beneath! She couldn’t wait to see-
“What?” He sputtered. “No!”
Irina flinched. “What do you mean, no?”
“You’re eleven!” He was backtracking to the door. No! No! “I can’t. I’m not going to.”
He’d never said no to her before. His rejection felt like a serrated knife sinking into her chest. “But- but you have to do whatever I say!” She shouted. “You can’t just- just-”
“I’m not your toy!” Andrey had backed up to her door. It was only symbolic, but it felt like if he left her room, she’d miss her chance.
Hurt turned to rage.
How dare he? This was what men were meant for. How dare he deny her? Her mom had given him to her! What the hell did he think that meant? Tears still stinging her eyes, she screamed in rage. Something awakened in her. Fire scoured her clothes from her body while a power bloomed in her abdomen- her allure.
Andrey froze, his hand still on the doorknob. Irina knew everything was different now. Before, he’d listened to her because her mother had told him to. Now… She could feel the power within her. It burned like the flames that still licked her skin. It sang like the need between her legs. She channeled it outward, instinct guiding her. Andrey shuddered as her allure wrapped around him. She sensed a brief note of shock from him, followed by empty arousal, an arousal that throbbed and pounded against the mind, rendering him stupefied. He was an empty shell, and Irina could do whatever she wanted to him.
Good.
“Come back.” She snapped, still irritated that he ever tried to refuse her. She’d get him back for that, show him where his place was- at her feet, begging for the privilege of making her cum.
Irina shivered. Goddess she wanted to cum. Her fingers and toys just weren’t cutting it. “Take off your clothes.” She ordered for the second time. This time, he obeyed, vacantly disrobing, and giving Irina her first look at the male form. Goddess, he looked good. So sexy. And he was all hers.
Without thought, her hand came out to grab his shaft. It looked so deliciously tempting, and it felt just as good in her hand, firm and warm. It throbbed as Andrey moaned, precum dribbling into her palm. Her core thrummed in response. She needed this thing inside of her.
Something Andrey had said came back to her at that moment, and she chuckled, delirious from the power trip she was on. “You are my toy.” She declared.
“I’m your toy.” The male agreed with a moan. He would never say no to her again. No one, male or Veela, would.
Irina Alexeyev had arrived.
-----
It had been many, many years since anyone had said ‘no’ to her. It had been far longer since any male had. Yet, this Harry Potter was becoming troublesome. Not defiant, of course, the male himself had nothing to do with her failure, except for being a particularly valuable bartering chip. It was all on the Delacours, who were turning out to be far cannier than she had anticipated. For the first time in years, she was on the backfoot. It had taken her a while to realize that Maru Alene had not been a fluke, but the start of a pattern. Families who she’d counted on for allegiance were reneging. Not many, certainly, and not loudly. Correspondences stopped arriving, and with them gifts. Certain faces simply stopped attending dinners.
It wasn’t debilitating, at least not yet. Her political base was vast, but she would need it the next time a council seat opened up, which would surely happen when the old crone Amalthea finally croaked. Every Veela with a title was granted a vote (titles were, of course, granted by the council and passed down through generations), so keeping the loyalty of the matriarchs was key. If she could get someone loyal to her appointed, she’d finally have control. Shu Yin was her woman- she’d been nothing and Irina had practically made her. Rin Tanaka, however, had always been too much of a loose cannon. With a power base of her own in the form of her Amazons, Irina would never be able to count on her loyalty for the key parts of her plan. Amalthea, as high priestess of the Goddess, had always been barely concerned with politics, and that was even more the case now in her old age. Then there was the fifth and final member of the council, that traitorous, conniving bitch-
There was a knock on the door. It was for the best; she might burst a vein if she thought about her any more than necessary. Irina ushered the woman into her office, where Irina had been trying to work- writing letters, gauging who was still loyal, who was wavering, and who was gone. Shu Yin entered. “Irina.” She bowed her head in acknowledgement. That was the kind of treatment she liked, what she wanted from everyone. When she was done, they’d all be kneeling.
“Shu Yin.” Irina nodded. “You have what I requested?”
“Yes.” Shu Yin said, handing her a satchel. Within were several items, the most important was a corked bottle with a silvery liquid within.
“Polyjuice.” Shu Yin explained. Irina went to the next object, a choker. “That should allow you to get through age wards undetected.”
“And this?” Irina scrutinized the scrap of paper in the bottom of the bag.
“That’s your ticket, My Lady.” Shu Yin said. “For platform nine and three-quarters.”